‘The Elephant Whisperers’ which is the Oscar winning short documentary was shot in the Theppakadu Elephant Camp at the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve in the Nilgiri Mountains in Tamil Nadu.
Established 105 years back, the Theppakadu Elephant Camp is the oldest elephant camp in Asia and is situated on the banks of river Moyar.
It presently has 28 elephants. A dedicated bunch of Mahouts is providing training and care to these elephants.
The Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, of which the Theppekadu Elephant camp is part of, has a good population of the indigenous Kattunaykan tribes.
The Theppakadu Elephant Camp rehabilitates rogue elephants that enter human habitations and enter into conflict with people. These elephants are trained at these camps and converted to Kumki elephants.
Mahouts Kirumaran and Wasim have trained two rogue elephants Moorthy and Easwaran into good formidable animals that have become much gentler.
Moorthy had killed 22 people as a wild Tusker and has been captured and rehabilitated at the Theppakadu Camp. Kirumaran said that Moorthy however now has turned so gentle that he lets his grand children play with the elephant these days.
Meanwhile Wasim, the Mahout of Easwaran, sounded a word of caution and said that he had suffered injuries thrice while handling Easwaran
Kartiki Gonsalves, the director of the movie, had stayed in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve for five long years to shoot the documentary and it has paid off taking her to an Oscar victory.
The movie, which is of 41 minutes duration, explores the tentative and precious bond between an orphaned elephant Raghu and his caretakers, a mahout couple, Bomman and Bellie.
This is a story of six sarpanchs in India who are transforming their villages to script a story of new India. Let’s see what their initiatives are which are making them different from rest of the crowd:
1. Neeru Yadav
She is the first woman sarpanch of India who has taken major steps for rural development and has also started an FPO (farmers production organisation) in the name of “Sachhi Saheli Mahila Agro.” The Sarpanch established a “farmer producer organisation” with the help of SIIRD (the Society of Indian Institute of Rural Development) in collaboration with NABARD.
Neeru Yadav
Neeru Yadav took up the role of chairman of the board of directors of this company. Through this, farmers will get fertilizers, seeds, and other agriculture-related things at reasonable rates. Farmers will also get the advantage of getting direct benefits through this.
Neeru has also made hockey team of girls in her village and is known as Hockey Wali Sarpanch. She is first sarpanch who has started Bartan Bank in her village to stop plastic use during weddings.
2. Arati Devi
Being a sarpanch at Ganjam district in Orissa, which is also her hometown, she has introduced the benefits of Public Distribution System to her village, which wasn’t known to most people. Now they avail wheat, kerosene and other items at subsidised prices.
Former investment banker and MBA holder Arati Devi was invited to speak at an International Leadership Programme in the US where she spoke about state government functions, government transparency and accountability.
She also started a major literacy campaign for women in the panchayat where only signatures would be recorded for official applications, instead of thumb impressions. She has been known to revive traditional folk art in Ganjam.
3. Meena Behen
Meena Behen, the first woman sarpanch from a village in Gujarat, has changed the lives of women in her village.
In the small village in the district Vyara in Gujarat, Meena Behen is the first woman Sarpanch her village has seen. Recently they built a road because the accessibility to the village was very bad. Pregnant women found it really difficult to go to the hospital and even the ambulance vehicle couldn’t come into the village because of this. Now the accessibility is much better.
Many were unaware of important government schemes. The all-women Panchayat took cognizance of that and ensured that Government schemes were utilized by people of the village.
Meena and her friends attribute all their leadership skills to the self-help group (SHG) that World Vision India helped form.
4. Chaavi Rajawat
Chhavi Rajawat has been heralded her as the woman who changed the face of rural Rajasthan. With innovative projects, she brought better water, solar power, paved roads, toilets and a bank to her ancestral village named Soda. She single-handedly enabled many projects in her village and also addressed a poverty conference at the United Nations in New York, US. Known as the glamorous jeans-clad MBA sarpanch, she is an inspiration to many and is the face of the young and modern India yearning for change.
5. Sushma Bhadu
Sushma Bhadu is a sarpanch from three villages in Haryana. She has to her credit of improving the dwindling education and sex ratio levels of her villages. But she is more popular for the “unveiling” of her ‘ghunghat’.
Fighting centuries old patriarchal and controlling norms of her society, she has earned the respect and admiration of her villages. She is elected sarpanch of three villages – Salam Khera, Chablamori and Dhani Miyan Khan.
6. Radha Devi
Radha Devi (in yellow saree) is the lady sarpanch of a village in Rajasthan.
Taking the help of local NGOs and self-help groups, Radha Devi confronted the school authorities in her village and persuaded parents into sending their kids back to schools.
What image does your mind create when you hear the word Jaisalmer? The first image that would spring to mind when you hear the phrase Jaisalmer is a vast desert with sand dunes and no water in sight. However, the largest Tethys Sea on the globe used to exist 25 million years ago.
Not long ago, there used to be a thick forest with 30- to 40-foot-tall trees. Thus, the water of Jaisalmer formerly had enormous sharks and creatures. Only in Jaisalmer, Thailand, and Japan have fossils of this shark been discovered.
Because of this, tourists will be able to see up close the world of dinosaur-era species, their fascinating history, and the secrets of their extinction. As the Rajasthani government recently announced the creation of a fossil park, the Bhaskar team traveled to the site of the dinosaurs’ former habitat.
There are plenty of global mysteries that reveal the tale of Jurassic World. Thus, one can be found within a 30-km radius of Jaisalmer city. Therefore, the large aquatic monsters used to emerge from the Tethys Sea on the banks of where the Fort of Sonar is now visible, which is a short distance away. Dinosaurs from the Thaiyat village used to go about on sticks. On the Akal side, there were thick trees and rivers that ran. Giant shark fish had a stronghold in the water in the Baisakhi, Kuldhara, and Khaba areas.
There are four separate locations where scientists can occasionally find dinosaur paws as well as shark and whale teeth.
The “Akal Wood-Fossil Park,” which will collect and preserve this evidence, is located about 18 kilometers from Jaisalmer. The Bhaskar team traveled to Akal with the assistance of renowned geoscientists Dr. Dhirendra Kumar Pandey and Dr. Narayan Das in order to learn more about this realm.
Oscar’s night delightfully became India’s victory night. The blockbuster RRR’s song “Naatu Naatu” has officially made history. Thus, Natu Natu became the very first song from an Indian cinema to win the prized trophy at the 95th Academy Awards, held in Los Angeles, California. But the Indian victory did not just settle with that. Kartiki Gonsalves, who also produced “The Elephant Whisperers,” won for best documentary short story.
Bollywood also got the chance to shine at the Academy Awards with the “Shanti Priya” of Indian cinema, Deepika Padukone. She had the golden opportunity to present the Academy Award during the event. She had now joined Priyanka Chopra and Persis Khambatta as the third Indian to present an Oscar.
Natu Natu’s performance adds more stars to the night. While the viral song is getting loved worldwide, the Oscars performance left unforgettable memories in peoples minds. The most popular song, “Natu Natu,” was performed by performers Rahul Sipligunj and Kaala Bhairava. It was filled in the Dolby Theatre. “We count it a blessing that #RRRMovie, with #NaatuNaatu, won India’s first-ever Oscar in the Best Song Category! No words can adequately express this incredible occasion,” Team RRR tweeted after receiving the honor.
RRR paved the way for another cinematic history to unfold in the future. The RRR team prooved that hard work and dedication can lead to success.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached Karnataka to officially open the ambitious 10-lane Bengaluru-Mysuru highway. Thus, the Mandya district police have provided travelers with advice and detours to help them avoid traffic and assure the PM’s safety.
The Mandya police announced a directive on Thursday that prohibited vehicles from using the highway on March 12 from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. for 12 hours. The decree also provided commuters with alternate routes to use.
The Hon’ble Prime Minister of India had arrivied at Mandya Nagar and Maddur on March 12, 2023; hence, the Hon’ble District Collector had issued an order to adjust the route of all sorts of vehicles from six in the morning to six in the evening for the protection of the dignitaries.
Vehicles traveling from Mysuru to Bengaluru through Mandya are advised to utilize the alternate route of Mysuru-Bannur-Kirugavalu-Halaguru-Kanakapura-Bengaluru. Vehicles traveling from Tumakuru to Mysuru through Mandya are advised to adopt the alternate route of Tumakuru-Bellur cross-Nagamangala-Pandavapura-Srirangapatna-Mysuru.
The Bengaluru-Channapatna-Halaguru-Malavalli-Kirugavalu-Halaguru-Bannur-Mysuru road should be used by cars traveling from Bengaluru to Mysuru. The Bengaluru-Halaguru-Malavalli-Kollegala-MM Hills road should be used instead by vehicles traveling from Bengaluru to MM Hills through Maddur.
Prior to its opening, PM Modi commented on a tweet by Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways, stating that the expressway was a crucial connectivity project that will help Karnataka’s growth trajectory.
The 118 km road, built for $8,408 crore, would cut the distance between Bengaluru and Mysuru travel time in half, from 3.5 hours to about 1.5 hours.
‘Naatu Naatu’ has made history by winning the Best Song title at the 95th Academy Awards. Let’s catch the iconic moments the team spent after getting the breaking news:
’RRR’ filmmaker S.S. Rajamouli had the most epic reaction as he screamed in joy and hugging his wife.
A clip is viral showing Rajamouli’s reaction to the win. Rajamouli was seen with his wife and ‘RRR’ cast.
When ‘Naatu Naatu’ was announced as Best Song, an excited Rajamouli got up screaming in joy at the win but he also hugged his wife, Rama Rajamouli.
Music composer M.M. Keeravaani gave an emotional speech on receiving the award. ‘Naatu Naatu’ has also won a Golden Globe and a Critics Choice Award this year
‘RRR’ starring NTR Jr., Ram Charan, Ajay Devgn, Alia Bhatt and Shriya Saran tells the fictional story of two real-life Indian revolutionaries, Alluri Sitarama Raju and Komaram Bheem and their fight against the British Raj.
* Oscars 2023 had special RRR moment as singers Rahul Sipligunj and Kaala Bhairava performed Academy Award-nominated Naatu Naatu. The rousing RRR anthem received standing ovation and huge applause.
* Actor Deepika Padukone introduced the team at the 95th Academy Awards and had to stop multiple times with cheers and hoots as she introduced the team.
Nahan must be defined or understood, says Janakavi of Sangod. Two words from the poetry of Suraj Mal Vijay, “Yo nhaan tamaso mat samjho, purkhan ri amar nisani chai,” should be heard and understood. This poem serves as Nahan Lokotsav’s unofficial rallying cry. Thus, another common misconception regarding baths is that they can only be perceived through sight and not through hearing.
However, Sangod town in Rajasthan’s Kota district celebrates the Nahan festival with great enthusiasm. Thus, this custom has been practiced for over 500 years. Even today, this custom is still practiced, and since it is so well known, foreigners from all over the nation go to Sangod to take part in the Nahan Lokotsav. Though, bathing is conducted in other Hadoti area towns, including Anta, Mirzapur, Moikalan, Bapavarkalan, etc., Sangod’s bath has become the most well-known.
In the celebration, the participants and observers celebrate for five days straight.
At this Holi festival, there is no color, gulal, or abir, which is observed as Nahan Lokotsav.
The town is split into two sections for Lokotsav. Nahan Akhara Chaudhary Pada is the name given to one side, and Nahan Khada Akhara Chaubey Pada to the other. Thus, Chaudhary Pada is organized for the initial two days of Lokotsav and Nhan Khada Paksha for the final two days. Twelve spears appear on the first day, and the king’s horse appears on the second. Farces are used on the trip to amuse passengers in a hilarious way.
It appears the ancient royal culture has come to life. As the emperor’s ride is brought out from both sides with the wealthy umrao on horseback, it still comes out with full pomp and display. Thus, the genuine Nahan Lokotsav starts on the day of Dooj, although preparations for Nahan begin 15 days before the burning of Holi on Amavasya, when both sides visit Sorsan and worship the Brahmin Mata.
On Tuesday, Infosys announced a regulatory statement in which it said President Ravi Kumar S. has announced his retirement with certain effects from October 11.
Ram Kumar oversaw several service lines and specialized digital sales for the IT company’s consulting business. Whether it is technology, infrastructure, engineering, and process verticals from his base in New York Thus, before he was elected president in 2016, he was also in charge of the insurance and payments industries. He was also in charge of Infosys’ Metaverse projects. Later, he spent approximately 20 years as an employee of Infosys. According to the recent Infosys FY22 annual report, Mr. Kumar was the third highest-paid employee in the firm, after Salil Parekh and Pravin Rao.
The company stated in the filing that “the board of directors placed on record their deep sense of appreciation for the services rendered by Ravi Kumar for his contributions to the company.”
The terror of influenza has found its place in people’s minds. Due to the growing disease, influenza had already killed two people, one from Karnataka and the other from Haryana. Both patients were suffering from H3N2 influenza.
The first one to die from influenza was Karnataka’s Hasan. Later, Haryana’s Hire Gowda died from H3N2. The reports state that he was already suffering from diabetes due to hypertension, and he died.
The infection has spread to 90 people in the country now. Thus, there are eight cases of H1N1. These influenzas are also called the “Hong Kong Flu.” These influenzas are much riskier than another influenza, plus they also put the patient in the hospital for days.
Experts have claimed that the symptoms of H3N2 influenza are similar to those of coronavirus infection. Doctors have advised the public to follow COVID-19 precautions. The Indian Council of Medical Research has asked people to take precautions. As advised in the pandemic, people should be careful while sneezing and coughing around, they should wash their hands, and they should wear a mask.
H3N2 poses a severe risk to elderly people and young children. Thus, the age group is advised to take special care. Plus, the Medical Association has been urging doctors to not prescribe antibiotics if they are not sure that the patient has a bacterial infection.
In 2022, the show Shark Tank made its debut in India. Gradually, a name quickly took over people’s minds, from kids to adults, after the shows debuted. Thus, Ashneer Grover found his place in the hearts of people. One of the reasons Ashneer was admired was because of his humorous response and no-nonsense demeanor.
However, when Shark Tank season 2 was revealed in 2023, fans were ecstatic to watch their favorite. But for some reason, Ashneer was no longer a part of the production. Ashneer has now surpassed Shark Tank in terms of brand recognition.
From YouTube videos to Instagram reels, Ashneer never failed with his one-liners. His one-liners were widely used. Recently, Ashneer published “Doglapan,” his autobiography. Shark Ashneer from 2022 is now well-known for his television appearances. He majored in civil engineering at IIT Delhi. Additionally, he moved to France for a student exchange offer and completed one year of engineering in France. Later, Ashneer attended IIM Ahmedabad for his MBA after graduating.
