The recent flash floods that brought Dubai to its knees once again put the spotlight on cloud seeding and its effectiveness in controlling pollution or increasing rainfall. Worse still, there is a raging debate whether it was because of cloud seeding or climate change – one a desperate measure, and the other, majorly a fallout of human indiscretion. Raju Korti analyses. You just do not tinker with Nature. It is simply what it is and not what it ought to be. For all its famed resilience, it has an uncanny knack of getting back at you hard, and though gradual,…
Author: shubhangi
Citing a number of instances from the affected states as also the concern expressed by the World Wildlife Fund for Nature and UN, Tuhina Bannerji points out how the man-animal conflict is fast spiralling out of control and suggests what can be done to ensure that both remain in their natural habitats and co-exist peacefully as they should. It was never such an “uneasy coexistence” between humans and wildlife. Worse still, nobody knows where it’s headed. A recent spate of man-animal conflicts – mostly reported from Kerala and Uttarakhand – have jolted the policymakers out of their slumber and left…
Kitareba 2.0, a dance performance by Sapphire production creates a wonderful tribute to the women and children of the newly formed East Pakistan who suffered the impact of forced, political migration, writes Shoma A. Chatterji. Kitareba 2.0 is a stage performance presented as the annual performance by Sapphire, a post-modern dance company founded and directed by the ever-enthusiastic Sudarshan Chakraborty. Kitareba is a word in Sylheti dialect which indigenously means ‘How do you do?’. Sylhet is a metropolitan city in the northeastern region of Bangladesh. It is situated on the banks of the Surma River. The city has a population of approximately 700,000…
Hero of Burma Campaign Wing Commander Karun Krishna Majumdar was born in Kolkata on 6 September 1913. His maternal grandfather, Womesh Chunder Bannerjee was the first president of the Indian National Congress. As Karun was over six feet tall and well-built, he acquired the nickname Jumbo. Jumbo gave the fledgling Indian Air Force its first war hero in World War ll. He was the only pilot in the IAF (Indian Air Force) to be decorated with the DFC (Distinguished Flying Cross), twice, that is DFC with Bar. He completed his schooling at St Pauls School in Darjeeling. In 1932, he…
Cinematographer par excellence One of the earliest Hindi films to be recognised for the quality of its special effects was the super duper hit ‘Mr India’ directed by acclaimed international director Shekhar Kapoor. The film was released on 25 May 1987 and had a phenomenal run at the box office. The cinematographer who cranked the camera for the film was Peter Pereira and he was the brain behind the special effects scenes as well. Peter was the mainstay of several films directed by successful commercial film-maker Manmohan Desai. Peter, whose father had an abiding interest in photography, was born in…
Titan of hospitality industry Prithvi Raj Singh Oberoi was born to hotelier Rai Bahadur M S Oberoi on 3 February 1929 and had his early schooling at the St Paul’s High School in Darjeeling. He pursued his advanced education in UK and Switzerland. Although his father was keen that his son should become a Chartered Accountant, P R S Oberoi opted instead for a career in the hotel industry and graduated in Hotel Management from Lausanne in Switzerland. Thereafter, there was no stopping Oberoi who established his first hotel and then went on to open a chain of hotels all…
Manu Shrivastava traces the spectacular trajectory of the country scripting a colossal story of infrastructural growth through myriad projects — endeavours spanning across a diverse spectrum of sectors, ranging from transportation and energy to industrial infrastructure, with each project meticulously designed to serve a unique purpose in propelling the nation towards its developmental aspirations. The infrastructure enhancement initiatives in India mirror the creation of a colossal architectural wonder, with a plethora of projects unfurling across the vast expanse of the nation. These endeavours span across a diverse spectrum of sectors, ranging from transportation and energy to industrial infrastructure, with each…
Gajanan Khergamker narrates how the 22-kilometer-long marvel of engineering, inaugurated by PM Modi stands not just as a symbol of advancement and growth but also prides itself on its eco-friendly attributes, putting it on par with the world’s finest bridges. Standing tall at a towering height of 100 meters, it not only claims the title of India’s longest sea bridge but also stands among the world’s tallest cable-stayed bridges. Mumbai, renowned as the city of aspirations, famed for its lively pace of life, bustling thoroughfares, and renowned landmarks, recently welcomed a significant addition – the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Sewri-Nhava Sheva…
Pointing out the thrust Modi government has given to strengthen infrastructure development, Nandini Rao says tunnels are now serving as channels for transportation networks, enabling efficient connectivity across diverse terrains. In India, where geographical diversity poses challenges to connectivity, tunnels emerge as engineering marvels, bridging gaps and facilitating smoother movement of goods and people. Tunnels have played a crucial role in India’s infrastructure development, significantly augmenting connectivity to further economic growth and boosting trade, commerce, and tourism. From facilitating smoother transportation to enabling access to remote regions, tunnels have become indispensable elements in India’s infrastructure landscape. The role of tunnels…
Neeti Prakash examines the growing phenomenon of metro network in metro cities, mentioning how effectively they can integrate with other modes of transportation, including buses, taxis, auto-rickshaws, and non-motorised transport such as bicycles and pedestrian pathways. With attendant challenges, what is needed are concerted efforts from government authorities and private stakeholders to ensure their timely and cost-effective implementation. Metro projects in India have become a crucial part of the country’s infrastructure development as they are improving the transportation scenario in various cities, reducing traffic congestion on roads, and promoting environmental sustainability as a mode of mass public transportation. Today, metro…