Category: National

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], November 09: Finally, a chess book that aims to teach chess to kids in a friendly and interactive manner is out on the market. Written on invitation from the Brihan Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) schools, Jahnvi Shah’s book, Shatranj Ke Baal Yodha, aims to reach children across India and prepare them for elementary level chess.

18-year-old Jahnvi Shah is a national-level chess player whose heart goes out to children from underprivileged sections of society. In 2018, she started her NGO, Nirmaan Charitable Trust that coaches over 100 children across ten municipal schools in Maharashtra. The Governor of Maharashtra, Shri Bhagat Singh Koshyari, has honored her to teach chess to the children from poor and needy sections of the society.

“I am so happy and proud to share, students trained by Jahnvi Shah have won gold and silver medals at chess competitions organized by All India Municipality Schools. I am looking forward to using Shatranj Ke Baal Yodha for my students. They will love this Hindi book that teaches chess in a manner and language they understand best.” Said Sushma Masale, Principal, Sanyasashram School.

Jahnvi Shah, a talented girl from Dhirubhai Ambani International School, realized the children needed a chess textbook that teaches the game in a friendly & interactive manner. She has kept the language simple, and the narrative is full of story-telling aimed at interactive learning. While reading this book, a child will feel that author Jahnvi is speaking to them and guiding them through the twists and turns in chess learning.

In his foreword, GM Abhijeet Kunte says, “Being an accomplished chess player and a coach herself, Jahnvi Rahul Shah has ensured that she weaves in her understanding of chess and presents it in a playful manner. I like the way the book has been conceptualized and written. The quizzes and exercises reinforce the learning in a fun way.”

Jahnvi will be distributing the book free of charge to BMC students across Mumbai. Kunte expresses his happiness by saying, “It gives me great happiness to write the foreword for a book that will be distributed for free among children of BMC schools across Mumbai. Through her NGO, Jahnvi will continue to impact the lives of young children who will develop a love for this great game and maybe represent our country one day.”

The book has been published by Sansi Ventures, a publishing house owned by Amarkant Jain and Mayura Amarkant. “When Jahnvi approached us with this innovative concept, we were touched by her sincerity. She has put in much effort in detailing out the chapters, exercises, and quizzes to match the target audience’s needs. We are proud to present Shatranj Ke Baal Yodha, a one-of-its-kind book for elementary-level chess.” Says Amarkant Jain. The book has an inherent universal appeal and is therefore available on Amazon and Flipkart.

Jahnvi hopes that Shatranj Ke Baal Yodhawill will help students understand elementary-level chess and, one day, make India proud.

The award was bestowed on the philanthropist-entrepreneur by AsiaOne in association with Global Compact Network UAE

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], November 9: Noted philanthropist and entrepreneur Smita Banerjee Sasmal has been awarded the prestigious Black Swan Award for her contribution to women empowerment.

The award, given by AsiaOne, in association with the Global Compact Network UAE, the local network of the UN Global Compact, recognises modern women who use their passion, determination, and perseverance to draw attention to and address the issues facing children and women in rural India.

The award acknowledges Smita Banerjee Sasmal’s excellent contribution in driving a change at the grassroots level. She was presented the award by actress and Miss Diva Universe 2015 Urvashi Rautela & Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to UAE, Rashid Sesay.

“I feel honoured and humbled on receiving this award. The award will motivate not just me, but many more women in India, to work to empower women and children all over India and help them lead a better life,” said Smita Banerjee Sasmal.

Smita Banerjee Sasmal is the founder of Sampurti, which works for women empowerment, water conservation, child education, environment preservation, and other crucial causes for the past several years, and has helped bring a positive change in the lives of the poorest of the poor.

The NGO supports various projects such as distribution of educational items, tree plantation, health and hygiene training for school girls, among others. The outfit donated food grains and other essential items, besides helping victims of recent floods in East Midnapore in West Bengal rebuild their homes by providing building materials. It has also launched other programmes for rural women as a part of the “Be Self-Dependent” initiative.

“Sampurti supports various causes, but I am especially passionate about improving the lives of young girls, especially those living in rural areas. They face patriarchy, abuse, inequality at home and outside, besides other forms of discrimination. I believe education is the key to empowering women. We provide counselling, financial help, and other support to educate girls in rural areas and help them chart a better future for themselves,” she adds.

Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], November 6: Shri Tankadhar Tripathy has been appointed as Director on the Board of Directors of South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL), the largest coal producing company of the country.

Shri Tripathy has been appointed directors for a period of three years.

Shri Ambika Prasad Panda, Chairman-cum-Managing Director of SECL said, Mr Tripathy will play a pivotal role in providing the strategic leadership to the policies of the company and your rich varied experience will certainly benefit in achieving the goals and objectives of the company.

Shri Tankadhar Tripathy has been working as Odisha State BJP secretary.

Annakut Festival

Navsari, November 5: For the first time since Corona, Annakut Mahotsav was held at Swaminarayan temple with a discount, more than 350 dishes were served. Many Haribhaktas darshan along with GPSC chairman Dinesh Dasa also took advantage of the darshan.

In 2019, the old Swaminarayan temple adjacent to the Navsari highway was renovated. This magnificent temple, similar to the dream of Sarvesarva Pramukhswami of BAPS, was inaugurated by the successor Mahant Swami after visiting his Dham. Since then, this magnificent temple has become a center of attraction in the whole of South Gujarat. In which more than 350 dishes were offered to the Lord. In which a large number of Haribhaktas and politicians including saints took advantage of Thakorji’s vision.

Dinesh Dasa, a native of Navsari and a member of the GPSC board, reached the temple early in the morning and took advantage of the darshan. At the same time, politicians including MLA Piyush Desai, district BJP president, Ashok Dhorjia also started the new year with Aarti.

Sant Purushottam Charan Swami of Navsari BAPS Temple said that about 350 materials were used in Annakut in which volunteers and Haribhaktas worked tirelessly to make Annakut glorious and attractive. A large number of Haribhaktas were seen at the Swaminarayan temple, while Sejal Patel, a devotee of the BAPS Swaminarayan sampraday said the lockdown had been going on since the temple was built. Due to which darshan in the temple was not possible for 2 years. But when the government has given permission this year, we are seeing an atmosphere of happiness in all Haribhaktas. We have been waiting for this day for a long time. We are very happy to see the food of God.

Rev. Dr. MA Varughese and his son Rev. Abraham Varghese planting the first sapling of 1,000 they pledged to plant.

Bengaluru, November 5: Bengaluru’s mega church celebrated their Pastor’s 75^th Birthday on the 4^th this month.

To mark the legacy and contribution of their Pastor, Bethel AG Church has taken a pledge to plant 1000 trees (Saplings) in Bangalore city on the occasion of Rev. Dr. MA Varughese’s birthday.

Bethel AG Church is one of the largest congregation in Bangalore which made headlines few months back with their innovative gathering of “Drive-In Service” during the peak of Covid times – now in news again as they celebrate and extend gratitude to their Senior Pastor Rev. Dr. MA Varghese on his 75^th Birthday for his ministry and dedication all these years.

As a mark of respect, dignitaries from the Government of Karnataka were also present for the meeting on 4^th November 2021, to honour the contributions of this humble man in the city.

Members of his Church held a thanksgiving meeting on his birthday, and the church plans to further hold various small meetings up until the month of May 2022, this is in line with the covid protocol and to keep gatherings safe.

Rev. Dr. M A Varughese has ministered to live audiences in more than 45 countries, reached out to many more through television and social media, authored 13 books, he also served with the armed forces in his early days, and continues to go strong, braving all the odds. Not once has he deterred from challenges he had to face, particularly the ones related to his health.

Bethel AG Church now hosts more than 25,000 members making them one of the largest and most influential churches in the country. The church is actively involved in social activities, specifically supported needy families throughout the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown months during the year 2020, not just locally but nation-wide, this is apart from supporting foster homes, and people in need. Also, to note their extensive works during the Kerala Flood Relief in the year 2018.

Dr. Varughese, blessed with two children, who are Rev. Abraham Varghese and Rev. Johnson V, who took up the mantle from their father and humbly serving as Pastors of other linguistic groups of Bethel AG Church.

New Delhi [India], November 3: If you are an Indian professional or entrepreneur working in a large city in India or abroad, you no longer need to be concerned about your elderly parents living alone. Samarth Eldercare, a social enterprise founded by IIT, IIM, Cambridge, Yale, McKinsey, and Citi alumni, provides high-quality support for the physical and social needs of elderly parents living alone anywhere in India.

It is not uncommon for people to take important career decisions or life-altering moves such as relocation to India or within India, passing over advancements, even giving up their jobs to support ageing parents.  While part of it is due to a strong sense of responsibility Indian feel to care for elders, the truth is that it takes an important share of the mind of so many Indian adults.

Samarth Eldercare serves people in India and 22 other countries to look after their elders in more than 60 cities. A visit to their website https://samarth.care/ shows a service menu that is fairly comprehensive and includes emergency and hospitalization management, healthcare support, doctor visits, medicine management on the one hand, and convenience needs such as home services, documentation, banking, renewals, accompanying on visits on the other.

Not only this, Samarth keeps the elders engaged and their minds active with hobbies, online and offline meetups, in-person consultation, counselling, etc. The organization also conducts sessions on technology, entertainment money matters, etc., with medical experts from hospitals such as Fortis, financial experts from firms like Anand Rathi, and musical concerts and games with professional and amateur performers.

Asheesh Gupta, Founder of Samarth Eldercare and an alumnus of IIT Kanpur and IIM Calcutta, experienced first-hand the challenges of supporting elders while working globally with McKinsey & Company. He says, “Our approach is to act as an institution in the same way that a son or daughter would act with their parents. As a result, the scope of the assistance is virtually limitless. While we have customized plans based on the situation, we understand that you cannot anticipate every need. Our team approaches problems in the same way that a son or daughter would.”

The model involves a very interesting blend of touch and tech, focusing on building trust and reliability with compassion and teamwork.

Anuradha Das Mathur, Co-Founder who works extensively in the area of empowerment and leadership for women, says, “We go to great lengths to bring in the right people and keep them excited about the team. Technology allows them to focus on things that leverage their passion and commitment while also improving reliability, transparency, and speed.”

In addition, the company is made up of more than 90% women, many of whom have advanced degrees such as a PhD or an MBA and professional experience in education, business, and counselling, added Mathur.

During Covid, the organization was a lifeline for hundreds of families, providing assistance during the peak of lockdown and even assisting with isolation and depression. It has also collaborated with leading global organizations such as IBM to provide this support to team members who may require it for their immediate or extended families.

November 01: Child Help Foundation (CHF) is a Pan-India, non-profit organization which aims to uplift the underprivileged and weaker sections of society. Founded in the year 2010, Child Help Foundation is nationally recognized for its efforts to inspire and empower people into the culture of giving and bringing about a positive change in the lives of children and society at large.

Founded by Mr. Sunil Varghese, Rajendra Pathak and Jugender Singh, Child Help Foundation has implemented projects in 21 states across the country. Emergency Medical Support is the flagship program of the organization. To date, CHF has supported medical treatment costs of 1,631 children from underprivileged families, out of whom 549 were suffering from Cancer and 172 children were suffering from Congenital Heart Diseases.

Apart from the main program, they also have parallel programs running to tackle various other social issues such as Education, Water and Sanitation, Gender Equality, Zero Hunger, Humanitarian Relief, Life on Land and Life Below Water.

Talking about Child Help Foundation and its initiatives, Spokesperson and CEO of Child Help Foundation (CHF), Mr Shaji Varghese, said, “Welfare of Underprivileged Children being the core focus of our organization, we work at the grass-root level where the underprivileged parents of children suffering from life-threatening diseases approach CHF seeking help for their child’s treatment. To give them all possible medical support, CHF has tie-ups with India’s top hospitals across the country like Tata Memorial, Hinduja, Kokilaben D. Ambani, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, All India Medical Science (AIIMS), SBM and C K Birla Hospital.

CHF works in accordance with the sustainable development goals (SDGs) laid down by the United Nations. CHF has programs covering SDG2, SDG3, SDG4, SDG5, SDG6, SDG14, SDG15 and SDG17.

CHF has a network of volunteers along with partner NGOs who have been actively providing necessary interventions. Even at the peak of the pandemic, we have provided essential services wherever required. The team identified various underprivileged communities through personal visits by volunteers and references from partner NGOs to extend help and support. “He further added.

To talk more about their significant work for the education of these children, CHF has provided support to children in schools across various states in the country. They have made efforts in promoting inclusive quality education for children from urban, rural and tribal communities through the Scholarship and Advocacy Program, which has benefitted 4,64,216 children across the country.

Under their Water and Sanitation (WAS) initiative, CHF has facilitated the construction of 72 toilets across India. They have provided water purifiers to 23 government schools in multiple districts throughout various states and distributed 3,00,000 sanitary napkins to 34,672 girls all over the country.

Under their Zero Hunger program has started an initiative to tackle malnutrition and create Zero Hunger by feeding warm meals to 1,800 beneficiaries daily. With these interventions, there has been a significant improvement in the health of the beneficiaries.

Through their Gender Equality programs which aim to provide equal opportunities to boys and girls. In 2019- 2020, CHF reached more than 2,00,000 beneficiaries through the Gender Equality program.

Under the Humanitarian Relief program, CHF has reached out to 10,31,763 affected people from natural calamities to provide them with necessary help and relief. Thousands of them have been rehabilitated to a safer environment.

Their Life on Land program takes care of lakhs of stray animals suffering from undernourishment. CHF has been successful in providing food to 54,472 stray animals to date.

The Life Below Water program has been at the forefront to collect and remove 1,85,960 kilograms of garbage and other debris from the beaches of Gorai, Manori, Velankanni, and Juhu. CHF has helped save 1,50,000 marine species to date.

For their honest effort and initiatives, CHF has been endorsed by many well-known celebrities like Adeline Castelino, Alia Bhatt, Faye D’souza, Kunal Kapoor, Shiv Aroor and many more. CHF has also been appreciated by reputed organizations and government bodies like Tata Memorial Center and Medical Cell of Chief Minister Secretariat – Mantralaya, Mumbai, respectively.

November 01: As Steve Irwin rightly said, “We Don’t Own the Planet Earth, We Belong to It, and We Must Share It With Our Wildlife.” It is important to protect and conserve wildlife so that the ecological balance of nature remains intact. The Indian Government is taking various steps towards the protection, conservation, and promoting Asiatic Lions, and so is Mr. Parimal Nathwani. A man who dedicated his life to the ‘King of the Gir Forest’.

Lions are the finest and rarest creation of Mother Nature. It is said that the lion’s footfall results in the growth of that place. In Indian history and mythology, the lion is given a special place. It symbolizes strength, courage, and leadership, and thus it is also said to be the Vahana (vehicle) of Goddess of power, Maa Durga. In Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna has termed himself as Mrigraj. At the same time, the throne of King is called SINHANSAN, and the National Emblem of India, the Ashok Stambh, is also a pillar with four Asiatic Lions. Thus, Mr. Nathwani has been working for the protection of such a rare and precious species for the past 35 years.

“I feel that lions are not just animals; they are my family! I love them. It’s my duty to protect, promote and conserve lions and gir forests as much as I can. Watching lions makes me recharged” says Parimal Nathwani, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) & Director Corporate Affairs, RIL

The wildlife conservation enthusiast and Rajya Sabha members’ journey began when there were no transportation facilities available in the Gir region. His passion for lions attracted him so much that he used to travel 215 km from his native Jamkhambhaliya to Gir forest. Since then, he has been taking up various issues to protect the LIONS of the GIR forest with the help of forest officials, trackers, maldharis, and the people of the area. He started his mission 35 years ago without any assistance, and he persistently persuaded himself and the locals to work towards the betterment of the Gir forest and its pride “LIONs”.

His concern over the fatal deaths of the Lion due to train and vehicle accidents, falling in open well enlightened him for working towards the betterment of the royal lion-king. He, along with Reliance Group of Industries, covered thousands of open wells with grills on all four sides preventing accidents during the nighttime. In addition, they are soon opening a new lion hospital with state-of-the-art infrastructure and a well-qualified team of doctors for protecting the lion family. He praised the Gujarat government and Prime Minister of India for their continuous efforts and support for Gir forest and its Pride- The Lions!

“The department has already shared a list of wells with us. We will work out an estimate and begin work within a fortnight,” says Parimal Nathwani, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) & Director Corporate Affairs, RIL

Extending his knowledge to others, he educated the locals to ensure the ecosystem between the lions and humankind is maintained. He believes that the Asiatic lions are royal in nature and are friendlier with humankind compared to the African lions who tend to attack humans more and that the locals, Maldhari, and tracker play a pivotal role in managing and expanding the Gir forest and the wellbeing of the lions.

“Trackers are the heart of Gir forest. They take care of everything about lions and inform forest officials and doctors whenever there is a causality,” says Parimal Nathwani, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) & Director Corporate Affairs, RIL

As lions are now extending their area and have now become part of the 7 districts of Gujarat, he suggests that lions should be given more space to grow and natural food to survive, for which more efforts need to be made.

Mr. Parimal Nathwani shares all his 35 Years of experience in his book “GIR LION—PRIDE OF GUJARAT; in continuation to attract tourism in Gir forest, he also developed a ‘GIR Gallery’ at Ahmedabad International airport to create awareness about the rare species –the lion.

“Upgrading existing hospitals with new infrastructure is the need of the hour as it would help the department to provide the best treatment to injured or sick lions. Three sites including the extension of Sasan hospital have already been identified for this.”- says Parimal Nathwani, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) & Director Corporate Affairs, RIL

Being a parliamentarian, time and again, he has raised concerns in parliament about conservations of the LION and expansion of Gir forest for natural habitat for lions, his efforts are now producing results, and the government is extending support to his mission as result to which today, GIR National Park is not just Pride of Gujarat, but Pride of entire India.

The awards will recognize women for their contributions in various walks of life

October 26: The first edition of Women Who Lead 2021, consulted & implemented by Summentor Pro Sales & Marketing Consulting, has been instituted in partnership with Mrs. Radhika Sudhir as a Brand Icon & Envisionist. The National Consortium this year will present Hon’ble Minister of State Women & Child Development Govt. of India Shri. Dr. Munjapara Mahendrabhai & Shri Pratap Chandra Sarangi – Ex- Union Minister MSME Govt. of India as Chief Guest, Dr. Sindhutai Sapkal – Padma Shri Awardee 2021 popularly known as Mother of Orphans as the Guest of Honor, Dr.Mrs. Punita Arora  – Surgeon Vice Admiral PVSM, SM, VSM (Retd) Indian Navy, Dr.Rohini Godbole Padma Shri Awardee 2019 & Indian Physicist (IISC) and Mrs. Shalini Arora Kochhar  – Luxury & Lifestyle Guru, President  Monaco – India Business Council as Jury. Mrs. Swetta Jumaani –Celebrity Astro-Numerologist, Mentor & Lecturer, recipient of Legend of India Award & Bharat Global Icon Award 2020 as Felicitation Guest.

The National consortium envisions a Global movement to promote Women in Leadership & Entrepreneurship for the year and invites nominations for women 45 categories covering, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Education, Science & Technology, Welfare & many more key areas that have excellent Women contributions &inspiring Stories that will not only empower the women of today but also inspire the women of the future.

Winners will be felicitated through an online show in November 2021, and will also be addressed by the key Govt. of India Ministers, actively contributing & promoting women equality & empowerment in India.

Women can nominate themselves or others for appropriate categories on the Women Who Lead website by simply filling out a nomination form. The awards will bring together women leaders, achievers, and trend-setters to share their incredibly inspiring experiences, as well as take us on their personal journeys in their respective fields.

Commenting on this initiative, Mrs. Radhika Sudhir said, “Women and their success in every walk of life should be celebrated every day. At the first edition of Women Who

Lead, we want to felicitate passionate women for their work and for the success they have achieved through determination.”

The awards encourage ambition, empower confidence and inspire female pioneers now and for the future. It also guarantees a felicitation by the Government of India to ensure each winner receives the maximum output from this recognition.

About Summentor Pro Sales & Marketing Consultants: Summentor Pro  is a high-end event implementation and consulting company that has been dedicated to creating signature events and awards for over the last 5 years, and the company has recreated several successful delivered various events, awards & CSR Initiatives in the Real Estate, Construction, Technology, MSME and Start-Up’s & Rural development segments.

About WOMEN WHO LEAD 2021 – NATIONAL BUSINESS AWARDS

Women Who Lead – is a National Business Award Show in collaboration with Mrs. Radhika Sudhir, the “Envisionist” and the “Brand Icon” of the award. The awards will bring together women leaders, achievers, trendsetters to share their truly inspiring stories in their line of business and take us through their individual journey’s. The award is to celebrate the versatility of womanhood and the contribution of each one’s relentless pursuit of excellence in each and every field.

https://womenwholead.in

(Chief Guest Mr. Dharmesh Saglani with Awardees and Atal Awards Committee Members)

October 23: Long-awaited prestigious Atal National Award event, which was postponed from 24^th July due to pandemic restrictions, was concluded on 23^rd of Oct 2021 at the Ramatan Resorts, Vagator, Goa. This was the second edition, conducted by the Atal Bharat Sport & Cultural Association India. Mr. Dharmesh Saglani (EX Chairperson at Sanquelim Municipal Council, President at All Goa Private Property shack/Huts Owners’ Association, Owner at Cuba Goa was the chief guest and the committee members Founder CEO Mr. Dileep Chand Yadav, Executive Chairman Prof. Dr. Dinesh Sabnis (Chief and Ambassador of CSLI India), Sr VP Atal National Committee & State President Shri. Rakesh Poduval, Executive Member National Atal Committee & State Secretary Madhu Singh and Executive Member Atal National Committee Sangeeta Koli& General Secretary National Atal Committee Kavita Dileep Chand.

Atal Award was introduced by our Founder Mr. Dileep Chand Yadav first time in the year 2000 at the district level in respect of Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee. This award was motivation to people of India who contributed strongly for our society in various categories such as Sports, Cultural, Social Work, Medical, Health & Public Service etc. Later this award was introduced at State & National Level by Atal Bharat Sports & Cultural Association.

(Chief Guest Mr. Dharmesh Saglani with Atal Awards Committee Members)

These Atal Awards were conducted for 3 three categories:

Atal Life Time Achievement Award,

Atal National Award,

Atal Youth Award

Awardees List of Atal Award 2021:

Atal Life Time Awards were given to the following

Zaheer Darbar, Soniya Mayers, Adv Shrikant Agaste, Suresh Tanu Waingankar, Sudhir Dhadankar

Atal National Awards were given to

Kavya Ladkat, Mohd. Tauheed, Vishal Shewale, Jayraj N. Jadhav, Pradeep Jain, Vinod Kumar, Sandeep Kedare, Gauri Shankar Mishra, Kaushal Kumar Dixit, Subhash Shirole, Ranjeet K. Mohanty, Sanjay Dere, Deepak Patel, Tr. Trusha Reddy ji ,Dwshana Khidkikar , Vikram Khidkikar, Bhushan Mohekar, Narayan Bhai V. Kansara, Jitendra Kumar ,Dr. Romit Purohit, Bhushan Mohekar, Vishal Agarwal, Nitesh Mule, Sangeeta Koli, Shahid Ali Khan, Bhavesh Parmar, Arun Rajput, Adv.Ramesh K. Sahu.

Atal Youth Award

Pranali S. Dhadankar, Chaitanya Khidkikar, Alpesh K. Lokhande