SAMVAD

Magh Krishna 8, Vik. Samvat 2072. Yugabda 5117: 1 February 2016


1.  FESTIVALS: Sant Ravidas Jayanti 2. CONTINUE TO COMPLAIN, REBEL, AND DEMAND: RASHTRAPATI
3. A TEMPLE EXISTED AT THE SITE OF THE BABRI MASJID: DR K K MUHAMMED 4. JANJATI PEOPLE ARE TRUE CARRIERS OF OUR CULTURE: BHAGWAT
5. BHAIYYAJI JOSHI AT SAMAJIK SADBHAV MEET IN GUJARAT 6. BAND OF BROTHERS: FOREIGNERS TROOP IN
7. BEATING RETREAT CEREMONY AT INDO-BANGLADESH BORDER 8. VIGILANT SWAYAMSEVAK FOILS CRITICAL INCIDENT IN LUDHIANA
9. PADMA AWARDS INCLUDE RELIGIOUS LEADERS 10. RSS CELEBRATES 67TH REPUBLIC DAY
11. YUVATI SAMAVESH BY SEVIKA SAMITI 12. TEJAS TAKES PART IN INTERNATIONAL AIR SHOW
13. SKILLING ME SOFTLY 14. TEMPLE TURNS 100 IN STYLE
15. INDRESHJI URGES MUSLIMS TO MAKE MADARSA STUDENTS PATRIOTIC 16. GOVT LOOKS AT ROMA PEOPLE TO EXPAND DIASPORA FOOTPRINT
17. A MASS WEDDING OF DIFFERENT KIND 18. Hindu god statue's head returns to Cambodia
19. SEVEN ANCIENT BUDDHIST CAVES DISCOVERED IN MUMBAI NATIONAL PARK 20. 'BHARAT BEST POSITIONED TO WEATHER GLOBAL TURMOIL'
21. BHARAT PLACES FIFTH NAVIGATION SATELLITE IN ORBIT 22. ITBP'S 1ST 500-STRONG FEMALE SQUAD WILL KEEP AN EYE ON BHARAT-CHINA BORDER
23. TWO 'SMALL' BHARATIYA UNIVERSITIES MAKE IT BIG ON INTERNATIONAL STAGE 24. 1,03,617 TOURISTS IN BHARAT ON E-VISA IN DEC
25. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN FOOD FOR THOUGHT

1.  FESTIVALS: Sant Ravidas Jayanti falls on Maghi Poornima falling on February 22 this year. Sant Ravidas, a Hindu social reformer, openly challenged social inequalities and evils like the caste system and untouchability. The pious soul was an ardent devotee of Sri Ram and his compositions inspired the Bhakti movement in North Bharat during the medieval period. Sant Ravidas is the founder Guru of the Rai-dasis Sect, also known as Ravidasi. Several Hindu sects consider him as Sant and the Sikhs consider him as Guru Ravidas Ji. There are 41 verses of Sant Ravidas in the Holy Guru Granth Sahib.--goTop

 

2. CONTINUE TO COMPLAIN, REBEL, AND DEMAND: RASHTRAPATI: Addressing the nation on the eve of Republic Day, Rashtrapati Pranab Mukherjee said: "There will be, amongst us, occasional doubters and baiters. Let us continue to complain, to demand, to rebel. This too is a virtue of democracy. But let us also applaud what our democracy has achieved. With investments in infrastructure, manufacturing, health, education, science and technology, we are positioning ourselves well for achieving a higher growth rate which will in the next 10 to 15 years help us eliminate poverty."

"Reverence for the past is one of the essential ingredients of nationalism. Our finest inheritance, the institutions of democracy, ensure to all citizens justice, equality, and gender and economic equity. When grim instances of violence hit at these established values which are at the core of our nationhood, it is time to take note. We must guard ourselves against the forces of violence, intolerance and unreason. In a slanted reference to the spate of terror attacks in the wake of Bharatiya efforts to revive dialogue with Pakistan, Mukherjee said, "Nations will never agree on everything, but the challenge today is existential. Terrorists seek to undermine order by rejecting the very basis of strategic stability, which are recognized borders. If outlaws are able to unravel borders, then we are heading towards an age of chaos."

He, however, underlined the importance of sustained dialogue in such times. "We on our subcontinent have a historic opportunity to become a beacon to the world at a time of great danger. We must attempt to resolve the complex edges of our emotional and geo-political inheritance with our neighbours through a peaceful dialogue, and invest in mutual prosperity by recognizing that human beings are best defined by a humane spirit, and not their worst instincts. Our example can be its own message to a world in anxious need of amity." --goTop

        

3. A TEMPLE EXISTED AT THE SITE OF THE BABRI MASJID: DR K K MUHAMMED: Twenty four years after the demolition of Babri Masjid, a former archaeologist has come out with the allegation that Left historians like Irfan Habib and Romila Thapar had thwarted an amicable settlement to the Babri Masjid issue.

The allegation made by Dr KK Muhammed, former Regional Director (North) of Archaeological Survey of India, in his autobiography titled Njan Enna Bharatiyan (I an Indian) in Malayalam also claim that remains of a Hindu temple were found during the excavation made by a team of archaeologists headed by Professor BB Lal, then director general of the Archaeological Survey of India during 1976-77, in which he was also a member.

Besides blaming the Left wing historians for failing to reach an amicable settlement in the Babri Masjid issue, the book also brings to focus the longstanding rift between historians supporting the Marxist view and others opposed to it. "It was they who connived with the extremist Muslim groups to derail all attempts to find an amicable solution to the Masjid issue. Some of them even took part in several government-level meetings and supported the Babri Masjid Action Committee," he said. Muhammed endorses in his book that a temple existed at the site of the Babri Masjid based on the unearthing of temple pillars during the excavation under Professor Lal in 1978. In the chapter "Whatever I learned and said are nothing but historical truth", Muhammad says that he got a chance to be part of an excavation team led by Lal in 1978. He was a student at the School of Archaeology in New Delhi at that time.          

"We found not one but 14 pillars of a temple at the Babri Masjid site. All these pillars had domes carved on them. The domes resembled those found in temples belonging to 11th and 12th century. In the temple architecture domes are one of the nine symbols of prosperity. It was quite evident that the Masjid was erected on the debris of a temple. --goTop

 

4. JANJATI PEOPLE ARE TRUE CARRIERS OF OUR CULTURE: BHAGWAT: The Janjati people, who dwell in the hills and vales, forests and caves, are the real carriers of our rich culture. They are the true protectors of our heritage and traditions, said Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Sarsanghchalak Dr Mohanrao Bhagwat.

The Sarsanghchalak was addressing a mammoth Satpuda Hindu Convention in Nandurbar on January 15. Mahamandaleshwar Vishveshwaranand Maharaj from Haridwar, Devgiri Prant Sanghchalak Gangadhar Pawar, Guardian Minister Girish Mahajan, MP Dr Hina Gavit and MLA Dr Vijaykumar Gavit were prominently present on the occasion. Stating that the Hindu culture was originally born in the hills and vales and forests and caves of this land and was preserved, protected and nourished by these Janjati people inhabiting these difficult areas, the RSS Sarsanghchalak appealed to the countrymen to understand their problems and share their woes to remain united. "The root of our culture lies in valleys, forests and agriculture. Till the time Lord Ram was in the palace at Ayodhya, he did not have the powers to kill Ravana. Ravana was killed with the powers Ram got by wandering around in forests and valleys," Bhagwat said.

Expressing his high regards for the janjati people Dr Bhagwat said that these people never compromised with their independence and never thought of their petty interests. They fought with the British to ensure the freedom of our country and culture. They are the real heroes who protected out culture, he said.

Mahamandaleshwar Swami Vishveshwaranand Maharaj in his address said that our tradition is very rich and it is our duty to preserve it for the posterity. He appealed to the Central Government to take steps to ensure safety of janjati people in view of the shrinking of forest cover and fall in forest products. --goTop

 

5. BHAIYYAJI JOSHI AT SAMAJIK SADBHAV MEET IN GUJARAT: Addressing, Samajik Sadbhav Meet in Ahmedabad, Gujarat on January 18, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Sarkaryavah Bhaiyyaji Joshi asked to give emphasis on duty rather than rights. He said that Hindu samaj has never been destructive. There are similarities among the countrymen from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and Rajasthan to Manipur such as the names of Hindu people, dialects, religious books, goddesses and gods, pilgrim places, inspiring legends - they are all not caste based. We believe that there's God in every living thing. The other challenge before the society is social justice. Third major challenge is to safeguard the values in our life, and we have family system for that. We believe that first Guru is mother. Dharma means fulfilling our responsibilities. Dharma doesn't mean puja paath. The society is facing issues such as violence, corruption etc, and to shield the society against this, social change is only way. If values of dharma, culture and life fail to survive in Bharat, then they will not survive in world. Hindu society will need to rise above narrow thinking and need to become strong. It will need to remove differences, and then only Gauravshali Hindu society and Vishwa Kalyan will be possible. --goTop

 

6. BAND OF BROTHERS: FOREIGNERS TROOP IN: Apart from the French troops that participated in the parade, the foreign military presence from friendly countries was the highest this Republic Day. Senior military personnel from African nations were also invited to this year's parade.

For the first time, soldiers from the Bharatiya Army marched on Rajpath along with members of the Armee de Terre (Land Army) and a band from the French Air Force Orchestra, who were given the coveted position after the parade commander. The band has a legacy of marching with Napoleon Bonaparte. The French soldiers, led by Lieutenant Colonel Paul Bury, marched in their typical style with open palms and short steps carrying their famous FAMAS rifles. The contingent was preceded by 48 musicians playing pipes and drums led by Major Jean-Claude Leberruyer. The 124 French troops had been practicing for the parade for more than a week after the completion of the military exercise "Shakti 2016" with the Bharatiya Army. --goTop

 

7. BEATING RETREAT CEREMONY AT INDO-BANGLADESH BORDER: The ceremonial retreat of the national flag on the 67th Republic Day assumed new significance on January 26 as for the first time, Bangladesh joined Bharat in celebrating the occasion on its territory. The entire stretch of Akhaura on both sides of the border was decorated with colourful flags and festoons by the border guards of the two countries. It was reminiscent of the ceremony at Wagah where thousands of people on Bharatiya and Pakistani sides throng each day for a glimpse that goes into their photo albums.

BSF Tripura frontier organized the event along with its counterpart Border Guards of Bangladesh (BGB). The proceedings kicked off with the ceremonial flag hoisting by both countries in the morning, followed by the commanders of both sides delivering speeches exuding warmth and spirit of friendship. --goTop

 

8. VIGILANT SWAYAMSEVAK FOILS CRITICAL INCIDENT IN LUDHIANA: Alertness of a Swayamsevak in Ludhiana on January 18 averted a potentially critical incident.

The incident took place at 6.15 am at Kidwai Nagar Park Sangh Shakha of Ludhiana. The atmosphere in the Park was normal as any other day. When 38-year-old Naresh Chauhan, a shoe maker, came for the daily Janakpuri Shakha in the park; he had little inkling of what was awaiting him. As Naresh reached the main gate of the park accompanied by his nephew he noticed a person standing in the dark near the gate and another sitting on a bike. Curiously, he enquired as to why he was standing at the gate. The youth replied that he was waiting for somebody. "So why wait in the dark, come inside and wait there", Naresh told him not before he sensed something was amiss.

Naresh Chauhan grew suspicious of their presence and was staring at them. At the same time he tried to identify the registration number of the bike, which was missing. The youth asked for his identity. Naresh told them that he was an RSS activist and had come there to conduct the daily morning Shakha. As the youth heard these words one of them took out the revolver and fired at Naresh. However, the alert RSS activist whisked his hand and ducked to save himself. The assailants fired another bullet which also missed the target before fleeing the scene on their speeding bike. After getting the news Vibhag Pracharak Shri Sumit and some other swayamsevaks rushed to the spot and informed the police about the whole incident.

At around 10.30 am, when Prant Pracharak Shri Kishrekant reached the spot about 125 swayamsevaks gathered there. He called upon them to be vigilant, not to pay attention to any rumour. After his brief message all the swayamsevaks performed Sangh Prarthana.  --goTop

 

9. PADMA AWARDS INCLUDE RELIGIOUS LEADERS: Padma Awards - one of the highest civilian Awards of the country, are conferred in three categories, namely, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri. Rashtrapatiji has approved conferment of Padma Awards to 112 persons: 10 Padma Vibhushan, 19 Padma Bhushan and 83 Padma Shri Awardees. This year's winners for spirituality included Padma Vibhushan for Shri Shri Ravi Shankar, Padma Bhushan for Swami Tejomayananda and Swami Dayananda Saraswati (posthumous). Smt. Hui Lan Zhang of China and Predrag K. Nikic of the Yoga Federation of Serbia won Padma Shri for their contribution to Yoga. Hinduism

Today took note of the Padma Shri award to Sudhakar Olwe for Social Work in Maharashtra. He served as photographer for our Amarnath Cave feature story, working steadily to produce outstanding photos through the arduous trek on horseback over several days. --goTop

 

10. RSS CELEBRATES 67TH REPUBLIC DAY: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) swayamsevaks celebrated 67th Republic Day across the nation on 26th January saluting the national flag at the ceremonies held at various places across Bharat.

RSS Sarasanghachalak Mohan Bhagwat hoisted the national flag at RSS Headquarters Dr Hedgewar Bhavan at Mahal in Nagpur, RSS Sarakaryavah Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi hoisted National Flag at MIT Medical College premises at Lathur, Maharashtra.

RSS Sah-sarakaryavah Dattatreya Hosabale hoisted the national flag at KGT International School at Mumbai. Senior RSS functionary Indresh Kumar hoisted National Flag in a old Madrasa at Raipur Rani in Panchkula of Haryana. Nearly 300 Muslim leaders participated in the ceremony organised by Muslim Rashtriya Manch. --goTop

 

11. YUVATI SAMAVESH BY SEVIKA SAMITI: Rashtra Sevika Samiti Pramukh Sanchalika V Shanthakumari addressed Yuvati Samavesh at Mysuru and Bengaluru which are being  held all over Bharat. At Mysuru, Dr Sarvamangala Shankar, Vice-Chancellor of State Musical and Performing Arts University, inaugurated the event. Samskrit Scholar Dr Jayashree and other prominent functionaries were present.

Nearly 800 young women were present at Bengaluru where "Yuvati Samavesh -2016",  was held at NMKRV College Auditorium, Jayanagar, Bengaluru. Sevika Samiti's Bengaluru Mahanagar Karyavahika Udaya Bhat was present on the dais. A special lecture on 'Tejomaya Bharat' was given by Rekha Ramachandran to the youth gathered. --goTop

 

12. TEJAS TAKES PART IN INTERNATIONAL AIR SHOW: Bharat's indigenous Light Combat Aircraft Tejas on January 23 for the first time participated in an international air show, an event witnessed by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in the Bahraini capital. Ms Swaraj, who was in Manama on a two-day visit to attend the first ministerial meeting of the Bharat-Arab League Cooperation Forum, went for the air show immediately after landing at the Bahrain International Airport. On the sidelines of the Bahrain International Air show at Sakhir Airbase, Ms Swaraj also called on Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. She, along with the king, also watched the Sarang helicopter team of the Indian Air Force in action. After the indigenously-developed Sarang demonstrated its capabilities in the skies with four helicopters mesmerizing the huge crowd gathered at the event, Tejas took flight for the first time at an international air show. --goTop

 

13. SKILLING ME SOFTLY: To walk the talk on Make in India and Start Up India, change must begin in schools

A few days from now Rakesh Jain, an Indian-American chemical engineer who is considered the doyen of tumour biology at Harvard Medical School, will step up to the podium at the White House to receive the National Medal for Science from President Barack Obama. Among Jain's scroll of breakthrough technologies, laid out in hundreds of papers and thousands of citations, are his developing the delivery of molecular and nano-medicine to solid tumors in ways that have fundamentally changed the thinking of scientists and clinicians about drug release.

Jain is among nearly a dozen high minded brainiacs from India, now settled in America, who have been recognized by successive White House administrations over the past decade for revolutionary scientific and technical advances. Among previous National Medal winners of Indian-origin are Rangaswamy Srinivasan, whose work in ablative photodecomposition led to the development of Lasik eye surgery; Praveen Chaudhari, whose work in materials science resulted in developing the optical disk industry; and B Jayant Baliga, whose invention of the insulated gate bipolar transistor forms the basis of the smart energy grid.

The work of each of them has resulted in development of industries worth billions and even trillions of dollars across the world, starting in the United States. It has kept the US well ahead in the technology sweepstakes, where occasionally there are pretender countries purportedly snapping at American heels. In this season of automotive agony one recalls that the late Haren Gandhi of Ford, the first Indian-American to win the National Medal in 2003, was recognised for his work in automotive catalysts and emissions control - long before it became such a hot button issue. Why is it that these scientists and technologists, all of whom finished their schooling and early college in India, made their breakthroughs in the United States and not in their country of origin? The short answer is that they have all migrated to the US. But why aren’t their contemporaries and peers in India or China making similar breakthroughs?

What path breaking technologies or universally acclaimed products have China and India produced in recent decades? How does the US remain the birthplace of Apple, Google, Tesla and other cutting edge companies, while China and India only provide the grunt work and back offices for America to rake in the lolly?

To understand this, let's rewind to socialist India of the 1960s and 1970s. Remember the big transistor radio that was the centrepiece of the living room, whose knobs father would not even allow you to touch, forget about letting you open the back and dismantle the whole contraption? Remember the fountain pen that you were not allowed to use, let alone taking it apart? Or the few other "don’t-touch-it" devices that were wheeled out only for special occasions?

Indigent, insular and insecure, we lived in an experimentally arid India, bereft of the spirit of academic adventure.

Compounding this fear of exploration caused by our penurious existence was the stigma of failure, painfully brought home even now by the epidemic of student suicides under academic pressure - 30 last year alone in the coaching crucible of Kota, Rajasthan, but thousands across the country year after year. All this was underscored by a system that prized mental calisthenics over physical labour or manual skills which, by Brahminical injunctions, were better left to "lesser people or lower castes". High-minded Indians didn't get their hands dirty.

The result is an annual assembly line of academic automatons, particularly in engineering. According to a recent report, 80% of India’s engineering graduates are "unemployable". Yet when the same Indians come to the US and go through the American ecosystem, it is as if they have been let loose in a vast amusement park of discovery and exploration. Freed from the rigours of rote learning that constitute the rite of passage in India, they produce a staggering output of inventions and innovations.

Consider this: In the list of some 200 Fellows for 2015 named by the US National Academy of Inventors there are at least 20 of Indian origin, a strike rate of 10% for an ethnic group which constitutes less than 1% of the national population. Last week, 13 of the 40 finalists at the Intel Science Talent were Indian-American kids.

How to fire up this spirit of innovation and invention in India, beyond invoking dubious ancient glories? Three things are central to American dominance in this sphere: an ecosystem that encourages risk-taking, a market that provides capital and funding, and a social ethos that does not stigmatise failure.

Recent initiatives promise to address the first two, but the third is a societal slur that no government can fix. America is a country of second chances, even third and fourth chances. India: no chance.

The repair work then has to begin in the schools. Mere slogans or late-stage government intervention will not result in Make in India and Start Up India. Despite knowing where the problem lies through many reports and recommendations, India is yet to free itself from the stranglehold of textbook mastery, in an education system that remains depressingly moribund.

The day you visit a school and find children hunched over devices and contraptions, equipment and appliances, rather than just textbooks and notebooks, is the day Make in India would have started up.-by  Chidanand Rajghatta in Ruminations, Times of India, January 27, 2016. --goTop

 

14. TEMPLE TURNS 100 IN STYLE: Old is indeed gold and that proverb rings true of the Sri Subramaniya Swami Temple in Kajang as more than a thousand devotees celebrated its 100th anniversary celebration. The highlight was marked with Lord Murugan adorned in gold-plated armour.

During the prayers, 1,008 pots were filled with holy water and herbs, and passed via a human chain into the temple. Inside the temple, the water was poured over Lord Murugan before it was poured in little bottles or plastic bags to be distributed to the devotees to drink. Memorabilia gold coins were made to mark the occasion. The temple is the oldest Hindu place of worship in Selangor. --goTop

 

15. INDRESHJI URGES MUSLIMS TO MAKE MADARSA STUDENTS PATRIOTIC: Indresh Kumar, a senior Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh pracharak on January 17 urged religious leaders from the Muslim community to  expose  their children studying in madarsa to stories of patriotic Muslim personalities to make them love the country .

He appealed to the Maulanas, Imams and Maulvis to come forward and expose the life stories of people like Bahadur Shah Zafar to madarsa students. He further told that children of Muslim communities should be given proper training so that they love the country after passing out the Madarsa. --goTop

 

16. GOVT LOOKS AT ROMA PEOPLE TO EXPAND DIASPORA FOOTPRINT: The Centre is reviving a somewhat tenuous romance with the Roma people as the forgotten children of this country. In February, the ICCR in collaboration with an NGO, Indian Council for International Cooperation, will organize the fourth Roma conference in Delhi to encourage academic research into the origins of this largely European nomadic community who, many historians believe, are originally Bharatiyas.

The Roma are largely described in pejorative terms in the countries they live in - gypsies, "gitanos" (Spain), "tsiganes" (France) - and have battled discrimination for centuries. From 1976, Bharat has occasionally brought Roma scholars and performers over from several countries (1983, 2001 and 2008) to discuss their problems and attempt to establish cross-cultural links.

In the present government, the head of ICCR, Lokesh Chandra is known as a scholar of the Roma civilizations, and is taking a personal interest in the conference.

Prof Shashi Bala, the academic coordinator of the conference told TOI the objective of the conference is to study the political, social and economic challenges faced by the Roma community in different countries. The aim is to encourage more research about the community; revive Roma folklore and re-establish cultural links. --goTop

 

17. A MASS WEDDING OF DIFFERENT KIND: The Janmashtami Park in Punjabi Bagh, west Delhi witnessed a unique affair on 31st January - marriage of 101 couples of which nearly 60 were specially-abled.

The matchmaking and mass marriage ceremony was conducted by Narayan Seva Sansthan, an NGO that runs one of the largest charitable hospitals in the country for polio-afflicted patients.

"We register eligible bachelors and spinsters with any sort of disability for marriage and provide them a platform to meet at the hospital. If the couple likes each other they marry," said Prashant Aggarwal, who heads the NGO.

Uttarakhand resident Kavita Bisht and Mangu Puri from Rajgarh in Madhya Pradesh were one such couple who tied the knot on Sunday. "We met in the hospital. I was undergoing vocational training while Kavita was recovering post-surgery. We liked each other and decided to get married," Puri, who has weakness of the lower limb due to polio, said. His partner, too, suffers from paralysis of lower limb.

Their marriage was held in a traditional manner and the couple performed all rituals, including moving around a consecrated fire seven times with the help of crutches, with blaring music being played in the background. --goTop

 

18. Hindu god statue's head returns to Cambodia: A French museum has returned the head of a 7th Century Hindu statue to Cambodia 130 years after it was taken. The statue, a representation of the Hindu gods Vishnu and Shiva, had its head taken in French colonial times. It was returned by the Guimet Museum in Paris at Cambodia's request and reattached to the body on January 21. A Cambodian culture ministry spokesman said joining the head to the statue felt "like we are reconnecting the soul of our national heritage". The complete statue had stood in the Phnom Da temple in southern Takeo province before its head was shipped to France in 1886. --goTop

 

19. SEVEN ANCIENT BUDDHIST CAVES DISCOVERED IN MUMBAI NATIONAL PARK: Seven Buddhist caves have been discovered in the north fringes of Mumbai, at Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Borivli in January 2016. The caves are assumed to be at least 2,000-years old structures. All the caves signify strong evidences of being viharas or monk residences. One of them has shown the remains of harmika, which refers to the top railing of a stupa. These are excavated from the natural rocks. The absence of water indicates that the monks lived there during monsoon. --goTop

 

20. 'BHARAT BEST POSITIONED TO WEATHER GLOBAL TURMOIL': Arvind Subramanian, the chief economic adviser to the government of Bharat, the author of two books straddled between the worlds of fiction and economics, when prodded for his assessment of the current turmoil in global markets emanating out of economic worries in China, said volatility has become a new normal. "It's something that all countries have to get used to. In Bharat, we have to do whatever is in our best interest. There are lot of things we need to do domestically and the government is committed to do that. That's the best way of protecting ourselves against all these volatility and turbulence," said Subramanian on the sidelines of a session on "Fiction and Economics." He said when things are bad externally, it affects all countries. "Bharat will also be impacted. But, we are one the most stable countries in the world and our growth rate is probably the highest in the world. Bharat is better positioned to weather the current turmoil," he added.  --goTop

 

21. BHARAT PLACES FIFTH NAVIGATION SATELLITE IN ORBIT: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on January 20 successfully placed in orbit IRNSS-1E, the fifth of the seven satellites that will form a navigation satellite network. Around 20 minutes after lifting off from Sriharikota, PSLV-C31 placed IRNSS-1E in an inclined geosynchronous orbit. The satellite also has a highly accurate rubidium atomic clock and a corner cube retro reflectors for laser ranging.

The first four satellites in the series are functioning from their designated orbits. IRNSS is an indigenously developed Navigation Satellite System that is used to provide accurate real-time positioning and timing services over Bharat and the surrounding region extending to 1500 kilometres away from Bharat. --goTop

 

22. ITBP'S 1ST 500-STRONG FEMALE SQUAD WILL KEEP AN EYE ON BHARAT-CHINA BORDER: The Indo-Tibet Border Police (ITBP) is ready with its first female squad of 500 freshly trained personnel to be posted on the Bharat-China border. The women, in the rank of constable, were inducted in the border-guarding force after 44-weeks of training in battle craft and mountain survival and will now be sent to frontier areas for final acclimatization before being deployed at ITBP posts along the 3,488-km Sino-Bharat Line of Actual Control (LAC).

These 'mahila' contingents are expected to be posted by March this year at about 20 forward locations of the ITBP situated at heights of between 8,000-14,000 feet, including at the 'Mana pass' border post, the last village on the Bharatiya  side in Uttarakhand. --goTop

 

23. TWO 'SMALL' BHARATIYA UNIVERSITIES MAKE IT BIG ON INTERNATIONAL STAGE: The Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, created history by being featured in the top 20 small universities in the world. IIT-G has been ranked number 14 in the in Times Higher Education's World's Best Small Universities Ranking 2016. There are two universities in top 20 from Bharat with Savitribai Phule Pune University from Maharashtra in 18th place.

Giving the credit to the students and faculty, IIT-G director Gautam Biswas said the ranking is a major boost to the region and will motivate school students and other institutions towards science education. "This is definitely a credit to the students, faculty and staff. The dedication of the IIT-G community made it possible. Now we have the responsibility to do better and that is possible only with cutting edge publication and research, which is the new paradigm" he said. --goTop

     

24. 1,03,617 TOURISTS IN BHARAT ON E-VISA IN DEC: A total of 1,03,617 tourists arrived in Bharat on e-Tourist Visa in December, 2015 as compared to 14,063 during the corresponding period in 2014, registering a growth of 635.8 percent. UK continues to occupy top slot followed by USA and Russia amongst the countries availing e-tourist visa facility. --goTop

 

25. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravas: Shri Saumitra Gokhale, Vishwa Vibhag samyojak will tour Malaysia and Singapore. Shri Shyam Parande, Secretary Sewa International will return from a 2-day tour to UK for a conference on SriLanka. 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: When the mind attains the power to empty itself of all ports of thoughts and emotions the heart becomes infused with everlasting energy and strength and can accomplish tremendous work without exhaustion or debility. Human life then reaches the state of boundless bliss, which infact is its divine consummation.--Shri Guruji. --goTop

JAI SHREE RAM


Shri Vishwa Niketan vishwav@bol.net.in www.shrivishwaniketan.blogspot.com