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Shillong
Chamber Choir 'slighted'
Why
hasn't Govt. given the recognition that the Choir
deserves?
SHILLONG,
July 30: There is a growing feeling that the Shillong
Chamber Choir, which won 3 gold medals at the recent 6th
World Choir Games at Shaoxing in China, has not been
given due recognition by the government.
Observers
feel that the Government of India should recognize the
Shillong Chamber Choir for bringing name and fame to the
country like the way those succeeding in the field of
sports are honoured.
Shillong
Chamber Choir (SCC) has also qualified for the
quarterfinals of the popular show "India's Got
Talent" on Colors channel.
Shillong
Chamber Choir mentor and pianist Neil Nongkynrih, while
addressing the media here yesterday, bemoaned the fact
that the government was yet to even felicitate the
members of the SCC for their success at the recent World
Choir Games.
According
to Nongkynrih, the 16-member Shillong Chamber Choir had
to struggle a lot before achieving the China success.
The Choir members managed to go to China for
participation in the 6th World Choir Games only through
financial assistance from well-wishers.
Meanwhile,
Austrian music conductor Eva Itzlinger has arrived in
Meghalaya to train the Shillong Chamber Choir in
acapella. Eva will be in the State for 4 weeks for the
purpose.
"I
have been sent by the Austrian Government to help the
Choir in acapella," Eva told reporters here today.
Eva
called the Shillong Chamber Choir as "special"
and "extraordinary".
"They
(SCC) are growing and they must keep going," she
said.
The
Shillong Camber Choir was formed by a group of singers
in 2001.
The
SCC is said to be the fist such group to have won gold
medals at World Choir Games. The Shillong Camber
Choir clinched the gold medals at the China edition of
the World Choir Games in the categories of scared,
gospel and spiritual and popular choral. Shillong
Chamber Choir trainer Pauline Warjri said, "It is
really a proud moment for us and the country that we
have won 3 gold medals at World Choir Games."
(Courtesy: The Sentinel)
Assam
chief minister Gogoi to undergo heart surgeries in
Mumbai
NEW
DELHI/GUWAHATI, July 30: Assam chief minister Tarun
Gogoi left for Mumbai from New Delhi on Friday for
undergoing two emergency heart surgeries following blood
vessel blockages detected by doctors.
According
to Assam government sources, Gogoi is likely to be
operated at the Asian Heart Institute in Mumbai
Wednesday if the pre-surgery tests are normal.
"Well
known cardiac surgeon Ramakant Panda would perform the
surgeries," Assam health minister Himanta Biswa
Sarma said.
The
Chief Minister complained of a breathing problem and
rise in blood pressure last Saturday while attending the
meeting of National Development Council in New Delhi
chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
He
was then admitted to the Max Hospital in New Delhi.
Doctors
at the Max Hospital said Gogoi would require two
surgeries - a bypass surgery and another surgery to
replace an aortic valve with 70 to 80 percent blockages
in two blood vessels.
The
Chief Minister would require a minimum of 6 weeks to get
back to work after the two surgeries are conducted.
"I
would like to thank all the people of Assam for their
support and wishes for my speedy recovery," Gogoi
told journalists in New Delhi Friday before leaving for
Mumbai. (Agencies)
'Magical
threads' fashion show highlights handlooms and
handicrafts of Shillong
A
fashion show called 'Magical Threads' featuring rich
handlooms and handicrafts of the region is organized in
Shillong.
The
show was organized by the Shillong fashion society to
promote the rich handlooms and handicrafts of the
region.
The
show sought to popularise the budding talent in the
fields of modelling and designing using only the woven
fabric.
"We
thought, let everybody come together on one platform so
that we can tell the world how beautiful, how mystical
and how colourful this mosaic is," said Aldous
Mawlong, the Chairman of the Shillong Fashion Society.
Designers
at the show participated from eight different states,
including Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya,
Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura.
The
vibrant collection of colours and modish designs were
showcased as models walked the ramp.
"It
is great to be here and I'm very glad, Shillong and
Nagaland are full of colours and of course I would like
to visit here again," said Ayang, a Naga stall
attendant.
The
fashion society, in collaboration with the Directorate
of Sericulture and Weaving, envisage a wider avenue for
the silk fabric of the region.
Talented
designers, singers and cultural troupes from various
states came together to entertain the visitors during
the show. (Agencies)
Meghalaya
IPS officer included in SIT probing riot cases
Ahmedabad,
July 30: An IPS officer from Meghalaya cadre Y C Modi
has been included in the Supreme Court appointed Special
Investigation Team (SIT), probing Godhra train burning
incident and post-Godhra riot cases of 2002.
Modi,
a 1984 batch IPS officer of rank of Inspector General,
was inducted recently when SIT chief R K Raghavan had
visited Gujarat, officials of the agency said.
Modi
stayed here for two days and met staff involved in
investigation of riot cases, SIT officials said.
Appointment
of Modi comes after the Supreme court order in April
this year to drop two members of the SIT - Geeta Johri
and Shivanand Jha from its team.
The
court's direction to the agency to disassociate Johri
and Jha from the team came after the NGO Centre for
Peace and Justice had made allegations against them that
they were not properly assisting the Special Public
Prosecutor in the trial.
Following
the order, Raghavan had requested Supreme Court to
induct two IPS officers in SIT in place of Johri and Jha.
His
request was accepted by the apex court in May, which
directed the Union Home Ministry to place two IPS
officers identified by Raghavan. Request for appointment
of one more IPS officer was pending with Union Home
Ministry, SIT officials said.
Appointed
by the Supreme Court in March 2008, the SIT has
investigated 10 riot cases like Naroda Patia, Naroda Gam,
Gulburg, Ode, Dipda Darwaja, Sardarpura, Prantij and
Godhra train burning incident.
Trial
was on in all the cases in special courts set up under
apex court's directive. The trial is being conducted on
day to day basis, by a designated judge.
Only
the trial in the Godhra train burning incident is being
conducted inside the Sabarmati Central Jail here.
The
SIT has also done inquiry into a complaint by Zakia,
Jaffery, whose husband ex-MP Ehsan Jaffrey was among the
69 killed during the 2002 riots in Gulburg society.
In
the complaint Zakia had alleged that 63 persons,
including Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, his
cabinet colleagues, police officials and senior
bureaucrats, aided and abetted post-Godhra riots of
2002.
While
probing the complaint the agency had questioned Gujarat
Chief Minister Narendra Modi on March 27 for over nine
hours.
SIT
had also recored statements of those named in Zakia's
complaint, including former minister of state for Home
Gordhan Zadafia, BJP leader I K Jadeja, former BJP MLA
from Lunawada Kalu Malivad and sitting MLA from Mehsana
Anil Patel, former IPS officer R B Sreekumar, social
activist Teesta Setalvad, and some other senior police
officers and political leaders. (PTI)
Senior
journalist K K Baruah passes away
Mumbai,
July 30: Senior journalist and former Assistant General
Manager of Press Trust of India Kartik Kumar Baruah
passed away here today after a brief illness.
He
was 72 and is survived by his wife, 2 sons and a
daughter.
Baruah
was admitted to the Kokilaben Ambani hospital in
suburban Andheri where he died this morning, family
members said.
Baruah
joined PTI in 1956 and retired in 2000. He served as a
manager in PTI Guwahati and Shillong offices and joined
PTI Mumbai as a Regional Manager in 1992.
The
journalist, who had distinguished himself as a defence
correspondent during the Indo-Pak war in 1971, was
living in Mumbai after retirement. He had demitted
office due to ill health.
During
his posting in Shillong, Baruah had extensively covered
the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971 and the Nagaland
Peace Mission under Reverend Scott in 1965 in Nagaland.
(PTI)
Lokeshwar
is the new deputy speaker of Manipur Assembly
Imphal,
July 30: Th Lokeswar of Congress was today elected
deputy speaker of the Manipur legislative Assembly.
Lokeswar
was the only candidate who filed nomination papers for
the post on the last day yesterday, officials said.
The
post of deputy speaker has been lying vacant for more
than 10 months following the resignation of Shyam Kumar
of Manipur People's Party.
After
the election, Lokeswar was escorted to the chair of
deputy speaker by Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh and
opposition leader Radhabinod Koijam of the Nationalist
Congress Party (NCP). (PTI)
National
Cancer grid to reduce patient flow to Mumbai
Mumbai,
July 30: A national Cancer grid has been proposed by the
Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) to introduce uniform
standards of care and reduce patient flow to its
'mother' hospital in the city and is likely to get
approval at the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) meeting
during the weekend.
The
proposed Cancer Grid will link the department's Tata
Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, which specialiZes in Cancer
treatment with centres in Kolkata, Jorhat and Bhopal.
"The
proposal has recommended for good infrastructure and
development of adequate human resource in other centres,"
the TMC director Dr RA Badwe said.
The
proposal also said the seamless connectivity will be
made through the very high-speed National Knowledge
Network, he said. (PTI)
'ULFA
claim contrary to Baruah's statement against violence'
Guwahati,
July 30: The ULFA's claim of responsibility for the
Friday's attack on the CPRF had authorities expressing
doubts over its authenticity as it ran contrary to the
banned group's self-styled Commander-in-Chief Paresh
Baruah's recent statement against violence.
In
a statement on July 9, Baruah had condemned the previous
day's bomb blast carried out on railway tracks in
Kokrajhar district by the anti-talk NDFB faction of
Ranjan Daimary.
The
claim appeared without basis since Baruah had made an
appeal for peace urging those responsible for the blast
not to target the indigenous people, sources said.
"Such
incidents can never bring about liberty for the people
of the country, rather such incidents are attacks on the
indigenous people. They created disbelief and suspicion
among the people," Baruah's statement said.
The
sources were also apprehensive that the ULFA claim could
hamper the peace process at a time when the Centre's
peace interlocutor, P C Haldar, had a very
"cordial" meeting with the group's chairman,
Arabinda Rajkhowa, in Guwahati central jail recently to
initiate peace talks.
On
July 23, Haldhar had an hour-long
"satisfactory" meeting with the jailed ULFA
supremo and discussed the process of initiating peace
talks with the proscribed outfit. (PTI)
Militants
fire at govt official's residence in Manipur
IMphal,
July 30: Unidentified militants fired at the private
residence of a Manipur government official but no
casualty was reported, police said today.
The
militants fired at the residence of Dr A Mukta at Andro
area in Imphal East district late last night, in which
no one was injured.
Mukta,
an official of the state health department, was present
at the time of incident, police said.
The
militants had lobbed a powerful grenade at Mukta's
residence on July 20 but it failed to explode.
Extortion
demands from the official could be the cause of the
incident, police suspect. (PTI)
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