Category Archives: Amazing Feats

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

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

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

World heritage tag for city scientist

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Nature, Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion

Lucknow:

Geologist from Lucknow S B Mishra’s research on fossils in an ecological park ‘Mistaken Point’ in Newfoundland, Canada has made it world heritage, the UNESCO declared in Istanbul on Sunday.

In a message to Mishra, chief minister Akhilesh Yadav stated that Mishra’s work has brought laurels to the state.

Mishra had gone to Canada as a geologist in 1967 and spotted some fossils in the Newfoundland in Canada.

He submitted a research paper highlighting the evolution of life on planet earth. On the basis of his studies, Canadian government had declared the region where fossils had been recovered an ecological park.

Speaking to TOI, Mishra said when he had started studying the single cell organism in the Newfoundland, it was totally inaccessible as the terrain on the seashore was nearly impossible to access.

But Mishra stayed there for months and completed his studies which got international acclaim.

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

Author eyes Guinness record with huge yoga envelope

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All, World Opinion
Musical yoga
Musical yoga

Varanasi:

City-based author and film-maker Jagdeesh Pillai claims to have made a 60 x 45.30 ft paper envelope to carry the message of ‘Benefits of Yoga’ to get the city registered with the Guinness Book of World Records.

The envelope was made in 10 days by Pillai with help of a yoga trainer, social worker and owner of printing press. It was put on display at the committee hall in the Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW) on the occasion of second International Day of Yoga on Tuesday.

Pillai said that he had started working on the envelope from June 12 after prior intimation to world record officials at London. The main purpose of the envelope is to popularize yoga which has now become a global entity. The envelope is made of brown paper joined by glue and is 18.29 metres long (60 ft) and 13.80 metres wide.

Current record for largest envelope was set by Ajmal Khan Tibbiya College of Aligarh Muslim University on April 3, 2013 by making an envelope measuring 58 ft and 7.15 inch x 42 ft and 11.75 inch. The envelop has a photograph of PM in Yoga pose along with official logo of Yoga Day and states a hundred advantages of Yoga. “I will send the video recording and proof along with photographs to Guinness world record office in London within a couple of days,” he said.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Varanasi / TNN / June 22nd, 2016

Calculator girl awarded for two new records in maths

Amazing Feats, Education, Records, All

Kanpur:

Dilpreet Kaur, known as ‘Calculator girl’ was presented the certificate by Limca Book of Records for creating two more new records including a World record and a National record on Thursday. The certificates were presented by district magistrate Kaushal Raj Sharma in Civil Lines area of the city.

Dilpreet, a resident Gumti area of the city, had solved one digit hundred row addition in just 15.81 seconds, which is a World record and two-digit 50 row addition in just 21.08 seconds which comes under National record category of Limca Book of Records. “In just 15.81 seconds, the little girl solved the complex sum breaking the previous World record of 19.23 seconds, which was of Spain,” said Anant Kasibhatla, member of the Limca Book of Records team.

Similarly, she solved two-digit 50 row addition in just 11.23 seconds thus registering her name for another National record, he added.

A student of class VIII at Huddard High School in Civil Lines area of the city, Dilpreet started solving maths problems when she was in class II. “She started exhibiting her talent from her early childhood,” said Dilpreet’s father Manjeet Singh. “Looking at her passion for complex subject like Maths we did our best to support her,” he added.

Dilpreet, who solves around 5,000 Maths problems daily, credits her parents, who are into teaching profession, as her inspiration.

“I want to become a world class Mathematician,” said Dilpreet, further adding that she wants to join the IIT.
“To improve her skills, we guided her to follow ancient abacus theory for solving multiplication, division, addition, subtraction, square root and cube root. But, we did not know that her hard work would set a new record,” her mother Simran Kaur told TOI. Earlier, she had solved 100 division sums in just 96 seconds and got herself registered for the Limca Book of Records on June 20, 2015. She had also solved 1,000 sums of division in just 17 minutes.

District magistrate Kaushal Raj Sharma among others, witnessed the creation of these two records.

“We all are proud of Dilpreet and wish her a great career ahead as she has miles to go,” said KB Vincent principal Huddard High School. “District magistrate Kaushal Raj Sharma had also assured Dilpreet to get some time from Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav for exhibiting her talent in front of him,” said Dilpreet’s parents.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Kanpur / Faiz Siddiqui / TNN / June 17th, 2016

This 4-yr-old girl plays 8 instruments

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All

Agra:

She can play twice as many instruments as the candles on her birthday cake, pronounces Sanskrit words flawlessly and has the voice to become a singing sensation.

Meet Aarohi Agrawal of Mathura, all of four years old and already a tabla, harmonium, keyboards and bongo prodigy.

On Sunday, Avantika Foundation, a senior citizens’ group, awarded Aarohi the Dr A P J Abdul Kalam Samman 2016 for her talent in music. She was the youngest among the 108 awardees at the event.

Sanjay Agarwal, a member of the organisation, said, “Aarohi is extremely talented. I visited Mathura and spent two hours at her residence listening to her playing, and I was astonished”.

Besides playing eight instruments with ease, Aarohi sings the National Anthem and devotional songs movingly, reflecting her musical inheritance.

Her grandfather, Dr Rajendra Krishna, is a renowned musician who runs a music school in Mathura.

Avantika Foundation chose 108 people from all walks of life, out of 600 names on its longlist. Agarwal said the organisation aims to promote and motivate talented people.

“We awarded her grandfather to motivate him to further help Aarohi, but if he does not do so, we will take back his award.”

BJP’s national vice president Purushottam Rupala was the chief guest at the function and presented the awards.

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

MSc students adopt village, give it a lesson in development

Amazing Feats, Education, Inspiration / Positive News and Features
Allahabad University (File Photo)
Allahabad University (File Photo)

Allahabad :

It started as another MSc course in September last year at the botany department of Allahabad University but has grown into something bigger. Since 14 students of this innocuous PG course in rural technology and development adopted it, Ramapura village of Bahadurpur block hasn’t looked back.

The course, a brainchild of head of the department Prof Anupam Dikshit, includes adoption of a village to give practical experience to the students. When Ramapura was picked, the idea was to develop it along the lines of of Punsiyari village, the state-of-the-art village in Gujarat’s Samarkata district.

“Our students visit this village at least twice a month and their efforts in making the lives of the villagers easier are showing results,” said Dikshit. For one, the students, alongwith active participation of village folks and Sri Satya Sai Seva organization, UP, are ensuring cleanliness and better roads in the village.

With their work, the village which had just two toilets has been sanctioned funds for 50 more. It has also been given 10 solar lights.

“We plan to design a mobile lab for soil, water and pathological tests,” Dikshit added.

“Our aim is to use this course to develop villages of Allahabad using latest technology and techniques. The course will help in promoting rural entrepreneurship which would, in turn, check migration of rural populace to urban areas,” he said.

Village head Ram Murti Yadav is all praises for the team. “Students’ efforts are commendable as they haven’t only helped us with basic amenities but are also educating our women and children on several issues that would go a long way in developing the village further,” he said.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Allahabad / by Rajeev Mani / TNN / April 28th, 2016