By Dr Palla Trinadha Rao  Recent remarks made by the Speaker of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly, Ch. Ayyanna Patrudu, regarding the Tribal Protective Land Transfer Regulations 1 of 70 have sparked strong protests, particularly concerning the blocking of private investment in tourism within Scheduled Areas. 

By Simran Agarwal  When Babur, the great conqueror and founder of the Mughal Empire, first entered India with his armies in the 16th century, he was not impressed by how people dressed. The climate and landscape of the Indian subcontinent were very different to that of Samarqand (in present-day Uzbekistan), from which he hailed. “I had never seen a hot climate or any of Hindustan before,” he recorded in his memoirs . “A new world came into view—different plants, different trees, different animals and birds, different tribes and people, different manners and customs. It was astonishing, truly astonishing.” Describing the clothing he saw on this campaign, he wrote derisively, “Peasants and people of low standing go about naked. They tie on a thing called lungūtā, a decency-clout which hangs two spans below the navel.” Babur was the product of a Mongol-descended Islamic dynasty in Central Asia. He grew more familiar with the Indian subcontinent’s climates and cultures (and their perce...

By Harsh Thakor  To opposition bowlers, Saeed Anwar could be tormenting, creating a sensation of torture -- but till he bowed to religious activities. When he was in full flow, he would make even the most partisan of supporters search their souls, witnessing artistry mingled with scintillating strokeplay. Yet, for all his God-gifted strokeplay, he was never sharp in the field and struggled with the responsibilities of captaincy. Saeed Anwar’s father had been a gifted club cricketer in the brief time he could spare from his job. Anwar Senior once straight-drove a ball that cleared almost two grounds, possibly planting the genetic roots of the explosive power in Anwar’s strokes that would terrorize bowlers worldwide. Anwar’s cricketing journey began in the garage of his Karachi home. A friend who lived nearby would take up the role of bowler, often using a tennis ball covered with tape. The confined space of the garage meant the balls were released from a distance of just fourteen ya...

By Harsh Thakor*  The late cricketer Hanif Mohammad showcased batting perfection, fusing together a rock-solid defense, watertight technique, and ice-cool temperament with his incredible powers of concentration. Hanif epitomized perfection in batting technique, with his bat resembling a grinding machine or a boulder.

By A Representative  Researchers at Shiv Nadar University, Delhi-NCR, have announced the development of a rare-earth-free composite material, ZnO@β-SiC, with applications in energy-efficient lighting, artificial intelligence, and environmental solutions. This groundbreaking innovation marks a significant advancement in materials science.

- પ્રો. હેમંતકુમાર શાહ   કાલે વ્યાપારી ધોરણે ભજવાયેલું એક નિતાંત સામાજિક નાટક જોયું. નામ છે 'ઓ વુમનિયા'. સૌમ્ય જોશી એના લેખક અને દિગ્દર્શક બંને.  આખું નાટક એક કલાકનું જ. પણ વ્યાપારી ધોરણે એ ભજવાયું અને અમદાવાદના પ્રેક્ષકો દ્વારા ઝિલાયું એ તો નાટક પત્યા બાદ તેમણે ઊભા થઈને સતત એકદોઢ મિનિટ સુધી પાડેલી તાળીઓથી જ ખ્યાલ આવે. 

By Harsh Thakor*   On March 25, 1925, Shura—Alexander Pavlovich Chekalin—was born. A young partisan scout during the Great Patriotic War, he posthumously became a Hero of the Soviet Union. Captured, tortured, and hanged for his resistance activities in Tula Oblast near Moscow, Chekalin’s martyrdom remains one of the most soul-stirring stories of youth in the history of liberation struggles.  

By Bharat Dogra Gehlaur panchayat with its several hamlets, located in Gaya district of Bihar, came into limelight following the success of its famous ‘mountain man’ Dashrath Manjhi in carving out a path in the middle of mountains. After his death a memorial and gates were created by the government in his memory. An annual event is organized on his death anniversary.

By Bharat Dogra  The SBI Foundation, a corporate social responsibility subsidiary of the State Bank of India, has a very well-considered Program called Sammaan which seeks to honor freedom fighters and those engaged in various valiant and noble efforts in more recent times by promoting development initiatives in their native places. It was also very thoughtful of the Sammaan program to take this initiative recently to the village of the famous ‘Mountain Man’ Dashrath Manjhi who has inspired many, many people by opening up a path in the middle of massive mountains.