Latest news with #Rather
Indian Express
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
From Pune to Aragam: terror survivor returns to lead Kashmir's first ‘book and poetry village'
Aragam, a tribal village located 70 km from Srinagar in Bandipora district, has become Kashmir's first 'book and poetry village', where over 70 households have dedicated spaces for books. This project, which started in March last year, will now be managed by Manzoor Rather, who had come to Pune after witnessing his father's killing by militants. Manzoor Rather's return to his homeland comes at a time when many are leaving Jammu and Kashmir following the Pahalgam terror attack in search of safety. On October 5, 1998, while three-year-old Rather sat in his father's lap at the dinner table, a group of militants stormed their home in Ajas Bazipora village and killed his father. Aragam, a tribal village located 70 km from Srinagar in Bandipora district. (Express Photo) 'I could've been killed if my father hadn't thrown me away. Following this incident, my grandmother took me to Aragam, where I studied till Class 1. Then, with the help of the Sarhad NGO, I completed my schooling and graduation from the Sarhad Institute in Pune. And recently did my master's in English literature from the Azam campus,' he said. While in Pune, Rather discovered his passion for freestyle dance. He is now a professional choreographer who has worked in Marathi films and was the lead in the title track of Marathi movies like Redu and others. Despite achieving financial stability and settling in Pune with his wife, Rather felt a pull toward his native place. 'I was not content with life overall, as my people in Kashmir are still in search of education and economic opportunities, and I was thinking of doing something for them for many years. After seeing Mushtaq Khoja, a Kashmiri local who started Sarhad Public School in Dardpora village in Kupwara district, which now helps over 250 students study there, my resolve for Aragam strengthened. There I will teach my dance skills to help the budding artists, and connecting with residents there will enhance the cultural exchange which I have gained over the years,' he added. This project, which started in March last year, will now be managed by Manzoor Rather, who had come to Pune after witnessing his father's killing by militants. (Express Photo) Speaking to The Indian Express, Sanjay Nahar, founder of Sarhad, said, 'The Aragam project was implemented in March last year through the collaborative efforts of the Bandipora district administration, our NGO, and Siraj Khan, who initiated the groundwork and was inspired by Bhilar village in Mahabaleshwar. Currently, it has an open library, with over 3,000 books of different genres, which have been distributed to over seventy households and include contributions from the Maharashtra government's Marathi language department.' Sarhad is also planning to start a UPSC guidance centre at Aragam. 'With specialised study materials and civil services exam guidance sessions, our effort will be to help increase the representation of candidates from Jammu and Kashmir in central services,' explained Rather. Rather also aims to develop community-based tourism through homestays. 'This will be beneficial for tourists and locals as well, as economic opportunities will be created for residents while tourists can get a firsthand experience of local Kashmiri culture, which often gets missed in hotel stays. Scaling this initiative with an educational component will keep the youth engaged and divert their attention away from militant activities,' he added.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Dan Rather Shaded Trump With A 'Turkish Proverb,' And It's Gone Hugely Viral
Dan Rather has some choice words, or rather, a little proverb for President Donald Trump. The veteran broadcast journalist and former 'CBS Evening News' anchor seemed to hit a nerve Monday, sharing on Facebook a post aimed squarely at Trump's tumultuous administration — to nearly one million likes and more than 60,000 comments. 'When a clown moves into a palace he doesn't become a king, the palace instead becomes a circus. — Turkish proverb,' the post reads. Rather also shared a recent article of his in the comments of Monday's post about Trump's steep international tariffs and the U.S. economy, seemingly confirming the proverb was about him. The premise of a clown entering a palace seemed to strike a chord. 'Perfect description of what is going on right now. I never understood people's fear of clowns, until now…,' wrote one Facebook user, with another commenting: 'My daughter used to be afraid of clowns. Here is one we can all be afraid of.' Trump has certainly created the current White House in his image. The former reality television star forewent the Oval Office's traditional decor to include more gold, hawked Tesla vehicles on the grounds for his billionaire tech mogul buddy Elon Musk — and is practically selling U.S. citizenship for $5 million a pop. The proverb itself likely originated with the Circassians, Sunni Muslims from the Northwestern Caucasus, and is not specifically Turkish. Regional newspaper Türkiye Today noted as much after NBA star LeBron James shared the words on Instagram in February. 'Turkish proverb / American reality,' one user nonetheless argued on Rather's post Monday. In his career, Rather covered some of the biggest events in modern history, including the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Gulf War and 9/11. He was fired in 2006 over reporting on then-President George W. Bush's National Guard service — and later sued the network for $70 million. Rather has spent his retirement sharing his political thoughts on Facebook and Substack. Livid Jim Cramer Tears Into Trump For Making Him 'Feel Like A Sucker' On Tariffs CNN's Diehard Trump Fan Scott Jennings Makes Surprising Confession On Tariffs Critics Call Utter B.S. On Kellyanne Conway's Rebrand Of Trump's Tariffs
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Sammy Hagar Rips His LaFerrari With Dan Rather Inside
Read the full story on Backfire News Sammy Hagar, the rock star who back in the day ranted in his famous song about not being able to drive 55 mph, recently took journalist Dan Rather for a ride in his white LaFerrari. The whole thing was recorded and the interaction is something to see, that's for Hagar hit it a little bit, and honestly he was probably just barely pressing on the accelerator, Rather seemed to find the ride enjoyable. He even called the hypercar 'a carnival ride.' Of course, it's even better when you're the driver and you can better fell all that power. Hagar sold the LaFerrari some time after this was filmed. The hybrid hypercar out of Maranello crossed the auction block at Barrett-Jackson's fall auction in Scottsdale, Arizona back in October, the gavel falling after the high bid of $4.25 million was placed. That's a big jump in value considering the Ferrari originally sold for $1.4 million. While the fact Hagar owned it might have helped, LaFerraris have appreciated in value considerably since they were released. Rather seemed a little scared to experience riding in the hypercar with Hagar behind the wheel and who can blame him? After all, the rocker is 77-years-old and the journalist is 93, so he knows how the reflexes and such slow with age. However, Rather also learned the brakes are just as impressive as the power an acceleration, so that seemed to calm him down some. For his part, Hagar talked the Ferrari up, saying there was none other as advanced and that it was loaded with 'all the latest and greatest' the Italian automaker has. Considering the LaFerrari was revealed in 2013 at the Geneva Motor Show, that's a little bit of an embellishment. Sure, the hypercar is still potent and respectable, but it's no longer cutting edge. Still, it was enough to take Dan Rather's breath away. Image via AXS TV/YouTube
