Shatakshika Sahayak and Tavish clinch the title

  Shatakshika Sahayak and Tavish clinch the title

 CHANDIGARH, DEC 30

Shatakshika Shayak, a CLTA trainee and Tavish Pahwa lifted singles titles of girls and boys under-18 in the CLTA-AITA National Series Tennis Tournament at the Sector 10 Tennis Stadium here today.

 In the girls under-18 singles final qualifier 14th seed Shatakshika Sahayak (UP) upset eighth seed Prachi Malik (HR) in straight sets 7-5, 6-3. Shatakshika played in a top form and attacked throughout the match with her aggressive ground strokes. 

In the another boys under-18 singles finals 12th seed Tavish Pahwa (HR) defeated 10th 

seed Armaan Walia (PB) 6-1, 6-4 in straight sets.

CLTA Vice President S.M. Sharma distributed the prizes to the winners and runners-ups.

Results: Boys under-18 singles (final): Tavish Pahwa (HR) [12] bt. Armaan Walia (PB) [10] 6-1, 6-4

Girls under-18 (final): Shatakshika Sahayak (UP) (Q) [14] bt. Prachi Malik (HR) [8] 7-5, 6-3.

====balbirsingh227@gmail.com

ICC reveals final set of shortlists in the ICC Awards 2024

 

 

Final shortlists unveiled in men's Test, Heyhoe Flint and Sobers categories Brook, Bumrah and Root earn double nominations in both Men’s Test Cricketer and Sobers Trophy awards Athapaththu and Wolvaardt joined by Kerr and Sutherland on Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy shortlist Fans can vote for their star performers at icc-cricket.com/awards. The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday revealed the final set of shortlists in the ICC Awards 2024, honouring the outstanding performers in Men’s Tests and in the overall categories; the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year and the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy for ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year. Acknowledging the best overall men’s cricketer during the year, the nominees for the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy include a heavyweight list of candidates. Harry Brook produced fireworks in all formats during a memorable year on the international stage, lighting up England’s Test, ODI and T20I encounters with explosive hitting and boasting an average of over 50 in all three formats. His compatriot Joe Root earns a nomination following a scintillating year in the longest format, having struck more runs (1,556) and more centuries (six) than any other batter. Another star performer at the peak of his powers in 2024 was India’s pace sensation, Jasprit Bumrah, who dominated batters in World Test Championship duels and inspired India’s surge to glory at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in June, clinching the Player of the Tournament with 15 wickets at a phenomenal average of 8.24. The final name on the list for the coveted accolade is Australia all-rounder Travis Head. The top ranked Men’s T20I batter will be aiming to go one better than his nomination in the same category last year, after hitting almost 1,400 runs across all formats with trademark flair. The Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy for ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year sees Sri Lanka’s Chamari Athapathu and South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt nominated in their third category, after both captains were honoured on the ODI and T20I shortlists on Sunday. Athapaththu was an inspirational leader for Sri Lanka, hitting over 1,100 runs during the year across formats, taking 30 wickets and famously guiding her team to an historic first Asia Cup success in front of their home crowd. Leading batter in the ICC Women’s ODI Batter Rankings, Wolvaardt was at her sublime best in 2024, scoring over 1,500 runs in all formats, and led from the front as South Africa reached their second successive Women’s T20 World Cup final in the UAE. Amelia Kerr was the principal architect of South Africa’s defeat in that final, and she is among the nominees for the Heyhoe Flint Trophy after another stellar year with bat and ball in which she hit 651 runs and took 43 wickets, not to mention her starring role in a record-breaking campaign as Player of the Tournament at the Women’s T20WC. The final name in contention is Australia’s Annabel Sutherland. The 23-year-old wowed during a breakthrough year, hitting the fastest ever double-century in women’s Tests against South Africa in February and recording Player of the Series accolades in notable victories over India and New Zealand at the latter end of the year. She ends the year with 615 runs and 37 wickets. Finally, the ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year shortlist features a dazzling quartet, three of whom have been honoured on the shortlist for the Sobers Trophy. Harry Brook hit 1,100 Test runs during the calendar year at an average of 55.00, and four centuries, including an unforgettable triple-hundred in England’s opening victory over Pakistan in Multan back in October. He shared a 454-run stand with Joe Root in that match, and his teammate celebrates back-to-back nominations in the Test category after a year in which he surpassed ICC Hall of Famer Sir Alastair Cook to become England’s all-time highest run-scorer in the longest format and seized back the number one spot in the ICC Men’s Test Batter Rankings. Jasprit Bumrah is the lone bowler shortlisted with a sterling 71 wickets in Tests in 2024 – the highest of any bowler, at an average of 14.92. With electric spells coming against South Africa, England and Australia among his highlights, the top-ranked Test bowler spearheaded India’s attack with relentless pace, accuracy and threat. Completing the lineup is Sri Lanka’s record-breaking batter Kamindu Mendis, who ends a breakthrough year with 1,049 runs at a phenomenal average of 74.92, and during which the 26-year-old also became the first batter to hit a half-century in each of his first eight Tests and the fastest batter in 75 years to reach 1,000 Test runs. More information about each of the nominees can be found here on the ICC website. Fans are now able to vote for their winners at www.icc-cricket.com/awards. Fan voting results will be combined with selections made by a prominent panel of international cricket media - the ICC Voting Academy - to identify the winner in each of the shortlisted categories. The ICC Awards 2024 comprises 12 individual awards, with shortlists in nine categories having been revealed by the ICC between 28 and 30 December. Shortlists were drawn up by a specialist panel of cricket writers and broadcasters, who selected the nominees according to on-field performances and overall achievements in international cricket throughout the calendar year. Other categories which will be celebrated in the ICC Awards 2024 include the ICC Men’s and Women’s Associate Cricketers of the Year and the ICC Umpire of the Year. In addition to the individual awards, five ICC Teams of the Year will be also decided by the ICC Voting Academy, identifying the standout XIs across men’s and women’s international cricket during the calendar year. Winners of the ICC Awards 2024 will be announced in late January 2025. ICC Awards 2024 – the complete shortlists Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year; Harry Brook (ENG), Jasprit Bumrah (IND), Travis Head (AUS), Joe Root (ENG) Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy for ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year; Chamari Athapaththu (SL), Amelia Kerr (NZ), Annabel Sutherland (AUS), Laura Wolvaardt (SA) ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year; Harry Brook (ENG), Jasprit Bumrah (IND), Kamindu Mendis (SL), Joe Root (ENG) ICC Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Year; Wanindu Hasaranga (SL), Kusal Mendis (SL), Azmatullah Omarzai (AFG), Sherfane Rutherford (WI) ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year; Chamari Athapaththu (SL), Smriti Mandhana (IND), Annabel Sutherland (AUS), Laura Wolvaardt (SA) ICC Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Year; Babar Azam (PAK), Travis Head (AUS), Sikandar Raza (ZIM), Arshdeep Singh (IND) ICC Women’s T20I Cricketer of the Year; Chamari Athapaththu (SL), Amelia Kerr (NZ), Orla Prendergast (IRE), Laura Wolvaardt (SA) ICC Emerging Men’s Cricketer of the Year; Gus Atkinson (ENG), Saim Ayub (PAK), Shamar Joseph (WI), Kamindu Mendis (SL) ICC Emerging Women’s Cricketer of the Year; Annerie Dercksen (SA), Saskia Horley (SCO), Shreyanka Patil (IND), Freya Sargent (IRE). ===balbirsingh227@gmail.com

UP Rudras rally to beat Vedanta Kalinga Lancers in HIL

 

UP Rudras rally to beat Vedanta Kalinga Lancers in HIL 

ROURKELA, DEC 30

James Mazarelo put in a match-winning performance to set up a 3-1 win for the UP Rudras against Vedanta Kalinga Lancers in their Hero Hockey India League (HIL) 2024-25 match at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium here on Monday.

Despite trailing to a first-quarter goal from Enrique Gonzalez (13`), the UP Rudras secured a superb comeback win thanks to goals from Kane Russell (45`, 60`) and Sudeep Chirmako (50`). 

It was the UP Rudras who set the tempo early in the first quarter with captain Hardik Singh dictating play from the heart of midfield. Though they had more circle penetrations than the Kalinga Lancers, the UP Rudras forward line did not test Krishan Bahadur Pathak in goal.

The Vedanta Kalinga Lancers finally found their rhythm midway through the quarter with English forward Nicolas Bandurak proving to be a menace for the UP Rudras defence with Arthur van Doren also having a crack at goal. 

The Kalinga Lancers duly took the lead in the 13th minute with a clinical move down the right flank.

Sanjay made a run down the right channel and found the young Boby Singh Dhami on the goalline. Dhami threaded the Rudras defence to find Enrique Gonzalez who gave his side the lead with a first-time finish.

The Kalinga Lancers could have gone into the second quarter with a three-goal lead but for some good goalkeeping by Mazarelo. The English goalkeeper first kept out Alexander Hendrickx’s drag-flick before saving follow up attempts from Partap Lakra and Thierry Brinkman.

Mazarelo was a busy man in the start of the second quarter as well, with the Kalinga Lancers regularly finding ways to get inside the UP Rudras circle. 

The UP Rudras were static in attack as they failed to create decent chances in front of goal. On top of that, they were up against a Kalinga Lancers defence which was proving difficult to break down. Particularly impressive was 21-year-old Rosan Kujur who was playing in front of his home fans.

The Kalinga Lancers were the dominant side in the first half as they racked up 13 circle penetrations compared to six from the UP Rudras. Crucially for the Rudras, Mazarelo made five saves in the first half to keep them alive in the match.

The Englishman continued to keep his side in the game in the third quarter as he pulled off a diving save to deny Boby Singh Dhami a stunning goal in the 33rd minute. 

The UP Rudras attack finally began to click. In the 38th minute, Akashdeep Singh, who found himself in a promising position in the circle, only had Krishan Bahadur Pathak to beat but saw his shot being blocked at point-blank range by Sanjay.

Pathak was tested a minute later when Lars Balk’s pass from deep was delightfully deflected towards goal by Manmeet Singh. Pathak instinctively flung himself to his right to ensure his side kept their lead.

Pathak made another good save two minutes from the end of the third quarter to deny Tanguy Cousyns. 

The UP Rudras had a golden opportunity to draw themselves level in the 44th minute as they won their first penalty corner. Kane Russell made no mistake as he fired in his drag flick past Pathak to set up a nail-biting final quarter.

The goal proved to be the wind in the UP Rudras’s sails as they started the fourth quarter on the front foot. The Rudras won possession high up the pitch with Sudeep Chirmako forcing Pathak to give away a penalty corner. The Lancers' captain was not going to be beaten for a second time from a penalty corner as he dove to his left to keep out the drag attempt.

The Rudras completed an incredible turnaround in the 50th minute to take the lead for the first time in the match. Lars Balk’s drive from outside the circle was touched towards goal by Sudeep Chirmako. Gurjot Singh challenged Pathak for the shot but neither player was able to get a touch as the ball rolled into the goal. The home crowd was stunned into silence.

The Lancers upped their tempo looking to the equaliser but struggled to find a way past the impervious Mazarelo. The Netherlands’ 2024 Olympics gold medallist Thierry Brinkman found himself in a promising position in the 54th minute only to see his attempt being smothered by Mazarelo.

The Lancers threw the kitchen sink in their hunt for an equaliser as they removed goalkeeper Pathak for an extra outfield player for the final three minutes. However, it was the UP Rudras who came closest to scoring as Jobanpreet Singh failed to connect with a cross from the right with the goal gaping in front of him. 

The Rudras did get their third goal late as Lalit Kumar Upadhyay won a penalty corner with 14 seconds left on the clock. With no goalkeeper between the sticks and only four defenders to beat, Kane Russell secured his second of the night to give his side victory.

Player of the Match James Mazarelo said, “It is a massive win just to show that we know that even if we’re down in the game, we’re always in the match and then we can back ourselves to go and score multiple goals.”

Tomorrow's fixture: Delhi SG Pipers vs Hyderabad Toofans at 8:15 p.m IST.

===balbirsingh227@gmail.com

Haryana Steelers annex their first ever PKL title

 

 

Haryana Steelers annex their first ever PKL title 

PUNE, DEC 30

Haryana Steelers, who finished top of the table in the league stage during PKL Season 11, produced an outstanding display on the mat on Sunday evening, as they went onto clinch their maiden PKL crown, after they defeated the Patna Pirates, at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex, Balewadi, Pune. With the Show Stopper Shadloui in full flow, the Haryana Steelers won the final with a scoreline of 32-23. For the Haryana Steelers, the champions, Shivam Patare scored 9 points, Mohammadreza Shadloui bagged 7 and Vinay added 6 more to the cause. The champions were awarded INR 3 crore whilst the runners-up Patna Pirates bagged INR 1.8 Crore. 
It was an electric start to the big evening, with the Haryana Steelers picking up the first few points, and the lead in the early exchanges. Devank and Ankit were fighting away for the Patna Pirates, but it was the Haryana Steelers, who were dictating terms and controlling the tempo, with Shivam Patare and Mohammadreza Shadloui doing the heavy lifting. 
The Haryana Steelers’ defence, led by Jaideep and Rahul Sethpal, were showing exactly why they are considered to be one of the best units in the competition, as they made scoring extremely tough for the Patna Pirates. However, as the half progressed, Gurdeep and Sudhakar brought the Patna Pirates back to within touching distance of their opponents. 
Devank and Ayan then levelled things up, before Shivam Patare and Vinay, put the Haryana Steelers in the box seat, after which the Season 10 runners-up continued to build on further. At the half-time break, the Haryana Steelers led 15-12. 
The second half started off slower than the first, with the Patna Pirates picking up the first points through Sudhakar. The Haryana Steelers had done well to keep Devank and Ayan quiet so far, but the three-time champions were fighting back. 
However, the Show Stopper Shadloui was scoring crucial points, as was Jaideep, which kept the Haryana Steelers in the hunt for their first title in the history of the PKL. Close to the half-hour mark, the Haryana Steelers had a three-point lead, which had the game on a knife-edge. 
After that, the Haryana Steelers started to turn the screws on their opponents, landing the first ALL OUT of the game. The Show Stopper Shadloui was in his elements, as the Haryana Steelers stormed into a 9-point lead. In the final minutes, the Haryana Steelers managed the game and the clock brilliantly, and slammed the door shut on any hopes of a comeback. 
At the end of the forty minutes, the Haryana Steelers walked off the mat with the win, which gave them their first ever PKL title. 

====balbirsingh227@gmail.com

Patna Pirates edge out Dabang Delhi K.C on way to PKL11 final

 

 
Patna Pirates edge out Dabang Delhi K.C on way to  PKL11 final

PUNE, DEC 27

Patna Pirates advance to the PKL Season 11 Final after a clinching a thrilling victory against Dabang Delhi K.C. in Semi-Final 2, at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex, Balewadi in Pune. The Patna Pirates sealed a nail-biting win by a scoreline of 32-28, with the dynamic duo of Devank and Ayan leading the way alongside Shubham Shinde, who registered a High-5 and Ankit scoring four tackle points.

With this win, the Patna Pirates have set up a blockbuster final against Haryana Steelers, that will take place on  December 29..

Patna Pirates came flying out of the blocks with Devank wasting no time to make his presence felt on a night where he amassed the 300-raid points mark in his career. He opened his account with three successful raids on the go to give his side a lead in the early stages. Dabang Delhi K.C. soon found themselves in trouble as Shubham Shinde tackled Ashu Malik, putting the three-time champions in the ascendancy. 
Dabang Delhi K.C. responded strongly after a tackle from Rahul got the better of Devank. Naveen Kumar followed it up with a successful Do-or-Die Raid to close the gap to one point in this tense affair before Ayan took over for the Patna Pirates. His efforts on the raiding end helped his side extend their lead to five points with the score at 8-3 after the first ten minutes of the game.

A Super Raid from Mohit gave Dabang Delhi K.C. a lifeline as they closed the gap once more. However, they couldn’t quite find their way back into the contest as Devank returned to pile on the misery. Shubham Shinde then delivered a hammer blow, tackling Ashu Malik to inflict an ALL OUT and putting Patna Pirates in the driver’s seat. 

With the Patna Pirates defense all over their opponents, the Dabang Delhi K.C. raiders couldn’t find their groove. It was the defensive efforts from Rahul and Yogesh that helped them find some momentum eventually, cutting the deficit to seven points, trailing 17-10 at the end of the first half.

It was a cautious start to the second half with the defenders on top for both sides. Deepak and Shubham Shinde made sure they kept their foot on the gas, while Sandeep and Yogesh did the same for Dabang Delhi K.C. With some momentum on their side, they reduced the deficit to five points, rekindling some hope for the season eight champions.

They further reduced the gap to four points courtesy of Mohit stepping up to the plate with a two-point raid. Ashu Malik also eventually found his mojo, scoring a two-point raid of his own, making it 18-22 as the game entered its final phase. Dabang Delhi K.C. didn’t waste any time to make it a one-point game as Rahul pulled off a stunning tackle on Devank, helping his team inflict an ALL-OUT on Patna Pirates.
The season eight champions leveled the score at 25-25 with under seven minutes to go, making it a humdinger as the game went down to the wire. They got their first lead of the night at a crucial stage, as Yogesh tackled Devank on a Do-or-Die Raid. Patna Pirates came back strongly as Shubham Shinde completed his High-5, regaining a one-point lead in this nail-biter of a contest.
Ayan and Mohit exchanged successful Die-or-Die Raids, keeping Patna Pirates’ one-point lead with under a minute to go. They prevailed in the clutch moments as Ankit's swift tackle on Naveen Kumar, followed by Ayan's two-point raid sealed the deal for the three-time champions, helping them advance to their fifth PKL final.
With this win, the Patna Pirates have set up a blockbuster final against Haryana Steelers, that will take place on Sunday, 29th December.
 Sunday's fixture (final): Haryana Steelers vs  Patna Pirates  – 8 pm.

=====balbirsingh227@gmail,com

Patna Pirates edge out Dabang Delhi K.C on way to PKL11 final

 
Patna Pirates edge out Dabang Delhi K.C on way to  PKL11 final

PUNE, DEC 27

Patna Pirates advance to the PKL Season 11 Final after a clinching a thrilling victory against Dabang Delhi K.C. in Semi-Final 2, at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex, Balewadi in Pune. The Patna Pirates sealed a nail-biting win by a scoreline of 32-28, with the dynamic duo of Devank and Ayan leading the way alongside Shubham Shinde, who registered a High-5 and Ankit scoring four tackle points.

With this win, the Patna Pirates have set up a blockbuster final against Haryana Steelers, that will take place on  December 29..

Patna Pirates came flying out of the blocks with Devank wasting no time to make his presence felt on a night where he amassed the 300-raid points mark in his career. He opened his account with three successful raids on the go to give his side a lead in the early stages. Dabang Delhi K.C. soon found themselves in trouble as Shubham Shinde tackled Ashu Malik, putting the three-time champions in the ascendancy. 
Dabang Delhi K.C. responded strongly after a tackle from Rahul got the better of Devank. Naveen Kumar followed it up with a successful Do-or-Die Raid to close the gap to one point in this tense affair before Ayan took over for the Patna Pirates. His efforts on the raiding end helped his side extend their lead to five points with the score at 8-3 after the first ten minutes of the game.

A Super Raid from Mohit gave Dabang Delhi K.C. a lifeline as they closed the gap once more. However, they couldn’t quite find their way back into the contest as Devank returned to pile on the misery. Shubham Shinde then delivered a hammer blow, tackling Ashu Malik to inflict an ALL OUT and putting Patna Pirates in the driver’s seat. 

With the Patna Pirates defense all over their opponents, the Dabang Delhi K.C. raiders couldn’t find their groove. It was the defensive efforts from Rahul and Yogesh that helped them find some momentum eventually, cutting the deficit to seven points, trailing 17-10 at the end of the first half.

It was a cautious start to the second half with the defenders on top for both sides. Deepak and Shubham Shinde made sure they kept their foot on the gas, while Sandeep and Yogesh did the same for Dabang Delhi K.C. With some momentum on their side, they reduced the deficit to five points, rekindling some hope for the season eight champions.

They further reduced the gap to four points courtesy of Mohit stepping up to the plate with a two-point raid. Ashu Malik also eventually found his mojo, scoring a two-point raid of his own, making it 18-22 as the game entered its final phase. Dabang Delhi K.C. didn’t waste any time to make it a one-point game as Rahul pulled off a stunning tackle on Devank, helping his team inflict an ALL-OUT on Patna Pirates.

The season eight champions leveled the score at 25-25 with under seven minutes to go, making it a humdinger as the game went down to the wire. They got their first lead of the night at a crucial stage, as Yogesh tackled Devank on a Do-or-Die Raid. Patna Pirates came back strongly as Shubham Shinde completed his High-5, regaining a one-point lead in this nail-biter of a contest.

Ayan and Mohit exchanged successful Die-or-Die Raids, keeping Patna Pirates’ one-point lead with under a minute to go. They prevailed in the clutch moments as Ankit's swift tackle on Naveen Kumar, followed by Ayan's two-point raid sealed the deal for the three-time champions, helping them advance to their fifth PKL Final.

With this win, the Patna Pirates have set up a blockbuster final against Haryana Steelers, that will take place on Sunday, 29th December.
 Sunday's fixture (final): Haryana Steelers vs  Patna Pirates  – 8 pm.

=====

Haryana Steelers toil to beat UP Yoddhas in semi-final

 

 

Haryana Steelers toil to beat UP Yoddhas in semi-final

PUNE, DEC 27

Haryana Steelers showed nerves of steel and secured their berth in the PKL Season 11 Final, and sent the UP Yoddhas packing in semi-final 1, at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex, Balewadi in Pune. The Haryana Steelers won a very closely fought contest by a scoreline of 28-25, with Shivam Patare, Vinay, Rahul, and Mohammadreza Shadloui playing starring roles in the victory. This is the second consecutive time that the Haryana Steelers have made the final of the PKL. 
It was an action-packed start to the evening, with both the Haryana Steelers and the UP Yoddhas going for the kill in the early exchanges, as they looked to gain momentum. It was neck and neck in the first few minutes, before the UP Yoddhas, pulled away with a three-point lead. Mohammadreza Shadloui and Vinay were doing the heavy lifting for the Haryana Steelers, while Gagan Gowda and Sumit led the charge for the UP Yoddhas. 
As the half wore on, both sides traded points, raids, and tackles, and neither side could pull away with the lead. Vinay was scoring crucial points for the Haryana Steelers, and Bhavani Rajput was ensuring the UP Yoddhas stayed within touching distance. Even as the defensive units of both the teams kept things quite secure, the Haryana Steelers were able to go into the half-time break with a lead of 12-11. 
Early in the second half, the Haryana Steelers put the foot down on the accelerator, and notched up an all out on their opponents, which put the pressure on the UP Yoddhas. Shivam Patare and Vinay were causing the opposition defence all sorts of problems, while Mohammadreza Shadloui was chipping in with important points as well. At the half-hour mark, the Haryana Steelers were well and truly in the box seat, and had a three-point lead.
The domination from the Haryana Steelers continued, and they kept the UP Yoddhas at bay with relative ease. The table toppers in the league stage of PKL Season 11, were showing their mettle, even though Gagan Gowda and Bhavani Rajput were doing their best to upset the apple cart. 
With the clock running into the final minutes, it was up to the UP Yoddhas to chase game, and Gagan Gowda was doing his best to level things up. Gagan Gowda completed his Super 10 in the final minute, but the Haryana Steelers showed why their defence is considered to be so dangerous, as they slammed the door shut on any chance of a comeback. 

=====balbirsingh227@gmail.com

Governor Shri Bandaru Dattatraya invited to Maha Kumbh-2025

  Governor Shri Bandaru Dattatraya invited to Maha Kumbh-2025

CHANDIGARH, DEC 26

Haryana Governor Shri Bandaru Dattatraya was extended a formal invitation to attend the grand Maha Kumbh-2025 by Uttar Pradesh Industrial Development Minister Nand Gopal Nandi and State Minister Jaswant Saini during a courtesy meeting at the Raj Bhavan.

 The ministers presented the invitation on behalf of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for the revered Maha Kumbh festival, scheduled to be held in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, from January 13 to February 26, 2025. Governor Bandaru Dattatraya graciously accepted the invitation and expressed his willingness to participate in the grand holy event. 

The Uttar Pradesh Ministers also presented sacred Ganga water from the Sangam in Prayagraj to the Governor. Governor Dattatraya honoured the ministers with a shawl and a statue of Lord Shri Krishna as a mark of respect for their visit to the Raj Bhavan.

 Present on the occasion were Governor’s Secretary Atul Dwivedi, IAS; ADC Squadron Leader  Mohan Krishna P; Governor’s OSDBakhwinder Singh; and Uttar Pradesh government officials including Special Secretary  Piyush Verma, Divyanshu Shekhar, and Manmohan Singh.

Haryana Governor Shri Bandaru Dattatraya met with His Holiness Sri Sri Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swami ji on Tuesday at the Raj Bhavan during a courtesy visit.

Meanwhile Governor Dattatraya honoured Sri Swami ji with a shawl and presented a statue of Lord Krishna in his cosmic form upon his arrival at the Raj Bhavan. During the visit, Sri Swami ji also blessed and distributed offerings to Governor Shri Dattatraya, Lady Governor Bandaru Vasantha, and other family members.

=====balbirsingh227@gmail.com

Students must promote innovation and strive towards new research: Governor

 

 

Students must promote innovation and strive towards new research: Governor

CHANDIGARH, DEC 26

Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatraya on Thursday urged students to promote innovation and pursue new research. He emphasized that students should not get discouraged by failures during research but instead continue their efforts until success is achieved.

Shri Dattatraya was speaking as the Chief Guest at the inauguration of the 51^st Rashtriya Bal Vaigyanik Pradarshini at Haryana Sports University, Rai, Sonipat, on Thursday.

In his address, the Governor mentioned that it has been 30 years since Haryana last hosted this exhibition. The annual event is being held from December 26 to 31 and serves not only as a platform to showcase scientific projects but also as a venue for fostering national unity. Students from all corners of India share their ideas and experiences, exchanging thoughts about the country's rich traditions, diverse culture, lifestyle, and languages.

He encouraged children to transcend barriers of caste and religion, focusing solely on the shared identity of being Indian. He also paid tribute to Baba Zorawar Singh and Baba Fateh Singh on the occasion of Veer Bal Diwas, emphasizing the need to draw inspiration from their sacrifices.

Highlighting the importance of curiosity, focus, and innovation in children, Shri Dattatraya stated that students must develop a keen interest in their surroundings and hone their listening and comprehension skills. He cited the example of Thomas Edison, who succeeded in inventing the light bulb after 999 attempts, urging students to remain steadfast in their efforts.

The Governor also emphasized learning about Indian scientists like Aryabhata, CV Raman, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, and Kalpana Chawla. He encouraged students to contribute to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's vision of a developed India by 2047 through innovation and research.

Quoting Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, he remarked that educational institutions should not merely be exam centres but nurturing grounds for building students' futures. He stressed the need for programs that promote skills and innovation, keeping present and future requirements in mind.

He also appreciated Haryana’s efforts in implementing the New Education Policy by 2025 and highlighted initiatives like allowing MBBS studies in regional languages. The state has also introduced programs in robotics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and coding in its universities.

We are committed to fulfilling our promises: Education Minister Mahipal Dhanda

Speaking on the occasion, Education Minister Shri Mahipal Dhanda stated that the exhibition had initially been planned for 400 science students from across India. However, it was later decided to invite over 10,000 students daily, with the aim of reaching millions by December 31. He praised India’s growing global reputation for its intellectual, scientific, and skill-based contributions.

The 51^st Rashtriya Bal Vaigyanik Pradarshini features students from all 29 States and Union Territories, displaying 185 models. Notable projects included a device for cutting nails for differently-abled individuals (Maharashtra), a smart wheelchair (Gujarat), a portable structure with household facilities (Bihar), and a baby monitoring system (Telangana).

The Governor and the Education Minister inspected the exhibits and lauded the students for their creativity. Special recognition was given to Anshika, a gold medalist in the Asian Roll Ball Championship.

The event was attended by various dignitaries, including Rai MLA Shri Krishna Gehlawat, Sonipat MLA Shri Nikhil Madan, and officials such as School Education Commissioner Shri Pankaj Agarwal and NCERT Director Dr Dinesh Prasad Saklani.

===balbirsingh227@gmail.com