Category Archives: Records, All

Forbes Asia’s ‘Top 30 Under 30’ features Lucknow entrepreneur

Business & Economy, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Leaders, Records, All, World Opinion
Twenty-nine-year-old Anshulika Dubey’s name figures in the finance and venture capital segment. (HT photo)
Twenty-nine-year-old Anshulika Dubey’s name figures in the finance and venture capital segment. (HT photo)

Lucknow resident Anshulika Dubey (29), the co-founder and chief operating officer (COO) of Wishberry.in, made it to the elite list of Forbes Asia ‘Top 30-under-30’, which was announced on Thursday.

Wishberry.in is the country’s first crowdfunding platform for creative projects.

The Forbes magazine’s list features the top 300 young, promising leaders and their enterprises that have emerged as game-changers in 10 different sectors. Dubey’s name figures in the finance and venture capital segment.

An overjoyed Dubey told Hindustan Times: “I got an email in the morning from Forbes Asia editor informing that I’ve made it to the Asia ‘Top 30 under 30’ list. It was a pleasant surprise and took time to sink in.”

She added: “I had made it to the semi-finals last month. My father was eagerly waiting to find out the final result and he would ask me about it almost every day. So, I called my father and mother. They were very happy.”
As for Dubey’s venture, the numbers speak for themselves.

More than 250 ideas were received on Wishberry.in in about four years and $1 million (Rs 6.5 crore) funding was made by about 12,000 people from around the globe.

This funding is three times more than the funding of all projects handled by its Indian competitors put together and has a 67% funding success rate.

The concept fascinated her so much that she left a job opportunity in the US and started India’s first crowdfunding platform for creative artists, with her co-founder and ex-McKinsey consultant Priyanka Agarwal, in 2012.

source: http://www.hindustantimes.com / Hindustan Times / Home> Lucknow / by Rajeev Mullick, Hindustan Times, Lucknow / February 26th, 2016

4 French among recipients of Laxmibai award

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Records, All, Sports, Travel, World Opinion

Lucknow :

Four women from France, who toured across India in an auto-rickshaw, will be among 45 to be presented the Rani Laxmibai Award by the Uttar Pradesh government on International Women’s Day on March 8.

There will also be two women from outside the state as recipients of the award to be given away by chief minister Akhilesh Yadav. Anhita Sriprasad is being awarded for having travelled across India from -Leh to Kanyakumari – on a bicycle. The chief minister contacted her on finding her profile on social media .

Nidhi Tewari is another woman of substance who is being felicitated for being solo driving from Delhi to London. Besides being the first woman to go on a 23,800-km trans-continental drive km from Delhi to London, driven a jeep in the Western Ghats, Uttrakhand, Himachal Pradesh in India and in the US, South Africa and Kenya.

The French girls to be awarded are Juliet Phinete, Julion Chopin, Charleto Hinero and Caroline who had been to Lucknow in their auto-rickshaw.

This is for the first time that this award is being given to women outside the country and from outside the state. Principal secretary, women and child welfare department, Renuka Kumar said that about half of the awardees would be women gram pradhans,.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Lucknow / TNN / February 28th, 2016

CCSU girl wrestlers bag 3 gold medals in South Asian Games

Records, All, Sports, World Opinion

Meerut :

Acknowledging their contribution to sports, vice-chancellor of Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Dr NK Taneja, felicitated three women wrestlers of Rustam-e-Jama Dara Singh wrestling stadium of the varsity for bagging three gold medals at the 12th South Asian Games-2016 held at Guwahati in Assam.

The winners received a rousing reception upon their arrival in the city on Wednesday.

Stadium coach Jabar Singh told TOI, “Our three-member girls’ team participated in the South Asian Games, which kicked off on February 5 and will continue till February 16. Our players, Priyanka Singh, Archana Tomar and Rajni, participated in the categories of 48 kg, 55 kg and 69 kg, respectively. All our players bagged gold medals in their group.”

Stating that it was a moment of great pride, he added, “These gold medals will not only boost the morale of girls but also motivate other girl wrestlers to excel in the sport.”

While felicitating the gold medallists, V-C Taneja said, “The girl players have done us proud. They exhibited extraordinary talent. I also want to congratulate their coach Jabar Singh, who toils hard to train them. All of them have brought laurels to the varsity.”

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Meerut / by Pankul Sharma / TNN / February 11th, 2016

Nizamabad black clay pottery joins league of GI tagged products

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Records, All, World Opinion

Varanasi :

The famed black clay pottery of Nizamabad in Azamgarh district joined the league of Geographical Indication (GI) tagged products. Now, this region leads with six GI products in UP having a total of 21 GI certified products. Earlier, five products including famous Banaras Brocade and Saree, Handmade carpet of Bhadohi, Banaras Gulabi Meenakari Craft, Varanasi wooden lacquer ware and toys, and Mirzapuri handmade dari have already received the GI tag that conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness.

Black pottery of Nazamabad, one of the oldest industries, contributes substantially to the economic life of the people. The potters make tea-pots, sugar-bowls and other decorative articles. The earthen wares and statues of Gods and Goddesses particularly of Ganesh, Laxmi, Shiva, Durga and Saraswati are also made. The distinctive colours can be credited to the process in which the articles are fired in enclosed kiln with rice husks. The smoke generated in the process imparts the black colour. Designs are etched on the dry surface, which is then filled with silver paint that is made from zinc and mercury. To lend a glossy look to the products, some vessels are coated with lacquer when they are hot.

The Yuva Jagriti Pottery Shilp Samiti, Hussainabad, Nizamabad in association with Varanasi based Human Welfare Association and support with National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), Lucknow had applied for GI certification in October 2013.

Sohit Kumar Prajapati, a state awardee of the craft, said that over 300 years ago during the reign of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, some clay potters from Kutch (Gujarat) had migrated to Azamgarh and settled at Nizamabad to earn living. Here, they had created a brand known as black clay pottery, which is unique and only of its kind in the world. Sohit, his mother Seema Devi, wife Sarita Prajapati, father Ramjatin Prajapati and brother Mahendra Prajapati are also state awardees. His late uncle and aunt Rajendra Prasad Prajapati and Kalpa Devi were also honoured with national level award for furthering this unique craft.

Sohit had also displayed his craft at the 55th General Assembly of International Bureau of World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in Geneva, Switzerland held in October last year. “With this recognition the potters engaged in this industry will get more benefit for their works,” said Sohit. The HWA president Rajni Kant said that about 400 families are engaged in black clay pottery in Nizamabad. Though 90% products are exported, the financial condition of these people remains pathetic, as they get orders through middleman due to lack of marketing skill.

East UP: A Hub of GI products:

(I) Banaras Brocade and Saree: Banaras Brocade and Sarees that covers Varanasi, Mirzapur, Chandauli, Bhadohi, Jaunpur and Azamgarh districts got the GI tag in 2009.

(II) Handmade carpet of Bhadohi: Handmade carpet of Bhadohi covered the area on nine districts including Bhadohi, Mirzapur, Varanasi, Ghazipur, Sonebhadra, Kaushambi, Allahabad, Jaunpur and Chandauli got the tag in 2010.

(III) Banaras Gulabi Meenakari Craft: Got GI tag in 2014-15. Presently about 100 artists only in the city are engaged in this traditional craft of gulabi meenakari. About 50-60% products are exported to Europe, America and Gulf countries via Jaipur, Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi.

(IV) Varanasi wooden lacquer ware and toys: Got GI tag in 2014-15. The craft of wooden toys is also an old tradition of the city, and about 1000 families are engaged in this work.

(V) Mirzapuri handmade dari: Got GI tag in 2014-15. The area of Mirzapur handmade dari covers nine districts including Varanasi, Mirzapur, Bhadohi, Sonbhadra, Chandauli, Jaunpur, Ghazipur, Allahabad and Kaushambi. About 50,000 artisans are involved in this work, and about 60-70% of the product was exported to different countries. The tradition of handmade dari made of cotton and wool has been continuing since Mughal era.

(VI) Nizamabad Black Pottery: Got GI in 2015. About 400 families are engaged in black clay pottery in Nizamabad. The craft has been continuing since Mughal era.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Varanasi / Binay Singh, TNN / January 29th, 2016

36-hr record broken, team eyes 51 hours

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives / Environment, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Records, All

Lucknow:

The level of enthusiasm and energy in the group of 10 boys from Bulandshahr knew no bounds on second day of the 51-hour long cleanliness drive and late Sunday evening they broke their own record of 36 hours of continuous cleaning in Sikanderabad.

Undeterred by harsh weather, the group that arrived in the city with the dream of concluding successfully a cleaning session of 51 hours, kept motivating people and sweeping lanes and markets of Aminabad even after two days and two nights of hard work.

Locals not only supported the volunteers and participated with them but also took inspiration and vowed to maintain cleanliness around them.

A student and Aminabad resident Prakhar Rastogi, utilised his Sunday in the most apt manner. Inspired by these young men from Bulandshahr, Prakhar called his friends and joined hands with the group for the noble cause. “We found it exciting and at the same time very constructive to make such efforts. We are going to repeat it on the coming Sundays,” he said.

Gaurav Hinduja from Asian Book of World Records was present at the spot and maintained account of their efforts. The group is expected to get a mention in the book once they complete the drive. The district administration has provided an ambulance at the spot in case of emergency.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Lucknow / TNN / January 25th, 2016

‘My parents’ dream has come true’

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

Lucknow:

A farmer’s son, Sumit Kumar, who bagged a gold medal for securing highest marks in agricultural engineering in APJ Abdul Kalam Technical University is an example to prove no dream is too big.

A native of Jahangirabad in UP’s Bulandshahr, Kumar pursued his engineering from Aligarh College of Engineering and Technology. Since he couldn’t afford the hostel fees, he lived in a small rented room, near the college. “Living near the college saved my traveling expenses,” said Sumit.

“It’s a moment to celebrate as my parents’ dream has come true. My father always encouraged me to study agricultural engineering and help farmers who are in an extremely poor condition,” said Sumit, who now aims to pursue MTech from IIT and then get into research. Sumit’s father Anil Kumar, a class X drop-out, took a loan to fund his son’s education. “My father could only manage to pay fees for the first year. He borrowed to fund rest of my education,” said Sumit, who is looking for a scholarship for his MTech course. Sumit’s mother Rajesh Devi is uneducated.

With a meager income of Rs 8,000 per month, it was a challenge for Anil to educate his two sons. “Because of climate change, we have lost 70% of our crops. We don’t have grains even for our consumption and will have to purchase from others,” said Anil. Living in a one-room semi-pucca house in Bulandshahr, Sumit completed his class X and XII from UP board in Jahangirabad. He secured 62% in class X and 75% in class XII.

On the occasion, governor Ram Naik, Chancellor of state universities, appreciated the Indian outfit worn by the students. “The caps attached to the black gowns caused inconvenience in receiving the medals. The Indian dress looks good and is comfortable,” said Naik.

The university also conferred honoris causa on ISRO chairman A S Kiran Kumar.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Lucknow / TNN / January 24th, 2016

Lucknow University faculty receives NASI Young Scientist Award

Agriculture, Education, Records, All

Lucknow :

Smita Kumar of Lucknow University faculty from department of biochemistry has been conferred the prestigious Young Scientist Platinum Jubilee Award by the National Academy of Sciences, India (NASI) for her contribution in the field of plant sciences and agriculture.

Smita is among the four teachers to have received this award in her field. The three others, one each from IIT-Roorkee; Ghent University, Belgium and International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, Patancheru in Telangana.

“It’s a privilege to have won the award,” said Smita.

Smita completed her MSc from department of biochemistry, LU in 2007 and PhD from Banaras Hindu University in 2013 while working in National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI), Lucknow. “I worked on molecular aspects of heavy metal stress in plants with special reference to arsenic which is a big public health menace in Indo-Gangetic plain and causes various skin diseases and cancer,” said Smita.

After completing her PhD, Smita was awarded prestigious DST-INSPIRE Faculty Award, after which she joined LU in June 2014 to pursue her future research on heavy metal stress in Arabidopsis (a small genus of annual or biennial herbs of north temperate regions) natural variations.

Smita was awarded the NASI Young Scientist Platinum Jubilee Award in the 85th meeting of NASI held recently at Bhubaneshwar.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Lucknow / by Isha Jain, TNN / January 19th, 2016

Monuments in Kanpur get a face lift to boost tourism

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Records, All, Travel, World Opinion

The KEM Hall, Phool Bagh Gora Cemetry and the ghats of Bithoor are being restored by the ASI.

Compared to Lucknow and Varanasi, tourist footfall in Kanpur is considerably low. Taking cognizance of it, the Kanpur district administration has begun sprucing up the monuments in the city to attract tourists to Kanpur. The administration has involved the Archaeological Survey of India in restoring landmark monuments in the city such as the King Edward Memorial Hall and the Gora Cemetery. Restoration work has also been going on at some of the ghats in Bithoor for the past four months.

“We wanted to promote Kanpur as a tourist destination, and so we took this decision to restore these monuments and places like Bithoor, which have so much historical relevance,” says Avinash Singh, ADM, Kanpur. “More tourists coming to the city will not only put the city on the tourism map, but also give a boost to the hotel and handicraft business in the city. The city administration, KDA and ASI have collaborated and have begun the restoration of historical places like the KEM Hall, Phool Bagh and the ghats in Bithoor. We have completed the first phase of restoration at Patthar Ghat in Bithoor. In the next phase we also plan to restore other ghats. The Kanpur Development Authority is reconstructing the famous Japanese Garden where the department also plans to start a light and sound show soon,” he adds further.

KB Saini, supervisor of the Archaeological Survey Of India who is helping restore the KEM Hall says, “Work is on at full swing at the KEM Hall. Since the hall is under the Kanpur Development Authority, they asked us to restore the building which used to be a recreation centre for the British businessmen and officials before independence. The building was in a dilapidated condition when we started the work but now we have restored almost the entire building and the final work is on.”

Another place which is being spruced up in the city is Phool Bagh, which used to be a lush garden during the British. But after independence the garden suffered great neglect. But now once again the authorities are trying their best to restore the former glory of the garden. Manoj Mishra, executive engineer KDA informs, “We wanted to make our city more beautiful and both the KEM Hall and Phool Bagh are landmarks of the city.”

The Gora Cemetery in Civil Lines has its own history. The cemetery has graves of British officers which had till now, were in a bad condition. The cemetery is also being given a makeover. Giving more information about this is Manoj Kumar Verma, the senior conservation assistant of ASI. “We have specially called masons from Panna and Jalaun, who are experts in restoration work, to work on these graves. The cemetery has almost 800 graves and till now nearly 70% of these have been restored. We have used the same building material and styling that was originally used while making the graves,” says Verma.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Kanpur / by Sumit Jha, TNN / January 11th, 2016

UP highest producer of ethanol, beats Maharashtra

Business & Economy, Green Initiatives / Environment, Records, All, Science & Technology

Lucknow :

Uttar Pradesh is here to ‘drive’ the country, quite literally. India’s most populous state has pipped Maharashtra to become India’s largest producer of ethanol for blending with petrol.

According to a recent data of Union petroleum ministry, in 2015, UP produced 56 crore litres of ethanol against Maharashtra’s 52 crores litres. The two states together accounted for nearly 67% of country’s total ethanol production of around 161 crore litres a year. They are followed by Karanataka (25 cr litres), Andhra (8.5 cr litre), Gujarat (8 cr litres) and Tamil Nadu (7.6 cr litres).

The surge in ethanol production in the state was driven largely by UP’s sugar industry. Data shows distilleries in sugar mills, like the one in Saharanpur and Basti, contributed maximum by producing around 4 crore litres each. Likewise, the Muzaffarnagar sugar mill and Mawana sugar mill produced 3.6 crore litre and 2.8 crore litres, respectively.

UP has 61 distilleries, out of which 36 are attached to sugar mills. Not surprisingly, all 36 mills chipped in for ethanol production.

Of the total 56 crore litres of ethanol production, UP is expected to use 30 crore litre for its own consumption, leaving rest to be exported to Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand. Industry sources said an increase in ethanol production was largely a fallout of a sharp plunge in prices of raw sugar last year.

Industry sources said millers gradually started diverting cane juice for production of the ‘clean fuel’ that fetched them relatively higher profit. Petroleum companies, which lift ethanol from distilleries, paid them at the rate of Rs 48.5 per litre . This was sufficiently higher than prices of sugar which kept falling following a glut.
This got another boost earlier this year when Centre decided to waive off excise duty on ethanol for the financial year 2015-16. An excise duty of 14% is charged on per litre of ethanol.

The industry, however, has been complaining of procedural difficulties and delays in obtaining permits/no-objection certificate from the excise department. “This delays the movement of ethanol, which in turn results in depriving the state exchequer of its legitimate revenue,” said a miller.

When contacted, UP cane commissioner Ajay Kumar Singh said there has been a demand for more administrative convenience by the industry. “The state government is looking into it,” he said, while speaking to TOI. Singh said the ethanol was certainly a big sector that needs to be looked into.

Centre in August had decided to boost ethanol production by making 10% blending with petrol mandatory in its efforts to resolve the sugar imbroglio. UP government too is reported to have been mulling to adopt a concept wherein part of cane juice may be diverted for production of ethanol.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Lucknow / by Pankaj Shah, TNN / January 06th, 2016

Man who cycled 20,000 km across India suggests recycling waste is way forward

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Green Initiatives / Environment, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Nature, Records, All, Science & Technology, Sports, Travel
Abhishek Kumar Sharma has submitted his findings with the Centre (TOI Photo)
Abhishek Kumar Sharma has submitted his findings with the Centre (TOI Photo)

Aligarh :

The year will end on a “clean” note for 28-year-old Abhishek Kumar Sharma, a research student of environment at Kanpur University, who began a journey on bicycle in November 2014 to endorse Prime Minister Modi’s Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. Sharma completed the trip on December 22 and has staggering numbers and remarkable insights to talk about.

Sharma covered 20,000 km across 25 states, met chief ministers of 18 (Kerala was the best experience as CM Chandy was readily available), interacted with 402 district magistrates and addressed lakhs of students in over 200 lectures on environment and cleanliness.

Sharma submitted his findings with the Union urban development ministry on ‘How to Make Waste our Wealth’. The first seven days were tough: starting from Uttar Pradesh to Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, he battled cold in December, January and faced extreme heat in May-June in Rajasthan and Gujarat.

In Sharma’s opinion, with sensible solid waste management one can make wealth out of waste. “Mysore is the cleanest city. They have a self-sustainable model of waste management wherein they segregate waste as organic, inorganic, and recyclable. Kachra or junk goes to kabadiwallahs, organic waste is used for bio-fertilizers. I think South India is cleaner than North India,” he said.

Also, on his journey around India he found villages cleaner than cities. “This means educated people litter their surroundings expecting someone to pick it up,” he said. A village in Punjab, which has the same sarpanch for the past 15 years, is mentioned by him because the sarpanch invented interesting ways to keep his surroundings clean and healthy. “He made a biogas plant for all to use free of cost,” Sharma said.

The Smart Cities plan can only be successful if surroundings are clean and waste is managed effectively. “Municipal corporations should go beyond dumping waste – from one site to another, honestly that is all they do. To be able to make wealth out of waste they should segregate waste as organic, inorganic, recyclable and so on and put them to use accordingly.”

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Agra / by Eram Agha, TNN / December 28th, 2015