This 62-yr-old covered 1,000 miles inside 24 hours
Agra:
When Suresh Pal Singh took his first long distance trip on a motorcycle from Agra to Kolkata on a Royal Enfield motorcycle at the age of 19, little did he realize that his passion for riding would make him set a record 43 years later. Meet 62-year-old Singh, a retired mechanical engineer, who has become one of the very few senior citizens from the country to have accomplished the “Saddle Sore” endurance ride, certified by the Iron Butt Association of USA. This competition requires a motorcyclist to cover 1,000 miles (1,610 km) in less than 24 hours.
Astride his Royal Enfield 500, he commenced his ride on October 10 from Agra at 10pm. He traversed the Yamuna Expressway, Delhi, Gurgaon, Jaipur Ajmer, Beawar, Pali and Dingai, before returning by the same route to arrive at the start point on October 11 at 8:40 in the evening. He travelled the requisite 1,000 miles in less than 23 hours, stopping only for fuel and nourishment every 250-300 km during the course of the ride.
“As per my calculation, I was aiming to complete this challenge in less than 22 hours, but for a traffic jam at Gurgaon and refueling problem in Rajasthan,” said S P Singh, adding that he will now be pursuing for Limca Book of Records as well.
The Saddle Sore challenge conducted by the Iron Butt Association is a strong group of 50,000 toughest motorcycle riders worldwide, who share their experience on safe long distance motorcycle riding.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Agra / TNN / October 15th, 2015
Bharat Sewashram Sangha: Celebrating traditions since 1936
Varanasi :
The city wore a festive look as Ashtami, the eight day of Navratri, was celebrated on Wednesday. The celebrations were visible at Bharat Sewashram Sangha (BSS) as several devotees thronged the sangha to witness the traditional Durga puja celebrations here.
Established in 1936 by Acharya Swami Pranabananda Maharaj in Varanasi, Bharat Sewashram Sangha has been celebrating Durga Puja in traditional and grand way ever since. Devotees from all across the country as well as from abroad have been visiting the Sangha to attend various cultural programmes held as a part of the puja celebrations.
“I have been coming to BSS during Durga Puja since 1996 and the celebrations are much like my hometown Kolkata. After marriage I am living here and I miss Kolkata. Like every Bengali I feel the craving to visit pandals of my hometown, but after visiting here I feel the same essence of puja celebrations here. Besides, unlike Ramkrishna Mission in Kolkata, there are no limitations or time constraints here at BSS. The ancient ‘Laathi Danda Khela’ is my favourite,” said Anjana Rani Saha, resident of Kamaccha area.
“Every devotee has his own traditional beliefs and those who have been associated with Sangha always make it a point to be here during Durga puja celebrations. Every year, a three-day programme is organised along with a grand ‘Hindu Dharma and Sanskriti Sammelan’ in evening. Prior to the Sammelan, the revelers can witness one of the ancient art form, an exquisite ritual of our pandal – acrobatic performances ‘Laathi-Chhura-Talvar’ and display of yogic asanas,” general secretary of BSS, India, Swami Biswatmananda told TOI on Wednesday.
Earlier, a ‘shobhayatra’ from Kamaccha to BSS in Sigra was taken out on Mahashashthi on October 19, witnessing participation of scores of number of people. Like previous years, the display of symbolic warfare by volunteers of math-mandir added to the glamour. “The procession has always been a significant part of Durga puja celebrations as the idol of goddess Durga is brought to the Sangha with pomp and show. The Trishankha puja aarti in the evening also witnesses a huge crowd of devotees,” said Swami Biswatmananda.
A dhrama sammelan was held on ‘Importance of Sangha on National Integration’ on Wednesday. Earlier, on Tuesday, the sammelan was held on the topic, ‘Importance of sacrifice and religion in ancient culture’. The final sammelan on ‘Contribution of Swami Pranabanandaji in Social Solidarity’ will be held on Thursday. A grand idol immersion procession will be taken out on the tenth day of Navratri on October 23.
On the recent idol immersion row, Swami Biswatmananda said, “I believe that as a citizen we must adhere to HC’s order on ban of idol immersion in the Ganga. But, at the same time I think the administration could have followed something on the lines of immersion done in Kolkata. In that way, the age-old tradition and beliefs of people would not have been affected.” “We have spoken to district administration and would immerse the idols in a pond near Rajghat area where Ganga water would be sprinkled on the idols,” he added.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Varanasi / by Punkhuri Kapoor, TNN / October 22nd, 2015
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National Children’s Science Congress begins in Allahabad
Allahabad :
The 23rd National Children’s Science Congress, organized by Union department of science and technology got underway at Kendriya Vidyalaya, New Cantt on Wednesday. Around 300 students from 31 KVs of the state are participating in the two day intra-regional event.
The students would discuss various weather phenomenon and climatic changes like understanding weather scenario, impact of human activities on weather & climatic changes, eco-system, their co-relation with society and culture, agriculture and health and many more such issues.
In a short but glittering inaugural ceremony, chief guest Narendra Dev University of Agriculture & Technology, Faizabad, Vice Chancellor Akhtar Haseeb reflected upon the need to develop scientific attitude among students through interesting ways and means so that they could contribute towards human welfare in the most rational way.
KV New Cantt principal Shalini Dikshit accorded warm welcome to the distinguished guests. At the end of the inaugural ceremony, vice principal Rajeev Kumar Tiwari proposed vote of thanks.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Allahabad / TNN / October 15th, 2015
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An arm and a leg for these ‘Million Dollar’ stars
Rinku and Dinesh cracked Major League Baseball, a story that inspired a Disney film
Sports and drama are inseparable, and when they combine on the screen, it becomes an irresistible watch. Million Dollar Arm , which premiered on Indian television recently, was a film waiting to be made. The real-life events that inspired it were a gripping saga of grit and determination, a striking David and Goliath plot.
Two boys from rural Uttar Pradesh win the “Million Dollar Arm” talent show and go to the U.S to train in, and eventually to play, professional baseball. After rigorous training, Rinku Singh and Dinesh Patel performed in front of talent scouts from 20 Major League Baseball teams in November 2008. The Pittsburgh Pirates signed them, becoming the first Indians to win American Major League Baseball contracts.
In a telephone interview, the pair discusses the challenges and joys of their unusual journey.
“Dinesh and I were javelin players. We went to a small college in Lucknow and trained there and played a couple of international events and represented India. But our life took a complete turn and we have got a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Mr. Singh said.
The talent show is the brainchild of a sports agent, Jeff Bernstein, who was inspired by Yao Ming, a Chinese athlete and basketball player with major success in American sports.
Bernstein watched a cricket match on ESPN and noticed that the bowlers were delivering at high speeds, something that could work well for baseball. So he created a television show that would find the strongest throwing arm in India and the programme would offer $1 million to anyone who could throw three consecutive balls at more than 145 kmph. It came to be called the “Million Dollar Arm”.
“They went all over India and they could not find anyone who could through hard and fast, and finally Dinesh and I went to the ‘Million Dollar Arm’ competition and both of us got a speed of 145 kmph,” Mr. Rinku said.
Glitzy turn
Their story was turned into a major Disney movie, directed by Craig Gillespie and with screenplay written by Tom McCarthy. Jon Hamm, famous for his role in the television series Mad men , plays Bernstein. Suraj Sharma plays Rinku Singh and Madhur Mittal, Dinesh Patel.
As part of the competition, the two had to travel to the U.S. to train and get a chance to try out professional baseball.
“After we won the competition in India, we were taken to America, to a new country where we did not speak the language; it was a totally different world and we had to play baseball which was a sport that we had no idea about. At that point, we did not speak any English; there were times when we would try to go get food but we could not order anything,” Mr. Singh said.
“We felt like we were not cut out to play baseball because we saw the other players and they were really good. They have been playing this their whole life, ever since they were kids and here we were 18-19-year-old kids going for try-outs to play professional baseball. The experience of the life there itself was amazing. I am still on the journey and trying to make it to leagues. I want to represent India and be able to support youngsters back in India who are not able to have three meals a day. The goal is to be able to give an opportunity to India, and to open up huge doors,” he said.
While he is still in the U.S., working through an injury, to make it for the next try-outs, Mr. Patel is back in India. “I left the U.S. in 2011 and came back to teach kids in India how to play baseball. I just finished my graduation in English and Hindi and even went to China in 2012 to learn how to be a baseball coach. I am still involved with the Million Dollar Arm project and I spent some time with Gaurav, who was the second season winner and helped him train in baseball. The next season is starting as well. So I will be involved with that.”
He just had a baby girl last week and is looking forward to spending time with her, “It’s good to be back home with all this new learning, I want to help more kids to learn and love the sport to hopefully have them train and go to America. I want to teach my daughter to play javelin, I am not sure about baseball.”
Mr. Singh interrupts him and says in Hindi: “ Agar aapki beti ko baseball khelna hai tho hum use sikaenge (If your daughter wants to play baseball, we will teach her).”
The two have surely come a long way from children playing a different sport in a college ground in Lucknow.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National / by Rini Mukkath / Mumbai – October 14th, 2015