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PERSONALITY HERITAGE An ophthalmologist par excellence RAMBAN Excelsior Correspondent settled abroad back to India, 1985-86. In 1986, Prof Sharma was selected as Faculty at Dr Prof Yog Raj Sharma is the Chief of Dr Rajendra Prasad Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Science, AIIMS, Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, All India Institute of Med- New Delhi. He was selected as Visiting Assistant Profes- ical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi and Professor of Oph- sor at newly started UAE University, UAE in the Depart- FROM PAST TO PRESENT thalmology and Consultant Vitreo-Retinal Surgeon. Prof ment of Surgery (Ophthalmology) in 1992. This was based Sharma is also Advisor (Ophthalmology) Ministry of Health on Worldwide open selection and International referee for & Family Welfare (MH&FW), New Delhi and Director, this appointment was Prof W C Foulds-CBE tenure was World Health Organization (WHO) SEA Collaborating for six months. Prof. Sharma was first Ophthalmologists Centre for Ophthalmology. He is the Chairman of the Task to be posted to an Academic posting in UAE. Force on Prevention and Control of Diabetic Retinopathy Since 1986, he has continued as Faculty at Dr R P Cen- Group of Co-Chairman of the National Task Force on Pre- tre for Ophthalmic Sciences and was appointed as a Pro- fessor in 2002. All along he has spe- cialised in Vitreo-Retina, especially in Vitreo-Retinal Surgery. He has exten- sively published research work and his Scientific Citation Index is approximate- ly 1000. He has publications in Journals besides IJO, The LANCET, American Journal of Medicine, Archieves of Oph- thalmology, Archives of environmental health, Journal of Cataract and Refrac- tive Surgery, Current Eye Research, American Journal of Ophthalmology, Experimental Eye Research, Investiga- tive Ophthalmology and Visual Sci- ences, Annals of opthalmology, Oph- K.D. Maini the Roze Namcha of Dewan Arjun Mal Gundyl, in the last thalmic Surgery & Lasers, Digestive dis- month of 1876, Maharaja Ranbir Singh had passed orders eases and Sciences (USA), Yale journal Ramban district was carved out from district Doda on to Babu Campaswal for construction of Jammu Srinagar of Biology and Medicine, Developments administrative grounds in April 2007. This district shares road. Immediately work was started with an estimated cost in Ophthalmology, Clinical and Experi- its boundaries with district Reasi, Udhampur, Anantnag of one lakh rupees. Accordingly Tehsildar Badarwah Toder mental Ophthalmology, Eye, Retina and Kulgam. District Ramban comprises of two tehsils Mal was entrusted the work of construction of road from Ramban and Banihal. The total area of the district is (Publications- 200). Batote to Ramban while Tehsildar Mean Indru was direct- Prof Yog Raj Sharma receiving Padma Shri Award from President of India 1527.65 Sq Kms and the district is divided into 127 villages In academic faculty work at the Cen- ed to construct the road from Ramban to Ramsu. From Pranab Mukherjee. and 124 Panchayats. There are three important towns Ramsu onwards tehsildar Khawaja Mohd Joo was appoint- tre involved in patient care and advanced vention of Blindness from Retinopathy of Prematurity namely Ramban, Banihal and Ramsu. ed incharge of the road. This 95 Kms long track was com- Vitreo-Retinal surgery including training of postgraduates (ROP) setup by MH&FW, Government of India. As per censes 2001, the total population of the district pleted in 20000 rupees. Next year resident Sahib traveled fellows. Average 20 to 45 VR Surgeries in a week for over Prof. Sharma was born on December 16, 1950 in Jam- was 2.83 lakh souls out of which 2.70 lakh population was via this road and reported to Maharaja Ranbir Singh that mu and received his MBBS (Hons.) degree from Univer- 20 years (1995-2010). Introduced numerous Innovations residing in the rural areas and 0.13 lakhs in urban areas. the road is fit for plying of carts. Maharaja was pleased on sity of Calcutta in 1974 and M S (Merit of First order) from on VR Surgery and has trained very large numbers of VR Literacy rate was 56.90%. The terrain of the district is hilly, the construction of this road. During the rule of Maharaja Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research Surgeons in advanced VR Surgery now settled all over rough and mountainous. Pogal, Parstan are the inacces- Partap Singh this road was maintained and improved while Maharaja Hari Singh converted this road for plying of light Chandigarh in 1978, ECFMG Certification from USA, India and abroad (USA, UK and Middle East), (Recom- sible areas. The climate varies according to altitude. The mendation available at Linkedin). At Linkedin-Retina temperature arises as high as 420 in summer season in vehicles. After independence this road became national (Valid indefinitely) 1979. highway and now it is being converted into four lanes. With Prof. Sharma while in his Senior Residency at PGI Group he has received around 500 Skills’ Endorsements. low lying areas like Ramban town and drops below zero Skills Surgery (Top Skill)-99+, Ophthalmology-69, Clinical in higher areas. The main attraction of the district is nation- the development of this road, the halting station Ramban Chandigarh was selected for Post Doctoral Faculty posi- also developed a lot and now it has got the status of dis- tion at Yale University School of Medicine and Visual Sci- Research-62 and Other skills-280 and his Research Gate al highway which connects Jammu with Srinagar. 95 Kms national highway passes through the district. trict headquarters. ences, USA. This tenure was completed in 1982 and from Score is 33.64, which is more than 92.5 percent of some In Ramban district, on the opposite side of Chanderkote 3 million Scientists members of Research Gate. As per C.E. Bats, the author of 'The Gazetteer of Kash- 1982-84 he was Faculty at University of Maryland Hospi- mir', before the formation of the J&K State in 1846, there across the river Chenab there is an important fort known He is a Member of the National and International Soci- tal, USAtill 1984. During this time he was selected as Assis- was a small village consisting of 15 houses on the right as Gajpat Fort in Saraj area constructed by local Rajputs tant Director of Indian Council of Medical Research under eties including American Academy of Ophthalmology, All bank of Chaneb river.This cluster was known as Nashband on the top of mountain to govern the whole mountainous Suprenumerary research cadre scheme, formulated by India Ophthalmological Society and his profile is included (closed nose) and was having neither importance nor any range. There is a temple of Mahakali in Gajpat fort which Government of India to attract eminent Indian scientists in Marquis’ Who’s who in Medicine, 2002-14. attraction. On 16th March 1846 when Raja Gulab Singh of is the center of devotion for the natives of Ramban. This Jammu became the Maharaja of J&K State, he adopted temple has recently been renovated. It is said that once Jammu, Udhampur, Banihal route to reach Srinagar for the Sheikh Mohd Abdullah was kept imprisoned in this fort for MOVIE-REVIEW movement of royal carvans. In this process, Nashband vil- few days. In 1825, Gulab Singh, the Raja of Jammu had lage got the status of halting station for the royal Carvans. imprisoned Raja Sultan Khan of Bimbar in this fort. Sultan The Dogras constructed a pacca building near present Khan died there and was buried at Chanderkote. It is said Ramban and a wooden bridge for the crossing of Chenab that a Hindu Shopkeeper who was a friend of Raja Sultan A typical SK movie River. After Gulab Singh, his son Ranbir Singh became the Khan had tried to construct a pacca tomb on the grave of Maharaja of J&K in 1858 A.D. Once when he was halting Raja Sultan Khan. When Raja Gulab Singh came to know There are somethings that are just meant to be together. Over at Nashband while going to Kashmir he changed the name about this, he immediately directed the shopkeeper either a period of time, they not just become synonymous with each oth- of Nashband to Ramban and also started constructions for to stop the work or he will be banished from this State. er but also complement each other to the fullest. Amongst the the movement of Dogra Carvans at this place. With the Therefore, the construction of memorial could not taken many examples for this, one such combination is the release of conversion of this village into a halting station the local place. In 1858 Mean Hathu Singh, the Governor of Rajouri a Salman Khan film during the auspicious occasion of Eid. Like traders of nearby areas and outsider started establishing and a closed relatives of Maharaja had revolted against almost every year, this year too, Salman Khan has gifted his fans their ventures in this village. The labour class of surround- their 'Eidi' in the form of . Will this film be State Government and tried to kill Maharaja Ranbir Singh. worth the wait and live up to its gigantic expectations, let's ana- ing areas also settled at this place in search of employ- Mean Hathu was arrested and shifted to Gajpat fort. lyze. ment.Therefore, the original village of 15 houses got impor- Raghunath temple of Ramban is one of the important The film starts off with a Pakistani village household cheering tance and became the center of hustle and bustle. With religious places for Hindus while the Hindu population in for Pakistan while watching its nail biting crucial cricket match the passage of time the name Ramban changed to Ram- almost every village of Ramban has to own Devta known with India on television. Inspired by the ace Pakistani cricketer ban. C.E. Bats further writes that around 1860 Ramban as Kul Devta. Once in a year a yatra to the shrine of Raja Shahid Afridi, a to be mother from the household names her was an important halting station between Batote and Ban- Sankh Pal near Sardhar opposite Chenab on the east of daughter as Shahida (Harshaali Malhotra). The girl despite being ihal on the route leading towards Srinagar. The village with Battote takes place in the month of July where there is a beautiful and expressive does not speak a word, which worries its fields and orchards is situated little above the river bank. shrine of Sankhpal. In this Yatra, the devotees from the vil- her parents day after day. On the advice of an elderly person in The habitants were mostly Hindus with one or two Muslim lages of Ramban took the procession of their Devtas up the family, Shahida's mother decides to take Shahida to a wish- families residing below the village. On the bank of river, to the Shrine of Raja Sankhpal. It is believed that these fulfilling holy dargah in Delhi, India. On their way back to Pak- there was a temple, a Baradari and substantial double istan, their train halts due to a technical failure. That's when the Devtas from the various villages meet at the Shrine and storeyed bricks buildings. bless the devotees. innocent and animal loving Shahida sees a helpless lamb fallen Sukhdev Singh Chadak writes in his book 'Maharaja in a pit. She gets down from the train and just when she rescues Battote is a changed name of Batwat i.e. the place of Ranbir Singh' that Maharaja passed order for a cart road the lamb, the train starts moving, thus leaving her behind in an Pandits. There are two important temples at Bettote con- from Jammu to Srinagar via Banihal and a suspension unknown country all alone. She quickly boards the next immedi- structed by Maharaja Partap Singh. After 1947 the Sikh bridge over Chenab River at Ramban. This bridge was ate train and reaches Delhi. It is here when she meets the refugee families had migrated to Bettote mostly from extremely God fearing and a devout Hanuman bhakth Pavan constructed by local engineers and used the steel in its construction which was brought from the mines of Reasi Poonch and Muzaffarabad. Two important Gurdwaras i.e. Kumar Chaturvedi aka Bajrangi (Salman Khan). With the inten- Gurdwara Singh Sabha and Gurdwara Bhai Rocha Singh tion of helping the little girl who cannot talk, Bajrangi takes her areas and funds were provided for widening and repair of home, only to be ridiculed by his family members. The only per- cart road. This route remains 'Private road' for long period have been constructed by the Sikhs in Bettote town. Gojri, son who stands by him is his to-be-wife Rasika (Kareena Kapoor). tion and the fitting climax. Looking at this film, one can easily and special permission of Maharaja was needed by trav- Dogri, Pogli, Saraji, Prastani and Kashmiri is spoken by Pavan and Rasika try their level best to 'decode' the identity of say that they don't call him a 'Bhaijaan' for nothing! Unlike his elers' who desire to travel by this road. The bridge at Ram- the habitants of the Ramban district, while Sikh families of the child by dropping names of almost all the Indian states, but previous film's, this film is totally devoid of his onscreen histri- ban on Jammu -Srinagar road was improved in 1879 to Bettote are speaking Phari and Punjabi. Renowned polit- onics, yet, manages to embed its stamp in your hearts. Salman in vain. Havoc strikes their family household when they discover enable the loaded camels to cross the bridge. Nursing ical personality D.D Thakur hailed from Pogal area of Ram- never gets out of his character and this is his performance-ori- that Munni (aka Shahida) not only eats meat, but is also a Mus- Dass Nargis writes in 'Tehrik-e-Dogra Desh' that as per ban district. lim and above all… a Pakistani! That's when Pavan decides to ented film after a long time. Kareena Kapoor Khan, on the oth- brave all the odds (visa issues, passport problems etc). Despite er hand, stands like a rock, offering her onscreen hero Salman all the odds, when Bajrangi manages to cross the Indo-Pak bor- Khan and the film, all the support. Whatever the screen space der, but gets caught by the Pakistan police, who label him off as that she has, she makes the most out of it and leaves a lasting NATURE an Indian spy. That's when Bajrangi encounters a freelance news impression with her endearing performance in the film. Now, reporter Chaand Nawab (Nawazuddin Siddiqui), who shoots the let's talk about the 'find' of BAJRANGI BHAIJAAN aka Harshaali whole Pavan-Munni 'adventures' on his handycam, hoping this Malhotra, who is a sheer delight to watch in every frame that will be his big ticket to name and fame as a journalist. However, she is in. Even though this is her first film (her modelling assign- Chained dog is a choked soul as he discovers their Pavan's good intentions, he too joins the ments notwithstanding), Harshaali comes across as a thorough duo in their journey and helps them out. Does Chaand Nawab professional in front of the camera. The moment the camera is Rumpy Madaan manage to 'encash' on the Pavan-Munni story in order to be tak- on her, she simply lights up the screen with her innocence, her en seriously as a journalist, does Pavan succeed in uniting Munni smile and her superlative performance in the film. With Countless dogs live their entire lives on short ropes or with her parents, does the ever-truthful Pavan manage to prove BAJRANGI BHAIJAAN, Harshaali Malhotra has definitely set chains. They get food when their "owners" remember to his innocence of him not being a spy before the Pakistani police the bar high for child actors. Extracting the right emotions and toss it out the back door. They get a drink whenever they and how does the simpleton Bajrangi gets transformed into expressions from child actors can be quite a task. That's why manage to avoid tipping over their water bucket. What are 'Bajrangi Bhaijaan' is what forms the rest of the story. deserves to be applauded for extracting an excep- First things first. Director Kabir Khan captures the attention tional performance from Harshaali Malhotra, with the equal their entertainment options? They can count the flies cir- of the viewers right from first shot of this character driven film. amount of ease with which he got it from his lead actors. cling their heads, gnaw on rocks or the chains that bind The impeccable camaraderie between him and his lead star Amongst them all, how can one forget the sheer greatness of them or watch from a distant corner while their families Salman Khan was seen in their last blockbuster film EK THA the phenomenal actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui, who wins you all have fun without them. Like us, dogs are social animals. . This time round, the camaraderie has grown by leaps over with his outstanding performance as a Pakistani news They crave contact with humans and other dogs and can and bounds, which can be seen in this film. For all those who reporter! The sincerity with which he approaches his role is go insane if they are denied it. If you know of any chained have seen Kabir Khan's work in thriller and action films like KAB- something that needs to be seen in order to be believed. The dogs, why not do what you can to make their lives a little UL EXPRESS, NEW YORK and will be in for a other veteran actors like Om Puri and Sharat Saxena do their huge surprise when they see BAJRANGI BHAIJAAN. He has better or rescue them from misery? Here are just a few of bit for the film to make it a memorable one. On the other hand, the ways in which you can help a chained dog: very sensibly handled the emotional scenes, without going over- Najeem Khan, Ali Quli Mirza, and Adnan Sami (in a special board. While the tempo of the film is set in the first ten minutes, cameo) are good in supporting roles. * Listen for warning signs: "Complain" about barking. it is very rare that any film has ever started on such an emo- If it's a Salman Khan movie, then, songs and music become Barking dogs are often lonely, neglected dogs. fer, to confine any animal to a cage so small that it restricts tional high. Amongst the many Indo-Pak films that have been very crucial. BAJRANGI BHAIJAAN's music (Pritam * Bare necessities: Remind or inform "owners" of reasonable movement, to keep any animal on an unrea- made in the past, BAJRANGI BHAIJAAN stands out amongst Chakraborty) definitely works by all means, majorly because it chained dogs that dogs need food, water, shelter, exercise all of them because this film stays away from the usual jingo- sonably short or heavy chain, to neglect to exercise any has all the elements that are required of a typical 'Salman Khan and regular trips to the veterinarian and also urge them to dog or to fail to provide animals with sufficient food, water ism and preachiness. Kabir Khan adds magic to Salman Khan's film'. Music gels extremely well with the film and also the flow stardom with this film. Needless to say that, the one person who unchain their dogs. and shelter, among other violations. of the film. The film already boats of a chartbuster track in the deserves to be credited for that the overall outcome of the film * Walk that dog: Offer to take "forgotten" dogs for walks. * Report neglect: If the "owner" refuses to treat his or form of 'Selfie'. The other tracks like 'Tu Jo Mila' and Adnan Sami's is Kabir Khan, who also does a great job with the film's dialogue, Stop by for visits, and take along some treats and toys, devotional track 'Bhar Do Jholi' does leave the required effect on her dog better, ask whether the person would be willing to along with Kausar Munir. The film's storywriter (V. Vijayendra which can mean the world to a neglected dog. the listeners. On the other hand, the film's background music give the dog up for adoption. If so, work to find a new home Prasad) deserves applauses galore for having come up with (Julius Packiam) keeps the tempo of the film going extremely well. * Give them shelter: Offer to create a shady, sheltered for the dog with a trusted friend or family member or seek such a fresh story that has the right mix of patriotism, love, emo- spot if a dog has no protection from direct sun or the rain, the help of a local animal-protection group. It's best to talk tions and brotherhood. The film's screenplay (Kabir Khan, V. Vijayendra Prasad, Parveez Shaikh, Asad Hussain) is tight and engaging. The film's cine- and provide straw bedding if the dog doesn't have a soft to the local group in advance to make sure that it can help. As far as the performances are concerned, absolutely no area on which to lie or sit. prizes for guessing that the film belongs to the one and only matography (Aseem Mishra) is top rate as it presents the serene If this approach doesn't work, file a First Information Report 'Bhaijaan' Salman Khan, who makes no mistakes in delivering breath taking view of Kashmir like never before. Rameshwar S. * Help make the "owner" a guardian: If the "owner" (FIR) with the police. If possible, take photos and write an outstanding performance in this film. His innocence is unmis- Bhagat has done a splendid job in the film's razor sharp editing. does not know how to care for dogs, help him or her down dates and times when the dog goes without food, On the whole, BAJRANGI BHAIJAAN is a not to be missed takably charming. And it is this innocence that unfailingly cap- become a responsible guardian by sharing these tips. If water or shelter. The police are required to take your FIR. 'Eid' treat from Salman Khan and Kabir Khan. The film is a sure- tures melts and ultimately wins over the audiences' hearts. Do the "owner" decides to use a trainer, help to make sure Work with the local SPCA or animal-protection group if you fire hit and has got 'B-L-O-C-K-B-U-S-T-E-R' written all over it. not miss his recitation of Hanuman Chaalisa, his interaction and that he or she is professionally certified and uses only This film easily qualifies to be Salman Khan's BEST movie till need further help. Being stuck outdoors on a chain is like his conversation with the child actor Harshaali. The scenes that date, featuring his career's best performance. The film wins you rewards, never shouting or physical punishment, to train being a prisoner, except that dogs have committed no catch your attention are the first ten minutes of the film, the over completely. Do not skip. dogs. crimes and probably will never be set free - that is, unless brothel scene, the revelation of Munni's actual identity revela- Courtesy : http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/ * Know the law: It is illegal to cause any animal to suf- we do something about it.