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Uttarakhand mourn’s its brave son General Bipin Rawat

By
Dr. Tania Saili Bakshi
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Dateline Dehradun: Building material scattered around. Foundation pits gaping at the sky with labourers left speechless. Silver Heights, Jalvayu Vihar, some 15 kilometres from Dehradun was to be the retirement home of India’s first Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Bipin Rawat.

Just a week back CDS’s wife Madhulika Rawat was in Dehradun for the Bhoomi-Poojan of their home in Silver Heights. Sweets were distributed to labour as well as neighbours. All this has been replaced by a pall of gloom. Uttarakhand mourns the death of one of its own. India’s first Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Bipin Rawat, and his wife Madhulika Rawat were all set to return to their roots in the hill-state of Uttarakhand on retirement to finally drop anchor in Dehradun.

The foundation work to build his retirement home with earthquake-resistant technology was ongoing on their plot at Silver Heights when information of the tragic incident of CDS Bipin Rawat’s helicopter crash poured in.  Work at the construction site came to a halt as the tragic news trickled in and labourers and neighbours mourned the death of an exceptionally brilliant and brave officer and his wife.

Pauri plunged into grief when news of Gen. Bipin Rawat’s passing away trickled in. This was where he was born; this was where he had selected a piece of land in Sainj to build a home in the hills. Pauri, Sainj village was Gen. Bipin Rawat’s home in the hills. He and his family made it a point to make an annual visit to the village whenever work permitted.

Uttarakhand’s Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami announced a three-day state mourning following the chopper crash in Coonoor that led to the death of thirteen people including the CDS and his wife. The national flag with fly at half mast on government buildings and all official events involving entertainment stand cancelled in Gen. Bipin Rawat’s home state.

96th Foundation Course begins at LBSNAA, Mussoorie

By
Dr. Tania Saili Bakshi
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Dateline Mussoorie:  “When the going gets tough, the tough get going!” Keeping this dictum in mind, the largest batch since Independence, the 96th Foundation Course of All India Service Officers began on the 5th of December, 2021.

From the 5th of December 2021 to the 17nd of March, 2022 the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), in Happy Valley shall be a home away from home to four hundred and eighty-five Officer Trainees staying in Ganga, Kaveri, Mahanadi and Silver Oaks hostels.

Virtual session in progress

With all Covid protocols in place, on the 4th of December, the probationers were introduced to the history and legacy of the hill-station of Mussoorie through a two-hour slideshow presentation on ‘Mussoorie Down the Ages’ through a virtual session with author Professor Ganesh Saili.

The officer trainees entered the State of Uttarakhand with a Covid negative report and have been doubly vaccinated. For total safety a team of medical officers from AIIMS, Rishikesh and Kailash Hospital Dehradun carried out a comprehensive health checkup.

In tandem with regular classroom classes, regular health and fitness is being given equal importance. Over the next fifteen-weeks the Outdoor Section of LBSNAA will be providing a dedicated regime to all the trainees in their designated fitness zone to ensure that these young men and women maintain good health throughout the winter season.

A fitness App will be shared with the trainees to help in assessing their report, monitor their work output, calorie intake, sleep, hydration levels and overall activity, along with personalized advice on their physical activity.

Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures and the Lal Bahadur Shastri Academy has risen to the occasion.

SOCH: One stitch at a time

By
Dr. Tania Saili Bakshi
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Dateline Rudraprayag:  Away from all the media glare and accolades a team of young men and women are working around the clock to bring employment, no matter how big or small, to where it matters the most.

Close to a decade now SOCH organisation is finding innovative ways to help hill-folks earn their livelihood without moving out of the comfort of their mountain homes.

In the long list of firsts, the team kickstarted a sewing training center at Barsal village, some two-three kilometers from the road-head in Rudraprayag district.

Talking to us Deep Negi says, “the purpose of SOCH Organization is to connect maximum number of didis/bhulis of our hills to be self-reliant and self-employed.”

Post a comprehensive survey, the women of Barsal and its adjoining villages expressed their desire to learn sewing. The first centre came up in Roshini Chauhan’s home-stay and a resident of Barsal.

A member of SOCH organization Roshini has been involved in the project from the very beginning. An icon for the girls of the area, Roshini runs a village home-stay, grows exotic mushrooms and now has started the sewing training centre, she tells us,  “In the future, we plan to hold a workshop on modern sewing by a fashion designer. Talks are in the pipeline.”

At present, armed with three Usha sewing machines, in batches of five to six  the women will hone their sewing skills under a lady tailor who happens to live close-by.

SOCH Organization member Shubham Rawat along with Ankul Rawat took the onus of transporting the sewing machines, threads, cloth, sewing kits all the way from Dehradun to Rudraprayag, and then on foot to Barsal village.

Signing off, Deep adds, “The purpose of SOCH Organization is to open many such centers in remote villages of Uttarakhand. We hope steps like these will help our women in realising their dreams.”

If you wish to support the idea of ​​SOCH:

+917300758707, [email protected]

Its the season to be jolly!

By
Dr. Tania Saili Bakshi
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0

Dateline Mussoorie: It’s the season to be jolly! And what better way to ring it in than a Christmas cake mixing against the backdrop of the Queen of Hills, Mussoorie sprawled across nineteen square kilometers.

A day after Advent Sunday, Jaypee Residency Manor Mussoorie turned out in all its festive revelry to keep its date with tradition. With the winter sun in all its glory, the customary cake mixing party was held in the terrace.

Executive Chef Tanuj Nayyar guided the guests to mix ingredients including black currant, apricot, rum soaked figs, drunk raisins, dates, candied orange peel, candied ginger, dry cherries, tutti frutti and candied pumpkin, spices along with, “organic apple-based wine which made its way all the way from Mukteshwar,” he says.

Also present were students from class 6-8th of Nirmala High School who had just got a well-deserved break from their school exams. Dipping their hands into the cake-mix, for most of them this was an enriching experience. Shanu from class 7th who had just finished her science exam tells us, “it was very exciting and fun mixing dry fruits with the wine,’ Anushka adds, “for us this was a much needed outing with our friends. It is nice to learn traditional recipes.”

For the last fourteen years, Anil Sharma, VP, Jaypee Residency Manor, Mussoorie has kept the magic of the Christmas cake-mixing alive. He ensures that the school children carry on the baton and add to the festive spirit, “We want the children to see and learn. We want them to carry this tradition forward.”

Hill-stations and cake-mixing towards the end of November have become synonymous with winter. Here is a ritual that ushers in the festive season, good tidings and ends on a high note with New year eve celebrations, attracting tourists from home and abroad.

Three day literary bonanza in Dehradun

By
Dr. Tania Saili Bakshi
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Dateline Dehradun: After a two-month stimulating pan-India event from New Delhi to Baroda to Kolkata onto Hyderabad, the Valley of Word, 2021, Lit fest returns to its karm-janam bhoomi for a three-day literary bonanza.

In its last leg, i.e. 19th-21st of November the festival will bring in a bit of Science, throw in a bit of technology and add the magic of written word. The team will also be announcing its eight winners under the eight categories:

English Fiction and non-fiction, Hindi fiction and non-fiction, Writings for Young Adults, Writings for Children, Translations into English and Hindi from Indian Languages.

While the 19th of November will be dedicated to the world of Science and Technology at UCOST,  with session revolving around the Astronomy in Ancient India, History of Medicine, History of Information Technology and the History of S & T of Indian Glass.

On the 20th of November there will be an interesting line-up of young students from the Doon valley namely, Oceanic School, Doon International School Riverside, Mountford Academy, Greenwood hills along with students from the Latika Roy Foundation bring alive shortlisted books under the Writing for Children Vertical.  Authors showcasing their shortlisted translated books from regional literature such as Assamese, Gujarati, Urdu into Hindi will be in conversation with esteemed panelists from Delhi and Dehradun.

The 21st of November is dedicated to carrying forward the Valley of Word legacy of promoting a healthy culture of debate, discussion and critical appreciation through debates on topical issues via the VoW Mantrana Debate and the VoW National Debate Competition involving nation-wide schools. The finals for both the competitions will be held virtually on the 21st with judges joining us physically from Dehradun’s literary circuit.

Interspersed with the two debates is The Valley of Words, “VOX Populi – The Parliamentarians Debate.” In this session eight parliamentarians from different parties will engage in a discussion on a politically contested issue and put forward their standpoint and perspectives supported by facts and figures.

Summing up the pan-India Valley of Word, 2021 Festival Director Sanjeev Chopra says, “The Valley of Words,2021 has grown both in terms of temporal and spatial reach. Vow, 2021 is a major landmark which has seen a significant increment over the past editions. Along with an addition to five cities, the range and diversity of our discussant and panelists and participants has been unique. Valley of Words, lit fest, is perhaps amongst the only lit fest which connects all generations, genres, Indian languages and region.”

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ValleyofWordsLitFest

Website: Valleyofwords.org

 

Ishaan Shaurya Chamoli honoured with Global Top 10 award by Intel

By
Dr. Tania Saili Bakshi
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0
Ishaan Shaurya Chamoli winner of Intel Award

Dateline Mussoorie: Sixteen year old Ishaan Shaurya Chamoli,  representing India from Uttarakhand has been honoured with the AI Enthusiast Global Top 10 award by Intel.

Speaking to Newspost, an enthusiastic Ishaan says, “It was exciting as well as humbling to know that I won this award for a concept that will be very beneficial given present day world scenario. The award has given me the impetus to pursue it even further.’ Adding, “The project i.e. using Artificial intelligence to relocate millions of refugees across the world  is very close to my heart. I am trying to develop the project and put it to practical use in the near future. I want to transform it from paper to reality.”

For the past two years, since pandemic hit, Ishaan Shaurya Chamoli has been in Mussoorie with his grandparents pursuing his online classes. It is here in early October that he learnt about the California-based American Multinational Company and largest global computer chip manufacturer, Intel corporation organising the AI Global Impact Festival.  Intel was celebrating Artificial Intelligence innovations in order to encourage young students to participate in an enriching global experience.  A number of sessions on diverse topics by Intel®️ and industry experts were organised to encourage young-minds.

Taking part in the global fest , Ishaan Shaurya Chamoli represented India at the International level and went on to win the National AI Enthusiast Award bringing laurels to his alma matar, Ridge Valley School and family back home.

After a national selection round, global voting, followed by an interview with an Intel panel, Ishaan’s project was selected as Global Top 10 and India’s number 1 idea (Under 13-18 Years age category). His brilliant and noble innovation on using Artificial Intelligence to relocate millions of refugees across the world has won Ishaan USD 1500 and a certificate by Intel.

For someone who has been fascinated with Artificial Intelligence Ishaan dreams of using it to the benefit of the human race.

Car rally beauties come calling

By
Dr. Tania Saili Bakshi
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Marking history

Dateline Mussoorie: A hotel in the hill-station of Mussoorie is reliving history.  Welcomhotel By ITC Hotels, The Savoy, is gearing up to play the perfect host to those associated with ‘The Nazir Hoosein Memorial Drive,’ which is retracing the Himalayan Car Rally route of 1981, in the memory of the legendary motor sport enthusiast Nazir Hoosein.

A hotel with a history spanning over a hundred years, Welcomhotel by ITC Hotels, the Savoy has always been a regular pitstop for the Himalayan Car Rally circuit until the early 1980s. The otherwise sleepy town of Mussoorie would wake up to the roar of vintage beauties on wheels winding their way to or from Mussoorie.

Turning back the clock, the Savoy Mussoorie will welcome over a hundred car rally drivers, enthusiasts, volunteers and try to recreate a part of history for those who congregate  at the hotel on the 9th of November.  Gautam Valli, General Manager Welcomhotel The Savoy describes the event as, “indeed an honour and a moment of great pride for Welcomhotel The Savoy Mussoorie is hosting this remarkable turnout of Himalayan Rally ex-members, volunteers and dignitaries for the Gala Evening on 9th November 2021 to honour Indian motorsport legend, Nazir Hoosein.”

The cavalcade of rally cars will hit the town running on the evening of 9th of November, just as the ethereal Winterline will spread its magic across the horizon. It marks yet another page in the annals of history of not only just Welcomhotel The Savoy but also the Queen of Hills, Mussoorie too.

Next day, on the 10th of November, the convoy will be flagged off from the hotel by a line-up of state dignitaries as they set off on their way to Kufri in Himanchal Pradesh before arriving at the finishing line in New Delhi, four days later i.e. 14th of November.

Pandavaas, ‘Riding up to the Stars’

By
Dr. Tania Saili Bakshi
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0
Royal Enfield

Dateline Srinagar: The latest Royal Enfield movie, ‘Riding Upto the Stars/Astral ride’ launched on YouTube is anything short of being an audio-visual treat.

The close to three-minutes, the AV takes the audience on a ride across the breath-taking splendour of Zanskar and Changthang Valley of Ladakh with the soulful voice of local artist Kunzes Dolma in the background accompanied by the music of Rigzen Sangdrup, Angdu Khigu and Pracheer Devli of Dehradun.

What makes this movie even more endearing is the fact that it has been put together by the efforts of the multi-talented Pandavaas group, based out of Srinagar, Garhwal.

Post the success of their ‘Looms of Ladakh’ episode, the Royal Enfield team reached out to the Pandavaas to take on the role of a creative team with the Royal Enfield riders. Shot in the month of September and October when the Milky way galaxy is seen in all its splendour, the team spent a little over a month to shoot the starlit formation in the dry, arid and light-free desert of Zanskar and Changthang.

The team of Royal enflied

Ladakh is a pilgrimage for every Royal Enfield rider and the company wanted to  promote responsible tourism with its motto, ‘leave every place better.’  This was reason enough for the Pandavaas i.e. the three brother team of Ishaan, Kunal and Salil Dobhal along with Shashank Nawani from Haridwar to come on board.

Talking about the project Kunal Dobhal the videographer of the shoot adds, “We have many such picturesque towns and valleys, similar in beauty, if not more in Uttarakhand as well and we wish these will be projected in brands such as these, in the near future.”

“We handpicked local singers and musicians and stitched together a promo which has turned out as magical as ever, ” says Ishaan who did the music for the shoot. While Salil Dobhal who captured the essence of Zanskar and Changthang valley and the Milky way in all its glory says, “we have tried to change the image of a biker into a gentleman rider and that is what comes across in our joint endeavour.”

Click here to see more:

https://youtu.be/visUlIwXmsY

For every cake has a story to tell

By
Dr. Tania Saili Bakshi
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0

Dateline Mussoorie: While the rest of the country begins to ring in Diwali festivities, exactly a week apart.  In Mussoorie, Welcomhotel The Savoy Mussoorie is bringing in the spirit of Christmas, that too, two months early.

In its sprawling Central Lawn, keeping in tune with the Christmas theme of Red and Gold, the hotel picked the ideal spot, on a sunny autumn afternoon to hold its customary cake-mixing ceremony followed by a traditional English high-tea.

Year after year, following the age-old custom the hotel staff, hotel guests along with dignitaries from the community turn out in large numbers towards the end of October to do their bit in keeping this 17th century tradition alive. They gather around a customised eighteen feet cake-mixing table to kick-off the festivities with fun and laughter.

And here we go…

During the half hour ceremony, Head Chef Rajeev Badola explained how, “Cake-mixing preparation begin months in advance. The customary mixing of an array of fruits, black currant, apricot, ginger peels, prunes, figs, resins, dates, tutti-frutti, grounded spices, mace, soaked in choicest of spirits such as wine, dark and white rum and brandy give that well-blended flavour to the Christmas cake, and of course, it brings the community together and enhances the festive mood.”

Due to Covid, the last year cake-mixing was an intimate affair. What makes this year’s cake-mixing even more special, keeping covid protocol in place, is the five and a half feet long, locally procured hand-made spatulas that will ensure the highest standard of hygiene, safety and physical distancing, along with customised face masks stitched in-sync with the occasion.

After being soaked for weeks on end, this perfect blended fruity mixture will then be baked into traditional festive indulgences in the month of December, setting the tone for the onset of Christmas in the hill-station of Mussoorie.

Gautam Valli, General Manager Welcomhotel The Savoy tells us, “ This aint all! This is just the beginning, we have a whole lot of events lined-up until the end of the year. ”

Watch out for this space for more.

‘Songs of the River Ganga’ being shot in Uttarakhand

By
Dr. Tania Saili Bakshi
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0
Shantanu Moitra and Mohit Chauhan

Dateline Harsil: A documentary titled, ‘Songs of the River Ganga’ is being shot on location in the scenic town of Harsil, Uttarkashi.

Talented Music Director Shantanu Moitra who has given charter buster music in films like Three Idiots, Munna Bhai MBBS; Parineeti and PK is heading the six-episode documentary unit.

The documentary travels along the river Ganga from its place of origin in Gaumukh and culminates in Kannauj, Uttar Pradesh. Its first episode begins in Harsil, Uttarkashi with local folk artists dancing to the soulful voice of Bollywood singer Mohit Chauhan.

To take in the essence of what makes Uttarakhand unique, Shantanu Moitra cycled from Gangotri to Harsil capturing the beauty of the hill state.

Over the next two months, the unit will move along the holy river and shoot in towns like Devprayag, Rishikesh where Ganga debouches into the great plains of India. Enroute, renowned singers, from the Hindi film industry will join in to be part of ‘Songs of the River Ganga.’

Smitten by the beauty of Harsil, singer Mohit Chauhan had this to say, “It is very important that places like Harsil should be highlighted and put on the map. Mediums such as these help in propagating the pahadi culture and tradition far and wide. Efforts like these should be encouraged.”

“Songs of the River Ganga” will be released sometime early next year on OTT channels such as YouTube, HotStar, Amazon Prime etc.

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