Category Archives: Women/Girls (since October 30-2023

Oscars 2025: Payal Kapadia’s seat at the big table

Leave a reply

A lack of budget certainly didn’t stop the filmmaker. Her big win at Cannes, along with rave reviews, special screenings and strong distributors with festival know-how have given her an edge.

In the spring of 2022, S.S. Rajamouli’s historical action drama RRR was a huge hit in India and in the global Indian diaspora market when two American distributors floated the idea of releasing it once again — to reach an audience not usually drawn to Indian films.

With great word of mouth and reviews, the film pulled more American audiences. It was quite unlike anything Americans had seen. RRR ended up winning a few critics’ association awards and a Golden Globe for the song ‘Nattu Nattu’. One day before the final Oscars voting began, the distributors, Variance Films and Potentate Films, organised a sold-out screening in the 1,647-seat Ace Hotel Theatre in Los Angeles. A couple of weeks later, ‘Nattu Nattu’ won an Oscar for Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures.

Indian films rarely make such an impact in the U.S. during the awards seasons. I have been observing this for over four decades, first as a journalism student, then an entertainment writer and the festival director of the oldest Indian film festival in North America. Unless it is a work of the magnitude of Richard Attenborough’s Gandhi — a British-Indian co-production that won eight Oscars in 1983, beating Steven Spielberg’s most loved film E.T., the Extra-Terrestrial. Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire also won eight Oscars, but unlike Gandhi it was a British production with no Indian producer attached to it.

Grand Prix sets the ball rolling

Marketing, promotion, and celebrity endorsements are often a big part of the awards campaign. In the fall of 2001, British filmmaker Roland Joffé (The Killing Fields) called a few of his friends in Hollywood — all members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Joffé had seen Ashutosh Gowarikar’s Lagaan, which was India’s entry for the Best Foreign Language Film. He had liked the film — about a farmer during the British Raj who challenges its officers to a game of cricket to get tax exemption — and wanted to make sure his friends would attend the Academy’s screening.

But in all these years I had not seen an Indian film reach American shores with a stamp of having won an award at a major film festival — not until May 2024, when Payal Kapadia’s second feature All We Imagine as Light won the Grand Prix at the 77th Cannes Film Festival. It was the first Indian film in 30 years to play in the main competition section of the festival.

Suddenly, it seemed everyone was talking about All We Imagine as Light, a Malayalam language drama on three working women and the transformative power of friendship and sisterhood. IndieWire gave it an A rating; they are usually very conservative in their reviews. And senior critic Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian gave the film a five-star rating, comparing it to Satyajit Ray’s Mahanagar and Aranyer Din Ratri.

his followed screenings at the top three fall season festivals in North America: Telluride, Toronto and New York. There were more awards, including from several American critics’ associations. And even though India did not submit All We Imagine as Light for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film, the buzz about it remained strong.

According to filmmaker and film preservationist Shivendra Singh Dungarpur the reason for the success of All We Imagine as Light is the new film language that Kapadia has developed. “She blends fiction with documentary style of filmmaking giving her narrative an almost hypnotic quality,” he says. “You can’t tell where the fiction begins and when it is pure documentary.” Mumbai-based Kapadia worked as an assistant with Dungarpur before she joined the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII). Her journey since has been one of resilience — overcoming wrongful charges of rioting at FTII (where her scholarship was suspended), to persisting with her vision even when her films never found a local audience. Until now.

Under a Golden spotlight

One of the advantages All We Imagine as Light could have had is its European producers. “I don’t know [if there’s a specific] benefit in having a producer from a different part of the world… but if you are keen to premiere at a film festival in Europe, then European producers know the process,” says Kapadia. “Now, many Indian producers are learning about it, along with the American festival system. Look at Reema Das. She is her own producer and has always premiered her movies at top-level festivals. Her films are very local and yet the themes resonate across the world.”

Late last year, several critics and major publications — from The New York Times to Sight and Sound magazine ranked All We Imagine as Light as the number one film of the year. In its recent Instagram post, Sight and Sound described the film as “a delicate, dreamlike tale of loneliness and fellowship” and added that the film recalled works of Ray and Wong Kar-wai. One day after Christmas, Variety named Kapadia as one of the international breakouts of the year.

So, no one seemed surprised when All We Imagine as Light received two Golden Globes nominations, including one in the Best Director category. Variety wrote this reflected “Kapadia’s growing influence in world cinema”. This was the first such nomination for an Indian filmmaker for a film made in India. In 1999, Shekhar Kapur received a Best Director nomination for Elizabeth, but that was a British production.

All We Imagine as Light also received a Golden Globes nomination for Best Motion Picture – Non-English Language. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences only accepts one international film submitted by each individual country, but the Hollywood Foreign Press Association — the body that awards the Golden Globes — accepts submissions by producers of foreign language films. And so the filmcould compete.

For a while now, commentators have said that the Golden Globes have lost their significance. But one cannot deny that Academy members and studios seriously follow the Globes — the nominations and the awards. (And since any film that runs for a week in any of the U.S.’s six metropolitan areas is eligible to be nominated for the Oscars, All We Imagine as Light is a contender.)

Kapadia attended the Globes dressed in a black silk outfit designed by Payal Khandwala and she wore earrings gifted to her by her mother, the painter Nalini Malani. She was accompanied by her two French producers, Thomas Hakim and Julien Graff, and cinematographer Ranabir Das. “It was such a huge honour to be nominated,” Kapadia shares the day after the Golden Globes ceremony. “The nominations really put our film back in people’s attention. And of course, talking to stars you have admired is always a thrill. I met Jodie Foster as well as director Walter Salles who had both seen our movie, and they liked it!”

Kapadia’s chance of winning a Globe was never definite, given the competitive field she was in, but her name has already registered in the minds of many Academy members. Meanwhile, last week, the film was longlisted in three categories for the British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA), including best director.

Celebrity support for Indian films 

The torch of All We Imagine as Light has been kept burning by the film’s two distributors, Janus Films and Sideshow. The former had two other foreign language films nominated for the Golden Globes: Vermiglio (Italy), a drama set during World War II, and Flow (Lithuania), a fantasy adventure about a solitary cat’s survival. Flow won the Globe for the Best Motion Picture, Animated.

“We are lucky to work with Janus and Sideshow who really take care of the films they distribute,” Kapadia says. “They understand this system well and make sure that the campaign effort is streamlined and specific. We don’t have a major studio funding backing this effort so it’s sheer hard work from everyone involved.” A stark contrast to money-backed films such as RRR or even a Gandhi, which had the support of a big studio for its Oscar campaign.

But in a crowded field with Hollywood and foreign language films competing for the short attention span of Academy members, celebrity support for films can be really helpful. Late last year before the Oscar shortlists were announced, Mexican filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón hosted a screening of Kiran Rao’s Laapataa Ladies in London. British film director of Indian origin Gurinder Chadha, who is a member of the Academy along with Cuarón, also attended the screening.

In mid-November, Indian-American filmmaker Mira Nair moderated a post-screening Q&A of All We Imagine as Light with Kapadia at NeueHouse, a small theatre in Manhattan with just 86 seats. The screening was organised by Janus Films and Sideshow to generate interest before the limited release of the film on November 15 in New York City. But it was also intended to start the buzz among Academy members based in the city. The NeueHouse screening was attended by a few Indian-American Academy members, including publicist Gitesh Pandya and producer Shrihari Sathe. Nair is also an influential member of the Academy.

The same evening, Netflix hosted a screening of Laapataa Ladies in New York City. At the time, the film was in consideration for the Best International Feature Film award. Kiran Rao and Aamir Khan were present as was Nair, who did a Q&A with the director and producer. Nair then rushed to moderate the NeueHouse Q&A of All We Imagine as Light. She had seen Kapadia’s film earlier.

Is another nomination likely?

These special screenings by well-known filmmakers are held throughout the awards seasons. In December, Kapadia was interviewed by director Shuchi Talati (Girls Will Be Girls) after the film’s screening at Film Forum, a prime art-house theatre in New York City. Again, the Q&A was meant to create a buzz about All We Imagine as Light as the Academy members were getting set to watch the films in consideration. The film is now in its eighth week of theatrical run at Film Forum.

And earlier at the end of October, Kapadia was in Japan for the Tokyo International Film Festival when she had an in-depth conversation with the Japanese master Hirokazu Kore-eda. (Kore-eda received a Palm d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 2018 for Shoplifters. The next year Shoplifters received an Academy Award nomination for the Best Foreign Language Film.)

During the conversation, Kore-eda asked Kapadia her thoughts on All We Imagine as Light not being sent to the Academy Awards. Her response was measured and diplomatic. “I think with this film, it got a lot already. I’m very satisfied with how the journey of the film has gone. And it’s been really more than I expected. So everything that comes its way, it’s like a bonus for me.”

All We Imagine as Light has had a huge success in finding distribution deals in 85 countries. And according to Zico Maitra, one of the film’s producers, it has already opened in 43 countries, including just recently in the U.K., Germany and Spain. After a limited release in India, the film is also streaming on Disney+Hotstar. Kapadia wanted her film to be seen by people across the country. Hence, the screenings took place in major cities, but also those that could be described as Tier-II cities: Guwahati, Chandigarh and Kanpur. The OTT release is a part of the extra bonus Kapadia mentioned.

Voting for the Academy Awards is on from January 8 to 12, and the nominations will be announced on January 19. While no one can predict whether All We Imagine as Light will receive any nominations, this much is clear: Kapadia and her film already have a seat at the main dinner table. She will be there even after the award season has ended.

The writer is a film festival programmer and author.

content/source: thehindu.com (headline edited)

INSV Tarini with two woman Navy officers begins third leg of circumnavigation

Leave a reply

Woman Navy officers Lt Cdr Dilna K. and Lt Cdr Roopa A began the journey on October 2, 2024 from Lyttelton Port in New Zealand to Port Stanley in Falkland Islands, the longest leg of the expedition with a distance of approximately 10,400 km to cover.

Indian Naval Sailing Vessel (INSV) Tarini left Lyttelton Port in New Zealand on Saturday (January 4, 2025) morning at about 9. 30 a.m. local time for Port Stanley (Falkland Islands) in the third leg of the ongoing global circumnavigation journey by two woman Navy officers under Navika Sagar Parikrama-II.

This is the longest leg of the expedition with a distance of approximately 5,600 nm (approximately 10,400 km) to cover. This will also be the southernmost transit of Tarini at about 56 degrees South, the Navy said in a statement. “With the frontal weather systems of the Southern Ocean, Team Tarini can expect to experience challenging seas with up to 50-60 knots (90-110 kmph) winds.”

INSV Tarini had arrived in Lyttelton on December 22, completing the second leg of the double-handed circumnavigation, which is being undertaken by two Indian Navy women officers — Lt Cdr Dilna K. and Lt Cdr Roopa A.

“During the period in Lyttelton, the crew undertook repairs and maintenance of the boat with particular focus on the next leg where the vessel will cross the South Pacific, pass through the treacherous Drake Passage, and cross Cape Horn to reach Port Stanley,” the Navy said. “While in Lyttelton, the crew also interacted with the Indian community who were eager to visit the boat and query the crew about various aspects of ocean sailing.”

INSV Tarini was open to visitors at Lyttelton Port of Christchurch (LPC) on Thursday (January 2, 2025). People from different walks of life, including Victoria Henstock, the councillor of Christchurch City Council, visited the vessel and interacted with the crew.

Maori payers for the crew

Members of the Indian diaspora as well as Belfiore Bologna, Honorary Consul of Italy for the South Island of New Zealand and Sue McFarlane, Head of Christchurch Antarctic Office turned up for the Flag Off ceremony of the vessel. Traditional Maori prayers for the crew by members of the Maori community were also undertaken during the ceremony.

The expedition was flagged off from Goa on October 02, 2024 by Navy Chief Adm Dinesh K. Tripathi. After sailing across the Indian Ocean for 38 days, INSV Tarini halted at Fremantle, Australia, from November 9 to 24, and the second leg from Fremantle to Lyttelton was covered in 28 days.

The circumnavigation will cover around 23,000 nautical miles in around 240 days, across four continents through three oceans and three challenging Capes, unfolding in five legs with stopovers at four ports for replenishment and maintenance. The five legs are Goa to Fremantle, Australia; Fremantle to Lyttleton, New Zealand; Lyttleton to Port Stanley, Falkland Islands; Port Stanley to Cape Town, South Africa; and from Cape Town back to Goa.

INSV Tarini, a 56-foot sailing vessel built by Aquarius Shipyard Ltd, was inducted in the Indian Navy on February 18, 2017. The vessel has clocked more than 66,000 nautical miles (1,22,223 km) and participated in the first edition of Navika Sagar Parikrama in 2017, trans-oceanic expedition from Goa to Rio, Goa to Port Louis and other significant expeditions. Both the officers with a sailing experience of 38,000 nautical miles (70,376km) trained vigorously in the last three years.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

Manu Bhaker, Gukesh among four athletes to get Khel Ratna award; record 17 para-athletes to receive Arjuna

Leave a reply

“The awardees will receive their awards from the President of India at a specially organised function at Rashtrapati Bhavan on 17th January, 2025 (Friday) at 1100 hours,” the Sports Ministry said.

Double Olympic-medallist Manu Bhaker and chess world champion D Gukesh were among four winners of the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award announced by the Sports Ministry, which also named an unprecedented 17 para-athletes in the list of 32 Arjuna awardees to honour their resounding success at the Paris Paralympics.

The other two Khel Ratna winners unveiled by the ministry on Thursday for the year 2024 were men’s hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh and para-athlete Praveen Kumar.

The awards will be conferred on the athletes by President Droupadi Murmu at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on January 17.

22-year-old Manu Bhaker became independent India’s first athlete to win two medals in a single edition of the Olympics with her bronze-winning show in the 10m air pistol individual and 10m air pistol mixed team events in August.

In the same Games, Hamranpreet led the Indian hockey team to its second consecutive bronze medal.

18-year-old Gukesh , on the other hand, became the youngest ever World champion while also helping the Indian team win a historic gold in the Chess Olympiad last year.

The fourth recipient will be para high-jumper Praveen, who was crowned the T64 champion in the Paris Paralympics.

The T64 classification is for athletes who have one or both legs missing below the knee and rely on a prosthetic leg for running.

“The awardees will receive their awards from the President of India at a specially organised function at Rashtrapati Bhavan on 17th January, 2025 [Friday] at 1100 hours,” the Sports Ministry said in a press release.

The Khel ratna awardees receive a cash prize of Rs 25 lakh along with a citation and a medallion. The Arjuna awardees are given Rs 15 lakh as cash reward, a statuette of Arjuna and a citation.

The athletes selected for this year’s Arjuna award include Paris Olympics bronze medal-winning lot of wrestler Aman Sehrawat, shooters Swapnil Kusale and Sarabjot Singh and the men’s hockey team players Jarmanpreet Singh, Sukhjeet Singh, Sanjay and Abhishek.

The para-athletes outnumber the able-bodied ones in the list of Arjuna winners this time due to the magnificent Paris showing in which they returned with 29 medals, including seven gold and nine silver.

The official list also includes sprinter Jyothi Yarraji, javelin thrower Annu Rani, women’s hockey team captain Salima Tete, world champion boxers Nitu Ghangas and Saweety, veteran swimmer Sajan Prakash, Olympiad gold-winning chess player Vantika Agrawal and squash star Abhay Singh.

Among the para athletes, Paris Paralympics gold-medallists Dharambir (club throw), Navdeep Singh (javelin throw) and Nitesh Kumar (para badminton) are the prominent names in the record number of Arjuna winners.

Paris Olympics bronze-winning para-archer Rakesh Kumar, para-shooters Mona Agarwal and Rubina Francis also feature in the list among others.

The ministry also cleared three coaches for Dronacharya award in the regular category, including Olympic bronze-medallist Swapnil Kusale’s coach Deepali Deshpande.

The Dronacharya award in the lifetime category will be conferred on former India football manager Armando Colaco and badminton coach S Muralidharan.

The award is given to coaches to honour their outstanding work and for enabling athletes to achieve excellence in their chosen sport in top international competitions.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

32-year-old Woman Kanchan Ugursandi Becomes First Motorcyclist to Reach Lipulekh Pass

Leave a reply

A 32-year-old woman from Jharkhand named Kanchan Ugursandi has created history by becoming the first motorcyclist to get to the Lipulekh Pass, located at an altitude of 17,500ft.

The Lipulekh Pass, which is situated at the intersection of India, China and Nepal’s borders, is known for its strategic significance. Ugursandi, who commenced her journey from Delhi, battled severe weather conditions and navigated through challenging mountainous landscapes to make her way to the Himalayan pass.

She has travelled to over 20 Himalayan passes in the past and wishes to motivate women through her accomplishments. 

source/content: robinage.com (headline edited)

In Donald Trump’s moment, Indian Americans notch up historic seven seats in US Congress

Nine desis contested this election and out of them six – all of them Democrats – have won the race to the US House of Representatives, increasing their number from five in the current House.

Donald Trump has already started his victory speech and the Republicans have already won the United States Senate, but Indian Americans too have quite a bit to celebrate in this election season in America.

Nine desis contested this election and out of them seven – all of them Democrats – have won the race to the US House of Representatives, increasing their number from five in the current House. 

This is the most number of US Representatives the community has ever had in the US Congress.

The Telegraph Online looks at these Indian Americans who have made the community proud this year.

  1. Shri Thanedar

Shri Thanedar has won the contest for the thirteenth Congressional District of Michigan with 80,462 votes, defeating his Republican rival Martell Bivings who got 39,385 votes, according to The New York Times.

Thanedar, 69, was born in Karnataka and came to the US to pursue a doctorate in the year 1979. After dabbling with a career in business, he took the plunge in politics in 2018.

According to his website, he got elected to the Michigan House of Representatives in Congress in 2022. And he helped pass the “largest increase in per-pupil funding for Michigan Public Schools in state history”.

2. Ro Khanna

Ro Khanna has won the race from the seventeenth Congressional District of California winning 80, 112 votes as against Republican Anita Chen, who managed 36,837 votes.

Khanna, 48, is a lawyer who was born in the US. In 2016, Khanna is currently serving his third term representing California’s 17th District. This district covers part of the famed Silicon Valley, the home to global tech multinationals.

Khanna’s first brush with politics came when he was a student at the University of Chicago and campaigned for Barack Obama during his initial years. 

Khanna, whose “grandfather participated in Gandhi’s independence movement in India, spending several years in jail for promoting human rights,” says that he is committed to public service because he believes in the American Dream that inspired his family.

3. Suhas Subramanyam

The 38-year-old Suhas Subramanyam has won a close contest from the tenth Congressional District of Virginia winning 207,131 votes as against Republican Mike Clancy, who got 190, 227 votes.

Suhas’s mother relocated from Bengaluru to the US to unite with his father.

Suhas first got involved in public work when he organised volunteers to help people affected by hurricane Katrina.

A lawyer, he had earlier served as a White House technology policy adviser to President Barack Obama.

“I am honoured and humbled that the people of Virginia’s 10th District put their trust in me to take on the toughest fights and deliver results in Congress. This district is my home. I got married here, my wife Miranda and I are raising our daughters here, and the issues our community faces are personal to our family. It is an honour to continue serving this district in Washington,” Subramanyam said.

4. Pramila Jaypal

Another veteran Democrat, Pramila Jaypal, has won the race from the seventh Congressional District of Washington with 244,150 votes as against Dan Alexander, who got 42, 958 votes.

Jayapal, 59, was first elected in 2016.

Jayapal was born in Chennai and grew up in India, Indonesia and Singapore. She came to the US at the age of 16 to attend college at Georgetown University. She came back to India and stayed for two years in the late 1990s and this led her to write a book, ‘Pilgrimage to India: A Woman Revisits Her Homeland’.

She is known for being vocal about immigration rights.

5 . Raja Krishnamoorthi

Raja Krishnamoorthi, 51, has won the race from the eighth Congressional District of Illinois getting 163,721 votes as against Republican Mark Rice, who got 127,136 votes.

Krishanamoorthy is a lawyer who was first elected to the Congress in 2016.

“While the battles for control of the White House and Congress remain close, I am honoured that the people of Illinois’ 8th District have extended my contract to represent them in Congress,” Krishnamoorthi said.

“My parents came to this country with little more than a dream for their family’s future and the faith that they could achieve it here in America,” Krishnamoorthi concluded.

“Despite some hard times, we did.”

6. Dr Ami Bera

A physician by profession, Dr Bera, 59, is a Gujarati and the senior-most Indian-American Congressman representing the sixth Congressional District of California since 2013. He was re-elected for the seventh consecutive term.

He has 132,712 votes as against his rival Christine Bish 128,606 votes when 63 per cent of the votes were counted.

7. Dr Amish Shah

In Arizona, Shah from the Democratic Party was slightly ahead of his Republican Party’s incumbent David Schweikett from the first Congressional District of Arizona.

He has 132,712 votes as against his rival’s 128,606 votes when 63 per cent of the votes were counted.

source/content: telegraphindia.com (headline edited) / six to seven edited

NATIONAL: LADY JUSTICE: Supreme Court Introduces New ‘Lady Justice’ Statue: A Symbol of Equality And Constitutional Values In Modern India

The Supreme Court of India has unveiled a new Lady Justice statue, symbolizing a modern approach to justice by removing her blindfold and replacing the sword with the Constitution, reflecting a commitment to equality and constitutional values.

On October 16, 2024, the Supreme Court of India unveiled a new statue of Lady Justice, featuring open eyes and holding the Indian Constitution instead of a sword. This transformation, commissioned by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, symbolizes a shift away from colonial legacies and emphasizes that justice in India is based on constitutional values rather than punitive authority. The statue stands in the judges’ library and reflects a commitment to equality and fairness in the legal system.

A Modern Symbol of Justice

The newly unveiled Lady Justice statue at the Supreme Court now has her eyes wide open, signifying that the law is not blind. The traditional sword has been replaced with a copy of the Indian Constitution, reinforcing the message that justice should be administered according to constitutional principles. Chief Justice DY Chandrachud stated, “The law is not blind; it sees everyone equally,” highlighting the importance of equality before the law. The statue retains the scales of justice in her right hand, symbolizing impartiality in judicial decisions. This change aims to promote a more inclusive understanding of justice in contemporary India.

Contextual Background

The unveiling aligns with ongoing reforms in India’s legal system, including efforts to replace colonial-era laws like the Indian Penal Code with more modern frameworks such as the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The removal of the blindfold from Lady Justice marks a significant departure from traditional representations, which often emphasized impartiality through blindness. Instead, this new portrayal seeks to reflect an evolving identity for the Indian judiciary that embraces its constitutional roots while shedding colonial symbols.

Questions and Answers

1. What changes were made to the Lady Justice statue?

The statue’s blindfold has been removed, and it now holds a copy of the Constitution instead of a sword. This symbolizes a shift towards constitutional values rather than punitive authority while retaining the scales of justice for balance.

2. Why was this redesign commissioned?

Chief Justice DY Chandrachud believes it is essential to move beyond colonial symbols that have historically represented justice. By removing the blindfold, he emphasizes that “the law is not blind” and sees everyone equally, reflecting modern Indian values.

3. Where is the new statue located?

The redesigned Lady Justice statue stands prominently in the judges’ library at the Supreme Court of India, symbolizing its importance within the judicial system.

4. When was this change officially unveiled?

The new statue was unveiled on October 16, 2024, as part of ongoing reforms aimed at modernizing India’s legal identity.

5. How does this change fit into broader legal reforms in India?

This redesign is part of a larger movement to replace colonial-era laws with contemporary legal frameworks, such as the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. It signifies a commitment to uphold justice based on constitutional principles rather than outdated practices.

The Logical Indian’s Perspective

The redesign of Lady Justice is a powerful statement about India’s commitment to a fair and equitable legal system. By moving away from colonial symbols and embracing constitutional ideals, we foster a more empathetic approach to justice that resonates with all citizens. This transformation invites us to consider how such symbolic changes can enhance public trust in our judiciary. What are your thoughts on this new representation of justice? We encourage our readers to engage in this vital conversation for positive social change.

source/content: thelogicalindian.com (headline edited)

REGION-ASIA: SPORTS – TABLE TENNIS : 2024 Asian Table Tennis Championships, Astana: Ayhika-Sutirtha Secure India’s 1st-Ever Women’s Doubles Medal, Win Bronze

Ayhika and Sutirtha have become the first-ever all-India women’s doubles pair from India to win a medal at the competition.

Ayhika and Sutirtha have become the first-ever all-India women’s doubles pair from India to win a medal at the competition.

India’s top-ranked women’s doubles pair of Ayhika Mukherjee and Sutirtha Mukherjee made history, securing a historic bronze medal, the country’s first-ever medal in the category, at the Asian Table Tennis Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan on Sunday.

Ayhika and Sutirtha have become the first-ever all-India women’s doubles pair from India to win a medal at the competition. Back in 1952, Gool Nasikwala secured a gold medal in the women’s doubles competition alongside Japan’s Yoshiko Tanaka in the inaugural edition of the tournament, as per Olympics.com.

The Mukherjees, the world number 15th pair in women’s doubles rankings, were defeated by the Japan’s world number 33 duo of Miwa Harimoto and Miyuu Kihara with a 3-0 (4-11, 9-11, 9-11). The losing semifinalists are awarded the bronze medals in this competition.

Ayhika and Sutirta did have a four point lead against their opponent in the second game. However, Miwa, who was the part of Japan’s silver medal winning Paris Olympics 2024 team and Miyuu, a three-time World Championships medalist, staged a brilliant comeback to deny any further chance of a comeback to India.

The Mukherjees made history during the Asian Games last year, by securing India’s first-ever medal in their category, a bronze. In Tunis last year, the duo became the first Indians to win a World Table Tennis (WTT) Contender women’s doubles title.

India ends the Asian Table Tennis Championships with three medals, all bronze. The Indian women’s team opened up the tally with a historic bronze, the country’s first in women’s team category since 1972 when Asian Table Tennis Union (ATTU) started organising the competition, following a loss to Japan. It was followed by the Indian men’s team repeating the feat and getting a bronze.

Overall, the country’s tally across all Asian Table Tennis Championships stands at eight, all of them being bronze medals.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

source/content: sports.ndtv.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: BEACON of INDIA INC. : Ratan Tata family tree: From Jamsetji Tata to Maya Tata, know all the members here

Ratan Tata Family tree: Here’s a look at the family lineage of the Tatas.

Ratan Tata complete family Tree: Ratan Naval Tata, chairman emeritus of Tata Sons, passed away at Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai Wednesday night. He was admitted following age-related health issues and was undergoing treatment at the hospital. Tata, a beacon of India Inc, steered his group amid India’s economic liberalisation and, subsequently, guided its global expansion.

Conferred with the Padma Vibhushan, Tata was considered one of the greatest philanthropists in the country who touched lives of millions through his work in the field of healthcare, education, drinking water and many other areas.

Here’s a look at the family tree of the Tatas

Jamsetji Tata, the founder of the Tata Group was born to Nusserwanji Ratan Tata and Jeevanbai Kavasji Tata, in 1939. apart from Jamsetji, Nusserwanji had four other children — Ratanbai, Maneckbai, Virbaiji, Jerbai.

Born into a family of Parsi priests, Jamsetji broke the tradition as he started his own trading firm in 1868 at a young age of 29. He started with a textile mill in central India in the 1870s. His vision later set the foundation for technical education in India and helped the nation to be counted among the industrialised nations.

Jamsetji married Hirabai Daboo and had three children — Sir Dorabji Tata, Dhunbai Tata and Sir Ratan Tata. 

Dorabji, the elder son of Jamsetji, was instrumental in translating his father’s vision into reality. It was under his leadership that the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust was created, propelling the Tata tradition of philanthropy. Jamsetji’s younger son, Ratan, was a philanthropist who created a trust to fund educational development, alleviate human sufferings and other public utility works.

Sir Ratan Tata married Navjbai Sett and adopted Naval H Tata. Naval married Sonoo Commisariat and had two sons — Ratan N Tata and Jimmy N Tata. But Naval and Soonoo divorced when Ratan N Tata was only 10 years old. Naval later married Simone Dunoyer and with her, had a son, Noel Tata. Noel is Ratan and Jimmy’s half brother.

While Ratan and Jimmy never married, Noel tied knot with Aloo Mistry, sister of late Cyrus Mistry, who served as Chairman of Tata Group. Noel and Aloo have three children — Leah Tata, Maya Tata and Neville Tata.

Neville is married to Manasi Kirloskar and together they have two children – Jamset Tata and Tiana Tata.

Again, Jeevanbai Kavasji Tata’s brother Dadabhai Kavasji Tata (adopted son of Kavasji Maneckji Tata) had a son with his wife Bhikhibai. Dadabhai’s son Ratanji Dadabhai Tata married a French woman Suzanne Briere. They had five children — Syla Petit, Jehangir Ratanji Dababhai Tata, Rodabeh Tata, Darab Tata and Jimmy Tata. 

Jehangir or JRD Tata, who went on to become Tata Chairman, pioneered civil aviation on the subcontinent in 1932 by launching the airline which is now known as Air India.

source/content: indianexpress.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: NATIONAL: LEADERSHIP AWARD: Nagaland IPS officer Pritpal Kaur wins ‘2024 IACP 40 Under 40’ awardee in the US-based International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) award for exemplary leadership

Achieving laurels for the country, Pritpal Kaur, Superintendent of Police of Phek district in Nagaland, has been selected as the ‘2024 IACP 40 Under 40’ awardee by the prestigious US-based International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP).

The dentist (Goldmetalist)-turned-IPS officer Kaur, is among 40 police officers selected from around the world for the award and the lone winner of the ‘2024 IACP 40 Under 40’ award from India this year.

IACP President (Chief Wade Carpenter) in a letter to 29-year-old Kaur, a native of Haryana, said: “You are part of an incredibly talented, accomplished, and dedicated group of individuals who demonstrate leadership and exemplify a deep commitment to the profession.”

The IACP, a not-for-profit organisation, headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, has invited Kaur, a 2016 batch IPS officer, to the 2024 IACP Annual Conference and Exposition in Boston, Massachusetts, to receive the prestigious award on October 22.

The awardees of the IACP signify the top rising leaders, exemplifying leadership, commitment and service to their communities and the law enforcement profession.

Sharing Kaur’s profile, the IACP wrote: “Since childhood, she has carried a passion for spreading education, and throughout her career, she has helped resolve conflicts and strengthen communities across India.”

“Kaur’s passion for policing began in her childhood when she served as the captain of her school sports team. As a doctor, she participated in many police-community projects, which took her to remote areas needing help from the police and gave Kaur great satisfaction and encouragement from helping people.”

The IACP said that she served as the first SP for a newly created border district, and she brought progress and peace to international borders, using her negotiation skills to avert border clashes and land disputes, and assisted in anti-drug efforts, providing treatment, counselling, rehabilitation, and livelihood to hundreds of people struggling with drug addiction.

“Kaur has dedicated her career to strengthening communities through innovative projects such as Fighting Drugs with Education and Livelihood and Not Guns but Machines, which teaches people how to apply their skills into making machines such as electric bicycles, dryers, and other low-cost machines,” the international body said.

According to IACP, Kaur attributes her enthusiasm for education and service to her mother, who believed that education is not just for making money, but for teaching and helping others.

“She carries this philosophy with her today as she teaches communities how to enhance their livelihood.”

The young IPS officer has earlier received several awards, including the International Inspiration Women Award 2023, Skoch Gold Award 2023, DGP Disc Award, Women Power India Award 2023, and Global Women Leader Award 2024 by World Women Leadership Congress 2024.

“One of her greatest honours was the granting of a tribal name during her work with tribal groups in Nagaland. Currently, she serves as an SP in the Indo-Myanmar border district of Phek.

“The virtue of keeping society always in order, more peaceful, and progressive made me choose the law enforcement career,” Kaur said.

She described the people of Nagaland as loving and loved to work with them.

“Nagas are self-sufficient tribes and very talented in all fields, I am just helping them to polish their own talent. They are so rich in culture and traditions. We just admire them,” she told the media, adding that the only thing the people lacked behind was a lack of opportunities in a few domains.

A senior Nagaland Police officer said that apart from performing her duty as a police officer, Kaur has taken up many social and welfare activities for the local populace in those districts whenever she was posted.

Earlier the IPS officer was posted as Superintendent of Police of the Longleng district in Nagaland.

According to the police officer, the activities she undertook, include, free coaching classes, livelihood training for drug addicts and counselling, career guidance to students, training in farming, biodiversity and environment protection, the war against drugs, formation of Self Help Groups (SHGs), education at all the levels, promotion of sports among others.

(Sujit Chakraborty can be contacted at sujitchakrabortyne@gmail.com)

–IANS

source/content: bhaskarlive.in (headline edited)

NATIONAL: FIRST WOMAN CHIEF: Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin is first woman to be India’s top military doctor

The appointment comes two months after Lt Gen Sadhna Saxena Nair took over as the Director General Medical Services (Army), the first woman officer to be appointed to the post.

Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin on Tuesday took over as the director general of the Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS), the first woman doctor to hold the position.

She has had 45 predecessors, all men.

“She has been at the forefront of motivating young women to join the armed forces and is a shining icon for the Nari Shakti initiative of the government,” the defence ministry said.

Sarin is 60 and will head AFMS for two years.

DGAFMS functions directly under the defence ministry and is responsible for medical policy matters related to the military. Before being appointed to the top position, Sarin was heading the navy’s medical services directorate. She has previously also served as DG Medical Services (Air) and director and commandant of the Pune-based Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC).

The development comes two months after Lieutenant General Sadhna Saxena Nair took over as the Director General Medical Services (Army), the first woman officer to be appointed to the position.

Sarin was commissioned into service in December 1985 after she graduated from AFMC. She is an MD in radiodiagnosis from AFMC, Diplomate National Board in radiation oncology from Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, and has trained in Gamma Knife surgery (noninvasive radiation therapy) from the University of Pittsburgh in the US.

“In a career spanning 38 years, the Flag Officer has held prestigious academic and administrative appointments including professor and head, radiation oncology, Army Hospital (Research & Referral) and Command Hospital (Southern Command)/AFMC Pune, commanding officer, INHS Asvini, and command medical officer in the Indian Navy’s southern and western naval commands,” the defence ministry said in a statement.

She has the rare distinction of serving in all three branches of the armed forces — lieutenant to captain in the army, surgeon vice admiral in the navy and as an air marshal in the Indian Air Force. To be sure, military doctors can be posted from one service to another.

Sarin was recently appointed as a member of the national task force constituted on the Supreme Court’s directions to formulate safe working conditions and protocols for medical professionals.

The 10-member task force was constituted in August after the apex court took suo motu cognisance of the alleged rape and murder of a female resident doctor at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, an incident that triggered nationwide protests with resident doctors in most government-run hospitals then going on strike.

According to the terms of reference, the task force will prepare an action plan categorised under two heads: a) prevention of violence against medical professionals and providing safe working conditions; b) providing an enforceable national protocol for dignified and safe working conditions for interns, residents, senior residents, doctors, nurses, and all medical professionals.

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headline edited)