Category: Amazing Feats

** South Eastern Railway becomes fully electrified zone as work on Rupsa-Bangriposi section completed

The Kolkata-headquartered SER is the second railway zone in the country after West Central to fully electrify its route.

** Junior World No 1 Tasnim Mir wins Iran Fajr International Challenge

The 16-year-old from Gujarat, who became the first Indian woman shuttler to claim the world no. 1 status in u-19 singles, beat second seed Susato 21-11, 11-21, 21-7 in 51 minutes.

 Junior World No 1 Indian shuttler Tasnim Mir on Friday notched a three-game win over Yulia Yosephine Susanto of Indonesia in the final to claim the women’s singles title at the Iran Fajr International Challenge here.

** Properties of 610 Kashmiri Pandits restored in J&K, Government informs Rajya Sabha

“As per the information provided by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir, the land of 610 applicants [migrants] has been restored in the last five years,” Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) informed the Rajya Sabha on February 9 that the land of 610 Kashmiri Pandits in Jammu and Kashmir has been restored in the past five years.

** Former Kenya PM thanks Ayurveda practitioners

Former Prime Minister of Kenya, Raila Odinga, who arrived at Koothattukulam in Ernakulam earlier this week, to express his gratitude to physicians at an Ayurvedic eye hospital-cum-research centre there for helping his 44-year-old daughter, Rosemary Odinga, regain vision and for her follow-up treatment, will leave from there on Saturday.

Ms. Odinga had lost her sight completely in 2017, following optic nerve damage. Treatments done in South Africa, Israel, and China were futile.

It was then the family was informed by a friend about Kerala’s Ayurvedic tradition in dealing with such medical complications, said a press release.

In 2019, Ms. Odinga began treatment at Sreedhareeyam Ayurvedic Eye Hospital and Research Centre at Koothattukulam. After a month of treatment, she was discharged and continued medication at home. The treatment was done under the guidance of chief physician Dr. N. Narayanan Namboodiri. “The visit of the former Kenyan Prime Minister has reiterated the pride and possibilities of the Ayurvedic tradition. Ms. Odinga will remain at the hospital for three more weeks for follow-up treatment,” said a statement issued by research centre vice chairman Hari N. Namboodiri.

** 10,000 km of routes mapped in Greater Kochi area

The app-based survey aims at rationalising public transport

A total of 250 of the 360 active bus routes in the Greater Kochi area have been mapped by Systra Consortium, a French transport planning agency that was deputed by the Kochi Metropolitan Transport Authority (KMTA) to ready a report on rationalising bus routes in the Greater Kochi area.

This has helped map bus routes and bus stops in around 10,000 km of different bus routes that are located as far away as Munambam, N. Paravur and Angamaly on the city’s north, Perumbavoor, Kakkanad, Pookattupady, Ambalamugal, and Poothotta on the east, Aroor and Chellanam on the south, and the densely populated West Kochi region. Muvattupuzha too might be brought under the ambit, it is learnt.

** Navy’s largest exercise Milan to bring together over 35 countries

Exercise Milan is scheduled to be held from February 25 to March 4 for which 46 countries have been invited

The Navy is set to hold the 12th President’s Fleet Review (PFR) on February 21 at Visakhapatnam and few days from that it will host the largest multilateral exercise in this region, Milan 2022, which will see participation of all major Navies including Quad countries, Russia and from West Asia amid tensions in Ukraine and developments in West Asia.

** ‘Mega IPL auction’, a global attraction, all set to unfold

590 players will be up for new contracts, with franchises entitled to spend upto ₹561.50 crore

The Indian Premier League auctions, where life-altering sums of money are on offer to cricketers from around the world, generate as much interest as the tournament matches.

A ‘mega auction’, with a bigger pool of players vying for a bigger total purse, will draw that much more attention. Over the weekend, 590 cricketers will be up for new contracts, with franchises entitled to spend upto ₹561.50 crore to acquire their services.

Among the 10 marquee players, David Warner, Shreyas Iyer and Pat Cummins could go for megabucks. They are proven performers, who double their value as potential captains. They will pique the interest of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), Punjab Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) — franchises in search of a concrete leadership group.

** RIP Lata Mangeshkar: 12 lesser-known facts about the Melody Queen, from running into a Beatle to her refuted world record

She was named Hema at birth and was later renamed Lata, after a character in her father’s play ‘BhaawBandhan’ called Latika. Her family name Mangeshkar was derived from the Mangeshi village in Goa.

Lata Mangeshkar was the first female singer who demanded better pay and royalties in Bollywood.

In 1979, she was the first Indian to perform with the Wren Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

** Kerala trekker rescue mission: Op Palakkad hero credits alma mater for achievements

Even several hours after the daring rescue operation — ‘Op Palakkad’— by the Indian Army at Cherad Hill in Malampuzha on Wednesday, Ettumanoor native Lt Col R Hemant Raj was excited about how teamwork played an exemplary role in saving the life of a youth, R Babu.

An alumnus of the Sainik School Kazhakootam (SSKZM), the 36-year-old gives full credit to his alma mater for his accomplishments, the latest coming as part of a nine-member rescue mission of the Madras Regimental Centre, Wellington, Ooty. Hemant and the word ‘daring’ go hand in hand, which is even inscribed in his email ID. Born in the village of Pathirappally in Alappuzha, he came up through the ranks on the back of sheer willpower.