Category: RECORDS, INDIA (National)

** Padma Shri awardee donates helicopter his family decided to gift him for medical emergencies in Surat

This time, Savji Dholakia has decided to donate a Rs 50 crore brand new chopper gifted to him by his family for medical and other emergencies in Surat.

Fifty-nine-year-old Savji Dholakia of Surat, the owner of Hari Krishna diamond company who was conferred the Padma Shri award recently, has made headlines again.

He has already built over 75 ponds at his native place in Lathi taluka of Amreli district in Saurashtra. All of these ponds were made on barren government land in different villages in Akala, Dudhala, Lathi village, etc.

He had made headlines earlier after rewarding his employees with as many as 500 cars, 471 jewelry sets, and 280 two-bedroom flats as a loyalty program. 

** Gaddam Meghana, a Telugu girl in New Zealand’s Youth Parliament

Accustomed to the Telugu cutlure, Meghana participates in most of the cultural and traditional celebrations with utmost love and respect. 

: Gaddam Meghana (18), a Non-Resident Indian teenager became the first Indian-Telugu origin youth to get elected as New Zealand’s Youth Parliament member representing Waikato Parliament segment in the country. With the prestigious achievement, she became one of the youth icons of the country. 

Around 21 years ago, Gaddam Ravikumar, Meghana’s father, went to New Zealand along with his wife and got settled in Waikato as a real estate businessman.

Meghana was born and brought up in New Zealand, and she has recently completed her ‘International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme’ (IBDP) from St Peter’s, Cambridge, in New Zealand. Since her childhood Meghana was a clever student and was a successful class head too. 

** From Bow Bazar to Jerusalem: an Indian tour guide In Israel

For three decades, Rolley Horowitz has introduced visiting Indians to Israel.

During that visit, she surprised him by revealing that her original name is actually Savitri Mehta.

Preaching gospel of Jesus

The journey of Ms. Savitri from Kolkata’s Alipore to Israel began way back in the early 1960s when, at the age of 12, Savitri, daughter of the Military Attache in Indian Embassy in Tokyo rebelled against her parents Brigadier C.S. Mehta and her mother Sunita Roy.Ms. Savitriarrived from her Japanese lessons and declaredthat she would embrace Christianity .

She began as a volunteer in a Christian organisation but after studying in depth about ancient Christianity, she chose to become Jewish in 1989. 

Months before Israel and India were to establish ties on January 29, 1992, Ms. Roley married Michael Arthur Horowitz, a barrister who was noted for fighting war crimes. Soon after the establishment of India-Israel ties, she and academic Shalva Weil and Indian conductor Zubin Mehta set up an organisation to foster India-Israel relations.

Kolkata / Goa /Israel

** Vridhi Kumari punching her way to success

Chennai’s Vridhi Kumari is the only Indian woman to win a medal at the recently concluded IMMAF 2021, in Abu Dhabi

In the cage, as she braced for the fight, Vridhi Kumari could only think of her mother’s words ‘Don’t give up.’

The 21-year-old from Chennai threw her best punches and kicks to win a bronze medal in the Atomweight Category (Seniors) at the recently concluded IMMAF (International Mixed Martial Art Federation) World Championship 2021 at Palms Sports Arena, Abu Dhabi. With this, she became the first Indian woman to win a medal for the country in this category at IMMAF.

** Jio invests $15 million in Silicon Valley-based Two Platforms for 25% stake

Two is an Artificial Reality company with focus on building interactive and immersional AI experiences

Jio Platforms Ltd. has announced an investment of US$ 15 million in Two Platforms Inc., a Silicon Valley based deep tech startup founded by Pranav Mistry, for a 25% equity stake on a fully diluted basis.

Two is an Artificial Reality company with focus on building interactive and immersional AI experiences. After text and voice, it believes the next chapter of AI is visual and interactive.

The founding team at Two has several years of leadership experience in research, design and operations with leading global technology companies, Jio said in a statement. “Two will work collaboratively with Jio to fast-track the adoption of new technologies and build disruptive technologies such as AI, metaverse, and mixed realities,” it said.

** Alishan Sharafu feeling ‘blessed’ ahead of UAE’s U19 World Cup campaign

UAE captain Alishan Sharafu in action against Pakistan during the Under 19 Asian Cup at the ICC Academy, Dubai, in December. Chris Whiteoak/ The National

The Covid-enforced dearth of international cricket in 2021 was keenly felt by all of UAE’s leading players, but none more so than CP Rizwan.

The Kerala-born batsman must have thought he had finally cracked international cricket when he scored an uplifting century in a one-day international against Ireland a year ago.

Kerala / UAE

** Mihir Patel to captain Canada cricket team at the ICC 2022 Men’s U-19 World Cup

The 19-year-old from Toronto has experience at the competition, scoring a notable 90 off 105 balls in a loss to the United Arab Emirates at the 2020 Under-19 World Cup where the young Canadians finished 13th.

Dec 2021

** Watch | First pod hotel at Mumbai Central

A video on the first Japanese-style capsule hotel in India

The recently inaugurated ‘pod hotel’ at Mumbai Central Railway Station is the first of its kind in India.

It was introduced by the Indian Railways as an inexpensive stay option for travellers.

The ‘pod’ or a ‘capsule hotel’, was first developed in Japan. It features a large number of small, bed-sized rooms known as capsules.

** This scientist cycled more than a thousand kilometres to explore Kerala’s lighthouses

Ayyappan Nair covered the Kerala coast on a bicycle to visit and photograph the lighthouses in the State

After more than a thousand kilometres on a bicycle, covering the coastline of Kerala later, Ayyappan Nair is raring to hit the pedal again.

Discussing how he photographed 20 of 21 lighthouses in the State, Ayyappan says he was was overwhelmed by the warmth of strangers he met on the way. “The trip has motivated me to learn about the heritage and syncretic culture of the State, which has drawn traders from Egypt, ancient Arabia, China and East Asia,” he said

Kerala