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Time of India
16 hours ago
- Sport
- Time of India
ET Women's Forum: Her rifle is an ode to her determination
Very few women say 'a rifle is an extension of who I am' and Avani Lekhara is one of them. A girl who picked up the rifle for the first time in 2015 as a teenager after a spinal cord injury in 2012 and went on to win two paralympic gold medals in Tokyo and Paris. In a candid chat at The Economic Times Women's Forum , Lekhara said she felt that connection with the sport when she first started competing. She received her first gold medal in a regional shooting match at Kendriya Vidyalaya. "Only after I started competing with other able-bodied athletes and para-athletes did I feel more connected to it. I felt like, okay, this is something that is really a part of me and that I want to continue," Lekhara said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The Handmade Painted 3D Book Mug Designed By A Famous Engineer is Sweeping New York SOLYMALL Shop Now Undo At the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, Lekhara won a gold in women's 10m air rifle and became the first Indian woman athlete to win three paralympic medals. The Paris games were different from Tokyo for the then 23-year-old athlete. "I was the underdog in Tokyo. I came seventh in the qualifiers, and while going into the finals, I thought how could it be worse whether I am seventh or eighth." Only the top eight athletes get to compete in the finals. Live Events But the expectations of not only herself and her family, but the entire nation were on her when she went to compete in the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games. "There is pressure to maintain your position, and that takes a lot of courage," the champion said with the quiet confidence that comes only after one has achieved mastery in their space. Now she is a 24-year-old law graduate but is insistent that she doesn't want to be glorified for her path despite her injury - "a person is putting in a lot of hard work to compete and win medals, not to have a glorified story", Avani said. She dreamed of being a judge in a wheelchair even before she dreamed of being an athlete, she said. The aspiring judge wants everyone, especially persons with disabilities, to know not only their rights but also how to use their rights. She strives to include disabled persons in sports and society and provide accessibility in public spaces. She appreciates the fact that young girls with disabilities can look up to her before starting a sport and that she can represent them. "It's the impact because when I was a little kid, I didn't have anyone to look up to," she said. Winning the Khel Ratna and Padma Shree awards made her feel visible and connected to other athletes, especially para-athletes. "I feel that connection when people come and say that because of you, we started and didn't want to give up, it makes people feel more visible and more seen", and for Avani, that is the real success. Before wheeling herself down the dais, Avani Lekhara, sitting tall in a wheelchair wearing a purple jumpsuit said, "Every person with disabilities should know how to use their rights and how to implement these rights in their lives to make it better."
Hans India
28-05-2025
- Science
- Hans India
18-Year-Old Learner from Great Learning Wins National Recognition (Padma Shree Samman)
Dr Vaishnav Shailesh Kakade, a young scientist, researcher and the youngest learner at Great Learning, has been awarded the prestigious Padma Shri Samman for his exceptional contributions to education and social work. The distinguished award is presented to individuals who showcase immense potential, while further fast-tracking them to receive the highly sought-after Padma Shree award. At just 18 years of age, Dr Kakade has set multiple world records, authored two books, and made pioneering contributions to the fields of quantum physics and general relativity. Driven by his passion for space exploration and cutting-edge technology, Dr. Kakade embarked on his learning journey with Great Learning through a Data Science and Machine Learning program, in collaboration with MIT IDSS. The course played a pivotal role in shaping his research approach, particularly in leveraging Python programming and data-driven decision-making to develop complex scientific simulations. His research led to the development of the Quantum Related Concepts (QRC) theory, a significant step toward merging quantum physics with general relativity and exploring the concept of quantum entanglement-induced gravitational waves. Dr Kakade believes upskilling has given him the right push to pursue his aspirations and said, 'I've always been passionate about space technology, and upskilling has played a pivotal role in shaping my research and deepening my understanding of the field. It empowered me to build advanced simulations, improve model accuracy, and sharpen both theoretical knowledge and problem-solving abilities. As space research continues to evolve, I believe continuous learning is key to staying ahead of technological advancements. My aim is to push the boundaries of innovation, contribute to India's aerospace ambitions, and collaborate with fellow researchers to strengthen the nation's position in the global space race while developing solutions that shape the future of exploration.' At 18 years of age, his 40+ national-level achievements, including five world records, have contributed to his selection for the Padma Shri Samaan in the Education and Social Work category. With his eyes set on the future, Dr. Kakade is further refining his QRC theory and aims to apply for the Nobel Prize in the coming years. He has also earned Gold Honor at the International Astronomy Competition, gaining NASA's recognition as a "galactic problem solver." His awards, including the Padma Shri Samman and Bharat Gaurav Ratna Shri Samman, affirm his national impact. Beyond his contributions to theoretical physics, Dr. Kakade has made strides in climate research, focusing on the impact of climate change on Indian farmers and food security. His research, recognized by the World Food Prize Foundation, proposes strategic collaborations with international organizations to mitigate agricultural challenges in India.
Time of India
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Lalduhoma calls for Mizo unity & brotherhood
Aizawl: Mizoram CM Lalduhoma on Monday said the land of the Mizo people have been balkanised into three countries against the will of the Mizos which split the people by international boundaries, but the people cannot be divided as ethnicity has no boundaries. Speaking at the launching of a book on Mizo legend Chhura written by Mizo historian Prof RL Thanmawia, a Padma Shree awardee in Aizawl, Lalduhoma said all the ethnic Mizos should fortify unity and brotherhood. "The book entitled Chhura Thawnthu (Hnam Hrang Hrangte Sawi Dan), the legend or folklore of Chhura,... will go a long way to cement unity among all the tribes and sub-tribes of Mizos. The folklore of Chhura signifies that Mizos living in different countries and regions belonged to one stock as the name of Chhura is remembered by different sub-tribes in different names due to different dialects," he said. Thanmawia, author of the book, said according to the research he had conducted, around 30 ethnic Mizo groups have similar legend of Chhura while he could manage to collect and write about Chhura's folklore by 16 tribes and sub-tribes. He expressed hope that he will expand the book in future.
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
'The Road Ahead 2.0' and the first AI lab in the region at S-Vyasa University
BENGALURU, India, Feb. 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In a landmark initiative to foster the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in higher education, S-Vyasa Deemed to be University hosted a prestigious event. The event hosted at S-Vyasa University under their eminent president and scholar Padma Shree, Dr. H. R. Nagendra was graced by Prof. T.G. Sitharam, Chairman of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), whose declaration of 2025 as the 'Mahakumbh of AI' for higher education institutions has set the stage for transformative educational advancements across India. Three key highlights of the event were 1. Fire starting AICTE Dialogues on *AI of AI *Adoption Imperatives of AI, 2. The release of two volumes of a book titled The Road Ahead 2.0. and 3. Announcement of setting up a first of its kind AI lab at the S Vyasa University. The Road Ahead 2.0 is a first of its kind seminal work on AI authored by eminent Prof. T G Sitharam and Co-authored by Yogi Kochhar a celebrity happiness savant, a technocrat and an AI evangelist. This has been inspired by Bill Gates's original work 'The Road Ahead' penned over 30 years ago as he was ushering in his software mounted on CPUs and maps the transition from CPUs to GPUs. Described by Dr. H R Nagendra as "profound and clairvoyant work offering insights into the fast-evolving human, socio economic, industrial, scientific and educational ecosystem impacted by AI," the book navigates across 80+ chapters in two volumes over 750+ pages as it provides a visionary roadmap touching each enterprise and activity highlighting the need to acknowledge, accept and adapt to this tectonic shift. The narrative is simple and has stories and analogies making the entire experience very immersive and fascinating. Speaking of the event, Dr H R Nagendra, Chancellor S-Vyasa University, has remarked, "This gathering will serve as a critical platform for meaningful dialogue on the future of education in India, driven by AI adoption. We are honored to host AICTE's Chairman and support his vision for AI's integration into higher education through fire starting a nationwide dialogue on the Adoption Imperatives of AI. On this day we are announcing the setting up of a unique first of its kind AI lab in this region that has been curated by eminent engineers from Stanford University." Prof Sitharam held forth for the mission of AI that AICTE has taken at hand using a Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve and Control (DMAIC) mechanism to prepare the higher ed infrastructure. He said, "The future of AI in India is not just about automation but about augmentation—empowering industries, enhancing human potential, and transforming the landscape of innovation. As AI integrates with India's vast talent pool, huge public digital infrastructure, and digital revolution, it will redefine how the nation educates, governs, grows, and becomes vikasit Bharat @2047." He added, "Siloed labs in civil, electrical, and mechanical domains are like the limbs of a human being and are already redundant without repurposing these. An AI lab synthesizes these disciplines, offering a unified system metaphorically speaking, like a human being where true innovation can thrive. This is an imperative to ride the AI wave or be sunk under it." Yogi Kochhar the co-author of the book, 'The Road Ahead 2.0' shed extensive light on the metaphorical genetic mutation through AI across 80+ domains ranging from UNSDGs, Quantum mechanics, Nano technology, medicine, agriculture, aeronautics, education at one hand and small businesses such as manufacturing, hotels, market places, e-commerce and even health clubs and beauty salons on the other. He said, "AI is now both sentient and sapient. It has developed feelings of its own and the intelligence too that exceeds human intelligence. The book offers a road map to deal with this." S-Vyasa University announced setting up of a cutting-edge AI lab, the first of its kind in the region curated by a team from Stanford University and eminent industry leaders. For Media Inquiries: Ms. Srividya Sen: +91 9538872506 | | S-Vyasa Deemed to be University For AI: Yogi Kochhar: +91 9958585370 | yogi@ Photo: View original content to download multimedia:
