** American Centre Chennai has special corner dedicated to city historian Muthiah

This comes after the US Consulate General launched its Madras Week celebrations with a virtual tour titled ‘America in Chennai — Sites, Streets, Structures’.

According to Prof. Suresh Sethuraman: “Chennai boasts of several sites, streets, and structures that have strong ‘America’ connections – the St. Mary’s church within Fort St. George where Elihu Yale of Yale University fame got married in 1680, the Ice House on Kamarajar Salai where ice from Massachusetts was stored in the 19th century, the YMCA building opposite the Madras High Court built with financial aid from the US in 1900, to name only a few.

** OM Nambiar, the coach who unearthed India’s Golden girl PT Usha, no more

Before Neeraj Chopra’s historic gold for India in athletics at the Tokyo Games, one of the  athletes who agonisingly came close to a medal in track and field events at the Olympics was ‘Golden Girl’ PT Usha. 

Considered one of the greatest athletes that the country has produced, Usha had missed the bronze medal at the 1984 Los Angeles Games by one-hundredth of a second.

** Mumbai: Dr Grace Pinto presented ‘Shiksha Bhushan’ award

The Hindi Academy hosted the Mathrubhumi Bhushan award-giving ceremony at the Jal Bhushan Convention Center in the governors official headquarters here on Wednesday at Malabar Hill.

Maharashtra governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari presented the awards to the veterans of the armed forces in various fields, including the Mathrubhumi Bhushan, Shiksha Bhushan, Sahitya Bhushan and the Social Service Bhushan.

** Six Army men get Shaurya Chakra for anti-terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir

Recipients of the prestigious award are Major Arun Kumar Pandey, Major Ravi Kumar Chaudhary, Capt. Ashutosh Kumar (posthumously), Capt. Vikas Khatri, Rifleman Mukesh Kumar and Sepoy Neeraj Ahlawat.

** First COVID nasal vaccine by Bharat Biotech gets regulator’s nod for holding phase 2, 3 clinical trials

Bharat Biotech’s intranasal vaccine is the first nasal vaccine that has received the regulatory approval for Phase 2/3 trials,” the DBT said.

This is the first of its kind COVID-19 jab to undergo human clinical trials in India.

** Six prominent Indian male footballers who have played abroad – At what age did they leave India?

Sandesh Jhingan is set to become the latest Indian male footballer to ply his trade outside the country…

ATK Mohun Bagan and India national team defender Sandesh Jhingan is all set to join Croatian First Football League side HNK Sibenik for the upcoming 2021/22 season.

Bengaluru FC custodian Gurpreet Singh Sandhu was the last player to play in a top division European league.

Mohammedan Sporting great Mohammed Salim was the first Indian player to play for an European club when he played to matches donning the Celtic jersey in 1936 when he went to Scotland for trial with the club. 

In 1999, Indian football legend Bhaichung Bhutia became the first Indian male footballer to sign for an European club when he joined English third tier side Bury FC. At that point he was also the youngest Indian player (22) to play abroad.

Who are the prominent players who have played abroad and at which age did they leave India?

PlayerClubDivisionAgeYear
Mohammed SalimCelticScotland top division321936
Bhaichung BhutiaBury FCEngland third division221999
Bhaichung BhutiaPerak FAMalaysia top division282003
Bhaichung BhutiaSelangor MK LandMalaysia second division302005
Sunil ChhetriKansas City WizardsUSA top division252010
Sunil ChhetriSporting CP BPortugal second division272012
Gurpreet Singh SandhuStabaekNorway top division222014
Romeo FernandesAtletico ParanaenseBrazil top division222015
Sandesh Jhingan (likely)HNK SibenikCroatia top division282021

** Bene Appétit: The Cuisine of Indian Jews | Preserving heritage through Food

The subject of this book is intimately tied up with the author’s own identity. She belongs to the Bene Israel Jewish community of Ahmedabad in Gujarat.

Esther David’s new book, Bene Appétit: The Cuisine of Indian Jews, exemplifies this spirit of continuity. Published by HarperCollins India, it explores “how Indian Jews have preserved their food habits in a multicultural country like India, which has diverse cuisines.”