Category Archives: Amazing Feats

NATIONAL: AGRICULTURE: SEEDS 0NLINE : Now buy certified seeds and planting material online for 1st time from National Seeds Corporation(NSC’s) MyStore platform

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The onboarding of the National Seeds Corporation offices on the online marketplace will encourage farmers to buy certified seeds.

The state-run National Seeds Corporation (NSC) has initiated the onboarding of its area and regional offices on MyStore, an online marketplace connected to the Government’s Open Network for Digital Commerce. The move aimed at easing access to quality seeds will enable farmers across the country to buy seed and planting material online.

An official at the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare said the NSC has 48 area offices, 11 regional offices, and five farms across the country. Of these, 12 offices and farms (six area offices, four regional offices and two farms) have been onboarded on the MyStore platform, and started selling seeds and planting materials. The remaining offices will be onboarded by the first week of September, the officer added.

The dozen offices are located at places including Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh; Agra in Uttar Pradesh; Bengaluru, Chikkamagaluru, Dharwad, Davangere and Raichur in Karnataka ; Hisar and Karnal in Haryana; Jaipur in Rajasthan ; and Bhubaneswar in Odisha. These offices and farms have 211 products, of which 88 are available for sale on the MyStore.

The NSC sells seeds and planting material of 80 crops–38 field crops and 42 horticulture crops. The NSC has so far made seeds available through a network of 5,000 dealers, including 861 cooperatives and 1,354 farmer producer organisations. This is the first time it has made them available through an online platform so that farmers in far-flung areas could easily buy authentic seeds, the official said.

Apart from seeds, some of the NSC offices are also selling indoor and outdoor plants online, the official said. For instance, the Bhopal-based NSC office is selling plants such as aglaonema (lipstick plant), snake plant Haiti, golden pothos (money plant), peace lily, aloevera, and ashwagandha on the platform, where anyone can order.

The move to onboard the NSC offices will enable and encourage farmers to buy certified and quality seeds, the official said, adding that it would also help to increase the seed replacement ratio of major field crops.

source/content: indianexpress.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY: Indian American Deblina Sarkar. The girl who flew away on the wings of her mind. Boss of the Nano-Cybernetic Biotrek research lab at MIT, Boston, and harvester of a dozen awards in the past year alone

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Boss of the Nano-Cybernetic Biotrek research lab at MIT, Boston, and harvester of a dozen awards in the past year alone. And yet, bet you didn’t know that she comes inspired from a bereft corner of Bengal.

Deblina Sarkar is not keen to tell her story. She is not disinterested either. Over a Zoom call from Boston, US, she comes across as matter of fact, pleasant and rooted in her work — she cannot wait to be done with this interview and return to the lab.

The story of her journey from rural Bengal to Boston is full of silences — studied, not awkward — and shorn of specifics as if she has already measured the distance she wants to maintain between her story and audience.

But when she does talk, she doesn’t do platitudes. When I ask her what it is she wanted to do as a girl, she replies, “I wanted to create knowledge, add to the production of knowledge rather than just implement what already exists.” She says it simply, self-assuredly and in a non-self-important tone. If I slip into Bangla, she too replies in her mother tongue, but switches to English whenever she is discussing her work and the specifics of it.

And, yes, the only time she shows emotion and smiles a wide smile that rises to her eyes is when she talks about her parents, Barid Baran and Asima, and nephews Qubit and Quitron.

Barid Baran and Asima are far more animated when it comes to telling the story of Deblina’s journeying. Which is why, Deblina’s story is best told with them in the role of chief narrators.

“When she was only three, she threw a tantrum because she wanted to go to school,” says Barid Baran. Indulging her would mean quite the long commute. It meant walking two kilometres to the Nangi train station and then getting off at Tollygunge and walking some more to reach the school itself.

It was not very different from Barid Baran’s own story from his student days. In 1960s Bengal, there was no school in his village. So he trekked two miles on foot to go to the nearest school. He wanted to be a scientist, so when the time came to go to college he shifted to the nearest town with one.

Deblina was happy — no, delighted — to go to school. “I am lucky, my parents never treated me and my brother differently,” she tells me. As Asima tells it, if there was anything that made Deblina unhappy as a child, it was the teacher’s red pen. “She couldn’t bear to have anything in her notebook stricken off with a red pen.” Asima narrates a fond tale about the time Deblina was learning her English alphabet. Something about her mother saying “P” should be written in a certain way, and the little girl insisting her way was also correct.

In 1972, Barid Baran took the entrance test for the IITs and could not clear it. But the scientist in him continued to be, dabbling in inventions of his own. Deblina recalls watching her father build a washing machine that ran without electricity, a pulley that could lift heavy objects to the roof of the house.

Do dreams come coded with the DNA or does one contract them from close contact? Who can say? When she was in Class IX, Deblina started preparing for the Joint Entrance Examination. “Even the day before her Class X history exam, she was sitting with her physics texts,” says Asima. “I had to tell her, how will you go to IIT if you don’t pass your boards,” adds Barid Baran.

In 2004, Deblina joined what is today known as IIT Dhanbad. When news got around, the neighbours said, “Now she will be able to pay for her own dowry.” Deblina laughs at the memory. Thereafter, Deblina left for the US — a PhD in nanoelectronics at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

One might think it was a big leap, a big deal, and yet neither Deblina nor her parents make it sound that way. Instead they talk about how she comes home every year and behaves as if she never left, wears her old clothes, enjoys her mother’s maan kochu bata and machher jhol. And how they join her every time she has a conference in a new country — “She sends us tickets,” says Asima.

All three of them are more eloquent when it comes to holding forth on the nuts and bolts of life. Deblina talks about nanoelectronics like she is chatting about the weather. “Nanoelectronic devices consume a large amount of energy etc. etc.” So she started exploring other low-powered computational systems. She says, “If you think about it, the human brain is the most energy-efficient computational system.”

I am not sure if I am following the science talk, when she provides the answer herself. It was this line of inquiry that brought her to a territory she had vowed to never enter. Biology.

There were risks in making a transition this steep, but her mind was made up. To the question of what it feels like to be a woman in STEM, she just shrugs. “If I was ever discriminated against, I would not know,” is her answer.

What she and her team are doing today is this — trying to come up with a non-invasive, wireless nanoelectronic device that can coexist within the brain. They aim to treat diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and even brain cancer using this method. She says with a smile and a nod, “We are hoping to start the clinical trial within the next two years.”

And yes, she is thinking of starting a scholarship for girl-students who need it back home to encourage them to be able to study science in high school.

source/content: telegraphindia.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: RESEARCH – SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY: Indian Scientists Make Major Breakthrough In Quantum Cryptography

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Quantum cryptography, also known as quantum encryption, refers to various cybersecurity methods for encrypting and transmitting secure data based on the naturally occurring and immutable laws of quantum mechanics.

In a major breakthrough, a team of Indian scientists has created a user-friendly way to generate unpredictable random numbers crucial for stronger quantum data encryption and provide robust cybersecurity, the Ministry of Science & Technology has said.

Quantum cryptography, also known as quantum encryption, refers to various cybersecurity methods for encrypting and transmitting secure data based on the naturally occurring and immutable laws of quantum mechanics.

The Raman Research Institute, Bengaluru, which is an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), performed a photonic experiment to demonstrate a violation of what is called the Leggett Garg Inequalities (LGI) — a litmus test for “quantumness” in a system in a loophole-free manner.

The team carried out extensive research in collaboration with researchers from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, IISER-Thiruvananthapuram and the Bose Institute, Kolkata to use such LGI violation in a completely unexplored domain — truly unpredictable random number generation, secure against device tampering and imperfections.

These numbers are crucial in applications like cryptographic key generation, secure password creation and digital signatures, among others.

With further engineering interventions and innovations, devices adopting this method could find powerful applications not only in cybersecurity and data encryption but also in diverse areas like economic surveys and drug designing/testing.

“We have successfully generated random numbers using temporal correlations certified by the violation of the Leggett Garg Inequality (LGI),” said Professor Urbasi Sinha, faculty at the QuIC lab at Raman Research Institute, and the corresponding author of the paper published in the Physical Review Letters.

“Our experimental setup ensures a loophole-free violation of LGI, providing an additional advantage of generating loophole-free randomness,” Professor Sinha added.

According to the researchers, this new method offers the enhanced protection “we all need in our daily lives, by using truly random numbers to generate keys that will be used to encrypt the passwords”.

There are several advantages to generating certified random numbers using this method.

“These include the creation of strongly protected passwords, enhanced account security by resisting brute-force attacks, ensuring uniqueness, integrity thereby preventing forgery and token generation with multi-factor authentication, adding a crucial security layer in this vulnerable cyber world,” explained Dr Debashis Saha, IISER Thiruvananthapuram faculty and co-author of the study.

The experiment generated over 9,00,000 random bits at a rapid rate of nearly 4,000 bits/second.
 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

source/content: ndtv.com (headline edited)

INDIA: INNOVATION IN SPACE TECHNOLOGY: ‘Mission Rhumi 2024’: India to launch 1st reusable hybrid rocket on August 24

The rocket will be launched from Chennai using a mobile launcher and will carry “3 Cube Satellites and 50 PICO Satellites to a suborbital trajectory.”

India is set to launch its first reusable hybrid rocket – RHUMI 1 – on August 24, developed by the Tamil Nadu-based start-up Space Zone India. The rocket will be launched from Thiruvidandhai in Chennai using a mobile launcher and will carry “3 Cube Satellites and 50 PICO Satellites to a suborbital trajectory.” This launch, scheduled for 7 am on Saturday, is a collaboration between Space Zone India and the Martin Group and is designed to focus on flexibility and reusability.

According to a report by Money Control, the RHUMI series of rockets, which includes RHUMI-1, RHUMI-2, and RHUMI-3, is engineered to reach altitudes ranging from 1 km to 500 km.

This event marks the third collaboration between the Martin Group and Space Zone India. In 2023, as part of the ‘Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Students Satellite Launch – 2023’ mission, over 2,500 students from government, tribal, and public schools across the country collaborated to design and build a student satellite launch vehicle. This mission included a payload of 150 Pico satellite research experiment cubes. In 2021, during the ‘Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Space Research Payload Cubes Challenge 2021,’ 100 FEMTO satellites developed by 1,200 students were successfully launched.

Key features of RHUMI-1

– The rocket’s launch angle can be precisely adjusted between 0 to 120 degrees, allowing accurate trajectory control.

– A cost-effective, innovative, and eco-friendly descent mechanism uses CO2 to ensure the safe recovery of rocket components.

– The rocket’s applications extend beyond space exploration, impacting fields such as agriculture, environmental monitoring, and disaster management.

– The three cube satellites being sent will monitor atmospheric conditions, including cosmic radiation, UV radiation, and air quality, according to the Money Control report.

– Pico satellites will analyse environmental factors like vibration, accelerometer data, altitude, ozone levels, toxic content, and molecular bonding, contributing to a deeper understanding of atmospheric dynamics.

– The rocket utilises a hybrid propulsion system that combines solid fuel with liquid oxidizer technologies to ensure environmental safety.

– Space Zone India Founder and CEO Anand Megalingam highlighted that this system is reusable, offering a more sustainable and cost-effective approach to satellite launches.

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: INDIA – POLAND : When India Gave Refuge To 5,000 Polish War Orphans, About Jam Saheb of Nawanagar, Kolhapur Memorials In Warsaw

PM Modi will visit the Jam Saheb of Nawanagar Memorial in Warsaw during his Poland visit. The memorial was built by the Polish government to honour Jam Saheb Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji of Gujarat who gave shelter to around 5,000 Poles during World War II.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will pay respects to the Jam Saheb of Nawanagar Memorial in Warsaw on Wednesday during his two-day visit to Poland. He will also visit the Monte Cassino Memorial and the Memorial to Kolhapur Family.

The landmark visit, first by an Indian Prime Minister in 45 years, comes at the invitation of his Polish counterpart, Donald Tusk.

The Indian Ambassador to Poland, Nagma Mohamed Mallick, confirmed the significance of this visit, and stated, as quoted by ANI, “He will be the first Prime Minister to pay respects at all three memorials.” She also mentioned that Prime Minister Modi will address the Indian community in Poland during his visit, which is anticipated to be a “rousing meeting.”

What Do We Know About Jam Saheb of Nawanagar Memorial?

The Jam Saheb of Nawanagar Memorial honors Jam Saheb Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji, the former Maharaja of Nawanagar (modern-day Jamnagar) in Gujarat. Revered as the ‘Good Maharaja,’ he is remembered for his extraordinary humanitarian efforts during World War II.

During the war, he provided refuge to hundreds of Polish children fleeing the atrocities of the USSR. The memorial, located in Poland, stands as a testament to his legacy of compassion and generosity.

Who Was Jam Saheb Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji?

Jam Shri Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji Jadeja was born in Saroda in 1895, and pursued his education at Rajkumar College, Malvern College, and University College London. His early career was marked by military service.

In 1919, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the British Army, eventually serving with the 125th Napier’s Rifles (later the Rajputana Rifles). Over his two-decade military career, he rose through the ranks, ultimately achieving the honorary rank of lieutenant-general in the Indian Army.

Upon the death of his uncle, the legendary cricketer KS Ranjitsinhji, Digvijaysinhji succeeded him as Maharaja of Nawanagar in 1933. He ruled until 1948 and was also the longest-serving President of the Governing Council of the Rajkumar College, Rajkot, holding the position from 1939 until his death in 1966. His contributions to society were recognised when he was knighted in 1935.

Why was His Memorial Built in Warsaw?

Jam Saheb Digvijaysinhji’s most enduring legacy lies in his role in the World War II when he provided shelter to more than 1,000 Polish children who had been evacuated from the Soviet Union in 1941.

These children, many of whom were orphans and refugees, found a safe haven under the care of the ‘Good Maharaja,’ who ensured they received food, shelter, education, and opportunities for cultural enrichment.

In 1942, he established a dedicated Polish children’s camp in Jamnagar-Balachadi, which included facilities such as a kindergarten, schools, a hospital, and a library. The Maharaja personally oversaw the camp’s operations, ensuring the children were provided with not only basic needs but also opportunities for artistic and cultural development. His efforts were instrumental in helping 5,000 Polish children survive the war years in India.

In 2011, he was posthumously awarded the Commander’s Cross of the Order of Merit by President Bronisław Komorowski, acknowledging his significant contribution.

The Polish parliament established the ‘Jam Saheb of Nawanagar Memorial’ in March 2016. Additionally, a school in Warsaw bears his name, honoring his contributions.

The Polish children’s camp in Jamnagar-Balachadi continued to operate until 1945, after which the children were relocated to Valivade, near Kolhapur, Maharashtra. Today, the site of the former camp is part of the 300-acre campus of the Sainik School in Balachadi.

How Valivade-Kolhapur Became Symbol of India-Poland Bond

Valivade is a village in Maharashtra where around Polish refugees took refuge from the Soviet repression during the World War II. These refugees included women, children, and the elderly who had endured tremendous hardship.

By 1943, Valivade was chosen for its favourable climate, located about 500 km south of Mumbai. This site was intended to provide a better living environment to Polish refugees compared to the harsher conditions in other regions.

Valivade was developed into a fully functional Polish settlement, equipped with various amenities including a church, community centre, multiple schools, a college, a post office, a theater, and even a cinema. The infrastructure aimed to replicate a typical Polish town, fostering a sense of community and normalcy for the refugees.

Polish children participated in scouting and physical activities, while religious and national holidays were observed with great enthusiasm.

After the Polish refugees left between 1946 and 1948, Valivade’s significance was preserved through memorials. A cemetery in Kolhapur, restored in 2014, honors the Polish individuals who died while in India. Additionally, an obelisk in Mahavir Garden Park, dedicated by the Association of Poles in India, stands as a testament to the enduring friendship between Poles and Indians.

The Association of Poles in India 1942-1948 was established in 1990, and has been instrumental in preserving the history and fostering connections between former refugees and their Indian hosts.

The Kolhapur Memorial is situated next to the Monte Cassino Memorial in Warsaw.

PM Modi’s Poland Schedule

His two-day visit to Poland from August 21 includes the following schedule:

9:30 am (IST): Departure from India for Warsaw

5:30 pm: Arrival at Warsaw Military Airport

7:55 pm – 8:20 pm: Wreath laying at Jam Saheb of Nawanagar Memorial

8:30 pm – 9:00 pm: Wreath laying at Monument to the Battle of Monte Cassino and Kolhapur Memorial

11:20 pm – 11:55 pm: Community event at Hotel Sheraton

After his Poland visit, PM Modi will depart for Ukraine on August 22 and arrive in Kyiv on August 23. During his brief visit, he will spend around seven hours in Ukraine and hold discussions with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He will then return to Poland.

source/content: news18.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: ENERGY: FIRSTS: Bharat Petroleum unveils India’s first biofuel blend HFHSD bunker at Mumbai Port

Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) has set a new benchmark in the Indian maritime industry by launching first biofuel blend High Flash High Speed Diesel (HFHSD) bunker by an OMC at Mumbai Port. This pioneering initiative by BPCL underscores its unwavering commitment to green energy solutions and aligns with the global mandate to decarbonize the shipping sector.

As the maritime industry globally pivots towards reducing carbon emissions and mitigating environmental impact, BPCL’s introduction of the biofuel blend HFHSD bunker provides shipping companies with a cleaner, biodegradable alternative to traditional fuels. This initiative not only supports environmental sustainability but also strengthens BPCL’s position as a leader in the Indian bunkering market.

Speaking on the occasion, Sukhmal Jain, Director (Marketing), BPCL, remarked, “Today’s launch is a testament to our commitment to sustainable energy solutions. Our Project Aspire, with its focus on green energy, is driving our efforts towards a cleaner future. This biofuel blend bunker is a significant step in that direction and positions BPCL as a global bunkering leader”.

BPCL has consistently demonstrated its leadership in the Indian bunkering sector, being the first to introduce IMO 2020 compliant bunker fuel in the country. With a strong presence along the Western coast, BPCL has become a trusted supplier of marine fuels.

The company’s foray into biofuel blends is part of a broader strategy to expand its portfolio of green bunker fuels, including LNG, hydrogen, and methanol, thereby staying ahead in the evolving energy landscape.

source/content: milleniumpost.in (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL : MIDDLE EAST: FINANCIAL : Going global: UAE merchants accept Rupee via UPI to attract Indian customers

UPI payments were launched in the UAE in the beginning of July. Apart from Lulu, payments through UPI are being accepted by many big and small merchants across the UAE.

The government of India has been promoting UPI as a global payment platform. Now merchants in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are accepting payments via UPI in Rupees to attract Indian customers.

One of the biggest retail companies in the UAE, Lulu has started giving customers the option to accept payments through UPI in all its stores in the country.

Indian citizens can easily make payments using the UPI app just like in India. The amount paid will be deducted from their bank account in India. So Indian citizens and NRIs can easily do shopping in UAE through UPI in Rupees like in India.

UPI payments were launched in the UAE in the beginning of July. Apart from Lulu, payments through UPI are being accepted by many big and small merchants across the UAE.

Indian citizens and NRIs in the UAE can easily pay through QR codes through Point of Sale (POS) machines.

According to the NPCI: “The number of Indian travellers in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is estimated to reach 98 lakh in 2024. Around 53 lakh Indians are likely to reach UAE alone.”

The Government of India, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), and NPCI International are working together to promote UPI on the global platform.

UPI is officially accepted in Nepal, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, UAE, Singapore, France, and Bhutan.

The Unified Payments Interface (UPI)-based transactions surged 35 per cent on a YoY (Year on Year) basis in the month of July, reaching Rs 20.64 lakh crore against Rs 20.07 lakh crore.

The total UPI transaction count went up almost 4 per cent (month-on-month) to 14.44 billion in July from 13.89 billion in the previous month.

As the UPI success story is being adopted by several countries, the average daily transaction volume stood at 466 million last month, compared with 463 million in June.

source/content: siasat.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: 15th August : Independence Day 2024: India celebrates its 78th I-Day this year; know theme, history, significance, celebrations

On August 15, India celebrates its 78th Independence Day. Know all about the theme, history, significance, and celebrations.

 India celebrates its Independence Day annually on August 15. This year, the nation will mark its 78th Independence Day or Swatantrata Diwas on Thursday. Learn about this year’s theme and Independence Day history, significance, and celebrations as we celebrate the day.

Independence Day 2024: What is the theme this year?

As India celebrates its 78th Independence Day, the government of India has announced the theme for this year is Viksit Bharat or Developed India. It symbolises the vision of a developed nation by 2047 and reflects the government’s commitment to transform India. The year 2047 will be the 100th year of India’s freedom from colonial rule.

Independence Day 2024 History and Significance

Independence Day commemorates India’s freedom from British colonial rule for more than 200 years on August 15, 1947. The country began its struggle for Independence with the Rovolt of 1857. Later, around 1920, the freedom struggle gained momentum under Mahatma Gandhi’s leadership. Finally, on July 4, 1947, the British House of Commons introduced the Indian Independence Bill. On August 15, India became an independent nation.

On the eve of India’s Independence, Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of Independent India, hailed this historic achievement as a ‘Tryst with Destiny’. On August 15, Nehru hoisted the Indian national flag above the Lahori Gate of Red Fort in Delhi. It is a tradition that every Prime Minister has since followed with an address to the country.

Independence Day reminds every citizen of the country about the dawn of a new beginning, the freedom struggle, the freedom fighters who laid their lives for the country, and the countless sacrifices they made to achieve liberation from the clutches of Britishers. It is marked as a national holiday in the country.

Independence Day 2024: Celebrations, how to celebrate with loved ones

Every year, the Prime Minister of India hoists the national flag on Swatantrata Diwas and addresses the nation. The Independence Day speech reflects the nation’s progress, achievements, and future goals. This year’s speech will mark the 11th consecutive Independence Day speech by PM Modi and the first during his third term.

Citizens commemorate Independence Day annually with flag hoisting, parades, cultural events, and citizens singing patriotic songs. Schools and colleges host cultural programmes where children are encouraged to recite speeches and poems on Independence, honour our freedom fighters, perform cultural dance from different corners of the country, and sing songs.

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headline edited)

INDIA @ PARIS OLYMPICS 2024: Shooting, Hockey, Wrestling, Athletics – India’s Total Medal Tally At Olympics

A contingent of 117 Indian athletes has been competing for medals and sporting glory at the ongoing Paris Olympics 2024, which concludes this Sunday. India secured a total of six medals at the marquee event, including one silver and five bronze, according to Olympics.com.

Manu Bhaker earned India’s first medal at these Games, clinching bronze and becoming the first Indian woman to medal in Olympic shooting. She made history by becoming the first Indian to win two medals in a single Olympic edition, adding a mixed team 10m air pistol bronze with Sarabjot Singh to her tally.

Swapnil Kusale contributed a third medal in shooting, marking India’s largest haul in this sport at a single Olympics.

The Indian men’s hockey team replicated their Tokyo 2020 success by securing bronze in Paris. Neeraj Chopra further enhanced his Olympic legacy by claiming silver in the javelin throw, making him the most successful individual Olympian from India. Aman Sehrawat also added to the tally, becoming India’s youngest Olympic medallist with a bronze in wrestling.

Despite these achievements, India faced significant disappointments in Paris 2024. The nation narrowly missed out on six potential medals, with athletes finishing fourth in their events, including Lakshya Sen, Mirabai Chanu, and Manu Bhaker, who came close to securing a third medal.

Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification just before a historic final also added to the nation’s woes. Indian athletes participated in 69 medal events across 16 sports, including archery, athletics, badminton, boxing, equestrian, golf, hockey, judo, rowing, sailing, shooting, swimming, table tennis, and tennis.

The Indian contingent featured returning Olympic medallists such as Neeraj Chopra, badminton star PV Sindhu, weightlifter Mirabai Chanu, boxer Lovlina Borgohain, and select members of the Harmanpreet Singh-led Indian men’s hockey team.

To date, India has won a total of 41 Olympic medals. The nation’s Olympic journey began with Norman Pritchard’s two silver medals at Paris 1900. KD Jadhav earned India’s first individual medal as an independent nation with a wrestling bronze at Helsinki 1952. Karnam Malleswari became the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal with her weightlifting bronze at Sydney 2000. Abhinav Bindra was the first Indian to win an individual Olympic gold medal with his shooting triumph at Beijing 2008, a feat that remained unmatched until Neeraj Chopra’s javelin gold at Tokyo 2020.

Men’s hockey has been the most successful sport for India, with 13 medals, including eight golds, followed by wrestling with eight medals. India’s best-ever Olympic performance came at Tokyo 2020, where the nation won seven medals, including one gold.

source/content: ddnews.gov.in (headline edited)

INDIA @ PARIS OLYMPICS 2024 : SHOOTING : bronze medallist shooter Swapnil Kusale receives hero’s welcome in Pune

Paris Olympics 2024 bronze medallist Indian shooter Swapnil Kusale was accorded a hero’s welcome upon his arrival in Pune on Thursday.

Paris Olympics (2024) bronze medallist Indian shooter Swapnil Kusale was accorded a hero’s welcome upon his arrival in Pune on Thursday. After being paraded in an open jeep at Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Mahalunge Balewadi, Kusale shared the dais with the likes of minister Chandrakant Patil, sports commissioner Dr Rajesh Deshmukh, joint secretary general and first-ever Indian jury for the Olympics Pawan Singh, Kusale’s coach Dipali Deshpande, his parents Anita and Sunil Kusale, and other dignitaries during the ceremony held at the stadium.

Kusale was felicitated in traditional style with an idol of Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati, a shawl, a shreephal (coconut), and a Puneri turban. While deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis also extended his congratulations to Kusale over the phone.

Expressing his gratitude, Kusale said, “I am proud that I was born in Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s Maharashtra. This success is not mine alone but belongs to my family, my guru, coach, all those who helped me, friends, and sponsors. I dedicate this medal to all of them.”

Minister Patil said, “After 1952, Maharashtra’s Olympic medal drought has ended in 2024 with Swapnil Kusale. It can be said that the efforts of Kusale’s parents have been honoured with this medal won by him. Guru Dipali Deshpande also played an important role in his success. Gagan Narang, Anjali Bhagwat, Dipali Deshpande have given the right direction to Indian and Maharashtra shooting players.” Patil assured players of the state government’s support at all times.

In the year 2012, a very young Kusale entered the state Prabodhini for his training programme. Today, all these memories flashed in front of his eyes as he received such a grand welcome.

Dipali Deshpande said, “Kusale’s parents had full faith in me and Kusale justified all of our trust. We are proud of it and for the last 12 years, his parents have not called me even once. The fact that they are meeting me today directly at the programme shows the faith they have reposed in me. Today, it is a pleasure to see Kusale not only as an Olympic medal winning athlete but as a responsible citizen of India.”

Later in the evening, Kusale interacted with the media at the Pune Patrakar Sangh. “I will continue my efforts to win a gold medal in the next Olympics. Initially, I trained for six years at Sports Prabhodhini Nashik. After that, I trained further at Balewadi in Pune. The rifles used for this game are expensive and our own tools must be in the game. It is necessary to acquire new technology along with physical fitness. Various things on social media waste our time but only essential things should be used without wasting time,” Kusale said.

In the year 2012, a very young Kusale entered the state Prabodhini for his training programme. Today, all these memories flashed in front of his eyes as he received such a grand welcome.

Dipali Deshpande said, “Kusale’s parents had full faith in me and Kusale justified all of our trust. We are proud of it and for the last 12 years, his parents have not called me even once. The fact that they are meeting me today directly at the programme shows the faith they have reposed in me. Today, it is a pleasure to see Kusale not only as an Olympic medal winning athlete but as a responsible citizen of India.”

Later in the evening, Kusale interacted with the media at the Pune Patrakar Sangh. “I will continue my efforts to win a gold medal in the next Olympics. Initially, I trained for six years at Sports Prabhodhini Nashik. After that, I trained further at Balewadi in Pune. The rifles used for this game are expensive and our own tools must be in the game. It is necessary to acquire new technology along with physical fitness. Various things on social media waste our time but only essential things should be used without wasting time,” Kusale said.

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headline edited)