Bhubaneswar: Inspired by Anand Kumar’s famed Super 30 in Patna, Ajay Bahadur Singh has been imparting free medical education to underprivileged students in Odisha, and now his initiative is bearing results.

Some 14 underprivileged students of Odisha have cleared the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), a national-level single entrance test for medical courses, thanks to the initiative by Singh’s Zindagi Foundation.

Of 20 students, 18 had cleared the NEET last year while 12 students secured admission in government medical colleges in Odisha.

Every year, Zindagi Foundation provides boarding, lodging and coaching to some selected underprivileged students free of cost.

“I am very happy that my efforts have paid results. All 14 students have cleared the NEET this year and I am confident that they would get seats in government medical colleges in the state,” said Singh.

He also wants to increase the number of students in the coming years.

Students who joined the foundation to reach a medical college have some inspirational stories.

“My mother is selling ‘Kakara Pitha’ (a sweet deep-fried cake) to the ISKON temple here to eke out a living. My father, who was a carpenter, died in a road accident when I was in class sixth. After completing my Plus Two, I wanted to study medical education but had no money to support my education. Ajay sir supported me to realise my dream,” said Krishna Mohanty, who has secured 15,295 all-India rank in NEET.

Aniruddha Nayak, who hails from Narasinghpur area of Cuttack district, also shared his story.

“I always wanted to be a doctor and serve the people. But my family’s financial condition is very bad and cannot afford the coaching for medical education. My father is working as a hotel supervisor in Hyderabad,” said Aniruddha.

Nayak, who scored about 83 per cent in Plus Two from BJB Junior College here, got selected in an entrance examination conducted by Zindagi and pursued medical coaching besides getting boarding and lodging free of cost. He secured 5,562 all-India rank in NEET.

(IANS)

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government today extended summer vacation of all government and private schools functioning in the state till June 25 in view of the prevailing heatwave conditions across the state, an official said.

The schools were supposed to reopen tomorrow (June 19). Following the fresh order, all schools will reopen on June 26.

Informing this to the media here this afternoon, School and Mass Education Department Secretary Pradipta Kumar Mahapatra said the summer vacation has been extended till June 25.

Interestingly, the news came hours after School and Mass Education Minister Samir Ranjan Dash termed a media report about extension of summer vacation going viral on social media as “fake and rumour”.

The Minister had also said there has been no extension of summer vacation and the schools will be reopened on June 19.

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government today asked officials for sample test of litchi fruit being sold in different markets in the state after Health experts suspected that the deaths of children in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur were linked to toxins present in the popular fruit.

Litchi is being most commonly blamed for the Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) outbreak in Bihar. The mystery fever has already killed more than 100 children in Muzaffarpur district, renowned for its litchi crop.

Odisha Health Minister Naba Kishore Das has directed Food Safety Commissioner to get the sample test done of litchi being sold in various markets to ascertain whether it has links to the disease or not.

“We have asked for a sample test of litchi as we don’t want the Bihar case doesn’t happen here,” Das told reporters here.

Research suggests that lychee fruit contains a toxin that can cause low blood sugar level, especially when eaten on an empty stomach.

The fruit, known for its sweet and flowery flavour, is typically consumed fresh and sometimes used in other food items, including ice creams, or processed into juice.

Earlier some health officials had said that eating lychees on an empty stomach and dehydration due to extreme heat and humidity were some of the causes of the outbreak of encephalitis in Bihar.

Puri: The three chariots – ‘Nandighosa’ (Lord Jagannath), ‘Taladhwaja’ (Lord Balabhadra) and ‘Darpadalan’ (Devi Subhadra) reached Gundicha temple (home of their aunt) today amid chanting of “Jai Jagannath” as sea of people thronged the Holy town to have a glimpse of their beloved lords.

While ‘Taladhwaja’ and ‘Darpadalan’ reached Gundicha temple, 3 kilometres from Shri Jagannath temple earlier in the day, the ‘Nandighosa’ was positioned before the Gundicha temple at 6.40 pm.

The pulling of the three giant chariots began much ahead of scheduled time at 2.15 pm. It was supposed to start at 4 pm.

The deities will stay at Gundicha temple for a week during the nine-day Ratha Yatra festival. The devotees can have darshan of the deities atop the chariots till tomorrow before they are taken to the Gundicha temple in a procession.

The police have made elaborate security arrangement around the chariots so that no devotee is allowed to climb the chariots or touch the deities.

Cuttack: In a broad daylight robbery, a homeopathy doctor was allegedly robbed of a whopping Rs 50 lakh after three armed assailants on a motorcycle intercepted his car near a petrol pump in Odisha’s Cuttack district today.

As per the available information, the incident took place near Kapursingh on Cuttack-Dhenkanal road here when the victim, identified as Bijay Mohapatra, was on the way from Bhubaneswar to Dhenkanal. The doctor was carrying the cash in order to buy land.

According to police, three bike-borne men intercepted the doctor’s Chevrolet SAIL car and threatened him to hand over the cash bag to them. When victim’s driver resisted the goons started firing on the window of the car. Holding the doctor at gunpoint, the goons robbed him of Rs 50 lakh and fled the spot within seconds.

The victim then called the police. After reaching the spot, police is trying to collect CCTV footage of the area to nab the criminals. A case has been registered in the case.

A scientific team was also pressed into service as part of the investigation.

Bhubaneswar: Biju Janata Dal (BJD) President and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday asked his party MPs to submit reports of their performance in the Parliament and on the steps taken by them to resolve issues in their respective constituencies every two months starting August.

In a letter to all the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs of the BJD, Patnaik asked them to apprise him on the issues raised by them in both the Houses and the steps taken by them to resolve people’s problems in their respective constituencies.

The MPs have been asked to submit the written reports every two months by the 10th.

Patnaik said he would review the reports regularly and give advice on how to work for the development and interest of Odisha.

Notably, Patnaik had asked his ministers on June 4 to submit monthly reports on steps taken by their departments for implementing the BJD’s election manifesto by the seventh of every month.

The BJD has 12 MPs in the Lok Sabha and eight in the Rajya Sabha.

(IANS)

Bhubaneswar: It seems the latest phenomenon on Twitter called #SareeTwitter has caught the attention of women from Odisha, and like their counterparts, the Odia ladies too joined the bandwagon with posting their own pretty pictures in sarees on the popular micro-blogging site.

Today, a few Odia women from different backgrounds joined the fun and started posting their own images in their favourite sarees using the hashtags #sareeTwitter and #SareeSwag on social media.

Take a look:

Dharitri Patnaik, who describes herself as an entrepreneur, philanthropist and development professional in her Twitter bio, shared not one, but four photos that show her in the traditional garment.

I didn’t want to be left behind! My favorite attire. One from my wedding and the rest on others’ weddings. #SareeTwitter #sareeswag #sareelove pic.twitter.com/YdWmiYtDkv

— Dharitri Patnaik (@dharitri) July 16, 2019

Similarly, another woman Itishree Nayak, who is a journalist according to her Twitter profile, too joined the gang and posted some of pictures wearing the nine yards. “Love the way it express me,” she wrote.

Love the way it express me #sareeswag #sareelove #sareetwitter pic.twitter.com/H7A4A2ju86

— Itishree Nayak (@itishreena) July 16, 2019

Earlier in the day, Mumbai-based travel author Sharell Cook had joined the trend and flaunted her gorgeous photos wearing a traditional Berhampuri silk saree, which is quite popular among women.

Obligatory #SareeTwitter photo, wearing a traditional Berhampuri silk saree from #Odisha. pic.twitter.com/tW1KalCyRP

— Sharell Cook (@AboutIndia) July 16, 2019

The latest Twitter trend started on Monday with many women from different walks of life shared their pictures using the hashtag #SareeTwitter on the micro-blogging site. Now, the site has been flooded with posts from people sharing their favourite saree pics using the hashtag.

Bhubaneswar: The wait for return of the conjoined twins, Jaga and Kalia, who underwent complicated surgeries at AIIMS-Delhi for separation of their heads, to their home in Odisha continues to lengthen. The twins are supposed to be back in Odisha during Lord Jagannath’s Rath Jatra or by mid July, as per an official.

The doctors of have already declared the twins are “clinically well” and do not need ICU or specialised care.

In the last week of June, a top official of the Odisha government who is monitoring the health condition of the twins, had told the media that AIIMS officials will soon issue a medical advisory regarding shifting the children to Bhubaneswar. But, after more than twenty days, nothing has been done in this regard.

Now, the parents of the kids – Bhuyan Kanhar and Pushpanjali Kanhar – are spending sleepless nights in the hospital waiting to get back to their home since they haven’t met their elderly parents and two other kids for over two years.

When asked whether from anyone from Odisha government or AIIMS-Delhi spoke to them regarding discharge of their children, both Bhuyam and his wife said “a madam from Odisha government was only enquiring about the health condition of Jaga and Kalia but she didn’t say the exact date for discharge.”

Speaking to Odisha Sun Times from Room No- 6010, C.N. Tower at AIIMS-Delhi, Bhuyan Kanhar said he will be happy if the Odisha government now make arrangements to shift Jaga-Kalia from Delhi to Odisha as the condition of his children has improved a lot.

Read: Separated conjoined twins Jaga, Kalia to return to Odisha soon

“It’s been more than two years I haven’t seen my elderly parents and two of my children at home. I don’t know how they are living lives as we earn our livelihood through daily wages. Now, I want to return to Odisha,” appealed a helpless Bhuyan.

He also shares his worries and apprehension while dealing with officials and doctors. “As the government has done a lot for us and is still doing, therefore, we shouldn’t want to do anything forcefully,” Bhuyan, a daily wager, continues. “We will wait”.

Jaga is gaining weight and developing well like any normal children and is ready to go to school.

Kalia is accepting feeds orally and via special tube (PEG). He too is doing well.

Read: Odisha: Separated twins Jaga-Kalia to recover completely soon, say AIIMS docs

The conjoined twins from Milipada village of Kandhamal district were taken to AIIMS-Delhi in July 2017. The first phase of the surgery on the twins was performed a team of 40 doctors including experts from Japan on August 28 when doctors created a venous bypass to separate the veins that return blood to the heart from the brain.

The final separation of the twins was performed by a team of around 30 specialists of the AIIMS’ neurosurgery, neuro-anaesthesia and plastic surgery departments on October 25.

The Odisha government had then grabbed national headlines for bearing the cost the rare surgery and after care of now separated conjoined twins Jaga and Kalia.

Bhubaneswar: The Commissionerate Police is in action mode. In the last 48 hours, the city police has conducted five encounters in different parts of the city and caught four notorious criminals of a gang.

In the latest encounter on Sunday night, Rabi Rao, a wanted criminal was injured in an exchange of fire with a special quad of the Commissionerate Police.

The incident took place after the police received a tip-off suggesting the presence of Rao near Bharatpur area under Khandagiri police limits.

Seeing the cops approaching him, the criminal opened fired at the police team instead of stopping. The police squad retaliated by opening three to four rounds of controlled fire at the miscreant that injured his both legs and subsequently fell off on the ground.

Also Read: Police encounter in Odisha capital: 2 criminals injured

The criminal was admitted to Capital Hospital for treatment.

The cops have seized one country made handgun, bombs, live ammunition from his car.

According to police, more than 50 cases of dacoity, snatching and attempt to murder registered against Rao at various police stations in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar.

Earlier in the day, two members of the same gang were injured and arrested in an encounter with Dhauli police here

Similarly, two wanted criminals – – Poda alias Arun Kumar Mallcik and Bibekananda Nayak – were arrested after an exchange of fire with police at Bhuinchua near Balianta on the outskirts of the city on Saturday.

It is believed that the Commissionerate Police has adopted a tough stance against criminals after drawing flak from various quarters in the wake of series of loot cases in the city, including four incidents on July 30 alone.

Popular jewellery brand, Tanishq recently took down its controversial, ‘Ekatvam’ (Oneness) jewellery ad after the advertisement attracted public backlash and became the butt of jokes on social media. The 45-second ad featured a Muslim family celebrating a traditional South Indian baby shower ceremony for their pregnant daughter-in-law. 

Tanishq has officially withdrawn their ad after being trolled viciously. Here's why this is a very sad state of affairs, and context from other such ads that were trolled (and some, withdrawn) https://t.co/Nb0cSiTPHX pic.twitter.com/sn3IMBqdmC

— Karthik (@beastoftraal) October 13, 2020

The ad that was released on October 9 drew huge flak after #BoycottTanishq started trending on Twitter for allegedly glorifying ‘love jihad’ and ‘sexism.

Actor Kangana Ranaut took to twitter to express her distaste over the tweet.

“The concept wasn’t as much a problem as the execution was, the fearful Hindu girl apologetically expressing her gratitude to her in-laws for the acceptance of her faith, Isn’t she the woman of the house? Why is she at their mercy? Why so meek and timid in her own house? Shameful,” she wrote.

“This advert is wrong on many levels, Hindu bahu is living with the family for a significant amount of time, but acceptance happens only when she is carrying their heir. So what is she just a set of ovaries? This advert does not only promote love-jihad but also sexism #tanishq,” another tweet by Ranaut read.

The concept wasn’t as much a problem as the execution was,the fearful Hindu girl apologetically expressing her gratitude to her in-laws for the acceptance of her faith, Isn’t she the woman of the house? Why is she at their mercy? Why so meek and timid in her own house? Shameful. https://t.co/LDRC8HyHYI

— Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) October 12, 2020

The social media users have been critical of controversial TV ads, especially commercials surrounding topics of religion and Indian culture.

Not just Tanishq, here’s a list of other brand commercials that attracted severe backlash and were subsequently censored or taken down.  

Kalyan Jewellers “racist” ad featuring Aishwarya Rai

The ad that was released in 2015 showcased Rai reclining under a parasol held over her head by a ‘dark-skinned slave-boy’. An open letter was issued against Kalyan Jewellers which described the campaign as insidiously racist. Following the backlash, the company released a public apology and consequently had to withdraw the ad.  

“Concerning the item Open letter to Aishwarya Rai Bachchan: This ad you figure in is insidiously racist, the creative was intended to present the royalty, timeless beauty and elegance. However, if we have inadvertently hurt the sentiments of any individual or organization, we deeply regret the same. We have started the process of withdrawing this creative from our campaign,” a statement from Kalyan Jewellers posted on Facebook read.

“You Never Lamb Alone”

An ad launched by a meat industry lobby group, Meat, and Livestock Australia(MLA) on September 4 featured various Gods dining together and sharing a lamb meal. The advertisement also depicted Lord Ganesha enjoying the lamb meal. In response, a powerful protest was lodged by India that dragged the Australian company into a controversy. Significant petitions and protests later, the ad was finally removed.

M S Dhoni as the God of big deals

A 2013 Business Today magazine cover depicted former Indian Cricket team captain, M.S. Dhoni as Lord Vishnu, the God of Big Deals. Dhoni was accused of hurting religious sentiments as the image was morphed to make him look like Lord Vishnu holding various products including a shoe. The magazine caused widespread protests including warrants issued against the former captain.

While the ad was soon discontinued, Dhoni later revealed that he himself was not even aware that his picture was being used for any such advertisement campaign.  

“I haven’t received any remuneration/goodwill or money for the news article or for the usage of my picture on the cover page or anywhere else. Neither have I posed for the picture which was published in the magazine on April 14, 2013,” Dhoni had said in a report.

Zomato and the Hindi Expletives 

Shame on you @ZomatoIN ! Absolutely shameful what you’ve attempted to do. Your investors should be sickened by your behaviour! @smritiirani : this is outrageous. @ascionline pic.twitter.com/pSChhHSrxo

— SUHEL SETH (@Suhelseth) November 30, 2017

Online restaurant guide and food ordering app Zomato booked for trouble when their outdoor campaign included bold white letters MC.BC. (mac n’ cheese, butter chicken) written against a bright red background. The letters which are expletive in common Hindi language were viewed with disgust by many.

Following the backlash, Zomato’s art director Akshar Pathak apologized on twitter and promised the discontinuation of the advertisement. 

Sachin and child abuse

Slapping a child in an ad isn’t justified by putting a super. Sick. Cheering & supporting a team also isn’t a bad thing. It’s called sportsmanship. What a horrible ad. Shockingly bad message. Is this what you want to teach children? Or maybe I didn’t get it? https://t.co/KeYI12z5I5

— kunal kohli (@kunalkohli) September 23, 2020

The recent ad by Paytm First Games featuring Sachin Tendulkar was criticized on social media for portraying a young boy, a young Sachin Tendulkar being slapped. Users across the nation addressed their disappointment by calling it abusive to slap a child for making a mistake.

Bollywood director Kunal Kohli tweeted stating that the ad was problematic and argued that there was nothing wrong in cheering for another team in the name of sportsmanship.