Lanka Suryanarayana from Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, has always surrounded himself with books since his early years. So far, the octogenarian has collected over 1.35 lakh books in his personal library. As his love for books started with the translated novels of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay, his library also has translations and commentaries on the Bhagavad Gita, 99 translations of Tagore’s Gitanjali, and 1400 commentaries and translations of the Ramayana.
Bamboo has been a major source of livelihood for the Kolam tribes in Telangana. Gedam Kiran, from Adilabad, Telangana, has been creating bamboo-made articles such as water bottles, chairs, baskets and sofa sets, to promote them as an alternative to plastic. The environmental activist has also provided training to around 1,200 tribal and non-tribal youths, who showed interest in creating and selling bamboo-based products in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Inspired by the Dabbawalas and their tiffin service, 31-year-old Pendyala Saikrishna Reddy, has launched his startup, ‘Sahasra Dabbawala’, with four delivery boys, in Karimnagar, Telangana. The delivery boys deliver lunchboxes to students, bachelors and officials staying away from their families. Within one month of launching the service, Saikrishna Reddy has got around 50 customers and hopes to expand his catering service to other towns in the future.
National Science Day is celebrated annually in India on February 28, to commemorate the discovery of the Raman Effect. Dr Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman, also known as Sir C.V. Raman, discovered the Raman effect in 1928 and was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for this game-changing discovery in 1930. The day is also observed to encourage Indian youth to develop an interest in science and technology and understand its significance in one’s daily life.
Sitaben, a determined tribal woman from Gujarat, was one of the entrepreneurs who met Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the inauguration of the Aadi Mahotsav celebration, the National Tribal Festival, in Delhi. After her husband’s death, Sitaben started her journey as a businesswoman by making and selling various millet biscuits, such as Chakri, Papad, and others. Her products quickly gained a huge following and now are sold not only in Gujarat, but throughout India.
Venkatesulu, a constable from Guntakal, Andhra Pradesh, and his wife Jayamma, believe that along with human beings, other creatures also have an equal right to thrive on this earth. Therefore, the couple has followed a daily ritual of feeding street dogs across the town between 4 pm and 10 pm for the past 27 years. Besides feeding them, the couple also provides medical aid to injured puppies.
World Thinking Day is observed annually by the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS), on 22 February, to spread awareness about issues that affect girls and young women. This year, the theme, ‘Our World, Our Peaceful Future’, is created to highlight how we can cooperate with nature to build a more secure and pleasant future for young women across the globe.
Subhashree Sahu from Karimnagar, Telangana, was recently awarded at the CBSE National Exhibition 2022-2023 in Delhi, for her project. The Class IX student designed a multi-functional eco-friendly agricultural (agro) machine to reduce air and sound pollution useful in the farming sector. Her project, under the theme of environmental concern, was chosen as the best among the students from various CBSE schools across the nation.
Every year, the World Day of Social Justice is observed on 20 January. As the name suggests, the day is observed to raise our voice against social injustice and to work towards creating a more just and equitable world. The theme for this year is, ‘Overcoming Barriers and Unleashing Opportunities for Social Justice’.
Did you know that there are 22 scheduled languages in India and the majority of the Indian population uses one of these languages as their mother tongue? International Mother Language Day is celebrated annually on 21 February, to promote and preserve multilingual diversity. The theme of this year is, ‘Multilingual education – a necessity to transform education’.
