\SAMVAD  श्री विश्व निकेतन SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN
Dwitiya Jyestha Shukla 3, Vik.Samvat 2075, Yugabda 5120: 16 June 2018

1. FESTIVALS: Aashaadhasya Pratham Divase 2. NATION, NATIONALISM AND PATRIOTISM
3. UPARASHTRAPATI M. VENKAIAH NAIDU says he felt proud of his association with the RSS 4. Narendra Modi unveils Gandhi’s plaque, VISITS HINDU, BUDDHIST TEMPLES, MOSQUE IN SINGAPORE
5. KARGIL MARTYR’S SON JOIN DAD’S BATTALION 6. Media should educate masses about bharatiya Values: Arun Kumar
7. 2000 BC CHARIOTS SET TO REDEFINE MAHABHARATA AGE 8. RUPEES 20 MILLION FOR EXPANSION OF KRISHAN TEMPLE IN PAKISTAN
9. Showcasing of Bhagavata-Purana by San Diego Museum of Art 10. Sri Krishnan Temple in singapore re-sanctified after $4 million restoration
11.  BHARATIYA American NGO Community Seva Opens New Kitchen to Serve Meals to Homeless in Silicon Valley 12. QS rankings 2019: IIT-Bombay, IIT-Delhi, IISc feature in top-200 in World University Rankings
13. India is very important inspiration: United Nations chief Antonio Guterres 14. UK Sikh soldier first to wear turban to queen’s birthday
15.  Exoplanet find that put BHARAT in select league 16. Managing Drones for NASA, Parimal Kopardekar Named Finalist for Sammies People’s Choice Award
17. A Wild Card Triumph: Karthik Nemmani Wins Scripps National Spelling Bee 18. BHARAT’S FIRST NATIONAL SPORTS UNIVERSITY TO BE SET UP IN MANIPUR
19. BHARAT  successfully test-fires indigenously developed nuclear capable Ballistic missile Agni-5 20. RSS Swayamsevaks in relief and rescue activities during Mekunu Cyclone in Mangaluru, Udupi
21. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN FOOD FOR THOUGHT

1. FESTIVALS: Aashaadhasya Pratham Divase (On the first day of Aashaadha) corresponding to July 13 this year as per Hindu calendar with Amavasyant month: The month of Aashaadh in Bharatiya calendar, the beginning of rainy season is the harbinger of prosperity. Great Samskrit poet Kalidas has immortalized the first day of the month in his famous poem ‘Meghadoota’ by inspiring the separated yaksha, cursed by his employee Indra, to depute a sporting elephant to take his message to his wife living in Alakaanagari.
Famous Rath Yatra at Jagannath Puri takes place on the second day of the Shukla Paksh of this month. Ashaadh Poornima (July 27 this year) is celebrated as Guru Poornima or Vyas Poornima when the disciples pay their respect to their teachers, the Gurus.-GoTop

2. NATION, NATIONALISM AND PATRIOTISM: Poorva Rashtrapati Pranab Mukherjee’s speech to Truteeya Varsha Prashiksharthis in Nagpur on June 7: Today, I am here to share with you my understanding of the concepts of Nation, Nationalism and Patriotism in the context of India that is Bharat.
These three concepts are so closely intertwined that it is difficult to discuss any one of them in isolation. 
2. Let us make a beginning by understanding the dictionary meaning of these three words. Nation is defined as ‘a large group of people sharing the same culture, language or history and inhabiting a particular state or area’. Nationalism is defined as ‘identification with one’s own nation and support of its interests especially to the exclusion of interests of other nations’. Patriotism is defined as ‘devotion to and vigorous support for one’s country’. 

3. Let us look at our roots, India was an open society, globally connected along the Silk and Spice Routes. These busy highways of commerce and conquest witnessed a free exchange of culture, faith and invention as merchants, scholars and sages, traversed mountain and desert, and sailed the oceans. Buddhism reached Central Asia, China and Southeast Asia together with Hindu influences’. Ancient travelers like Megasthenes in the 4th century B.C. Fa Hien in the 5th century A.D. and Hiuen Tsang in the7th century AD; when they came to India, wrote about the efficient administrative systems with planned settlements and good infrastructure. Takshashila, Nalanda, Vikramashila,Valabhi, Somapura and Odantapuri comprised the ancient university system that dominated the world for 1,800 years beginning the sixth century BCE. They were magnets for the finest minds and scholars in the world. In the liberal environment of these institutions creativity found full form and art, literature and scholarship flourished. Chanakya’s Arthashastra, an authoritative text on state-craft was also written during this period. 

4. India was a state long before the concept of the European Nation State gained ground after the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648. This model of a defined territory a single language, shared religion and a common enemy - is the model which led to the formation of various nation states in Europe. On the other hand Indian Nationalism emanated from “Universalism” the philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam and Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah, Sarve Santu Niramayah. We see the whole world as one family and pray for the happiness and good health of all. Our national identity has emerged through a long drawn process of confluence, assimilation, and co-existence. The multiplicity in culture, faith and language is what makes India special. We derive our strength from tolerance. We accept and respect our pluralism. We celebrate our diversity. These have been a part of our collective consciousness for centuries. Any attempt at defining our nationhood in terms of dogmas and identities of religion, region, hatred and intolerance will only lead to dilution of our national identity. Any differences that may appear are only on the surface but we remain a distinct cultural unit with a common history, a common literature and a common civilization. In the words of the eminent historian Vincent Smith, “India beyond all doubt possesses a deep underlying fundamental unity, far more profound than that produced either by geographical isolation or by political superiority. That unity transcends the innumerable diversities of blood colour, language, dress, manners, and sect. 
5. If we take a quick look at history the emergence of the Indian State can be traced back to the sixteen Mahajanapadas mostly spread across Northern India in the 6th century BC. In the 4th century BC, Chandragupta Maurya defeated the Greeks to build a powerful empire comprising of North Western and Northern India. Emperor Ashoka was the most illustrious ruler of this dynasty. After the collapse of the Mauryan Dynasty, the empire broke into small kingdoms around 185 BC. Gupta Dynasty again created a vast empire which collapsed around 550 AD. Many dynasties ruled till 12th century when Muslim invaders captured Delhi and successive dynasties ruled for the next 300 years. Babur defeated the last Lodhi King in 1526 at the First Battle of Panipat and firmly established Mughal rule which continued for 300 years. The East India Company after winning the Battle of Plassey in 1757, and the Three Battles of Arcot (1746-63) brought a vast territory in East and South of India under its control. A large part of western region was also annexed to the company’s territory and to administer these territories, a modern form of government was established in 1774. To administer these territories the office of Governor General at fort William, Calcutta and two sub-ordinate governors at Madras and Bombay were created. For nearly 140 years, Calcutta was the centre of British Authority in India. However, the responsibility of administration was taken away from the East India Company in 1858 and the Secretary of State for India was appointed in the British Cabinet to super intend the Indian Administration. 

6. Throughout this period of 2500 years of changing political fortunes and conquests, the 5000 year old civilizational continuity remained unbroken. In fact, each conqueror and each foreign element had been absorbed to form a new synthesis and unity. Tagore in his poem ‘Bharat Teertha’ says and I quote “………… No one knows at whose beckoning call how many streams, of humanity came in indomitable waves from all over the world, over the millennia and mingled like rivers into this vast ocean and created an individual soul that is called Bharat”. 
7. The concept of Modern Indian State found frequent articulation by various Indian organizations including the Indian National Congress towards the end of nineteenth century. Starting with Shri Surendranath Banerjee in 1895 at Pune, all Congress Presidents gave a call for an Indian Nation comprising the territorial areas of British India and the territories of 565 princely states. When Bal Gangadhar Tilak gave voice to the phrase coined by Barrister Joseph Baptista “Swaraj is my Birth right and I shall have it”, he referred to Swaraj for the Indian People - encompassing various castes, creeds, and religions spread across British India and Princely States. This Nation and Nationalism was not bound by geography, language, religion, or race. As Gandhiji explained Indian nationalism was not exclusive, nor aggressive nor destructive. It was this Nationalism that Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru so vividly expressed in the ‘Discovery of India’, and I quote “ I am convinced that Nationalism can only come out of the ideologist fusion of Hindu, Muslim, Sikh and other groups in India. That does not mean that extinction of any real culture of any group, but it does mean a common national outlook, to which other matters are subordinated”. In the process of our movement against British Rule, the various anti-colonial, anti-British and mostly progressive movements across the length and breadth of the country were unified into a cohesive national struggle for freedom, keeping the feeling of patriotism above their individual, ideological and political leanings. 
8. We won independence in 1947. Thanks to the efforts of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the Princely States merged leading to the consolidation of India. The complete integration of Provincial and Princely States took place after the formation of states on the recommendation of States Reorganization Commission. 
9. On 26 January, 1950, the Constitution of India came into effect. In a remarkable display of idealism and courage, we the people of India gave to ourselves a sovereign democratic republic to secure for all its citizens justice, liberty and equality. We undertook to promote among all citizens fraternity, the dignity of the individual and the unity of the nation. These ideals became the lodestar of the modern Indian State. Democracy became our most precious guide towards peace and regeneration from the swamp of poverty created by centuries of colonial rule. For us, Democracy is not a gift, but a sacred trust. The Indian Constitution, consisting of 395 articles and 12 schedules, is not merely a legal document but a Magna Carta of socio-economic transformation of the country. It represents the hopes and aspirations of the billion plus Indians. From our constitution flows our nationalism. The construct of Indian nationalism is ‘Constitutional Patriotism’, which consists of an appreciation of our inherited and shared diversity; a readiness to enact one’s citizenship at different levels; the ability to self correct and learn from others. 
I want to share with you some truths that I have internalized during my fifty year long public life, as a Parliamentarian and Administrator. 
10. The soul of India resides in pluralism and tolerance. This plurality of our society has come through assimilation of ideas over centuries. Secularism and inclusion are a matter of faith for us. It is our composite culture which makes us into one nation. India’s Nationhood is not one language, one religion, one enemy. It is the ‘Perennial Universalism’ of 1.3 billion people who use more than 122 languages and 1600 dialects in their everyday lives, practice 7 major religions, belong to 3 major ethnic groups - Aryan, Mongoloids, and Dravidians live under one system, one flag and one identity of being ‘Bharatiya’ and have ‘No Enemies’. This is what makes Bharat a diverse and united nation. 
11. In a democracy, informed and reasoned public engagement on all issues of national importance is essential. A dialogue is necessary not only to balance the competing interests but also to reconcile them. Divergent strands in public discourse have to be recognized. We may argue, we may agree, or we may not agree. But we cannot deny the essential prevalence of multiplicity of opinion. Only through a dialogue can we develop the understanding to solve complex problems without an unhealthy strife within our polity. 
12. Peaceful co-existence, compassion, respect for life, and harmony with nature from the foundation of our civilization. Every time a child or woman is brutalized, the soul of India is wounded. Manifestations of rage are tearing our social fabric. Every day, we see increased violence around us. At the heart of this violence is darkness, fear, and mistrust. We must free our public discourse from all forms of violence, physical as well as verbal. Only a non-violent society can ensure the participation of all sections of people in the democratic process, especially the marginalized and the dispossessed. We must move from anger, violence, and conflict to peace, harmony, and happiness. 
13. Happiness is fundamental to the human experience of life. To lead healthy, happy and productive lives is the basic right of our citizens. While we have done well on our economic growth indicators, we have fared poorly on the World Happiness Index. We rank 133 out of the 156 countries mapped in the World Happiness Report 2018. Kautilya’s shloka from Arthashastra, inscribed near lift No.6 in Parliament House says: 
Prajasukhesukham rajah Prajanam cha hithe hitham
Nathmapriyamhitham rajah prajanamthupriyamhitham 
In the happiness of the people lies the happiness of the king, their welfare is his welfare. He shall not consider as good only that which pleases him but treat as beneficial to him whatever causes happiness to all people. Kautilya points out in this shloka very succinctly that the State is for the people. People are at the centre of all activities of the state and nothing should be done to divide the people and create animosity among them. The aim of the state should be to galvanize them to fight a concerted war against poverty, disease and deprivation and to convert economic growth into real development with the objective of spreading Peace, Harmony and Happiness inform the formulation of our public policy and guide all the actions of our state and citizens in their everyday life. This and only this will be able to create a happy nation, where Nationalism flows automatically.-GoTop

3. UPARASHTRAPATI M. VENKAIAH NAIDU says he felt proud of his association with the RSS: "From my association with the RSS, I can assure you all that the RSS is all about self-discipline, self-respect, self-defense, self-reliance, social reform, social consciousness, social movement, selfless service, all guided by the philosophy of supremacy of the nation," said Uparashtrapati M Venkaiah Naidu while delivering the 8thNanaji Deshmukh Memorial Lecture in New Delhi on June 1. 
"Even Mahatma Gandhiji had acknowledged the positive values propounded by RSS," Naidu said while referring to Gandhi's visit to a RSS camp in the 1930s. The country needs selfless leaders like Nanaji at the grass root level to inspire and empower each citizen to become a proud partner in Bharat’s progress, added Uparashtrapati.



Uparashtrapati said that the civil society has a critical role to play in societal transformation, in heightening awareness, changing the behavior and attitudes to achieve a better quality of life.
Nanaji faced hardships during his childhood and his zeal for education made him to sell vegetables and raise money to realize his objectives.  This struggle and urge to bring light into the lives of people in rural areas inspired him to take up social work, Naidu said. -GoTop

4. Narendra Modi unveils Gandhi’s plaque, VISITS HINDU, BUDDHIST TEMPLES, MOSQUE IN SINGAPORE: Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi and Singapore’s former premier Goh Chok Tong on June 2 jointly unveiled a plaque to pay tribute at the immersion site of Mahatma Gandhi’s ashes at Clifford Pier in the city-state. Modi, during his three-day tour of Singapore, visited Sri Mariamman Temple and participated in prayers. Sri Mariamman is the oldest Hindu temple in the country. Modi also visited Chulia mosque which was built by Chulia Muslim merchants from Bharat's Coromandal Coast under the leadership of Anser Sahib. After the mosque, Modi visited the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum. He also unveiled the Kala Sangam, a permanent platform established by High Commissioner of Bharat, Singapore and Indian Heritage Centre, Singapore to bring Bharatiya artisans to Singapore to demonstrate the craft make and sell their products. He also visited the Changi Naval Base and met officers and sailors of the Bharatiya Navy and Royal Singapore Navy. -GoTop

5. KARGIL MARTYR’S SON JOIN DAD’S BATTALION: Hitesh kumar was just six years old when his father, a lance naik in the 2nd Battalion of Rajputana Rifles, was killed at Tololing, in Kargil, on the night of June 12, 1999. When he heard the news, he swore that when he grew up, he would join the Army.
Almost exactly 19 years later, Hitesh has been commissioned as a lieutenant in the Bharatiya Army after passing out from the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun on 12th June.
Not just that, he will be serving in the same battalion as his father. Shortly after the passing out parade, Hitesh paid tribute to his deceased father, Bachan Singh, at the latter’s memorial in the Civil Lines area of Muzaffarnagar.
There is nothing more I could ask for,” said a tearful Kamesh Bala, Hitesh’s mother, at the memorial to the Kargil martyr. -GoTop

6. Media should educate masses about bharatiya Values: Arun Kumar: Underlining the role of media in the overall development of the society, Akhil Bhartiya Prachar Pramukh of RSS, Arun Kumar said all the stakeholders in media should give a thought on the existing pattern of content generation and consumption. He was speaking at the Vishwa Samvad Kendra Nagpur’s Narad Jayanti programme on June 1. Commenting on the emergence of social media, Kumar stated that internet driven platforms have redefined the structure of traditional media.

Senior Journalist Avinash Mahalakshme, Nandu Andhare, and Pravin Mudholkar were honored with the awards for their contribution in the field of journalism. Prabhakar Karpe and Sushma Pachpore were also feted for their long association with Vishwa Samvad Kendra. -GoTop

7. 2000 BC CHARIOTS SET TO REDEFINE MAHABHARATA AGE: Some 60 km drive from Delhi, at Sanauli in Uttar Pradesh’s Baghpat, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has stumbled upon “royal burials” with remains of chariots dating 2000BC-1800BC.

The first-of-its-kind findings in the Bharatiya sub-continent dating back to the Bronze Age suggest that people of that era belonged to the warrior class and were living a highly sophisticated lifestyle. 

The other noteworthy finds were four copper antenna swords, two daggers, seven channel-like objects, shield, comb, mirror, torch, hundreds of small cylindrical paste beads, steatite beads and triangle and rectangular inlays, semiprecious and gold beads, etc. The excavations at the Sadiqpur in Sanauli are the extension of the ASI’s excavation in 2005 when around 116 graves belonging to Indus Valley Civilization were found. These graves, dated 2200-1800 BC, were a fairly recent addition to the list of Indus Valley Civilization sites in Bharat. -GoTop

8. RUPEES 20 MILLION FOR EXPANSION OF KRISHAN TEMPLE IN PAKISTAN: The Punjab province government in Pakistan has released Rs 20 million for renovation and expansion of a Krishna temple in Rawalpindi city in an effort to ensure accommodation of more Hindu worshippers on festivals and during religious events. The work for the makeover of the only functioning Hindu temple in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad is expected to begin soon.
The temple was built by Kanji Mal and Ujagar Mal Ram Rachpal in 1897 to serve the people in nearby areas. However, following the partition, the street temple in Saddar became the only place of worship for Rawalpindi’s Hindus. It was later reopened in 1949 and was run by the local Hindus before being handed over to the ETPB in 1970.-GoTop

9. Showcasing of Bhagavata-Purana by San Diego Museum of Art: The San Diego Museum of Art (SDMA) is presenting “Epic Tales from Ancient India” exhibition of over 90 world-renowned paintings of 16th-19th centuries from June nine through September three. It includes depictions from Hindu texts Bhagavata-Purana and Ramayana, and Ragamala. 

The exhibition also includes an interactive performance space to bring the narratives to life through hands-on workshops, musical performances, dance, educational storytelling and more. Activities associated with this exhibition include collaborative rangoli, lecture by a Swami, Navarasa Dance Theater, Bharatiya miniature paintings workshop, henna painting, Bharatiya traditional puppet making, Bharatiya dances, Bharatiya films, etc. -GoTop

10. Sri Krishnan Temple in singapore re-sanctified after $4 million restoration: Some 10,000 devotees attended the consecration ceremony called MahaSamprokshanam on June 3. Waterloo Street was filled with the beating of drums and the patter of barefoot dancers on 3rd June morning as the Sri Krishnan Temple was unveiled in its fully restored glory after four years of works costing almost $4 million. The 148-year-old Hindu temple, one of the oldest in Singapore, was re-sanctified in a consecration ceremony called MahaSamprokshanam, done every 12 to 15 years. The Minister of Communications and Information S. 

Iswaran said the temple shows how Singaporeans share in one another's beliefs and culture, leading to a sense of community and mutual respect. -GoTop

11.  BHARATIYA American NGO Community Seva Opens New Kitchen to Serve Meals to Homeless in Silicon Valley: Community Seva, a non-profit organization founded in 2013 by Bharatiya American Nathan Ganeshan, reached a watershed moment on June 2 morning, as local politicians and volunteers gathered to cut the ribbon on a new kitchen in San Jose, Calif., which will serve about 1,200 meals every weekend to the Silicon Valley’s fast-growing homeless population. California state Assembly member Ash Kalra said: “At the local and state level, we are doing everything we can to increase the supply of affordable housing and transitional housing for our homeless community.”About 7,500 people are currently homeless in the Silicon Valley, according to data released last year by Santa Clara County. From its new kitchen – located inside a community center in San Jose – Community Seva will serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner on Saturdays and Sundays to seven homeless shelters. Each meal – known as a Seva – is sponsored by a community member at a cost of $2 to $3 per plate, and cooked by Community Seva’s team of more than 1,500 volunteers. Volunteers and meal sponsors also serve the food at the shelters. -GoTop

12. QS rankings 2019: IIT-Bombay, IIT-Delhi, IISc feature in top-200 in World University Rankings: IIT-Bombay and IIT-Delhi are in the top 200 QS World University Rankings 2019. Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, too, features on the list. The number of Bharatiya universities in the top 1,000 increased from 20 to 24. The Indian Institute of Science too has overtaken IIT-Delhi and is now ranked 170.Globally, Massachusetts Institute of Technology remains the top university for the seventh consecutive year. QS ranks the world’s top 1,000 universities, across 85 countries. With this year’s rankings, the five first IITs and the IISc are now in the top 500.
Indian Institute of Science (IISC) Bangalore secured the top spot in the country and the 13th position amongst emerging economies. Savtribai Phule Pune University sat at position 180. Bharat was the second most represented nation after China, with 42 institutes making it to the list of top 350 institutes from four continents. In 2017, only 27 institutes were on the list. -GoTop

13. India is very important inspiration: United Nations chief Antonio Guterres: "India played a very important role in shaping the Sustainable Development Goals. And even before the Goals were crystallized, India's own development efforts and vision reflected many of the same priorities and aspirations. India is, for all of us, a very important inspiration," Guterres has said in his remarks to an event marking the first anniversary of the Bharat-UN Development Partnership Fund."The Fund shows the further deepening of South-South cooperation, an increasingly valuable dimension of our work for development," the Secretary General said.
Bharat's permanent representative to the UN Syed Akbaruddin said that from the first project of a million dollars, the annual contribution and portfolio of projects has multiplied several times within the first year of the fund's operation.-GoTop

14. UK Sikh soldier first to wear turban to queen’s birthday: Prince Harry and his new wife, the former actress Meghan Markle, joined the pageantry of the annual Trooping the Colour ceremony on 9th June in London to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s official birthday. But one guardsman stood out: Charanpreet Singh Lall, a 22-year-old Sikh from Leicester, who wore a black turban. It marked the first time a member of the Coldstream Guards took part wearing a turban — and Lall hoped it wouldn’t be the last. 

“I hope that people watching, that they will just acknowledge it and that they will look at it as a new change in history,” said Lall, who was born in Punjab, Bharat, and moved to the UK as a baby. “I hope that more people like me, not just Sikhs but from other religions and different backgrounds, that they will be encouraged to join the Army. -GoTop

15.  Exoplanet find that put BHARAT in select league: In the universe of never-ending stars, planets and galaxies, Bharat has made a place for itself by discovering a sub-Saturn or super-Neptune sized planet, which is about 27 times the mass of Earth and measures six times its radius. With this discovery, the country has joined a select league of countries, which has discovered planets around stars. A team of scientists at Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmadabad, discovered the planet, which revolves around a sun-like star some 600 light years away, by measuring the mass of the planet using the indigenously designed PRL Advance Radial-velocity Abu-Sky Search (Paras) spectrograph integrated with a 1.2m telescope at PRL’s Gurushikar Observatory in Mount Abu.
After watching the planet for more than a year, the team led by Professor Abhijit Chakraborty came up with the deductions, the details of which will appear in the June issue of the Astronomical Journal of the American Astronomical Society. -GoTop

16. Managing Drones for NASA, Parimal Kopardekar Named Finalist for Sammies People’s Choice Award: Bharatiya American senior technologist for NASA’s Air Transportation System Parimal Kopardekar was named to the top 12 of the 2018 Sammies People’s Choice Award competition. Parimal Kopardekar was selected as one of the top 12 finalists for the 2018 Sammies People’s Choice Award by the Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals on June 1. Kopardekar is also a principal investigator of the Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management at the Moffett Field, Calif.-based NASA Ames Research Center. The Bharatiya  American was named a finalist in the Promising Innovation category. From a $5,000 workshop, he created a program with an $18 million annual budget, and has set the stage for an entire new era in unmanned aviation and the potential to unleash a multibillion dollar U.S. industry. -GoTop

17. A Wild Card Triumph: Karthik Nemmani Wins Scripps National Spelling Bee: 14-year-old Karthik Nemmani outlasted better-known spellers May 31 and became the champion after a dramatically abrupt end to the competition, when 12-year-old Naysa Modi misspelled the word “Bewusstseinslage” in the first championship round. Karthik had to spell two words correctly to seal the title, which he did with ease, and the lanky, soft-spoken Texan stepped back and smiled as he was showered with confetti. His winning word was “koinonia,” which means Christian fellowship or communion. Karthik is from McKinney, Texas, and Naysa lives in Frisco, Texas — both suburbs of Dallas — and Naysa topped Karthik at their county bee. “She’s a really, really good speller. She deserved the trophy as much as I did,” Karthik said. “I got lucky.”All three top finishers were from the Dallas area and all three are Bharatiya American. Karthik is the 14th consecutive  Bharatiya American champion, and 19 of the past 23 winners have been Bharatiya American. 

In addition to the trophy, he gets more than $40,000 in cash and prizes.-GoTop

18. BHARAT’S FIRST NATIONAL SPORTS UNIVERSITY TO BE SET UP IN MANIPUR: The Union Cabinet, on May 23, approved an ordinance to set up the country’s first national sports university in Imphal. The President of Bharat has given his assent to this decision.
For setting up the university, 325.90 acres of land has been made available by the Government of Manipur in the west Imphal district of Koutruk.
The proposal was formally announced by the finance minister in his budget speech of 2014-15 in 2014. For setting up the university, 325.90 acres of land has been made available by the Government of Manipur in the west Imphal district of Koutruk. “The University would provide a boost to sports activities in the country, and also improve the country’s sports performance at the national and international levels. The proposed University has also considerable employment generation potential.” -GoTop

19. BHARAT  successfully test-fires indigenously developed nuclear capable Ballistic missile Agni-5: Bharat successfully test-fired its indigenously developed nuclear capable Long Range Ballistic Missile, Agni-5 from the -GoTop
Abdul Kalam Wheeler Island off the Odisha coast on June 3. The state-of-the-art surface-to-surface missile developed by the Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has a strike range of 5,000 kilometres and can carry a nuclear warhead of more than one tonne. It is about 17 metres long, 2 metres wide and has launch weight of around 50 tonnes.

20. RSS Swayamsevaks in relief and rescue activities during Mekunu Cyclone in Mangaluru, Udupi: Incessant rains in Mangaluru and surrounding areas, owing to the Mekunu Cyclone days have inundated most of the areas throwing normal life out of gear. Hundreds of houses in low lying areas were under 3-4 feet water on 29th May. -GoTop

Storm water drains overflowed throughout the city endangering lives of people. The rains and flooding resulted in loss of lives and property in Udupi too. 4 people are reported to have lost their lives thus far. Swayamsevaks of the RSS sprung into action as soon as common people were affected by the rains. They helped people to reach their destination and also provided food and essential commodities wherever needed. Swayamsevaks were also seen clearing the roads of debris and clearing the pathways for water to flow freely. Swayamsevaks also helped in evacuating people from their houses which have been under 3-4 feet of water.

21. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravas: Visitors: Pravin Dhir - USA
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: He (a swayamsevak) is not like an ochre-robed monk. He does not proclaim, ‘I make no distinction between gold and mud.’ He knows the difference quite well, but he is not enamoured of the glitter of gold. He willingly says, ‘The gold is for the society. I shall be content with mud.’ He painstakingly churns milk and extracts butter. He knows the difference between butter and butter-milk; and yet he prefers the latter for himself and willingly offers the butter to society. It is only such a worker who can render true service and also inspire the spirit of sacrifice in the people.” Doctor Keshav Baliram Hedgewar.-GoTop
JAI SHREE RAM

SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN


\SAMVAD  श्री विश्व निकेतन SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN
Dwitiya Jyestha Krishna 3, Vik.Samvat 2075, Yugabda 5120: 1 June 2018

1. FESTIVALS: Mela Kheer Bhawani & Narasimha Chaturdashi 2. PRANAB TO ADDRESS RSS SHIKSHARTHIS IN NAGPUR
3. Kushok Bakula's vision relevant even today 4. HINDU SWAYAMSEVAK SANGH AUSTRALIA - Sangh SikshaVarga (SSV)
5. Modi invites bharatiya diaspora for Kumbh 6. father-daughter team scale up Mount Everest
7. Heroic Tarinis touches its homeland after conquering waves of whole globe in 254 days 8. Pakistan seeks Bharat’s help for conservation, excavation of Mohenjo Daro
9. bharatiya-American brain behind key Nasa project 10. Angkor Wat named as the top landmark for the second year
11. Renowned Physicist EC George Sudarshan Dies At 86 12. Two bharatiya Americans Take Top Awards at Intel ISEF 2018 Competition
13. BHARAT sixth wealthiest country with total wealth of $8,230 billion 14. Crater on Pluto’s Largest Moon Named revati
15. University of Virginia offers “Medical Yoga for Health Professionals” course 16. bharatiya American Teens Sweep Up Top Three Prizes in National Geographic Bee Competition
17. Visionary bharatiya Americans Honored With Prestigious Ellis Island Medal of Honor 18. bharatiya-origin Sikh man becomes Malaysia's first cabinet minister
19. bharat Emerges as Cultural Tourism Hotspot 20. FLOATING VARANASI MUSEUM TO REVIVIFY GANGA
21. bharatiya American Rajputs of Rajasthan Celebrate Grandeur of Rajputana Culture 22. 'Maa ki Rasoi' - BHU students’ humane initiative launched in Varanasi
23. English welcomes its new guest word ‘AYUSH’ in it 24. Maharashtra govt awards tourism status to RSS memorial in Nagpur
25. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Article:

1. FESTIVALS: Mela Kheer Bhawani: Mata Ragnya Devi is symbolised as a sacred spring at Tula Mula village, near (27 kms) Srinagar, Kashmir.

 The Temple, dedicated to Mata Kheer Bhawani (originally Bhawani Mata), has been constructed over a Sacred Spring. Within the spring is a marble temple. The temple-spring complex is affectionately known as Kheer Bhawani as thousands of devotees offer milk and 'kheer' to the Sacred Spring. The devotees of Mata Kheer Bhawani fast and gather here on Jyeshtha Shukla Ashtami (June 26 this year). Kheer Bhawani is considered to be the Presiding Deity of most of the Kashmiri Brahmans.
Swami Vivekananda's Experience: Swamiji visited Kashmir. During this stay, while ritually worshiping Kheer Bhavani, he had the thought: "Mata Bhavani has been manifesting Her Presence here for untold years. The Mohammedans came and destroyed Her temple, yet the people of the place did nothing to protect Her. Alas, if only I were then living, I would not have borne it, I would have protected the temple from the invaders." He, then, distinctly heard the voice of the goddess saying: "It was my desire that the Mohammedans destroy the temple. It is my desire that I should live in [a] dilapidated temple, otherwise, can I not immediately erect a seven-storied temple of gold here if I like? What can you do? Do I protect you or do you protect me?"
Narasimha Chaturdashi celebrated with grace and devotion in Pakistan: Karachi celebrated Narasimha Chaturdashi on April 28 with around 10,000 Gujarati, Marwari, Kathiawar, Lassi, Meghwar etc., from different parts of the area gracefully participating in it with different kinds of Prasad to Narasimha Bhagwan.
This made it one of the biggest festivals of Hinduism in Pakistan. Bhajans, Kirtans, Parvachan, Yagna all made the environment devotional and sacred. Yogi Wajahat, Hindu priest and Salman Shaik were the special guests who gave the message of peace and harmony to the community saying that “humanity is the best religion in the world. ”The festival is celebrated annually at Narshinga Shiv Mandir which is a historical monument in Karachi old city area. Narasimha Bhagwan rescued the child devotee of Vishnu, named Prahlad, from his own evil demon father Hiranyakashipu. -GoToTop

2. PRANAB TO ADDRESS RSS SHIKSHARTHIS IN NAGPUR: Former Rashtrapati Pranab Mukherjee will address the trainees of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in the concluding session of the 25-day Truteeya Varsh Shiksha Varg at Nagpur on June 7.-GoToTop
Shri Mukherjee and Dr. Mohan Bhagwat, the RSS Sarasanghachalak will speak to over 600 trainees who will also demonstrate what they learned at the varg.

3. Kushok Bakula's vision relevant even today:
RSS Sah Sarkaryavaha Dattatreya Hosabale on May 19 paid his tributes to the 18th Kushok Bakula Lobzang Thupten Chognor Rinpoche at the closing ceremony of his birth centenary celebrations at the Central Institute of Buddhist Studies (CIBS) in Leh, Ladakh. Jammu Kashmir Study Centre (JKSC) and India Foundation had jointly organized a National Scholars' Confluence in Leh from 16th to 18th May to commemorate the year-long centenary celebrations.12-year-old Nashtan, ordained as the 20th Kushok Bakula, also participated in the celebrations. "Kushok Bakula Rinpoche was a Buddhist monk, a spiritual leader, a statesman and an outstanding diplomat who worked with an all -encompassing vision of human welfare," Hosabale said. "Kushok Bakula always took the unambiguous stand that Ladakh is an unquestionable part of Bharat along with the rest of Jammu Kashmir," he added. Jammu and Kashmir Upa Mukhya  Mantri Kavinder Gupta was the chief guest at the ceremony, which was presided by Indian Council of Philosophical Research (ICPR) chairman Prof S.R. Bhatt. -GoToTop

4. HINDU SWAYAMSEVAK SANGH AUSTRALIA - Sangh SikshaVarga (SSV):






Annual 8-day camp, Sangh SikshaVarg (SSV) was conducted in   Sydney 17th-25th of April. The camp was designed to cater - all the three levels Prathamik (first year), Pravesh (second year) and Praveen (third year). The program witnessed 100 students (Siksharthis) across Australia. More than 100 volunteers took part in training (sikshaks), administration, transportation, cooking and organising the event. Surendra Reddy of Sree Rama Krishna mission, Sydney stayed in the camp as Shibiradhikari (camp supervisor).-GoToTop

5. Modi invites bharatiya diaspora for Kumbh: “We will grant free of cost visas for Indonesian citizens for travel of up to 30 days,” said Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi during an address at the Jakarta Convention Center on May 30. “Not only do the names of our nations rhyme but also there is a distinct rhythm in the Bharat-Indonesia friendship,” he added. -GoToTop
“Many of you may never have been to Bharat. I invite you all to come to India for the Kumbh Mela in Prayag next year,” Modi told the gathering. "I am very proud of the fact that you (the Bharatiya diaspora in Indonesia) have been contributing a lot to Indonesia's development," Modi added. "For our government, corruption-free, citizen-friendly and development-friendly ecosystem is the biggest priority," he said.

6. father-daughter team scale up Mount Everest: On 16 May, just as the sun was rising in the eastern hemisphere, Deeya Bajaj was taking her final steps towards the highest point on earth, and her father, Ajeet Bajaj, was right behind her. The invincible duo has become the first Bharatiya father-daughter team to scale Mount Everest. Sardar Nima Nuru, who has climbed Everest 20 times, was their Sherpa. Ajeet Bajaj was the first Bharatiya to ski to the North Pole, the South Pole and across the Greenland Ice Cap completing the ‘Polar Trilogy’.
At the age of 17, Deeya became the youngest person to undertake the Trans-Greenland Skiing expedition in May 2011. In the following year, Ajeet and Deeya became the first Bharatiyas to ski across the Greenland Ice Cap. -GoToTop

7. Heroic Tarinis touches its homeland after conquering waves of whole globe in 254 days: Raksha Mantri Nirmala Sitharaman and Admiral Sunil Lamba were standing with pride to welcome our brave Tarinis who completed their mission to circumnavigate the globe named ‘Navika Sagar Parikrama.’ Brave Heroic Tarinis sailed over 21600nm, visited 5 countries, sailed across 4 continents and across 3 Oceans, passed south of three Capes, crossed the Equator twice. This was the first-ever Indian circumnavigation of the globe by an all-women crew. They had begun their voyage in September last year from Goa.
The Navika Sagar Parikrama was covered in five legs, with stop-overs at 4 ports: Fremantle (Australia), Lyttleton (New Zealand), Port Stanley (Falklands), and Cape Town (South Africa).The all-women crew consisted Lieutenant Commander Vartika Joshi, Lt Commander Pratibha Jamwal, Lt Commander P Swati, Lt Vijaya Devi, Lt B Aishwarya and Lt Payal Guptastarted their journey on a 55-foot yacht. INVS Tarini was one of the operating four sailing vessels capable of open ocean deployments. INSV Tarini is 55 feet in length and built in Bharat in line with the ‘Make in Bharat’ initiative of the Bharatiya Nausena, fructified by Aquarius Shipyard, Goa. -GoToTop

8. Pakistan seeks Bharat’s help for conservation, excavation of Mohenjo Daro: Pakistani archaeologists excavating the Harappan site of Mohenjo Daro have sought help from their Bharatiya counterparts for carrying out conservation works and planning future excavations at the site. The site, in present-day Sindh, Pakistan, was likely the world’s largest settlement between 2600 and 1900 BC. Vice-Chancellor of Pune’s Deccan College and a leading scholar on Harappan civilization, Vasant Shinde was among the few foreign archaeologists who were recently invited to visit Mohenjo Daro. “I was the only Bharatiya invitee to Mohenjo Daro. We have realised that we need to work hand-in-hand. The Pakistani side is very keen and we also want that the two countries must come together…because, the remaining half of the Harappan sites lie on the other side of the Bharatiya border and without understanding the entire region, we cannot really get a holistic picture about the civilization,” Vasant Shinde said. -GoToTop

9. bharatiya-American brain behind key Nasa project: Anita Sengupta, a Bharatiya American is behind NASA’s latest physics experiment to create the soldest spot in the universe. The spot created by Cold Atom Laboratory (CAL) is expected to be 10 billion times colder than the vacuum of space.CAL, flown to the International Space Station (ISS) on May 22 by an Antares rocket from Nasa’s Wallops facility at Virginia, United States, could potentially lead to a number of technologies, including sensors, quantum computers and atomic clocks used in spacecraft navigation, said NASA. “CAL will make it possible to observe these ultra-cold atoms much longer in the microgravity environment,” the space agency stated. Sengupta, who said she proposed the mission, had played a key role in the successful landing of Nasa’s Curiosity rover on Mars on August 6, 2012. Sengupta said that CAL will investigate the properties of “Bose Einstein Condensate, a state of matter that only occurs just above absolute zero”. She is currently the V-P of Hyperloop One and had visited Mumbai in 2013. -GoToTop

10. Angkor Wat named as the top landmark for the second year:
Travel website Trip Advisor has named Cambodia’s ancient wonder Angkor Wat as the top landmark in the world for the second year running in their Travelers’ Choice Award 2018, an achievement Cambodian tourism operators expect will attract more tourists to the Kingdom. The website uses traveller reviews to choose its winner each year. Angkor Wat received a five-out-of-five ‘bubble rating’, with the majority of the more than 40,000 visitor reviews highly favourable. From January to March this year, the Angkor Archaeological Park attracted 858,580 foreign tourists, a 12 percent increase over the same period in 2017, according to the state-owned Angkor Enterprise.
Five Bharatiya landmarks made it to the Asia list — Taj Mahal (#2), Amber Fort (#9), Harmandir Sahib (#10), Swaminarayan Akshardham (#13) and Gurudwara Bangla Sahib (#14). -GoToTop

11. Renowned Physicist EC George Sudarshan Dies At 86:

Sudarshan had been teaching as a professor at University of Texas for over 40 years. Sudarshan, an outstanding theoretical physicist, discovered the V - A theory of weak interactions while working on his PhD thesis under the late Robert E. Marshak. In 2007, Bharat recognised and awarded the physicist with the second highest civilian award, Padma Vibhushan. He was also awarded the Dirac Medal in 2010, which is known to be given out to scientists who have made substantial contributions in theoretical physics, computational chemistry and mathematics. The renowned physicist was even recommended for the Nobel Prize nine times but never awarded. -GoToTop

12. Two bharatiya Americans Take Top Awards at Intel ISEF 2018 Competition:
The Intel Foundation Young Scientist Award of $50,000 has been won by Meghana Bollimpalli, of Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas; as well as by Dhruvik Parikh, of Henry M. Jackson High School in Washington. The Society for Science & the Public, in partnership with the Intel Foundation, announced May 19. Student winners are ninth through twelfth graders who earned the right to compete at Intel ISEF 2018 by winning a top prize at a local, regional, state, or national science fair. Bollimpalli’s winning project was titled, “Green Synthesis of Phosphorous, Nitrogen Co-Doped Carbon Materials from Renewable Resources for Supercapacitor Applications via Microwave Assisted Technique.” Parikh’s project was titled, “A Novel Sol-Gel Derived SPEEK/Silicon Dioxide Composite Membrane for the Vanadium Redox Flow Battery.” -GoToTop

13. BHARAT sixth wealthiest country with total wealth of $8,230 billion: According to the AfrAsia Bank Global Wealth Migration Review, the US is the wealthiest country in the world with a total wealth of $62,584 billion, followed by China ($24,803 billion) in the second place and Japan ($19,522 billion) in third. Other countries in the top 10 wealthiest list includes the United Kingdom ($9,919 billion), Germany ($9,660 billion), India ($8,230 billion), Australia ($6,142 billion), Canada ($6,393 billion), France ($6,649 billion) and Italy ($4,276 billion). -GoToTop

14. Crater on Pluto’s Largest Moon Named revati: The International Astronomical Union, the internationally recognized authority for naming celestial bodies and their surface features, recently approved a dozen names, including the name of Revati Crater on Charon, which was proposed by NASA’s New Horizons team. Charon, according to the organization, is one of the larger bodies in the Kuiper Belt, and has a wealth of geological features, as well as a collection of craters similar to those seen on most moons. These features and some of Charon’s craters have now been assigned official names. “Revati Crater is named for the main character in the Hindu epic narrative Mahabharata — widely regarded as the first in history (circa 400 BC) to include the concept of time travel,” stated the International Astronomical Union, adding that the names approved by the IAU “encompass the diverse range of recommendations the team received from around the world during the Our Pluto campaign.” -GoToTop

15. University of Virginia offers “Medical Yoga for Health Professionals” course: The University of Virginia in Charlottesville, public research university and tier-one research institution with a nationally renowned health system, is offering “Foundations of Medical Yoga for Health Professionals” in Fall this year. This three-credits course “will provide graduate students, medical students, and practicing health professionals with a foundational understanding of medical yoga to improve health and wellness from a historical, theoretical, and research perspective.” Dr. Maureen Mala Cunningham, Clinical Assistant Professor of Nursing, is the instructor. Highly selective University of Virginia, founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1819, which claims to be nation’s #2 public university, has about 22,800 students and one of its “purposes” is “providing world-class patient care”. -GoToTop

16. bharatiya American Teens Sweep Up Top Three Prizes in National Geographic Bee Competition: In the 2018 National Geographic Bee held May 23, Venkat Ranjan, 13, of California correctly answered the question, “Which South American country has a population size most similar to Lebanon?” with his response of Paraguay, while Anoushka Buddhikot, 13, of New Jersey, answered Guyana, securing second place in the annual competition. Vishal Sareddy, 14, of Georgia came in third place.
Ranjan bested 10 finalists in the nail-biting competition at National Geographic headquarters in Washington, D.C. The 2018 champion was awarded a $50,000 college scholarship, a lifetime membership to the National Geographic Society, including a subscription to National Geographic magazine and an all-expenses-paid Lindblad expedition to the Galapagos Islands. Second- and third-place finishers received $25,000 and $10,000 college scholarships, respectively. -GoToTop

17. Visionary bharatiya Americans Honored With Prestigious Ellis Island Medal of Honor: Four visionary Bharatiya Americans and one Indo-Canadian were among the 84 prominent immigrants who received the 2018 Ellis Island Medal of Honor at a ceremony in New York May 12. This year’s Bharatiya American honorees were software pioneer Vanu Bose, who was honored posthumously after succumbing to a sudden pulmonary embolism last year; Moon Express founder Naveen Jain; Ethan Allen chairman and Kashmiri activist Farooq Kathwari; and Sikh activist Bhai Sahiba Inderjit Kaur Khalsa. Peter Dhillon, the ‘cranberry king’ of Canada, was one of three recipients of the International Ellis Island Medal. -GoToTop

18. bharatiya-origin Sikh man becomes Malaysia's first cabinet minister: Gobind Singh Deo, a Bharatiya-origin Sikh politician in Malaysia, has become a cabinet minister, the first member of the minority community in the country's history to be appointed as a minister. Deo, 45, who has been given the communications and multimedia portfolio, is among the two politicians of Bharatiya descent included in the Pakatan Harapan coalition's Cabinet. The other Bharatiya-origin lawmaker is M  Kulasegaran from the Democratic Action Party, who has been made the human resource minister. The Punjabi community in the country has hailed the appointment of Deo as the minister. "It is a proud and happy occasion for our community. Other than being a recognition of his abilities, it is also a recognition for the long established Punjabi community in Malaysia," Miri Indian Association president, Councillor Karambir Singh was quoted as saying by the Borneo Post. Malaysia has nearly 1,00,000 Sikh population. -GoToTop

19. bharat Emerges as Cultural Tourism Hotspot: Cultural tourism is growing in the country, as more and more Bharatiyas are going to popular pilgrimages, like Varanasi in UP and Puri in Odisha, according to a report of Travel Company Ixigo. The company officials say that there has been a month-on-month growth in hotel bookings of 60 per cent for Puri, 48 per cent for Varanasi, 34 per cent for Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh and 19 per cent growth for Shirdi in Maharashtra. The report is based on actual hotel searches and bookings on ixigo this summer. -GoToTop

20. FLOATING VARANASI MUSEUM TO REVIVIFY GANGA:
A first-of-its kind floating museum will soon sail on the river Ganga in Varanasi, moving from ghats to ghats to create awareness about the importance and need for conservation of the water body — one of the most revered rivers in the world and also one of the most polluted. An exhibition has been proposed on bajras — the magnificent boats meant to be floating on river waters — showcasing detailed information on Ganga’s pristine history, ecology and riverine ecosystem, its route — from origin to destination — biodiversity like wild animals and plant species found in and around the river. The museum will also highlight threats and possible solutions to overcome the threats to the river. Another important feature of the museum will be focus on climate change and how it is affecting the river. -GoToTop

21. bharatiya American Rajputs of Rajasthan Celebrate Grandeur of Rajputana Culture: Bharatiya American members of the newly-founded Rajputana Rawla of America congregated in large numbers in the San Francisco Bay Area, Calif., April 26-28 to attend the historic celebration of the Rajputana culture of Rajasthan. “Me’l was celebrated in traditional manner to bring Rajputs together to network, celebrate and nurture high values standards of Rajputana life in the next generation, and help under privileged societies to get guidance and financial help to achieve path for progress,” said Raj Nathawat, convener of the event.
After a grand traditional welcome, guests enjoyed a host of activities including a visit to the Livermore wineries, career counseling sessions, a presentation on the history of Rajputs, cultural performances, including a special performance, “Dance of the Desert,” by Antara Bhardwaj, disciple of renowned Kathak master Pandit Chitresh Das, and an elaborate photo session. -GoToTop

22. 'Maa ki Rasoi' - BHU students’ humane initiative launched in Varanasi: RSS Akhil Bharatiya Karyakarini Sadasya Indresh Kumar on May 19 inaugurated this unique initiative at this historical and religious city. ‘Maa ki Rasoi’ will provide homely meals to the students coming from all parts of the country. On initiative of Dr Rajiv Shrivastava, a social scientist, a group of five students of the BHU talked to some women and decided to launch ‘Maa ki Rasoi’ project. The BHU students will now get the tasty, home cooked food with a touch of motherly affection. Inaugurating this unique initiative, Indresh Kumar said ‘Maa ki Rasoi’ is the big step forward in making women self-reliant and at the same time providing homely food to the students. This is a journey of a mother from ‘roti’ to ‘roji’, that will make her self-reliant and independent. -GoToTop

23. English welcomes its new guest word ‘AYUSH’ in it: The word ‘AYUSH’ has got a place in Hindi and English languages for scientific and technical purposes. The Commission for Scientific and Technical Terminology has decided to adopt the word. The “AYUSH” became popular as the acronym for five traditional and complementary systems of medicine, namely Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy and successfully adopted and used in all Government communications. Hailing this decision, Shripad Naik, the Union AYUSH Minister said that it would underline the essential unity of all holistic systems of healing. This decision will also give a boost to Bharat’s efforts to find a place for the Indian Systems of Healthcare in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) of the World Health Organization  -GoToTop

24. Maharashtra govt awards tourism status to RSS memorial in Nagpur:
The Maharashtra government has accorded the C-grade tourism status to the memorial of Rashtriya Swayamsevak  Sangh (RSS) founder Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, popularly known as the Smruti Mandir, at Nagpur. Dr. Hedgewar, who founded the RSS along with four others at Mahal in 1925, died on June 21, 1940. His last rites were performed at Reshimbagh, where the last rites of his successor – Guru Golwalkar – were also performed. -GoToTop

25. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravaas: Shri Saumitra Gokhale ji, Samyojak Vishwa Vibhag is on a short tour to Japan. Visitors: Ma. Ramesh Babu, Uganda,
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Shivaji is one of the greatest national saviours who emancipated our society and our Dharma when they were faced with the threat of total destruction. He was a peerless hero, a pious and God-fearing king and verily a manifestation of all the virtues of a born leader of men described in our ancient scriptures. He also embodied the deathless spirit of our land and stood as the light of hope for our future.—Jadunath Sarkar, the famous historian. -GoToTop
JAI SHREE RAM
 ---
Genesis of Indian Arrival Day as a national holiday in Trinidad and Tobago
Paras Ramoutar
After 150 years of Indian Arrival, it was only in 1995, that the Government of Trinidad and Tobago opted to announce a day marking the first arrival of over East Indians here, May 30, 1845.
The Patrick Manning Government had announced that May 30, 1995 would be called Arrival Day, which was a one all day. In 1996, when Basdeo Panday came to the political throne he feverishly announced that May 30 will be Indian Arrival Day which was to be etched in our national calendar.
Despite earlier attempts by the Indian Revival and Reform Committee led by Ramdath Jagessar, the
Hindu Seva Sangh with Dool Hanooman Singh and others, the Indian Review Committee led by Kamal Persad and Ashram Maharaj, the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha, it was former Member of Parliament for Oropouche, Trevor Sudama who moved a motion in Parliament on October 28, 1994 to have Indian Arrival Day declared a national holiday annually.
And despite stiff opposition within the corridors of Parliament and in public opinion, Sudama successfully move the motion which was ably seconded by then MP for Caroni Central, Raymond Pallackdharry Singh.
Sudama in his presentation made a strong plea which was buttressed by philosophical and sociological data and facts so that he would have left no stone unturned. This he did with great clarity and maturity, and it was passed with contributions from Members of Parliament. One would imagine that the debate was a very emotional issue, and one had to look at the historical antecedents of the whole question of
Indian Arrival, as was the case of the Chinese. Syrians, Africans and Europeans coming here, that each group singularly would have called for similar treatment. Sudama moaned that the Motion to declare Indian Arrival Day a national holiday was on the Order Paper since 1989, but was only afforded the light of the day on October 28, 1994. Notwithstanding the fact the then Prime Minister Dr Eric Williams had announced that both Divali and Eid would be public holidays from 1966, which was an election year. Later, then Prime Minister George Chambers announced in 1982 that Discovery Day, which was celebrated on the first Monday in August, was to be replaced by Emancipation Day August 1. Both Prime Ministers had ignored the presence of the East Indians in Trinidad and Tobago. It is worth remembering spirited tone of Sudama when he piloted the motion saying that it must be accepted in the, “spirit of light, in that spirit of seeking what is best for the nation, what is best for the people of Trinidad and Tobago, and indeed, of acknowledging the cultural and plural diversity of our society and where are as a nation today”. “Madam Speaker(OccahSeepaul) we do not want to put the systems of indentureship and African
slavery as counterposed; they are different systems; they are different historical experiences. The conditions under which the African slaves were brought in.” Sudama must be congratulated for his incisive and straight forward presentation, which would serve as a reference point for any dialogue today or in the coming decades about the relevance of a public holiday to mark Indian Arrival Day in Trinidad and Tobago.
Just in March 2017, the world community observed the centenary of the abolition of Indian indentureship, and Trinidad and Tobago was the venue for this historical observance as scores of notably former Prime Ministers, Presidents, Government Ministers, legislators, East Indian leaders, professionals among others gathered to discuss the past and the future role of the 33 million Indian diaspora membership in over 100 countries. A nation is marked as to how it shows respects for it ethnic groups, and this means equal treatment for everyone, and one is reminded to paraphrase Dr Williams’ address to the nation on Independence Day August 1962 that there is No Mother India, No Mother Africa, No Mother China, No Mother Lebanon, but the only Mother is Mother Trinidad and Tobago. And that a Mother cannot discriminate among its children. I think that it was in this vein that Sudama so brilliantly proposed that Indian Arrival Day becomes a national holiday.
The East Indians were brought here between the period 1845 to 1917, when in excess of 347,000, most of whom were devout Hindus who brought with the Ramayana, Gita, Mahabharat, the Puranas, Hanuman Chalisa, among several others, principally from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, to rescue a dying agricultural economy, and their presence brought new hope and aspirations for the planters, and by extension the national economy. They brought with them new cuisine, jewelry, customs, habits, religion, culture, thought and way of life.
Today, the East Indian community has contributed significantly to the national well-being, prosperity as they are remain leaders in the professions, corporate sector, business, culture and politics. And the rest is history for we have had two Prime Ministers of East Indian extraction, namely Basdeo Panday and Kamla Persad-Bissessar.
The East Indian labourers ignited friendship between India and Trinidad and Tobago, despite their geographical distance. The East Indian labourers were brought here to contribute to British capitalism, and they worked hard, very hard and struggled with other ethnic groups for this country’s prosperity, and as well for political freedom and independence. Independence was not a one-party or one ethnic group affair, but rather it was a people’s consciousness blended with the different ethnic groups and peoples that made it happen.
Today friendship between India and Trinidad and Tobago continues to escalate to greater heights a the clock ticks, and one could decipher that it would continue to escalate in the coming years and decades, and even centuries. As we observe the 173 rd anniversary of Indian Arrival Day, 71 st anniversary of India’s Independence, and our own 56 th anniversary of our Independence, all of these factors make it compulsory for our both countries to continue in this trend of friendship, of growth, and support in all the councils of the world’s geopolitical and economic groups.
Trinidad and Tobago have benefitted from India’s graciousness in terms of ITEC, consultancies in various endeavours of economic, agricultural, cultural co-operation. Aside to these initiatives, religion and culture continue to dominate the calendar of both countries. The Mahatma Gandhi Centre for Cultural Co-operation which was inked when India’s Indira Gandhi came here in October 1968, after 50 years, has now taken shape.
This is a first for any diplomat, more so, an Indian diplomat. Incumbent Indian High Commissioner, Shri Bishwadip Dey, has embarked on an unique foray of cultural diplomacy by visiting descendants of indentured labourers at their homes and presenting hampers. This must be viewed as a micro engagement initiative, and His Excellency must be publicly commended.
Usually, diplomats are noted for presenting or promoting macro issues. Dey told the media these elderly citizens have contributed not only to the development of Trinidad and Tobago, but have played an important role in keeping family values alive and passing on cultural and religious practices from one generation to the next. He continued that there are also,” strong family ties in the homes visited where witnessed that love and devotion for the elderly.” Dey added that as “senior members of society, the elderly have had an important guiding role for the local communities and form an historical link for Indian nationals of East Indian origin”.
The High Commission of India shares in the pride of the Indo-Trinidadian community which remains justly proud of these elders who have carved out their lives through initial struggles in their adopted country. With this trend of co-operation at several levels of governance, the foundation has been established for co-operation in future issues which face the world society, which India continues to play a dominant role, and for which Trinidad and Tobago would fully endorse. Source: World Hindu News (WHN) Posted on May 17, 2018 by WHN Reporter. -GoToTop