Travel – Page 2 – Global Records India

Climber from Bihar unfurls 328ft Tricolour in Lahaul-Spiti’s Kanamo peak

Nandan Choubey, a resident of Sarenja village of Bihar’s Buxar district created a world record by hoisting the tallest Tricolour of 328-feet on the top of Mount Kanamo.

He made a world record in August by conquering Mount Yunam located between Manali and Leh and Mount Kanamo located in Lahaul Spiti district of the Himalayas.

Choubey says that mountains seem small when one has the spirit and will to make the right efforts to reach the destination. He is the only mountaineer from Bihar to have achieved this success.

He added that conquering the peak, which has scarce oxygen, is considered to be very difficult.

“Carrying a flag weighing 10 kilograms is a big deal,” Choubey said.

Elated on his achievement, the mountaineer added that he is passionate about climbing mountains, exploring and taking up new adventures.

His success has been included in the World Book of Records and International Book of Records.

Choubey in a conversation with IANS said that he visited Kedarnath and Kedarkantha for the first time in 2017. His passion for mountaineering gained momentum after seeing the Himalayan Range from close.

He trained from Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering (JIM) in Jammu & Kashmir and the National Institute of Mountaineering (NIM) in Uttarakhand.

Choubey’s journey from the Sarenja village to the mountain tops has been special and difficult too. His morale has increased by this success.

The mountaineer considers Reinhold Messner and Jimmy Chin as his idols.

He said that he has climbed many high peaks, including Kedarkantha, Kalanag, Yunam peak, Kanamo, Stok Kangri, Kang Yatse II, Dzo Jongo, Rudragaira, Friendship peak, Satopanth peak and Nun.

He dedicated the record to the country and other mountaineers. When asked about his upcoming plans, he said that he wants to hoist the Tricolour on Mount Denali in Alaska, North America.

He added that the biggest goal for him is to reach Mount Everest for which he is working exceptionally hard.

Choubey has received awards like ‘Iconic personality of India’, ‘Kalam Youth Leadership award’ and ‘Global Bihar Excellence award’ among others.

daijiworld.com

National Unity Day: HM leads birth anniversary celebrations of Sardar Patel in Delhi

The celebration will also include the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas pledge ceremony near the Mahatma Gandhi statue in New Delhi.

Union home minister Amit Shah will on Monday participate in the ‘Tribute to Sardar Vallabhai Patel’ programme to mark the 147th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in New Delhi, also observed as the National Unity Day or Rashtriya Ekta Diwas.

Shah will flag off the ‘Run for Unity’ marathon from the national stadium where around 8,000 people are expected to participate. The Delhi Traffic Police has issued an advisory citing alternate routes and diversions from 6:45 am to 9 am to ensure safety for the participants of the marathon.

Education minister Dharmendra Pradhan will lead the ‘Run for Unity’ from Delhi University. DU vice-chancellor professor Yogesh Singh, along with principals, teachers, senior officials, administrative staff and students of CBSE schools, Kendriya Vidyalaya will also participate.

The celebration will also include the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas pledge ceremony near the Mahatma Gandhi statue and an address by Pradhan. Special exhibits on the life of Sardar Patel will be displayed at Jawahar Park.

Shah has written to all states asking them to organise 75,000 unity runs – 100 in each of the country’s 750 districts.

As part of the celebrations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Kevadia in Gujarat to pay homage to Sardar Patel at the Statue of Unity, participate in the Ekta Diwas parade and later address civil service trainees of the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration.

Golden jubilee of Dhauligiri peace pagoda

The stupa was built jointly in 1972 by the Japan Buddha Sangh and the Kalinga Nippon Buddha Sangh

Hundreds of monks from across the globe thronged the famous Dhauligiri Shanti Stupa Pagoda, a symbol of peace associated with the Buddhist culture, on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar to mark the golden jubilee celebration of the monument on Friday.

The dome-shaped stupa atop the Dhauli hill on the banks of river Daya, about 10km from here, recalls the famous Kalinga war and the transformation of king Ashoka from a tyrant into a benevolent monarch. However, the monument remained neglected by the authorities for a long time.

The stupa was built jointly in 1972 by the Japan Buddha Sangh and the Kalinga Nippon Buddha Sangh. It was constructed under the supervision of the chief priest of Nipponzan Myohoji, Nichidatsu Fuji Guruji of Japan, who came to India in the early part of 1930s from Mt. Minobu in Japan, the original holy place of the Nichiren Sect. In late 1960s, he was requested by the Buddhist monks to set up a stupa here. Following a request from Buddhist monks, the Odisha government also agreed to provide land for the monument. He stayed at the Dhauli hill, which was revered by Buddhists because of the legend that king Ashoka had converted to Buddhism in the wake of Kalinga war here.

Here Emperor Ashoka is believed to have renounced violence after watching the bloodshed in the battle of Kalinga fought in the foothills of Dhauli and adopted non-violence after converting into the Buddhist faith.

The famous Ashokan edicts enshrining his decrees for the welfare of people and even animals within his empire are still treasured at a site close to the base of Dhauli hill. The pagoda on the hilltop is adorned by the statues of the reclining Buddha, an elephant procession, the Bodhi tree, and footprints of Buddha bearing the chakra (wheel).

Taking part in the celebrations, Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik said: “Let us work together to spread the message of peace and create a safer world for our future generation.”

Delving into the glorious history of Odisha, he said that the state’s history starts with Dhauli and the Kalinga war. Although the war ended with massive bloodshed, Dhauli continues to sing about the moral victory of the entire humanity. “It is this place where Ashoka realised the futility of war and bloodshed and embraced Buddhism. In fact, Dhauli changed the course of world history by spreading the message of global peace and harmony,” Naveen said.

Stating that Dhauli Peace Pagoda is a great creation of modern architecture, Naveen said: “It bears testimony of Indo-Japanese friendship that stands for global peace and mutual cooperation. The place will continue to spread the message of peace for all the time to come.”

Offering tributes to Fuji Guruji, he said: “On the eve of this momentous occasion, I offer my sincere tributes to most revered Nichidatsu Fuji Guruji of Japan, Founder and Preceptor of Nipponzan Myohoji, for his invaluable contribution in building this “Biswa Shanti Stupa” at Dhauli. Further, the steps taken by Kalinga-Nippon Buddha Sangha to make it happen is also appreciated.”

Naveen also announced the construction of instream storage on the Daya. The estimated cost of the project is Rs 95 crore.

International Hospitality Day Awards 2022: Professionals honoured by IIHM and IHC London

Several personalities from the industry who have made a difference through their unique ideas received the IHC Outstanding Contribution to the Hospitality Industry Award.

The International Hospitality Council (IHC) London observed International Hospitality Day through a prestigious award ceremony held on 18^th July 2022. The International Hospitality Day Awards, Mumbai paid tribute to a number of people who have contributed immensely to the Hospitality industry through their hard work, innovation and ideas.

The most prestigious award of the series, the Lifetime Achievement Award, went to Chef Satish Arora, Director, Food Production at Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces. Chef Satish became the world’s youngest executive chef to handle a Five Star’s kitchen at the age of 26, casting a magical spell with his culinary talent on guests at the Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai. From Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles to former Prime Minister of India, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Chef Satish has mesmerised many global personalities with his extraordinary culinary skills. His guests include heads of states like Bill Clinton, Indira Gandhi and Neil Armstrong. While receiving his award, he said, “This award is the icing on the cake because a dream that Dr Suborno Bose saw about two decades ago is showing great results and is a boon to the hospitality industry. When I was executive chef, the industry was starved of good professionals. We had to do extensive training. But today, Dr Bose and IIHM are doing a wonderful job of helping us. IIHM students are at par with national standards. I thank IHC for this memorable award.”

The International Hospitality Day Awards recognise the hard work and tireless contribution of hospitality professionals who have put in their best efforts to revive the industry after the two-year lull brought on by the pandemic. Dr Suborno Bose, the CEO and Convenor of the International Hospitality Council (IHC) said, “The International Hospitality Day Awards, Mumbai truly signify the bounce back of the industry. The hospitality industry was one of those that was badly hit during the pandemic. But the way it had come back with a vengeance, the figures of sales and profits are equal to 2019 figures, is amazing. The industry has rediscovered and reimagined itself is truly commendable. The awards ceremony organised jointly by IHC and IIHM, India’s largest hotel school chain, is a celebration of the bounce back of the hospitality industry after the Covid-19 pandemic. I take this opportunity to congratulate all my friends in the hospitality industry in India and the world who have worked tirelessly with huge passion, enthusiasm and hope and we see the results in the form of huge success of the industry.”

Over 100 young hospitality professionals working in hotels and other sectors across India received the IHC Best Hospitality Professional Award. They were selected on the basis of merit and performance by the organisations they work for.

A special awards segment included the IHC Hospitality Leadership Awards that recognised the significant contributions of hospitality leaders and trendsetters. “We are here today to recognise all the outstanding and wonderful achievements of these icons and entrepreneurs. We must also thank all the professionals in the industry who have supported us during these difficult times. We are honouring the icons and entrepreneurs of the industry who are the artists of the industry. We must be very proud of our industry and its people,” said Prof David Foskett, MBE, Chairman of IHC.

Several personalities from the industry who have made a difference through their unique ideas received the IHC Outstanding Contribution to the Hospitality Industry Award. Those receiving this award included:

Atul Bhalla, Area Manager for ITC Hotels in West and East India and General Manager, ITC Maratha Mumbai.
Sanjay Sethi, CEO and Managing Director, Chalet Hotels also received the award.
Ranvir Bhandari, Senior VP and GM, Trident Nariman Point.
Sharad Datta, General Manager, The Westin Mumbai Garden City.
Manish Gupta, CEO, Taj SATS Air Catering Limited.
Anuraag Bhatnagar, COO, The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts.
Param Kannampilly, Chairman and MD, Concept Hospitality Pvt Ltd, The Fern Hotels & Resorts.
Shib Sankar Mukherji, Executive Vice Chairman, The Oberoi Group.
Puneet Dhawan, Senior VP, Operations, Accor India & South Asia.
Jyoti Mayal, President, Travel Agents Association of India.
Nikita Ramchandani, General Manager, JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu.

Tourism is an integral part of hospitality industry and IHC took the initiative to award those who try to promote tourism in the country. The IHC Outstanding Contribution to Development of Tourism Award went to Carl Vaz, Chairman and CEO, Chairperson Advisory Services Pvt. Ltd.

IHC has always respected and applauded women achievers in the hospitality sector. These award went to some amazing women who have contributed immensely to the industry.

Ananya Banerjee, Chef, Consultant, Author, Globetrotter, Artist.
Sonal Holland, Master of Wine and wine professional. Sonal is India’s first and only Master of Wine, and also the country’s most accomplished wine professional.
Shatbhi Basu, India’s first Woman Bartender and consultant, brand ambassador and mixologist.

The IHC Outstanding Hospitality Influencer Award went to Bibhor Srivastava, MD, ITP Media India. Bibhor has over two decades of work experience in Senior Management roles in publishing, audience development and media related events and exhibitions, marketing and sales management and business development.

Hospitality’s contribution to society was recognised through the IHC Hospitality for a Cause Award. The award went to the Taj Public Service Welfare Trust (TPSWT) that was set up in December 2008, in the aftermath of the Mumbai terror attacks. Inspired by the resilience of the survivors and the courage of those who came to their aid, they reach out to people affected by disasters with support to rebuild their lives. They also have a special mandate for the welfare of injured and disabled members of the armed forces. Since their inception, they have worked for relief and rehabilitation initiatives across the country, with a strong commitment to helping survivors regain their confidence and independence.

Hospitality entrepreneurs are making a huge difference to the industry and IHC acknowledged their contribution through the Entrepreneur of the Year Award, which was awarded to Sidharth Gupta, Co-founder at Treebo, Hotel Superhero. Treebo Hotels and Hotel Superhero were Sidharth Gupta’s brainchild. Treebo is a technology-enabled hotel brand operating in the budget segment and is present in over 800 locations across 150 cities with a network size of 15,000 rooms. Hotel Superhero is a comprehensive hotel management software thatallows hotels to manage their business on a cloud-native SaaS platform.

Finally, the IHC Rising Star of the Year Award went to Anant Leekha, Cluster General Manager at Accor. Anant has a rich experience of over 16 years with groups like Lemontree and Accor.

Ayodhya sets world record by lighting over 15 lakh diyas on Deepotsav in PM Modi’s presence

Modi also offered prayers to Ram Lalla at Ram Janmbhoomi in Ayodhya. This is Modi’s first visit to Ayodhya after a “bhoomi pujan” for the construction of a Ram temple on August 5, 2020.

Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya set a new Guinness World Record for lighting the maximum number of earthen lamps – over 15 lakh- on the banks of the Saryu as Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the historic Deepotsav celebrations on Sunday, on the eve of the festival of Diwali.

Modi and chief minister Adityanath displayed the Guinness Record certificate on the occasion.

Beginning his speech with ‘Jai Shri Ram’, Modi addressed a gathering on the occasion of Deepotsav. “From the holy birthplace of Lord Ram, I pass on Diwali wishes to my countrymen,” Modi said.

Modi also said people have to learn as much as they can from Lord Ram.
“Lord Ram doesn’t leave anyone behind, doesn’t turn away from anyone,” Modi said.

Earlier, Modi offered prayers to Ram Lalla at Ram Janmbhoomi in Ayodhya. This is Modi’s first visit to Ayodhya after a “bhoomi pujan” for the construction of a Ram temple on August 5, 2020.

“I got the opportunity of Lord Ram’s darshan due to his blessings; happy that people across the world watching Deepotsav celebrations in Ayodhya,” Modi said.

Immediately after reaching Ayodhya for the Deepotsav celebrations, the PM went to the makeshift Ram temple and offered prayers to Ram Lalla. He lit an earthen lamp there and performed an “aarti”. Temple chief priest Acharya Satyendra Das applied vermillion on his forehead.

Modi was also briefed by officials on the construction going on for a grand Ram temple at the site. Modi also performed the Rajyabhishek of the symbolic Bhagwan Ram in Ayodhya.

“Shri Ram Lalla’s ‘Darshan’ and then ‘Rajyabhishek’ of King Ram, this good fortune is obtained only by the grace of Lord Ram. This Deepawali has come at a time when we have completed 75 years of independence. ‘Sankalp Shakti’ of Lord Ram will take India to new heights,” the PM added.

Earlier, Modi was welcomed by governor Anandiben Patel and chief minister Yogi Adityanath. He attended the Deepotsav celebrations.

Ayodhya divisional commissioner Navdeep Rinwa had earlier said more than 15 lakh earthen lamps will be lit as part of the Deepotsav celebrations by over 22,000 volunteers at Ram ki Paidi near the Saryu bank. The rest will be placed at important intersections and spots in the town.

Five animated tableaux and 11 Ramlila tableaux showcasing dance forms from different states will also be presented during the Deepotsav.

“Deepotsav of Ayodhya started 6 years ago with the guidance and inspiration of PM Narendra Modi. This festival of UP became a festival of the country. Today, it is touching new heights of success,” Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on the occasion.

ht.com

PM Modi releases Namibian cheetahs at Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park

When cheetahs run again in Kuno National Park, the grassland ecosystem will be restored, biodiversity will increase further, the Prime Minister said

Prime Minister, Narendra Modi on September 17, released a coalition of cheetahs into the Kuno National Park, in Madhya Pradesh.

Eight Cheetahs — five of which are female — were flown from Windhoek, Namibia to Gwalior, followed by a helicopter ride to the grasslands of Kuno Palpur.

The cheetahs were brought in wooden crates and will be released in a specially designed enclosure where they will live for a month and begin a lifetime of acclimatisation to Indian prey and forest conditions.

Mr. Modi, in a televised address, said it could be “months” before ordinary citizens could visit Kuno to spot the animals. “They have now come as guests and it will take some time before they can be used to living in India,” he said.

The cheetah are radio-collared and their movements will be tracked. Each animal has their dedicated tracking team. There is also a team of wildlife scientists, biologists and Laurie Marker, a renowned zoologist and founder of the Cheetah Conservation Fund which has worked on restoring the species in Africa.

The introduction of the cheetah in India is being done under Project Cheetah which, according to the Environment Ministry, is the first time a large carnivorous species has been moved across continents for establishing a new population.

“Decades ago, the age-old link of biodiversity that was broken and became extinct, today we have a chance to restore it,” said Mr. Modi, adding “Today the cheetah has returned to the soil of India.”

He remarked that even though cheetahs had become extinct from India in 1952, no meaningful effort was made to rehabilitate them for the past seven decades.

The process to bring cheetahs into India spans several decades including an ingenious proposal in 2005 by the CSIR — Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, to clone an Asiatic cheetah. This came to naught after Iran, where the species was extant but dwindling, refused to share an animal.

In 2010, the Environment Ministry put together a plan recommending locations in India suitable for the cheetah and for sourcing cheetahs from Africa. This however brought legal problems as conservationists challenged estimates by the Wildlife Institute of India, an autonomous government body, of the suitability of Indian sanctuaries for the animal. Kuno Palpur, one of the recommended sites, was originally intended as a second home for the Asiatic lions in Gir, but which the Gujarat government has opposed despite a Supreme Court order directing the transfer.

In 2012, the Supreme Court stayed the Environment Ministry project to bring African cheetahs to Kuno.

In 2017, the National Tiger Conservation Authority revived the proposal and appealed to the Supreme Court to “clarify its order”. The Supreme Court in 2020 removed its bar on importing the cheetah and allowed it in on an experimental basis and this paved the way for the first batch of cheetahs.

About 10-12 cheetahs are expected to be brought into India every year and around 35 are believed to be necessary to create a sustainable population.

The success of this batch of animals will be the touchstone of India’s initiative to be home to four wildcats — the tiger, lion, leopard and cheetah.

10 more Indian wetlands sites get Ramsar tag, number rises to 64

Six of them are in Tamil Nadu and one each in Goa, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha

India has added 10 more Ramsar sites, or wetlands that are of international importance, taking the number of such sites to 64, Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav said on Wednesday.

“Absolutely thrilled to inform that 10 more Indian wetlands have got Ramsar recognition as wetlands of international importance,” Mr. Yadav tweeted.

The 10 new sites — six in Tamil Nadu and one each in Goa, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha — encompass an area of 1,51,842.41 hectares, bringing India’s total wetland area to 1.2 million hectares.

The sites are Koothankulam Bird Sanctuary, Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere Reserve, Vembannur Wetland Complex, Vellode Bird Sanctuary, Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary and Udhayamarthandapuram Bird Sanctuary, all in Tamil Nadu, Satkosia Gorge in Odisha, Nanda Lake in Goa, Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary in Karnataka, and Sirpur Wetland in Madhya Pradesh.

Until 2012, India had 26 Ramsar sites, with the last decade witnessing a meteoric rise. On July 26, Mr. Yadav announced that India had added five Ramsar sites.

Varanasi to be first ‘Cultural and Tourism Capital’ of SCO: Secretary General Zhang Ming

Under this initiative, each year, a city of the cultural heritage of a member country that will take over the rotating Presidency of the organisation will get the title to highlight its prominence.

The holy city of Varanasi, showcasing India’s culture and traditions over the ages, will be declared the first “Cultural and Tourism Capital” of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, Secretary-General of the bloc Zhang Ming said here on Friday.

The Beijing-headquartered Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is an eight-member economic and security alliance comprising China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India and Pakistan.

Mr. Ming said Varanasi will become the “Cultural and Tourism Capital” of the SCO for 2022-23 under a new rotating initiative by the eight-member organisation to promote people-to-people contacts and tourism among the member states.

“We are about to implement a rotating mechanism. We will rotate the title of ‘Cultural and Tourism Capital’ among the member states,” he said, adding that Varanasi, India’s ancient city, will be the first to be granted the title.

Under this initiative, each year, a city of the cultural heritage of a member country that will take over the rotating Presidency of the organisation will get the title to highlight its prominence, Mr. Ming told presspersons.

PM Modi inaugurates Bundelkhand Expressway in U.P.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, July 16, 2022 inaugurated the 296-km-long Bundelkhand Expressway, which passes through seven districts of Uttar Pradesh and has been constructed at a cost of around ₹14,850 crore.

Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath welcomed Mr. Modi by offering him a local ‘Bundeli’ stole at the inauguration ceremony at Kaitheri village in Orai tehsil of Jalaun district.

t extends from NH-35 at Gonda village near Bharatkoop in Chitrakoot district to near Kudrail village in Etawah district, where it merges with the Agra-Lucknow Expressway.

Boost to development in 7 districts

The four-lane expressway, which can be later expanded into six lanes, passes through seven districts —Chitrakoot, Banda, Mahoba, Hamirpur, Jalaun, Auraiya and Etawah.

PM Modi inaugurates Deoghar airport, unveils ₹16,800-crore projects in Jharkhand

He also flagged off the Deoghar-Kolkata IndiGo flight from the new airport

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday inaugurated the 657-acre Deoghar airport, constructed at a cost of ₹401 crore.

He also flagged off the Deoghar-Kolkata IndiGo flight from the new airport.

The airport has a 2,500-metre-long runway, which can handle the landing and takeoff of Airbus A320 planes.

Mr. Modi had laid the foundation stone of the Deoghar airport on May 25, 2018, as a key step towards providing direct connectivity to Baba Baidyanath Dham, which is an important religious destination for devotees from all over the country.

Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, on the occasion, said the airport will be linked to Ranchi, Patna and Delhi in the days to come.