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Time of India
03-08-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
State govt drops Indira Gandhi'sname from school award
Jaipur: Rajasthan govt renamed the Indira Priyadarshini Award, named after former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, as the Padmakshi Award, given to meritorious girls studying in Classes VIII, X and XII. The govt has also reduced the prize money allocate for the scheme. The cash award under the Padmakshi Award has been fixed at Rs 25,000 for girls of Class 8, down from Rs 40,000. For girls of Class 10, the award money has been brought down from Rs 75,000 to Rs 50,000, while the prize money of Rs 1 lakh for girls studying in Class XII has been pared down to Rs 75,000. Under the Indira Priyadarshini Award, the Class 12 topper was also given a scooty in addition to the cash award. The annual, Indira Priyadarshini Award for meritorious girl students, was launched in 2010-11 by former Ashok Gehlot, with about 1200-1300 girls receiving the cash award every year. It was given away at every district headquarters on Nov 19, to mark the birthday of the former PM. In 2017-18, Raje govt changed the name of the award to Padmakshi Puruskar Yojana. When Gehlot returned to office in 2019, the scheme got back its original name. This is the third time that the scheme has been renamed, but the first time the prize money is being lowered. Rajasthan govt has now said the Padmakshi Award will be given away on Basant Panchami. The eligibility criteria for the award remains the same — a score of above 60% or 9 CGPA. TOI tried contacting education minister Madan Dilawar for a comment, but did not get a response. Dilawar's team said Saturday the revamped Padmakshi Award will be given to "encourage talented girls of general, scheduled caste, scheduled tribe, other backward classes, minority classes, extremely backward classes, BPL, and specially abled children" studying in the state. Students studying in schools under the Sanskrit education department will also be eligible. "The entire expenditure will be borne by Balika Shiksha Foundation," a govt statement informing of the change said. Dilawar's office also clarified that the state education department had nothing to do with the distribution of scooties to the meritorious girls. "Scooties are given to meritorious girls under various schemes of the higher education department and not the education department. Only the name of an existing scheme has been changed," a person from Dilawar's team told TOI. Reacting sharply to the govt's decision to cut down assistance to deserving girls in the state, Rajasthan Congress president Govind Singh Dotasra said BJP govt's decision was not just a cut in expenses, "but a direct attack on girl education and the dreams of daughters." "Congress govt started the scooty scheme to encourage meritorious girls, so that daughters can progress in education, their morale is boosted, and they can easily go to school-college in far-flung areas. But BJP not only changed the scheme's name, but also reduced prize money. BJP govt has proved it is neither concerned about the education of daughters, nor does it value their courage," Dotasra posted on social media. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Friendship Day wishes , messages and quotes !
Time of India
17-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
Rare 4-horned lamb found in Chamoli, may lead next yr's Nanda Devi yatra
1 2 3 4 Dehradun: A five-month-old male lamb with four fully formed horns has been found in the hill village of Koti near Karnaprayag in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district — sparking both religious anticipation and scientific inquiry. The lamb, born to a local herder's flock, is being hailed by residents as the possible Chausingha Khadu, the sacred four-horned ram destined to lead the Nanda Devi Raj Jat Yatra in 2026 — a 280km, 19-day pilgrimage held once every 12 years. The yatra, among the most spiritually resonant traditions in the central Himalayas, traces the mythical journey of goddess Nanda Devi from her paternal home in the hills to her consort Shiva's abode in Mount Kailash. Traditionally, the procession begins in Nauti village and passes through alpine meadows, glacial paths, and remote settlements before culminating at Roopkund and Homkund — high-altitude lakes wrapped in legend. At the forefront of this procession is the ram — not merely an animal, but a divine emissary. This year's discovery was unexpected. Harish Lal, a goat herder for two decades, noticed something unusual about one of his newborn lambs a few weeks after its birth. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Your Finger Shape Says a Lot About Your Personality, Read Now Tips and Tricks Undo Its horns had split into two distinct pairs. "We've raised livestock for years," said his son, Gaurav. "This has never happened. It's a matter of luck if the committee chooses him. " The family offered the lamb — free of cost — to the Nanda Devi Raj Jat Samiti, the organising committee. Gautam Mingwal, a local social worker and former village head, was the first to pass the news to the committee. He described the discovery not as a miracle, but as a deeply meaningful return of a cultural symbol. "A four-horned Khadu doesn't appear often," he said. "When it does, it means something." Rakesh Kunwar, president of the Nanda Devi Raj Jat Committee, confirmed the offer but noted that the final decision would follow scripture and ritual. "Only the Maudvi rite has been completed so far. The full programme and the selection of the Chousingha Khadu will be announced on Basant Panchami," he said. The Maudvi rite is a traditional purification and invocation ceremony performed in Nauti village to formally begin preparations for the yatra. It involves worship of goddess Nanda Devi and the ritual declaration of the yatra's intent and schedule. The lamb's four horns are likely the result of a rare polycerate mutation. "It's an extremely uncommon occurrence," said S K Gupta, senior scientist at the Wildlife Institute of India. "Placental samples from this Khadu and its parents could offer meaningful insights, especially if these anomalies are geographically localised to the central Himalayan belt." Professor B N Shahi, from the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences at GB Pant University, added that this particular breed is found only in Uttarakhand and is currently under phenotypic study. "There is a scientific story unfolding here alongside the spiritual one," he said. The Nanda Devi Raj Jat Yatra is sometimes called the Himalayan Kumbh, not because of its scale alone, but because of the generational memory it carries. As legend has it, when Nanda Devi leaves her paternal home, the skies weep in her honour — the pilgrimage begins with torrential rain. For now, the lamb remains in Koti, tethered in a stone-walled shed, unaware of its possible fate.
