The Neelakurinji flowers that gave Tamil Nadu and Kerala’s Nilgiri Hills (‘blue mountains’) its name, are blooming! These flowers bloom every twelve years in various spots in the Western Ghats. This year, they span over ten acres in the Shalomkunnu hills, in the Idukki District of Kerala. Unfortunately, the hills are currently closed for tourists due to the pandemic.
Following Mirabai’s win, India is riding high on hopes and waiting in anticipation for a victory in today’s (June 30th) matches. On the docket are pistol shooters Rahi Sarnobat and Manu Bhaker, archer Deepika Kumari, boxer Lovlina Borgohain, and badminton star P.V. Sindhu. India is also set to commence its participation in athletics.
It is said that friends are the family we choose, and Friendship Day celebrates this unconditional love. It was first proposed by the World Friendship Crusade, an organisation that intended to foster a culture of peace. Though celebrated around the world on July 30th, a few countries including India observe it on the first Sunday in August.
Google Doodle has been outdoing itself during the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, collaborating with the animation studio, STUDIO 4°C, in Tokyo. It has been introducing several online sports games as a part of the Doodle Champion Island Games. To celebrate the seventh day, it has published a new marathon game across Champion Island.
The Harappan City of Dholavira, located in the Rann of Kutch has been added to the list of UNESCO’S World Heritage sites. Earning its place as the 40th world heritage property in India, Dholavira dominated trends on social media as netizens celebrated. The unique site, with its impressive water management system, defence mechanisms, stone construction, and special burial structures, was discovered in 1968.
On July 28th, every year, World Nature Conservation Day is celebrated to emphasize the importance of a thriving natural environment for human life. This day is meant to spark conversation and action about conserving endangered flora and fauna on Earth. By taking steps to conserve our natural resources, we can all stop the natural world from incurring irreversible damage.
On Wednesday at the Olympics, India’s athletes will be competing in a wide range of sports: hockey, badminton, boxing, archery, sailing, and rowing. Most anticipated is the match between badminton star P.V. Sindhu and Cheung Ngan Yi from Hong kong. The Indian women’s hockey team is up against Great Britain, and Boxer Pooja Rani will face Algeria’s Ichrak Chaib.
In an athletic win, separate from the Olympics, Indian wrestler from Haryana, Priya Malik bagged a gold-medal win at the World Cadet Wrestling Championship in Budapest, Hungary, on Sunday. Defeating Kseniya Patapovich from Belarus 5-0 in the summit clash, Malik emerged victorious in a moment that made all of India proud.
The nation has been rejoicing at weightlifter Mirabai Chanu’s remarkable win at the Tokyo Olympics 2020 last week. With various tributes being shared online, one stands out: a video from Manipur showing the live reactions of her family and friends as she won the silver medal. The video, shared by Asian News International (ANI), went viral and warmed the hearts of many.
A remarkable 8-foot-high bust of former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam made entirely of scrap material has been installed in the Yeshvantpur Coach Depot in South Western Railways. The creative structure was made of nuts, bolts, wire, and old containers. It was paid for by the Indian Railways, who shared pictures on Twitter, garnering praise from netizens.
