Category Archives: World Opinion

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

IIT Kanpur alumnus given key World Bank position

Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Leaders, World Opinion
Saroj Kumar Jha is an alumnus of IIT Kanpur. (Photo courtesy: Jha’s Twitter handle)
Saroj Kumar Jha is an alumnus of IIT Kanpur. (Photo courtesy: Jha’s Twitter handle)

An Indian has been appointed to a key position in the World Bank with President Jim Young Kim assigning him a role to provide strategic leadership to address the challenge of fragility, conflict and violence.

Saroj Kumar Jha is an alumnus of Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur. Jha till last week was World Bank’s Regional Director for Central Asia based in Almaty since February 2012.

Jha assumed the position of Senior Director for the Fragility, Conflict and Violence Group at the World Bank yesterday.

Jha has been tasked by World Bank President Jim Young Kim to provide strategic leadership to address the challenge of fragility, conflict and violence, working across the Bank Group and in close collaboration with partners.

An Indian national, Jha joined the World Bank in 2005 as a Senior Infrastructure Specialist in the Sustainable Development Network, after significant experience with the Indian Government and the United Nation’s Development Program (UNDP) as a senior executive in the field of public sector management, infrastructure financing, natural resources management, natural disaster prevention and environmental sustainability.

He supported transformative innovations in regional cooperation, water and energy security, social safety nets, inclusive governance and grievance redress mechanisms in various regions of the world.

Earlier, Jha worked as the World Bank’s Global Manager for Disaster Risk Management Practice.

He also served as head of the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery, now the world’s largest global fund for disaster prevention and post-disaster recovery operations.

In addition, he has led international response efforts to many global catastrophic disasters, the bank said.

source: http://www.hindustantimes.com / Hindustan Times / Home / PTI, Washington / February 02nd, 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

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

AKTU to honour Mars Orbiter mastermind

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

Lucknow :

APJ Abdul Kalam Technical University will confer honoris causa on Indian Science and Research Organisation chairman A S Kiran Kumar on its convocation slated on January 22. An accomplished space scientist, Kumar was instrumental in evolving the successful strategy for steering the Mars Orbiter Spacecraft towards planet Mars as well as its Mars Orbit Insertion.

As many as 47 students, gold, silver and bronze in streams like engineering, management, fashion designing and pharmacy will be awarded medals. In the medal tally, girls rule the roost once again. Close to 80% of the medals to be awarded on the convocation ceremony are in the girls’ kitty. Out of 47 medals, 38 will be awarded to girls.

For the first time, graduating students of AKTU will wear a cream-coloured ‘angvastra’ over their traditional dress. Boys will wear white-coloured shirt and dark coloured trousers. Girls will wear saree. Printed on the angvastra will be Lucknow’s heritage and famous historical monuments of UP. In addition, it will also have sermons of former APJ Abdul Kalam. It is also decided that the dignitaries will wear a maroon angvastra and a cream-colour pagadi.

Union home minister Rajnath Singh will be the chief guest at the function.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Lucknow / TNN / December 16th, 20154

Lucknow girl to interview UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon at COP21

Education, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, World Opinion

Lucknow :

Here is a proud moment, not only for the city but the entire country. Nineteen-year-old Lucknow girl, Yugratna Srivastava, has been selected to interview UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon at the ongoing climate summit Conference of Parties, COP21 in Paris. Yugratna will interview him at the `Earth to Paris’ event slated on December 7 at Petit Palais.

“I am the only youth to have got the opportunity to interview the UN secretary-general. The best part was a mail (from UN secretary-general’s office in New York) which said they can’t imagine a better person than me to do this interview,” an elated Yugratna told TOI from Paris via social media. The interview, said Yugratna, would be on the Ban’s views on climate change and about negotiations taking place at COP21 and related issues.

“I will be soon briefed on the topics which I should cover in my interview from the secretary-general’s office,”she said. On the opening day at COP21, Yugratna made a presentation to world leaders, including PM Narendra Modi and US president Barack Obama. Prior to COP21, she attended the conference of youths, held from November 26 to 28. Here, her job was to prepare youth from 66 countries to talk about climate change before the world leaders at COP21.

“Youths participating in the conference gave presentations on `climate crisis’ and concerns about environment conservation,” said Yugratna. So, how did she made it to COP21? “I have work experience at the world-level programme, ‘climate strike’. This programme is to put a check on economical and ecological destruction, and to promote green alternatives. I was one of the eight in the core team. I guess this helped me to be part of COP21,” said she. Six years ago, Yugratna became the youngest person to address as many as 100 world leaders at the 2009 United Nation summit on climate change in New York.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Lucknow / by Shailvee Sharma, TNN / December 07th, 2015

Billionaire NRI Manoj Bhargava unveils electricity-generating cycle

Business & Economy, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nri's / Pio's, Science & Technology, World Opinion
Billionaire Philanthropist and Entrepreneur Manoj Bhargava demonstrate Electricity-Generating Bicycle during its Launch in New Delhi. (PTI photo)
Billionaire Philanthropist and Entrepreneur Manoj Bhargava demonstrate Electricity-Generating Bicycle during its Launch in New Delhi. (PTI photo)

New Delhi :

Indian-American billionaire philanthropist Manoj Bhargava, on Friday, unveiled a stationary bicycle that can generate electricity and help rural households meet their energy needs.

“The stationary bicycle generates power. The pedalling turns a flywheel, which spins a generator that charges the attached battery,” Bhargava said while unveiling the product.

He further said the cycle is estimated to be priced between Rs 12,000-15,000 and will be available by March next year.

One hour of pedalling can meet a rural household’s electricity needs for 24 hours, including running lights, a small fan and charging a cell phone — all without electricity bills, fuel costs or pollution, a statement issued by him said.

Bhargava said he had a discussion about the product with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“I had a discussion with Modiji about a year ago,” he said.

Bhargava was also not very enthusiastic about collaborating with government departments.

“…if I go to a government department…they are not bad people but efficiency is zero. Besides, it will take six months to decide which department of the government should help me out,” he said.

Bhargava said he will first start selling the product in Uttarakhand and later target rest of the domestic market.

He also said that Uttarakhand is a power surplus state but households face electricity shortages and this product can help them meet their basic requirements.

He added that the product will be manufactured in India at the facilities of some industrial houses, as well as in US.

The product would have one model where the user can also measure the calories burnt while using it.

These kind of products are especially useful for the 1.3 billion people around the world who do not have access to electricity, he said.

Bhargava, whose net worth is estimated at USD 4 billion, has pledged 99 percent of his fortune to finding solutions that can help people across the world.

Bhargava also supports The Hans Foundation, one of the largest charitable organisations in India.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> NRI> NRI Achievers / PTI / November 27th, 2015

City girl goes places for environmental work

Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Records, All, World Opinion

Lucknow :

City girl Yugratna Srivastava, the first Indian child to make it to the junior board of Tunza, a United Nations Environment protection program, and represent Asia and pacific region is all set to participate in the International conference of parties organized in Paris from November 30 to December 11.

Yugratna, a student of Btech at Indian Institute of Information Technology, Allahabad, has done remarkable work for creating a sustainable environment; she uses social media as an effective tool to add people in the noble job. She has also delivered rousing speeches in and outside India about the inevitable need of spreading awareness about environmental issues and ways to tackle it. The aim of Tunza Junior board is to build ecological sensitivity, equip members of the society to tackle local environmental issues and make people aware about the preservation of bio-diversity.

Yugratna, an alumnus of St Fidelis College, has participated in several International conferences and talked about the importance of environment preservation as also her ideas to take the issue forward. “Deposit Green Gold to Enrich Oxy Bank,” a slogan launched by her in Nairobi stirred the social media for a long time.

During her visit to France this year, she will also give a representation in United Nation foundation on December 7 and at the Unesco Headquarters in Paris the next day

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Lucknow / TNN / November 19th, 2015

Lucknow University to confer Lifetime Achievement to Lord Hameed

Education, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Nri's / Pio's, Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion

Lucknow :

This foundation day, on November 25, Lucknow University alumnae society will confer `Lifetime Achievement Award’ to Lord (Dr) Khalid Hameed. Hameed is the chairman and CEO of London International Hospital and chairman of Alpha Hospital Group. Lord Hameed completed his MBBS from Lucknow University in 1967.

LU alumni society will felicitate eight other illustrious former students who have brought laurels to their alma mater by doing exceptionally well in their respective professions.

Among those who will be felicitated this year are Justice SS Chauhan of the Allahabad high court; IAS officer Lov Verma; director general, Archaeological Survey of India Rakesh Tewari; CEO Biotechnology Park Prof Pramod Tandon; senior journalist Rahul Dev; eminent theatre personality SM Kulshreshtha; chairman-cum-managing director, Mineral Exploration Corporation Ltd Gopal Dhawan and noted Awadh historian Yogesh Praveen.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Lucknow / by Isha Jain, TNN / November 16th, 2015