Category: SPECIAL

Shubhanshu Shukla carries India’s spirit, ‘Gajar Ka Halwa’ into orbit

New Delhi, June 28 (IANS) On a day destined to be etched in golden letters in India’s space saga, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the second Indian to journey beyond the confines of Earth, spoke from the International Space Station to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Orbiting 400 kilometres above Earth, Captain Shukla made history as the first Indian aboard the ISS (International Space Station) – a moment cherished across the nation.

During a live conversation with the Prime Minister, he shared an observation that resonated deeply back home: “Jab maine Bharat ko space se dekha, toh laga ki woh nakshon mein jitna dikhta hai, usse kaafi bada hai.” (When I saw India from space, it looked much bigger than how it appears on the map). The sentiment was more than geographical—it was emotional. It captured the awe of seeing one’s country without borders, politics, or constraints. Just land, culture, and identity stretching beyond outlines.

In a warm and inspiring interaction broadcast to the nation on Saturday, PM Modi congratulated Captain Shukla not merely as a soldier of science but as a symbol of new beginnings.

“Aapke naam mein bhi ‘shubh’ hai aur aapki yatra naye yug ka ‘shubh aarambh’ hai,” he remarked, noting how the astronaut’s very name embodied the auspiciousness of the moment.

“Aap se iss samay 140 crore Bharatiyon ke jazbaat jude hue hain,” the Prime Minister added, his voice filled with emotion.

“Main aap se sirf ek neta ke roop mein nahi, par har Bharatiya ke garv aur ummeedon ka pratinidhi ban kar baat kar raha hoon.”

From the calm interior of the orbiting station, Captain Shukla replied with a composed smile.

“Main yahan surakshit hoon, swasth hoon, aur Bharat ke liye yah anubhav ek naye yug ki shuruaat hai,” he said.

“Main desh ka pratinidhitva karne ke liye abhaari hoon. Mujhe kabhi laga nahi tha ki ek din main antariksh mein jaa paunga. Parantu aapki netritva mein, Bharat ne sapne dekhne bhi seekhe hain aur unhe poora karne ka sahas bhi paaya hai.” (I am safe and healthy here, and for India, this experience marks the beginning of a new era. I am grateful for the opportunity to represent the nation. I never imagined that one day I would travel to space. But under your leadership, India has learned not only to dream but also to summon the courage to fulfil those dreams.)

As Earth rotated silently below, Captain Shukla shared a vision few are privileged to witness—a borderless world. “When I saw India for the first time, it appeared much larger than what we see on maps. Observing it from space makes it clear that all of us, human beings, share one common home: Earth. No borders, no states, just humanity,” he reflected.

There was, however, a tender and unexpected indulgence aboard the spacecraft, gajar ka halwa. India’s beloved winter dessert had made the journey into orbit, lovingly packed alongside aamras (mango pulp).

“Main gajar ka halwa aur aamras lekar aaya hoon… yeh sirf swaad nahi, yeh ghar ki yaadon ka ek hissa hai,” Captain Shukla chuckled.

His fellow astronauts, Peggy Whitson from the US, Sawosz Uznanski from Poland, and Tibor Kapu from Hungary, received their first taste of Indian hospitality, 400 kilometres above sea level. The Prime Minister, delighted by this cultural gesture, reminded Shukla of the profound responsibility resting on his shoulders.

“This journey of yours is not yours alone; it is a source of inspiration for an entire generation. Now, you are being given a special assignment—your experience will illuminate India’s Gaganyaan mission, our goal of building a space station and stepping onto the Moon,” PM Modi said with encouragement. Navigating life in zero gravity isn’t easy.

Captain Shukla described the challenges of sleeping in space and adjusting to an environment where every movement must be reconsidered.

“Nothing here is ordinary. Even sleeping is a challenge. Without gravity, everything feels different,” he explained candidly.

Despite a year of intense training, no amount of preparation could replicate the feeling of floating through each task. Yet, amid the complexity of life aboard the ISS, Captain Shukla’s presence—and his gajar ka halwa—serve as powerful metaphors.

In a world where tradition and technology often seem at odds, he brought both into harmony, carrying the warmth of his heritage while advancing India’s global footprint in space.

As the conversation drew to a close, it was clear this was no ordinary exchange—it was a national moment of pride, a dialogue between Earth and its dreams. With pride swelling at home and the Tricolour silently unfurling above the planet, India found in Shubhanshu Shukla not merely an astronaut, but a story of bold beginnings, cherished memories, and infinite aspiration.

–IANS

sktr/dan

Famed Kerala urologist says Thiruvananthapuram Medical College hospital in dire straits

Thiruvananthapuram, June 28 (IANS) A social media post by a popular urologist, who heads the Urology Department at the prestigious Thiruvananthapuram Medical College hospital here, has raised eyebrows about the sorry state of affairs prevailing where a vast majority of its patients are from the poor and weaker sections of the society.

Incidentally his post has come at a time when the journalist-turned-Kerala Health Minister Veena George often speaks about the quality of healthcare being given to patients in the state-run hospitals.

The post which surfaced on Saturday following a huge discussion about it, Haris Chirackal withdrew it and posted a fresh one wherein he says that all what he said in his withdrawn post is true.

In the withdrawn post Chirackal said that there is a huge shortage of equipment and medical supplies in his department and it has been affecting proper and timely treatment to his patients.

“I know that I have done my best to ensure the patients who come to my department get the best treatment, but the other day I felt really dejected when I had to postpone a surgery on a patient whose age is that of my son due to shortage of equipment. I am really tired of running from pillar to post seeking funds and fresh supply of equipment. I am not interested in a clash with the bureaucracy. Let my services be terminated,” wrote the doctor in the now withdrawn post.

In his fresh post, Chirackal said his only aim and objective is to provide the best patient care to his patients and work as a team for which he says he gets the full cooperation from his staff.

“Being the Head of the Department, I am fully immersed in my work and do not go on tours or even take part in family events as I know I have to be with my patients as this is the institution that I studied from and if I am not able to give justice to my patients then there is no purpose in my working here,” he said in a new social media post.

But after his post created huge traction, the health authorities were quick in denial.

“What Chirackal said is not true. As much as Rs 50 lakhs worth equipment purchase was made in the Urology department which includes 45 equipment. A probe that got delayed on Friday and one case posted for surgery had to be postponed and three were done in the Urology department,” the authorities said.

Meanwhile, senior medical professional and a former student S.S. Lal, a popular health consultant, said what Chirackal said is nothing new as in the past six to seven years there is a problem in the functioning of the hospitals here.

“My classmate previously headed the Urology department here, who used his own funds to buy equipment so that patients don’t get affected. The case is more or less the same in many state-run hospitals. The budgeting for the Health department is flawed. When the world is discussing on the health care to be adopted in 2050, here we just can’t do anything on how our hospitals will be able to function tomorrow,” said Lal, who was a Congress candidate from the Kazhakootam Assembly constituency here during the 2021 state Assembly polls.

–IANS

sg/khz

DA crisis: Bengal govt employees to hold protest rally against Trinamool on July 21

Kolkata, June 28 (IANS) The United Forum of State Government Employees, the umbrella body of the West Bengal government employees, spearheading the movement against non-payment of dearness allowance at par with that of the Central government employees and the arrears accrued on it, will organise a protest rally coinciding with Trinamool Congress’s annual Martyrs’ Day rally on July 21.

The decision had been taken amid the deadline for crediting the 25 per cent dearness allowance arrears to the accounts of the current and retired employees as directed by the Supreme Court last month expired on Friday midnight and the arrears were not credited.

Instead, the state government, during the last moment, filed a petition before the apex court seeking six months of additional time for paying the 25 per cent dearness allowance dues.

The state government, in its plea to the apex court, has said that six months of additional time was required considering the present financial status of the state exchequer.

At the same time, the West Bengal government also appealed to the Supreme Court for a review of the earlier order for payment of 25 per cent dearness allowance dues.

While Trinamool Congress’s Martyrs’ Day rally on July 21 will be held in central Kolkata, the United Forum of State Government Employees’ rally will be organised less than a kilometre away at the base of Shahid Minar within the same time on same day.

Announcing this at a press conference on Saturday, the forum representatives also said that apart from their rally on July 21, they will also be organising a “march to State Secretariat” programme on July 28.

“Besides the members of the different associations of the state government employees, the “untainted” teachers losing jobs following a Supreme Court order in April this year will also be participating at the protest march on July 28,” the forum convener Bhaskar Ghosh said.

At the same time, he said, the forum is getting prepared for another round of legal battle on this issue, including filing a contempt-of-court petition in the matter against the state government.

At present, the West Bengal government employees receive dearness allowances at the rate of just 18 per cent, as against 55 per cent received by their counterparts in the Union government and many other state governments.

Payment of 25 per cent of pending dues is expected to cost the state exchequer in West Bengal around Rs 12,000 crore.

The state Finance department employees apprehend that this drain-out might impact some monthly payments under different welfare schemes run by the state government.

–IANS

src/khz

India’s social security coverage leaps from 19 pc to 64.3 pc of population in last 10 years

New Delhi, June 28 (IANS) India has recorded a phenomenal expansion of social security coverage from 19 per cent in 2015 to 64.3 per cent in 2025. This means that 64.3 per cent of India’s population, comprising 94.3 crore people, are now covered under at least one social protection benefit.

This unprecedented increase has also been acknowledged by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) on its ILOSTAT database. This 45-percentage point jump over ten years marks one of the most significant expansions globally.

In terms of the number of beneficiaries, India now ranks second in the world after China in providing social protection to citizens.

The Ministry of Labour and Employment is working closely with the ILO for a national social protection data pooling exercise to obtain a holistic picture of social protection coverage in India.

Under this project, encrypted Aadhaar is being used as a unique identifier across 34 major Central schemes such as MGNREGA, EPFO, ESIC, APY, and PM-POSHAN, to identify unique beneficiaries.

Financial inclusion has been at the heart of India’s social security push. As of June 18, 2025, over 55.64 crore people hold Jan Dhan accounts, giving them direct access to government benefits and formal banking services.

The Aadhaar programme has helped create a unique digital identity system. As of June 27, 2025, over 142 crore Aadhaar cards have been issued. This system supports authentication and delivery of benefits to the right person at the right time.

The DBT system has streamlined welfare payments, reducing leakages and delays. Cumulative savings have reached Rs 3.48 lakh crore as of March 2023, reflecting its efficiency and scale.

More than 51.06 crore people enrolled in PM Suraksha Bima Yojna, 23.64 crore people in PM Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojna.

Apart from this, over 51.35 lakh workers in PM Shram Yogi Mandhan Yojna and more than 3 crore women to be empowered as Lakhpati Didis, over 4 crore houses have also been allotted under PM Awas Yojna to uplift the poor, the official figures show.

As per the ILO, social security is the protection that a society provides to individuals and families to ensure access to health care and to guarantee income security. It is especially important in times of old age, sickness, unemployment, disability, maternity, work injury or the loss of a breadwinner. Defined in ILO conventions and UN instruments, social security is recognised as a basic human right.

India has a wide-ranging social security system comprising social insurance and social assistance schemes at both the central and state levels. These include welfare payments, mandatory social insurance with contributions from the employer and employee, and other employer-based benefits. In addition to these, there are also schemes providing in-kind benefits like food, health, shelter, security, etc.

Phase I of this pooling exercise started on 19th March 2025 and includes ten states including Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, and Gujarat.

This data pooling exercise will not only strengthen India’s global reputation as a social protection pioneer but also facilitate the Central government, states and UTs to optimise welfare spending and move closer towards sustainable financing of social protection. It will help the states in identifying unique beneficiaries under state-specific social protection schemes.

–IANS

sps/dan

‘Social media is the new form of terrorism’: Experts call for societal awakening

Jaipur, June 28 (IANS) A thought-provoking discussion on the ‘Role of Society Against Terrorism’ was held on Saturday at the Constitution Club in Jaipur, under the banner of the Global Dialogue Forum ‘Vishwam’ on Saturday.

The session saw prominent voices, including Major General Sudhakar, former diplomat Gauri Shankar Gupta, and thinker Ashutosh Pant, expressing grave concerns over radicalisation and the growing threat of digital terrorism.

Major General Sudhakar warned that social media has become a new tool for terrorism, facilitating cognitive warfare, a psychological battle aimed at misleading and manipulating young minds.

He emphasised the urgent need for a national strategy to counter digital brainwashing, cautioning that if extremist narratives are not challenged, they will alter the very fabric of society.

Major General Sudhakar said that “social media is now rapidly becoming a new form of terrorism.”

He said that today, cognitive warfare, i.e. psychological warfare, is being used to mentally mislead the youth. He said that if we do not change the false and extremist narrative, then it will change us. He stressed the need to formulate a national strategy against digital brainwashing.

Former diplomat Gauri Shankar Gupta advocated for a unified education system across India to preserve social cohesion. He stressed that fragmented education models breed division and weaken the collective fight against radical ideologies.

He also backed the swift implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) to ensure a common legal framework for all citizens.

Gupta called for uniting the society against terrorism and advocated the implementation of a uniform education system across the country. He said that different types of education systems are fatal to social unity.

Ashutosh Pant highlighted the importance of cultivating an aware, value-driven society, stating that terrorism can only be tackled effectively when citizens are morally and intellectually engaged.

Forum founders Vikrant Singh and Murari Gupta underlined the objective of the event, which is to address pressing societal concerns and shape a concrete action plan.

–IANS

arc/dan

Nearly 400 arrested in Los Angeles immigration protests

Los Angeles, June 12 (IANS) Nearly 400 people in immigration protests have been arrested or detained by the Los Angeles Police Department since Saturday, media reports said.

The arrested and detained include 330 undocumented migrants and 157 people arrested for assault and obstruction, reports Xinhua news agency, quoting the BBC News.

On the first night of curfew starting Tuesday night in the US second largest city, there were 203 arrests for failure to disperse and 17 arrests for curfew violation, said the Los Angeles Police Department in a press release.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announced Tuesday evening the curfew for parts of downtown Los Angeles that started from 8:00 p.m. Tuesday (local time) to 6:00 a.m. (local time) Wednesday local time.

She noted that local authorities imposed the limited curfew in response to looting and vandalism that occurred downtown Monday night, following largely peaceful daytime protests.

Masked looters targeted several businesses, including an Apple Store, where they smashed windows and made away with electronic products. They also defaced the building with graffiti.

Other businesses hit included Adidas outlets, pharmacies, marijuana dispensaries, and jewellery stores. Videos circulating online show widespread vandalism, with shelves emptied and storefronts damaged.

Law enforcement responded with arrests as the chaos intensified. The Los Angeles Police Department was stretched thin in the face of the unrest.

US President Donald Trump has dispatched over 4,000 National Guard troops and about 700 active-duty Marines to the Los Angeles area despite the objections of California Governor Gavin Newsom and other local officials.

The President cited an “assault on peace and public order” and threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act, a rarely used federal law, to crack down on protesters.

Demonstrations against the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown have intensified and spread far beyond Los Angeles, with thousands of people gathering in at least two dozen cities, US media reported.

In Los Angeles, protesters briefly blocked traffic on the 101 Freeway, while in Chicago, large crowds marched through several main arteries of the downtown Loop, briefly halting traffic. Police helicopters hovered overhead as demonstrators walked among stalled buses, and one Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) bus had been tagged with anti-police and anti-ICE (the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency) graffiti. The Chicago Tribune reported no immediate arrests.

Similar scenes unfolded in New York, where blocks of demonstrators marched from Lower Manhattan, near the federal immigration building, while in Atlanta, some 1,000 demonstrators lined Buford Highway, with several hundred later marching into Doraville, prompting an immediate standoff with local police.

Elsewhere, protests rippled across San Francisco, Seattle, Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, and Washington, with varying degrees of police presence and tension.

–IANS

int/sd/