The United Nations’ (UN) International Day of Cooperatives is celebrated on the first Saturday in July. The day promotes the role that cooperatives play in improving the lives of people around the world.
The day also highlights how cooperatives are working to build a more inclusive and sustainable world economy.
This year, the theme for the International Day of Cooperatives is “Cooperatives Build a Better World”– echoes the theme of the International Year.
Marked by cooperatives worldwide since 1923 and officially proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly on the centenary of the ICA in 1995, the International Day of Cooperatives is celebrated annually on the first Saturday of July.
The Maharashtra fiasco, in itself, was a treat to watch, and the cloak and dagger methods employed mostly kept us away from prescription evening serials and movies. At the same time, however, it was horrifying to watch how the media channels behaved with every passing hour, revealing their dispassionate, albeit dishonourable, support of one side or the other. There was not an iota of information which was not coloured by bias.
It has become the expected norm that there will be a set of channels and news organisations that would support the incumbent government and then there will be another set which will not. However, all these, as per established journalistic norms and standards, need to be supported by some level of documentation and/or argument. What we saw was that there was none.
Either the anchor smiled widely at one side winning and smirked at the other’s plight, or fought tooth and nail to defend the indefensible. The plots within plots that there were in Uddahv Thackeray’s effort to keep his flock together and in Eknath Shinde’s at tearing the Maha Vikas Agadhi apart, with the help of the BJP and Devendra Fadnavis, in themselves had enough suspense and mirth to make a Netflix serial. What we did not need, over and above, was the somewhat obtuse comments from anchors, blatantly serving whichever master they were supposed to.
What happens, in the end, is that the viewer is completely flummoxed and is left with a feeling of being betrayed. News organisations are supposed to inform, educate and be precise. Nobody is happy at the news anchor trying to intercept truth and trying to turn it into something that fits a set narrative. We have to be frank: a change in focus does not change the flow of news or the truth. So, please, say it as it is. The viewer is intelligent enough to decipher codes and read in between lines. Do not insult your viewer’s intelligence.
Maybe next time things will get better. That is what we hope and long for.
Parameswaran Iyer, a 1981-batch IAS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, was appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NITI Aayog on June 24. According to the Department of Personnel and Training, he will hold office for a period of two years. Iyer comes in place of Amitabh Kant, whose tenure ended on June 30. Iyer’s appointment has been made on the same terms and conditions as were applicable for Kant.
Iyer is a well-known sanitation specialist. He had resigned from the post of Drinking Water and Sanitation Secretary in July last year. He had taken voluntary retirement from the Indian Administrative Service in 2009. He had also worked as a senior rural water sanitation specialist at the United Nations.
Ruchira Kamboj named Permanent Representative of India to the UN Ruchira Kamboj, a career diplomat with expertise in multilateral organisations, was named India’s next permanent representative to the United Nations in New York on June 21.
Kamboj, an officer of the 1987 batch of the Indian Foreign Service, was ambassador to Bhutan and when this was announced by the external affairs ministry.
She has succeeded TS Tirumurti, who was given a three-month extension in service after his retirement in March in view of his key role in dealing with the fallout of the Ukraine crisis at the UN Security Council. India is in the second year of a two-year term as a non- permanent member of the Security Council.
Kamboj was the all India women’s topper of the 1987 civil services batch and the topper of the 1987 IFS batch. She has served in various capacities in Indian missions in France, Mauritius and South Africa and as the high commissioner to South Africa during 2017-19.
She served as undersecretary in the Europe West division during 1991-96, dealing with France, the UK, BENELUX countries, Italy, Spain and Portugal, and also handling the relationship with the Commonwealth.
Kamboj was posted as India’s ambassador to Unesco in Paris during 2014-16 before being appointed as the envoy to South Africa. She was subsequently appointed ambassador to Bhutan in 2019.
Businessman Ranjit Bajaj to head advisory committee to assist AIFF’s CoA Former I-League club owner and entrepreneur Ranjit Bajaj has been named chairman of the advisory committee to assist the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) which is running the day-to-day affairs of All India Football Federation (AIFF).
The 12-member advisory committee was appointed by the CoA to oversee the day-to-day matters of various departments of the AIFF. The advisory committee will send regular reports to all the members of the CoA for their information and approvals, if required.
Bajaj, who owned former I-League club Minerva Punjab before it was sold to RoundGlass in 2020, will be the chairman of the advisory committee and integrity matters.
The CoA took charge of the AIFF last month after the Supreme Court removed the Praful Patel-led office bearers for not holding elections on time. Patel had exceeded his tenure of 12 years as AIFF chief.
Lisa Sthalekar to head world women’s cricket body Former Australia cricketer Lisa Sthalekar has become the first female president of FICA, the sport’s international player’s association. Her appointment was made at a meeting of the organisation’s executive committee in Switzerland, the first in-person meeting since the start of the Covid pandemic.
Sthalekar joins a shortlist of former cricketers including Barry Richards, Jimmy Adams and Vikram Solanki to have held the post of FICA president.
“I’m extremely honoured and excited to be FICA’s new president,” she said. “We are entering a new phase of the game which covers more cricket than ever before for our male and female players. More countries are playing the game which demonstrates that cricket is certainly becoming a global game.
Sthalekar played 8 Tests, 125 ODIs and 54 T20Is for Australia between 2001 and 2013, finishing her career with a World Cup win. Last year, she was inducted into the Australian cricket hall of fame and has been a regular member of the broadcasting media around the world. She has also worked with the Australian Cricketers’ Association and has experience in player welfare.
Somali president nominates Hamza Abdi Barre as PM Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud has appointed lawmaker Hamza Abdi Barre as the country’s prime minister with a mandate to form the next government.
“The president wishes the new PM utmost success as he leads the government’s ambitious reform agenda and calls on Somali people to render him their unwavering support,” the presidency has said on Twitter.
The 48-year-old MP from the southern state of Jubaland replaces Mohamed Hussein Roble. “I am very happy that I have your confidence Mr President, and this shows that you believe I can be trusted with this huge task,” Barre told a joint news conference, promising “to work day and night” at the job.
Barre served in a number of public and political roles and from 2011 to 2017 was secretary-general of the Peace and Development Party (PDP), the precursor to the Union for Peace and Development (UDP) now led by Mohamud.
New Delhi is dry, till it rains. Then it is a web of raging rivers, engulfing every low lying area and even more. Just a smattering of rain, and all hell breaks loose. The water has nowhere to go, and stands firm on streets, over boulevards and in housing societies and offices. This has been the situation for decades and despite promises, noting has been done about it by respective governments or, for that matter, by the offices of the Lieutenant Governor.
Added to this were the incessant traffic jams, clogging of roads that need further planning, and loss of time energy and money.
In the face of vacuous promises, some had to do something. So the Delhi High Court came forward. This is not the job of the court, but the plight of the harried public was too much for the court to bear and recently, the court on its own motion (suo motu)
Recently, the court’s division bench of Justices Jasmeet Singh and Dinesh Kumar Sharma, reacted to an article in a newspaper of June 18, which described in detail the lack of rain water harvesting efforts in Delhi. According to the Court the article seems to be suggesting that monsoon rain water is not harvested properly within the city of Delhi. It basically goes to waste and much of it lands up on the streets. For a dry state and city like Delhi, this is criminal waste, because during the summer months, the city cries for water.
Traffic snarls The Court also took note of the fact that due to the monsoon season and even otherwise – if there is rain and even without, when festival seasons happen – there are huge traffic snarls in Delhi which according to the court can easily be controlled and regulated instantly through rain water management as well as with the assistance of Google maps which shows traffic jams in various parts of Delhi.
The bench has now issued notice to several departments to present their points of view before the court on the next day of hearing, which is July 4.
The departments notified by the court are: (i) The Union of India (UoI), or the central government, through the Ministry of Urban Development and the Ministry of Road Transport.
(ii) The GNCTD
(iii) The DDA
(iv) The Commissioner, MCD
(v) Principal Secretary, PWD
(vi) Commissioner of Police
(vii) Spl. C.P. (Traffic)
(viii) Delhi Jal Board
(ix) Delhi Cantonment Board
(x) NDMC
(xi) Flood Irrigation Department.
The Court directed the parties to file status report indicating:
(a) The steps taken by the agencies to store and harvest rainwater;
(b) The steps undertaken to address and ease traffic jams/snarls in Delhi during monsoons and other periods.
Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., pioneers of the SUV segment in India, has launched its much-awaited SUV – the All-New Scorpio-N – starting at Rs 11.99 lakh. Poised to take forward the ‘game-changer’ legacy of the Scorpio brand, the All-New Scorpio-N is designed.
The All-New Scorpio-N is completely new ground-up, with no carryover components of the existing Scorpio. This allows the All-New Scorpio-N to elevate existing segment benchmarks across all critical parameters: performance, capabilities, technology, sophistication, ride and handling, NVH, interiors and appearance.
Designed at Pininfarina, Italy and Mahindra India Design Studio (MIDS), Mumbai and engineered by the teams at Mahindra Research Valley (MRV) near Chennai and Mahindra North American Technical Center (MNATC) in USA, and manufactured at the state-of-the-art world-class facility at Chakan, Pune, the All-New ScorpioN is truly a global product.
The development and engineering of the All-New Scorpio-N is the outcome of an overall investment of Rs 1,600 crore which includes setting up a world class highly automated manufacturing line.
Speaking on the launch of the Mahindra Scorpio-N, Veejay Nakra, President, Automotive Division, M&M Ltd. said, “The All-New Scorpio-N has been designed, engineered and built to be a game-changer. With its unmissable design, sophisticated ride and handling, thrilling performance, advanced technology, reassuring safety and of course, its terrain-conquering abilities, the All-New Scorpio-N takes forward the unbeatable Mahindra legacy of building authentic, desirable and tough yet sophisticated SUVs.
The All-New Scorpio-N disrupts existing product category hierarchies and will be a force to reckon with across multiple SUV segments. It is a global product, being unveiled simultaneously in South Africa and Nepal, alongside the India launch, and will be followed by launches in other international markets in the near future.”
Bigger, bolder, more powerful, sophisticated, and laden with safety and technology, the ScorpioN nomenclature was carefully chosen to represent the fact that it raises the game to the power of N.
Thrilling performance The All-New Scorpio-N is engineered for those looking for a new-age authentic SUV. Built on our new third-generation body-on-frame platform, the Scorpio-N boasts of class-leading structural rigidity, off-road capability and exemplary on-road manners.
The Scorpio-N is powered by a TGDi mStallion (Petrol) engine with 149.14 kW (200 PS) of power and 380 Nm of torque, and mHawk (Diesel) engine with 128.6kW (175PS) of power and 400 Nm torque, offered in both 6-speed Manual and Automatic Transmissions, and 4X4 as option.
Features In terms of features, top variants get dual-zone climate control, analog dials with a large coloured MID, front and rear camera, auto start-stop, cruise control, Type-C USB ports for the first and second row, keyless go, wireless charging, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, 12-speaker 3D Sony sound system and connected car features. It also gets Alexa-enabled What3Word that lets you set your location with just a three-word combination.
Interior
-Electronic Multi-Tripmeter
-Leather Seats
-Fabric Upholstery
-Leather Steering Wheel
-Leather wrap gear-shift selector
-Glove Compartment
-Digital Clock
-Electric Adjustable Seats
-Driving Experience Control Eco
-Height Adjustable Driver Seat
Additional Features :17.78 cm Colour TFT Cluster,Rich-Coffee Black Leatherette Interiors, Roof Lamp For 1st and 2nd Row, Reading Lamp for 3rd Row (Both Sides)
Exterior
-Adjustable Headlights
-Fog Lights – Front
-Power Adjustable Exterior Rear View Mirror
-Manually Adjustable Ext. Rear View Mirror
-Electric Folding Rear View Mirror
-Rain Sensing Wiper
-Rear Window Wiper
-Rear Window Washer
-Rear Window Defogger
-Wheel Covers
-Alloy Wheels
-Rear Spoiler
-Sun Roof
-Moon Roof
-Outside Rear View Mirror Turn Indicators
-Integrated Antenna
-Chrome Grille
-Projector Headlamps
-Halogen Headlamps
Additional Features
Chrome Front Grille
Silver Finish Skid Plates
Signature Dual Barrel LED Projector
Sting Like LED Daytime Running Lamps
LED Projector Fog Lamps
LED Sequential Turn Indicator
Silver Finish Ski-rack
Signature Metallic Scorpio-tail Element
Chrome Door Handles
Tall Stacked LED Tail Lamps
Crash Compliant Structure/Safety Features
6 Airbags (Front +Side + Curtain)
ABS with EBD
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
Driver Drowsiness Detection
Traction Control System
Vehicle Dynamic Control
Hill Hold Control
Hill Descent Control
Roll Over Mitigation
Brake Disc wiping
Electronic Brake Prefill
E-call, SOS Switch
ISOFIX and i-SIZE compatibility
Colours The Mahindra Scorpio-N will be available in a total of 7 body colour options. 1. Deep Forest 2. Napoli Black 3. Everest White 4. Red Rage 5. Dazzling Silver 6. Royal Gold 7. Grand Canyon.
Specifications Engine: PETROL Type: Turbo Petrol Direct Injection (TGDi), mStallion Capacity : 2 L
Wikipedia says “chicken tikka (masala) is a chicken dish originating in the Indian subcontinent during the Mughal era. The dish is popular in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan.” This is garbage. Chicken tikka is an Indian style British dish, having originated in England. However, there is a better version of chicken which actually did originate in India. It is called butter chicken. In India we also know it as murgh makhani.
What is this special dish? It is typically a curry, made with chicken, garnished with spiced tomato and butter sauce. Its sauce is known for its rich texture and consistency. It is similar to chicken tikka masala, which uses a tomato paste.
How to describe butter chicken, one of India’s richest dishes? It is basically succulent chicken pieces wrapped in an utterly butterly (apologies to Amul) combination of cream, tomatoes and aromatic spices. This is a culinary star preparation that tickles palates across the world. Murgh makhani, as known in Hindi, is also one of the most popular Indian dishes recreated around the world. While this iconic dish remains a much-loved favourite on menus across the country, few Indians know about the humble and practical origins of the butter chicken.
History The story of how butter chicken came to be invented is almost as interesting as the dish itself. Punjabi cuisine has always been a symbol of a good, rich life, full of incredible flavours. Recipes like butter chicken and ‘sarson ka saag’ that have achieved a cult status globally, are a small reflection of the culinary legacy of the land of five rivers, undivided Punjab.
Mokha Singh Lamba, a Punjabi cook, had started making tandoori chicken in Gora Bazar in Peshawar in a small dhaba. “He had two helpers, Kundan Lal Gujral and Kundan Lal Jaggi, who used to work for him. After Independence, they both migrated to Delhi and started a restaurant in Delhi’s Daryaganj. Their recipe of tandoori chicken got popular, but leftover chicken was a problem as we never had refrigerators during that time. So, to keep it fresh for a long time, and moist, they made tomato gravy and added to tandoori chicken. This way butter chicken came into existence in 1950.
The Moti Mahal, in pre-partition days, was a restaurant in Peshawar founded by Mokha Singh Lamba. Both Kundan Lal Gujral and Kundan Lal Jaggi worked there as servers for some years. Thakur Dass was at his family’s rice and pulses wholesale business just across the road from the restaurant.
The Moti Mahal shut down just before partition. During these difficult times, many refugees moved to areas of India, bringing their various skills and culture with them. Peshawar cuisine was soon to find a new home in Delhi when the chance came to revive the original Moti Mahal in the capital territory. Mokha Singh Lamba, although he was then too old to continue running the restaurant, was happy for the three entrepreneurs to use the original logo and gave his full blessing to the enterprise.
With a growing population of Punjabis in the region, there was a ready-made legion of potential customers who wanted to eat traditional Peshawar fare. The trio began by selling breads and tea but then purchased three tandoors and began serving fish and chicken too.
Ingredients
-Cooking time : 50 mins
-Butter Chicken Ingredients:
-300 gms Chicken breast boneless For the chicken marinade
· 800g boneless and skinless chicken thighs or breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
-In a bowl take all the ingredients under the marinate head and the chicken pieces.The chicken pieces should be 1″ inch in size. Mix well and keep aside for at least 2 – 3 hrs
-Blanch, peel and puree the tomatoes. Keep aside.
-Soak the cashew nuts for 2 – 3 hrs in hot water and then strain and grind the cashew nuts into a fine paste.
-For the curry, heat the pan and add butter and immediately add the garlic paste.
-Now add the sliced green chilly. Also add cumin powder, red chilly powder and salt. Add 1 tbsp water and mix well.
-Add the tomato puree and cook till the gravy leaves the side.
-Lower the flame and add the cashewnut paste and stir constantly.
-Now add the tomato ketchup, sugar and 1/4 cup water.
-Meanwhile in a separate pan shallow fry the marinated chicken pieces for 4 – 5 minutes. If overcooked, the chicken will get hard and stiff. Keep aside.
-Once the gravy comes to a boil add the chicken pieces. And cook for a minute.
-Now lower the flame, add the milk and stir well. Cook for another minute and then add the cream. Mix well
-Now add the garam masala and crushed fenugreek leaves. Mix well.
-Transfer the chicken to a serving bowl and garnish with chopped coriander leaves, crushed fenugreek leaves and swirls of cream.
-Restaurant style Indian butter chicken is ready to be served with naan or tandoori roti. Authentic butter chicken is a very high calorie dish yet very very tasty.
NOTE -Milk should be at room temperature before adding to the gravy.
If biopics of famous people have been hits in the recent past, then why not a biopic on a famous scientist as well? Enough has been said about social illuminatis, probably the principal reason why India is feted around the world is its advance in the field of space science. Within this former scientist and aerospace engineer at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Nambi Narayanan, fits the bill perfectly. Not only has he been a great scientific brain, but the way he was falsely implicated in a fictitious espionage case, is a shame on the systems that govern the country.
This was waiting to happen, and this, indeed, is happening. It is actor Madhavan’s directorial debut and is in English, Tamil and Hindi. The film showcases how Narayanan was falsely accused of espionage and subsequently, how all cases against him were dismissed by the Supreme Court.
That is the gist of south superstar R Madhavan’s film ‘Rocketry: The Nambi Effect’.
Madhavan has given stellar performances in Hindi films like ‘Rang De Basanti’, ‘Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein’, ‘3 Idiots’ and ‘Tanu Weds Manu’.
Rocket scientist Nambi Narayanan is in the news as soon as the trailer is released. Nambi Narayanan was a scientist of ISRO, who was implicated on false charges of betraying the country. In 1998, the Supreme Court declared him innocent after a 26-year-long battle and fighting the police-administration.
In 1994, Narayanan was falsely charged with leaking vital defense secrets to two alleged Maldivian intelligence officers, Mariam Rasheeda and Fauzia Hassan. Defence officials said the secrets pertained to highly confidential “flight test data” from experiments with rocket and satellite launches. Nambi Narayanan was among two scientists (the other being D Sasikumaran) that were accused of selling ISRO secrets for millions. However, his house seemed nothing out of the ordinary and did not show signs of the corrupt gains he was accused of.
The head of the ISRO’s promising Cryogenics Division, Nambi Narayan was tasked to scout for the cryogenic technology to propel the space programme to greater heights. He was arrested in 1994 for allegedly trading India’s space secrets to Pakistan. Kept in police custody for 50 days, the case was later transferred to the CBI.
As a senior official at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Narayanan was in-charge of the cryogenics division. In 1994, he was falsely charged with espionage and arrested. The charges against him were dismissed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in 1996, and the Supreme Court of India declared him not guilty in 1998.
The CBI later closed the case against him citing lack of evidence. Almost 24 years later, the Supreme Court said the charges against the scientist were trumped up by the Kerala Police.
Nambi Narayanan was awarded the Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian award by the Government of India, in 2019.
Pre-review The film, which marks the directorial debut of R Madhavan aka Maddy, has opened to positive reviews from industry stalwarts including AR Rahman and Shekhar Kapur.
It is a perfect tribute to Nambi Narayanan and his contribution to India’s space advancement, at the same time it will also show the criticism and hatred he had to receive from his own people.
The first trailer of the biopic was launched on April 1. The film is written and directed by R Madhavan, who essays the lead role of aerospace engineer Nambi Narayanan in it.
The second trailer of the film doesn’t offer anything new but we are once again shown the determination of Nambi Narayanan in launching commercial satellites for India, for which he is ready to go to any lengths. He is even ready to leave the offer from NASA to serve his nation, but he is declared a ‘deshdrohi’. The trailer concludes with the words, “Sometimes a man wronged is a nation wronged.”
Development A film based on the espionage case of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientist Nambi Narayanan was first announced to the media in September 2012 by director Anant Mahadevan. Journalist C. P. Surendran had proposed the idea for a potential film on Narayanan to Mahadevan during June 2012. The two then met Narayanan in person to discuss the idea and seek his permission, and he agreed to serve as a consultant for the project.
Malayalam actor Mohanlal was cast in the role of Narayanan, while Resul Pookutty, Sreekar Prasad and L. Subramaniam were finalised as the sound designer, editor and music composer for the project. Titled The Witch Hunt, the film was to be made in the Hindi and Malayalam languages. The team were in talks with several production houses but the project eventually did not take off as planned. Mahadevan later narrated the idea of the film to actor R. Madhavan in the mid-2010s, who helped take the film forward
Production Principal photography began on January 4;2019 in Mumbai and was shot as a multilingual, with scenes simultaneously filmed in the English, Hindi, and Tamil languages. A few days after the start of the shoot, Mahadevan left the project owing to prior commitments and Madhavan took over as the project’s sole director. Film director and writer Prajesh Sen, who had previously co-written Ormakalude Bhramanapadham and worked on a documentary titled Nambi The Scientist, joined the project as a co-director.
In late January 2019, the team moved to film scenes in Georgia and Russia. The team completed the shoot five days prior to the schedule, despite shooting in unfavourable weather conditions. In April and May 2019, the team shot scenes in India, with Madhavan shaving his beard to play a younger version of the character. The team subsequently moved on to film the final schedule in France and Serbia. Production was completed in Serbia during June 2019, with Scottish actors Ron Donachie and Phyllis Logan also a part of the final schedule.
The shoot of the film took 44 days to complete. Post-production began in July 2019, with music composer Sam C. S. completing the background score by mid-October 2019. In August 2020, Madhavan revealed that the film had reached the final stages of post-production work and that only fifteen days of work were remaining to complete final sound mixing, mastering and digital intermediate tasks.
Budget The estimated cost of this movie is over 100 crores.
Name of movie: Rocketry Release: (July 1) At theater
Star cast: R. Madhavan, Simran, Rajit Kapur, Ravi Raghavendra, Misha Ghoshal, Shyam Renganathan, Muralidaran, Karthik Kumar, Gulshan Grover, Dinesh Prabhakar, Mohan Raman, Ron Donachie, Phyllis Logan, Vincent Riotta, Bijou Thaangjam, Jagan, Rajeev Ravindranathan, Sam Mohan, Bhawsheel, Suriya, Shah Rukh Khan
Director: R. Madhavan Producer: Sarita Madhavan, R. Madhavan, Varghese Moolan, Vijay Moolan Writer: R. Madhavan Music: Sam C. S., Divakar SubramaniamProduction House: Netflix Production : Tricolour Films, Varghese Moolan Pictures
India has a number of very extraordinary national parks. They widely vary in flora and fauna and uphold the country’s green cover, with the rest of the nation quickly going barren as ‘development’ progresses unchecked. It all started, though with the Jim Corbett National Park. It is a place amid nature and history and a great place to visit.
Jim Corbett National Park, which is a part of the larger Corbett Tiger Reserve, lies in the Nainital district of Uttarakhand. The magical landscape of Corbett is well known and fabled for its tiger richness. Established in 1936 as Hailey National Park, Corbett has the glory of being India’s oldest and most prestigious National Park. It is also being honored as the place where Project Tiger was first launched in 1973. This unique tiger territory is best known as the father who gave birth to the Project Tiger in India to protect the most endangered species of India.
Spread over an area of 520 sq km, its whole area comprises hills, marshy depressions, riverine belts, grasslands and large lake. It is among the few tiger reserves in India that allows overnight stays within the lap of the National Park. Nature watch and wildlife viewing in the park is done in an open four wheeler Jeep and on elephant back. Sheltering a healthy population of tigers and rare species like otters and the endemic fish-eating crocodile, the national park is one of the most sought-after destinations for the wildlife buffs. Dhikala, situated at the border of the extensive Patil Dun valley, is the most popular destination.
Formerly known to be Jim Corbett National Park, dedicating the legendary British hunter and conservationist Sir Edward James Corbett, the Corbett National Park today is a home to several endangered species including reptiles, mammals and birds. The vast ecosphere that displays a plethora of varied species of plants is an invigorating and natural hub to myriad eco-travellers, adventurers and wildlife photographers. The rich terrain, from the foothills to the plains, is divided into five safari zones that allows travellers to explore the waylay wild wood.
History One of the oldest national parks in India, Corbett National Park was established in 1936 as Hailey National Park. Prior to its formation, the park was the private property of the Tehri Garhwal princely state. The Raja of Tehri ceded a part of the region to the East India Company in exchange for their assistance to remove Gurkhas. It was also the territory of Boksas, a tribe from the Terai who used to grow crops, but in 1860 they were ousted by the British.
The region rose to prominence in the early 19th century, when it came under the control of British officer, Major Ramsay, who was also in-charge of the area. The process of park preservation began in 1868, especially when the British forest department established control over the land so as to prohibit cultivation and start cattle station operation. After seeing its uniqueness, several Britishers including E. R. Stevans and E. A. Smythies suggested making it a wildlife reserve. In 1907, a game reserve was also proposed.
However it was in 1930 that the park went through the process of demarcation under the guidance of Jim Corbett, a British-Indian hunter, and tracker-turned-conservationist. Later in 1936, the reserve was created and was known as Hailey National Park.
Right after its establishment, the park prohibited the killing of mammals, reptiles, and birds. Until 1930, the park was well maintained. It was during the Second World War, the park witnessed major downfall due to excessive poaching and timber cutting.
Project Tiger The area of reserve kept on expanding and was increased to 797.72 sq km when a buffer zone was added in 1991, which also makes it one of the largest wildlife sanctuaries in India. Adding laurels to the park is the fact that it was one of the places where Project Tiger, an ambitious and well-known wildlife conservation project, was launched. 1973 was the landmark year in the history of the Corbett National Park as this is when the project tiger was started by the wildlife preservationists and naturalists from around the world during Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s tenure.
The main idea behind the project is to provide a safe habitat for tigers. Later in the 20th century, the process of demarcation was again started by adding the entire Kalagarh forest division that also includes the area of Sonanadi Wildlife Sanctuary. Also, it happens to be one of 13 protected areas covered by the World Wide Fund For Nature under their Terai Arc Landscape Programme.
The park has gone through many name changes too. In 1954-55, its name was changed from Hailey National Park to Ramganga National Park and was again renamed in 1955-56 as Corbett National Park.
THE TOURIST ZONES In order to promote tourism in the region Corbett National Park has been divided into five different zones. These are the marked buffer or core area of the park where visitors can be part of wildlife safari and can enjoy the intriguing behavior of the animals with bare eyes at proximity.
Bijrani Safari Zone Bijrani Zone is a very popular tourist’s hub because of its abundant natural beauty and open grasslands. The entry gate of the zone is located at only 1 km from Ramnagar city.
Jhirna Safari Zone Jhirna is another important tourist zone in the Jim Corbett National park that is open for tourists round the year. Jhirna Gate is located 16 km from Ramnagar city.
Dhela Safari Zone Dhela is a new eco tourism zone in Corbett National Park included in tiger reserve zone in November 2014. This is the only area in the reserve’s buffer zone open to tourists in CTR. The zone is retaining the attention of a large number of tourists because of its wealth of flora and fauna, open throughout the year, located at an approximate distance of 13 Km from Ramnagar City.
Dhikala Zone Being the largest and most jungle-safari varied zone in Corbett, Dhikala is famous for its abundant natural beauty as well as for offering the best sight for exotic fauna. The entry gate is 18 km from Ramnagar city. Night stay inside the Dhikala Tourism Zone is highly recommended for the hard core wildlife enthusiasts.
Durga Devi Zone Durga Devi is an attractive and verdant tourism zone falling within the range of the Corbett National Park region. It is a wildlife area, exceptionally used for long elephant safaris, and makes direct access to the Ramganga River, where tourists can enjoy fishing and angling. While making their stay cool and comfortable at the Durgadevi, tourists can grasp the opportunity to go to the Ramganga River to enjoy angling facilities at the Ramganga camp in Bhikiyasen, crossing the gate further 30 km in the pristine pool of the Ramganga River.
The Durgadevi tourist zone is closed during the monsoon due to poor roads in the forest.
Sitabani Buffer Zone Sitabani is a hard forest area. Not a part of the Corbett Tiger Reserve, but is the only spot for bird watching in Jim Corbett Park. The area is a favorite spot for tourists walking by and is popular because of its mention in the Hindu epic, Ramayana. The legend says that goddess Sita, wife of Lord Rama, spent some days of her exile in Sitabani. The entire place is protected and maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
Corbett National Park flora The Jim Corbett National Park is blessed with the natural bounty in the form of distinct flora which comprises freshwater flora and alpine flora. Extending over an area of more than 521 sq km the Corbett has a diverse floral count that is absolutely astonishing. The various habitat types of Corbett are occupied by Sal forests, Khair-Sisso forests, Mountains, Chaur, and rivers and streams that give life to the distinct assemblage of plants.
According to one Botanical Survey of India Corbett has 600 species of plants – trees, shrubs, ferns, grass, climbers, herbs and bamboos. These many distinct varieties of plant kingdom makes the national park a sought after wildlife destination for those who wish to relax from hectic schedule of working throughout the year.
Being one of the richest homes of wild animals, the Jim Corbett National Park is rich in flora too. More than 75% of the total area of Corbett is dominated by Sal forests.
How to Reach Ramnagar is perhaps the best approach to the Corbett National Park which forms the headquarters of CTR. This small city is well connected by road and rail network with major cities of India like Delhi, Moradabad, Nainital and Bareilly. Once you reach Ramnagar, then it takes only half an hour to reach Corbett National Park. The park is around 15 km from Ramnagar railway station.
By Road: Ramnagar has a very good network of roads that connects the different cities. The Corbett National Park is situated at an approximate surface distance of 260 km from India’s national capital Delhi. The government of Uttarakhand state plies buses at a short interval of time from Delhi, Moradabad, Haldawani, and Nainital that reaches Corbett directly.
By Rail: The railway station in Ramnagar receives trains from different major cities of India like Delhi, Moradabad and Bareilly. A direct train to Ramnagar runs from Delhi. You can check out for Ranikhet Express, Corbett Link Express and Kathgodam Express that takes you directly to Ramnagar.
When To Visit The months of November through June are the perfect time to visit Corbett National Park as the park remains open to tourists during these periods only. The park is kept closed as the monsoon season approaches. The main reason for closure of the park during the rest of the year is that the roads inside the park get washed away due to rain. The repair work starts after the monsoon and ends only by November till the roads are back in motorable condition.
SOME FACTS Its name changed three times: Corbett National Park was renamed thrice. Park warden RK Tiwari says that in 1936 it was named Hailey National Park. After this it was named Ramganga National Park. For the third time in 1955, the name was again changed to Corbett National Park.
Gradual expansion of its area: Initially, the area of Corbett Park was 323.75 sq km. Its area was increased to 520.82 sq km in 1966. Tourism takes place in an area of 520.82 sq km of Corbett.
Abundance of wildlife: Corbett Tiger Reserve currently has 250 tigers, 1226 elephants, 145 crocodiles, 75 gharials, 133 beavers and about 35 thousand deer, bears, sambar, guldar etc. Apart from wildlife, reptiles and more than 650 species of birds are also present.
Adventure jeep safari When it comes to exploring the massive National Park in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand, nothing is better than jeep safari. If not a Jeep Safari, how else do you plan to encounter the most ferocious and playful animals in Jim Corbett National Park? With an area of 520 square kilometers, the park comprises the hills, marshy lands, large lakes, river belts and massively spread grasslands.
Well, you can’t walk around and cover the area on your foot. That’s why we have several Jeep Safari options for you wherein you can explore the rare species of flora and fauna.
The abundant wildlife of the park doesn’t fail to enchant the tourists and explorers every time one visits. However, exploring on your own is not an easy job if you are not a professional in this.
Easy and quick jeep safari booking in Jim Corbett allows you to book some incredible Jeep Safaris that can help you explore the great Tiger Reserve from up close and encounter some startling animals inside in the reserve. If you are lucky enough, you might even get to see the gorgeous animal of the park, especially the endangered Royal Bengal Tiger.
Jim Corbett jeep safari timing:
-Morning (5:45 AM – 9:15AM)
-Evening( 3:00 PM – 6:15 PM)
-Jeep Safari cost (Indian) Rs 5,000 per Gypsy (Maximum 8 Visitors: 6 Adult + 2 Children allowed in a Gypsy.)
-Jeep Safari cost (Foreigner) Rs 8,000 per Gypsy (Maximum 8 Visitors: 6 Adult + 2 Children allowed in a Gypsy.)
Activities
Jungle Safari: One of the most preferred activities for which tourists come to Jim Corbett is the Jungle Safari with options like Elephant Safari, Jeep Safari and Canter Safari. Tourists are offered jeep rides traversing through the jungle where they could spot wild animals like elephants, deer, langurs, leopards, crocodiles any many more. If one is lucky enough, the king of the jungle, the Bengal Tiger could make a royal entrance. For more adventurous travelers, elephant safari is an option.
Wildlife photography: Corbett National Park is a haven for wildlife enthusiasts. All you need is a digital camera and one can capture stunning photographs of a variety of flora and fauna in the wild. Although for capturing a perfect shot of the tiger, one has to have enormous patience.
Bird watching: More than 650 species of birds have been recorded in the Corbett National Park area. Some of the most popular birds spotted are lesser fish eagle, cinereous vulture, Pallas’s fish eagle, tawny fish and spot-bellied eagle owl, great slaty woodpecker, ibisbill, wallcreeper, Hodgson’s bushchat, bright-headed cisticola, rosy minivet, white-tailed Rubythroat are just some of the species that are regularly seen in and around the park. Enjoy birding in Corbett along with a wildlife safari.
Fishing: The catchment area of Ramganga River offers various opportunities for catching fish. Quite a few licensed fishing camps are set up on the banks of the river for angling, especially catching Mahseer fishes.
Rafting: For the adventurous, rafting in the rapid and turbulent waters of Ram Ganga River is quite a thrilling experience. There are grade I and II rapids at Jim Corbett park. However, rafting season at Jim Corbett is permitted only in the monsoons.
Jim Corbett Edward James Corbett was born July 25, 1875 of English ancestry in the Nainital district of Uttarakhand. He grew up spending much of his childhood exploring the wilderness that exists around. Jim Corbett lived his life amid dense jungle and developed a deep knowledge of the flora and fauna there.
Sir Jim Corbett spent his major part of his life at Gurney House (located in Nainital) with his large family, his mother Mary Jane Corbett and his sister Margaret Winfred Corbett, fondly called Maggie. His father, who was postmaster in Nainital, died when Jim Corbett was four. The whole responsibility fell to Corbett’s mother to raise and educate 12 children on a widow’s meager pension. At an early age Jim had to face the responsibility of supporting his family of six members, so he took up a job with the railways.
Over the years he became a good hunter as well as a wonderful naturalist. He was blessed with excellent observation, was fleet-footed and had great stamina. He was so intelligent and active that he could read the signs of the forest and movement of wildlife and put all senses on (sight, hearing and smell) while moving in the forests. He has a record of killing 19 tigers and 14 leopards.
He was also a pioneer conservationist and played a key role in the establishment of present Jim Corbett National Park. He led a confirmed bachelor’s life and remained an active member of many wildlife preservation organizations and helped in conserving these natural resources.
Doctors, also known as physicians, clinicians and medical practitioners, are healthcare professionals who diagnose, advice and treat our illnesses. They save lives using their knowledge of the body and aid those with permanent physical or psychological impairments. For this reason, doctors are considered the most important public servants.
National Doctors’ Day, which highlights the contributions of doctors in society, is celebrated on July 1 in India by the Indian Medical Association (IMA).
The theme for this year’s celebration of National Doctors’ Day in India is “Family Doctors on the Front Line.”
National Doctors’ Day celebrations in India began in 1991 on July 1 to honour Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy, or B.C. Roy, whose birth and death anniversary, both fall on July 1. B.C. Roy was a famous physician and freedom fighter from West Bengal. He also became the Chief Minister of West Bengal from 1948 till his death in 1962.
As the Supreme Court, late on June 29, refused to stay a floor test order of the Maharashtra governor, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray realised that the game had been taken away from his hands. He knew he did not have the numbers, and resigned. With that, the basic structure of the Maha Vikas Aghadi, formed in 2019, fell apart. In a strange turn of events later, Udddhav’s nemesis in the show, Eknath Shinde, was named Chief Minster, with former chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis of the BJP, ordered by the Sangh to take a demotion and be Shinde’s deputy. With this the BJP is back in action in the financial capital of the country. No floor test was needed.
This was the culmination of 10 days of incredible drama, where Shiv Sena rebel leader Eknath Shinde led a group of rebel MLAs, first flying them off to Ahmedabad, then to Guwahati within a flood-hit Assam and then to Goa, always staying in plush resorts/hotels and then finally back to Mumbai when the path had been paved. The final numbers (see box) indicated that horse trading was intense and prices of hotel rooms and flight prices etc (even the food) made one realise that there were powerful and well endowed (financially) forces at play in this move. The Uddhav-led faction fought tooth and nail, but in the end had to give up.
Uddhav resigned through a Facebook live broadcast. He also resigned from his membership to the upper house of the state assembly. He said he was going back to Sena Bhavan to rebuild the Shiv Sena and bring new blood into the party. The issue is not over, though, with the disqualification issue of the rebel MLAs still pending in the Supreme Court, which has stayed this decision till July 11.
Shinde returned to Mumbai on June 30 and staked claim to form government. This seemed a formality, but a breakaway group does not get automatic recognition as a political party, hence a possible merger is pending. This also depends on what the court says.
The other story That could be the crux of the story, but it is hardly the story itself. The story is not of one party winning and another losing. That would have been democracy at its best. This is about the death of ideology, especially for the hapless voter. In India voting takes place for three specific reasons. The first is personality specific. This comes from the following that a single personality – or even a single family, as in the case of the Gandhis in Delhi or the Thackerays in Mumbai, for example – has and this can be a very strong mover in a mostly politically illiterate country.
The second is ideology. This is almost a nonexistent scenario these days, and the nearest any party has come to this – after the azadi ideology of the Congress, of course – has been the communist parties. Right or wrong, they seemed to have stuck to modified versions of their ideologies.
The third voting route has been religion/caste. If it is not religion in the overall scenario, it has been caste. Strange as it may seem, the caste scenario persists in India not only among Hindus – where it all started – but also among other religions. Basically, whichever caste a person was before he or she was converted, seems to have been retained. The benefits in modern society have been immense. That was why the Congress had put up a ‘Dalit’ Sikh, Charanjit Singh Channi, up for the chief minister’s post in Punjab.
The caste factor is eerily strong in the states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh (even Punjab, it seems) etc. and virtually nonexistent in states such as West Bengal. That is why the BJP faltered in the assembly polls, having based its campaign on caste and religious lines.
Of course, there is a fourth, overarching influencer: Money. This has ruled the day in so many elections in the country, one may have lost count of them. The sale of suitcases have grown proportionately.
In the midst, ideology occupies a very small place in today’s politics in India.
The two sides Hence, if one looks back at the Maharashtra fiasco, one can see two pictures. One picture, seen by politicians and political analysts, might show it as a victory of strategy and money power. The picture seen by the voters, however, will show a complete disregard for ethics, loyalty and ideology, as may have been publicised when the aspiring MLAs were seeking votes.
Balasaheb Thackeray probably understood this dichotomy and never did he himself move into active politics by contesting any election. Down the line, that Sena mentality has diluted. Maybe the pride has gone out of the window. However, this has not resonated well with the supporters of the Sena, called Sainiks.
“Any fortress can be stormed provided there is a way up for a donkey with a load of gold on its back.”
– Philip II of Macedon, Alexander’s father.
The BJP has wrested power again, in proxy, but the fact is how will the MLAs, who have defected, face their electorate again? This has been a repeated case across states, not only in the recent past and not only under this central regime, but also when the Congress was in power. In fact, if truth be told, the Congress did start this process of horse trading and it has only gained in strength.
In the long run, does it exemplify the very nature and essence of a democracy? Is there any point in asking for a mandate from the general public and then, when the time is right and the votes are in the pocket, those elected behave in a completely different manner? It has been a saviour that Indians, by nature, are meek, even if crude.
There has never been a self-feeding, popular uprising in India – even the independence struggle was a result of egging on by some activists. Even if we consider the 1957 Sepoy Mutiny (Revolt), it started not with any political ideology, but with a religious sentiment at heart.
Over and above, the education level – and this has nothing to do with the literacy level – has remained pathetic. The economic situation in the country has not improved and the poor still understand the language of the rajas and the ranis better than of political aspirants. So political aspirants dress themselves as rajas and ranis, and talk religion, the two languages the people bow to.
Democracy is a complete failure in the world’s largest democracy. That is a truism, and the Maharashtra fiasco brought this to light yet again.
