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Monday, 30 November 2015
Aabid Surti
Starting with a drop, to save
millions of litres
In Mumbai, an 80-year-old spends his Sunday mornings fixing
leaking taps and ends up saving 3 million litres of water.
For eight years, Aabid Surti has spent Sunday mornings
going door to door, fixing leaking taps for free with the help of a plumber and
a pocket full of washers.
Palak Muchhal & Palash Muchhal-Th Heart of Heart-felt children
Palak Muchhal performs stage shows across India and abroad to raise funds for the poor children who need financial assistance for the medical treatment of heart diseases. As of August 2015, she has raised funds through her charity show which has helped to save lives of 800 children suffering from heart ailments.
Palak Muchhal has made her entry in both Guinness Book of World Records and Limca Book of World Records for great achievements in social work.
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Palash Muchhal is a Music Composer from Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India. He and his elder sister Palak Muchhal perform stage shows across India and abroad to raise funds for poor children who need financial assistance for the medical treatment of heart disease. As of May 2013 they have raised funds of INR25 million (US$390,000) through her charity shows which has helped to save lives of 572 children suffering from heart ailments.
Palash Muchhal is the youngest music
composer/director in Bollywood (India) at 18. He has recently entered his name
in golden book of world records as the youngest music composer of Bollywood.
The world's greenest Cruise Ship – Oasis of the Seas
Top 17 things about
the world's greenest Cruise Ship –
Oasis of the Seas
1.
Weight
- 225,282 tons
2.
Length
- 1,187 ft
3.
Width
- 208 ft
4.
Height
- more than twice as high at 214 ft and 20 storeys
5.
Accommodate
- 6360 passengers
6.
Cost
to build - £800 million
7.
Prices
for a two week cruise start at - £1300
8.
630,000
gallons of paint needed to decorate it
9.
2,300
tons of water in its swimming pools
10. 82 ft long zip wire and the
largest pool
11. 3,300 miles of electrical cables
to keep the lights in its cabin blazing
12. 2,700 Cabins blazing interior
13. 16 decks with outdoor park over 12,000
real plants & 100s of palm trees
14. 750-seater arena, ice rink, surf
machines, a high-diving performance venue and an elevating bar
15. Built in Finland, by the
direction of Royal Caribbean International
16. Dominic Paul, the
senior vice president of Royal Caribbean International
17. Oasis of the Seas first time sailed
into Southampton at 10 am on 15 October 2014, Wednesday
OASIS OF THE SEAS-Largest Cruise Ship
The
largest Cruise Ship of the world
· Oasis
of the Seas sailed into Southampton at 10am on 15 October 2014, Wednesday in
dense fog, welcomed by a crowd of hundreds and helicopters circling overhead.
·
Weighing
225,282 tones, the 1,187ft ship is longer than London's The Shard is tall, and
at 208ft wide, larger than the wingspan of a Boeing 747.
·
The
Royal Caribbean vessel is longer than the Shard and wider than Boeing 747.
·
The
Oasis of the Seas is five times bigger than the Titanic and three times the
QE2.
·
It
is also more than twice as high at 214 ft and 20 storeys as the Wightlink ferry
passing behind it.
·
It
cost £800 million to build – as much as Wembley Stadium.
·
Built
in Finland, it is said to be the world's greenest cruise ship, reusing all its
water and dumping no sewage into the sea.
·
Spread
across its 16 decks is an outdoor park with more than 12,000 real plants and
trees, an 82-foot long zip wire, and the largest pool on the seas. There is
also a 750-seater arena, ice rink, surf machines, a high-diving performance
venue and an elevating bar. It can accommodate 6360 passengers, including 2700
Cabins ‘multilevel urban style loft suites’ with floor-to-celling windows. It
has a giant pool, musical Hairspray, ice dancing and shows by Olympic gymnast. Youth
Zone has theme parks, children's science labs and a mock tall bar serving
non-alcoholic drinks. There are also whirlpools, volley ball and basketball
court, a rock climbing wall, a nine-hole golf course and a zip wire that races
diagonally down nine decks. Central park has a square with boutiques,
restaurant and bars.
·
Dominic Paul, the senior vice president of Royal Caribbean
International, said: 'Today is an important milestone in the global expansion
of the Royal Caribbean International business.
'We are
marking a significant step change in our investment into growth markets around
the world.
'The welcome of Oasis of the Seas to
Southampton is followed next year by sister ship Allure of the Seas sailing
outside the Caribbean for the first time during a summer 2015 season based in
Barcelona.
'These investments highlight our
commitment to deliver the most innovative and architecturally advanced ships to
Europe and are part of our ongoing effort to redefine the cruise sector. 'Their extensive investments into new ships, new technology and new
ideas are increasing the appeal of the cruise sector around the world.'
·
Onlookers
this morning were kept in good spirits despite the grey weather with free tea
and bacon sandwiches offered by Royal Caribbean.
·
It
is a busy time for Southampton, with another Royal Caribbean ship, Quantum of
the Seas, expected to dock in just over a fortnight to be showcased.
·
The
first in a series of new ships coming from Royal Caribbean International over
the next few years, Quantum of the Seas will sail from Southampton to New York
on 2 November 2014.
·
In
2015 Quantum of the Seas will become the newest ship from a global cruise line
to ever be based in the Far East when it offers cruises from Shanghai starting
in June 2015.
Monday, 16 November 2015
Modi sake hand with Indians abroad
Modi
meets Indians abroad:
·
New York, September 2014: 30 members of
the US Congress are part of an 18,000 crowd at Madison Square Garden, a venue
more associated with rock stars
·
Sydney, November 2014: 16,000 gather to
hear Narendra Modi speak in Hindi at an arena in the city's Olympic Park
·
Toronto, April 2015: Canada's prime
minister introduces Narendra Modi at an indoor arena with 10,000 present
·
Dubai, August 2015: 50,000 Indians
living in the Gulf pack Dubai's cricket stadium for the biggest Modi rally
abroad to date
·
San Jose, September 2015: after a visit
to California's Silicon Valley, Modi addresses 18,500 at an arena known as the
Shark Tank after the local ice hockey team
A
Modi Not Welcome Campaign is organising protests during his
visit, complaining of religious intolerance and an autocratic style of
government.
Part of his purpose,
say these campaigners, is to create a worldwide network of Hindu right-wingers
- something they regard as worrying.
But there is broad
enthusiasm among the Indian diaspora for Narendra Modi. Here's why:
1.
Modi has actively sought support from
Indian communities abroad, and that's something new; the Indian diaspora are
more often made to feel guilty for turning their backs on the home country than
embraced for their global influence and success. Even now, any Indian seeking
to become a national of another country has to hand back their Indian passport.
2.
India's prime minister has praised the
diaspora as part of India's "soft power" - standing alongside yoga
and the Bollywood movie industry in giving the country global prestige and
influence. No other Indian leader has spoken so warmly of the achievements of
Indians abroad.
3.
Indian communities in Western countries
are often high-achieving and prominent in business, technology and the
professions; they tend to be sympathetic to Modi's business-friendly policies.
"Indians worship money and want to become rich," says CB Patel,
"and Modi's economic priorities are much admired by Indians abroad."
4.
Gujarati pride is also at play. Modi is
from this western state, which makes up just 5% of India's population but is
much more prominent in the diaspora. More than 600,000 people of Gujarati
origin live in Britain; along with Punjabis, they constitute the greater part
of the Indian-origin population.
5.
The BJP's landslide election victory
last year was in part because Modi was seen as representing hope for a
revitalised India; the welcome he has received in Western capitals, with Barack
Obama personally nominating Modi as one of Time magazine's '100 Leaders', is
relished by Indians abroad as a sign of India gaining global influence and
authority.
6.
While the organisers insist that Indians
of all religions, regions and backgrounds will be present at Wembley, Modi's
success reflects a Hindu cultural revivalism which is at least as evident, some
would say more so, among the diaspora as in India.
The courting of Indians
abroad is in part about money. The 30 million Indians living outside the
country contribute an estimated $70bn (£45bn) to the economy each year in
remittances.
Filmmakers return their National Awards
10 filmmakers return their National Awards
Dibakar Banejee,
Khosla Ka Ghosla (2007)
Oye Lucky, Lucky Oye (2009)
Anand Patwardhan,
Bombay Our City (1984)
Paresh Kamdar,
Rasyatra (1995)
Nishtha Jain,
Gulaabi Gang (2014)
Kirti Nakhwa,
Lost & Found (2008)
Harshavardhan Kulkarni,
Lost & Found (2008)
Hari Nair,
Sham's Vision (1997)
Rakesh Sharma,
Final Solution (2006)
Indraneel Lahiri,
Aamar Katha, Story of Binodhini (2014)
Lipika Singh Darai
Gaarud (2009)
Eka Gachha Eka Mainsha Eka Samudra (a tree a man a sea) (2012)
Kankee O Saapo (dragonfly and snake) (2013)
Filmmaker Dibakar
Banerjee (second from left) speaks during a press conference in Mumbai on
Wednesday. Mr. Banerjee and nine filmmakers, including Anand Patwardhan (third
from left), Nishtha Jain (left) and Paresh Kamdar (right), have returned their
National Awards. Photo: Samrat Chakrabarti
FTII protest:
“I am more afraid today than I was during the emergency
because now there are roving gangs looking to do violence against anyone who
speaks out. If you don't believe in armed struggle, then what do you do? This
is what we have. We want to be a part of the awakening that is happening around
the country, like the scientists and artists and writers returning their
awards,” said eminent documentary filmmaker Anand Patwardhan on Wednesday while
returning his National Award along with 9 others, including Dibakar Banerjee,
Nishtha Jain and Rakesh Sharma.
Expressing solidarity with the FTII students who ended
their 139 day strike on Wednesday, the filmmakers in a joint statement said
that they see the ‘government’s stonewalling of the FTII students’ protest’
within a larger context of appointments of ‘people with narrow visions’ in
other institutions such as the Children’s Film Society and Central Board of
Film certification. They also said, “We stand firmly with the students of FTII
and are determined to not let them shoulder the entire burden of their
protests. They have mounted a historic struggle and we urge others within our
fraternity to come forward.”
Citing the lynching of Mohammad Akhlaq and the murders of
rationalists Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Pansare and M M Kaburgi, the group
voiced concern over the rising intolerance in the country. “People are being
murdered for their beliefs and opinions. There has been no official
condemnation of these groups (by the government) and we question this silence.”
Speaking at the press conference, Nishtha Jain, whose
documentary Gulabi Gang was judged the best film on social issues at the 61st
National Awards in 2014, said, “With much sadness I give up my only national
award. It has meant a lot to me as it helped to gain recognition for my film
Gulabi Gang and the issues it raised about gender discrimination in our
country. But today this award has become a daily reminder of the the gap
between the way the state looks at us as filmmakers and how they treat us as
citizens who dare to dissent.” Dibakar Banerjee added, “This is not politically
motivated. It is motivated by my conscience. I am not here out of anger or
outrage. Those emotions have been exhausted. I am here to draw attention.
Returning my national award for Khosla Ka Ghosla is not easy. It was my first
film, and for many, my most loved. I am here to draw attention of the people.”
He went on to add, the FTII students are asking for the right shikshparampara.
They are not asking for money or more equipment or less exams or quotas or
privileges. Why should they suffer months of indecision, stress and harassment
to go through this?”
Commenting on the decision by the FTII students to return
to classes, Banerjee said, “What more do you expect the students to do? They
didn't burn buses to register their protest. The student union has two duties -
to fight for students rights and to make sure that the student community does
not suffer. They have been extremely mature.” The group stressed that their
appeal is to the people and not the government.
The filmmakers join a growing cohort of intellectuals
expressing concern over the rise of intolerance in the country. The first were
writers who began returning their Sahitya Akademi Awards in early September
following the cold blooded execution, at his home, of 77 year old rationalist,
scholar and Kannada writer, M M Kalburgi. Himself a Sahitya Akademi award
winner, Dr Kalburgi’s murder formed a pattern of killings; those of Govind
Pansare in February 2015 and that of Narendra Dabholkar in August 2014. Common
to all of these murders, apart from their premeditated nature, was the fact
that all three victims were noted rationalists and scholars, who had attracted
the ire of right wing Hindu groups. The writers began returning their awards in
protest of the Akademi’s silence in the face of these killings.
The FTII strike began on June 11, following the
appointment of Gajendra Chauhan, as the Chairperson of the institute, and four
others nominations made to the eight member FTII society, that has much say in
the running of the institute. The appointments surprised many in the film
fraternity since the people selected to head the premier film institute are
virtual unknowns in the film fraternity. Common however to all the appointments
are right wing political affiliations. The students have since questioned the
process by which these appointments were made and demanded that all future
processes be made transparent. The strike lasted a total of 139 days ending on
Wednesday despite no resolution to the crisis.
The statement
Government of India must urgently reveal its commitment to protect the freedom of expression of each citizen.
We, the undersigned, stand alongside the writers who have
returned the country's highest literary honour, and hereby return our National
Awards.
As filmmakers, we stand firmly with the students of FTII
and are determined not to let them shoulder the entire burden of the protests.
They have mounted a historic struggle and we urge others within our fraternity
to come forward and carry this protest forward.
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