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India Today
3 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
How Valmik Thapar earned his tiger stripes
In the crowded conservation space, how did the late Valmik Thapar, one of India's foremost tiger experts, author, filmmaker and commentator, stand out?Thapar, 73, lost his battle with cancer in the early hours of May 31, plunging the global wildlife and conservation community into gloom. He is survived by wife Sanjana, the daughter of late actor Shashi Kapoor, and son stood out most importantly because of his frankness of opinion, the not-so-common ability to call a spade a spade. He served on numerous environmental committees, including the National Board for Wildlife, India's top decision-maker on wildlife. Yet, he never minced words even if that meant antagonising those who had appointed him to such bodies.A case in point is Thapar serving as a member of the task force on tigers set up in the aftermath of the conservation debacle at Rajasthan's Sariska Reserve, where the tiger was found in the early 2000s to have been pushed to near wipeout. While on the committee, Thapar had opposed the theory of coexistence of tigers and humans, which used to be a view much in sync with the government of the day in Delhi. Later, in an indication that he was open to correction, Thapar supported the idea of working with forest-dwelling communities, and even did so in the villages around the Ranthambore National Park in Rajasthan through his not-for-profit, the Ranthambore Those who have known the Thapar family suggest Valmik's ability to speak the truth to the powers that be may have come from parents Romesh Thapar and Raj Thapar. Romesh's May 1950 victory in the Supreme Court in the case 'Romesh Thapar v State of Madras' remains one of the landmark rulings in India on the freedom of speech and curbing of arbitrary use of state as editor of CrossRoads magazine, had moved court after the then Madras government banned the sale of the publication in the state over an article on police violence in a Thapars also conceptualised the Seminar magazine. Romesh, educated in England, was much impressed with Fabian socialism and imbibed Marxist ideals. Highly educated and Marxist in political thought, the couple was perhaps the kinds dispensations are often not comfortable with.'Valmik Thapar had the ability to speak the truth, without malice, to the powers that be. He was not dogmatic as many imagine... He was a strategist. He had strong opinions, based on his field experience imbibed from Fateh Singh Rathore, the first field director of the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve. He knew Ranthambhore and its tiger intimately and was wedded to that forest,' says Bittu Sahgal, editor of Sanctuary Asia magazine and a long-time friend and associate of Sahgal and Thapar had spent endless nights under the boughs of the banyan tree at Ranthambore Fort's Jogi Mahal, inside the reserve. 'Virtually all his life, Valmik carried the voice of the tiger across the globe, and that positively helped protect Panthera tigris across India,' reminiscences critics within the conservation fraternity had an issue with his focus on the tiger, so much so that he was labelled by some as a tiger fanatic to the detriment of other species. Most recently, Thapar had emerged as a prominent voice opposing the government's decision to reintroduce the cheetah in programme launched with much fanfare at the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh in 2022 has had a rough ride. Thapar, speaking to INDIA TODAY back then, had mentioned that the main issue was the lack of open grasslands, like the ones seen in Africa where cheetahs can roam cheetahs at Kuno now routinely enter human habitations that dot the landscape, vindicating Thapar's stance, at least friends maintain that being an extremely private person, Thapar did not speak of his battle with cancer with too many people. His son Hamir has spent considerable time in Ranthambore. Will he follow in the illustrious footsteps of his father?advertisementSubscribe to India Today Magazine
India Gazette
4 days ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
"Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya looked to create own ideology to move away from western thought": Union Minister JP Nadda
New Delhi [India], June 1 (ANI): Union Minister J P Nadda on Sunday visited the 'Ekatma Manavvad' exhibition, also known as 'Integral Humanism' in New Delhi, which is dedicated to showing the philosophy proposed by Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya. An event was also organised to highlight the contributions of Pandit Deen Dayal to the country and economy. 'Deen Dayal ji was a three-in-one, a leader in its own right, a thinker and organiser. That is why we hear that Guruji (MS Gowalkar) also said that if we get 4 Deen Dayal's, then I can bring change in the world. We also know how in a short duration he established Jana Sangh a national party,' J P Nadda said. Talking about how the Jana Sangh founder wanted to move away from 'western political thought, and establish an Indian thought instead. 'He went away, but he did the work of planting the seed of the party's ideology...I also want to point that there was an influence of western political thinking in India. Whatever ideology is there, Fabian socialism, socialism, capitalism, communism, they came from outside India to impose on us. In such a situation, Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya said that we have to create our own ideology and take it forward by giving prominence to Indian thinking,' Nadda said during the program. 'Which is why he took this forward with Integral Humanism, 'Ekatma Manavvad'... We have to be a decentralized system and hence he strengthened economic progress,' he added. Encouraging people to bring forth the ideals of Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya, he said, '60 years ago, he gave a 4-day lecture on ideology, and now we, 60 years later are organising a 2 day program on this, so I believe it is good, and I would like to tell people that we shouldn't stop here, we should demonstrate it and move it forward, and give it a shape.' Nadda further advocated for a decentralised system of governance, which takes into account the huge population and various regions of the country. '...Our traditions have not been made in 2 days, it has taken thousands of years, and it is valuable to society, and economy. We need to demonstrate this with an economic point of view too. We are such a big nation of 140 crore people, to run this country we cannot be a centralised system, we have to be a decentralized system and hence he (Deen Dayal Upadhyaya) strengthened economic progress,' Nadda said. Quoting Pandit Deen Dayal, Nadda said that the words of the Jana Sangh founder are becoming a reality under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi 'He said, 'World standards cannot be the standards we have to adhere to, we need to set our own standards'. When Deen Dayal said this, it might have looked like it is impossible, but today this has become possible under the leadership of PM Modi. We are preparing all parameters on Indian standards.' Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan also attended the program, underlining the resolve to build power to defend against anyone who attacks us, a veiled reference to Operation Sindoor. 'Our country's sages said, 'Atmavat Sarva Bhuteshu' (meaning 'treat all beings as if they were your own self')... But on the other hand, we also say that to apply such a principle, we need strength and power. We have to save our existence, not only for ourselves but also for the world... That is why we do not leave anyone who attacks us... We will have to do that,' Chouhan said. Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya was the leader of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh from 1953 to 1968, the precursor to the Bharatiya Janata Party. Born on September 25, 1916, in Uttar Pradesh's Mathura district, in the village of Nagla Chandrabhan, his father was a well-known astrologer. Pandit Deen Dayal also established a publishing house, various magazines and daily newspapers too. On February 11, 1968, he died under mysterious circumstances after boarding a train in UP. (ANI)
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Artistic cooperation between Automobili Estrema and Fabian Oberhammer "The Dizzy Viper"
BOLZANO, Italy, May 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Four years after its debut at MAUTO in Turin (Turin Automobile Museum), Automobili Estrema's "Fulminea" project is being renewed through a collaboration with 3D digital artist Fabian Oberhammer, known by his artistic name "The Dizzy Viper." The collaboration includes two distinct artistic projects: The creation of 10 series of 2 "NFT" images each, titled "Fulminea Dystopia." The first pair of images is called "Only Survivor: Fulminea." The second project, "Estrema Fulminea Original," consists of creations that playfully parody the famous video game "Grand Theft Auto V" (also known as "GTA 5"), which features a vehicle inspired by Fulminea, the "Överflöd Pipistrello." The proceeds from both projects will help complete the road-going prototype being developed in collaboration with a company based in the Turin area. Gianfranco Pizzuto, CEO and founder of Automobili Estrema:"I am particularly happy and proud of this collaboration with Fabian, who is also a fellow citizen of Merano. At Automobili Estrema we continue to believe in the Fulminea project, and I'm certain that Fabian's contribution will be decisive." Fabian Oberhammer "The Dizzy Viper":"For a long time, I wanted to meet Gianfranco and offer my support to be part of the Fulminea project. In the end, he got to me first, but I am very satisfied with this opportunity to contribute and help bring Fulminea into production soon." Information: Automobili Estrema, founded in October 2020 by Italian entrepreneur Gianfranco Pizzuto, is a car manufacturer specializing in the design and production of small-series electric hypercars and supercars. The first model, "Fulminea," is a two-seater hypercar with a composite chassis and body, and a high-performance battery. Its four electric motors, one for each wheel, deliver 1.5 MW of peak power (over 2000 hp), enabling acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in under 2 seconds and a top speed of over 350 km/h. Fulminea was unveiled to the public at MAUTO in Turin in May 2021. First deliveries are expected in the second half of Fabian Oberhammer, also known as "The Dizzy Viper," is a digital artist born in 1997 in Merano, South Tyrol, Italy. Fabian has been creating digital art for nearly 10 years. Since February 2017, he has created a daily digital artwork inspired by the automotive world. To date, he has produced over 3,000 pieces. Posting his work daily on Instagram has helped him build a following of over 180,000 people, inspiring many young artists. Creating something new every day has led Fabian to explore new artistic NFT, or "Non-Fungible Token," is a type of digital token—a certificate of ownership—based on blockchain technology. These tokens represent unique digital or physical assets such as artworks, songs, or objects, certifying their ownership in a unique and irreplaceable way. Photo: Photo: Photo: Photo: View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Automobili Estrema Sign in to access your portfolio
The Star
20-05-2025
- The Star
Cyber Games 2025 kicks off in Kuala Lumpur
Fabian (2nd from right) looks on as National Security Council deputy director-general Datuk Baharuddin Ahmad (centre) presents a token of appreciation to the Head of the Cybercrime Division of the Council of Europe, Alexander Seger (right), at the Cyber Games 2025 opening ceremony today. Also present were Nacsa CEO Dr Megat Zuhairy Megat Tajuddin (2nd from left) and Interpol's Director of the Cybercrime Directorate, Dr. Neal Jetton (far left). — Bernama KUALA LUMPUR: The Cyber Games 2025 kicked off today following an opening ceremony in Kuala Lumpur, bringing together around 120 participants from 40 countries in competition to take on real-world cybersecurity challenges. Officiating the opening ceremony was Digital Ministry secretary-general Fabian Bigar, who gave a speech on Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo's behalf. "The decision to hold the very first edition of the Cyber Games here in Malaysia reflects the strong and growing partnership between Malaysia, the Council of Europe and Interpol. "It also reaffirms our shared vision: to foster resilience, cooperation, and innovation in the fight against cybercrime. "This event represents far more than a competition – it is a global platform for engagement, capacity building, and meaningful collaboration," he said. The Cyber Games 2025 is hosted by the Malaysia National Cyber Security Agency (Nacsa) and jointly organised with the Council of Europe and Interpol, taking place from today (May 20) until May 23. The event will also be followed by a series of regional editions in Europe and Africa. The secretary-general says that cyberthreats are growing in sophistications and are borderless, with Malaysia having seen a 78% surge in ransomware cases in Q4 of 2024 compared to the previous quarter. Among the stated goals of the inaugural Cyber Games 2025 is to act as a platform for experts, such as cyber incident investigators and digital forensics specialists, to deepen their understanding of cyber threats and how to more effectively combat them. It would also sharpen the practical skills of participants by testing how they handle simulated real-life situations like ransomware and cryptocurrency-related cybercrime as well as encourage the sharing of global expertise in cybersecurity and digital forensics, and strengthen international cooperation in tackling cyber threats. Fabian added that the Cyber Games lines up with the nation's strategic approach in combating cybercrime and strengthening cybersecurity policies, with Malaysia working towards implementing robust measures and legal frameworks to foster regional and international cooperation in combating cyber threats. "This includes our Cabinet's recent approval for accession to the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime, as well as our commitment to signing the forthcoming United Nations Convention against Cybercrime. "In parallel, we are currently drafting a new Cybercrime Bill that will further modernise and fortify our legal frameworks, which we expect to table in Parliament by the end of this year," he said. According to Nacsa chief executive officer Dr Megat Zuhairy Megat Tajuddin, stakeholders have been engaged since last month to provide feedback on the first draft of the Cybercrime Bill. These stakeholders include the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, various telcos, and the Bar Council. The engagement sessions also aim to ensure that the proposed legislation does not negatively impact industry operations, with feedback carefully considered to strike a balance between effective enforcement and the needs of stakeholders. It was previously reported that the bill would be tabled in October this year.
The South African
19-05-2025
- Sport
- The South African
The McCarthys enter Kaizer Chiefs history books
Kaizer Chiefs development product, Aden McCarthy, made his senior Amakhosi debut on Saturday in the club's 1-1 draw away to Sekhukhune United, following in the footsteps of his father, Fabian, who was a Kaizer Chiefs player between 2002 and 2008. Aden and Fabian also became the fifth different father-son duo to have played for the Glamour Boys. They join Amakhosi chairman, Dr Kaizer Motaung and his son, the club's Sporting Director, Kaizer Motaung jnr, as well as Kaizer Chiefs legend, Doctor Khumalo and his late father, Eliakim Khumalo, and the late former defender Siphiwe Mkhonza and his father, Joseph Mkhonza. The fifth pairing was another former Kaizer Chiefs defender, Morgan Gould, a league winner with Amakhosi whose father Ace 'Goodenough' Nkomo also wore the Gold & Black. Reflecting on his son's debut, Fabian McCarthy, who featured in 152 games for Kaizer Chiefs, beamed, 'It was a very proud and also emotional moment. 'If only my late father could have seen Aden make his Kaizer Chiefs debut. 'For myself and my wife Melissa and extended family, we are very proud of Aden.' Fabian, who had a trophy-laden career at Kaizer Chiefs, was further pleased to have joined the illustrious grouping. 'I am happy to be part of the father-son legacy at Kaizer Chiefs. Thank you for the opportunity and all the best to Aden,' he said. Aden McCarthy, who was born on 4 December 2003, two days before his father featured in Kaizer Chiefs' 2003/04 Coca Cola Cup final win over Platinum Stars, added that he has been a Amakhosi fan since birth. Aden spoke of his delight at getting to make his first team debut, revealing, 'I was born into the Kaizer Chiefs colours. My dad was still playing for them at the time. 'Making my debut for Kaizer Chiefs was a dream of mine since I was a small boy, so it was a big accomplishment to make it come true. 'As a young player, I just gave my best and I knew the chance would come when the timing was right and I am happy the coach gave me the opportunity to showcase my talent.' On the history of following his father into the Soweto giant's first team, he said, 'Being the fifth father-son combination to play for Kaizer Chiefs is crazy to think about, but honestly, it's a big honour for me and my family.' For his family, he had special praise. 'I need to give credit to my mother. People will post about my father because of our football link, but my mother has been the backbone for us,' he stated. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
