Archive For The “General” Category
Chennai, Oct 27 : The Tamil Nadu health department will be conducting a door-to-door campaign on vaccine awareness, aimed at reducing the vaccine hesitancy of several sections of the population, especially in rural areas of the state.
Tamil Nadu Health Secretary J.
Radhakrishnan, while speaking to media persons, said that the health workers would use population data to prepare a list of people who have not taken the vaccine, either the first dose or both the doses.
The health department has directed urban and village nurses, who deliver medicines to the people at their doorstep under the 'Amakkalai Thedi Maruthavum Scheme', to make a list of people who have not been vaccinated.
The department in its analysis has found that as of Tuesday, 31 per cent of people in the state have not yet taken even a single dose of vaccine while only 29 per cent have taken both doses.
The national average of the first dose is above 75 per cent and Tamil Nadu is lagging behind in this.
The health department has formulated new plans to somehow vaccinate the population who are yet to take the jab.
A study by the department has found that there were discrepancies among districts regarding vaccination -- like Chennai, Kancheepuram, Coimbatore, Nilgiris, and Tiruppur have nearly 80 per cent vaccine coverage for the first dose which is above the national average but districts like Tiruppatur, Vellore, Myladuthurai and Ranipet have less than 60 per cent of adults who have taken the first dose of the vaccine.
The senior citizens of the state lagged behind in vaccine coverage and until Tuesday, according to the department, only 47 per cent of the 1.04 crore senior citizens have taken their first dose of the vaccine, while 23 per cent have taken both the doses.
A study by the department has found that two doses of Covid-19 vaccine have reduced the possibilities and risk of hospitalisation due to the pandemic, admissions to ICUs and even deaths.
The Health Secretary has also directed all District Collectors to identify the specific areas in each district where there is reduced vaccine coverage.
--IANS
aal/svn/bg.
Source: IANS
Tamil Nadu Health Secretary J.
Radhakrishnan, while speaking to media persons, said that the health workers would use population data to prepare a list of people who have not taken the vaccine, either the first dose or both the doses.
The health department has directed urban and village nurses, who deliver medicines to the people at their doorstep under the 'Amakkalai Thedi Maruthavum Scheme', to make a list of people who have not been vaccinated.
The department in its analysis has found that as of Tuesday, 31 per cent of people in the state have not yet taken even a single dose of vaccine while only 29 per cent have taken both doses.
The national average of the first dose is above 75 per cent and Tamil Nadu is lagging behind in this.
The health department has formulated new plans to somehow vaccinate the population who are yet to take the jab.
A study by the department has found that there were discrepancies among districts regarding vaccination -- like Chennai, Kancheepuram, Coimbatore, Nilgiris, and Tiruppur have nearly 80 per cent vaccine coverage for the first dose which is above the national average but districts like Tiruppatur, Vellore, Myladuthurai and Ranipet have less than 60 per cent of adults who have taken the first dose of the vaccine.
The senior citizens of the state lagged behind in vaccine coverage and until Tuesday, according to the department, only 47 per cent of the 1.04 crore senior citizens have taken their first dose of the vaccine, while 23 per cent have taken both the doses.
A study by the department has found that two doses of Covid-19 vaccine have reduced the possibilities and risk of hospitalisation due to the pandemic, admissions to ICUs and even deaths.
The Health Secretary has also directed all District Collectors to identify the specific areas in each district where there is reduced vaccine coverage.
--IANS
aal/svn/bg.
Source: IANS
Chennai, Oct 27 : The Tamil Nadu health department will be conducting a door-to-door campaign on vaccine awareness, aimed at reducing the vaccine hesitancy of several sections of the population, especially in rural areas of the state.
Tamil Nadu Health Secretary J.
Radhakrishnan, while speaking to media persons, said that the health workers would use population data to prepare a list of people who have not taken the vaccine, either the first dose or both the doses.
The health department has directed urban and village nurses, who deliver medicines to the people at their doorstep under the 'Amakkalai Thedi Maruthavum Scheme', to make a list of people who have not been vaccinated.
The department in its analysis has found that as of Tuesday, 31 per cent of people in the state have not yet taken even a single dose of vaccine while only 29 per cent have taken both doses.
The national average of the first dose is above 75 per cent and Tamil Nadu is lagging behind in this.
The health department has formulated new plans to somehow vaccinate the population who are yet to take the jab.
A study by the department has found that there were discrepancies among districts regarding vaccination -- like Chennai, Kancheepuram, Coimbatore, Nilgiris, and Tiruppur have nearly 80 per cent vaccine coverage for the first dose which is above the national average but districts like Tiruppatur, Vellore, Myladuthurai and Ranipet have less than 60 per cent of adults who have taken the first dose of the vaccine.
The senior citizens of the state lagged behind in vaccine coverage and until Tuesday, according to the department, only 47 per cent of the 1.04 crore senior citizens have taken their first dose of the vaccine, while 23 per cent have taken both the doses.
A study by the department has found that two doses of Covid-19 vaccine have reduced the possibilities and risk of hospitalisation due to the pandemic, admissions to ICUs and even deaths.
The Health Secretary has also directed all District Collectors to identify the specific areas in each district where there is reduced vaccine coverage.
--IANS
aal/svn/bg.
Source: IANS
Tamil Nadu Health Secretary J.
Radhakrishnan, while speaking to media persons, said that the health workers would use population data to prepare a list of people who have not taken the vaccine, either the first dose or both the doses.
The health department has directed urban and village nurses, who deliver medicines to the people at their doorstep under the 'Amakkalai Thedi Maruthavum Scheme', to make a list of people who have not been vaccinated.
The department in its analysis has found that as of Tuesday, 31 per cent of people in the state have not yet taken even a single dose of vaccine while only 29 per cent have taken both doses.
The national average of the first dose is above 75 per cent and Tamil Nadu is lagging behind in this.
The health department has formulated new plans to somehow vaccinate the population who are yet to take the jab.
A study by the department has found that there were discrepancies among districts regarding vaccination -- like Chennai, Kancheepuram, Coimbatore, Nilgiris, and Tiruppur have nearly 80 per cent vaccine coverage for the first dose which is above the national average but districts like Tiruppatur, Vellore, Myladuthurai and Ranipet have less than 60 per cent of adults who have taken the first dose of the vaccine.
The senior citizens of the state lagged behind in vaccine coverage and until Tuesday, according to the department, only 47 per cent of the 1.04 crore senior citizens have taken their first dose of the vaccine, while 23 per cent have taken both the doses.
A study by the department has found that two doses of Covid-19 vaccine have reduced the possibilities and risk of hospitalisation due to the pandemic, admissions to ICUs and even deaths.
The Health Secretary has also directed all District Collectors to identify the specific areas in each district where there is reduced vaccine coverage.
--IANS
aal/svn/bg.
Source: IANS
Chennai, Oct 27 : The Tamil Nadu health department will be conducting a door-to-door campaign on vaccine awareness, aimed at reducing the vaccine hesitancy of several sections of the population, especially in rural areas of the state.
Tamil Nadu Health Secretary J.
Radhakrishnan, while speaking to media persons, said that the health workers would use population data to prepare a list of people who have not taken the vaccine, either the first dose or both the doses.
The health department has directed urban and village nurses, who deliver medicines to the people at their doorstep under the 'Amakkalai Thedi Maruthavum Scheme', to make a list of people who have not been vaccinated.
The department in its analysis has found that as of Tuesday, 31 per cent of people in the state have not yet taken even a single dose of vaccine while only 29 per cent have taken both doses.
The national average of the first dose is above 75 per cent and Tamil Nadu is lagging behind in this.
The health department has formulated new plans to somehow vaccinate the population who are yet to take the jab.
A study by the department has found that there were discrepancies among districts regarding vaccination -- like Chennai, Kancheepuram, Coimbatore, Nilgiris, and Tiruppur have nearly 80 per cent vaccine coverage for the first dose which is above the national average but districts like Tiruppatur, Vellore, Myladuthurai and Ranipet have less than 60 per cent of adults who have taken the first dose of the vaccine.
The senior citizens of the state lagged behind in vaccine coverage and until Tuesday, according to the department, only 47 per cent of the 1.04 crore senior citizens have taken their first dose of the vaccine, while 23 per cent have taken both the doses.
A study by the department has found that two doses of Covid-19 vaccine have reduced the possibilities and risk of hospitalisation due to the pandemic, admissions to ICUs and even deaths.
The Health Secretary has also directed all District Collectors to identify the specific areas in each district where there is reduced vaccine coverage.
--IANS
aal/svn/bg.
Source: IANS
Tamil Nadu Health Secretary J.
Radhakrishnan, while speaking to media persons, said that the health workers would use population data to prepare a list of people who have not taken the vaccine, either the first dose or both the doses.
The health department has directed urban and village nurses, who deliver medicines to the people at their doorstep under the 'Amakkalai Thedi Maruthavum Scheme', to make a list of people who have not been vaccinated.
The department in its analysis has found that as of Tuesday, 31 per cent of people in the state have not yet taken even a single dose of vaccine while only 29 per cent have taken both doses.
The national average of the first dose is above 75 per cent and Tamil Nadu is lagging behind in this.
The health department has formulated new plans to somehow vaccinate the population who are yet to take the jab.
A study by the department has found that there were discrepancies among districts regarding vaccination -- like Chennai, Kancheepuram, Coimbatore, Nilgiris, and Tiruppur have nearly 80 per cent vaccine coverage for the first dose which is above the national average but districts like Tiruppatur, Vellore, Myladuthurai and Ranipet have less than 60 per cent of adults who have taken the first dose of the vaccine.
The senior citizens of the state lagged behind in vaccine coverage and until Tuesday, according to the department, only 47 per cent of the 1.04 crore senior citizens have taken their first dose of the vaccine, while 23 per cent have taken both the doses.
A study by the department has found that two doses of Covid-19 vaccine have reduced the possibilities and risk of hospitalisation due to the pandemic, admissions to ICUs and even deaths.
The Health Secretary has also directed all District Collectors to identify the specific areas in each district where there is reduced vaccine coverage.
--IANS
aal/svn/bg.
Source: IANS
New Delhi, Oct 27 : Poet Adil Jehangir Jussawalla will be the Poet Laureate of the 12th Tata Literature Live! The Mumbai LitFest 2021.
Adil Jussawalla's many-layered, clear-eyed, uncompromising poetry is mainly rooted in the city landscape, describing equally its beauty and degradation, its position as a place of refuge as well as exploitation, and the acceptance and meaning of it as home.
He is also renowned for the historical breadth and sweep of his compositions. One of his best known and oft-quoted poems is 'Sea Breeze' which describes Mumbai as a refuge for those displaced by the Partition.
The body of his work is contained in three main anthologies: 'Land's End', 'Missing Person', and 'Trying To Say Goodbye', for the last of which he received the Sahitya Akademi Award.
He is a graduate of the Universities of Bombay and Oxford and of the prestigious Architectural Association School of Architecture in London.
He worked for some years in the UK, after which he returned to Mumbai where he was a professor of English at St Xavier's College and later Literary Editor at several leading Indian publications.
His work has appeared in many anthologies. Together with his distinguished peers Arvind Krishna Mehrotra, Arun Kolatkar, and Gieve Patel, he helped to establish 'Clearing House', a poet's publishing co-operative.
Accepting the Poet Laureateship for Tata Literature Live! The Mumbai LitFest 2021, Adil Jussawalla said: "It's an honour to be named Poet Laureate of the Tata Literature Live! The Mumbai Litfest.
Poetry is the oldest, most quintessential, and often most accessible form of human literary expression, and I am pleased to know that the Mumbai Litfest gives its practitioners a well-respected platform every year."
Director of the Festival, Amy Fernandes, said: "We are delighted that Mr.
Jussawalla has accepted the Poet Laureateship for the 2021 edition of Tata Literature Live! The Mumbai LitFest.
No reader in English, especially in Mumbai, is unfamiliar with his name or work. His poems are profound, perceptive, and memorable and the impact of his writing has influenced generations of poets after him, up to this day."
Harish Bhat, Brand Custodian, Tata Sons said, "It is an absolute privilege to present the Tata Literature Live! Poet Laureate Award to Mr.
Adil Jussawalla. A poet, a translator, a journalist, a lecturer and a man who co-created the poet's publishing co-operative - Adil dons so many hats so well! We salute his incredible contribution to Indian English Poetry."
Previous Tata Literature Live! Poet Laureates include Javed Akhtar, K.
Satchidanandan, Jayanta Mahapatra, Gulzar, Keki Daruwalla, Vikram Seth, and Joy Goswami.
--IANS
sukant/dpb.
Source: IANS
Adil Jussawalla's many-layered, clear-eyed, uncompromising poetry is mainly rooted in the city landscape, describing equally its beauty and degradation, its position as a place of refuge as well as exploitation, and the acceptance and meaning of it as home.
He is also renowned for the historical breadth and sweep of his compositions. One of his best known and oft-quoted poems is 'Sea Breeze' which describes Mumbai as a refuge for those displaced by the Partition.
The body of his work is contained in three main anthologies: 'Land's End', 'Missing Person', and 'Trying To Say Goodbye', for the last of which he received the Sahitya Akademi Award.
He is a graduate of the Universities of Bombay and Oxford and of the prestigious Architectural Association School of Architecture in London.
He worked for some years in the UK, after which he returned to Mumbai where he was a professor of English at St Xavier's College and later Literary Editor at several leading Indian publications.
His work has appeared in many anthologies. Together with his distinguished peers Arvind Krishna Mehrotra, Arun Kolatkar, and Gieve Patel, he helped to establish 'Clearing House', a poet's publishing co-operative.
Accepting the Poet Laureateship for Tata Literature Live! The Mumbai LitFest 2021, Adil Jussawalla said: "It's an honour to be named Poet Laureate of the Tata Literature Live! The Mumbai Litfest.
Poetry is the oldest, most quintessential, and often most accessible form of human literary expression, and I am pleased to know that the Mumbai Litfest gives its practitioners a well-respected platform every year."
Director of the Festival, Amy Fernandes, said: "We are delighted that Mr.
Jussawalla has accepted the Poet Laureateship for the 2021 edition of Tata Literature Live! The Mumbai LitFest.
No reader in English, especially in Mumbai, is unfamiliar with his name or work. His poems are profound, perceptive, and memorable and the impact of his writing has influenced generations of poets after him, up to this day."
Harish Bhat, Brand Custodian, Tata Sons said, "It is an absolute privilege to present the Tata Literature Live! Poet Laureate Award to Mr.
Adil Jussawalla. A poet, a translator, a journalist, a lecturer and a man who co-created the poet's publishing co-operative - Adil dons so many hats so well! We salute his incredible contribution to Indian English Poetry."
Previous Tata Literature Live! Poet Laureates include Javed Akhtar, K.
Satchidanandan, Jayanta Mahapatra, Gulzar, Keki Daruwalla, Vikram Seth, and Joy Goswami.
--IANS
sukant/dpb.
Source: IANS
New Delhi, Oct 27 : Elon Musk has extended his lead as the world's richest person as Tesla's value rocketed above (Dollar) 1trillion (726bn), Daily Mail reported.
The tech tycoon was worth around 210bn last night following a dramatic surge in the carmaker's share price.
The 50-year-old is well ahead of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who has a 140bn fortune, and LVMH tycoon Bernard Arnault, who is third with around 118bn.
Tesla became the first carmaker with a value of (Dollar) 1trillion this week after rental company Hertz ordered 100,000 Model 3s -- its biggest deal yet.
It made Tesla more valuable than the next ten largest global carmakers combined, the report said.
At the same time, Musk's wealth now eclipses the value of the UK's five largest banks -- HSBC, Lloyds, Barclays, Natwest and Standard Chartered.
Musk owns a 17 per cent stake in the transport group, whose shares rocketed 740 per cent in 2020 as tech companies took Wall Street indexes by storm and sent the Nasdaq spiralling to record highs.
Musk celebrated the watershed (Dollar) 1trillion moment by tweeting: "Wild (Dollar) T1mes!"But the father of seven is a controversial businessman whose tweets have fallen foul of US regulators, who have previously accused him of manipulating the stock market with posts on the social media site saying that he was considering taking the company private, the report said.
He has also become a key advocate of cryptocurrencies -- frequently plugging bitcoin and dogecoin in particular.
His influence was demonstrated earlier this week when he stated on Twitter that he did not have any holdings in Shiba Inu, which is a fast-growing cryptocurrency.
The value of Shiba Inu plummeted 15 per cent shortly after, the report said.
The South African-born entrepreneur co-founded Paypal after dropping out from a post-graduate programme at Stanford University.
Paypal was snapped up by Ebay for 1.2bn in 2002. He did not set up Tesla but was one of its earliest investors and became chairman in 2004. He was first listed on the Forbes list of billionaires in 2012. For years analysts were sceptical about Tesla's prospects as it ran into frequent production delays and stints of quarterly losses, the report said.
Last week the group posted record quarterly profits of 1.2 billion. It sold 2,40,000 vehicles between July and September. Musk believes that humans should become an interplanetary species and has entered into an informal space race with Bezos.
Musk recently separated from his partner of three years, the singer Grimes, with whom he has one child, named X A-12, the report added.
--IANS
san/dpb.
Source: IANS
The tech tycoon was worth around 210bn last night following a dramatic surge in the carmaker's share price.
The 50-year-old is well ahead of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who has a 140bn fortune, and LVMH tycoon Bernard Arnault, who is third with around 118bn.
Tesla became the first carmaker with a value of (Dollar) 1trillion this week after rental company Hertz ordered 100,000 Model 3s -- its biggest deal yet.
It made Tesla more valuable than the next ten largest global carmakers combined, the report said.
At the same time, Musk's wealth now eclipses the value of the UK's five largest banks -- HSBC, Lloyds, Barclays, Natwest and Standard Chartered.
Musk owns a 17 per cent stake in the transport group, whose shares rocketed 740 per cent in 2020 as tech companies took Wall Street indexes by storm and sent the Nasdaq spiralling to record highs.
Musk celebrated the watershed (Dollar) 1trillion moment by tweeting: "Wild (Dollar) T1mes!"But the father of seven is a controversial businessman whose tweets have fallen foul of US regulators, who have previously accused him of manipulating the stock market with posts on the social media site saying that he was considering taking the company private, the report said.
He has also become a key advocate of cryptocurrencies -- frequently plugging bitcoin and dogecoin in particular.
His influence was demonstrated earlier this week when he stated on Twitter that he did not have any holdings in Shiba Inu, which is a fast-growing cryptocurrency.
The value of Shiba Inu plummeted 15 per cent shortly after, the report said.
The South African-born entrepreneur co-founded Paypal after dropping out from a post-graduate programme at Stanford University.
Paypal was snapped up by Ebay for 1.2bn in 2002. He did not set up Tesla but was one of its earliest investors and became chairman in 2004. He was first listed on the Forbes list of billionaires in 2012. For years analysts were sceptical about Tesla's prospects as it ran into frequent production delays and stints of quarterly losses, the report said.
Last week the group posted record quarterly profits of 1.2 billion. It sold 2,40,000 vehicles between July and September. Musk believes that humans should become an interplanetary species and has entered into an informal space race with Bezos.
Musk recently separated from his partner of three years, the singer Grimes, with whom he has one child, named X A-12, the report added.
--IANS
san/dpb.
Source: IANS
New Delhi, Oct 27 : One of the primary factors determining the strong foundation of a nation is effective educational leadership and schools need to adapt to the changing environments "for which we need leaders who can guide and motivate the students and teachers to evolve intellectually, socially and emotionally -- in a continuous process," says Seema Malik, a school teacher for over three decades and author of the path-breaking book "Unlocking Leadership" (Konark).
"Every leader evolves her/his leadership pattern.
What we all need to develop as leaders is the nuance that is required to lead everyone to a higher goal of education.
When the schools are driven at all times to reach their vision and mission, both the students and the teachers rise to their highest potential," Malik, who has studied at Cambridge University and has been associated with prestigious institutions like Delhi Public School, Salwan Public School and Cambridge School, told IANS in an interview.
How did the book come about?
"Having been a researcher in the field of education for more than a decade, I was intrigued by a lot of research done by the western countries, in particular, UK, Australia, New Zealand and USA.
I noticed a lot of gap about educational research in India which I have addressed in this book. A huge body of research has been used for writing this academic work in a style that is more easily understandable, with due credit given to the authors and researchers," Malik said.
The main fields of research that have gone into this book are leadership models practiced in schools and what impact they lead to, strategies for school improvement, and moral as well as ethical responsibilities of leaders.
"Most of this research is used in the western democracies, which has led to the higher standards of educational attainment in these countries, for example in OECD countries," she said.
What are the five main take-aways from this book?
1.
Leadership is the single most important factor affecting quality of education in schools.
2. Collaborative and distributed models of leadership builds teams in schools.
3. Teachers are leaders in their own right and it is the responsibility of the school head to give them decision-making powers.
4.
Great leaders develop mutuality and reciprocity among various stakeholders in the school to take them all towards achieving the organisational vision.
5.
One of the most salient features of any leadership is their sense of moral imperative.
The book is essentially aimed at schools in the private sector.
What about schools in the government sector and in the semi-urban and rural areas? How are they to address this issue?
"Schools in the government sector as well as the rural and remote areas need to work on infrastructural development to provide at least the minimum required facilities for learning.
The 'twinning of schools' has already started taking place where a few government schools are attached with the public schools to develop synergies of operations and develop better systems of assessments.
Public schools are involving these less privileged schools in teacher training opportunities," Malik explained.
In this context, she noted that an important step taken by the New Education Policy (NEP) is making school clusters which can go a long way in improving learning standards in schools in rural and remote areas.
The NEP, she pointed out, also "lays a great emphasis on teacher empowerment through continuous professional development opportunities.
It also aims to create national professional standards for teachers. School leaders and teachers are being encouraged now to undertake research in emerging pedagogies for improved learning outcomes.
It is time that school education becomes an integral part of public conversation and it should get the focus that it deserves," Malik elaborated.
What next? What's her next project?
"I am writing my memoirs of studying in Cambridge University.
Life was very different there and every student experiences difficulties in the beginning which slowly ease away.
However, as an older and mature student, besides being observant and reflective, my experiences were very different.
I learnt a lot there but also saw traces of racism in the society."
"A University, like any other part of the society is like a reflection of its ethos.
There were many positives as well as some negatives that I noticed that left an indelible impression on my mind.
However, what I have taken away from there as a student is the rich and intellectual very stimulating culture of learning provided to each student."
"Cambridge changed my life forever and there are reasons for that, which I am currently writing for my next book.
It was sad that such a reputed university of the world could treat a meritorious student so shabbily. Not disclosing much right now, the book would be thought provoking as well as shocking, once read by the people," Malik concluded.
(Vishnu Makhijani can be reached at vishnu.makhijani@ians.in)
--IANS
vm/khz.
Source: IANS
"Every leader evolves her/his leadership pattern.
What we all need to develop as leaders is the nuance that is required to lead everyone to a higher goal of education.
When the schools are driven at all times to reach their vision and mission, both the students and the teachers rise to their highest potential," Malik, who has studied at Cambridge University and has been associated with prestigious institutions like Delhi Public School, Salwan Public School and Cambridge School, told IANS in an interview.
How did the book come about?
"Having been a researcher in the field of education for more than a decade, I was intrigued by a lot of research done by the western countries, in particular, UK, Australia, New Zealand and USA.
I noticed a lot of gap about educational research in India which I have addressed in this book. A huge body of research has been used for writing this academic work in a style that is more easily understandable, with due credit given to the authors and researchers," Malik said.
The main fields of research that have gone into this book are leadership models practiced in schools and what impact they lead to, strategies for school improvement, and moral as well as ethical responsibilities of leaders.
"Most of this research is used in the western democracies, which has led to the higher standards of educational attainment in these countries, for example in OECD countries," she said.
What are the five main take-aways from this book?
1.
Leadership is the single most important factor affecting quality of education in schools.
2. Collaborative and distributed models of leadership builds teams in schools.
3. Teachers are leaders in their own right and it is the responsibility of the school head to give them decision-making powers.
4.
Great leaders develop mutuality and reciprocity among various stakeholders in the school to take them all towards achieving the organisational vision.
5.
One of the most salient features of any leadership is their sense of moral imperative.
The book is essentially aimed at schools in the private sector.
What about schools in the government sector and in the semi-urban and rural areas? How are they to address this issue?
"Schools in the government sector as well as the rural and remote areas need to work on infrastructural development to provide at least the minimum required facilities for learning.
The 'twinning of schools' has already started taking place where a few government schools are attached with the public schools to develop synergies of operations and develop better systems of assessments.
Public schools are involving these less privileged schools in teacher training opportunities," Malik explained.
In this context, she noted that an important step taken by the New Education Policy (NEP) is making school clusters which can go a long way in improving learning standards in schools in rural and remote areas.
The NEP, she pointed out, also "lays a great emphasis on teacher empowerment through continuous professional development opportunities.
It also aims to create national professional standards for teachers. School leaders and teachers are being encouraged now to undertake research in emerging pedagogies for improved learning outcomes.
It is time that school education becomes an integral part of public conversation and it should get the focus that it deserves," Malik elaborated.
What next? What's her next project?
"I am writing my memoirs of studying in Cambridge University.
Life was very different there and every student experiences difficulties in the beginning which slowly ease away.
However, as an older and mature student, besides being observant and reflective, my experiences were very different.
I learnt a lot there but also saw traces of racism in the society."
"A University, like any other part of the society is like a reflection of its ethos.
There were many positives as well as some negatives that I noticed that left an indelible impression on my mind.
However, what I have taken away from there as a student is the rich and intellectual very stimulating culture of learning provided to each student."
"Cambridge changed my life forever and there are reasons for that, which I am currently writing for my next book.
It was sad that such a reputed university of the world could treat a meritorious student so shabbily. Not disclosing much right now, the book would be thought provoking as well as shocking, once read by the people," Malik concluded.
(Vishnu Makhijani can be reached at vishnu.makhijani@ians.in)
--IANS
vm/khz.
Source: IANS
New Delhi, Oct 27 : He goes back to the time when he was two or three-years-old. Living in a haveli built on high-grounds, with his family in Patiala, he remembers how he would use the charcoal meant for fuel to draw figures on the walls and ground.
Right now, artist Ranbir Kaleka, whose works are part of the exhibition 'The Conference of The Birds' presented by Ojas Art and Yuva Ekta Foundation in the capital is in his home in Sarvapriya Vihar in New Delhi, but only physically.
"It was not a very large family.
There were times when I would be alone in one part of the haveli, just drawing and looking at the dust rising from one of the huge windows.
My father, grandmother and my two uncles would always appreciate what I was doing and encourage me. In fact, when I was four-years-old, my father declared that I would be sent to an art school," says the artist who completed his Master's degree in painting from the Royal College of Art in London.
Talking about his work 'Conference of Birds and Beasts' (a digital collage archival inks and oil on canvas), which is part of the exhibition, made during the Commonwealth Games, which besides birds and animals also shows the bridge that collapsed -- a kind of post human city, Kaleka, whose work often centers around themes of animals, sexuality and tradition, says, "It's also about creating a world where the man is not at the centre of the world."
The artist, who first combined video and painting with 'Man Threading a Needle' that was exhibited in 1998, and also co-founded the Patiala Film Society recalls that his love for the moving image can be traced back to childhood, when one of his uncles would wrap towels around his belly, wear different colored turbans and carry a lantern.
"He would cast a shadow on one of the large walls of the haveli and do a kind of shadow play, which was quite wonderful.
One day, from the balcony I saw a moving image and asked my uncle what it was. When we went there, a public message film on malaria was being screened. I was too stunned to speak. When at last when the projector went off, I saw just a van and a piece of cloth. And of course, in the later years, I had a mentor like Lali, who had an amazing library and introduced me to many great authors," says the artist, who initially trained as a painter, and over the years one has seen animated two-dimensional canvases within experimental film narrative sequences in his works.
Kaleka stresses that when it comes to producing art, it is very difficult to tell what comes from where.
"From one's personal life experiences and even art history. Sadly, in India, we study Indian art much later... And of course things that touch you deeply become the source of whatever you are making. Painting is a material object when you are looking at it, its image falls on your retina in an instant, but the real image comes with time, when you have closed your eyes, when you are away from the artwork.
It continues to live in you and grow on you. Then it connects with some of your own personal experiences in life. So whatever enters an artist meaningfully or as an emotion visually, or through words, forms whatever you are creating be it a painting, sculpture or cinema," says the artist who showed at the 51st Venice Biennale in 2005.
Stressing that it is high time that Indian art schools updated their syllabus and approach, Kaleka says that art is not just confined to painting and sculpture - there is Performance Art, Sound Art, and creating anything, an event which is meaningful in any way to human life.
"Art is not just a business, it is not meant to be. Students must be encouraged to open their minds to art's huge possibilities. They should be free to create their own sense of art and not just follow what is contained in books. Everything should not be too idea based."
Lamenting that there is very little painting happening in the contemporary world, the artist feels that the eye does not get sensitised enough if we do not look at paintings close enough.
"If people feel that paintings are outdated, then you are losing to what the civilization has to offer.
Even art critics I have seen cannot tell why a painting is good. Why is a certain painting good or better -- they like to hear from others. With different ages, diverse art forms get prioritized, but this loss of de-sensitised eyes to visual beauty or the nuances in a work of art is really sad."
Kaleka, who recently finished some commissioned works, feels there is no rule that teaches you when a painting or an artwork is finished, and it just feels right or wrong, or just doesn't quite feel right yet while you are working on it.
"Whether you are moving away from it or coming back, some sense tells you, 'why don't you tweak this a little', and then it suddenly falls right in place.
It feels that a peculiar tension has evaporated from the body."
(Sukant Deepak can be contacted at sukant.d@ians.in)
--IANS
sukant/pgh.
Source: IANS
Right now, artist Ranbir Kaleka, whose works are part of the exhibition 'The Conference of The Birds' presented by Ojas Art and Yuva Ekta Foundation in the capital is in his home in Sarvapriya Vihar in New Delhi, but only physically.
"It was not a very large family.
There were times when I would be alone in one part of the haveli, just drawing and looking at the dust rising from one of the huge windows.
My father, grandmother and my two uncles would always appreciate what I was doing and encourage me. In fact, when I was four-years-old, my father declared that I would be sent to an art school," says the artist who completed his Master's degree in painting from the Royal College of Art in London.
Talking about his work 'Conference of Birds and Beasts' (a digital collage archival inks and oil on canvas), which is part of the exhibition, made during the Commonwealth Games, which besides birds and animals also shows the bridge that collapsed -- a kind of post human city, Kaleka, whose work often centers around themes of animals, sexuality and tradition, says, "It's also about creating a world where the man is not at the centre of the world."
The artist, who first combined video and painting with 'Man Threading a Needle' that was exhibited in 1998, and also co-founded the Patiala Film Society recalls that his love for the moving image can be traced back to childhood, when one of his uncles would wrap towels around his belly, wear different colored turbans and carry a lantern.
"He would cast a shadow on one of the large walls of the haveli and do a kind of shadow play, which was quite wonderful.
One day, from the balcony I saw a moving image and asked my uncle what it was. When we went there, a public message film on malaria was being screened. I was too stunned to speak. When at last when the projector went off, I saw just a van and a piece of cloth. And of course, in the later years, I had a mentor like Lali, who had an amazing library and introduced me to many great authors," says the artist, who initially trained as a painter, and over the years one has seen animated two-dimensional canvases within experimental film narrative sequences in his works.
Kaleka stresses that when it comes to producing art, it is very difficult to tell what comes from where.
"From one's personal life experiences and even art history. Sadly, in India, we study Indian art much later... And of course things that touch you deeply become the source of whatever you are making. Painting is a material object when you are looking at it, its image falls on your retina in an instant, but the real image comes with time, when you have closed your eyes, when you are away from the artwork.
It continues to live in you and grow on you. Then it connects with some of your own personal experiences in life. So whatever enters an artist meaningfully or as an emotion visually, or through words, forms whatever you are creating be it a painting, sculpture or cinema," says the artist who showed at the 51st Venice Biennale in 2005.
Stressing that it is high time that Indian art schools updated their syllabus and approach, Kaleka says that art is not just confined to painting and sculpture - there is Performance Art, Sound Art, and creating anything, an event which is meaningful in any way to human life.
"Art is not just a business, it is not meant to be. Students must be encouraged to open their minds to art's huge possibilities. They should be free to create their own sense of art and not just follow what is contained in books. Everything should not be too idea based."
Lamenting that there is very little painting happening in the contemporary world, the artist feels that the eye does not get sensitised enough if we do not look at paintings close enough.
"If people feel that paintings are outdated, then you are losing to what the civilization has to offer.
Even art critics I have seen cannot tell why a painting is good. Why is a certain painting good or better -- they like to hear from others. With different ages, diverse art forms get prioritized, but this loss of de-sensitised eyes to visual beauty or the nuances in a work of art is really sad."
Kaleka, who recently finished some commissioned works, feels there is no rule that teaches you when a painting or an artwork is finished, and it just feels right or wrong, or just doesn't quite feel right yet while you are working on it.
"Whether you are moving away from it or coming back, some sense tells you, 'why don't you tweak this a little', and then it suddenly falls right in place.
It feels that a peculiar tension has evaporated from the body."
(Sukant Deepak can be contacted at sukant.d@ians.in)
--IANS
sukant/pgh.
Source: IANS
New Delhi, Oct 26 : Subhadra Sen Gupta, who passed away on May 3 due to Covid-19, leaves behind "The Story of the First Civilizations", a fun and informative book for children about the ancient civilizations from around the world -- Mesopotamia, Egypt, Indus Valley, China, Greece, Rome, the Americas and Africa -- that has just been published by Talking Club/Speaking Tiger.
Laced with maps and rich illustrations by Devashish Verma, the book delves into the cultures, inventions, architecture, governments, and little-known stories about our origins.
For instance, did you know:
The Indus Valley Civilisation was perhaps the cleanest and most organised of all civilisations?
The Chinese were the first civilisation to introduce the concept of exams?
There used to be an Inca king who would dust himself with gold?
Dive into these and many more nuggets of information about the world's earliest civilisations.
Here you will read about the Egyptian rulers who built lavish tombs for their afterlife; about Greece, the first European civilisation that gave us philosophers and mathematicians as well as the cherished concept of democracy; the builders and architects and the gladiators and warring emperors of Rome; and about Africa, the continent where gold and libraries abounded.
In her unique and engaging style, Sen Gupta takes us on a journey around the world, and tells the known and little-known stories about our origins.
Well-researched and filled with captivating illustrations, "The Story of the First Civilisations" will delight and educate readers everywhere.
Announcing the release, Talking Cub Publisher Sudeshna Shome Ghosh said: "Subhadra Sen Gupta's works, especially those that brought history to life in new and interesting ways for children are an invaluable contribution to Indian writing for children in English.
In this book, she wrote about the history of the world through the stories of ancient civilisations.
"It was a project that had thrilled and excited her and she had tackled it with her usual enthusiasm and meticulous research.
As always, the writing here remained fresh, accessible, humorous?everything far removed from what one expects from history books.
It was an honour and huge responsibility for us to publish this book after her tragic demise earlier this year," Shome added.
Subhadra Sen Gupta (1952?2021) wrote over 40 books for children because she thought children are the best readers in the world.
In 2014, she was awarded the Bal Sahitya Puraskar by the Sahitya Akademi. In 2020, she won the Big Little Book Award instituted by Parag?An Initiative of Tata Trusts.
--IANS
vm/dpb.
Source: IANS
Laced with maps and rich illustrations by Devashish Verma, the book delves into the cultures, inventions, architecture, governments, and little-known stories about our origins.
For instance, did you know:
The Indus Valley Civilisation was perhaps the cleanest and most organised of all civilisations?
The Chinese were the first civilisation to introduce the concept of exams?
There used to be an Inca king who would dust himself with gold?
Dive into these and many more nuggets of information about the world's earliest civilisations.
Here you will read about the Egyptian rulers who built lavish tombs for their afterlife; about Greece, the first European civilisation that gave us philosophers and mathematicians as well as the cherished concept of democracy; the builders and architects and the gladiators and warring emperors of Rome; and about Africa, the continent where gold and libraries abounded.
In her unique and engaging style, Sen Gupta takes us on a journey around the world, and tells the known and little-known stories about our origins.
Well-researched and filled with captivating illustrations, "The Story of the First Civilisations" will delight and educate readers everywhere.
Announcing the release, Talking Cub Publisher Sudeshna Shome Ghosh said: "Subhadra Sen Gupta's works, especially those that brought history to life in new and interesting ways for children are an invaluable contribution to Indian writing for children in English.
In this book, she wrote about the history of the world through the stories of ancient civilisations.
"It was a project that had thrilled and excited her and she had tackled it with her usual enthusiasm and meticulous research.
As always, the writing here remained fresh, accessible, humorous?everything far removed from what one expects from history books.
It was an honour and huge responsibility for us to publish this book after her tragic demise earlier this year," Shome added.
Subhadra Sen Gupta (1952?2021) wrote over 40 books for children because she thought children are the best readers in the world.
In 2014, she was awarded the Bal Sahitya Puraskar by the Sahitya Akademi. In 2020, she won the Big Little Book Award instituted by Parag?An Initiative of Tata Trusts.
--IANS
vm/dpb.
Source: IANS
New Delhi, Oct 26 : Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday underlined the need for discipline and unity to strengthen the party to fight the diabolical agenda of the RSS.
Addressing top party leaders ahead of the Assembly elections scheduled for early next year, she asked them to shun personal ambition to fight for a common cause.
In her opening statement, Gandhi said: "I would like to re-emphasise the paramount need for discipline and unity.
What should matter to each and every one of us is the strengthening of the organisation. This must override personal ambitions. In this lies both collective and individual success."
The message was apparently aimed at the "sulking" leaders who have been demanding a complete overhaul of the party.
The Congress President asked the top leaders to take the membership drive and party ideology to the grassroots level.
"Young men and women across the nation seek a movement to give voice to their aspirations.
It is our duty to provide them with a platform, as we have done for generations past," she said.
For this, she asked the top leaders to ensure the proper printing and distribution of forms for every ward and village, identify and assign Congress leaders and office-bearers, the task of going house to house, to enrol members in a transparent fashion.
Emphasising on the need for training of workers to fight the BJP, Gandhi said training programmes for the workers are an absolute necessity.
"The fight to defend our democracy, our Constitution and the Congress Party's ideology begins with being fully prepared to identify and counter false propaganda," she said.
Exhorting the leaders to fight the diabolical campaign of BJP/RSS ideologically, she said: "We must do so with conviction and expose their lies before the people if we are to win this battle."
She said that the Congress' agenda does not percolate down to the grassroots at the block and district level which needs to be worked on.
"There are policy issues on which I find a lack of clarity and cohesion even amongst our state-level leaders."
Gandhi asked the leaders to train the workers to take on the unceasing onslaught of "malicious disinformation campaigns" at the behest of the BJP/RSS, while upholding and projecting the core Congress ideology.
She also said that five states are going to Assembly polls in the coming months.
Congress party workers and leaders in these states are gearing up to take on these battles.
"Our campaign must be founded upon concrete policies and programmes emanating from widespread discussions with all sections of society."
The Congresss chief asked the cadres to redouble the "fight for the victims of this government's worst excesses: our farmers and farm labourers, our youth fighting for jobs and opportunities, small and medium scale businesses, our brothers, our sisters with particular focus on the deprived".
--IANS
ptk/miz/shb/ksk/.
Source: IANS
Addressing top party leaders ahead of the Assembly elections scheduled for early next year, she asked them to shun personal ambition to fight for a common cause.
In her opening statement, Gandhi said: "I would like to re-emphasise the paramount need for discipline and unity.
What should matter to each and every one of us is the strengthening of the organisation. This must override personal ambitions. In this lies both collective and individual success."
The message was apparently aimed at the "sulking" leaders who have been demanding a complete overhaul of the party.
The Congress President asked the top leaders to take the membership drive and party ideology to the grassroots level.
"Young men and women across the nation seek a movement to give voice to their aspirations.
It is our duty to provide them with a platform, as we have done for generations past," she said.
For this, she asked the top leaders to ensure the proper printing and distribution of forms for every ward and village, identify and assign Congress leaders and office-bearers, the task of going house to house, to enrol members in a transparent fashion.
Emphasising on the need for training of workers to fight the BJP, Gandhi said training programmes for the workers are an absolute necessity.
"The fight to defend our democracy, our Constitution and the Congress Party's ideology begins with being fully prepared to identify and counter false propaganda," she said.
Exhorting the leaders to fight the diabolical campaign of BJP/RSS ideologically, she said: "We must do so with conviction and expose their lies before the people if we are to win this battle."
She said that the Congress' agenda does not percolate down to the grassroots at the block and district level which needs to be worked on.
"There are policy issues on which I find a lack of clarity and cohesion even amongst our state-level leaders."
Gandhi asked the leaders to train the workers to take on the unceasing onslaught of "malicious disinformation campaigns" at the behest of the BJP/RSS, while upholding and projecting the core Congress ideology.
She also said that five states are going to Assembly polls in the coming months.
Congress party workers and leaders in these states are gearing up to take on these battles.
"Our campaign must be founded upon concrete policies and programmes emanating from widespread discussions with all sections of society."
The Congresss chief asked the cadres to redouble the "fight for the victims of this government's worst excesses: our farmers and farm labourers, our youth fighting for jobs and opportunities, small and medium scale businesses, our brothers, our sisters with particular focus on the deprived".
--IANS
ptk/miz/shb/ksk/.
Source: IANS
New Delhi, Oct 26: The Indian Navy has despatched a training flotilla to Sri Lanka as two South Asian neighbours rediscover their military relationship that had peaked in the late eighties.
This follows intense diplomatic and defence activity between the two nations over the past one month encompassing all levels of bilateral relations-tourism, defence, business, economic development and diplomacy.
Just last week, a Sri Lankan delegation led by Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa, Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga and State Minister DV Chanaka accompanied by 125 Buddhist monks visited India for the inauguration of the Kushinagar international airport by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The aim-to promote religious tourism and encourage people-to-people connect between the two nations.
Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa also assured Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla about his nation's commitment towards India.
To assure New Delhi over China's increasing footprint in the island nation. Colombo has opened up its ports for investment to Indian companies and given the development of the West Container Terminal to the Adani Group at the Colombo Port.
Indian Army chief General MM Naravane also undertook a visit to Sri Lanka earlier this month to reinforce New Delhi's commitment to Colombo as "Priority One" partner in defence relations.
The Indian High Commission in Colombo had accorded the southern neighbour its "Priority One" partner in the defence sphere earlier this year.
Besides the two navies interacting with each other, the Indian and Sri Lankan armies too held a 12-day military exercise recently.
The Indian Army is also building the capacities of Sri Lankan army personnel besides holding discussions on the security situation in the region.
In the latest sign of burgeoning defence relations, the Indian Navy, aided by the Indian Coast Guard, is training Sri Lankan Navy personnel.
Indian Navy ships--Sujata, Magar, Shardul, Sudarshini and Tarangini, accompanied by the coast guard Ship Vikram arrived in Sri Lanka for the Integrated Officers Training Course from October 24 - 28.
According to a statement by the Ministry of Defence: "the deployment will broaden the horizons of young officers and officer-trainees by exposing them to the socio-political and maritime facets of different countries in the Indian Ocean Region.
The deployment will also expose the trainees onboard towards the conduct of IN warships in various evolutions at sea, port familiarisation and above all, foster the bridges of friendship with foreign nations".
The two navies will also hold a two-day naval drill.
According to the Sri Lankan navy, Shardul and Magar arrived at the Colombo harbour, while Sujata, Sudarshini, Tarangini and Vikram sailed to the port of Trincomalee.
Various training activities are planned between the two navies with a view to enhancing the interoperability of the two forces.
A statement by the Ministry of Defence says: "The overseas deployment will help in developing the skills of seamanship and ship-handling besides nurturing a spirit of adventure among the officers.
It also inculcates a deep understanding of, and respect for, the elements within the maritime environment.
The entire crew of all the visiting ships are doubly vaccinated and have also been tested for COVID-19".
The Indian Navy has been imparting training to international trainees for more than four decades now.
Currently, a large number of officers and sailors from Sri Lanka are undergoing courses ranging from the beginners to advanced, at the Southern Naval Command (SNC).
The ships are the part of the SNC-the Training Command of the Indian Navy, headed by Vice Admiral AK Chawla, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, SNC while the 1st Training Squadron based at Kochi is currently helmed by Captain Aftab Ahmed Khan, Senior Officer First Training Squadron, who also dons the dual hat of Commanding Officer, INS Tir.
India and Sri Lanka had excellent defence and military cooperation during the eighties.
New Delhi had sent the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) to Sri Lanka to support the country in its battle against extremism.
(The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com)
--indianarrative.
Source: IANS
This follows intense diplomatic and defence activity between the two nations over the past one month encompassing all levels of bilateral relations-tourism, defence, business, economic development and diplomacy.
Just last week, a Sri Lankan delegation led by Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa, Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga and State Minister DV Chanaka accompanied by 125 Buddhist monks visited India for the inauguration of the Kushinagar international airport by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The aim-to promote religious tourism and encourage people-to-people connect between the two nations.
Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa also assured Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla about his nation's commitment towards India.
To assure New Delhi over China's increasing footprint in the island nation. Colombo has opened up its ports for investment to Indian companies and given the development of the West Container Terminal to the Adani Group at the Colombo Port.
Indian Army chief General MM Naravane also undertook a visit to Sri Lanka earlier this month to reinforce New Delhi's commitment to Colombo as "Priority One" partner in defence relations.
The Indian High Commission in Colombo had accorded the southern neighbour its "Priority One" partner in the defence sphere earlier this year.
Besides the two navies interacting with each other, the Indian and Sri Lankan armies too held a 12-day military exercise recently.
The Indian Army is also building the capacities of Sri Lankan army personnel besides holding discussions on the security situation in the region.
In the latest sign of burgeoning defence relations, the Indian Navy, aided by the Indian Coast Guard, is training Sri Lankan Navy personnel.
Indian Navy ships--Sujata, Magar, Shardul, Sudarshini and Tarangini, accompanied by the coast guard Ship Vikram arrived in Sri Lanka for the Integrated Officers Training Course from October 24 - 28.
According to a statement by the Ministry of Defence: "the deployment will broaden the horizons of young officers and officer-trainees by exposing them to the socio-political and maritime facets of different countries in the Indian Ocean Region.
The deployment will also expose the trainees onboard towards the conduct of IN warships in various evolutions at sea, port familiarisation and above all, foster the bridges of friendship with foreign nations".
The two navies will also hold a two-day naval drill.
According to the Sri Lankan navy, Shardul and Magar arrived at the Colombo harbour, while Sujata, Sudarshini, Tarangini and Vikram sailed to the port of Trincomalee.
Various training activities are planned between the two navies with a view to enhancing the interoperability of the two forces.
A statement by the Ministry of Defence says: "The overseas deployment will help in developing the skills of seamanship and ship-handling besides nurturing a spirit of adventure among the officers.
It also inculcates a deep understanding of, and respect for, the elements within the maritime environment.
The entire crew of all the visiting ships are doubly vaccinated and have also been tested for COVID-19".
The Indian Navy has been imparting training to international trainees for more than four decades now.
Currently, a large number of officers and sailors from Sri Lanka are undergoing courses ranging from the beginners to advanced, at the Southern Naval Command (SNC).
The ships are the part of the SNC-the Training Command of the Indian Navy, headed by Vice Admiral AK Chawla, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, SNC while the 1st Training Squadron based at Kochi is currently helmed by Captain Aftab Ahmed Khan, Senior Officer First Training Squadron, who also dons the dual hat of Commanding Officer, INS Tir.
India and Sri Lanka had excellent defence and military cooperation during the eighties.
New Delhi had sent the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) to Sri Lanka to support the country in its battle against extremism.
(The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com)
--indianarrative.
Source: IANS