CM Rawat inaugurates “My Mother, Healthy Mother” programme

By

-

May 13, 2018

On Mother’s Day, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Mr. Trivendra Singh Rawat inaugurated “My Mother, Healthy Mother” programme organised by the Cain Protect Foundation by lighting the ceremonial lamp held at Him Jyoti School at Shastradhara road, Dehradun on Sunday.

The Chief Minister felicitated Aprajita Dabar, Monika Arora and Dr Rekha Khanna for bringing social awareness in form of “Ray of Hope”. The children at the school cut the cake on Mother’s Day and offered it to the Chief Minister. He also reciprocated by offering the cake to the children.

Chief Minister Mr. Trivendra Singh Rawat extended his greetings to all the mothers on Mother’s Day. He said that when mothers are healthy then the baby will be healthy too. If mothers will be healthy today, the future of children will be bright too. He said that for the overall development of the society it was required that women be empowered. Women need to remain aware and alert towards their rights and their health. He said that a daughter being educated raises the prestige of the two families. He said that land is being identified in Almora to create a school similar on lines to Him Jyoti School for educating daughters. He said that two residential colleges equipped with cutting edge technology will be opened in Uttarakhand where the admission will be given on basis of merit.

The Chief Minister said that Cain’s Protect Foundation is running a campaign to raise awareness towards diseases namely Cancer among the women which is admirable. The city BJP president Vinay Goel, Padamshree Dr RP Jain, social activist Rakesh Oberoi, CAN Protect foundation president Dr Sumita Prabhakar, Dr Mahesh Kudiyal and others were present on the occasion.

Nainital Police: And let there be Music

By

Tania Saili

-

May 13, 2018

0

The Nainital Band Stand, in the heart of the town, became a derelict, a monument of neglect for the past many years becoming home to the town drunks and anti-social elements, now all that has changed. A facelift under the abled-hands of the District Police, and the Band Stand is regaining its past glory.

After an application, seeking permission from DGP Anil Raturi to revive the Band Stand was sent by SSP Nainital Janmejaya Khanduri was instantly approved by the DGP and the historical Band Stand of Nainital perched on the edge of the Lake has finally got its long awaited facelift.

Built sometime in the 1920’s, the Band Stand was built by conservationist, naturalist and author, Jim Corbett when he was an elected member of the Municipal Board of Nainital from where foot-tapping Jazz numbers by the likes of Kid Ory and rising jazz musicians King Oliver, Louis Armstrong along with Ragtime music resonated along the Nainital Mall road to entertain evening passers-by.

This tradition was kept alive until the mid-seventies when the last 6-7 PAC Band strummed Patriotic, popular film numbers and even Kumaoni numbers from the Stand to entertain tourists visiting the hill-station in summer.

Decades later, the tradition has been relieved thanks to the district’s pro-active police administration. Dressed in immaculate uniform, a 24 member Brass Band of the Police, turns up at the Band Stand every evening from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. strumming Old Hindi Melodies, Kumaoni and Garhwali songs which fill the lake town of Nainital with nostalgia for the old residents and smile on the faces of tourists who come here for a vacation.

Speaking to Team Newspost, SSP Khanduri states, “We started this initiative on the 1^st of May and will continue through the summer season until July. It is heartening to see not only locals but tourists appreciating this gesture and sharing pictures and videos of the Band on social media.”

‘Surya asth, Pahaad mast,’ a thing of the past?

By

Lucky Singh/Tania Saili

-

May 12, 2018

0

‘Surya asth, Uttarakhand mast,’ is a well-worn cliche, connected with the hill state as with other hill-states in the country. Liquor and hill-folks have become hateful symbols of what is wrong with us, while our womenfolk, all over the hills, try and fight this growing menace tooth and nail.

In the given circumstances, when an individual, specially a man with the status of a Village Pradhan decides to take a stand against this norm, it is worth sharing. Kantiram, the village Pradhan of Chaurjaspur, in Mathkhaani, Tehri District decided to serve jalebi (sweets) and milk instead of alcohol at his younger sister’s wedding. Inset into the wedding invitation was a yellow sticker which boldly announced that alcohol of any kind would not be served at the wedding.

Talking to team Newspost, Gram Pradhan Kantiram says, “I had made up mind that I did not want alcohol to be served at the wedding. It usually only creates discord, ruckus and chaos at happy occasions.” Adding: “One must lead by example and so I thought why not me!’ A lot of villagers agreed with his stance, including the bridegroom who was more than happy with the new arrangement.

A small village of some 600 villagers have taken a small step in the right direction, stating, “We didn’t find anything amiss or lacking in the wedding arrangements, even the groom’s side of the family returned happy and content,’ says Dinesh Lal one of the many guests at the wedding.

Whether this start of not serving alcohol at family functions or ceremonies will bring about a change is open to conjecture – your guess is as good as mine. Will there be a revolutionary change in social norms, or is this just a straw in the wind. Perhaps only time will tell. Watch Newspost for more.

The icnonic Mussoorie Library turns 175

By

Tania Saili

-

May 11, 2018

8

Town’s oldest institutions, the iconic Mussoorie Library is all set to turn a 175 years old. Should you find yourself in Mussoorie, just ask for Gandhi Chowk or Library or Kitabghar or the House of Books and you will be standing at a town-square that gets its name from this Victorian Era building.

The hill station’s early guides tell you that the combined efforts a British merchant, a missionary and officers of the Military Establishment founded the Library, built on a site owned by Scott and Pitt, who in turn sold it to Major Edmund Swetenham, Commandant of the Landour Convalescent Depot.

In 1843, a Library Committee was formed with Vansittart, the Superintendent of the Doon as its Chairman. Afterwards, it was transferred to a trust ‘to be held forever in trust for and on behalf of the Mussoorie Library Committee.‘

Maybe our pioneers knew that many a journey begins with the turning of a single page. Kitabghars or our House of Books remains the last living symbol of a civilised world.

During the post Independence days, the late Mrs Maisie Gantzer, held the fort, just like others illustrious members of her family in later years. For twenty years, as a member of the hill station’s oldest living institution, the Honorary Secretary for close to six years now Professor Ganesh Saili says: “We see this library as a lifeboat; a place to paddle your own canoe; detox to clean the cobwebs of the mind and open a window to the world. It’s a celebration of knowledge; a shelter from the vagaries of the life.”

The glass-paned windows open on to the Mall, filling the burnished floors with sunlight, adding to the glory of the ancient Reading Room. To it flock historians, researchers and scholars in search of hidden treasures tucked away in its glass fronted wooden cupboards.

Pramod Sawhney, Chairperson and a senior member the Library wistfully maintains, “175 years is but a drop in the ocean of Time but books are forever as they are divine. To read ,to live, to grow I would like to have you know, the Mussoorie Library still remains, both yours and mine. “

State’s first ever participants in Bigg Boss Season 12

By

Tania Saili

-

May 10, 2018

0

Rishikesh is in the headlines, and for all the right reasons. One of its son’s 21 Year old Labhanshu Sharma, a wrestler by profession and who won the National Bravery Award for saving two lives from drowning in the Ganges in 2015, is once again making headlines for being invited as a contestant for Bigg Boss Season 12 along with his coach a Dronacharya Awardee in 2008 Pawan Kumar Sharma, under the guru–shishya tradition.

The invite was received by his coach Pawan Kumar Sharma in Dehradun, yesterday evening. The duo had applied as a pair under the guru–shishya tradition to be part of Bigg Boss Season 12 which comes with a twist this Season. Both Pawan Kumar Sharma and Labhanshu were happily surprised and excited when they received a phone call form the Unit confirming their participation. Talking to Newspost, coach Pawan Kumar Sharma said, “Labhanshu is in Delhi at the moment, we got a call from the Bigg Boss Season 12 saying that we had been chosen as a pair, its a pleasant surprise.”

Born and raised in Rishikesh, Labhanshu or Kuku as he is fondly called, was a born wrestler as he is the youngest son of former wrestler Suresh Chand of the Indian Army.

Labhanshu began his wrestling career at an early age and went onto win both national and international gold medals. He won 7 gold medals at National Level and in 2016-17 won gold at the Asian International Games followed by another gold at the Indo Nepal International Wrestling Tournament under the 120 kg category.

Talking about his selection Labhanshu states, “if there are no wrestling matches around that time, then i would like to be part of the Bigg Boss season and play the game in true sportsmanship spirit.“

Now its for us to wait and watch how this guru-shishya pair is accepted by the audience, which also happens to be the hill-states first participants to make it to any of Bigg Boss Seasons thus far.

IAS Academy pitches in to keep our hills green

By

Tania Saili

-

May 9, 2018

1

Any traveller, trekker, pilgrim or visitor to the Himalaya will on an average return with horrific tales of hill-sides festooned with red and yellow plastic wrappers, empty mineral water bottles and tonnes of plastic. The usual reflex? Form groups to cart this garbage away for we live in environment conscious times.

Few have thought of getting to the very source to plug the damage and the havoc being caused. The very factories, that produce these plastic packagings. One such group, that has year after year been visiting the Himalaya are Officer Trainees of the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie.

This year’s Phase One has come up with a more innovative solution. 181 probationers of the IAS and the Royal Bhutanese Civil Service have appealed to CEO’s of four leading instant noodle manufacturers namely Maggi, Top Ramen, Yipee and Patanjali to introduce bulk re-usable packages for instant noodles (preferably in 10/20kg packets) to distribute them along to the dhabas, the stalls, eateries or Maggi-Points that have mushroomed through-out the Hill-state, in an attempt to minimise litter.

They have also appealed to the CEOs to not only consider bulk packaging for instant noodles but also bio-degradable packaging which they feel will go a long way in keeping the hills green and plastic-litter free.

During their 5 months stay at the Mussoorie Academy along with few treks into the Himalayas during their winter study tour led the Officers Trainee to do something about the excessive use of plastic for food packages being sold. A proactive signature campaign was started within the Academy to take up this pressing use and change things around.

If anyone listens, then in the times to come, rest assured the State flower i.e. the elusive yet beautiful Brahma-kamal will soon replace the ugly carpet of modern debris left behind on our otherwise pristine mountains.

State to host two-day Investors Summit in October: Chief Secretary

By

newspost

-

May 9, 2018

0

Uttarakhand government will be organizing an Investors Summit in October. For the two-day Summit, Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi would be invited. Before the Investors Summit, four mini Conclaves would be organized. This decision was taken during a meeting organized under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Utpal Kumar Singh.

In the meeting of Uttarakhand Investors Summit 2018 held at secretariat on Tuesday, it was decided that before the meet, mini conclaves would be organized in Tehri, Udham Singh Nagar, Nainital and Haridwar. In Tehri – Wellness and Tourism Conclave; in Udham Singh Nagar – Food Processing and Auto Conclave; in Nainital – Film Shooting and Tourism Conclave and in Haridwar–Ayurveda, Herbal, Aromatic and Aayush Conclave would be organized.

About the present capital investment in Uttarakhand, road shows would be taken out in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and other major places. A total of 12 sectors have been shortlisted for investments. Showcasing would be done for these sectors, which include Food Processing, Forestry, Floriculture, Tourism & Hospitality, Wellness & Aayush, Automobile & Component, Pharma, Sericulture & Natural Fiber, IT, Herbal & Aromatic Products, Renewal Energy, Film Shooting and Bio-Technology. The main programme of the Investors Meet would be held at the International Sports Stadium Raipur in Dehradun. An exhibition showcasing the facilities available here for setting up industrial units would also be organized.

In the meeting, Principal Secretary, Industry, Manisha Pawar; Secretary, IT R.K.Sudhanshu; Secretary, Power Radhika Jha; Secretary, Tourism, Dilip Javalkar; MD SIIDCUL Saujanya; Director, Industries, Sudhir nautiyal, Pankaj Gupta from CII; Vinay Goyal from Industries Association, Uttarakhand among others were present.

Veil Done: Does well at home and abroad

By

Tania Saili

-

May 8, 2018

0

This National Award ceremony had good news for Uttarakhand as well. One of its daughter’s, with ancestral roots in Pithoragarh Juhi Bhatt won the ‘Best Film on Social Issues’ National Award for her maiden mainstream documentary ‘Veil Done.’

The 30-minute documentary was shot over a period of ten days, in the overcrowded area of Nizammudin Basti in New Delhi. Talking about the shoot, Juhi tells us, “I chanced upon the idea from a newspaper article and filmed the documentary on the lives of three middle aged Muslim women struggling to find their own voice and making independent choices.”

“Veil Done’ was chosen from 166 short-films shortlisted for the coveted National award. In early March this year, ‘Veil Done’ was also adjudged the ‘Best Shoot Documentary’ at the Karachi International Film Awards,” stated Juhi’s proud father, Retired Inspector General of the Indo Tibetan Border Police MC Bhatt who along with her brother Jayant Bhatt who were by her side when Juhi received the Award.

Bitten by the ‘Directors bug’ at an early stage, Juhi completed her Mass Communication Degree from Jamia Milia Islamia Institute, New Delhi and after a brief stint in Delhi, she moved to Mumbai, the-land-of-possibilities.

While in Mumbai, Juhi worked in advertisement world and made couple of documentaries/short film for NGOs, lifestyle shows for the past nine years, but her first love was documentaries and that too on women and social issues.

On receiving the National Award, an elated Juhi says, “ It means a lot to me to get this award for my maiden documentary. I was overwhelmed and its great when your work gets recognized on a national platform as all you want is for your work to be shared with as many people as possible, I couldn’t have asked for a larger platform.”

As we sign off, Juhi adds, “I am looking for suitable subjects in Uttarakhand as well, for I feel that the region isn’t being showcased as it should be, and I am sure there is a story there being waiting to be discovered.”

We wish her all the very best in her future endeavours.

FTII film appreciation course comes to Dehradun in June

By

Tania Saili

-

May 8, 2018

0

In keeping with its mission to spread film literacy and promote better understanding of cinema, Film and Television Institute of India, Pune is conducting a 5-day Film Appreciation course in Dehradun, Uttarakhand.

The Course is being held in association with the Information Department, Directorate of Information and Public Relation Office, Laadpur, Ringroad, Uttarakhand.

Beginning June 6th, participants will be presented several streams of ideas about Cinema across 5 days. The main elements will be, basic concepts about Film medium, selected topics in the history of cinema, how films are made, kinds of films, experimental, animation etc, selected topics in Film styles, short film analysis and general screenings.

The five day course in Dehradun will begin at 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. from 6th of June to 10th of June, the last date to submit application for the course is 24th of May along with a draft for 2,500/-. The basic requirement for the course would be for the participant to be above 18 years of age with a fair knowledge of English and Hindi both written and spoken.

“From a once-a-year-course of 4 weeks benefiting only 100-odd people in Pune, Film Appreciation has metamorphosed into a mass movement, an ASHWAMEDH RATH that is straddling the length and breadth of the country, touching thousands of people, promoting film education in courses which are open to all. This democratisation will lead to better understanding of cinema, will unravel cinema as an art & craft and not mere entertainment,” Bhupendra Kainthola, Director FTII said.

FTII has so far conducted successful Short-duration Film Appreciation Courses in Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Amravati, IIT Bombay, IIT Roorkee, Srinagar, Ahmedabad University, Ahmedabad, Bhubaneswar, Jaipur, Gurgaon, Guwahati, Haridwar, Nainital and Srinagar (Uttarakhand).

For Application Form:

www.uttarainformation.gov.in / www.ftiindia.com

Completed Application Form along with DD can be speed post/couriered to:

K.S. Chauhan, Deputy Director, Information and Public Relations Office (DIPR), Information Office, Laadpur, ring Road, Dehradun – 248005

For more Information Contact:

Mr. K.S Chauhan:7055007005 or Mr. Suresh Bhatt: 9719157901

In the coming months, Film Appreciation courses will be conducted in Dehradun, Mussoorie and Jaipur.

Dinesh Lal: Chiseling Uttarakhand’s Heritage

By

Lucky Singh/Tania Saili

-

May 7, 2018

0

37 year old Dinesh Lal is a living example of how God works in mysterious ways. This skilled artisan calls his talent of turning wood into a piece of art, a gift from god, which has left everyone spellbound. Earning his bread and butter in Dubai’s hotel industry, Dinesh gave it all up in 2009-2010 and returned to his home in the hills. After four years of not doing much, Dinesh decided to follow his heart’s calling and put his skill to use.

Pahadi ghar, Garhwal-ki Dharohar is a virtual art gallery of a self-taught artisan who for the past decade has made wood his playground. Carving, hammering, polishing, designing pahadi miniature homes/Chardham Temples, Mortar, Hukka, Oxen models or anything that reminds you of the hills, and Dinesh will chisel it in wood.

With an eye for detailing, there is minimal margin for error in his work. Each of his work of art is detailed to perfection. Speaking to Newspost, Dinesh adds, “I have been translating every detail of Uttarakhand’s rich culture and tradition by translating them onto wood to keep them preserved for future generations.”

Cutting, installing, designing and then putting it all together, Dinesh Lal and his family of four have put their village of Jakhnidhaar in Tehri District on the map of famous artisans in the hill-state. With every completed masterpiece, which can take anywhere between 10-12 days Dinesh seems to hone his skills with such finesse and passion that it all seems life-like.

Today his work is being seen as a befitting souvenir to take back from here, not only the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, but also the President of India and the Prime Minister, along with innumerable dignitaries, senior bureaucrats and MLAs have been smitten by this work.

Dinesh Lal tell us, “I have been working in this field for the past ten years. I work with my hands and my skill is god gifted. I try to bring in minor details onto my wooden canvass, from traditional pahadi homes to Chardham temples along with every minor detail in place. I want to preserve our culture in wood.”

As we sign off, burning the midnight-oil Dinesh Lal is busy adding finishing touches for the Tehri Lake Festival, making miniature models of Hukka; Oxens, Wooden Jars and more, all of which will soon be the center piece in someone’s home or office giving a glimpse of Uttarakhand’s unique heritage.

Editor's Choice

Popular Posts