Chetna Gala Sinha from Mumbai, saw that her neighbour was not allowed to open a savings account in multiple banks, as she could not deposit a substantial sum of money. This incident prompted Chetna to establish the ‘Mann Deshi Mahila Sahakari Bank’ in 1997, especially for rural women to exercise their right to save money, regardless of the amount. Currently, the bank serves over two lakh account holders across eight branches in Western Maharashtra.
Dancing is loved globally as it brings people together in their joyous moments. International Dance Day is observed on 29 April since 1982, to highlight the extraordinary diversity and skill of talented dancers worldwide. The day also marks the birth anniversary of French dancer Jean-Georges Noverre (1727-1810), who is considered the creator of modern ballet.
On 15 March 2023, long jumper Shaili Singh, won the gold medal at the 2023 Indian Grand Prix 4 at the Kanteerava Stadium, Bengaluru. She also created a record for the second-best jump (6.76m) by an Indian woman in the nation, after her mentor and athlete Anju Bobby George (6.83m in 2004). With this win, the 19-year-old qualifies for the upcoming Asian Games.
A 75-year-old building named ‘Ballygunge Place’, located in South Kolkata is all set to become India’s first private single-artist museum. The house belonged to the Padma awardee and veteran artist Jamini Roy (1887-1972) and was recently acquired by the Mumbai-based art gallery DAG. The house is to be converted into ‘The Jamini Roy Museum’, so that the four decades of work by Roy can be available for the rest of the world to see.
An expedition with the 2041 Foundation’s ClimateForce team to Antarctica, gave a new purpose to Hyderabad-based Divya Nawale. The trip motivated her to preserve the beauty of polar regions. She became a climate activist and eco-advocate and now works with the UN Climate Change Secretariat to reduce global warming. Divya carried out various projects on climate change in different parts of the world, including the United States and the United Kingdom.
The pandemic opened the doors to art and creativity for 84-year-old Mattar Prabhakar Kini from Udupi, Karnataka. As a devotee of Lord Ganesha, Kini saw the deity on every page of the magazines and books that he read during the Covid-19 pandemic and began cutting pages from the magazines into required shapes. He then pasted them on other pieces of paper to create collages and creative images of Ganesha. Kini earned his place in the India Book of Records for ‘having the maximum number of Lord Ganesha images in paper collage form by an octogenarian’.
Did you know that a chewing gum generates more than 105 tonnes of plastic garbage annually? Brothers Mayank and Bhuvan from Bengaluru, Karnataka, launched their start-up ‘Gud Gum’ in 2022, to provide a biodegradable and healthier alternative to regular chewing gum and to reduce gum waste. Their product, ‘Gud Gums’, eliminate all the plastic element and are made of a chicory tree gum base.
Encouraged by her grandsons, Bhagwani Devi Dagar began her career in sports, at the age of 94. The 95-year-old recently won three gold medals in 60-metre running, shot put, and discus throw, in the 9th World Masters Athletics Indoor Championships held in Torun, Poland. Bhagwani Devi said that she wants to keep playing till her last breath.
With his parents’ support and encouragement, Nikhil Gowtham, diagnosed at the age of three with autism and Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), recently won gold medals at the National Para Swimming Championships conducted by the Paralympic Committee of India. Manda Narasimha, the father of the 12-year-old from Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, believes that ‘a disability should not be viewed as an excuse but should be considered as an opportunity to explore life beyond its limitations.’
Around 1,140 students at Silver Oaks School in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, came together for a noble cause and donated Rs 5.47 lakh to Abode of Peace and RDWA, two NGO organizations that help orphaned children and underprivileged communities. It is more impressive to note that they earned the money by doing household chores, helping their parents with various tasks, and saving a portion of their allowances.
