Kandy (Sri Lanka) May 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) Thousands of devotees from India, Nepal and Sri Lanka participated in Kumbhabhishekam -- a ritual reverentially performed to re-energise the spiritual powers -- of the Seetha Amman temple in Sri Lanka's Central Province district of Nuwara Eliya on Sunday.

Spiritual guru and founder of Art of Living Foundation Sri Sri Ravi Shankar along with High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, Santosh Jha, were among the top dignitaries who witnessed the consecration ceremony with the holy Saryu water which was flown in from Ayodhya.

High Commissioner Jha had flagged off the rath yatra carrying Saryu water to Seeta Amman temple from Mayurapathi Sri Badrakali Amman Kovil temple in Colombo on Friday.

Large groups of devotees from different corners of the world travelled especially for the ceremony, marking the civilisational heritage and values that India and Sri Lanka have shared for millennia.

The Seetha Amman temple is believed to signify the place of Ashok Vatika in the epic Ramayana is yet another symbol of the age-old and diverse ties between the people of the two countries.

Meanwhile, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, currently on a three-day visit to the island nation, met Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena at his official residence Temple Trees in Colombo on Saturday.

"We discussed future collaborations to support the people of Sri Lanka in areas such as skilling, agriculture, tourism, environmental conservation, and holistic well-being. Called upon all Asian countries to unite in promoting indigenous medicine," the spiritual guru posted on X.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, May 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) The four-day long ‘Sant Shivir’ at BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Gujarat’s Sarangpur concluded this weekend.

The intensive program saw the participation of about 650 Santo, Parshado (trainee saints) and Sadhako (trainees desiring to take diksha), in the presence of Mahant Swami ji Maharaj and Sadguru Santo.

Sarangpur is the seat of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha’s unique training centre, where all those seeking ‘diksha’ for becoming saints have to undergo compulsory training for a period of about six years before being initiated into the BAPS Swaminarayan’s saintly order.

This ‘Sant Shivir’ program was the second such initiative by Sarangpur-based Swaminarayan Sanstha to impart ‘diksha’. So far, a total of 1400 Santo, Parshado and Sadhako have collectively participated in the training program.

Earlier, this month, a Divya Sannidhi Parva was organised here which was attended by 1700 senior volunteers from BAPS’ Children’s Activities wing.

During the five sessions of the program, organised with the theme of ‘Antar Akshardham’, the Swamishri blessed each volunteer and appreciated their ‘seva’.

Throughout the Divya Sannidhi Parva, the volunteers were enlightened and informed about various aspects of nishtha, niyam-dharma, divyabhao and other spiritual endeavours as practised by sadguru swamis and other experienced swamis.

The Divya Sannidhi Parva, inspired by Mahant Swami ji Maharaj, was an unforgettable experience for all the participants.

Source: IANS

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Ahmedabad, May 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel attended the 151st edition of 'Namo Pustak Parab', a weekly book fair featuring over 3,000 books on various subjects.

Chief Minister Patel explored the diverse range of books and praised the initiative.

The 'Namo Pustak Parab,' inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and launched on July 4, 2021, aims to make reading a widespread habit.

MLA Mahesh Kaswala, who supports the initiative, highlighted the “influence of Prime Minister Modi's belief in the power of reading as the inspiration behind the event.

The weekly fair, set up on the footpath in Ahmedabad, attracts a large number of readers.

The collection includes books on religion, tourism, literature, engineering, science, poetry, and stories, offering something for everyone.

"The most remarkable aspect of this event is that there is no registration process for those who donate or borrow books. Despite this, we never run out of books. Families donate their books here, while readers and those in need borrow and return them after reading,” Kaswala said.

The Chief Minister during the event was gifted a copy of the Bhagavad Gita. He later shared his experience on social media, writing: "I had the good fortune to attend the 151st 'Namo Pustak Parab,' a reading event organised by MLA Mr. Maheshbhai Kaswala at Maninagar, Ahmedabad city, on Sunday."

The chief minister also engaged with the literary community and promoted the reading culture. He met young readers and Gujarati authors.

Source: IANS

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Guwahati, May 18 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Railway Protection Force (RPF) of the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) while conducting routine checking at New Jalpaiguri railway station of West Bengal recovered 10 live endangered species of turtles that were being transported illegally, officials said on Saturday.

NFR's Chief Public Relations Officer Sabyasachi De said that a RPF team conducted a routine check in the Thiruvananthapuram Central-Silchar Aronai Express train at New Jalpaiguri station on Friday and detected 10 live endangered species of turtles.

The turtles were handed over to the West Bengal Forest Department after completing all the legal formalities and documentation.

The NFR operates in the northeastern states and seven districts of West Bengal and five districts of north Bihar.

Source: IANS

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Originally planned to be opened to public in Agra four years ago, the International Museum has faced delays due to a lack of funds and bureaucratic hurdles.

Historian Dr Mukul Pandya mentioned that International Museum Day is organised by the International Council of Museums, focusing on a different theme each year, addressing current issues and challenges faced by museums worldwide.

The purpose of Museum Day is to raise awareness about the societal contributions of museums and advocate for cultural exchange, diversity, and inclusivity. Museums serve as a unifying force, bringing people together. This year's theme centres around 'Museums for Education and Research'.

Tourist guide Ved Gautam said that the construction of the International Museum in Taj City has been going on for several years since the foundation stone was laid by former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on January 5, 2016.

Originally estimated at Rs 140 crore, the cost has now increased to nearly Rs 200 crore. The museum is situated approximately 1 km from the Taj Mahal.

The UP Rajkiya Nirman Nigam contracted the Tata group to execute the project. Workers on the site said more than 60 per cent of the work is complete. Pre-cast concrete structures are being fabricated to speed up the work on the project according to the guidelines by eminent museum experts in France and the United Kingdom.

The name of Mughal Museum was changed to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Museum when Yogi Adityanth assumed office as Chief Minister of UP.

Initially intended to focus on the Mughal era's weapons, attire, culture, and related aspects, the Yogi government has broadened its scope to encompass the extensive history of the Braj Mandal region.

The museum will feature indoor auditoriums, outdoor theatres for cultural programmes, a library with books on archaeology and history, as well as a cafeteria.

After eight years of construction, the prolonged delays are a cause for concern, but once completed, tourists will have another enticing reason to prolong their stay in Agra, according to Rajiv Saxena, a heritage conservationist from the city.

The municipal museum at John's Public Library in Paliwal Park has been shut down, leaving only the museum within the Taj Mahal complex accessible to the public. Although this museum houses valuable historical artefacts, it does not attract many tourists in a hurry, as noted by Saxena.

Regrettably, three exquisite statues of Queen Victoria are left unprotected in the open, reflecting a lack of appreciation for Agra's rich heritage among its residents, according to social activist Rajiv Gupta of Lok Swar.

Meanwhile, the members of the Agra Heritage Group have urged the UP government to shift some of the valuable antiques, artefacts and Buddha statues from the Mathura Museum to the upcoming Agra Museum.

Mathura Museum has the best collection of Buddhist artefacts and Buddha statues in the world. However, valuable antique pieces are carelessly lying around because of space constraints. "But now they will have a place, and Buddhists from across the world will throng the Agra Museum," said Gopal Singh of the Agra Heritage Group.

The Mathura Museum, founded by the then-collector F. S. Growse in 1874, has a rich collection of artefacts, pottery, sculptures, paintings, and coins, as well as a large number of collections by eminent colonial archaeologists.

Additionally, statues from the Kushan and Gupta periods (from 3rd century BC to 12th century AD) are conserved here. However, lack of resources and space have been major constraints. The conservationists hope that now, with the Agra Museum taking shape, this problem will be sorted out.

Source: IANS

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Chennai, May 18 (SocialNews.XYZ) Forest department officials on Saturday caught a leopard that created panic among the people of the Papanasam area in Tamil Nadu's Tirunelveli district.

The leopard's movements were caught on CCTV cameras in the area. The animal had reportedly attacked a goat at Vembaiyapuram village in the district.

Tamil Nadu forest department officials reached the spot and kept a trap cage in a village adjacent to the Papanasam forest range in which the leopard walked in. According to officials, the animal would be released deep inside the forests.

Muthusamy, a paddy farmer in Vembaiyapuram, told IANS, "We came to know that the forest department has trapped the leopard. A goat was attacked by the big cat on Friday. We were worried as we all have cattle. We had complained to the Tirunelveli district authorities to catch the leopard."

Source: IANS

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Jaipur, May 18 (SocialNews.XYZ) First look of the wax statue of Rajput queen Hadi Rani, who beheaded herself to motivate her husband to fight the war against Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, was unveiled at a museum in Jaipur on Saturday.

The wax statue of the queen was unveiled as a mark of respect to her on International Museum Day.

In Rajasthan, the land of heroes, even the Rajput women (Chhatranis) sacrificed themselves for the nation. One such braveheart was Sahal Kanwar -- the queen of Hadi.

"Hadi Rani, at the tender age of 16, beheaded herself for the sake of the nation. This is a very inspiring, immortal story of courage and sacrifice which still resonates in this land," Anup Shrivastav, Founder Director of Jaipur Wax Museum, said.

Her statue will soon be installed with a special show, Anup said.

"I was personally moved by this true story and we decided that the coming generation must know about this immortal story of renunciation and sacrifice," Anup added.

"The wax statue of Hadi Rani and the sets of the show are ready. Recording of dialogues, voiceovers and music is being done in Mumbai. Soon tourists will be able to see this heart-wrenching story in a special light and sound show," he said.

Anup said,"We install statues of real-life heroes in the museum so that the young generation knows about them and gets inspired by them."

Source: IANS

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Srinagar, May 18 (SocialNews.XYZ) Over 65,000 pilgrims have so far registered for this year’s annual Amarnath Yatra.

Officials said that over 65,000 pilgrims have registered so far at different registration centres for this year’s Amarnath Yatra.

This year’s Amarnath Yatra will start on June 19 and conclude on August 19.

The Amarnath Cave shrine houses an ice stalagmite that wanes and waxes with the phases of the moon.

Devotees believe that the ice stalagmite symbolises the powers of Lord Shiva.

The cave shrine is situated 3,888 metres above sea level in Kashmir.

Yatris approach the cave shrine either through the shorter north Kashmir Baltal base camp route or through the traditional south Kashmir Pahalgam base camp route.

Source: IANS

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Agra, May 17 (SocialNews.XYZ) Rescued from the grips of a harrowing existence spent begging on the unforgiving streets, Phoolkali – a resilient female elephant - found freedom in 2012.

The conservation NGO Wildlife SOS swooped in as her saviour, whisking her away to the safety of the Elephant Conservation and Care Centre (ECCC) in Mathura, where she has now revelled in 12 years of newfound freedom.

Having endured over five decades of cruelty and torment while being forced to navigate the harsh realities of life as a street beggar in Uttar Pradesh, Phoolkali's journey was fraught with suffering and abuse.

The relentless trudging along scorching tarred roads led to agonising foot ailments for the majestic pachyderm, including painful toenail abscesses, torn footpads, and festering wounds.

By the time Wildlife SOS and the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department intervened and plucked her from her misery, Phoolkali bore the physical scars of her traumatic past, with a protruding spine and palpable signs of malnutrition and dehydration.

However, with her arrival at ECCC came a glimmer of hope and a chance at redemption. The dedicated veterinary team and elephant caretakers at the NGO poured their hearts into nurturing Phoolkali back to health, gradually erasing the vestiges of her painful past and imbuing her life with comfort and care.

Since her arrival, Phoolkali's life changed for the better as the NGO's veterinary team and the elephant care staff gradually healed her and made her feel comfortable.

With medicated foot baths, toenail trimming sessions, relaxing hydrotherapy sessions, and a nutritious diet, her health saw remarkable recovery.

Her mental well-being also improved as the 67-year-old elephant found companions in female resident elephants Emma and Maya.

Ilayaraja S, Deputy Director- Veterinary Services, Wildlife SOS commented, "The trio has grown inseparable, and Emma and Maya's company has played a crucial role in Phoolkali's healing journey. The three go on their daily walks together and it makes for an amazing sight at our facility."

Today Phoolkali is a completely different elephant who loves to explore the vast fields of the Wildlife SOS centre and forage in the natural vegetation.

In order to mark her 12th year of rescue, the team at Wildlife SOS prepared a fruit feast for Phoolkali. The lavish spread consisted of watermelons, pumpkins, and bananas, which was thoroughly enjoyed by the delightful trio of Phoolkali, Maya, and Emma.

Source: IANS

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Panaji, May 17 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Wanarmare sub-tribe of the Katkari community, dwelling in Malpe-Virnoda in North Goa, is in a joyous mood as the first student of their community has cleared the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examination with a score of 44 per cent, without taking tuitions.

The Wanarmare tribe, originally from Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra, made Goa their home about a century ago. The tribe resides at two locations in Goa -- Nirankal in South Goa and Malpe in the North, with a population of around 200 to 300 people.

Ganesh Pawar has distinguished himself as the first student from Virnoda to pass the SSC examination.

Hanuman Pawar, father of Ganesh, told IANS that it was the best moment in his life, wherein his eldest son passed the SSC examination. "He is the first student from our tribe, who has completed the tenth standard. I am very happy and hope children from our community get educated," Hanuman Pawar, father of five children, said.

"We have no permanent job. Whoever hires us to do any work in agriculture or any other field, we take it and earn money. We don’t have a permanent location to stay as we don't own any land. We stay on landlords land and have to vacate it whenever they ask," he said.

Pawar said that Ganesh has not yet decided about pursuing further education. "But I am encouraging him to pursue whatever he wishes," he said.

Ganesh said that he is deeply grateful for the opportunities that education has opened up for him

"My journey through school was challenging, but it taught me that perseverance and support can change our destinies. This achievement is not mine alone, it belongs to my entire community. I hope my story will inspire other children from my community to pursue their dreams and believe in the possibility of a brighter future," he said.

Peter F. Borges, Chairperson, Goa State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, said: "We are immensely proud of Ganesh's accomplishment, which marks a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to ensure education for every child. His success reaffirms our belief that with the right support and opportunities, every child can overcome barriers and achieve their potential. This is a victory for Ganesh, a victory for the Katkari community, and a victory for all of us who believe in the power of education to transform lives."

Source: IANS

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Mumbai, May 16 (SocialNews.XYZ) Krishna Prakash is better known as the officer who heads Force One, the elite counter-terrorism unit of the Mumbai Police, but he's now busy with something softer -- and nobler.

The Additional Director General of Police (ADG)-rank officer is bringing the festival 'Sab Me Ram Shashwat Shri Ram' to Mumbai to share what he describes as the "strength of steel" he derives from Lord Ram's life and teachings.

The super cop has visualised the festival in a way that he tells the story of Lord Ram through music, literature, dance and theatre. Ahead of the event, ADG Singh spoke to IANS about the idea behind it.

Krishna believes that Lord Ram's universal appeal cuts across ideologies and transcends the boundaries of time. He told IANS, "Even the Bhakti saint-poet Kabir, who follows the Nirgun Niraakaar school of devotion, sings about Lord Ram existing in one and all. Sufi poetry talks about Lord Ram as much as Bhakti poetry. Tulsidas's Ram is the same as Kabir’s Ram."

He said he had put together a multi-media experience to project the glory of Lord Ram because it is immersive and draws the spectator or listener immediately into the story

The venues for the event are Gateway of India (from where, incidentally, he swam to the Elephanta Caves), Mumbai University and Ballard Pier. The top cop said that each of the three venues had been chosen because of their heritage value and dignity.

Prakash told IANS, "The Gateway of India is a sign of how India never lost its spirit and grandeur in spite of the British onslaught on its culture and sense of self-respect. The Gateway also symbolises how Lord Ram crossed the ocean to accomplish his aim. It will also draw us visually to the narrative we wish to recreate with dance, music and poetry."

He then spoke about Mumbai University, saying it is a seat of knowledge and wisdom, so it is natural that all literature-related discussions are to be hosted here. "Having the university partner with us is a feather in our cap as it represents all that higher knowledge that we associate with Lord Ram," Krishna said.

Ballard Pier, the police officer continued, is being used for the first time for a cultural event because that neighbourhood is representative of South Mumbai's culture and commerce.

Delving deeper into the literary programme, Krishna said, "The Hindi Sahitya Bharti and Maharashtra Rajya Hindi Sahitya Akademi are organising it. It is natural therefore that enlightened and erudite scholars would be a part of the discussions and lecture series. The subjects will include the poetry of Rama, the female characters of Ramayana, the various Ramayanas of Valmiki, Tulsidas, Kamban, Krittivas, and so many others."

Besides international speakers from Indonesia, Thailand and several other countries, spiritual personalities such as Swami Govind Dev Giri Maharaj of Ayodhya, Prof B.R. Shankaranand, head of Bharatiya Shikshan Mandal, and Shashwatanand Giri Maharaj will speak at the event.

It is Krishna's dream "to make everyone understand what Ram means". He said: "Lord Ram has different facets. He is all-inclusive. He is everywhere. He is the karma - the dharma - the thought."

'Sab Me Ram Shashwat Shri Ram' will be held across Mumbai from May 31 to June 2.

Source: IANS

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Chennai, May 16 (SocialNews.XYZ) Tamil Nadu Forest Department and the Special Investigation Team of the state police are conducting a joint probe to find out the source of two elephant tusks (weighing 3.2 kg and worth Rs 60 lakh) that were seized by the Organised Crime Intelligence Unit (OCIU) of the Tamil Nadu police on Wednesday night.

The police have arrested a person, A. Ram Alagu (40) of Rajapalayam in Tamil Nadu along with the Elephant tusks.

The OCIU is an elite unit of the Tamil Nadu police which gathers information on criminals and their activities, and has a dossier of several such people and organised crime networks in its database.

The unit is, however, seeking help of Tamil Nadu Forest Department to ascertain the age of the elephant from whose body the tusks were extracted and also to find out more specifics regarding the tusk that has been recovered from the arrested person.

Sources in Tamil Nadu Forest Department told IANS that they have at present not got any leads but the interrogation of Ram Alagu is being conducted to get more details and to find out the exact people behind this.

OCIU, on its interrogation, has found out that Ram Alagu was just a conduit and that he did not know much about the tusk and the whereabouts from where it was procured.

The Tamil Nadu Forest Department has already sent a communique to all the forest divisions in the state and neighbouring states like Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telengana and Karnataka about the seizure of the tusk and the arrest of the person who was carrying the tusks.

The four southern states are into a three-day synchronised census of elephants and there is an excellent rapport among the Forest Departments of these states.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, May 16 (SocialNews.XYZ) From extending maternity leave benefits to relaxation in labour laws to providing creches, the policies led by the Modi government have enabled a significant number of women to join the workforce.

The effects are visible in the declining female unemployment rate and increasing female labour force participation.

Data from the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) showed that the female unemployment rate decreased to 8.5 per cent in January-March this year from 9.2 per cent in 2023.

The female labour force participation rate (LFPR) in urban areas rose to 25.6 per cent during January-March, 2024, from 22.7 per cent last year.

Further, female worker population ratio in urban areas also rose to 23.4 per cent during January-March this year. In January-March 2023 it was 20.6 per cent.

The PLFS report, compiled by the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation, is based on a survey of 44,598 urban households and 1,69,459 people in urban areas.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had, in 2017, announced 26-week maternity leave for working mothers, instead of the earlier 12 weeks, for their pregnancy and delivery.

"The basic aim is to ensure proper care of the newborn, the future citizen of India, from the time of birth," PM Modi had said at the time.

Earlier this year, the government in an advisory asked employers to provide paid maternity leave to registered road construction workers for 26 weeks for up to two deliveries.

In the case of adoption or commissioning, the mothers were entitled to get 12 weeks of paid maternity leave.

The advisory also included miscarriages. If a woman in the construction sector experiences a miscarriage, she is entitled to get leave with wages equivalent to maternity benefits for six weeks following the day of the miscarriage.

The government's policies also asked employers to facilitate a safe and supportive environment for female workers during night shifts, ensuring transportation services for pick-up and drop-off, especially during night-time hours.

Further, PM Modi government's also rolled out standards and protocols for setting up creches that will provide comprehensive childcare in a safe and secure environment, and also foster the overall development of children in the country.

"These Standards and Protocol focus strongly on standardising and institutionalising the Care economy, contributing significantly to the vision of 'Women-led Development'.

Source: IANS

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Guwahati, May 16 (SocialNews.XYZ) Assam has been reeling under conditions of a heat wave as several cities record temperatures at least five notches above normal.

According to weather department data, Guwahati recorded a temperature of 37.2 degree Celcius on Wednesday, which is a departure of 5.4 degrees from normal.

Tezpur witnessed a departure of 7.2 degrees and the city recorded 38.1 degree Celcius on Wednesday.

Similarly, other cities like Dibrugarh, Silchar, Dhubri and Jorhat also recorded a few notches above normal temperatures.

The Met department has predicted that a similar condition will prevail in Assam for a couple of days, although the Regional Meteorological Centre in Guwahati forecasted that light to moderate rain coupled with thunderstorms may occur in isolated places in the state.

Source: IANS

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Chennai, May 15 (SocialNews.XYZ) The three-day annual synchronised elephant census in four south Indian states will now commence from May 23, it was announced on Wednesday.

The elephant census for 2024 was to commence on May 17 for three days but was put off after Kerala expressed some difficulties and requested a week's extension.

Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh Forest Departments will participate in the synchronised elephant census from May 23.

In Tamil Nadu, the elephant study will be conducted in Coimbatore, Erode, Nilgiris, Dharmapuri, Hosur, Vellore, Tiruvanamalai, Megamalai, Srivilliputhur, Tirunelveli, and Kanniyakumari.

Tamil Nadu Forest Department officials told IANS that the number of forest staff and volunteers for the exercise would be decided in the coming days.

According to a senior official, a team of four to five members would be deputed to cover a region of around 15 km and they would walk through it from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and assess the age and sex of the elephants directly.

The team would also find out whether any elephant has any external injuries, their tusk size, and the number of "Makhna" (tuskless male elephants) present.

They will also assess the elephant dung to differentiate between the elephants. The team will also study the elephant's behaviour and movements of these elephants.

In the 2023 census in Tamil Nadu forests, 2,961 elephants were identified, or 200 more than the earlier exercise which recorded 2,761 elephants. The 2023 elephant census was held from May 17 to May 19.

The four states would be releasing the list of elephants in each state together.

Tamil Nadu Forest Department officials told IANS that the state's Conservator of Forests, D. Venkatesh, who is also the Director of the Madumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR), will be the nodal officer for the census for the Tamil Nadu region.

Source: IANS

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Hyderabad, May 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Nehru Zoological Park here has lost a nine-year-old white Bengal tiger due to nephritis, Zoo officials said on Tuesday.

Male tiger ‘Abhimanyu' had been suffering from nephritis with the first stage of renal problems since April last year.

Abhimanyu was born in the same zoo on January 2, 2015, to sire ‘Badri” and dam ‘Surekha/Sameera’.

The zoo family mourns the loss of Abhimanyu, the Zoo authorities said.

Many experts in the field of veterinary medicine, tiger experts and other zoos were also consulted regarding the health condition of Abhimanyu. They suggested many medications and treatments to overcome the problems.

However, recently, the condition of the animal started deteriorating and it was even unable to wake up or walk properly since May 5.

The Zoo officials said the animal was suffering from Rheumatism and had been off food since May 12.

The animal was critical for the past three days with lateral recumbency, wherein fluid therapy, along with medications, was continued to revive the animal. Despite the best efforts of the wildlife hospital and rescue centre’s dedicated veterinary doctors, experts, and animal keepers, the big cat succumbed at 2.15 p.m. on May 14 (Tuesday) in its enclosure.

"We have conducted the post-mortem in the presence of veterinary experts from VBRI and CVSc, Hyderabad and the cause of death was inferred to be chronic renal failure. All samples were collected and sent to VBRI, Hyderabad for detailed laboratory diagnosis," the Zoo said

Source: IANS

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Chennai, May 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) In the Class 11 Tamil Nadu Board examination, the results of which were announced on Tuesday, a pass percentage of 91.17 was recorded. 8.1 lakh students had taken the exam.

The pass percentage is higher than in 2023, when it was 90.93.

Girls outperformed boys in this examination. While the passing rate of girls is 94.69 per cent, that of boys is 87.26 per cent.

Coimbatore district topped the list this year with a 96.02 pass percentage, while Erode took the second spot at 95.56 and Tiruppur came in third with 95.23.

8,418 students scored centum in the exam, with Computer Science students scoring the highest number of centums at 3,432.

8,221 specially-abled students appeared for the examinations, of which 7,504 students passed.

187 prison inmates wrote the exams and 170 of them cleared it.

Private schools outperformed other schools with a 98.09 per cent pass percentage.

Source: IANS

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Guwahati, May 13 (SocialNews.XYZ) Social activist and Padma Shri awardee Birubala Rabha passed away on Monday after a prolonged battle with cancer.

She breathed her last at the State Cancer Institute in Guwahati Medical College and Hospital.

Rabha, 75, was suffering from oesophageal cancer for the last three years.

She underwent radiotherapy, chemotherapy and stenting as she faced difficulty in swallowing food six months ago.

As Rabha's condition deteriorated, she was re-admitted to the hospital on April 22. Her condition further worsened on May 12 when she was put on a mechanical ventilator for respiratory distress.

She fought against the scourge of witch-hunting and also got recognition for that.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed condolences on Rabha's death.

Taking to his X handle, CM Sarma wrote, "I am deeply distressed to learn about the passing away of Padma Shri Smt Birubala Rabha. Through her untiring efforts to end social evils, she illuminated the paths of scores of women with hope and confidence."

"Rising through a challenging life, she epitomised courage against all odds. Assam will forever remain grateful for her leadership in serving society," he added.

Source: IANS

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Chennai, May 12 (SocialNews.XYZ) Tamil Nadu is home to two main varieties of grapes: panneer thiratchai (Muscat Hamburg) and Odaipatti seedless grapes. Grape farmers in the region are dejected as high temperatures in the last few weeks will lead to a huge fall in the yield of grapes.

K. Muniayndi, a farmer in Theni who has cultivated panneer thiratchai on around 10 acres of land, told IANS that due to high temperatures, there would be a drastic fall in the crop's yield.

He said: "Generally, we get 10-12 tonnes of grapes from an acre of the farm, but due to temperatures touching more than 39 degrees Celsius, the yield will be less than three tonnes per acre."

The grape farmer also said that for one acre of grape cultivation, a farmer has to spend around Rs 1.25 lakh, and if the yield falls to three tonnes per acre, then the situation of the farmers would be pathetic.

Panneer Thiratchai Farmers Association leader Karuppanan Raju, while speaking to IANS, said: "Almost 90 per cent of our farmers are cultivating the fruit in the Cumbum area. The heatwaves have destroyed our lives. Around 300 farmers are cultivating on 5,000 acres of land, and we are looking forward to huge losses."

He also said that the yield would be less than 80 per cent of what they usually get, and called upon the Tamil Nadu Agricultural Department to provide compensation for their losses.

The Odaipatti seedless grape farmers have a similar story to narrate. Odaipatti is a region in Theni district which cultivates seedless grapes on around 1,000 acres of land, involving 200 farmers.

Krishnan Thevar, a grape farmer, while speaking to IANS, said: "We are facing a bleak future. We will only get two to three tonnes of grapes from an acre, which is very low. Generally, we harvest around 12 tonnes from an acre of land."

He demanded that the state government fix a Minimum Support Price (MSP) for Odaipatti grapes at Rs 50 per kg, just like the state government sanctioned for sugarcane and paddy when there was crop loss.

It is worth noting that the Tamil Nadu government has already proposed a GI tag for Odaipatti seedless grapes, which would help felicitate the export of these grapes. However, presently, the farmers said that they are concerned about how to overcome the huge losses.

K. M. Murugesan, an Odaipatti seedless grape farmer, told IANS that the farmers want the state government's intervention in the matter to provide them with an MSP as they were expecting losses of 80 per cent of the yield in September, when they will harvest the crop.

—IANS

aal/sd/kvd

Source: IANS

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Kochi, May 11 (SocialNews.XYZ) It’s normal for people to leave behind unwanted things when they move home, but in Kochi’s suburb Eroor, a man and his family moved out from their rented accommodation and left behind his old and ailing father.

Locals were aghast on Saturday morning when they found out that 70-year-old Shanmugham, who had been ailing for a long time, had been left behind by his driver son Ajith and the family had shifted to an undisclosed new location.

Ajith’s former landlord said that he had not been getting rent for a while and had approached the police for a solution.

“Ajith told the police that he would vacate the house but he needed some more time. It was only yesterday that someone informed me that they had vacated my house. But I was also told that his father has been left behind. When I reached my house I saw that the entire home had been cleared but his old and helpless father was lying on the bed. I immediately informed the police about this,” said the owner of the house.

SI at the Tripunithura Police Station, Reshma said on Saturday that there were issues between Ajith and his two sisters about the way he had been keeping their father.

“We were told that one of the daughter’s was willing to take her father with her, but Ajith was not allowing her to do that. We spoke to Ajith and he said that he was at Vagamon. However, he has given different locations to different people who have been calling him.

“We will locate him soon with the help of the Cyber Police. We will be registering a case against him,” said SI Reshma.

Meanwhile, the police have moved the ailing father to a state-run hospital for treatment.

Source: IANS

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Chandigarh, May 11 (SocialNews.XYZ) Acclaimed Punjabi writer and poet Surjit Patar has passed away at the age of 79 due to a heart attack on Saturday at his residence in Ludhiana, his family said.

Patar, who penned 'Lafzan Di Dargah', a popular poetry, was honoured with Padma Shri in the field of Literature and Education in 2012. He started writing poetry in his mid-sixties.

Expressing grief over his demise, two-time Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said: "End of an era, as famous Punjabi writer and poet Padma Shri Surjit Patar Sahib has passed away today. My heartfelt condolences to his family and millions of fans worldwide. Punjab has lost an icon today. RIP!"

Known as the "Baba Bohar" of Punjabi literature, the Sahitya Akademi, in tribute, wrote: "It is immensely sad and shocking to learn that Surjit Patar, a distinguished Punjabi poet, translator, and scholar, has passed away. His poems enriched Punjabi literature and influenced successive generations of poets. May he RIP."

He served as the president of the Punjabi Sahit Akademi. Hailing from Patar Kalan village in Jalandhar, he retired as a professor of Punjabi from Punjab Agricultural University in Ludhiana.

Source: IANS

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Mumbai, May 11 (SocialNews.XYZ) Photographer Rajesh Satankar, who is gearing up for his photobook exhibition of 'Celebration of Heritage' in Mumbai, has captured the essence of the Kumbh Mela in his lens.

Portraying varied shades of spirituality in his pictures, Rajesh feels that the extravaganza makes for a textbook in logistics management given the sheer number of people attending the mela.

Rajesh spoke with IANS and opened up on his journey of experiencing the beauty of the Kumbh Mela from close quarters, his analysis as an anthropologist about the growing influence of globalisation on human civilisation and the connecting thread between those attending the mela.

Talking about the themes that intrigue him as a photographer, he told IANS: “People, in all their fascinating complexities, are what truly intrigues me as a photographer. Perhaps it stems from my background in anthropology, but I find myself drawn to capturing the stories etched on people's faces, the way they interact, and the unspoken narratives of their everyday lives. There's magic in connecting with someone, hearing their stories, and then translating that essence into a single image. My passion for people photography manifests in a variety of ways."

He said that the grandiosity of weddings, the meticulous artistry of fashion shoots, and quiet moments of spirituality at the Kumbh Mela all hold a certain allure. Even the bustling energy of street life, with its random encounters and fleeting moments, sparks my creative fire.

When asked about the germ of the photobook, he told IANS that the idea for the book sprouted from two things that weighed heavily on his mind. Firstly, the Kumbh Mela effortlessly manages millions of people every single day.

“It's a logistical marvel, and I felt this incredible story wasn't being shared widely enough. The second reason stemmed from a concern about the younger generation's awareness of the Kumbh Mela. It's a global phenomenon, yet there seems to be a gap in understanding, particularly among youth. The media often focuses heavily on the religious aspects, which are undeniably important, but there's so much more to the experience.”

He said that he wanted to create a book that went beyond just rituals and customs.

“I envisioned capturing the vibrant spirit of the Kumbh Mela – the coming together of diverse cultures, the temporary city that springs up to accommodate millions, the joyous festivities, and most importantly, the human connections that form there. This wasn't just about showcasing the spiritual significance of the Mela, though that's a powerful aspect too.”

He said that it was about portraying the Kumbh Mela as a place where people from all walks of life, with different beliefs and backgrounds, come together in a spirit of unity and shared experience.

“That, to me, was the heart of the story waiting to be told,” he said.

When asked how will globalisation manifest itself with ideas, values, and cultures travelling across the globe?

He said: “As an anthropologist, I'm fascinated by globalisation's impact on cultural exchange. Historically, migration has shaped civilisations and the Kumbh Mela embodies this beautifully. People from all walks of life converge, sharing traditions and fostering a global community. Technology like AI is accelerating this exchange, creating a ‘glocal’ world where global connections exist alongside local identities.”

He said that this interconnectedness can break down cultural barriers and foster understanding.

“Imagine someone of a different faith attending the Kumbh Mela, discovering new perspectives or even a path to enlightenment through witnessing the pilgrims' devotion. The Mela becomes a platform for global faith exploration, not conversion,” he said.

He said that the Kumbh Mela offers hope as millions come together united by a purpose yet celebrating their unique traditions.

“This is a microcosm of the future I see – a world where globalisation fosters cultural exchange and understanding, while still allowing local traditions to thrive,” he added.

‘Celebration of Heritage’ will be held at the Nehru Centre in the Worli area of Mumbai, with an inaugural function on May 11 and an exhibition on May 12.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, May 10 (SocialNews.XYZ) Looking back at his childhood, Chetan Bhagat remembers the time when the radio was the primary source of entertainment. He recounts the sense of anticipation with which people awaited simple yet captivating audio dramas that held their listeners spellbound.

Modern audio dramas, according to the best-selling author, have undergone a remarkable transformation, benefiting from advances in music production technology and heightened creative efforts. He contends that productions today are exponentially richer in content compared to audio dramas of the past.

Bhagat, who recently launched an audio drama adaptation of his acclaimed book 'The Girl in Room 105' on Audible, told IANS that the forthcoming rendition of the novel isn't just a typical audiobook with a single narrator. Rather, it resembles a cinematic experience without visuals.

In a conversation with IANS, Bhagat explained the intricacies of producing the audio drama adaptation and the future of the audio drama business. Excerpts from the interview:

Q. What inspired the decision to adapt 'The Girl in Room 105' into an audio drama format?

Chetan: I try to always stay connected to the youth of India. I think the young are continually evolving. They have different ways in which they consume their stories. Human beings have always consumed and liked stories, but the medium has changed. I want to be in the most modern medium possible and audio dramas are the future.

Audio dramas have wonderful spaces where you can listen to them anytime and anywhere with a lot of flexibility. You can listen to them while folding your clothes or taking a walk and at the same time they give you almost a movie-like experience.

I wanted to be in this space. I do not want to limit myself to being a writer, but to move on to movies, television, newspapers and motivational talks on stage.

Audio books is another fascinating area that is coming up. I wanted to be the early ones doing this, so I grabbed the chance Audible gave me.

Q. How do you assess the effectiveness of conveying messages through reading versus listening?

Chetan: I always tell people to read and reading allows for a lot of absorption, but next to that, or almost the same as that, is listening to an audio format. Whether it is a podcast, audiobook or an audio drama, because that also allows you to absorb content better.

Sometimes what happens with videos is that while you get absorbed in watching, it doesn't retain very well.

For example, you may have watched half an hour of Instagram reels today, but do you remember any of them? You probably don't! But you'll remember a good speech or good audio instructions; you'll also remember if you read something.

Reading as well as audio are two excellent ways to learn things and that’s how, if you have noticed, we are taught. We are taught to read books and listen to lectures. These are the two ways how maximum learning and absorption of information happens and it's a fantastic medium for that.

Q. What trends do you think are shaping the audiobook industry? How are authors like you adapting to it?

Chetan: I realised quickly that I'm not in a paper business or the ink business, I am in the storytelling business. The more new ways and new technologies enable the telling of these stories, the more we need to try and become a part of them. I think this is a very important part for writers who share their ideas with the world and this is an excellent way to do so.

Q. Can you walk us through the production process of the audio adaption of 'The Girl in Room 105'? What role does Chetan Bhagat play in it?

Chetan: The book itself has a small cameo if you can see by Chetan Bhagat, although it is a work of fiction. I often do this cameo situation where the hero of the story or the protagonist needs the author and the book is written to enable that to happen.

So I played myself, I did a little bit of that, but otherwise, there is a whole cast here. This is not just an audiobook that one person narrates. It is pretty much the same process as making a movie. The only difference is that there is no camera and make-up and all that because you're not seeing them.

But other than that there's a whole casting process, there’s scripting, shooting, editing, background sound, music, everything. There’s a full team and that is why the experience is going to be very wholesome or maybe unlike anything you may have experienced before.

Q. In what way does the audio drama explore stereotypes and political issues of contemporary India because that's something which is always a part of your stories?

Chetan: Although this book is a murder mystery, it is about somebody who is in IIT but not very happy with his career. He is teaching in coaching classes and he is trying to solve the mystery of the death of ex-girlfriend, with whom he is still in love with.

So it brings out the frustration that people experience when they don't have anything meaningful in their job, nor see a purpose in it. For someone like Keshav, he finds the true purpose of solving this mystery, he believes that nothing absorbs him like trying to solve this case, even though he is not a detective.

The second thing is that it brings out the Kashmir issue, it brings out the stereotypes that exist in our heads and how that confuses the story. I do not want to reveal too much because we have a preconception about Kashmir and the girl is Kashmiri. The mystery hits a certain path, which is often realised as a stereotype. It is often called an unloved story.

We have so many love stories out there, but it is important to learn to unlove because love doesn't often last forever. People break up and sometimes don't even get words, and this is pretty much the case in contemporary India and the world. How does one learn to unlove somebody that's never discussed so I think this book also brings that out.

Source: IANS

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Kochi, May 10 (SocialNews.XYZ) A joint initiative between India and Oman to boost research and conservation of sharks and rays in the Arabian Sea will be launched at an upcoming workshop at ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), it was announced on Friday.

Experts from both countries will take part in the workshop which is expected to take place shortly, here, which will take up the collaborative research works and capacity building in elasmobranch research.

CMFRI Director, Dr A. Gopalakrishnan said the upcoming workshop is a joint venture between the CMFRI and the Marine Science and Fisheries Centre of Oman's Directorate General of Fisheries Research as part of a research linkage between the two countries.

"The workshop will lay the foundation for a collaborative future in marine research between the two countries and open avenues for regional management and conservation of iconic resources such as sharks and rays in the Arabian Sea," he said.

"We hope that the collaboration will extend further to other important resources such as tunas, as well as other areas in marine fisheries research, including mariculture and biotechnology," he added.

The CMFRI is the national marine scientific authority for CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora).

The institute has been running a dedicated research programme on sharks and rays in Indian waters for over a decade, leading to the development of policy advisories, conservation plans and species-specific databases on several shark and ray species of the Indian EEZ.

During the workshop, participants from both countries will share their knowledge and experience of working with sharks and rays in their respective regions.

The research team from Oman will be headed by Dr Khalfan Al Rashdi, Director of the Aquaculture Centre, Directorate General of Fisheries Research, and also the leader of the Rays Project of Oman.

The Indian research team will be headed by Dr Shoba Joe Kizhakudan, Head of the Finfish Fisheries Division and Principal Investigator of CMFRI’s national project on elasmobranch.

The workshop is coordinated by the India-Shark & Ray Lab of the Finfish Fisheries Division of the CMFRI.

Source: IANS

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Arabian Sea appeared first on Social News XYZ.

Mumbai, May 10 (SocialNews.XYZ) RASA Cabernet Sauvignon 2022, the flagship label of the Nashik-based Sula Vineyards, has become the first-ever Indian wine produced from this revered category of grapes to win a gold medal at the prestigious Global Cabernet Sauvignon Masters 2024.

The red wine was rated along with an array of other Cabernet Sauvignons priced under £30. As reported on the website of the competition organiser, the UK-based 'Drinks Business' magazine, gold medals were awarded to "a number of vibrantly fruity, gently oaked, well-balanced wines".

Among the winners from the wines, which, like the rest, were judged at a blind tasting by an independent jury comprising experts from all over the world, 'Drinks Business' highlights Kenwood Vineyards for its Jack London Cabernet Sauvignon from Sonoma in California ("unusually inexpensive at £27") and Sula Vineyards' RASA Cabernet Sauvignon ("at the more modestly priced £17.99").

The judges assessed scores of these robust and generally expensive red wines across price brands from around the world. The prices mentioned are those that are prevailing in the UK market. The current conversion rate of a pound sterling is Rs 104.63.

The award won by RASA marks the first time an Indian wine has received a gold medal at the Global Masters Awards in any category.

Interestingly, India's maturing wine industry is still not known for its Cabernet Sauvignon, the grape variety that is famously the backbone of the top wines of Bordeaux, France. The gold medal for RASA, though, will definitely make the world look at Indian Cabernet Sauvignons with greater interest.

The Cabernet Sauvignon, according to 'Drinks Business', "is an old variety, first mentioned in a written text in 1763-1777 as 'Petit Cabernet', but has certainly been around much longer. Its first mention as Cabernet Sauvignon was not until 1840."

The authoritative trade magazine goes on to mention that the grape variety's "parentage was discovered in 1996 at University of California-Davis, and was found to be a mating between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc, both of which have been grown in France's Gironde for millennia."

Rajeev Samant, Founder-CEO of Sula Vineyards, responded by saying in a press statement, "Receiving this gold medal for our flagship wine during Sula's 25th anniversary year is deeply symbolic. It reaffirms our evolution from humble beginnings to an internationally recognised brand."

Source: IANS

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Lucknow, May 10 (SocialNews.XYZ) Business is booming for astrologers and pandits in Uttar Pradesh during the ongoing Lok Sabha elections and has peaked on 'Akshaya Tritiya'.

Political leaders and candidates, cutting across party lines, have been consulting astrologers for a favourable time for filing nominations and starting their campaigns.

Special pujas are being organised on Friday on the auspicious occasion of Akshaya Tritiya to ensure success in elections.

Pandit Arun Tripathi, a well-known astrologer and numerologist, said: "Candidates now want to know the auspicious colour of their dress, direction from which they should launch their campaign and even the favourable food items they should consume during the election period to ensure success."

He said that some candidates also wanted to know the colour of the vehicle they should use for campaigning.

A large number of candidates are holding 'puja' to remove the ill effects of 'Rahu kaal', 'Pitra dosh', 'Mangal dosh' and 'Kaal Sarp dosh' in their horoscopes.

A priest from the Prayagraj Jyotish Sansthan said: "The first query is regarding the auspicious time for nominations. Even candidates who normally are not known to follow religious practices, are consulting us. They want to know the favourable time as per birth ascendant and birth sign in the horoscope and are willing to spend huge amounts of money for corrective 'puja'."

Several candidates are also consulting astrologers about their wives' horoscopes.

"In one case, I found that the wife's horoscope had more favourable planetary positions and now the candidate makes sure that his wife accompanies him on his campaign," said Acharya Sandeep, an astrologer in Kanpur.

Sandeep said that after he told one of his clients that the green colour would bring him luck the latter has now taken to wearing green kurtas and carrying green handkerchiefs even though his party colour is not green.

The astrologer had asked another client to give up eating fish since Rahu was dangerously positioned in his horoscope. He has turned vegetarian completely.

Priests in Varanasi, Prayagraj and Lucknow also have their hands full with requests for elaborate pujas including 'Rudhrabhishek' on Mondays, 'Sunderkand path' on Tuesdays and Shani puja on Saturdays.

The largest number of pujas are scheduled for Akshay Tritya which is considered auspicious.

With political leaders reaching out to astrologers, gemstones are also much in demand in the election season.

Parimal Rastogi, a well-known jeweller in Lucknow, said that poll aspirants were placing orders for rings and bracelets after consulting their astrologers for favourable gems.

"Customers are giving us barely a day or two to make their rings and bracelets and are even offering a higher price for urgent delivery. It seems that stakes are much higher in these elections, compared to previous ones," he said.

One candidate, interestingly, has asked a local florist to supply him 10 bouquets of yellow roses every day till polling.

He has apparently been told by his astrologer that yellow colour will bring him luck.

Source: IANS

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Jaipur, May 9 (SocialNews.XYZ) On the eve of Akshaya Tritiya, which is also associated with child marriage in Rajasthan, a 17-year-old girl was freed from the shackles of the evil practice as her child marriage was annulled before she attained adulthood on Thursday.

Sugandha (name changed) was married at the tender age of 10 and sent to her in-law's place at 16, before being freed from the bondage at the age of 17.

Daughter of a daily wager at a village in Jodhpur district, she bore the brunt of child marriage for seven long years.

Under societal pressure, her ‘Gauna’ -- a custom in North India associated with the consummation of marriage -- was performed following which she was sent to her in-law's house at the age of 16, where her husband and in-laws reportedly subjected her to verbal abuse.

The family court in Jodhpur has now finally annulled the child marriage of Sugandha and freed her from the shackles of the evil practice.

Sugandha got information from the women's police station about the campaign against child marriage run by Kriti Bharti, Managing Trustee of Jodhpur's Saarthi Trust, who is also a rehabilitation psychologist and child & women's rights advocate.

After she met Bharti and narrated her ordeal, the latter filed a case about five months ago for the annulment of Sugandha's child marriage.

Annulling Sugandha's child marriage, the judge of Family Court No. 2, Pradeep Kumar Modi, said that everyone must take responsibility for eradicating this evil practice from the society.

Source: IANS

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Hyderabad, May 9 (SocialNews.XYZ) Prime Minister Narendra Modi was pleasantly surprised with the spirituality of eminent breast surgeon P. Raghu Ram when the latter felicitated him with a specially-made 'Vastram'.

The surgeon, who along with S. Vijayanthi met the Prime Minister in Hyderabad on Tuesday night, said 'vastram' was gifted to him from Linga Bhairavi Mandir.

Raghu Ram is the founding director of KIMS-Ushalakshmi Centre for Breast Diseases and CEO of Ushalakshmi Breast Cancer Foundation.

"When I said to Narendra Modi ji that the principal source of his strength and power emanates from his late Amma's blessings and that my prayer and wish is that the Vastram from Maa Bhairavi Temple gives him even more energy through the divine Devi Shakthi in his selfless service to the nation, he was touched and remarked you're a doctor and you are spiritual too," revealed the doctor.

The breast surgeon explained to him his take on the strength of spirituality and meditation.

“The Prime Minister was pleasantly surprised that I spend two hours in the prayer room every day and was in admiration of my knowledge in this aspect of life,” the breast surgeon added.

After the meeting, PM Modi had shared on 'X' that Raghu Ram is a Padma awardee and has done pioneering work in curing breast cancer. "We discussed aspects relating to healthcare infrastructure in India. He also appreciated our Government’s efforts in this regard."

Ragu Ram complimented PM Modi for having taken the landmark decision to extend the Ayushman Bharat facilities to senior citizens, which promises to be a "game changer" in terms of providing the much-needed financial assistance to the ever-increasing elderly population in the country.

As Breast cancer is the commonest cancer affecting women in India, PM Modi and Raghu Ram discussed ways in which Breast cancer Care and Cancer Care in general could be improved in the country.

Ensuring that the population-based breast cancer screening programme that is being implemented under the auspices of National Health Mission (NHM) becomes even more robust, making available several more population-based breast cancer registries particularly in rural areas and cancer to be classified as a "Notifiable Disease", are some of the areas discussed during the meeting.

Raghu Ram revealed that PM Modi autographed the editorial page of the very first quarterly issue of 'Pink Connexion', South Asia's first and one of its kind breast health magazine.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, May 9 (SocialNews.XYZ) The prerequisite for visioning India as a developed nation (Viksit Bharat) by 2047 is self-reliance or Aatmanirbharta.

India is moving ahead with speed, in scale and size. It took us sixty years after Independence to become a USD 1 trillion economy whereas the next one and a half decades witnessed a three-fold increase.

It was during the middle of 2020 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi provided an impetus for Atmanirbhar Bharat. It was this timely realisation and focus that led him to further extend it for a greater mission – Viksit Bharat by 2047 (marking a century of Indian independence).

The challenge before all of us is how to become self-reliant in a sustainable way so that we are able to cherish the fruits for all times to come.

With this context in mind, I read this book titled – Aatmanirbhar: A Swadeshi Paradigm, edited by Professor Ashwani Mahajan. It is an insightful volume providing different viewpoints on the whole idea of self-reliance from the perspective of Swadeshi Bharat.

The core of our growth lies in solving our problems with our resources or finding a match between available resources, potential, and application. Moving from reliance to self-reliance, or nirbharta to aatmnirbharta, is the key to sustainable development within and beyond defined frames.

This book has 18 chapters authored by intelligent thinkers of contemporary India whose voice matters. The editor deserves appreciation for being able to rope in experts from academics, policy-making, and industry to share their perspectives on Aatmnirbhar Bharat through their prudent contribution.

The foreword is written by Dr Mohan Bhagwat (Sarsanghchalak, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh), building context around purusharthas and beyond Western belief of materialism and consumerism.

The contributors include V A Nageswaran (Chief Economic Advisor to the Government of India), Bibek Debroy (Chairman, Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India), N K Singh (Chairman, 15th Finance Commission, Government of India), A K Lahiri (Former Chief Economic Advisor, Government of India), Sanjeev Sanyal (Member, Economic Advisory Council to the PM), apart from industry experts like Sanjeev Puri (Chairman and MD, ITC), Sridhar Vembu (CEO, Zoho Corpn), and Gopal Srinivasan (CEO, TVS Capital).

The experience of reading this book was enriching and sagacious, travelling through the villages, wage-led growth, industrial growth, food security, and international trade.

The mix of macro and micro; problem and policy; trade and technology are brilliantly interwoven through the volume. The chapters cover almost all broader areas important for a country like India. The three pillars of the economy, viz., Agriculture, Industry, and Services are addressed through expert views.

The idea of Aatmanirbharta has been discussed across chapters taking cues from our cultural ethos that have shaped our growing as a nation.

Sachin Chaturvedi mentions - one element that Gandhi emphasised and that is still relevant today is ethics in economic development. Indian development and particularly Swadeshi ethos should nurture this, going beyond corporate social responsibility.

At the same time, it needs to be ensured – as emphasised by PM Narendra Modi – that there is sustainable consumption of production with a minimum carbon footprint. (p 17).

The manufacturing sector’s growth is visible in many sectors that are propelling economic growth as well as creating employment opportunities. The issues concerning food security, energy deficit, and the self-reliant defence sector have been excellently discussed by Shamika Ravi.

The initiative of the government to boost industrial growth through production-linked incentives is mentioned by a few authors and I am sure that this scheme shall be one of the important engines of growth helping industry and employment through building appropriate competencies.

Sanjay Baru (former media advisor and chief spokesperson during PM Manmohan Singh) opines on the idea of Aatmnirbharta by tracing its roots in Indian thinking and appreciates the focus on the manufacturing sector (Make in India) apart from highlighting the impact of geopolitical conditions on economic growth.

Abhijit Das’s paper emphasising international trade across sectors and industries warns the policymakers to carry out an in-depth assessment as well as to have proper preparedness for facing ensuing scenarios after Free Trade Agreements (wrt Canada, EU, and the UK).

India’s digital transformation story has become a case for the world. The last few years have witnessed excellence in innovation through technology entrepreneurs, especially in the domain of finance and banking making India one of the leaders.

Digital Public Goods as explained by Nageswaran (p. 69) play a key role in easing payments through safety features winning the confidence of the users.

The integration of different operations through appropriate technologies has helped us disrupt the economies of speed, scope, and scale.

Similar echoes are found in Chapter 13 written by Srinivasan who talks about JAM (Jan Dhan, Aadhaar, Mobile) trinity, UPI (Unified Payment Interface), and OCEN (Open Credit Enablement Network) leading towards Aatmanirbhar Bharat.

The role of government in policy and its effective implementation has been nicely articulated by Ashima Goyal in Chapter 7. India’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic has been phenomenal reflecting our resilience which has been discussed by quite a few contributors throughout the book.

Sanjeev Sanyal writes: the AatmaNirbhar Bharat approach is a key ingredient of the overall economic thinking of the Indian government. It is designed for an uncertain and unpredictable world.

By investing in an economic framework that is both flexible and resilient, Indian policymakers are simply being pragmatic. This is not ideologically blinkered isolationism or protectionism. Moreover, the strategy is open to evolution. (p 90).

The idea of reliance or dependence makes us weak and enthuses a sense of insecurity and an inferiority complex. Our historical contribution to world trade is not unknown to contemporary policymakers.

The last few centuries weakened us both economically and socially which has affected our dependence on the other part of the globe disturbing the balance of trade vis-à-vis the balance of payment.

We also need to build an ecosystem that focuses on ease of doing farming (Sharma, p 25) that shall sustain the industrial value chain and build us from within to be Aatmnirbhar.

Debroy and Sinha (p 169) propose two important interventions for Aatmanirbhar Bharat – one, the need for investment for research, development, and innovation through technology; two, boosting exports through getting market access which is possible through pursuing regional trade agreements and international cooperation.

Ashish Chauhan weaves an interesting story around the role of stock exchanges in India for Aatmanirbhar Bharat, starting with the Vedic period to the modern age. The linkage has been established brilliantly to highlight our ancient thinking. It is heartening to know that though we have lower per capita income, yet we are able to create vibrant, liquid, and healthy markets (p 188) in India.

It was in 1929, when there was an unequivocal agreement and resolve for Purna Swaraj (complete independence) that led India to become independent in 1947. After independence, efforts have been to develop all spheres of economy and society.

There have been several initiatives and programs concerning infrastructure development, the creation of institutions of national importance, poverty alleviation, green revolution, privatisation, and liberalisation.

However, we never had a single focused agenda or resolve like developed India by 2047. It is in this context that being self-reliant is imperative.

I recommend this book to all interested in seeing India becoming self-reliant and an economic power. We have transitioned from the fragile five to the first five. Apart from being the largest economy, we need to focus on reducing inequalities and improving human well-being which should increase per capita income.

I am sure India shall regain its past and lost glory when all of us put forth our efforts in the direction of Viksit Bharat.

(The writer is a senior professor in Delhi School of Economics.)

Source: IANS

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Kottayam (Kerala), May 9 (SocialNews.XYZ) For Rosamma life is all about honesty, hard work and forgiveness. She sits quietly on the roadside selling lottery tickets to those who desire to check their luck.

She trusts people to pay her every time they pick a ticket. She cannot see the faces but can recognise the voices.

Visually impaired Rosamma ekes out a living by selling Kerala State Lottery tickets here.

Recently she realized that the balance tickets and the cash were not tallying. She suspected some customer who was taking the ticket but not paying money.

Upset by this, she got in touch with a fellow visually impaired lottery seller, her friend in Malappuram.

It was he who suggested she get a pen camera and she bought one through online mode.

Determined to catch the thief, she pinned the camera on her dress. And in the evening when she gave the pen camera to a friend who checked the visuals, the thief was identified.

“I get to know my customers through their voice and when the person, who was caught on the pen camera, came again. I told him that he had done a wrong. Initially, he tried to wriggle out, but when he was told that he had been caught on her pen camera, he admitted his crime and said he would compensate me, but I refused,” said 45-year-old Rosamma.

“Then I told him that he needed to assure me that he would never again do this cheating, especially to those who are in deep distress due to various reasons. He agreed he would not do it again and in return, I promised him that I would not reveal his name or show the visuals to any person,” said Rosamma.

Source: IANS

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Kolkata, May 8 (SocialNews.XYZ) West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Examination (WBCHSE) on Wednesday announced the results for the Class 12 Board examinations and claimed that 90 per cent students passed the examination this year.

Announcing the results here in the morning, WBCHSE president Chiranjib Bhattacharya said that while the pass percentage among boys is 92.32, the same in the case of girls is 88.18.

East Midnapore district recorded the maximum pass percentage at 95.77 per cent. “A total of 58 examinees have figured among the top 10 rankers, out of which 35 are boys and 23 are girls. The maximum number of candidates among the top 10 rankers is from Hooghly district at 13,” the WBCHSE president said.

According to Bhattacharya, this year 1,87,924 students from the minority community appeared for the Class 12 examinations and their pass percentage was 86.90.

This year’s topper is Avik Das, McWilliam Higher Secondary School at Alipurduar district in the northern sector of West Bengal. He ranked fourth in the Class 10 Board examination that he passed two years back.

“I expected to be among the top 10. But I never thought of occupying the first position. My aim is to study astrophysics and become a scientist in future,” he said.

Although the results were announced on Wednesday, the successful students will not be able to get the mark sheets. The council will distribute the mark sheets to the respective school authorities on Thursday, following which the latter can hand them over to their students.

Source: IANS

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Mumbai, May 7 (SocialNews.XYZ) Renowned Urdu litterateur and academician, Shaikh Abdussalam Abdurrazzaq, famous by his pseudonym Salam Bin Razzaq, passed away at his residence in Navi Mumbai after a prolonged illness, a family friend said here on Tuesday.

Razzaq was 83 and is survived by his wife, daughter, son, plus several grandchildren and great-grandkids.

The last rites were performed at the Marine Lines cemetery in Mumbai in the presence of a large number of family members, friends, and literary figures.

Razzaq won the prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award for Urdu literature for his acclaimed short stories collection, ‘Shikasta Buton Ke Darmiyan’, in 2004.

Born in 1941 at Panvel in Raigad district, Razzaq had a very humble beginning in life. He was deeply inspired by the trials and travails of the common masses which reflected in his writings, both prose and poetry.

Many of Razzaq’s popular characters in his literary narratives were based on the commoners around him, encountering and conquering ordinary problems in life in their quest for survival. He shot to relevance in the 1970s, when Urdu fiction was receding in popularity.

Over four dozen of his stories were broadcast on All India Radio, while more than a dozen of them are prescribed in the syllabi of school, college, and university students.

Working as a municipal school teacher in Navi Mumbai in the early part of his career, he also wrote three major collections of short stories, including two in Urdu and one in Hindi, and translated several Marathi fictions into Urdu, besides being a chronicler of the communal riots.

Over his long literary career spanning more than six decades, Razzaq was decorated with honours like the Sahitya Akademi Award, Ghalib Award, Maharashtra Urdu Sahitya Akademi Award, and many more.

Top figures from the Urdu literary fraternity, academicians, and others have condoled the demise of Razzaq, many terming it the ‘end of an era in Urdu literature’.

Some of Razzaq’s literary creations include ‘Nangi Dopahar Ka Sipahi’, ‘Muabbir’, and ‘Zindagi Afsana Nahin’, among others.

Source: IANS

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Chennai, May 7(SocialNews.XYZ) A female elephant was found dead in the Coimbatore Forest range in Tamil Nadu on Tuesday.

The carcass of the elephant was found near Mangarai stream, just 150 metres away from human settlements, a forest official said.

The Coimbatore forest range officer told IANS that on preliminary examinations, no external injuries were found on the body of the elephant.

The officer said that more details regarding the cause of death of the elephant would be available only after a post-mortem.

Two days ago, a male makhna elephant (tuskless elephant) was electrocuted in Krishnagiri district of Tamil Nadu.

The Tamil Nadu government has already formulated a draft plan for constituting elephant corridors in the state to minimise the number of human-elephant conflicts.

However there is stiff opposition to the move and even the principal opposition party of Tamil Nadu, AIADMK, has warned the government that they won't allow relocation of people from areas earmarked as elephant corridors as that would mean loss of livelihood and called upon the government for alternative plans.

Source: IANS

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Palakkad (Kerala), May 7 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Kerala Forest Department has registered a case against a loco pilot controlling the Chennai-bound Trivandrum Mail for knocking down a wild elephant, which later died due to the impact of getting hit by the moving train.

The female elephant, according to the Forest Department, was 35-years-old.

The incident occurred in the wee hours of Tuesday when the train was passing through the forest areas of Walayar-Kanjikode in Palakkad district.

After the train hit the wild elephant, she walked another 500 metres before falling down, and it was around 2.30 a.m. that the elephant was found dead.

According to the rules for loco pilots, while the train is passing through forest areas the train should travel at the speed of 20 to 25 kms per hour.

This is the second incident in past one year, when wild elephants have been knocked down in this area.

Source: IANS

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Jaipur, May 6 (SocialNews.XYZ) Goa, a favourite tourist place for many avid travellers, is now promoting itself as a wedding and MICE destination.

Known for its sun, sand, sea and scenic location, the state has launched a beach wedding policy with a single-window system to ensure that couples tie the knot without facing any bottlenecks.

“The new Aerocity coming here will change the dynamics of tourism,” says Sanjeev Ahuja, secretary of tourism, Goa.

Speaking to IANS, Ahuja said that the New Aerocity will further boost tourism prospects in Goa.

“New Aerocity at MOPA airport is all set to boost the tourism prospects in the tourist-friendly state in the next few years. There will be a golf course coming for tourists which will engage the MICE tourists visiting Goa. This Aerocity will be developed to the tune of Delhi Aerocity,” Ahuja said.

He said that the state government is pushing big to make the state famous as a wedding destination.

He said that beach weddings in Goa are trending and the Goa government is pushing this segment aggressively.

“We are happy to see beach destinations getting popular. Our state government has come up with a beach wedding policy in Goa which makes it easier for everyone to seek permission to solemnise the wedding on a beach. We have a single window system where people can apply and get permission for a beach wedding. It is catching up and we are happy that Goa is promoted as a wedding destination.”

Ahuja said that he is impressed with Rajasthan’s tourism and credited the state for launching the wedding destination trend from Udaipur.

When asked if Goa has taken any clues from Rajasthan tourism, he said: “We have been interacting with Rajasthan tourism. Rajasthan is the first state where destination weddings were prompted. We interact with all tourism departments across the country and have regular interaction so that all states learn from each other.”

Ahuja said that they are promoting Goa throughout the world and organising roadshows in different countries and participating in tourism fairs in different nations too.”

“There is a huge market and I believe we need not compete with each other. These days people are going to a destination wedding, it is a healthy competition. If this trend continues, each destination will grow,” he said.

He said that besides wedding, MICE is also coming up big in Goa.

“Goa hosted eight G20 meetings which were the highest in any state in India. We also organised the Energy week. Goa has been established as an MICE industry,” he said.

He said that high-end room inventories are not available during the peak season and the new aerocity will resolve this issue. “We have many new hotels coming up in aerocity so that there is a high-end room inventory for the tourists coming in here,” he said.

Source: IANS

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