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Ayodhya sets world record by lighting over 15 lakh diyas on Deepotsav in PM Modi’s presence

Modi also offered prayers to Ram Lalla at Ram Janmbhoomi in Ayodhya. This is Modi’s first visit to Ayodhya after a “bhoomi pujan” for the construction of a Ram temple on August 5, 2020.

Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya set a new Guinness World Record for lighting the maximum number of earthen lamps – over 15 lakh- on the banks of the Saryu as Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the historic Deepotsav celebrations on Sunday, on the eve of the festival of Diwali.

Modi and chief minister Adityanath displayed the Guinness Record certificate on the occasion.

Beginning his speech with ‘Jai Shri Ram’, Modi addressed a gathering on the occasion of Deepotsav. “From the holy birthplace of Lord Ram, I pass on Diwali wishes to my countrymen,” Modi said.

Modi also said people have to learn as much as they can from Lord Ram.
“Lord Ram doesn’t leave anyone behind, doesn’t turn away from anyone,” Modi said.

Earlier, Modi offered prayers to Ram Lalla at Ram Janmbhoomi in Ayodhya. This is Modi’s first visit to Ayodhya after a “bhoomi pujan” for the construction of a Ram temple on August 5, 2020.

“I got the opportunity of Lord Ram’s darshan due to his blessings; happy that people across the world watching Deepotsav celebrations in Ayodhya,” Modi said.

Immediately after reaching Ayodhya for the Deepotsav celebrations, the PM went to the makeshift Ram temple and offered prayers to Ram Lalla. He lit an earthen lamp there and performed an “aarti”. Temple chief priest Acharya Satyendra Das applied vermillion on his forehead.

Modi was also briefed by officials on the construction going on for a grand Ram temple at the site. Modi also performed the Rajyabhishek of the symbolic Bhagwan Ram in Ayodhya.

“Shri Ram Lalla’s ‘Darshan’ and then ‘Rajyabhishek’ of King Ram, this good fortune is obtained only by the grace of Lord Ram. This Deepawali has come at a time when we have completed 75 years of independence. ‘Sankalp Shakti’ of Lord Ram will take India to new heights,” the PM added.

Earlier, Modi was welcomed by governor Anandiben Patel and chief minister Yogi Adityanath. He attended the Deepotsav celebrations.

Ayodhya divisional commissioner Navdeep Rinwa had earlier said more than 15 lakh earthen lamps will be lit as part of the Deepotsav celebrations by over 22,000 volunteers at Ram ki Paidi near the Saryu bank. The rest will be placed at important intersections and spots in the town.

Five animated tableaux and 11 Ramlila tableaux showcasing dance forms from different states will also be presented during the Deepotsav.

“Deepotsav of Ayodhya started 6 years ago with the guidance and inspiration of PM Narendra Modi. This festival of UP became a festival of the country. Today, it is touching new heights of success,” Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on the occasion.

ht.com

ISRO’s dedicated commercial satellite mission LVM3-M2/OneWeb India-1 lifts off 

The heaviest rocket of the Indian Space Research Organisation– LVM3-M2/OneWeb India-1 blasted off from this spaceport on Sunday to place 36 broadband communication satellites into the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) for a UK-based customer.

NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), a central public sector enterprise under the Department of Space, had earlier signed two launch service contracts with the London-headquartered Network Access Associated Limited (OneWeb) for launching OneWeb LEO satellites on board ISRO’s LVM3.

OneWeb is a private satellite communications company, in which India’s Bharti Enterprises is a major investor and shareholder.

On Sunday, the 43.5 metre tall rocket soared majestically at 12.07 am from the second launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre here at the end of the 24-hour countdown.

The vehicle is also dubbed as one of the heaviest for its ability to carry satellites upto 8,000 kg.

The mission assumes significance as this was LVM3’s maiden commercial mission and also NSIL’s first with the said launch vehicle.

According to ISRO, the mission has the heaviest payloads with 36 satellites of OneWeb, becoming the first Indian rocket with a payload of 5,796 kg.

The launch is also first for LVM3-M2 to place the satellites in the Low Earth Orbit (up to 1,200 kms above the earth) unlike Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).

ISRO scientists have rechristened the launch vehicle its present name from GSLV-MKK III as the newest rocket is capable of launching 4,000 kilogram class of satellites into GTO and 8,000 kgs of payloads into LEO.

GSLV-Mk III had four successful missions in the past. LVM3-M2 is a three-stage launch vehicle consisting of two solid propellant S200 strap-ons on its sides and core stage comprising L110 liquid stage and C25 cryogenic stage.

OneWeb Ltd is a global communication network powered from space, enabling internet connectivity for governments and businesses.

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Chhattisgarh potter’s ‘magical’ lamp burns for 100 hours 

 An innovative earthen lamp, dubbed as ‘jadui (magical) diya’ has brought a rural potter from Chhattisgarh in focus among buyers from all over the country. The unique traditional lamp,  designed in the attractive shape of being mounted on an elephant, can burn continuously for over 100 hours without the need of a refill.  

Tucked away in the remote area of Kumharpara at Kondagaon district of the state, Ashok Chakradhari, 53, can be spotted occupied endlessly through the day at his ‘Jhitku-Mitki Terracotta Kala Kendra’, various other earthen products. Some 12-15 people work in his team throughout the year. Chakradhari had earlier designed a diya with a flame that remained alive for 24 hours. 

Chakradhari is slowly gaining popularity on the social media, and is  delighted that his efforts to reintroduce the traditional craft are gaining wide appreciation. “I also access YouTube channels for better understanding of techniques. The latest earthen lamp mounted on an elephant is actually an improvement over my previous product,” he told this newspaper. “It has a dome-shaped receptacle to hold oil, which 
is attached with a tube-like mould to the base of the lamp that burns for over 100 hours,” he added.

According to Chakradhari, the principle it works on is simple physics, and continuous oil flow is transmitted to the lamp, which is made of soil mixed with a little river sand. “People call it a magic lamp,” Chakradhari said. He further added that the product is a result of his zeal combined with experience and acquired knowledge that have helped him in the creative field.

The cost of a single lamp, which weighs around 3 kilogram, is Rs 2,000. “We need to connect four separate parts into one piece using a traditional touch of design. I haven’t put a high price for the ‘magic lamp’ as it has brought me so much fame,” he said.

Chakradhari, however, is not able to sell as many pieces as he would like to. He lives at a remote place, located around 230 km from Raipur, and has no access to e-commerce platforms. Also, he is preoccupied with meeting the demands throughout the year.  Now, some youths of Raipur pursuing business under the banner of ‘loca-bazar’ have facilitated online marketing for his products.  

“My customers comprise the common man as well as VIPs. I usually sell my products from my home when the customers visit me to buy them for personal use or bulk orders. Transporting orders is a constraint for me due to issues like lack of proper packaging and risk of damage,” he said.

Chakradhari said he always tries to blend his passion for indigenous products with innovation as value addition. “It is a bit laborious work, and the effort needs meticulous attention in handwork,” he added.  He also gained knowledge by participating in several exhibitions in different states. His growing popularity has helped in bringing recognition to his centre at Kumharpada where two governors have visited in recent years.

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Saviour of indigenous seeds & farming style

Nekram Sharma, a modest farmer from Nanj village in Karsog valley in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh, got the opportunity of his life when he was rejected from a government job in 1984. With 22 bighas of his family land lying unused, he started growing fruits, vegetables and experimented with organic farming before adopting ancient farming techniques as his sole way of farming.

What started as an alternate vocation grew into a full time occupation that led to saving of almost three dozen indigenous varieties of seeds. Now lovingly referred to as a ‘saviour’ of indigenous seeds by the villagers Nekram has adopted Nau-anaj (Nau is 9 and Anaj is crop) practice, an intercropping method in which nine food grains are grown on the same piece of land.

These crops are a combination of lentils, cereals, vegetables, legumes and creepers. His crops are from the indigenous seeds given to him by his elders. Nekram cultivates foxtail millet, maize, finger millet, buckwheat, Amaranthus rajma, urad dal, moong and beans. “In a year one can grow 18 crops (9 Kharif) and (9 Rabi). This cropping pattern has multiple benefits as it raises fertility level of the ground but consumes less water wi th zero input s costs.

Since 2002, he has worked on preserving not only the traditional style of farming but also managed to produce indigenous seeds of all local varieties for future generations. There are around 20 indigenous seeds, including eight types of millets, three varieties of wheat, besides promoting intercropping system. “When I was 25 years old, a public movement had started to save forests.

My elders lamented that the indigenous seeds are also slowly vanishing from the market which made me think. I did some research and realized that these seeds had more nutrition in them than what was available and was in use by all the farmers here. I then started collecting and sowing these indigenous seeds in my own fields,” Nekram says. “The farmers called me mad and taunted me for saving trees and indigenous seeds. But I did get support from few of my friends,” the 59-yearold adds.

With the support from his friends, Nekram approached experts to connect the revival of the indigenous seeds with its health benefits besides from good yields under adverse conditions. Several panchayat meetings were spent on making the farmers understand the value and benefits of the indigenous seeds. Now, Netram also has an indigenous seed bank through which he preserves and distributes the seeds to the farmers. Nekram says that he request farmers to grow traditional seeds along with hybrid seeds of they do not want to sow traditional seeds alone.

In 2010, when he implemented Nau-Anaj practice, it inspired other farmers in the region as well and thus Parvatiye Tikau Kheti Abhiyan (PTKA) a co-operative of farmers was formed. Since then, thousands of farmers have connected with him with demands coming from Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Ghaziabad, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and even Hyderabad. While farmers usually come and visit him to take the seeds but those who can’t, request him for a courier, which he gladly obliges.

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PM Modi unveils HTT-40, HAL’s indigenous trainer aircraft

Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled HTT-40, the indigenous trainer aircraft designed and developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) at the India Pavilion during DefExpo-2020 in Gandhinagar, on Wednesday.

The Basic Trainer Aircraft would be used for basic flight training, aerobatics, instrument flying and close formation flights, whereas its secondary roles would include navigation and night flying. HTT-40 has cutting-edge technology designed to meet primary training requirements of the Indian defence services. Built around a meticulouslytested, turbo-prop engine, it is equipped with the latest avionics, an air-conditioned cabin and ejection seats. HTT-40 boasts of unique features like running changeover of pilots, hot-refuelling and short turnaround time.

HAL receives DcPP certificate

Hal  also received a Deve lopment – cum -Production Partner (DcPP)/Production Agency (PA) certificate for ABHYAS – High Speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT) System from DRDO at a programme held on the sidelines of DefExpo-2022. The Aircraft Division of HAL is the first DcPP/PA identified organisation under ADE-DRDO’s new scheme for the procurement of a complex system. HAL had formally handed over the first batch of two units of High-Speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT) System ABHYAS, an indigenous target aircraft, to Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) recently. HAL CMD CB Ananthakrishnan received the certificate from DRDO Chairman and secretary of the Department o f De f enc e R&D Dr Samir V Kamat

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UN chief says India taking leading role in providing reliefs

India has increased its impact of humanitarian assistance globally by providing aid to countries that need it, said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. “From India’s donations of medicines, medical equipment and vaccines at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, to humanitarian assistance and development finance to Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, India has been increasing its impact on the international stage. India is today a partner of choice of the UN,’’ said Guterres while addressing students while giving an address in Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mumbai.

complimented India for stepping up its efforts to supply vaccines to many countries during the peak of Covid 19. Meanwhile, Guterres complimented India as being the biggest contributor in UN Peacekeeping.

“India is also the biggest provider of military and police personnel to UN missions, including the first all-women UN police contingent to a peacekeeping mission. Over 200,000 Indian men and women have served in 49 peacekeeping missions since 1948, a remarkable contribution to peace in the world,’’ he added.

He also said that as a member of the UNSC for two years, India’s contributed significantly to promoting multilateral solutions and addressing crises. “India was a founding member of the United Nations. The drafters of the UN Charter took great inspiration from Gandhiji’s message of peace, non-violence, and tolerance,’’ he added.

Earlier, UN Chief paid tributes to the victims of the 26/11 terror attacks at the Taj Mahal Palace hotel in Mumbai. “Terror is absolute evil. There are no reasons, no pretext, no causes, and no grievances that can justify terrorism. terrorism is absolute evil. It has no room in today’s world,” Guterres added.

“I feel deeply moved to be here where barbaric terrorist acts took place where that led to the loss of 166 lives. I want to pay tribute to the victims they are heroes of all world and I want to express my deepest condolences to their families, to their friends, to the people of India, and to all those that are coming from other parts of the world that have lost their lives in Mumbai,” he said. He also said that “fighting terrorism must be a global priority for every country on earth and fighting terrorism is a central priority for the UN”.

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Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella receives Padma Bhushan in US

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has said it is an honour for him to receive the Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian award and he looks forward to continuing to work with people across India to help them use technology to achieve more.

Nadella, who plans to visit India next January, formally received the award for distinguished service, from India’s Consul General in San Francisco, Dr T.V Nagendra Prasad, last week.

The 55-year-old CEO of Microsoft was named one of 17 awardees earlier this year. On receiving the award, Nadella said: It’s an honour to receive a Padma Bhushan Award and to be recognised by so many extraordinary people.

“I’m thankful to the President, Prime Minister, and people of India, and look forward to continuing to work with people across India to help them use technology to achieve more.”

During the meeting, Nadella discussed with Prasad the critical role digital technology plays in empowering inclusive growth in India.

The discussion focused on India’s growth trajectory and the country’s potential to be a global political and technology leader, according to Microsoft.

” We are living in a period of historic economic, societal and technological change,” said Nadella following his meeting with Dr Prasad.

” The next decade will be defined by digital technology. Indian industries and organisations of every size are turning to technology to help them do more with less, which will ultimately lead to greater innovation, agility and resilience,”  Nadella said.

Hyderabad-born Nadella was named CEO of Microsoft in February 2014.

In June 2021 he was also named the company’s Chairman, an additional role in which he will lead the work to set the agenda for the board.

The Padma Awards are one of the highest civilian honours of India announced annually on the eve of Republic Day.

The Awards are given in three categories: Padma Vibhushan (for exceptional and distinguished service), Padma Bhushan (distinguished service of higher order) and Padma Shri (distinguished service).

The award seeks to recognise achievements in all fields of activities or disciplines where an element of public service is involved.

The Padma Awards are conferred on the recommendations made by the Padma Awards Committee, which is constituted by the Prime Minister every year.

Nadella plans to visit India in January 2023, his first visit to the country in nearly three years, Microsoft said.

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PM Modi, UN chief launch ‘Mission LiFE’ in Gujarat

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday launched Mission LiFE, a global plan of action aimed at saving the planet from the disastrous consequences of climate change.

The launch comes ahead of next month’s mega UN climate meet in Egypt.

The action plan – a list of ideas on lifestyle changes that can be taken up as climate-friendly behaviour – along with the logo and tagline for Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) were jointly launched by Modi and Guterres.

Modi said Mission LiFE will strengthen the concept of a pro-people planet, adding it aims at following a three-pronged strategy for changing people’s collective approach towards sustainability.

This includes nudging individuals to practice simple yet effective environment-friendly actions in their daily lives (demand), enabling industries and markets to respond swiftly to the changing demand (supply), and to influence government and industrial policy to support both sustainable consumption and production (policy).

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Bhanwala becomes first Indian to win medal at U23 Worlds, takes bronze 

PONTEVEDRA: Sajan Bhanwala became the first Indian Greco-Roman wrestler to win a medal at the Under-23 World Championship when he edged past Ukraine’s Dmytro Vasetskyi on ‘criteria’ to emerge winner in the bronze play-off, here.

It was the Ukrainian who pulled off a four-pointer on the edge of the circle for a solid start but Bhanwala bounced back immediately with a strong move that got him into a position from where he could pin his rival.

Though he could not pin his rival, it was good enough to earn four points. Bhanwala lost two more points and got into defensive mode.

For staying passive, Bhanwala put on a ‘Par Terre’ position, something Indian wrestlers are very poor at defending and the Ukrainian pulled off another four-pointer from the ground position for a handsome 10-4 lead.

Bhanwala scored two points with a take-down move and with 35 seconds left in the bout, managed to push his rival on the back to level the scores.

The bout ended at 10-10 but since the Indian had scored the last point he was declared winner on criteria.

Bhanwala had begun with a 3-0 win over Lithuania’s Aistis Liaugminas but lost his pre-quarterfinal bout to Moldova’s Alexandrin Gutu.

As Gutu made the final, Bhanwala bounced back into medal contention via the repechage route and he made full use of that with a 9-6 win over Kazakhstan’s Rassul Zhunis.

Meanwhile, Vikas will fight for a bronze in the 72kg after losing his semifinal by technical superiority to Croatia’s Pavel Puklavec.

He will be up against the winner of the repechage contest between Georgios Theodoros Sotiriadis and Jpana’s Daigo Kobayashi.

Before losing his semifinal clash, Vikas beat Kyrgyzstan’s Adilkhan Nurlanbekov and home team rival Marcos Sanchez Silva Mejias by technical superiority, losing just one point across bouts.

In the 60kg category, Sumit got back to medal reckoning when he made the repechage round. He will be up against Kazakhastan’s Olzhas Sultan.

In the 67kg competition, Ashu bowed out after losing his qualification bout by technical superiority to Georgia’s Diego Chkhikvadze.

Six Greco-Roman wrestlers travelled to the Spanish city for the championship along with two women and one free-style wrestler while visas of 21 other Indians were rejected by the Embassy of Spain.

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Doctor who gave life-saving solution no more

ORS therapy pioneer Mahalanabis passes away.

Dilip Mahalanabis, the doctor who helped prove the effectiveness of oral rehydration solution (ORS) by administering it to a large number of cholera patients at a refugee camp in Bongaon during the 1971 war, passed away at a private hospital on Sunday. He was 88.

The doctor had donated his life’s savings of Rs 1 crore to the Institute of Child Health at Park Circus. A new ward for children was built with the money, and it was named after him and his wife Jayanti, said Apurba Ghosh, director of the Park Circus institute.

Mahalanabis was admitted at Apollo Multispeciality Hospital on October 1, an official of the hospital said. He passed away at 2.45am on Sunday, the official said.

Abhijit Chowdhury, a public health expert, said Mahalanabis was “an epoch-making doctor from Bengal”.

“Another doctor from Bengal, S.N. De, had demonstrated the efficacy of ORS experimentally but Mahalanabis was the one who proved its efficacy by administering it to a large number of people in the refugee camp in Bongaon. Years later, the WHO (World Health Organisation) acknowledged the benefits of ORS,” Chowdhury said.

“This is one of the greatest inventions of medical science and two doctors from Bengal were behind it.”

There was a shortage of saline in the Bongaon refugee camp. Mahalanabis prepared a solution of sugar, salt and water and kept it in a drum, Chowdhury said. To convince people about its usefulness, he called it “oral saline”, Chowdhury added.

“He told people in the refugee camp to drink the water until they felt hungry or until they did not feel weak any longer. This way, he cured many from cholera,” he said.

A book, Eksho Tarar Alo, which showcases the sterling achievements of 105 doctors from Bengal has an essay on the contributions of Mahalanabis. Chowdhury and Ashokananda Konar, another doctor, are the book’s editors.

The essay says the 1971 camp where Mahalanabis worked had far fewer deaths compared with other camps where intravenous saline was given to the patients. In Mahalanabis’s camp, people drank the oral solution.

Mahalanabis had begun researching oral rehydration therapy (ORT) in 1966 as a research investigator for the Johns Hopkins University International Center for Medical Research and Training.

In 2007, when Mahalanabis was honoured by Thailand, the doctor recalled: “I started my research in ORT under controlled conditions using cholera as the model. But it was only in 1971 that we used it on a large scale.”

The Johns Hopkins research centre was based out of the Institute of Child Health at Park Circus, Apurba Ghosh said. “He had a connection with our hospital, which is probably why he chose to donate his savings to us,” he added.

In 1983, Mahalanabis was made a member of the WHO’s Diarrhoeal Diseases Control Programme. He remained in that role for over five years. The programme’s objectives included travelling across the world to take part in discussions and prove the efficacy of the use of the salt-sugar-water mixture, and promoting research in laboratories.

telegraphindia.com