Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Emotions flow as Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar visits Bihar village
Persad Bissessar's ancestors migrated from Bihar to the Caribbean islands in the 19th century. She was in India to attend the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas or diaspora meet in Jaipur, but did not lose the opportunity to return to her roots in Bihar.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Garuda's number increased 4-fold in Bihar
The mythical Garuda is staging a comeback – only this time in reality. Four years after these endangered birds of the stork family started nesting and breeding in Bihar’s Bhagalpur district, their number has increased four-fold – from 78 to over 300.
“A fourfold increase is not only a positive development but a matter of celebration,” said Arvind Mishra, coordinator in Bihar and Jharkhand for the Indian Birds Conservation Network who conducted a latest survey on the species.
“In 2007, only 78 Garudas were counted in the district,” Mishra said over phone from Bhagalpur, 200 km from here, adding that now the birds are over 300 in number.
According to Mishra, it is a result of the conservation drive started by environmentalists and bird lovers with the help of local villagers. “We have created awareness among local people about their conservation and protection.”
In Indian mythology, Garuda is considered the ‘vahan’ or carrier of god Vishnu.
“A fourfold increase is not only a positive development but a matter of celebration,” said Arvind Mishra, coordinator in Bihar and Jharkhand for the Indian Birds Conservation Network who conducted a latest survey on the species.
“In 2007, only 78 Garudas were counted in the district,” Mishra said over phone from Bhagalpur, 200 km from here, adding that now the birds are over 300 in number.
According to Mishra, it is a result of the conservation drive started by environmentalists and bird lovers with the help of local villagers. “We have created awareness among local people about their conservation and protection.”
In Indian mythology, Garuda is considered the ‘vahan’ or carrier of god Vishnu.
Monday, November 14, 2011
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Two IITians, Shashank Kumar and Manish Kumar, sowing change in Bihar's farmlands
The Economic Times
"Farmers face a plenty of problems. What is shocking is that they face labour and water shortage and still grow wheat and paddy.
"We are offering a 360-degree solution. Based on the soil condition and farmer profile, crop selection is done. We ensure right input availability, training, trouble shooting and marketing," said Shashank.
"For our pilot project, we suggested rajma instead of wheat and fortunately it brought 100 percent profits. Then word spread and in one year you can find our footprints in seven other districts in Bihar."
Farms n Farmers also works in Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi, Purnea, Banka, Rohtas and Patna with over 1,000 farmers.
"Our survey revealed what the buyer wants. If he wants potato, then what kind of potatoes is he looking for and for which variety will he pay the maximum price - so we select the crop accordingly," Shashank said.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Govt to observe Gandhi's Bihar visit centenary
The Times of India
Bihar was only five when Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi first visited the state. That was in April 1917. Now as the state is going to celebrate its centenary year next March, the state government has decided to observe centenary of Gandhi's visit to the state. However, the series of celebrations will start from the 2012 itself.
Chief minister Nitish Kumar has suggested to the Bihar Gandhi Sangrahalaya to prepare a blueprint to mark the 100 years of Gandhi's Champaran visit which will fall in 2017, but the celebration will start from the 95th year which will happen to be 100 years of the separate entity of Bihar.
Gandhi landed in Patna en route Champaran on April 10, 1917, and stayed in Bihar travelling different districts and villages till August 17, 1917. "It was the period when he experimented his Satyagraha in Champaran against the British indigo planters for their tyranny," said Sangrahalaya secretary Razi Ahmad.
Bihar became so favourite to Gandhi that in 30 years from 1917 to 1947, he visited the state no less than 20 times staying for longer periods. August 8, 1947, a week prior to the official declaration of Independence, was the last day of his stay in Bihar after which he never came here.
Acknowledging Bihar's importance in his life, Gandhi wrote, "It was Bihar that made me know the whole of India. No one knew me earlier. I had almost become a Negro after staying in Africa for twenty long years. Then I came to Champaran and the entire country woke up. Earlier, I did not even know the location of Champaran, but when I arrived here I felt as if I had known the people of Bihar for centuries and they too seemed to know me."
Ahmad said, "However, when he visited Bihar in March 1947, after a gap of almost seven years, Gandhi was very sad and heartbroken due to the communal riots in Bihar. He felt that the state from where he started his non-violent movement almost forgot the concept of Satyagraha." What made him terribly disturbed were the reports that allegedly the perpetrators of the crime were his followers or the Congressmen.
In his post prayer address at Lawns (Gandhi Maidan) on March 5, 1947, he said, "This Bihar of ours has today committed a heinous crime. The atrocities perpetrated on a handful of Muslims have no parallel, so say the Muslims, in the annals of history. I too have read some history. I know that the world has witnessed greater brutality by man on man. But it is no use repeating them here. Is it manliness to return barbarism for barbarism?"
Gandhi lashed out at the Congressmen saying, "At present, I have no evidence to say that Congressmen have committed these crimes. Tomorrow I may have to admit so. I must, however, say that Bihar has sullied the fair name of India."
Bihar was only five when Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi first visited the state. That was in April 1917. Now as the state is going to celebrate its centenary year next March, the state government has decided to observe centenary of Gandhi's visit to the state. However, the series of celebrations will start from the 2012 itself.
Chief minister Nitish Kumar has suggested to the Bihar Gandhi Sangrahalaya to prepare a blueprint to mark the 100 years of Gandhi's Champaran visit which will fall in 2017, but the celebration will start from the 95th year which will happen to be 100 years of the separate entity of Bihar.
Gandhi landed in Patna en route Champaran on April 10, 1917, and stayed in Bihar travelling different districts and villages till August 17, 1917. "It was the period when he experimented his Satyagraha in Champaran against the British indigo planters for their tyranny," said Sangrahalaya secretary Razi Ahmad.
Bihar became so favourite to Gandhi that in 30 years from 1917 to 1947, he visited the state no less than 20 times staying for longer periods. August 8, 1947, a week prior to the official declaration of Independence, was the last day of his stay in Bihar after which he never came here.
Acknowledging Bihar's importance in his life, Gandhi wrote, "It was Bihar that made me know the whole of India. No one knew me earlier. I had almost become a Negro after staying in Africa for twenty long years. Then I came to Champaran and the entire country woke up. Earlier, I did not even know the location of Champaran, but when I arrived here I felt as if I had known the people of Bihar for centuries and they too seemed to know me."
Ahmad said, "However, when he visited Bihar in March 1947, after a gap of almost seven years, Gandhi was very sad and heartbroken due to the communal riots in Bihar. He felt that the state from where he started his non-violent movement almost forgot the concept of Satyagraha." What made him terribly disturbed were the reports that allegedly the perpetrators of the crime were his followers or the Congressmen.
In his post prayer address at Lawns (Gandhi Maidan) on March 5, 1947, he said, "This Bihar of ours has today committed a heinous crime. The atrocities perpetrated on a handful of Muslims have no parallel, so say the Muslims, in the annals of history. I too have read some history. I know that the world has witnessed greater brutality by man on man. But it is no use repeating them here. Is it manliness to return barbarism for barbarism?"
Gandhi lashed out at the Congressmen saying, "At present, I have no evidence to say that Congressmen have committed these crimes. Tomorrow I may have to admit so. I must, however, say that Bihar has sullied the fair name of India."
Monday, September 26, 2011
10.5 lakh Class IX, X students to teach 1.2 crore illiterate people in Bihar
The Economic TimesIn a bid to eradicate illiteracy in Bihar, the state government has decided to rope in 10.5 lakh class IX and X students to educate 1.2 crore adult illiterate people in Bihar.
The plan will be executed under a five-month literacy campaign 'Sakshar Bharat Yojana' to be launched from November 11 next, according to an HRD official.
The plan will be executed under a five-month literacy campaign 'Sakshar Bharat Yojana' to be launched from November 11 next, according to an HRD official.
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