Category Archives: Records, All

Visitors show interest in Azad’s urn displayed in Lucknow museum

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Leaders, Records, All, Travel
The urn containing the ashes of Chandra Shekhar "Azad" displayed at the State Museum in Lucknow (TOI photo)
The urn containing the ashes of Chandra Shekhar “Azad” displayed at the State Museum in Lucknow (TOI photo)

Lucknow :

As the nation steps into its 70th year of Independence, the urn containing the ashes of freedom fighter and revolutionary Chandra Shekhar “Azad” completed its 40 years in the UP State Museum, located within the precincts of Wajid Ali Shah Zoological Garden (formerly called Lucknow Zoo).

The urn was kept at a special gallery for the visitors as a part of Jashn-e-Azadi celebrations to mark the 70th Independence Day. However, much about the special urn is unknown to the public. Sunday, the eve of the Independence Day sprang a surprise for a few visitors, who while visiting the State Museum were amazed to see the urn containing the ashes of Azad, and that they had never noticed it during their earlier visits.

Elaborating further about the urn containing the ashes of Azad, director of State Museum, Yashwant Singh Rathore, said, “After the cremation of Chandra Shekhar ‘Azad’, some of his ashes was kept in safe custody of Shiv Vinayak Mishra (Azad’s uncle). The ashes kept in the urn have been kept as a memory of the revolutionary.” He further stated that the historical procession (Shobhaa Yatra) of the ashes of Chandra Shekhar Azad started on August 1, 1976 from Varanasi’s Vidyapeeth and reached the State Museum in Lucknow on August 10, 1976.

Born in 1887 in Unnao’s Beeghapur, Shiv Vinayak Mishra was a freedom fighter who participated in the Satyagraha movement called by Mahatma Gandhi and also in the Non-Cooperation Movement from 1930-32.

When Chandra Shekhar grew up, he left his parent’s place and fled to Banaras. His uncle Pandit Shiv Vinayak Mishra used to stay there. Chandra Shekhar took some help from him, and made some arrangements to get admission in the Sanskrit College.

Aadesh Shukla, who visited the Lucknow State Museum along with his friends was amazed to tumble upon the urn containing the ashes of Chandra Shekhar Azad. “I had visited the museum earlier, but it seems that I had always missed the urn containing the ashes of Chandra Shekhar Azad. Anyway thanks to Jashn-e-Azadi, I not only saw the urn, but also clicked its photo,” Shukla said.

Anupam Mishra, while reacting to development was of the view that the Uttar Pradesh government must give adequate publicity to this special urn, which contains the ashes of Chandra Shekhar Azad kept in State Museum, Lucknow. “Some of the amount of money spent on the advertisements by the UP government could be easily diverted to give some publicity to this,” Mishra said.

In the 2014 Lok Sabha election, Swarajya Party of India headed by Anupam Mishra fielded Azad’s great-grandson Rajeev Mishra alias Raju from the Unnao parliamentary constituency.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Lucknow / Arunav Sinha / TNN / August 16th, 2016

UP sets world record for planting 5cr trees in 24 hours

Agriculture, Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature, Records, All, World Opinion

Lucknow :

Uttar Pradesh now holds a world record for planting maximum, 5 crore, trees in a single day. On Saturday, Guinness gave the certificate to state government for planting 5core trees in 24 hours on July 11.

It was on July 11 that more than 5.3 crore trees were planted at 6,166 plantation sites, and 81,000 hectare, in 80 forest divisions of UP. The campaign started with chief minister Akhilesh Yadav planting two Verna trees at his residence.

While chief minister planted trees in Kanpur dehat, SP president Mulayam Singh Yadav planted eight saplings at Kukrail forest division.

Students and teachers, people from different communities, PAC battalion, army jawans, NCC cadets, farmers participated in the plantation drive apart from ministers and MLAs all over the state.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Lucknow / by Neha Shukla / TNN / August 13th, 2016

Tourist spot to glorify Kakori train action

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Records, All, Travel

KakoraTrainActionLUCKNOW12aug2016

Lucknow:

Kakori Train Action Smarak will be developed as a tourist place with auditorium, library and cafeteria on a PPP (public-private partnership) model.

District Tourism Promotion Parishad has sanctioned Rs 50 lakh for development of Kakori Smarak and work will begin in October 2016 to be completed by March 2017.

District magistrate Raj Shekhar said, “Lucknow district administration has submitted a proposal of nearly Rs 4.5 crore to the tourism department for the overall development of the Kakori Smarak area as tourism destination.

“The proposed library at the Kakori Smarak will have most of the books dedicated to the freedom struggle, including the Kakori Train Action and other prominent historical incidents,” said the DM.

He added that apart from history books, literature pertaining to tourist places in Lucknow will also find place in the library.

The auditorium will be used for screening 10-minute documentary films in English and Hindi on Kakori Train Action showing the glorious revolutionaries of the freedom struggle.

Lucknow district administration is celebrating the ‘Festival of Freedom’ titled ‘Swadheenta Saptah’. In the celebrations there will be a series of eventsbased on freedom. The events began on Tuesday and will conclude on August 15.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Lucknow / TNN / August 10th, 2016

Kanpur boy develops Web app, wins global competition

Education, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion

Kanpur :

Simran Singh, a student of Class 12 of Sheiling House School, brought laurels to his parents and the institution by winning a global competition, ‘Imagine Cup-Earth’ which was conducted by Microsoft. Simran, who had been learning the basics of coding since 13 years of age, managed to design a web application (app) on algae named, ‘Project Vision’ which predicts algae levels and plots it in the form of an image on the desktop monitor or laptop screen.

Simran won the first prize in the competition and was awarded a cash prize of $3000 and a gift hamper. He also had the privilege of meeting Satya Nadella, CEO Microsoft at an event of the company in New Delhi on May 31 where he introduced his web app to him. Simran had never thought of that he would ever get a chance to meet CEO of Mircosoft and when he got a mail from Mircosoft in which he was apprised about his meeting with the top boss of Microsoft, the boy could not believe this. He even practised for days what to say upon meeting Microsoft CEO.

The school which earned a name because of Simran, ensured felicitating this meritorious boy in the morning assembly. The parents of Simran are an extremely delighted lot who see a bright career for their son in coming future. Simran is now both preparing for his Class XII board exams and JEE Mains scheduled to be held next year.

“One day in the month of October 2015, I got a mail from Microsoft in which there was a mention about the global competition named ‘Imagine Cup-Earth’. As I knew coding, I decided to take part in the event and informed my parents about it. Due to my exams, I had to leave the task of developing the app in the midway. It was just two days before the deadline that the app could be readied. Once it was ready, I gained confidence of winning this competition and this proved to be true”, said Simran while talking to TOI.

He mentioned that there was a requirement of developing the web application and posting its three images and a video along with the link to access it on given website address for taking part in the competition. He also said that the friends proved to be of a great help in developing the web application.

On being asked about what this web application can do, Simran said that this app can predict the level of algae in the sea by providing certain details such as weather, level of salt in the water etc.

“I was asked by Microsoft CEO during our meeting in Delhi on May 31 about the future use of this web application to which I had apprised him that this app could be integrated with the computerised machines that do weather forecast. Along with the weather forecast, the level of algae could also be known. I told Satya sir about the functioning of the app,” Simran said.

He added that the level of algae in sea has to be at optimum level. “If algae increases in water it prevents the sunlight from penetrating deep inside the sea and this is harmful for the aquatic life. If the level of algae decreases, it reduces the dissolved oxygen in water,” informed Simran while talking to TOI.

“It was wonderful meeting Satya sir. I had never thought of getting this moment in my life. The school also felicitated me during the morning assembly. My parents are a proud lot and now I look forward to pursue BTech in Computer Science engineering from renowned IIT next year for which my preparations are underway,” said Simran, whose parents own a business in Jawahar Nagar.

Simran’s parents Jaspal Singh and Harvinder Kaur and school principal, Vanita Mehrotra could not stop praising this meritorious boy on achieving this feat.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Kanpur / by Abhinav Malhotra / TNN / August 06th, 2016

Sneak peek into life and times of unsung heroes

Amazing Feats, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Records, All, Uncategorized

UnsungHeroesLUCKNOW10aug2016

Allahabad:

Much is said and written about the role of Nehru-Gandhi in the freedom movement of Allahabad but less is known about the unsung heroes of that era, without whom the Independence movement would not have gained momentum.

In once such case, the city was booked under Section 144 after people defied the then Bristish government order in 1932. To throw light on this aspect of freedom struggle, the regional archive office has come out with 470 cases of hundreds of unsung revolutionaries, who were caught and against whom cases were lodged in police stations of the city.

The rare documents were kept in dark and dingy rooms of the judicial record room of the Collectorate with other criminal cases for past 68 years. The records will soon be made public. A study revealed that a maximum number of 52 cases were registered under Defence of India Rule (DIR) against freedom fighters with the Kotwali police, followed by the Handia police (38) and 25 cases with Paschim Sharira.

The freedom fighters publishing material were used to be persecuted under Press Act since 1913 in Allahabad, much before Rowlatt Act came into force in 1919.

Regional archive officer Amit Agnihotri said, “It has been seen that historians do not keep a track of thousands of people who were lodged in jails or tried. The Allahabad University students used to take active part in freedom movement and many of them had lost their lives in doing so.”

The record shows that rural people had actively participated in Quit India Movement from August 9, 1942.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Allahabad / TNN / August 10th, 2016

VC of UP Rajashri Tandon Open University honoured

Education, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Leaders, Records, All

Allahabad :

Making the city and the institution proud, the vice-chancellor of Uttar Pradesh Rajashri Tandon Open University, Prof M P Dubey has been felicitated with the special ‘higher education leadership award. The award, conferred on Prof Dubey for his exemplary role in the field of higher education was given at the 7th World Education Summit 2016 which was supported by digital learning, Asia’s premier magazine on ICT for Education.

The summit, which concluded at Delhi on Saturday, aims to create a global knowledge sharing platform for thought leaders, policy makers, education leaders and industry leaders to initiate change in the entire education system. Earlier summits were held at Kuala Lampur, Singapore, Dubai, Colombo, Dhaka and New Delhi.

This felicitation is the recognition of the achievements of the UPRTOU in the field of ICT as with the aim to meet the challenges, this lone open university of the state has kept abreast the expanding frontiers of knowledge in different branches of learning, tried to prepare skilled and socially motivated human resources. The quest for quality and the concern for excellence in the academic sphere has been made sensitive to the countervailing need for assuring equity through special provisions and efforts to meaningfully help socially and academically underprivileged students, and fulfil the opportunity for higher learning.

As the University trains its teachers in modern pedagogy and updates their knowledge, they would be encouraged to use online material such as MOOCs and TED talks liberally. Mobile Apps developed by the university would make the system much more student friendly. It has implemented CBCS (choice based credit system) since July 2015 by restructuring and modernising all the syllabi.

Steps has been taken to raise the quality of administrative and financial management towards making the system ‘user’ friendly, time-conscious, cost-efficient, self-critical and team-work oriented, speedily responsive to problem situations, amenable to intervention-oriented monitoring and imbued with a positive work ethic. The accelerated automation and computerization of offices and administrative work has been of major help in this regard. The internal quality assurance cell has also been set up for the purpose of creating and maintaining quality and standard.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Allahabad / Rajeev Mani / TNN / August 06th, 2016

New batch of IITKanpur students attempt to make a world record of flying maximum paper planes

Amazing Feats, Education, Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion

Kanpur :

The new lot of undergraduate and postgraduate students who have just taken admission in IIT-Kanpur, attempted to make a new Guinness world record of flying maximum number of air planes. A total of 2100 paper planes were flown in the air on Tuesday afternoon by 1050 students. The unique activity undertaken was aimed at giving a social message to the students. The entire process was filmed by the drone cameras and was also manually monitored so that the authenticity of the paper flying event could be established before the office bearers of Guinness World Records. The event had been organised a day before the commencement of the classes of the new students by the ‘Counselling Service’ of IIT-Kanpur. The previous record attempted by was students of a college in Indore in 2015 in which 2000 air planes were flown.

Talking to TOI, head, Counselling Service, IITKanpur, Prof MK Ghorai said, “We attempted to break the record of flying 2000 air planes by a college in Indore last year. A total of 1050 students participated in the World Record bid of flying 2100 planes. Each student had been given two paper planes to fly and on each paper plane a unique social message was written. After the planes came down on the ground they were picked by the students who participated in the event. They then came across the messages that were written on them. The students vowed that they will follow these messages as a practice in their life.”

Prof Ghorai said that while students had written messages that they will donate their eyes, others had written that they will donate blood. He said that students wrote that they will help the poor and ensure that they teach students free of cost.

During the event senior officers of SBI and Union Bank of India were present as observors. On each participating first semester student, student guides (senior of second year) was appointed by the counselling service to monitor the attempt made to make a world record of flying maximum number of paper planes. This was done to maintain transperancy and to ensure that all the 2100 air planes took flight in air.

Dean of Students Affairs, Prof AR Harish said that the main purpose of the event was to give social message to the students who have just joined the institute and would be staying here for a duration of four years during their BTech course.

Prof Ghorai said that the soon the entire set of documents including the footages shot by the drone camera to the Guinness World Record office so that they could cross-check our game.

The event was held in the auditorium ground of the institute. The event turned out to be colourful one with 2100 paper planes taking flight. From Wednesday, the first semester students will have their first class and this activity had been planned in such a way that it could be executed a day before the start of the classes.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Kanpur / by Abhinav Malhotra / TNN / July 27th, 2016

Tiger Hill witness recalls day with cycle feat

Amazing Feats, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Records, All

Lucknow:

Seventeen years after he witnessed the capture of the strategic Tiger Hill in the Kargil Conflict by his ‘Ghatak buddies’ of the 18 Grenadiers, retired Havaldar Santosh Kumar Jaiswal would attempt to create a record with his cycle covering 300 kilometres in 12 hours.

Elaborating, Jaiswal said, “I would be attempting to create a new record with an Indian gearless non-racing cycle.” His cycle is five-years-old and he is being backed by local clubs in his endeavour.

“In order to give it a look of a racing cycle, I have removed both the mudguards,” said Jaiswal. Khel Khiladi Utthaan and Champions Cycling Club is extending support to Santosh in his attempt to make the new record.

Settled in Lucknow after taking VRS from the Army, Santosh works at the UP Bhootpoorv Sainik Kalyan Nigam. On the reason for opting July 26 as the day for attempting the record, the former soldier of the 18 Grenadier said, “Initially, it was planned for July 24. But, I insisted that the event could be extended by a couple of days, and could coincide with Kargil Vijay Diwas (July 26).”

The former Grenadier said if he succeeded in his attempt, he would dedicate it to his friends in 18 Grenadiers general and the members of Ghatak platoon (which captured Tiger Hill).

Recalling the capture of Tiger Hills, he said, “Ghatak platoon attacked the Tiger Hill while I was in the reserve with the Charlie company. It was Grenadier Yoginder Singh Yadav who with his sheer grit and courage helped the Army capture the strategic post.” Yadav was later awarded Param Vir Chakra.

In a first-hand account of the capture of Tiger Hill given by then Chief of Army Staff General VP Malik (published on the official website of Ministry of External Affairs), the assault began at 7.00pm on July 3, 1999 with direct and indirect firing by artillery. It was a multidirectional infantry assault. 8 Sikh provided the firm base and engaged the enemy from ‘obvious’ approaches as part of a deception plan. 18 Grenadiers moved towards the objective from the South and North East. The weather assisted the battalions in achieving surprise. Lieutenant Balwan Singh led the Ghatak Platoon (Commando) of 18 Grenadiers on the most difficult, North-Eastern approach.

His Platoon make use of the rope to reach the top of the Tiger Hill at 4.30am and totally surprised the enemy that had already suffered due to heavy artillery shelling and air attacks. In the ensuring hand-to-hand fighting, the enemy lost 10-12 personnel. 18 Grenadiers suffered six fatal casualties. Grenadier Yogendar Singh Yadav, who was in the lead on the rope, and wounded badly, earned India’s highest gallantry award of Param Vir Chakra.

The Ghatak platoon with some reinforcements firmed in on the Tiger Hill top, but throughout the day came under enemy fire from the Western Spur. This position (Western Spur) was cleared by a very gallant and highly motivated action by 8 Sikh on the night of July 4-5, 1999.

Santosh Kumar Jaiswal was enrolled in 18 Grenadiers on November 30, 1995 and took voluntary retirement from the Army on November 30, 2013.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Lucknow / Arunav Sinha / TNN / July 26th, 2016

The Fairfield by Marriott opens in Lucknow

Business & Economy, Records, All, Travel, World Opinion

Global hospitality major Marriott International today opened The Fairfield by Marriott, Lucknow, the second property of the company in the capital city of Uttar Pradesh.

Marriott is already operating ‘Renaissance Lucknow’ in the city, which opened in September, the firm said in a release.

The Fairfield by Marriott offers the largest room inventory in the city with 222 rooms.

“We are excited to bring the Fairfield By Marriott brand to North India, we believe the market is ideal for a brand like Fairfield which sets the standards of delivering a great hotel experience at an affordable price point.

“With the opening of this hotel we continue to strengthen our relationship in Lucknow. This hotel will help us gain a formidable presence in the market, along with providing a strategic advantage of having a multi-brand presence in the city,” said Marriott Market Vice-President (South Asia) Neeraj Govil.

The Fairfield by Marriott brand is a front-runner in the moderate tier segment catering to a target guest looking for a comfortable stay and ‘international’ service at great value.

Considered a growth engine for the company’s expansion in Asia with 13 hotels signed in India and additional properties signed in Nepal and Indonesia, Fairfield By Marriott represents an opportunity for Marriott International to move into new locations and markets.

Marriott International is a global lodging company based in Maryland, US, with more than 4,400 properties in 87 countries and territories.

source: http://www.business-standard.com / Business Standard / Home> PTI Stories> National / Press Trust of India, Mumbai / July 05th, 2016

Indian students win 5 medals at Olympiad

Education, Records, All, World Opinion
With flying colours:The Indian contingent at the 47th International Physics Olympiad at Zurich, Switzerland. —Photo: Special Arrangement
With flying colours:The Indian contingent at the 47th International Physics Olympiad at Zurich, Switzerland. —Photo: Special Arrangement

Five Indian students, who participated in the 47th International Physics Olympiad (IPhO) in Zurich in Switzerland, last week, have got three gold medals and two silver medals, officials from the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) said on Monday.

Debaditya Pramanik from Kolkata, Preey Hiten Shah from Mumbai, and Gowtham Amirthya S.N. from Hyderabad won gold, while Divyansh Garg from Jaipur and Manan Bhatia from Lucknow got silver, showing a 100 per cent result at this year’s Olympiad. They will be felicitated at a ceremony at TIFR’s Mankhurd office on Tuesday.

The 47th edition of the IPhO was held from July 11 to July 17. A total of 398 students from 84 countries took part. The competition had a theoretical and an experimental examination, each of five-hour duration.

The Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education, a national centre of TIFR, is the nodal centre in the country for all science Olympiads (physics, chemistry, biology, astronomy and astrophysics and junior science) and the mathematical Olympiad. The centre selects and trains the Indian teams.

The five winners were selected through a three-stage process. The first one consisted of a nationwide physics examination for which over 44,000 students appeared across 1,300 centres. The remaining two stages had a series of selection tests: theoretical and practical.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Mumbai Local / by Special Correspondent / Mumbai – July 19th, 2016