India News
India clears Russian vaccine for emergency use amid vaccine shortfall, Maharashtra delays board exams
India has authorised the emergency use of the Russian vaccine Sputnik V after reports that the country’s vaccination efforts are coming a cropper due to the shortage of Indian-made vaccines Covishield and Covaxin.
India has authorised the emergency use of the Russian vaccine Sputnik V after reports that the country’s vaccination efforts are coming a cropper due to the shortage of Indian-made vaccines Covishield and Covaxin.
While Covaxin is made by Bharat Biotech of Hyderabad, Covishield is the AstraZeneca once developed by the University of Oxford and manufactured in India by the Serum Institute of India. Emergency use authorisation usually precedes a formulation’s approval as a vaccine. The other big vaccines yet to be okayed for use in India are the ones made by Pfizer and Moderna, which are both double dose. Johnson and Johnson has also developed a vaccine which is said to be a single-dose product.
With almost a week-long incidence of over a lakh fresh cases being recorded, the vaccination efforts seem to have been hit. While the Government has insisted there is no vaccine shortage, social media is awash with posts of people being returned from hospitals without being vaccinated. The Centre has blamed a few states for the spike including Maharashtra, which has applied the brakes on state board exams as a result of the spike in cases.
Maharashtra Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad said state board exams for classes 10 and 12 will now be held in May and June respectively.
In an announcement on Twitter, the state education minister said, Given the current COVID-19 situation in Maharashtra, we’ve postponed state board exams for class 10th and 12th. The present circumstances are not conducive for holding exams. Your health is our priority.
The announcement was made after the consultation with the state chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, teachers, parents, and elected representatives from across parties, she said. In a video message, Gaikwad said that Covid cases have been on the rise for the past few days. She went on to state that there has been stress about preparing for the exams among the students and the pandemic affecting the health of stakeholders.
The safety of the stakeholders is our utmost priority and hence have decided to postpone the board exams. The SSC exam is likely to be conducted in June and the HSC exams could be scheduled at the end of May so that a student’s higher education is not impacted, she added.
The HSC and SSC exams in Maharashtra were slated to begin from April 23 and April 29 respectively.
Gaikwad said that various alternative assessment options were also evaluated during the consultation, keeping in mind the well-being, health, and future of our students. Thanking CM Thackeray for his guidance, she mentioned that postponing the exams seemed to be the most pragmatic solution amid the Covid-19 surge in the state.
She said the government would also request other education boards to adopt similar solutions under the prevailing circumstances. We’ll also be writing to the CBSE, ICSE, IB, Cambridge boards, requesting them to reconsider their exam dates, she added.
Last week, the Maharashtra government had announced for all students in Class 9 and Class 11 that they will be declared to be passed without taking exams, while a similar decision for the students of Class 1-8 was taken earlier in the month.
Read Also: Deepika Padukone steps down as MAMI chairperson, says she has way too much work
Meanwhile, Maharashtra logged its highest-ever single-day spike of coronavirus cases on Sunday with the addition of 63,000 fresh cases in the last 24 hours. With 63,294 new Covid-19 cases, the state’s caseload has reached 34,07,245 since the outbreak of the pandemic. Also, 349 new deaths in a single day have increased the total fatalities to 57,987 in the state.
India News
MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan unveils Statue of Oneness of Adi Shankara
This 108 ft tall statue is situated on the Mandhata Mountain in Omkareshwar. MP CM took to X(formerly Twitter) and shared a video of himself offering prayers at the site during the inauguration of the statue.
Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan unveiled the Statue of Oneness of Adi Shankara, the first Shankacharya in Omkareshwar on Thursday. The state cabinet had approved this project last year to celebrate the life and philosophy of the 8th Century saint and Hindu philosopher.
This 108 ft tall statue is situated on the Mandhata Mountain in Omkareshwar. MP CM took to X(formerly Twitter) and shared a video of himself offering prayers at the site during the inauguration of the statue. He wrote there is auspiciousness and auspiciousness only in the feet of Acharya Shankar. He added the sun of welfare for the entire world lies in the auspicious thoughts of Advaita.
Omkareshwar is located on the banks of Narmada river. It is 80 km away from the city of Indore. MP CM said the cultural foundation on which Adi Shankara propounded Advaita Vedanta by seeing the existence of only one Brahma in every living being. Chouhan said Adi Shankara united India in one thread. He said he was proud of the fact that this unique personality of the spiritual world attained knowledge on the land of Madhya Pradesh and united the whole country.
Chouhan said future generations will continue to visit this statue and become familiar with the contribution of Shankarcharyaji from time to time. MP CM highlighted how Adi Guru Shankara worked to unite the nation culturally. He spread the essence of Vedas to the common people. Chouhan added Adi Shankara made four monasteries in four corners of the country. Hence helped in keeping India culturally united.
This statue is the third major statue built in India by the government. Before this PM Modi inaugurated the statue of equality near Hyderabad to commemorate the 11th Century Bhakti saint Sri Ramanujacharya. The statue was inaugurated in Ramanujacharya’s 1000th birth anniversary. In 2018 PM Modi inaugurated the Statue of Unity in Gujarat’s Kevadia. The statue was made in the memory of former deputy Prime Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
India News
India’s luxury train Deccan Odyssey makes a comeback, starting services on September 23
The train was inaugurated on September 21 around 1:30 pm at the CST Station in Mumbai but the operation will be starting from Saturday.
India’s luxury train Deccan Odyssey is all set to start its commercial services from September 23. It is a comeback for the Royal Train after 3 years. The operation of this train was stopped in March 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The train was inaugurated on September 21 around 1:30 pm at the CST Station in Mumbai but the operation will be starting from Saturday.
According to the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) official, notable personalities such as Rahul Narvekar, Deepak Kesarkar, and Girish Mahajan attended the inauguration, with attempts being made to invite Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, and Ajit Pawar as guests of honour.
The official said that after Covid-19, the first seven-day journey, will traverse through royal destinations including Vadodara, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Jaipur, Agra, Sawai Madhopur and culminate in New Delhi.
The MTDC operate the Deccan Odyssey Royal Train. The train provides a luxury service at a cost starting from Rs 6.5 lakh per person. The cost has been revised after the Covid-19 pandemic.
If a passenger books in a group of two people, the charges will cost around Rs 9 lakh for the royal experience.
To experience the grandeur of Maharashtra’s royal history, aboard the iconic Deccan Odyssey. The train features 21 coaches, with 11 dedicated to guests, as well as dining, conference, spa, and lounge coaches. MTDC has appointed a new tour operator to ensure seamless operations.
People can book now for the first trip after the COVID pandemic, with 25 seats already reserved out of a total capacity of around 80 persons.
The Deccan Odyssey showcases Maharashtra’s cultural heritage and scenic wonders, blending elegance and opulence for a luxurious travel experience.
The UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) recognised World Heritage site Ajanta Ellora Caves is also included in the Royal Train journey, people can experience this journey.
India News
Indian High Commission, consulates facing threats, Canada’s allegations politically motivated: MEA
Arindam Bagchi further underscored that it is Canada that needs to look into its growing reputation of being a safe haven for terrorists, extremists, and organised crime.
Amidst escalating tension between India and Canada, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi stated that the allegations by Canada seems to be politically motivated, adding that there’s a degree of prejudice. Diplomatic standoff between both the countries broke out after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday claimed that his country’s security agencies were investigating a link between the Indian government and the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Briefing the media regarding the aforesaid allegation, Arindam Bagchi noted that no specific information was shared by Canada on the Nijjar case. He added that the Indian government had shared specific information concerning criminal activities by individuals on Canadian soil but no actions were taken regarding the same.
Arindam Bagchi further underscored that it is Canada that needs to look into its growing reputation of being a safe haven for terrorists, extremists, and organised crime. He asserted that the security situation is owing to the inaction by the Canadian government. He also claimed that there are elements linked to organized crime, terrorists, and extremists who are on a free run and politically condoned.
The Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson also claimed that the Indian High Commission and consulates are facing security threats in Canada and therefore cannot process visa applications temporarily. He noted that all categories of visas are suspended and that the issue is not about travel to India but about incitement of violence and inaction by the Canadian government. Those who have valid visas and OCI cards can travel freely, he continued.
He conveyed that the Indian government has informed the Canadian government that there should be parity in strength and rank equivalence in their mutual diplomatic presence. Notably, in a meeting that was held on the sidelines of the G20 Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed strong concerns about continuing anti-India activities of extremist elements in Canada, promoting secessionism and inciting violence against Indian diplomats, damaging diplomatic premises, and threatening the Indian community in Canada and their places of worship.
