State apathy plagues mountaineer, Praveen Rangar

By

-

August 14, 2018

“I have never felt as happy on Earth as when I’m getting closer to the sky,” words which describe a passionate Uttarakhandi mountaineer who has scaled every possible peak in the country. Bringing name and fame to the State has been easy for Praveen Rangar but what has been difficult for the young mountaineer is to get funds from the State government for his Mission Everest.

Since sixteen, 34 year old Praveen Rangar has been scaling peaks, breaking old records and setting new ones as he climbs onwards and upwards. A national level player, today, Praveen runs a rafting camp to earn a living.

Praveen has achieved more than what some of us dream off :

He completed his mountaineering course from Uttarakashi Mountaineering Institute.
2009 he completed a snow-skiing course from Gulmarg in Jammu & Kashmir.
After receiving an International Mountaineering Certificate he has summited Trishul, Gangotri, Draupdi ka daanda and another 21 peaks.
The first in the State to hold a Master’s Degree in water-skiing.
A water-skiing course from Srinagar, J&K.
Twice participated in National Rafting competitions.
A national Kayaking Coach.
A guest instructor at various Mountaineering Institutes in India

Talking to Newspost about his achievement, Praveen tells us how he started young, “I have taken part in all adventure sports which the country has to offer and this feat alone, puts me at par with international sportsmen.’ Without mincing his words he adds, ” when it comes to any kind of assistance from the State, let me tell you I have managed to scale mountains and I assure you it’s harder to battle official indifference than to battle with mountains.“

Despite having won laurels and putting Uttarakhand on the map for adventure sports, Praveen highlights how due to lack of funds passionate people like himself have to take up regular jobs when they are capable of much more.

Recently the State Government gave a thumbs-up to promoting adventure sports in the State and people like Praveen Rangar could well be the poster-boy or ambassador for this initiative, but the apathy of the administration for honing such talent goes on to show how serious they are about promoting State talent.

For now a budget of 20-25 lakh is what it takes for high level mountaineering and if the State Government fails to assist Praveen Rangar in any which way, then we will definitely loose an opportunity of having the best amongst us put Uttarakhand on the top of the world @ Everest.

Young athlete in hit and run seeks help urgently

By

Lucky Singh/Tania Saili

-

August 12, 2018

0

Nineteen-year-old Garima Joshi was, till a few months ago, a wind whisperer – an ace athlete who smiled her way to bring home laurels to her hometown in district Almora of our hill-state. Today the youngster lies helpless on a hospital bed, staring at the ceiling, her dreams in tatters. She needs monetary help as well as the prayers of all her well-wishers.

On May the 27^th, Garima was in Bangalore to take part in the Gold Level Race organised by the International Association of Athletic Federation. She came sixth, winning a gold medal. Four days later, on May 31st, she was hit by an unknown vehicle, which left her bed-ridden and paralyzed. For the last two months, with only her father beside her, Garima has been through countless operations on her spinal cord and legs, but made little progress.

Speaking to us from Bangalore, a heart broken Puran Joshi, Garima’s father says: ‘For the two months Garima has been bed ridden. Her spinal injury has left her impaired with constant pain and suffering, but she is fighting like a true sportsmen and hasn’t given up hope.” Till date Garima’s father has paid close to twelve lakh rupees to the hospital for her treatment and with funds running out, they can only hope and pray for a miracle.

Garima’s family is a Below Poverty Line cardholder from Ranikhet, Almora. Mortgaging his land and home, Puran Joshi gathered five lakhs to pay for implanting eight support rods into Garima’s spinal cord. Along with his daughter, Puran is taking turns caring for her mother Asha Joshi a terminal patient at Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital. Her eighteen-year-old sibling works as a domestic help in Mumbai to make ends meet.

Since, Garima’s story broke in the media help has trickled in. On hearing of her plight, the Chief Minister Shri Trivendra Singh Rawat has assured: “All possible help!” Hope the ambiguity doesn’t leave a star athlete high and dry in her moment of need.

For those who can help Garima get back on her feet, the details of Puran Joshi’s are as under:

Bank:- PNB. Dwarahat Almora; Asha Joshi and Pooran Joshi
Ac/no: 6689000100024914
Ifsc code: PUNB0668900

Pooran Joshi’s mobiles: 9410725229/8938822456

‘FLASH MOB’ TAKES FTII OPEN DAY VISITORS BY SURPRISE

By

newspost

-

August 11, 2018

0

Punekars visiting Film & Television Institute of India or FTII as it is popularly known in Pune, on Day 1 of OPEN DAY which was today, were in for a pleasant surprise!

The institute organized a ‘Flash Mob’ to generate awareness on the theme of physical fitness and good health.

While the audio track of the fitness music video was composed, mixed and recorded by FTII students, the flash mob consisted of visitors on Open Day, NSS Volunteers, FTII students, staff and faculty.

“In response to the fitness challenge by Col. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, Minister for Information & Broadcasting and Anupam Kher, FTII Chairman, FTII is producing a music video to mark Independence Day, 2018. The video, complete with choreographed dance sequence, lyrics and music on the theme of physical fitness is an in-house production.The video will be released on 15th August on Institute’s social media accounts. This is the first time that FTII is producing a music video for a national cause. ” said Varun Bhardwaj, Registrar, FTII who is spearheading this initiative.

The lyrics of the high-spirited audio track have been written by Sanjay Sen Sagar, a student from FTII’s feature film Screenplay Writing Department. Music has been composed by Anurag, Roheit and Shubham—-all students of FTII’s Dept. of Sound Recording and Sound Design. Popular playback singer, Jasraj Joshi has lent his voice to the catchy and inspiring number. Milind Damle, Assistant Professor, ETV Film Production, FTII is directing the video while Dhiraj Meshram, Associate Prof. of Production is supervising the Production team.

Seven Doon footballers selected for Bhawanipur FC U-18 side

By

Tania Saili

-

August 10, 2018

0

Dehradun, Seven footballers from Dehradun will now represent the Kolkata based Bhawanipur FC under-18 this season. The local footballers were selected after two-day rigorous trials in the State capital, which concluded today.

Bhawanipur FC, an established club of Kolkata since 1910 visited Uttarakhand for selecting budding football talent for its under 18 team, which will soon play in the I-League (U-18). Club’s grassroot Head Coach Aditya Chaterjee and Assistant Coach Surujeet Chokarboti conducted two day selection trials at the Pavilion Ground in Dehradun.

After the trials, Aishwary Pundir, Ajeet Yadav, Sonu Lal, Akshaya Thapa, Ajendra Singh, Saurav Sharma and Vishal Butola were the lucky ones who were handpicked to represent the Under-18 team of the Bhawanipur FC in the forthcoming I-League. The seven players were finalized from some 160 odd players who attended the trails in Dehradun on the 9th and 10th of August.

According to coach Aditya Chaterjee, “the selected players will formally join the Club on 1st of September which will provide for their accommodation, mess facility and stipend.”

One of the chosen players, is young Akshay Thapa who just passed out of school. The elated young player tells us, “I have just completed my twelfth and for me to qualify into the club is a dream come true. This is my opportunity to make it big in the Football Capital of the country and make my family and state proud of what I set out to do.“

The two coaches who were sighting talents on the ground for two days in a row, were happy and satisfied with the quality of players from the hill-state that turned out for the trials and promised to return in the future as well.

The I-League (Under-18) is likely to start from September end or early October for which the Bhawanipur FC is all set to give an impressive performance this season as well.

Pakistani Sikh pilgrims return without visiting Hemkund Shrine

By

Ashish Dobhal/Tania Saili

-

August 9, 2018

0

Not too long ago, they, a group of thirty-nine Sikh pilgrims from Pakistan boarded their bus wending their way to India via the Wagah Border. 12 men, 8 women and 19 children came with dreams in their eyes and a prayer on their lips for a visit to the highest Sikh Shrine of Hemkund Sahib in the border district of Chamoli Garhwal.

7th August saw the batch checking into the Hemkund Gurudwara, at Lakshman Jhulla in Rishikesh. They were readying themselves for the journey to Ghaghariya. A five kms trek, almost at a 45 degree climb, would have brought them to edge of the crystal waters of Lokpal lake on the edge of which stands the shrine of Shri Hemkund Sahib, at 14000 feet,

Moments before they were to leave, the local authorities informed them that they could not go. Reason? Though they had the Hemkund Darshaant Visa, their visa permits them to travel up to Dehradun District and not District Chamoli where the shrine is located.

For two days, the pilgrims and the Gurudwara Shri Hemkund Sahib Trust, contact the Embassy in Delhi and concerned officials to rectify the error – but to no avail. This morning, heartbroken, the pilgrims turned around to take the long journey back home to Pakistan, while all their desires evaporated into thin air.

Speaking to team Newspost, Darshan Singh, the Manager of the Gurudwara, sounds morose: “It’s disheartening and disappointing. The young children were so excited about visiting the shrine. The older pilgrims could hardly believe their luck when they got their visas. But a bureaucratic blunder has put to rest their dreams of the pilgrimage of a lifetime!”

Relief camp set up at Gohri Mafi village

By

newspost

-

August 8, 2018

0

A flood like situation has arisen in village Gohri Mafi, Dehradun following flooding of Song river water into the village due to incessant rains since August 3. The district administration evacuated 42 males, 14 women and 10 children from flooded area to safer places and made arrangements for affected people by providing food and medical check- up at a relief camp set up at Middle school, Raiwala.

Adequate supply of food grain and LPG gas has been ensured and a medical camp has been set up. The district administration is also preparing a report about the damage to the houses of the affected people and distribution of immediate relief to them.

The people belonging to 18 families have been shifted to higher ground such as Anandmai Inter college, Cancer Hospital, Gohri Mafi Panchayat or their relatives. Food grains like milk, wheat, sugar, cereals, rice, oil, gas cylinders and potatoes have been distributed at the relief camp.

The Food and Supplies Officer informed that adequate quantity of food grains are available for the month of August at the village. A total of 100 litres of kerosene is available in the general stores around the village. The water and power is being supplied to the village regularly. He informed that the accumulation of water from Song river in the canal situated in the village created the problem. The officials of the district administration today inspected the spot to review the relief and rescue work.

· In village badkali Dudhli,Tehsil Doiwala,Khatta Pani no work was done due to incessant rain on August 6, 2018. Two JCB machines are working at Chussu Pani since 8 am on August 7, 2018.Assistant engineer Suresh Rawat( 9410712330) and Sachin Tomar, Junior Engineer (8979048567) are deputed on the spot.

· On August 5, 2018, the work of channellisation of 200 meters of Suswa river in village Jhadro and under gram panchayat Simlass was done. From 8 am on August 7, 2018 one JCB machine is working. Assistant engineer Suresh Rawat( 9410712330) and Sachin Tomar, Junior Engineer (8979048567) are deputed on the spot.

Girls Badminton Competition held in Unison World School

By

newspost

-

August 7, 2018

0

Unison World School, Dehradun, successfully hosted its first Girls Badminton Competition on Sunday, August 05, 2018 in the Multi-Purpose Hall. Dr. Alaknanda Ashok, Director, Women Institute of Technology, Dehradun and Vice president of Badminton Association of India was the Chief Guest for the occasion.

The competition was a team event held in U-15 and U-17 year age category. The girls of Unison World School, Dehradun bagged silver medals in both the categories. The gold medal in Under-15 year category was won by girls from Summer Valley School, Dehradun. Palak Manral of Summer Valley School was adjudged as the best player of the competition in U-15 category.

The gold medal in Under-17 year category was won by Welham Girls’ School, Dehradun. Jhanvi Raj Singh of Welham Girls’ School was adjudged the best player of the competition in U-17 year category.

The bronze medals in Under-15 year and U-17 year age category were won by Vantage Hall Girls Residential School, Dehradun, and Wynberg Allen School, Mussoorie, respectively.

Unison World School won the overall championship beating a challenge from six other competing schools. In continuing with its rich tradition of honouring the guest schools, the Overall Rolling Trophy of the competition was handed over to the runner up team Summer Valley School, Dehradun.

It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves

By

Tania Saili

-

August 6, 2018

0

These words by Sir Edmund Hillary ring true for our young achiever, whom we feature here. “As a young girl, I used to love trailing my mother into the forest in Salmora fetching fuel and fodder. The feel of fresh air and the solid ground beneath my feet made me feel at peace.” Narrates an excited 22-year-old Sheetal who has just claimed the coveted title of being: Youngest Woman Mountaineer in the World to summit Mount Kanchenjunga.

Her has been a journey of pure grit, determination and hard work from Salmora in Pithoragarh to Mount Kanchenjunga at 8586 mtrs above mean sea level.

An Art Graduate, Sheetal dropped a year in college to pursue her dreams. Her love for mountaineering began at the age of 18 as an NCC cadet at a Basic Mountaineering Course from Darjeeling. Since then the young lady has moved upwards and onwards.

“Actually mountaineering choose me,” she tells me. “Successfully climbing Rudragera peak in Uttarakashi, to Knock Peak in Sikkim, Dev-Tibba in Himanchal Pradesh, to Mount Trishul all in the year 2015, yet I failed to qualify for the Everest Expedition. I was very upset and disheartened but did not give up.”

The following year Sheetal signed up for an advance course in mountaineering from Pehalgaon in Jammu Kashmir and after completion of the course, she signed up as a member of the Indian Mountaineering Federation in Delhi. That she says was her turning point.

Hand picked by the ONGC for the Pre-Kanchenjunga Expedition Sheetal scaled Satopant Peak at 7075 mtrs. Being the best amongst many, she won the ONGC scholarship for the Kanchejunga Expedition and went through rigorous training in Manali and then in Ladakh in the month of January this year. “We were trained in minus 43 degrees temperature to test us in deep snow conditions, carrying fifteen to twenty kg and walking for ten to twelve hours a day.”

Post training, the All-Women Kanchenjunga Expedition set out with a team of 15 other members on the 4th of April 2018. Inclement weather tried to play spoil sport which left Sheetal disappointed as she felt this would be a repeat of the ‘Everest Expedition,’ she failed to qualify. But that wasn’t meant to be.

20^th April, around 7:30 p.m. the weather gods smiled, and with a window of clear weather the team began their climb to the formidable peak, summiting it at 3:30 am on 21st of April.

The proud Deputy Leader of the expedition, Yogesh Garbiyal tells us, “Sheetal was exceptional but we were clueless that this young girl would be creating history. Though I had an inkling that she would be the First Youngest Indian Woman to claim this feat, but to confirm the same, I sent a satellite message from Camp Four to check the status from the Himalayan Data Base and on our return, we all were pleasantly surprised, by her being not the only Indian but the Youngest Woman Mountaineer in the World to scale Mt. Kanchenjunga.”

‘I had no idea that I would be setting a new world record, for me the thrill of being sponsored and making it to the summit was good enough, but this was a blessing in disguise,” an elated Sheetal shares with us.

At present the young lady is busy searching for Sponsors for her Everest Expedition, and the way this girl is motivated and determined, am sure she wont disappoint anyone.

Mussoorie loses one of its own

By

Tania Saili

-

August 5, 2018

2

Tributes poured in at the passing away of the Head of Nirankari Mission Mata Savinder Hardev. The end came at home at 5:05 pm this evening in Sant Nirankari Satsang Bhawan, Sant Nirankari Colony, in New Delhi.

A guiding light to many, the graceful Mataji as she was fondly called by those who knew her, even as she had relinquished her responsibilities, on 18th July, to her youngest daughter Sudiksha. She will henceforth be called Satguru Mata Sudiksha Savinder Hardev.

The passing away of Savinder Hardev has sent a wave of sorrow not only among the Nirankari Mission but those who knew her for her kindness. Mata Savinder had a close connect to Mussoorie, having been an alumnus of Waverley, Convent of Jesus and Mary School Mussoorie. She took the reigns of the Nirankari Mission on the tragic passing away of her husband, Nirankari Baba Hardev in a car accident in the United States two years ago in 2016.

Her love for Mussoorie knew no bounds. Her gift to the hill station was when she lent the strength of the Nirankari presence here in turning simple village boys into traffic managers in summer months; the numerous cleanliness drives and helping the all and sundry. Of course lesser known are her generous donations to the marginalised Hindi medium School. The Nirankari ambulance and hearse, that are oftener than not taken for granted now, were her contribution to the hills of home.

Hailing from Farooqabad in Uttar Pradesh she was married Hardev Singh in 1975. And ever since was seen accompanying her husband to every congregation home and abroad sitting on his right side, getting an equal love and respect from their followers.

Mata Ji’s body has been placed for Antim Darshan by devotees in Samagam Ground No.8 from 10.00 p.m. this evening and will continue day and night for followers to come and pay their respects to the dearly departed.

On Wednesday i.e. August 8th, 2018 the final farewell will be at the Nigam Bodh Ghat CNG Crematorium at 12.00 Noon. An era has passed. Mussoorie shall miss her gentle presence always.

Indian Political Action Committee I-PAC comes to Uttarakhand

By

Tania Saili

-

August 4, 2018

0

Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) a platform of choice for students and young professionals to participate and make meaningful contribution to political affairs and governance of the country, without necessarily being part of any political party, has come to garner support from like-minded people of the hill-state of Uttarakhand as well.

Within a month of its launch, the National Agenda Forum (NAF) has garnered huge support from across the country. To date 28,901 youth associates, 142 distinguished personalities and 206 civil society organizations have joined the ever-growing NAF ecosystem, as it is popularly called.

Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) recently launched the National Agenda Forum (NAF) as a tribute to the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi on his 150th birth anniversary year on 29th June 2018. NAF is a pan-India initiative to resurrect, re-imagine the country’s priorities around Gandhiji’s 18-point Constructive Programme with the vision of contemporary India in mind.

I-PAC works with visionary leaders who assist in setting up a citizen-centric agenda and partners with them to conceptualize & implement the most effective methods of taking it to the public and gathering mass support.

The National Agenda Forum has already managed to garner support from a diverse group of people which includes; Gandhians, Recipients of civilian honors, Eminent public servants; Sports personalities; Entertainment personalities and many more.

Presently – 28,901 youth associates from 4,219 colleges, 142 distinguished personalities from 6 countries and 20 states, and 206 civil society organizations spread across 346 districts have joined the NAF ecosystem.

Over the next couple of weeks, I-PAC plans to reach out to students in 750 colleges and 320 civil society organizations across 21 states, during our field visits.

To be a part of this unique initiative, aware citizens can become a part of NAF by logging on to:

http://www.indianpac.com/naf/

To vote on the agenda and the leader from the list, click on the given link:

https://res.cloudinary.com/indianpac/image/upload/v1532624966/naf/support_for_naf.pdf

Editor's Choice

Popular Posts