Category Archives: Education

INTERNATIONAL: U.K. / LEADERS: Meet Ranjeet Rathore, the First Indian Student to be Head of a Students’ Union in the UK

The pioneering student-politician on what it took to break the glass ceiling of colour and race in UK’s student politics.

While Indians across the world are still celebrating the appointment of Rishi Sunak as the first person of Indian-origin to become the Prime Minister of the UK, it is time to acknowledge the contributions of another political leader whose Indian roots have blossomed to great effect in Britain. Ranjeet Rathore, 26, from Jaipur, is the first Indian as well as the first international student to win their university student elections in the UK, a feat he achieved in June 2018. He held his presidential term till July 2020.

My Kolkata caught up with Rathore to take a deep dive into his political journey, his struggles and aspirations, the challenges of Indian students in the UK and more.

‘People like me were never meant to run for elections’

My Kolkata: Tell us more about how you won the students’ union election at Brunel University, London.

Ranjeet Rathore: My story is an unlikely one. People like me were never meant to run for elections. For people like myself it was never about planning our path to big universities or even to London. It was about keeping our heads low and surviving the tide because we are minorities here. Believing in the Indian teaching of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, which translates to “the world is one family”, I was able to get involved in my university and represent the voices of 15,000 students. 

How did everyone react when you became the first-ever Indian students’ union president in the UK?

The news of my victory was met with mixed reactions, as I wasn’t the traditional white candidate running for president. I wasn’t the “obvious choice”, as one would say! On one hand, the international student community was overjoyed with the results as “one of their own” had been elected. And on the other, there were people who had their doubts and were naysayers with respect to the results.

What are you currently involved in? 

I’m currently doing a balancing act of sorts, with my time split across two major things. First, community work, which I’m super passionate about, where I volunteer my time and resources with a number of charities from food banks to community trusts to working with youth organisations as well as the Indian High Commission. Second, working with the national political party — The Conservatives, in various capacities, from helping at the grassroots with organising and mobilising campaigns to advocating on a large scale when necessary. 

‘We can’t expect politics to change if we leave it to the same old people to run it’

How did you get interested in student politics in the UK? What are the challenges of being a student politician of colour in the UK?

Initially, I didn’t believe politics was for me. But we can’t expect politics to change if we leave it to the same old people to run it. Politics is for everyone. I’m a big believer in the fact that we need leaders who understand what it’s like to live like us, to face the everyday issues we face. That is why I got into politics. To give our youth and our communities a voice. 

The challenges of being a youth leader of colour are many. From systemic oppression to being up against elitist groups to being treated as a second-class citizen. 

What is your view of the political affiliations of the student community in the UK? Are they inclined more towards Labour or the Conservatives? Do student affiliations fluctuate a lot depending on demography and/or ethnicity?

There are both types of affiliations (towards the Conservatives and Labour) that prevail in the UK. Demographics and socio-economic factors play a major role in deciding which side you lean. Some universities and campuses are very vocal and Labour-leaning. Some universities are liberal but have other political views. With time and age, students get more clarity on what the right affiliation is for them as individuals. Regardless of political affiliation, I believe quality education should be the key focus. With the right education, students and adults in general will make more informed political decisions.

‘I was a volunteer campaigner for Team Boris, pulling in the masses to come out and campaign’

What did your work with Boris Johnson’s team entail?

Perhaps the highlight of my work so far came during the two-election season we saw in 2019, one being the snap elections and the second being the general elections. I was a volunteer campaigner for Team Boris, pulling in the masses to come out and campaign. Our work involved facilitating a wide range of conversations, developing strategies to drive change in the boroughs and beyond, delivering projects, resources and creating awareness about important causes through public engagements and door-to-door campaigning.

What are your long-term plans for UK politics? Do you ever plan to join politics in India?

There’s this famous saying by Marc Anthony, “If you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.” I plan to carry on doing what I love doing for the community. There are general elections in the UK in 18 months’ time, and if during the lead up to it, the right opportunity comes along, I’ll try to do justice to whatever role I’m given in the UK’s political landscape. In terms of Indian politics, I plan to be a cheerleader of India’s economic growth and support its young leaders by getting more involved in shaping the nation. With India assuming the presidency of G20, I am leading projects for Youth G20 from the UK to discuss and debate global challenges and policy recommendations that people would like G20 leaders to take forward. 

‘I hope Sunak provides more opportunities to international students, especially Indians’

How do you envision the UK-India relationship developing considering Rishi Sunak is now the Prime Minister of the UK?

Sunak himself summarised it quite well when he said that the UK-India relationship should be a “two-way exchange”. This will benefit both the economies, especially when it comes to collaborating on big projects such as the India-UK Free Trade Agreement. I also hope it provides more opportunities to international students, especially Indians, since I’ve always been an advocate for the post-study work visa in the UK for Indian students. Overall, under Sunak, I think the future is immensely bright for the exchange of knowledge and business between both countries. 

Do you think the UK’s current policies are doing enough to battle systemic racism against Indians?

To battle systemic racism against Indians or anyone, the most important thing to do is to call it out. There are structural problems with race within our communities. A lot of groundwork is being laid to address this issue. The government has formed an Equalities Office, whose entire purpose is to eradicate systemic racism. From decolonising the curriculum to workplace changes to reformation of the criminal justice system, there’s a lot that’s being done.

‘The rightful country as far as the Kohinoor goes is India’

Following Sunak’s appointment, there was even more talk of the UK giving back the Kohinoor and which nation would be entitled to get it should that happen. What’s your take?

In August, London’s Horniman Museum agreed to return 72 stolen Nigerian artefacts, including the Benin Bronzes (a group of sculptures made of brass and bronze), taken over a hundred years ago. So, following the same precedent, the rightful country as far as the Kohinoor goes is India. 

What are the biggest social issues or challenges Indians face in the UK that you are trying to solve?

Indians in the UK work very hard, but the barriers to success are very high. From colourism to  systemic racism, from mental health being a taboo to housing issues to lack of  social mobility, it’s a long list. A lot of these come from the systemic hierarchies which have been embedded since colonialism began. My work to address these issues includes working on a race and equality charter with my university, lobbying for more BAME (Black, Asian and minority ethnic) jobs and making Indians more aware about the resources they have available that can help them succeed. 

source/content: telegraphindia.com/mykolkata headline edited)

GLOBAL: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY / RESEARCH: Global Award ‘Ben Barres Spotlight 2022’ for RGCB Scientist, Dr. Karthika Rajeeve for Study on Pathogens. She is 1 of 12 Scientists Awarded Worldwide.

She has been working on the human pathogens  Chlamydia trachomatis. Her research focuses on how these pathogens evade the host immune system.

Dr. Karthika Rajeeve, staff scientist at the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (RGCB), has been selected for the Ben Barres Spotlight Award, 2022.

The Ben Barres Spotlight Awards has been instituted by scientific journal eLife to perpetuate the memory of American neurobiologist Dr. Ben Barres, a transgender researcher who advocated equality in science.

Dr. Karthika is one of the 12 scientists from around the world chosen for the prestigious award this year. She has been working on the human pathogens  Chlamydia trachomatis. Her research focuses on how these pathogens evade the host immune system.

“The scientific community at RGCB is elated at the international recognition received by Dr. Karthika Rajeeve,” said Professor Chandrabhas Narayana, Director RGCB.

Money for equipment

Dr. Karthika said she would use the award to buy much-needed equipment to take forward her research, besides attending an international conference on Chlamydia biologists to increase the visibility of her work.

Chlamydia trachomatis (Ctr) is a neglected tropical disease and the infection remains asymptomatic as a silent epidemic. The bacteria persist over extended times within their host cell and thereby establish chronic infections.

Persistent and chronic infection can cause potentially fatal ectopic (outside the uterus) pregnancy, pelvic inflammatory disease and sterility.

Her study challenges a long-standing hypothesis and shows that interferon gamma can down regulate c-Myc, the key regulator of metabolism leading to chlamydial persistence.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

GLOBAL: RANKING / SCHOLARLY RESEARCH: India Jumps from 7th to 3rd Global Ranking in Scientific Publications

India has jumped from 7th to 3rd global ranking in scientific publications. This was informed by the Union Minister for Science & Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh on Sunday after a review meeting with the senior official of Department of Science & Technology in New Delhi.

Lauding the consistent efforts of India’s scientific fraternity, Dr Jitendra Singh gave all credit to an enabling milieu and freedom of working provided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He said, the very fact that such quantum leaps in India’s scientific pursuits are happening only in the last few years is a testimony to the push given by PM Modi both in terms of the ease of policy as well as his personal indulgence and prioritisation.

Quoting the report of National Science Foundation (NSF)’s Science & Engineering Indicators 2022 of the United States, the Minister said India’s scholarly output has also increased from 60,555 papers in 2010 to 1,49,213 papers in 2020.

Dr Jitendra Singh also took pride that India now ranks 3rd in terms of number of PhDs in science and engineering.

He was also apprised that the number of patents granted to Indian scientists at India Patent Office (IPO) during the last three years has also increased from 2511 in 2018-19 to 4003 in 2019-20 and 5629 in 2020-21.

The National Science Foundation is an independent agency of the United States government that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering.

Mr Singh added that India’s research performance in science and technology has improved significantly over the past few years which is visible through a large amount of scientific knowledge in terms of research publications, development of technologies and innovations contributing to overall development.

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

GLOBAL: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY / MACHINE LEARNING : Rishi Rajpopat, Indian PhD student at Cambridge University solves 2,500-year-old Sanskrit puzzle making it possible, for the first time, to accurately use Panini’s so-called “language machine”.

Rishi Rajpopat solved the 2,500-year-old Sanskrit puzzle by decoding a rule taught by Panini, known as the father of linguistics.

A grammatical problem that has defeated Sanskrit scholars since the 5th Century BC has finally been solved by an Indian PhD student at the University of Cambridge, it emerged as his thesis was published on Thursday.

Rishi Rajpopat made the breakthrough by decoding a rule taught by Panini, known as the father of linguistics, and is now encapsulated in his thesis entitled ‘In Panini, We Trust: Discovering the Algorithm for Rule Conflict Resolution in the Astadhyayi’.

According to the university, leading Sanskrit experts have described Rajpopat’s discovery as “revolutionary” and it could now mean that Panini’s grammar can also be taught to computers for the first time.

“I had a eureka moment in Cambridge,” recalls Rajpopat.

“After nine months of trying to crack this problem, I was almost ready to quit, I was getting nowhere. So, I closed the books for a month and just enjoyed the summer, swimming, cycling, cooking, praying and meditating. Then, begrudgingly I went back to work, and, within minutes, as I turned the pages, these patterns started emerging, and it all started to make sense. There was a lot more work to do but I’d found the biggest part of the puzzle,” said the 27-year-old scholar.

Over the next few weeks, he was so excited that he couldn’t sleep and would spend hours in the library, including in the middle of the night, to check what he’d found and solve related problems. It would take another two and half years before he would get to the finish line.

“Panini had an extraordinary mind and he built a machine unrivalled in human history. He didn’t expect us to add new ideas to his rules. The more we fiddle with Panini’s grammar, the more it eludes us,” says Rajpopat.

The 2,500-year-old algorithm decoded by him makes it possible, for the first time, to accurately use Panini’s so-called “language machine”.

Rajpopat’s discovery makes it possible to “derive” any Sanskrit word, to construct millions of grammatically correct words, using Panini’s revered language machine, which is widely considered to be one of the greatest intellectual achievements in history.

Panini’s system – 4,000 rules detailed in his renowned work, the Astadhyayi, which is thought to have been written around 500 BC – is meant to work like a machine. Feed in the base and suffix of a word and it should turn them into grammatically correct words and sentences through a step-by-step process.

Until now, however, there has been a big problem. Often, two or more of Panini’s rules are simultaneously applicable at the same step leaving scholars to agonise over which one to choose. Solving so-called “rule conflicts”, which affect millions of Sanskrit words including certain forms of “mantra” and “guru”, requires an algorithm. Rajpopat’s research shows that Panini’s so-called language machine is also self-sufficient.

“My student Rishi has cracked it – he has found an extraordinarily elegant solution to a problem that has perplexed scholars for centuries. This discovery will revolutionise the study of Sanskrit at a time when interest in the language is on the rise,” said Professor Vincenzo Vergiani, Sanskrit professor and Rajpopat’s PhD supervisor.

Six months before Rajpopat made his discovery, Professor Vergiani gave him some prescient advice: “If the solution is complicated, you are probably wrong”. A major implication of Rajpopat’s discovery is that now there is the algorithm that runs Panini’s grammar, it could potentially teach this grammar to computers.

“Computer scientists working on Natural Language Processing gave up on rule-based approaches over 50 years ago. So teaching computers how to combine the speaker’s intention with Panini’s rule-based grammar to produce human speech would be a major milestone in the history of human interaction with machines, as well as in India’s intellectual history,” said Rajpopat.

Sanskrit is an ancient and classical Indo-European language from South Asia. While only spoken in India by an estimated 25,000 people today, it has influenced many other languages and cultures around the world.

“Some of the most ancient wisdom of India has been produced in Sanskrit and we still don’t fully understand what our ancestors achieved. We’ve often been led to believe that we’re not important, that we haven’t brought enough to the table. I hope this discovery will infuse students in India with confidence, pride, and hope that they too can achieve great things,” added Rajpopat.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: HEALTH & MEDICAL SCIENCES / ALTERNATIVE: 9th World Ayurveda Congress 2022: Experts pitch for Innovations and Research in Ayurveda

Anirudha Joshi said he was envisaging developing wearable devices that could provide vital information about anatomy.

Ayurveda has an enormous potential for innovation but that requires an extensive technology-based research and a concrete roadmap to make it a global brand and its products effective and successful, said experts at the 9th World Ayurveda Congress (WAC) here.

“There are great possibilities of innovations in Ayurveda. There are challenges to develop techniques more advanced than supercomputers. We will have to work on those areas of computing which have not been heard of,” Padma Bhushan Vijay Bhatkar said, while chairing a plenary session on ‘Innovation and Entrepreneurs in Ayurveda’.

Anirudha Joshi, who is credited with developing award-winning ‘Nadi Tarangini’, an Artificial Intelligence-based instrument for pulse-reading, said he was envisaging developing wearable devices that could provide vital information about the human body.

“It will be very helpful if we can develop wearables which can do ‘Astha-vidha-pariksha’. Our vision is to go into prediction of different stages of a disease so that we can defer a disease if we cannot prevent it,” he explained.

In his concluding remarks, Mr. Bhatkar said, “There is a need to develop new devices like `Nadi Tarangini’. We will have to think of ways of marketing, packaging, advertising our products and how they can be shown to the world.’‘ According to Kartikeya Baldva, CEO, Ixoreal Biomed Inc, Ayurveda, a traditional wellness system, had finally arrived but there was still a long way to go.

“It is very important to ensure the success of products but that would require quality, efficacy, branding, marketing and innovation,” he emphasised.

Ajit Kolatkar, Founder- Director of Pune- based Gastrolab India Pvt Ltd, said Ayurveda had to move in such a fashion that a doctor could diagnose the ailments of a patient by using minimum devices.

”We will have to start with fundamental research from Ayurvedic perspective. There has to be a concrete roadmap. There is a need to revisit Ayurveda in the context of contemporary science,” he said, adding there were many key areas where Ayurveda could contribute significantly.

Rishabh Chopra, founder of Ayurveda Experience, an Ayurvedic health and wellness platform, said ‘Ashwagandha’ had now become a popular product in the West.

However, there were several challenges to make Ayurvedic products globally acceptable. He also said Ashwagandha, turmeric and Yoga were some of the most online searched words in the West.

“Our vision is to go into prediction of different stages of a disease so that we can defer a disease if we cannot prevent it”Anirudha Joshi,Inventor,  ‘Nadi Tarangini’

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: SPORTS/ POWER LIFTING: Steel City’s Powerlifters M Durga Prasad & B Anil Kumar make Nation Proud, Securing 4 Gold Medals at the ‘Commonwealth Powerlifting & Bench Press Championship 2022’ New Zealand

Secure four gold medals each at Commonwealth C’ship held from Nov 28 to Dec 4.

Two powerlifters from Visakhapatnam made the country proud as they won four gold medals each during the Commonwealth Powerlifting and Bench Press Championship held in New Zealand from November 28 to December 4.

M Durga Prasad, a final year BA student, and B Anil Kumar, a first-year MBA student, won gold in bench press, squat, deadlift and overall championship in the 93 kg and 83 kg categories, respectively. Both the champions’ journeys may be different, but the feeling of joy they felt while representing their country on a foreign land and acing at it was the same.

Hailing from a farmer’s family, Anil never dreamt of becoming a powerlifter until his college lecturer encouraged him.  Summing up his journey, Anil said, “The last four years have been really difficult in terms of training and recovering from injuries. I did not realise that winning the medals in New Zealand was a great feat until I returned home and was welcomed by overwhelming appreciation and encouragement.”

In 2019, Anil had injured his wrists during training and was on bed rest for three months.Speaking about his international win, he said, “I have won several medals at the national level, but nothing matches the feeling of representing the country and winning medals on a foreign land.”

South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, North America, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Canada, England, Scotland, and Sri Lanka were among the other countries that took part in the powerlifting championship.


In the case of Durga Prasad, he watched his uncle powerlift and always wanted to try his luck at it. He started training at the age of 16.

“The weight of the bars seem nothing when compared to the happiness of representing my country amongst a number of foreign countries. I always wanted to succeed in the sport, but never expected it to be this big. We fail a lot of times in this journey, but that should not stop or create a negative impact on our willpower,” Prasad said and added, “To excel in powerlifting, one must have the zeal and patience. It is not something that can be achieved over night. It comes with practise, patience, and a proper diet. Frequent injuries should not discourage one from quitting in between.”

“I come from a marginalised background. A single training kit costs nearly `2 lakh. Spending lakhs of rupees to compete in such competitions is a burden for me and my family. Gaining international recognition brings happiness, but it should not be at the expense of incurring debt,” Anil rued.

Both Anil and Prasad aim to take part in the World Junior Powerlifting Championships scheduled to be held next year.

In recognition of their achievements, Dr Lankapalli Bullayya College is supporting the two powerlifters by providing them with free education until they complete their post-graduation.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: Constitutional Day of India – November 26th, 1949. Also known as Samvidhan Divas or National Law Day

Constitution Day, also known as Samvidhan Divas or National Law Day, is celebrated in India on November 26 every year.

Why is the Constitution Day celebrated?

On November 26, 1949, the Constituent Assembly of India formally adopted the Constitution of India. It came into force on January 26, 1950. Constitution Day aims to bring awareness about the importance of the Constitution and Dr B R Ambedkar.

Who started the Constitution Day?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi marked November 26 as the Constitution Day of India in 2015.

What is the Constitution of India?

The Constitution is a set of written principles and precedents of the Government of India. It frames fundamental political principles, procedures, rights, directive principles, restrictions and duties of the government and the citizens of the country. The Constitution of India declares the country a sovereign, secular, socialist and democratic republic. It assures its citizens equality, liberty and justice.

Who wrote the Constitution of India?

B R Ambedkar, chairman of the drafting committee, is considered to be the chief architect of the Constitution of India. He is also called the Father of the Indian Constitution. The Constitution of India was drafted by the members of the Constituent Assembly.

What is the preamble to the Constitution of India?

Preamble is a brief statement which records the aims and aspirations of the people of India. The preamble to the Constitution of India reads:

“We, the people of India, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic, republic, and to secure to all its citizens:

Justice, social, economic and political; liberty of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship; equality of status and of opportunity, and to promote among them all — fraternity assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the Nation;

In our Constituent Assembly this twenty-sixth day of November, 1949, do hereby adopt, enact and give to ourselves this constitution.”

How did Constitution of India come into being?

From 1947 to 1950, India continued to use the legislation implemented when it was a dominion of Britain. In the meantime, the Constituent Assembly drafted the Constitution of India, which would replace the Government of India Act, 1935, as the country’s fundamental governing document. The Constitution was drawn from a number of sources, while India’s needs and conditions were given paramount importance. B R Ambedkar studied the Constitutions of over 60 countries before drafting the Constitution of India.

A brief timeline: 

On December 6, 1949 the Constitution Assembly was formed and its first meeting was held on December 9. Rajendra Prasad was appointed its President and H C Mukherjee its vice-chairman. On August 29, 1947, the drafting committee appointed Ambedkar as its chairman and six other members — Munshi N Gopalaswami Ayyangar, Khaitan, Mitter, Muhammed Sadulla, Alladi Krishnaswamy Iyer. The members of the Constituent Assembly signed two hand-written copies of the document (one each in Hindi and English) on January 24, 1950. On November 26, 1949, the Constitution of India was adopted by the Assembly. On January 26, 1950, the Constitution was enforced.

It took almost three years to write the constitution. 

source/content: business-standard.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: CHILDREN’S DAY:10-year-old Shlok Mukherjee from Kolkata wins Google Doodle for 24 hours on November 14th, Children’s Day.

Shlok Mukherjee’s drawing was the Google doodle for 24 hours on November 14, selected from over 1,15000 entries from across 100 cities in India.

A 10-year-old boy’s hope that his country will be at the centre stage of scientific advancement in 25 years and the image he drew to portray it won him the Doodle for Google competition 2022 on Children’s Day.

Shlok Mukherjee’s drawing was the Google doodle for 24 hours on November 14, selected from over 1,15000 entries from across 100 cities in India.

The day started at 4am at their home in Kankurgachhi, when Shlok’s mother woke up to her son’s doodle on Google. A few hours later, phone calls followed and of course, celebration.

The student of Delhi Public School New Town in his doodle married science with nature. “My doodle has an eco-friendly robot that plants trees and stops them from getting uprooted. I have shown India at the centre stage and the rest of the world applauding our advancement,” the Class IV boy told The Telegraph.

About 10 days back, when Shlok was getting off the school bus one afternoon, his mother told him he was one of the finalists of the competition and he would have to go to Delhi.

“In Delhi, he was one of the 20 finalists from across the country. We were told that the winner’s doodle would be up on Google on November 14. I woke up at 4 am today to check and there it was,” said Shlok’s mother Paromita Chatterjee.

The theme for this year’s competition was “In the next 25 years, my India will…”

The entries were judged on artistic merit, creativity, alignment with the contest theme, uniqueness and novelty of approach, Google said in a video.

“We appreciate his ability to think deeply about the future of the nation and the environment,” said Sonali Sen, principal of the school.

Google said that it was heartening that “advancement of technology and sustainability emerge as common themes across many of the Doodles”.

source/content: telegraphindia.com (headline edited)

NATION: EDUCATION: November 11th – National Education Day of India.Why National Education Day is celebrated on November 11

National Education Day is celebrated every year on November 11 as it marks the birth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, who was India’s first education minister after independence.

The National Education Day is observed annually on November 11 in India. From its history, significance to theme, here is all you need to know about this day.

Why is National Education Day celebrated?

In India, National Education Day is celebrated every year on November 11 as it marks the birth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, who was India’s first education minister after independence.

Born on November 18, 1888, Abul Kalam Ghulam Muhiyuddin Ahmed bin Khairuddin Al-Hussaini Azad was an Indian independence activist,  writer and a senior leader of the Indian National Congress. After the nation gained independence, he became the first Minister of Education in the Indian government. He served as the education minister from August 15, 1947 till February 2, 1958, and passed away in Delhi on February 22, 1958.

The day is observed to celebrate the work done by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad in the education sector during his tenure as the education minister. In 1920, he was elected as a member of the foundation committee to establish Jamia Millia Islamia at Aligarh in UP. He also assisted in shifting the university campus from Aligarh to New Delhi in 1934. Now, the main gate of the campus is named after him.

As the first Indian education minister, Azad’s main focus in post-independence India was educating the rural poor and girls. Other key areas where he focused were adult literacy, free and compulsory for all children up to the age of 14, universal primary education, and diversification of secondary education and vocational training.

“We must not for a moment forget, it is a birthright of every individual to receive at least the basic education without which he cannot fully discharge his duties as a citizen,” he said addressing a conference on All India Education on 16 January 1948.

He also oversaw the establishment of the Department of Education of the University of Delhi, the first Indian Institute of Technology in 1951 and the University Grants Commission in 1953.

How to celebrate National Education Day?

School students across the country can conduct discussions, debates and themed-programmes on Maulana Abul Kalam Azad’s teachings and achievements. They can also have cultural programmes related to the birth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, or his life achievements.

Additionally, schools can also organise discussions or seminars to discuss the current problems and issues in the Indian education system. Through these discussions, experts and shareholders can identify the issues in the system and also come up with possible solutions to these problems.

source/content: indianexpress.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: SPORT, FOOTBALL: 15- Year-Old Goan lad Justin Fernades to Don Qatar’s Maroon Colours in the AFC U-17 Asian Cup 2023 Qualifiers, Oman

15-year-old set to spearhead Gulf Nation’s challenge in the AFC U-17 Asian Cup qualifiers in Oman.

This Goan lad will take the pitch in the AFC U-17 Asian Cup 2023 qualifiers in Muscat, Oman, that commenced on Saturday.

But not in the blue strip of India. Instead, he will wear the maroon of Qatar in which he is expected to sparkle at the centre of the attack.

Meet Justin Fernandes, all of 15, a strapping 5-foot- 11-inches tall and endowed with the qualities of an aggressive centre-forward.

His consistent appearances in the top bracket of the goal scorers’ list through age group tournaments evidence his prowess and the ensuing rare honour of an expatriate being bestowed the coveted Qatari colours.

Son of Camilo who hails from Murida village in Cuncolim and Abigail, from Assolna, Justin was born and raised in Qatar.

A bright student, now studying in Class XI, science stream, Justin has what it takes to be a thinking player – vital for success in any sport.

His inspiration? “Lionel Messi,” says the lad, who he follows keenly – even to the extent of locking on to Paris-St Germain, the French giants for whom the Argentinean superstar turns out these days.

 That might seem to be a paradox of sorts. Justin, you see, is an English Premier League ‘freak’, soaking up the action on television seemingly incessantly.

So much so that his great big ambition is “to play in the EPL!”

 Justin’s precocious talent earned him the privilege of representing the Gulf nation which he has done with aplomb for more than a year.

First taking to the sport as a seven-year-old, his natural talent and abilities caught the eye of scouts and he was duly invited to the Absolute Sports  academy to hone his fast-growing skills.

He moved to the Aspire academy in 2019 and sustained the promise he revealed by excelling in the QFA U-13 and U-15 leagues with Al Ahli.

His influence in the club’s fortunes is unmistakable. In 2020 he was among the leading scorers in the U-13 league while assisting Al Ahli to third place.

In 2021, Al Ahli took the top podium, with Justin inevitably finding the net prolifically.

Even before his exploits propelled Al Ahli to the top, he was accorded the 2018 Qatar Foundation’s best U-13 player accolade.

 And, as an U-11 and turning out for Absolute Sports in Armenia at a summer camp in Yeravan, Justin was adjudged best forward.

 Justin also inspired his academy to a tournament win in Georgia as an U-12.

 It was only a matter of time that the lad would earn the rare privilege of turning out in Qatari colours.

 The summon duly arrived and off went Justin in the revered maroon shirt to do national duty in Slovenia, Saudi Arabia and the UAE as an U-16, proving to be a menace to rival defenders.

 With his control, scoring prowess and speed, Justin’s presence in the team was a foregone conclusion as Qatar gear up for U-17 continental honours.

 Camilo played a bit of football himself but attributes his son’s sporting genes to his grandmother, Abigail’s mother, Jovina, who played hockey for Mumbai in the 1970s.

 Given the Indian, and particularly Goan, diaspora in the Gulf region, one wagers that Justin will be among the players closely watched in Muscat.

And, on the pitch one suspects, even more closely by defenders in the ranks of Iraq, Lebanon, Bahrain and hosts Oman who make up the field.

source/content: heraldgoa.in (headline edited)