Vaishakh Krishna 9, Vik.Samvat 2073. Yugabda 5118: May 1, 2016
1. festivals: SIMHASTHA KUMBH STARTS: The month long Simhastha Kumbh started at Ujjain on April 22 with the Shahi Snan taken by a multitude of sadhus chanting 'Jai Shri Ram' at Ramghat in Shipra river. People drawn from different parts of the country and abroad are taking part in the Kumbh Mela, one of the largest congregations of Hindus. "I am overwhelmed to be part of this awesome human gathering," said George Sauuahq, a Frenchman, who has come to Bharat with a group of 12 persons from Paris.Wheelchair-bound Tervani Devi (76) and her husband Durga Prasad (82) came to take a holy dip in Shipra, all the way from Hyderabad.
The Kumbh mela kicked off with Naga Sadhus ofJuna Akhara venturing into the river around 5 AM. Lakhs of people thronged the roads leading to the ghats of Shipra river and waiting in serpentine queues to take the royal bath during the Mela which is being held in Ujjain after a gap of 12 years. Ujjain is also the abode of Lord Mahakaleshwar, one of the 12 'jyotirlings' in the country. Over five crore pilgrims are expected to visit Ujjain and other holy places during the Kumbh. Two other Shahi snans of the Kumbh will be taken on May 9 and 21. -goTop
2. Bharat in elite club with own satnav: Bharat on April 28 joined an elite group of countries, including the US and Russia, with its own satellite navigation system, with Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)'s successful launch of PSLV-C33 delivering its payload, IRNSS-1G, the seventh and last in a constellation of satellites that make the indigenous GPS system. An XL version of a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C33) placed the satellite in orbit around 20.19 minutes after lift off from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at 12.50pm. Congratulating scientists on the successful launch, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the new technology will not only help Bharat but can also help the SAARC nations.
"The new technology will benefit our people, our fishermen," he said. "The world will know it as Navic." he said. Modi gave the expanded form of 'NAVIC' as Navigation with Indian Constellation. The European Union and China, along with US and Russia, have indigenous satellite navigation systems. IRNSS mission director B Jayakumar said the complete network of seven satellites will be fully functional within two months. "The first six satellites in the orbit have already started functioning from their designated orbits," he said.
When the entire network becomes fully operational, it can provide navigation and positioning services to users via their smart phones and devices in vehicles with an expected positional accuracy of 20metres. It can also provide the service in areas that require high precision for marine navigation, rail transport, aviation and military applications with an accuracy of 10m. -goTop
3. SIXTH AND FINAL WHITE HOUSE SCIENCE FAIR: Among the more than 100 students and their 39 projects selected from throughout the United States were 13 Bharatiya Americans. A 17-year-old engineer of Northborough, Mass., Yashaswini Makaram, created a new cellphone security tool that records the distinctive arm and hand motions people use to lift a cell phone from a table to uniquely identify the cell phone's owner.
Sindhu Bala, 12, a member of Girl Scout Troop No. 1484 from St. Louis, Mo., developed a recycling program and discovered a new type of glue.
Cupertino, Calif.-based Kennedy Middle School student, 12-year-old Hari Bhimaraju, designed the hardware and software for "The Elementor," a portable, low-cost teaching tool to help visually impaired students learn the periodic table of elements.
Mobile County, Ala.-based W.P. Davidson High School team, among them 17-year-old Rupa Palanki, created the Engineering Pathways Integrated Curriculum, or EPIC, Program.
Isha Shah, 13, and Krishna Patel, 12, were among the Las Vegas, Nev.-based Hyde Park Middle School students created a sustainable, waste-free, municipal city, winning 'Team Kilau Most Sustainable Buildings and City of the Future that Best Incorporates Cultural and Historical Resources'.
Sanjana Rane, 18, of Prospect, Kentucky, helped discover how a particular protein could be used to detect and treat renal fibrosis. Her discovery helps to prevent renal fibrosis from developing into end-stage renal disease, an incurable total failure of the kidneys.
During her summer travels from her home in Nashua, N.H., to Bharat, 18-year-old Deepika Kurup noticed how children would drink water that she felt was too dirty to touch. That discovery led to her finding a solution, a solar-powered technology that uses silver and other materials to rapidly remove bacteria from water.
Anurudh Ganesan, 16, of Clarksburg, Md., created VAXXWAGON, which can effectively transport vaccines in the last leg of distribution without the use of ice and electricity, saving potentially thousands of lives throughout the world.
A team of girl coders from San Diego, Calif., including 17-year-old Bansi Parekh, created an app designed to provide a more positive and welcoming environment for those in the LGBTQ community. The app, called Spectrum, aims to provide a social media network for the LGBTQ community, especially younger users looking for a safe support system.
A team of teenagers, dubbed Team FireArmor, including Varun Vallabhaneni, 17, in the wake of 19 Arizona firefighters being killed during a flash fire two years ago, put their minds together about how to alter that result in the future. Fire Armor is an innovative protective apparel designed to protect firefighters or anyone who faces extreme temperatures.
San Jose, Calif.-based Maya Varma, 17, astounded at the price of diagnostic spirometers used to analyze lung health, developed a 3-D printed version.
Neil Davey, 20, of Gaithersburg, Md., delved into cancer study for his project. Davey's goal was to detect cancer early on, when there are more treatment options and better outcomes for patients.
A duo from Union City, Calif.-based James Logan High School, including 18-year-old Shaneel Narayan, looking to change the way electric cars are charged, designed a solar charging station. "All of you are showing the rest of us that it's never too early in life to make a difference," Obama said in his remarks after interacting with the students who had come from across the country. -goTop
4. Baisakhi celebrated in Ontario assembly: Top leaders in Canada's Ontario province led by Premier Kathleen Wynne joined the Sikh community in celebrating Baisakhi at the Ontario legislative assembly. For the first time, the Sikh holy book Guru Granth Sahib, was brought to the assembly on April 18 to celebrate Baisakhi and the Sikh Heritage Month. Wynne and her cabinet ministers joined the Sikhs as 'kirtan' was performed and prayers recited to mark the birthday of the Khalsa in April 1699.
The Sikh community's saffron flag, Nishan Sahib, was also hoisted outside the assembly building to mark the day. -goTop
5. Trinidad Hindus Observe Shivganga Maha Yatra: In February 2015, the first Shivganga Maha Yatra was held where yatris walked from Gangadhara (Marianne river, Blanchisseuse, Trinidad, considered as Mother Ganga in Trinidad) to the Patiram trace Shiva temple, covering 126 km over five days, carrying Gangajala, observing maunam (silence) and doing the mental japa of "Om Namah Shivaya." In March 2016, the second Shivganga Maha Yatra was held where Yatris walked from Gangadhara in Blanchisseuse to Manzanilla beach on the eastern coast of Trinidad. They covered 66 km over three days and the Yatra culminated with Rameshwar puja on the morning of Shivratri, 7th March, 2016. The Yatra was organised by the Chinmaya Mission of Trinidad and Tobago, under the leadership of Swami Prakashananda. The yatra is now an annual event and open to everyone. -goTop
6. ShriRamANavAmi at the UK Houses of Parliament: Pujya Ram Bapa from London, Pujya Sanjeev Krishna Thakurji from Vrindavan and Gaur Gopal Prabhu from Mumbai, graced the Ramanavami celebrations held on 19th April 2016. 180 invited guests, Parliamentarians including Gareth Thomas MP, Virendra Sharma MP. Alok Sharma MP, Lord Navnit Dholakia, Steven Pound MP, Angela Smith MP and Lord Dollar Popat, together with dignitaries Reverend Mark Poulson - (Interfaith Advisor for the Archbishop of Canterbury), Malcolm M Deboo (President of the Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe) and Vivian Wineman (Co-Chair of the Interfaith Network for the UK & former President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews) all assembled for the auspicious event.
Opening the event, Virendra Sharma said, "The Hindu community in UK is a vibrant and dynamic community which is well established and enrich our society, and make tremendous contributions to the UK economy". Gareth Thomas giving his heartiest good wishes on Ram Navami applauded the contributions the Hindu Diaspora makes to the United Kingdom across business, education and the charitable sector in both the UK and Bharat.
Shri Ram Bapa, 96, whose devotion to Shri Ram and Shri Hanuman is well known, spoke passionately explaining the origin of how Shri Ram came to be in this world in a concise and easily understandable manner. Sanjeev Krishna Thakurji said "I am absolutely overwhelmed and proud of the Hindu Community in the UK because such an event would not be possible in the Bharatiya Parliament. This event in the UK Parliament proves that you live in a country which truly values its Hindu brothers and sisters, a country which demonstrates the principles of Ram Rajya in practice." Gaur Gopal Prabhu said, "My message is that we need to always apply ancient wisdom to run our fast moving modern living, and that we can learn a lot from the principles that Shri Ram governed with." The attendees felt extremely blissful, spiritually nourished and enlivened by the in-depth, focused talks made by the three Spiritual leaders. -goTop
7. Chariot parade marks mini Thaipusam: The annual Chitraparuvam Festival, also known as mini Thaipusam, started at the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Queen Street, Penang, Malaysia with a chariot procession. More than 600 devotees joined in the prayers at the temple on 20 April, before the statue of Lord Muruga was placed on the elaborately decorated wooden chariot at 7.15pm. Hundreds of devotees made offerings of fruits, flowers and smashed coconuts before the chariot pulled by two bulls left the temple. The chariot made its journey past Chulia Street, Datuk Keramat Road and Kebun Bunga Road to the Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani Hilltop Temple in Kebun Bunga Road.
On the mainland, a kodiyatram (flag-raising ceremony) was held which was followed by a special pooja (prayer). In the evening, devotees also carried paal kudam (milk pots) and kavadis. The silver chariot procession carrying Lord Muruga made its way around Prai before returning to the temple after midnight. Next day a 'grease pole' competition for youths at the temple compound and a cultural show were also held. -goTop
8. Grand Thirukalyanam Performed for Goddess of Meenakshi With Lord SundAReswarar: Thousands of devotees witnessed the celestial wedding (Thirukalayanam) of Goddess of Meenakshi with Lord Sundareswarar performed on the tenth day of Chithirai festival in Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple, Madurai on April 19. The entire temple premises was fully packed with the devotees.
Around 8.10 a.m, Deities of Tirupparankunram temple, Lord Subramaniaswamy and Lord Pavala kanivai perumal were brought to the wedding stage to witness the event. Then Goddess of Meenakshi and Lord Sundareswarar Priyavidai were carried in palanquin to the wedding stage. Siva Bhattar performed the rituals on behalf of Goddess Meenakshi while Senthil Bhattar represented Lord Sundareswarar.
After the celestial wedding, deities were taken to old Thirukalyana mandapam for public darshan. -goTop
9. Yoga teachers training program at Utah University: Hindus have welcomed the new yoga studies and teacher training program of Utah State University (USU) being introduced in fall 2016, calling it a step in the positive direction.
The new Yoga Studies and Teacher Training Program at Utah State University offers an integrated approach with a curriculum of yoga history, literature, philosophy and practice; and is committed to offering students an in-depth understanding of yoga rooted in the teachings of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. USU currently offers 14 yoga classes through campus recreation.
Its learning objectives include: yoga as a physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and ethical discipline; and active discussion and study of The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, The Upanishads, and The Bhagavad Gita. Camille Litalien and Emily Perry are co-directors USU yoga studies founded in 1888, female majority USU's Mission includes "cultivating diversity of thought and culture". Utah houses the headquarters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. -goTop
10. Balagokulam Delhi-NCR Chapter celebrates 15th anniversary: "Gokuladarshanam is an allusion to the fact that Balagokulam which was once confined among Malayalees, is now geared up to reach out of the boundaries of Kerala and spread across the country including Hindi speaking states," said RSS Akhil Bharatiya Sah Prachar Pramukh J Nandakumar while delivering the keynote speech at 'Gokuladarshanam 2016' at New Delhi on April 10 at the 15th anniversary of Balagokulam Delhi-NCR. Inaugurating the event, Minister of State for Culture Dr Mahesh Sharma said, "The divine mission of Balagokulam is to spread Bharatiya culture to the coming generation." Union Minister of State for AYUSH (independent charge) Shripad Yasso Naik, AP Balakrishnan, Babu Panikkar, Rahul Easwar, Arun Govil, AR Vijayan, KV Ramachandran, PK Suresh Kumar, Sreedharan Master, Hareendran Master, Baburaj Master were also present on the occasion.
Established in 1974, Balagokulam is now active in 15 countries of the world along with other parts of Bharat such as Chennai, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Hyderabad and other places. Now it is striving for materialising its ambitious plan of building an International Sri Krishna Kendra in Kodakara, Kerala. Coming to Delhi in 1999, Balagokulam has witnessed a steady growth and now it has touched new heights with 56 units looking after 1,500 children in the region.
Inaugurating an international seminar on Children and Thoughts on the Nation the next day, Anil Vartak of RSS Viswa Vibhag Delhi said, "Global expansion of Balagokulam is essential for the progressive growth of the humankind." The seminar was chaired by Balagokulam Kerala State president KP Baburaj. More than 250 delegates including the representatives from around 15 foreign countries attended the seminar. -goTop
11. TOGETHER WE SERVE BETTER!: Sewa International, Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS), Hindus of Greater Houston (HGH) and other Bharatiya community organizations have come together to help with Houston Flood Relief Efforts and have expressed solidarity with the Flood victims in this hour of distress.
1) We would request the help from the community to provide information to us if someone / some families are In need of immediate assistance. You can mail to Houston@sewausa.org with details. Kindly put "Help Needed"as the subject line of the mail. You can also call 832 517 5866 for this.
2) We also are coordinating with local organizations to render relief through volunteering. Please send a mail to Houston@sewausa.org if you have time to help. Kindly put "Volunteer Help Available" as the subject line of the mail.
3) Those of us who would like to help the community monetarily, can go to Sewa website https://www.sewausa.org/ and click on Donate. In the projects, kindly choose "other" and then in the memo put "Houston Flood Relief". -goTop
12. Sewa UK donates school building at Jawhar-Maharashtra: The Project Dedication Ceremony of Divya Vidyalaya (school + hostel building) constructed with support from Sewa UK and run by Shree Gurudev Bahuuddeshiya Samajik Sanstha was held at Jawhar (150 kms away from Mumbai) on the auspicious occasion of Gudi Padwa (Hindu New Year Day) ie Friday 8th April 2016.Hon Bob Blackman (Member of British Parliament), his wife Mrs. Nicola Blackman, Sewa UK Trustees Bharat Vadukul, Narendra Shah and Jayesh Jotangia Secretary APPG UK were present besides Sewa International Bharat Trustees Rameshbhai Mehta, Bimal Kedia, Sanjay Hegde, Shyam Parande and CEO Nishant Agrawal. -goTop
13. Rashtrapatiji honours scholars for promoting Hindi: Rashtrapati Pranab Mukherjee honoured 30 international and Bharatiya scholars with 'Hindi Sevi Samman awards' for their effort in promoting Hindi language for the years 2012, 2013 and 2014 at a function at Rashtrapati Bhavan on April 19. Chinese professor Ge Fuping, Alka Dunputh from Mauritius and Shichiro Soma from Japan were given George Grierson prize for their commendable efforts for the promotion of Hindi language abroad.
The awards were instituted by Central Hindi Institute, Agra in 1989. 14 scholars receive this award in seven different categories every year for their contribution in the field of Hindi language and literature. -goTop
14. IITs to teach Sanskrit to know Vedic science better: The Indian Institutes of Technologies (IITs) have been asked by the government to teach the Vedas and Sanskrit to students for a better understanding of science and technology as elaborated in the ancient scriptures.
A panel chaired by former chief election commissioner (CEC) N. Gopalaswami had suggested in its report that the premier engineering colleges can help in the "study of science and technology as reflected in Sanskrit literature." This could be possible "with interdisciplinary study of Sanskrit and modern subjects and its corresponding subjects in Sanskrit literature." -goTop
15. Tirupati temple deposits 1,311 kg gold in bank:The Tirupati Balaji temple has deposited 1,311 kg of pure gold bars of 0.995 fineness with the Punjab National Bank on April 18.The TTD manages the Balaji or Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh. The deposit was made under the three-year short term Gold Monetisation Scheme. -goTop
16. Bharatiya Languages To continue in UK Schools: The David Cameron government on April 22 reversed an earlier decision to withdraw some Bharatiya and other languages at secondary and higher secondary levels from 2017, and said instruction in the languages will continue. Gujarati, Bengali, Punjabi and Urdu languages, among others, will continue at GCSE, and A levels (equivalent to Bharat's secondary and higher secondary levels). -goTop
17. Street named after Bharatiya-American in Mississippi in recognition of his service to the community. "Dr Sampat Shivangi Lane" has formally been named in recognition of Shivangi, an eminent Republican from the state. State governor Phil Bryant also reappointed him for a second seven-year term to the Board of Mississippi's department of Mental Health. In 2014, Shivangi was appointed as the Chairman of the Mississippi department of Mental Health, making him the first Asian to occupy the top health post in the southern American state. From 2005-2008, Shivangi served as the Advisor to the US Secretary of Health and Human Services. He is the founding president of the American Association of Physicians of Bharatiya-origin in Mississippi and is the past president and chair of the India Association of Mississippi. -goTop
18. INTERNATIONAL YOGA DAY 2016 WILL BE HELD AT CHANDIGARH: A Curtain Raiser for International Day of Yoga-2016 was inaugurated by the Minister of State for AYUSH (I/C) and Health & Family Welfare, Shripad Yesso Naik in New Delhi on April 21.Addressing the participants, Shripad Naik said that in the past few decades, the health aspects of Yoga have become more popular. The National level function on International Yoga Day will be held at Chandigarh to ensure large participation of people in the celebrations even though the states will be organising their own state level functions on a grand scale. H Nagendra, chancellor, S-VYASA University, Bengaluru chairperson of the Committee of Yoga experts for International Yoga Day, highlighted the activities being planned for a grand celebration of the International Yoga Day and the efforts to introduce Yoga among youth and children with the help of Human Resource Development Ministry. -goTop
19. Bharatiya origin wrestler to represent Australia at Rio Olympics: Vinod Kumar Dahiya is all set to represent Australia at the Rio Olympics after he qualified in the 66kg weight category in Greco-Roman event. Vinod, originally from a small village of Khanda in Haryana, became a citizen of Australia a year ago. The 31-year-old grappler secured an Olympic berth after winning a silver medal at the African/Oceania Olympic qualifiers in Algeria. Vinod migrated to Australia in 2010. Based in Victoria, he has so far claimed six national championships and countless medals at the Australia Cup and Canberra Cup tournaments. -goTop
20. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravas: Ma. Bhagaiahji, Sah-sarkaryavah, RSS, is on Myanmar tour. Shri Anil Vartak, Vishwa Vibbhag - Delhi, will return from New Zealand. Visitors: Yogesh Shekhawat - Canada; Atul Goyal - Japan. -goTop
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Work for Work's Sake: There are some who are really the salt of the earth in every country and who work for work's sake, who do not care for name, or fame, or even to go to heaven. They work just because good will come of it. There are others who do good to the poor and help mankind from still higher motives, because they believe in doing good and love good - Swami Vivekanand -goTop
JAI SHREE RAM
BHARATIYA diaspora in Guadeloupe
Sudheer Naik
Guadeloupe is situated in Northern Caribbean and is a French speaking Island. In mid 1860's, around 45,000 people were brought to this Island by French government from south Bharat as human resource for working in sugar plantations. When the British government adopted a policy against hiring people from other territories, the French government immediately stopped bringing people from Bharat. Due to this, Bharatiyas had to face a lot of hardship and around 9,000 people left the island through 28 ships. But hundreds of them had to stay back because their bond documents were burnt by their officials. Later, they became businessmen and land owners.
When Bharatiyas were brought to the Guadeloupe Island they were forced to speak in French and English irrespective of their mother tongue. They were also forced to change their names and convert their religion to Christianity. Those who refused to do so were sent to prison. Finally, a treaty was signed for overseas citizens of Bharat between the French government and Bharatiya government which was a relief and would benefit the Bharatiyas on the Guadeloupe island by reducing their hardships.
In 1904, Henry Siddamborom filed a law suit demanding French citizenship for Bharatiya workers in Guadeloupe. He was an employee of Basse-Terre organization and was the defender in the case. He fought for the rights of Bharatiyas against French government. The case lasted for 20 years and the judgment was in his favor. Finally French citizenship was issued to the Bharatiyas in Guadeloupe Island. Every year the anniversary of Henry Siddamborom is celebrated by Bharatiyas and he is considered as "Gandhi of Guadeloupe."
Most of the estimated 55,000 Bharatiyas in Guadeloupe are Tamilians and the Island is one of the largest Tamilian bearing population in Caribbean. There are several associations formed by Bharat-Guadeloupe to promote Bharatiya culture. Among these associations the largest association consists of 300 members and 2,000 associates. This association is named as L'Association Culturelle Guadeloupeenne des Amis de L'Inde with Bharatiya origin people holding higher positions in all the fields and politics in Guadeloupe. Bharatiya origin Guadeloupe people are longing to re-discover and re-cover their Bharatiya history, heritage and culture. As a part of this, Hindu temples were built across the Guadeloupe and they started studying their own language to safeguard their culture and traditions. Bharatiyas in Guadeloupe are so remarkable that even though their languages were abolished by the French government, they were able to maintain their culture, tradition and religion. They celebrate all types of Bharatiya festivals such as Diwali, Pongal, Mela and god of coolie is also celebrated.
In 2011, contacts were established by Bharatiyas to the people of Guadeloupe by sending Minister of Overseas Bharatiya affairs Vayalar Ravi. Michel Narayaninsamy, president of Guadeloupe Global people of Indian Origin (GOPIO) stated that desertion and segregation are still continuing for 158 years. - NewsGram, April 9, 2016. -goTop
KARMATH KARMAKAR
Karthik Raman & Jatin Verma
If there is one word in the lexicon that Dipa Karmakar has loved and emulated it is 'stubbornness'. It is because of this otherwise negative trait that Dipa became a gymnast and carried on to finally win a Gold in the Olympics qualifier. In the process, this girl has overcome all kinds of hurdles big ones personally and, of course, the professional ones too - to emerge as the first ever woman gymnast from Bharat to qualify for the Big Games.
Her father recalls a small, yet, significant incident in her life, which proves the uncanny determination of the 22-year-old is stubborn and how it helped her become who she is today. "When she was seven years old, I repeatedly asked her to shift from her Bengali medium school to her eldest sister Puja's school which was an English medium one," Dulal Karmakar tells you. "She told me that if she changed her school, her gymnastics would stop and she could not let that happen at any cost. Looking at her dedication towards the sport, we gave in to her wishes and allowed her to continue there," he added.
Dulal, a Sports Authority of India coach for weightlifting, says his daughter has always been dogged and "if she ever wanted something, small or big, she would work tirelessly for it till she got it. She is stubborn."
Undoubtedly stubbornness is Dipa's main weapon which helped her break the jinx for the nation, becoming the first Bharatiya gymnast to qualify for the quadrennial summer games after a gap of 52 years.
"I only wanted to pursue gymnastics," the nation's current sweetheart Dipa says when you ask her why all those years ago she did not switch school. "I did not choose gymnastics. Gymnastics chose me," she explains just after landing in Delhi after a long-haul flight back from Rio.
She booked her ticket for Rio after qualifying in artistic gymnastics following a total score of 52.698 points in the Test event. She also won the gold medal in the vault final at the event.
Not many knew or have cared that before this ultra prestigious gold, Dipa has won 77 medals in her short career. This includes 77 Gold in State, National and International championships.
It has been 16 years since she stepped on to a mat and started her gymnastics career but her hunger for the game has an endearing freshness to it. That too when her life as a gymnast was no cakewalk.
Even now she undergoes a pretty intense training, he says. "The training is hard load, we work from stamina to skills. We use stress buster exercises to ease of the stress level. If it becomes too extreme, we relax a bit by telling her jokes or stories as she regains her strength," he says.
Asked what she would have been doing if she hadn't made it big in gymnastics, Dipa smiles and replies: "There was never any other option."
Like people think movies, think music, think entertainment, Dipa thought only and only about her floor moves, her vault jumps, her spirals and her somersaults. "That's how engaging life has been for me," she says. "I am satisfied (about qualifying for Olympics), but not fully happy. I will be entirely happy only after winning a medal at the Games," she says confidently, not showing even once that she is jetlagged after her trans-continental flight. "The target in Olympics (Rio) is to come up with a good result and performance," Nandi adds, warning her of bettering her standards for the actual event.
"Finally her hard work has paid off. What she has been doing behind the scenes has been rewarded. Now, the entire world knows about her achievements and the history she created," a jubilant Bisweshwar, who has been her coach for nearly 16 years now, says.
The pleasantly surprised Sports Authority of India was also not short of praise for her. "It is a game changer, she fought against all odds," said Injeti Srinivas, SAI Director General.
"Considering her rankings, the way she has been performing recently, Dipa is definitely a medal prospect in Rio Olympics. If she maintains this level she definitely can get a medal," he added.
One of Dipa's specialties is her ability to pull off the most dangerous vault Pradunova. In the 2015 World Championships, Dipa bagged the highest score on a Pradunova with a tally of 15.100, including 7.00 for difficulty, 8.1 for execution and 0.1 for penalty.
The landing is the most important part of the move as she could conjure serious injuries if she fails to execute it properly. However, Nandi says he was always hopeful she would pull it off something many in world can't. He is happy that Dipa is one among the few who have this excellence and he remains hopeful that she will continue to flourish on the Pradunova.
Come summers in Rio, Dipa hopes her coach's words will come true and she successfully pulls off the Pradunova and carry on from where she left in the Rio test event to rewrite history in a nation where gymnastics needs massive lifting up to be on par with other Olympic sports.-goTop
Shri Vishwa Niketan E-mail: vishwav@bol.net.in Blog: www.shrivishwaniketan.blogspot.com
