** Arunachal villagers build museum on century-old battleground

Museum is located near spot where British officer was killed during Anglo-Abor War of 1911-12

The people of a village in Arunachal Pradesh’s Siang district have constructed an “eco-friendly” museum near a spot where warriors of the Adi community killed a British officer during a war in 1911-12.

The Adi people inhabiting large swathes of central Arunachal Pradesh had resisted colonial expansion several times between 1858 and 1912. These are called the Anglo-Abor Wars.

The Misum-Miyang Kumsung, meaning “ancient artefacts museum,” has been set up at Komsing village, about 12km from district headquarters Pangin. The spot is near where the Adi warriors had killed Noel Williamson, the British political officer during the last of the wars in 1911-12.

Locally known as the Poju Mimak, the war was fought from October 6, 1911, to January 11, 1912. It is considered one of the most decisive Anglo-Abor wars in the history of the freedom movement in Arunachal Pradesh.

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** Week-long activities to celebrate India@75 launched in US

Programme aims to celebrate the diversity of India and its people through cultural activities.

In commemoration of India’s 75 years of independence, the Indian Consulate here in collaboration with a city-based cultural organisation and a children’s museum commenced a week-long celebration involving a plethora of activities, including traditional paintings, music and storytelling, that honour the history of India’s people, culture and achievements.

The Consulate General of India in New York, The Culture Tree and the Children’s Museum of Manhattan (CMOM) kicked-off the special activities and interactive programming on Monday that aim to celebrate the diversity of India and its people through dance, music, literature, puppetry, drama, food and art, The Culture Tree said in a statement.

Anu Sehgal, founder and President of The Culture Tree that provides South Asian-themed classes and programmes, said that through these events, we can offer cross-cultural exposure that can help shape knowledgeable, open-minded and respectful individuals, while also offering ways in which children and families from the diaspora can connect with and celebrate their heritage.

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 ** Know Your City: How World War II pushed IMD’s headquarters from Pune to Delhi

The commencement of World War II in 1939 boosted meteorological operations, particularly those required for aviation services, and necessitated the closer presence of weather experts for aviation in Delhi.

Had the Second World War not broken out in 1939, Pune would probably have continued to be the headquarters of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) for a longer period. In fact, it was only about a decade before the war – on April 1, 1928 – that Pune became the IMD’s headquarters.

As many as 74 meteorological observatories had been operational in British India, including some of the world’s oldest ones located in the then cities of Bombay, Calcutta and Madras.

As meteorology developed in the country, the secretary of the state of India, after consulting several meteorologists in England , decided to appoint an Imperial Reporter tasked with supervising meteorological activities across India.

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** PM Modi inaugurates museum to honour all Prime Ministers of country

Museum has been built at Teen Murti Estate, which was Nehru’s home for 16 years

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 14 inaugurated the Prime Ministers’ Museum at the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML) complex here.

Mr. Modi said every government after Independence had contributed to reaching the heights the country had achieved so far. Every Prime Minister had tried to take the country forward, he added.

The museum built at Teen Murti Estate, which was Nehru’s home for 16 years, is spread over 10,491 sq. m. and cost ₹306 crore, according to a statement. Work on the museum started in October 2018 and no trees were felled or transplanted from the site, it said.

The building includes over 40 galleries on the lives and tenures of all former Prime Ministers, except Jawaharlal Nehru, as well as a sound and light show. Entry to the museum will require a ticket of ₹100 through online booking for Indians over the age of 12 years and ₹110 for offline. Foreigners will be charged ₹750 for a ticket.

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** Governor inaugurates Indian Art History Congress

Governor R.N. Ravi on Monday inaugurated the 29th session of the annual Indian Art History Congress (IAHC) on “Indian Iconography with Special Emphasis on Regional Developments” jointly organised by the Indian Art History Congress, Guwahati, and the C.P. Ramaswami Aiyar Institute of Indological Research (CPRIIR) at the C.P. Ramaswami Aiyar Foundation, Alwarpet.

** Special postal cover on Tholpavakkoothu

The Department of Posts will honour the traditional art form Tholpavakkootthu by bringing out a special cover on Saturday.

V.K. Sreekandan, MP, will inaugurate the honouring function to be held at Puthur Sree Thirupuraikkal Temple here on Saturday afternoon. North zone post master general T. Nirmala Devi will release the special cover. Tholpavakkoothu exponents Ramachandra Pulavar and Sadananda Pulavar will be felicitated at the function.

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** INS Valsura awarded President’s colour

It is the Navy’s premier technological training establishment

President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday presented the President’s colour to INS Valsura, the Navy’s premier technological training establishment.

The President’s Colour is bestowed on a military unit in recognition of the exceptional service rendered to the nation, both in peace and in war.

‘Nishan Adhikari’ Lt. Arun Singh Sambyal received the President’s Colour on behalf of the unit in an impressive parade, the Navy said. A special postal cover was also released to commemorate the occasion.

“The award ceremony commenced with insertion of Drum Toli for Pile-of-Drums ceremony. It traces its history back to a time when soldiers on field used to arrange their drums in a pile to form an altar,” the defence spokesperson said on social media.

Gujarat / first

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** Need seven lives to understand India: British High Commissioner Alex Ellis

History teacher and now leading career diplomat…British High Commissioner to India Alex Ellis, who has a long-standing connection with the country, on his love for all-things Indian…

He’s won the hearts of several netizens with his posts on food- masala dosae in Bengaluru, rasgulla in Kolkata and vada pav in Mumbai. British High Commissioner Alex Ellis, who took charge in early 2021, has been soaking in the varied local experiences that the country has to offer.

In Bengaluru on Tuesday, Ellis settles into the conversation, post a tumbler of steaming hot rasam, at the residence of the British Deputy High Commissioner for Karnataka & Kerala, Anna Shotbolt. 

** The Cake Man From Piedmont

Raising a toast to Calcutta’s very own master chef

Peliti’s of Calcutta started out in the 1870s as a confectionery outlet on Bentinck Street and thereafter turned into a fine dining restaurant-cum-confectioner’s on Esplanade Row. “Business ended with World War II,” says Maria Letizia, who is a great-granddaughter of the founder, Federico Peliti, and is now based in Turin in Italy.

itay-india connection

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** Historical find in Telangana’s Nirmal district throws light on Chalukya era

10 Sati stones discovered in an open field in Mudhole, a known site for Jainism

A group of 10 Sati stones dating to the 10th-11th Century AD have been discovered in an open field in Mudhole of Nirmal district by amateur historians of Telangana.

“We identified these as Sati stones since there are sculptures that show a woman wearing bangles with a raised hand. This was the tradition at the time. We dated this to Kalyani Chalukya rule in the region,” said Sriramoju Haragopal, who worked with B. Ramamohan for the find.

The findings also included hero stones, locally known as viragallu. “After speaking to the local residents, we realised that there were more sculpted stones in the area but those were thrown into a pond due to superstitious belief,” informed Mr. Haragopal. 

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