Hailing from Samastipur, Bihar, life for 23-year-old Sharda has been on the fast track since her completion of diploma in electrical engineering. She is the first woman assistant loco pilot (ALP) for an electric power run train in the Agra division of north central railway. There are four women ALPs in the team of 367 who ferry goods and express trains.
Sharda, who was on training for almost a year, now ferries passengers bound for New Delhi. On every alternate day, she assists her loco pilot for safe journey of passengers travelling in Agra-New Delhi intercity.
As an ALP, Sharda’s job is to check engine components and coordinate with control room for any emergency and technical snags.
Coming from a middle-class family of Bihar, Sharda says, “No one in my immediate family is working for railway but everyone is really supportive of me and my work.”
On her journey to the job, Sharda said, “After intermediate, I opted for electrical diploma, during my course I came across an interview of girl who hailed from Odisha and was the first ALP for her division. Since then, I had been aspiring to be one and now I am.”
“After clearing the entrance for the ALP post, my best friend Meenu Srivastava and I were trained and commissioned on the same day. At present, Meenu is an ALP at Tundla,” she said.
When questioned how does she feels for being the only woman to be ALP for electric run engine, she said, “Often, I’m been demotivated by some of my male colleagues. They say it’s a difficult job for woman, but I’m not here to give up. No job is difficult for a woman or for that matter to me.”
Like Sharda, there are three more women ALPs in Agra division. Yadav, Rinki Kumari and Pushpa Verma are working as ALPs in diesel engine trains.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Agra / by Arvind Chauhan, TNN / March 22nd, 2015
Science graduate Aditya Kumar has dedicated his life to teaching in the slums of Lucknow. (AFP File Photo)
Every day, Aditya Kumar cycles around 40 miles with a heavy load of books and his few possessions on the back of his battered old bike to bring education to India’s slum children.
The science graduate has dedicated his life to teaching in the slums of Lucknow, capital of Uttar Pradesh, and home to some of the country’s most deprived communities.
He takes no money for his lessons, which he gives all over the city, parking his bike up wherever he is needed and staging an impromptu outdoor lesson.
“These children do not know what a classroom looks like. Until I met them, they had no reason to visit a school,” Kumar told AFP during one of his lessons, gesturing to a group of rapt-looking pupils.
A Right to Education Act passed in 2009 guarantees state schooling for children from six to 14 in India.
But education activists say schools are often overcrowded or inaccessible, or that the quality of teaching is so poor that children simply stop going.
Poverty is also a major driver, with India home to the largest number of child labourers in the world.
Kumar, who does not know his exact age but thinks he is in his mid-40s, has been conducting his mobile school for around two decades, with no fixed curriculum and no standard text books.
Most of his pupils are under 10 and have no education at all.
He teaches them functional English and mathematics, with the aim of getting them to a standard where they can start going to a regular school.
“I can relate to the lives of these kids. I know how tough life can be for want of an education,” says Kumar.
As the son of a poor labourer who wanted his children in paid work as soon as they were able, Kumar had to fight to go to school.
He managed to find a place in a government-run establishment, but he ran away from home when he was a teenager because his parents insisted he stop studying and start earning his keep.
For a while, he lived on the streets, before meeting a teacher who spotted his potential and helped him graduate from university in science.
In return, Kumar helped his new mentor with his teaching — and found his vocation in the process.
He has no teaching qualifications, however, and says he never had any ambition to become a proper school teacher.
He believes he can make more of an impact on literacy through his mobile school, which he says reaches around 200 children a day.
‘No mean feat’
Government figures show that around 97% of children of primary school age are in education, but campaigners say the true figure is far lower.
Many of those who do attend classes are failing to learn the basics, according to a major, annual survey of school children in rural areas released in January.
Only one quarter of children aged eight could read a text book meant for seven year olds, the survey of 570,000 students found.
“Overall, the situation with basic reading continues to be extremely disheartening in India,” the survey, by Indian education research group Pratham, concluded.
Kumar’s solo efforts are applauded by child rights activists, including teacher Roop Rekha Verma who said it was “no mean feat” teaching from a bike.
“I am so glad that his efforts have exposed so many underprivileged children to the world of words,” the former vice-chancellor of the University of Lucknow told AFP.
“And with this exposure these children now have a reason to attempt accessing newspapers and books,” she said.
But she stressed much more needed to be done to help India’s millions of impoverished children facing bleak futures receive an education.
To earn money, Kumar occasionally does paid tuition for private students. But mostly he lives on charitable donations, sleeping on the streets like many of his pupils.
When Limca — the makers of a soft drink that publishes India’s answer to the Guinness Book of Records — wanted to honour him for his work in 2014, the certificate had to be mailed to a well-wisher as Kumar has no fixed address.
“I am used to it,” he told AFP. “I have learnt the art of surviving.”
source: http://www.hindustantimes.com / Hindustan Times / Home> Cities / AFP, Lucknow / March 11th, 2015
Dinesh Kumar, 44, an ice cream hawker in the city, believes in sharing his opinion about day-to-day issues concerning people’s lives. That’s why he spends hours outside the collectorate every day and comes out with a hand-written newspaper by the end of the day. With little means, the option of circulating the paper is ruled out, so Kumar takes out its photocopies and pastes it on city walls.
Kumar says he writes about issues that don’t even make it through the vernacular press. “I try to highlight those issues which are not covered by the mainstream on vernacular media. I start my day by reaching the collectorate office at 10.30 am and scanning Hindi newspapers. Sometimes when I witness something of consequence happening around me, I pen my thoughts on that too,” he says.
“There are three reasons why I started writing. First, I try to make suggestions to the administration on how to solve problems that affect the public. My second motive is to spread social awareness. And finally I am hopeful that people who indulge in criminal or immoral activities will change after reading my newspaper,” explains Kumar.
Master Vijay Singh, a local activist, is perhaps Kumar’s most loyal reader. Singh has been protesting outside the district magistrate’s office against land mafia for nearly 20 years, and says, “Though his writing skills are not exceptional, since he dropped out of school after class VIII, sometimes the issues that he touches upon really appeal to me. He had once told me that he wanted to become a lawyer. Despite not having acces to a television, internet or a smartphone, he is quite well-informed.”
Kumar says he sends a copy of his paper to Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav and Prime Minister Narendra Modi every day. But does anybody take notice? “Additional district magistrate Indramani Tripathi tells me he likes my work. Former district magistrate Surendra Singh called me to his office and told me I was doing a good job,” he says
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Meerut / by Pankul Sharma, TNN / February 25th, 2015
If you spot clean roads around La Martiniere Girls College and a no-polythene zone in zoo, the credit for it goes to Rehana Ali. It was Rehana’s dedication and positive approach that has brought about a small but imperative change.
Rehana, who teaches at La Martiniere Girls College, formed community, ‘Protection of Environment and Animals’, 18 years back. Since then she has pursued her mission with ant-like persistence. Pointing out people for littering the roads or taking students to clean them, she has made several efforts to keep the road and surroundings clean. “It is because of my profession that I do not hesitate in accosting people. Whenever I see anyone throwing wrappers on the streets, I ask them not to do so,” she shares.
Besides raising awareness among her students, Rehana also encourages them to join the noble cause. Every week, all students of the school deposit two paper bags, which are then collectively sent to the zoo. For more than a decade now, Rehana has been supplying paper bags with the participation of her students.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Lucknow / TNN / March 05th, 2015
The Bareilly Municipal Corporation is all set to light up the memorial of 257 freedom fighters who laid down their lives during the country’s first war of independence in 1857.
The tower built in their memory is situated in the compound housing the office of divisional commissioner.
Though the memorial was built in 2006, there are no lights at the venue, plunging the place into darkness after evening hours.
The municipal authorities will install high mast lights around the memorial so that the venue is well lit and easily visible to commuters on the road running in front of the park during late evening hours.
After divisional commissioner Pradyuman Yadav took over as Bareilly commissioner, he asked municipal authorities to light up the park where the memorial is situated
“It was disappointing to learn that the tower built in the memory of 257 freedom fighters is lying in darkness. A majority of the locals are unaware about the importance and historical significance of this place,” said Sheeldhar Yadav, municipal commissioner.
Teams of municipal corporation visited the park where the memorial tower is situated on Sunday to survey the area. “We will install white or cream-colour high mast lights around the memorial so that it is able to grab the attraction of commuters moving on the opposite side of roads,” said the commissioner, adding that the work will be completed in the next 10 days.
Explaining the significance of this memorial, Yadav said these 257 freedom fighters were hanged to death on the branches of the banyan tree situated next to tower. During the first revolt of Independence against the British, Bareilly was the headquarter of Rohilkhand region, which included districts of Bareilly, Moradabad, Badaun, Pilibhit, Bijnor, Rampur and Shahjahanpur. On May 31, 1857, the freedom fighters killed British officials, including the principal of Bareilly College, during the revolt.
After their victory, the freedom fighters had made Khan Bahadur Khan, who was the grandson of Hafiz Rehmat Khan, the ruler of Rohilkhand region. Khan formed his own government and ruled the region till May 5, 1858. However, on the morning of May 5, the army of British forces gheraoed the city from all four corners. The British forces defeated the freedom fighters the next day by bombarding the city.
“Khan, along with his trustworthy 257 sepoys, fled to Nepal but British forces, with the help of Nepalese, captured them,” said Abhay Singh, associate professor, department of ancient history and culture at Mahatma Jyotiba Phule (MJP) Rohilkhand University.
On March 25, 1860, Khan was sentenced in the district jail of Bareilly, but 257 freedom fighters, who fought with him, were hanged to death with rope on the branches of the banyan tree in the presence of locals. The state government had constructed the tower next to the banyan tree in 2006 in memory of these freedom fighters.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Bareilly / by Priyangi Agarwal, TNN / February 16th, 2015
The Microscope is something we’ve mostly seen in our school labs and in a few health care centres. However, it is still largely an expensive instrument and requires elaborate amount of learning to use it regularly. It is also not easy to have them carried out into the field to do quick diagnosis of diseases.
This is where Manu Prakash and his team’s invention comes into the picture – they have invented a microscope (called Foldscope) that is made out of paper that is extremely easy to fold and use!
An entire working microscope is on this single A4 size sheet of paper!
And this microscope costs approximately 50 cents (Rs. 30) only!
In this demo, Manu shows how his invention can really revolutionize healthcare. The best part is how versatile these paper microscopes are!
About Manu Prakash
Born in Meerut, India, Prakash earned a BTech in computer science and engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology in Kanpur before moving to the United States. He did his master’s and PhD in applied physics at MIT before founding the Prakash Lab at Stanford.
Courtesy: Ted.com
source: http://www.thebetterindia.com / The Better India / Home> Innovation / by TBI Team / February 08th, 2015
LUCKNOW: HCL Foundation will adopt clusters of villages in various districts in UP to provide basic amenities and skill development programmes. The state Cabinet headed by chief minister Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday cleared a proposal from the foundation.
The Cabinet also decided to convene sessions of the Vidhan Sabha and Vidhan Parishad from February 18 while the state Budget will be tabled on February 24.
The Cabinet approved nearly three dozen decisions to set up micro-clusters in the food industry in the state to create employment in rural areas and passed a new policy for supervision and maintenance of water pipelines in the rural belt.
For industry, the cabinet okayed a proposal of the UPSIDC to acquire land in Pilibhit for developing an industrial hub.
Disabled persons will now get concession in purchase of land or taking land on lease to up to Rs 20 lakh. So far, this provision was limited to purchase of government land alone.
For the co-operative sector, 16 non-licensed district cooperative banks will be given licenses and financial assistance.
The Cabinet recommended that migrated Bengali communities like Namoshudra should be included in the Scheduled Castes category and the government can approach the Centre for this.
Hawaizaada tax-free
Hawaizaada, a film on Shivkar Talpade, who is said to have flown an unmanned flight even before the Wright brothers, has been declared tax-free in UP.
HSRP soon
Vehicles in UP can now have high security registration plates (HSRP). The Cabinet on Wednesday approved invitation of fresh tenders from companies.
Begum Akhtar award
Begum Akhar Award to the eminent singers in the field of Dadra,Thumari and ghazal singing. Award will be carry a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh and would be given to artistes who are above 40 years of age.
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Land for Metro
Land acquisition for the Lucknow Metro to get simpler with the Cabinet giving go ahead to form a committee under the district magistrate that will work on modalities for purchase of land for the project.
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Rs 300 cr for Lohia Hospital
The Cabinet earmarked Rs 300 crore for construction of an academic block at Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences.
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Badminton hall in name of Big B
In Allahabad, the old building of the badminton complex to be demolished for a new Amitabh Bachchan Badminton Hall
State culture department institutes award in the name of Begum Akhtar
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Lucknow / TNN / January 29th, 2015
Six personnel of the Uttar Pradesh Police were shortlisted for gallantry award on the occasion of Republic Day. The highest police honor for bravery in the course of duty has been awarded to these personnel in three different cases of counters held in the recent past.
The most publicised encounter of the three was incidentally captured live by news crews in Allahabad in which a criminal who had come to gun down a rival ended up blowing the head of a police head constable with a hand grenade when the latter tried stop him during a routine vehicle checking drive near district court in civil lines area on September 18, 2006.
One of them, Pintoo Misra, was chased and gunned down after a fierce gun battle and another associate was arrested while kingpin Babloo Misra fled from the spot along with others and planned to kill Dy SP Rahul Srivastav but was gunned down in exchange of fire with police three months later.
The footage of the encounter which showed an accused waving his hands to surrender when he was gunned down raked up a controversy and the incident was debated on all news channels at the national level for about a week. It was only after independent inquiries from CB CID and NHRC gave a clean chit to the police that the gallantry awards were recommended.
With 40 encounters to his credit, DySP Rahul is presently posted with chief minister Akhilesh Yadav’s security details.
Inspector general Bareilly Zone Vijay Singh Meena, Superintendent of police (SP) Varanasi Joginder Singh, Sub Inspectors Bind Kumar and Shashi Bhushan Rai along with Head Constable Ashok Kumar Singh were awarded for their role in an encounter in Mau in which crimimals have taken a family hostage to evade police but were gunned down.
Inspector SKS Pratap has been awarded for gallantry he displayed in an encounter in Noida.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Lucknow / TNN / January 26th, 2015
A talent youngster of the city awaits recognition at a time when IIIT-A is leaving no stones unturned to make the 7th science conclave successful.
In the by-lanes of Kydganj locality of the city resides 14-year-old Dinesh Dwivedi, who has never been to schools but still imparts coaching to students, inspiring to crack IIT, CPMT, AIEEE and other examinations. This wonder kid, who has been awarded Young Achievers Award, easily solves questions of mathematics, physics and chemistry, impart tuitions to aspiring IITians along with those preparing for CPMT, AIEEE or for that matter even those pursuing BSc and MSc.
Hailing from Khiwali Kalan village of Koraon Tehsil, Dinesh imparts free coaching in a small rented room in Kydganj. Although his small classroom has just few takhat (wooden cot) and chairs, but in the last two years Dinesh’s guidance has produced 25 IIT’ians, 15 were selected for CPMT and 32 students have cleared AIEEE. In all, he teaches 280 students in batches daily.
This ‘guruji’ of budding engineers and doctors is in search of a teacher who could let him appear in intermediate examination so that he can become district magistrate, his childhood ambition.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Allahabad / by Rajiv Mani, TNN / December 05th, 2014
After devising a calendar containing dates of over 10 lakh years, city-based mathematics enthusiast Jagrat Chatterjee has now been able to jot down multiplication tables from 1 to 2072 on a single chartpaper.
Speaking to TOI, Jagrat, said, “It took me almost 50 hours to give final shape to the multiplication tables on a chart paper. I am now planning to officially register this feat into the Limca Books of Records and subsequently in the Guinness Book of Records.” He further stated that at times, even he had to use a magnifying glass to locate a certain number on the chartpaper.
Jagrat said numbers and their games fascinate him. “Unlike other creative pursuits, number games widen various faculties of mind, and that’s why I am interested in designing new arrangements and other similar patterns using numbers,” Chatterjee added.
In 2013, Jagrat had compiled a calendar which could provide dates for 10 lakh 8 thousand years. He was honoured with Shaan-e-Shahar Samman in the 2013 edition of Lucknow Mahotsava for the achievement.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Lucknow / TNN / November 25th, 2014
