Jeegi Sarat, a resident of Cheranalloor, Kerala, decided to learn Kathakali at the age of 51. Her passion to learn the complex artform led her to make her kathakali arangettam (debut) in 2018, at the age of 57. Having proved that nothing is impossible, the 61-year-old now yearns for the cherished Krishna vesham (role) on stage. Jeegi said that her husband helped her in understanding the art and her son encouraged her by paying for her classes.
23-year-old Suraj Kumar, an under-trial prisoner since April 2021, recently secured 54th rank in the Joint Admission Test for Masters (JAM) 2022, conducted by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Roorkee. A native of Mosma village, Bihar, Suraj took help from educated inmates and jail officials to learn Maths and other subjects, to clear the examination. The administration also provided books and study material to him.
Indian long jumper Someswara Rao Ramudri and javelin thrower Mohit, won gold medals in their respective individual events, at the 2022 World Para Athletics Grand Prix, in Dubai, on March 24, 2022. Paralympian Dharambir also received his second silver medal in the discus wheelchair men F51 final, where he covered a distance of 10.93m. India had won six medals at the end of the championship and created two Asian records.
Dr Nawal Kishore Choudhary, an IAS officer serving as the district magistrate of Gopalganj, Bihar, recently launched an initiative named ‘Pustak Daan Maha Abhiyan’ (Book Donation Campaign). The initiative aims to impart reading habits among people and to help students, who are preparing for competitive exams. Choudhary has also received several awards, including the Best IAS officers award by the election commission, for conducting fair and peaceful elections.
Despite suffering from autistic spectrum disorder from the age of two, 13-year-old Jiya Rai, from Maharashtra, became the world’s fastest and youngest female swimmer to swim across the Palk Strait. Rai created a new record by swimming in 13 hours and 10 minutes, on 20 March, 2022. She had earlier covered a distance of 29 km by swimming from Talaimanar, Sri Lanka to Dhanushkodi, Tamil Nadu.
Shaheed Diwas, also known as Martyr’s Day, is observed every year in India, on March 23. The day is marked to remember the death anniversary of valiant freedom fighters, Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev Thapar, and Shivaram Rajguru, who sacrificed their lives for our nation, in 1931. Singh and his revolutionary comrades Rajguru and Sukhdev were hanged to death, by the British Government, in the Lahore Conspiracy case, on 23 March,1931.
World Meteorological Day is celebrated on March 23. The day is observed every year to create awareness among the people about their role in protecting the atmosphere of the earth. The day is also celebrated to mark the anniversary of the establishment of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), on 23 March, 1950. The day is significant as it encourages people to take the right action on time, to prevent any bigger problem for our planet earth.
Guni village, located in Khunti district, Jharkhand, is becoming self-reliant in fulfilling its water needs. The village has adopted several measures such as increasing their farm-productivity by community farming and taking advantage of the ‘Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Swawalamban Yojana’ (DDUSY) of the Rural Development Department, for water conservation. The village also won the ‘National Water Award’ in the Best Village Panchayat Category East Zone, for its water conservation measures.
Children are educating their unlettered elders through an initiative named ‘Padhna Likhna Abhiyaan’, in Latehar District, Jharkhand. As per this initiative by the district administration, ten children per batch are selected as Voluntary Teachers for around 600 schools, to teach their elders. The classes are conducted in the evenings and the selected children studying in Class 8 or above, are given a two-day training, to educate their parents, relatives and neighbours.
World Poetry Day is celebrated every year on March 21. Poetry is one of the best forms to express our thoughts in a rhythmic way. The day is marked to honour and support poetry and poets across the world. The day can be celebrated by reading the poems of well-known poets and reviving the oral tradition of poetry recitals.
