Latest news with #SaareJahanSeAchha
Hindustan Times
20 hours ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Row erupts after TMC song played at state Independence Day event
Kolkata : 'Khela Hobe' (let's play), the TMC's election anthem was played at the state Independence Day function on Friday, triggering a slugfest. CM Mamata Banerjee, who added lyrics to the Khela Hobe slogan and lent her voice to the track played on Friday, presided over the event. Bengal BJP spokesperson Debjit Sarkar said, 'On a day when PM Modi delivered a strong speech on infiltration, our CM used TMC's political slogan imported from Bangladesh.' (File)(Samir Jana/HT Photo) Bengal BJP spokesperson Debjit Sarkar said, 'On a day when PM Modi delivered a strong speech on infiltration, our CM used TMC's political slogan imported from Bangladesh.' TMC spokesperson Jay Prakash Majumdar hit back, saying if Khela Hobe cannot be used in India because of its Bangladeshi origin then people may use the same logic to raise questions about 'Saare Jahan Se Achha'. At an I-Day event, the CM attacked the Centre, saying: 'Despite India having achieved Independence 78 years ago, the people are not truly independent under the rule of fascist BJP.'
India Today
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- India Today
OTT Releases of Independence Day Week (August 11-17)
OTT Releases of Independence Day Week (August 11-17) August 12, 2025 Credit: ZEE5 Releasing on Netflix on August 13, this espionage drama will be a perfect Independence Day watch. The series features Pratik Gandhi, Sunny Hinduja and Kritika Kamra among others. Saare Jahan Se Achha The John Abraham-starrer would premiere on ZEE5 on August 14. The film revolves around an officer on a covert mission in Tehran following the 2012 bombing near the Israeli embassy in Delhi. Tehran If horror is your jam, Andhera should be your pick. Starring Priya Bapat, Karanvir Malhotra, Prajakta Koli, and Surveen Chawla, the series would stream on Prime Video from August 14. Andhera For all the legal drama enthusiasts, Court Kacheri is the series to go for It revolves around the son of a renowned lawyer navigating the Indian legal system. It would stream on ZEE5 from August 13. Court Kacheri Part 1 of Season 7 began streaming on Netflix on August 11. The series focuses on a WWII combat nurse who travels back in time. Outlander: Season 7, Part 1 Credit: Netflix Starring Adarsh Gourav, the sci-fi horror series is a prequel set two years before the events of Alien (1979). It starts streaming on JioHotstar from August 13. Alien Earth The Malayalam legal drama tells the story of Janaki Vidhyadharan's fight for justice against sexual assault. It would stream on Zee5 from August 15. Janaki V v/s State of Kerala Whjch OTT release are you most excited for?
India.com
29-06-2025
- Science
- India.com
From ‘Saare Jahan Se' To ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai': 2 PMs, 2 Space Icons & 41 Years Of Indian Space Glory
New Delhi: Forty-one years after Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma captured the world's imagination with his now-iconic reply to Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's question, 'Saare Jahan Se Achha,' India's space odyssey has come full circle with Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla becoming the first Indian to fly to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard the commercial Axiom Mission-4. On Saturday, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla's heartfelt tribute from aboard the International Space Station (ISS) echoed across a more confident and space-ambitious India. His reply to PM Modi, 'Jab pehli baar Bharat ko dekha, Bharat sach mein bohot bhavya dikhta hain", wasn't just a poetic observation but was a moment that rippled through Indian memory, evoking the pride and emotion of a landmark echo from 41 years ago. Back in 1984, it was Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, the first Indian in space, who famously replied to Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's question, 'Upar se Bharat kaisa dikhta hai?', with words that have since been etched in the Indian consciousness: 'Saare Jahan Se Achcha.' That iconic phrase, drawn from poet Allama Iqbal's stirring patriotic verse, became symbolic of India's early ambitions in space. Sharma's presence aboard the Soviet Salyut 7 space station during a joint Indo-Soviet mission turned him into a national hero overnight. His words inspired generations of scientists, engineers, and schoolchildren dreaming of the stars. In 1984 Wing Commander and former Air Force Pilot Rakesh Sharma Rakesh Sharma is first Indian who travel to space make the history Former PM Indira Gandhi talk with Rakesh ji ! Watch and spread. — Ashish Singh (@AshishSinghKiJi) June 29, 2025 Shukla's mission marks a generational leap for India, from piggybacking on the Soviet space programme to becoming a trusted partner in cutting-edge global missions. The year 2025 delivers that India is no longer an aspiring space participant; it is a nation actively shaping the future of human spaceflight. Plans for the Gaganyaan mission, India's first manned spaceflight, are underway. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is eyeing its own space station and even lunar missions. Amidst this, Shubhanshu Shukla, a 39-year-old Indian Air Force pilot, has become the first Indian to reach the ISS, as part of a NASA-Axiom Space commercial mission. His reflections, shared during an 18-minute video call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, offered not just technical insight but emotional resonance. 'From here, you don't see borders. You see one Earth,' Shukla said. 'India looks huge from here, bigger than on any map.' Sky is never the limit. Bharat Mata Ki Jai — Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) June 28, 2025 In his call with PM Modi, Shukla spoke about the challenges of living in zero gravity, how even drinking water or sleeping requires effort and adaptation. He humorously described strapping his feet down during the call to avoid floating mid-sentence. To which PM Modi responded with, 'Today you are farthest from the motherland but closest to the hearts of 140 crore Indians.' The Indian astronaut also spoke about sharing carrot halwa, moong dal halwa, and aamras with international crewmates aboard the ISS. 'Everyone liked it,' he said, adding, 'They now want to visit India someday.' While Sharma's 1984 journey was a moment of symbolic pride, Shukla's 2025 mission is also a strategic milestone. It reflects India's transition from observer to active participant in global space exploration. As India prepares to launch its own human spaceflight mission (Gaganyaan) and develop a Bhartiya Antariksha Station, Shukla's journey reinforces national confidence. The two astronauts, under two Prime Ministers, now bookend four decades of Indian space ambition. Where Sharma's reply was poetic, Shukla's is declarative. Where Sharma flew under Soviet wings, Shukla carries India's flag to the ISS in collaboration with America. Shukla's message to the country carried the weight of history and the promise of the future. 'This is not just my achievement. This is a collective leap for our country,' he said, before concluding with the words: 'Bharat Mata ki Jai.'
Indian Express
15-06-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
No references to Pakistan, Iqbal or Manusmriti in syllabi, Delhi University's Philosophy dept told
Faculty members of Delhi University's Department of Philosophy have been instructed to ensure that no references to Pakistan, philosopher and poet Muhammad Iqbal, or Manusmriti should be included in any undergraduate or postgraduate syllabi. The directive was issued in an email sent earlier this week, following instructions from the Dean of Academics, and the department has been asked to complete this review by June 16, it is learnt. The email states: 'There is an official instruction from the Dean of Academics (on June 12) to check that our UG Syllabi Semester 1-8 (NEP) as well as our PG Syllabi (NEP) Semesters 1 and 2 do not have any of the following items – either in the list of readings or in any of the unit contents: any reading of Manu, any reading of Muhammad Iqbal, any mention or content related to Pakistan.' Faculty members were asked to cross-check the content of each course and confirm by June 16 that none of the above items were included. 'To ensure full accuracy and responsibility… the course designers should be asked to ensure this with reference to each course,' the email further stated. 'The Dean of Academics has instructed us to do this within 3-4 days,' it added. Calls and messages to Dean of Academics K Ratnabali went unanswered. The Head of Department, Philosophy, Enakshi Ray Mitra, declined to comment. A university official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, 'This was verbally communicated many times by the Vice-Chancellor himself — that anything that divides society will not be taught at Delhi University. Two years ago, readings about poet Iqbal were removed. Despite reiterating this, several departments are still introducing these topics into their syllabus proposals.' This is not the first time these texts and figures have come under scrutiny at the university. In 2023, the Academic Council (AC) approved the removal of a unit on Muhammad Iqbal from the BA (Hons) Political Science course titled 'Modern Indian Political Thought'. Iqbal, who authored Saare Jahan Se Achha, was later designated as the national poet of Pakistan. That same meeting saw the introduction of a new elective on Vinayak Damodar Savarkar for students pursuing the BA Programme with Political Science as a major. Last month, the Standing Committee on Academic Affairs recommended the removal of references to politically sensitive topics such as the Kashmir conflict and the Israel-Palestine issue from the Psychology syllabi, describing them as 'divisive' and lacking psychological relevance. The committee instead suggested greater focus on Indian thought, including the teachings of Buddha and Gandhi, as part of efforts to rebalance what it termed the 'over-representation of Western thinkers.' On June 12, V-C Yogesh Singh reiterated that Manusmriti would not be taught 'in any form' at DU after the text appeared in the reading list of a new Sanskrit undergraduate course. 'This direction has been issued even earlier by the Vice-Chancellor's office, and departments should adhere to it,' Singh had told The Indian Express. A similar proposal to include Manusmriti in the undergraduate History (Honours) syllabus was withdrawn in 2024 following protests. In the Philosophy department, The Indian Express has also learnt that a proposed Discipline Specific Elective course titled 'Bio Politics' has been dropped. The course had earlier been placed before the AC, with suggestions from the Standing Committee to revise its title. Eventually, the course was removed by the administration. A faculty member from the department said, 'The reason that was communicated to us was that this was more of a Political Science subject than a Philosophy subject. We first changed the name, but were later informed by the administration that this paper has been dropped.' 'Even though many professors in our department do not believe that this is a political paper. We thought it was important to retain it in the 7th semester, but there is no time to fight for it now,' the faculty member added. The Bio Politics course was designed to examine 'life as a site of both technological production and economic manipulation.' According to the official syllabus, it aimed to explore the relationship between life and politics through the writings of Michel Foucault, Giorgio Agamben, Antonio Negri, and Jacques Ranciere, situating these texts within 'the ideological context of liberalism and fascism'.
India.com
02-06-2025
- Science
- India.com
'Saare Jahan Se Achha': When an Indian Fighter Pilot Became the Nation's Ambassador to the Stars
"Saare Jahan Se Achha": When an Indian Fighter Pilot Became the Nation's Ambassador to the Stars On April 3, 1984, as the Soyuz T-11 rocket pierced through Earth's atmosphere carrying Squadron Leader Rakesh Sharma toward the Salyut 7 space station, it wasn't just launching one man into orbit—it was catapulting an entire nation's dreams into the cosmic arena. What followed over the next seven days, 21 hours, and 40 minutes would become one of the most extraordinary chapters in India's quest to establish itself as a space-faring civilization. Born in Patiala, Punjab, on January 13, 1949, Sharma's journey to the stars began not in laboratories or observatories, but in the cockpit of MiG-21 fighter jets during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. Flying 21 combat missions before his 23rd birthday, he embodied the fearless spirit that would later make him the perfect candidate for humanity's ultimate frontier. When the opportunity arose in 1982 to participate in a joint Indo-Soviet space mission, Sharma volunteered without hesitation—a decision that would transform him from a decorated Air Force pilot into India's first cosmic ambassador. The selection process was grueling. From 150 highly qualified IAF pilots, only two were chosen as cosmonaut candidates. Sharma's selection led him to the prestigious Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center near Moscow, where he spent two years mastering Russian, adapting to freezing temperatures, following a rigorous 3,200-calorie diet, and undergoing Olympic-level physical training. Perhaps most tellingly, he endured a 72-hour claustrophobia test—locked alone in a room to simulate the psychological pressures of space confinement. But it was the mission itself that truly showcased India's ingenuity and cultural pride. As the 128th human to travel to space, Sharma didn't just carry scientific instruments aboard Salyut 7—he carried the essence of India. The Defence Food Research Lab in Mysore had prepared a special space menu: aloo chhole, suji halwa, and vegetable pulao, which he generously shared with his Soviet crewmates Yury Malyshev and Gennady Strekalov. In an era before globalization, this simple act of culinary diplomacy introduced authentic Indian flavors to the cosmos. The scientific agenda was ambitious and diverse. Over 43 experimental sessions, Sharma conducted groundbreaking research in biomedicine and remote sensing. One particularly intriguing experiment involved testing yoga's effects on the human body in microgravity—a perfect fusion of ancient Indian wisdom with cutting-edge space science. His photography of India from space saved the nation approximately two years' worth of aerial mapping work, demonstrating how space exploration could yield immediate practical benefits. Yet it was a spontaneous moment of patriotic eloquence that would define Sharma's legacy forever. During a joint television conference linking space with Earth, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi posed a simple question: 'How does India look from space?' Without missing a beat, Sharma replied with three words that would echo through generations: 'Saare Jahan Se Achha'—better than the entire world. This phrase, borrowed from Allama Iqbal's immortal patriotic poem, encapsulated not just national pride but the profound emotional impact of seeing one's homeland from the cosmic perspective. The space station itself represented the cutting edge of 1980s space technology. Salyut 7 was a modest facility by today's standards—measuring 14.4 meters in length with a maximum diameter of 4.15 meters and offering just 100 cubic meters of habitable space. Weighing 18,900 kilograms (about 19 tons), it orbited Earth at altitudes between 279-284 kilometers with an orbital inclination of 51.6 degrees. To put this in perspective, today's International Space Station dwarfs Salyut 7—stretching 109 meters end-to-end (nearly 2.5 times the length of an American football field) with 13,696 cubic feet of habitable volume and weighing 419,725 kilograms (over 20 times heavier than Salyut 7). The ISS orbits at a higher altitude of 370-460 kilometers, making it far more stable and visible from Earth. Yet what Salyut 7 lacked in size, it compensated for in pioneering spirit. The station featured two docking ports, three solar panels, electric stoves, a refrigerator, constant hot water, and even specialized portholes designed to allow ultraviolet light in to help kill infections. During its operational life from 1982 to 1991, it hosted 22 cosmonauts from 10 different crews, conducting everything from metallurgy experiments to astronomical observations. Remarkably, the station survived even being 'dead' for months—in 1985, it completely lost power and tumbled out of control until a daring rescue mission by cosmonauts Vladimir Dzhanibekov and Viktor Savinykh brought it back to life. Salyut 7 is no longer there. After serving far beyond its intended lifespan, the station met a dramatic end on February 7, 1991, when it made an uncontrolled reentry over Argentina. Despite Soviet attempts to guide its descent into the Atlantic Ocean, the 88,000-pound station broke apart in the atmosphere, showering metal fragments over the town of Capitán Bermúdez near Buenos Aires. Residents watched in awe as glowing trails streaked across their sky—a spectacular finale for a station that had pushed the boundaries of human space exploration. Sharma's mission was part of this remarkable legacy of international cooperation that would eventually evolve into today's multinational ISS program. The mission's success elevated India to become the 14th nation to send a human into space, but more importantly, it planted the seeds of a space-age national consciousness. When Sharma and his crew landed in Kazakhstan on April 11, 1984, they returned not just as successful astronauts but as harbingers of India's cosmic ambitions. The Soviet Union honored Sharma with the Hero of the Soviet Union award—making him the only Indian to receive this distinction—while India conferred its highest peacetime gallantry award, the Ashoka Chakra, on all three crew members. The ripple effects of those eight days continue to resonate today. Sharma's mission proved that space exploration wasn't the exclusive domain of superpowers; it demonstrated that developing nations with vision, determination, and international cooperation could reach for the stars. His journey paved the way for India's indigenous space program, which today launches satellites for dozens of countries and prepares for its own Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission. After retiring as Wing Commander, Sharma continued serving India's aerospace ambitions as Chief Test Pilot at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited until 2001. Today, at 76, he lives peacefully in Coonoor, Tamil Nadu, spending his days gardening, reading, and practicing the same yoga he once tested in zero gravity. Yet he remains connected to India's space future as a member of the National Space Advisory Council for the Gaganyaan mission. As India prepares to send Shubhanshu Shukla as its second citizen to space on 8th June 2025, Rakesh Sharma's pioneering journey serves as both inspiration and roadmap. His mission proved that space exploration is ultimately about human curiosity, international cooperation, and the audacious belief that geographical boundaries—even Earth itself—need not limit human potential. In an age where private companies routinely launch tourists into space and Mars missions capture global imagination, it's worth remembering that India's space story began with one man's eight-day journey, a handful of carefully packed Indian meals, and three words that reminded the world that patriotism, when combined with scientific achievement, can indeed make any nation appear 'Saare Jahan Se Achha'—better than the entire world?
