INDIA IN T&T

Vol. 1 Issue 6 August 2020 Bimonthly Cultural Newsletter of the High Commission of India, Trinidad and Tobago (concurrent accreditation: Dominica, Grenada & Montserrat) In This Issue:

India's 74th Independence Day Celebrations in T&T India's Independence Day Essay Competition : Top Award Winning Essay Cultural Collaborations हद का चार - Promotion of Hindi Democracy at Work The Mahatma Gandhi Institute for Cultural Co-operation (MGICC) Incredible India: Uttarakhand-'The Land of Gods' High Commission in the Headlines Educational Institutes in India Upcoming & Ongoing Events/Programmes India's 74th Independence Day Celebrations in T&T #15August #IndiaIndependence 74th Independence Day Celebrations on 14 August, 2020 at India House

Message from H.E. Mr. Arun Kumar Sahu, High Commissioner, featured in the Trinidad Express on 15 August, 2020

INDIA IN T&T NEWSLETTER PAGE 1 India's 74th Independence Day Celebrations in T&T

TTToooppp AAAwwwaaarrrddd WWWiiinnnnnniiinnnggg EEEssssssaaayyy

'Self-sufficiency and Sustainability: India an Ascending Superpower' by Ms. Saraswatie Sankar

A complex society with a contemporary population, experiencing contentious evolution since its independence in 1947, India is like a lotus growing out of its murky colonial past. The world’s largest democracy has managed to excel in the areas of arts, culture, sport, science and technology. It would be remiss to not recount the words of Jawaharlal Nehru, “…when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom…”(hindustan times2018).This statement has been subsequently confirmed as the country strives towards social and economic transformation, diversification and expansion (Saran 2018). The investment in scientific institutions combined with favourable public policies after independence resulted in India becoming self- sufficient in food production and drug manufacture. During the green food revolution initiated during the 1960s, the All-India Co-ordinated Wheat Improvement project identified and released 122 wheat varieties, increasing the stability in wheat yield, production and export (Paroda 1991). India’s dairy industry was also expanded during the 1960s with milk production of 20 million tonnes increasing to 122 million tonnes as of 2011. This was due to the efforts of Verghese Kurien and the Anand Milk Producers Union Limited (AMPUL), later shortened to Amul which has evolved into a popular international brand (Krishnankutty 2019). Drug manufacture was improved a f ter the establishment of Hindustan Antibiotics Limited in 1954, Indian Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Limited and national laboratories. These institutions generated essential knowledge andprovided sufficient human resources, but significant growth occurred after the Patent Act of 1970. This act allowed Indian companies to produce and supply copies of patented drugs and vaccines using alternative processes to developing and developed countries worldwide (Sharma 2017). Currently, the Indian Council of Medical Research in collaboration with the World Health Organization plans to conduct a therapeutic trial using plasma therapy for COVID-19 India (Udhaya, et al. 2020). Successful satellite launches and expanding communication services have allowed for the evolution of Indian space research. The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), managed by the Department of Atomic Energy, was assisted by policies for industry development and technology transfer during the mid-1970s. This led to the creation of the different components of space systems including the construction of ground facilities and formation of specialized testing equipment. The marketing arm of IRSO developed various successful launch vehicles for conveying satellites for approximately twenty nations including the United States, Germany and Indonesia. Currently, space systems provide services for individuals using PNT and DTH broad-band delivery applications, and INSAT and IRS satellites allow for communication and television services. New applications such as disaster management, mobile multimedia and homeland security will allow for the creation of new space systems and expansion of the industry promoting international collaborations (Sridhara Murthi 2017). Delicious food, delightful music and dynamic sport are some of the prominent aspects of Indian culture which have disseminated internationally. Indian cuisine was ranked as one of the four most popular according to a United States economist, Joel Waldfogel (Shukla 2019). Ready-made or freshly prepared unique curries, flatbreads and sweetmeats can be found in groceries and restaurants worldwide as the popularity of Indian cuisine increased after globalisation and liberalization in 1991.The proliferation of global entertainment through popular television programmes or block-buster movies popularized food as well as Indian music in its various forms during the 1990s. The ancient sounds of instrumental music contrasts greatly with modern Bollywood music however this new, growing music industry accounts for approximately 80% of the country’s revenue (Forbes 2017). Internet access has widened the listening audience as seen with a Mumbai-based company, T- series as it became the most viewed YouTube channel with over 60 billion views (Hemrajani 2019). There has been growth in the sports industry with new initiatives like the Indian Primer League cricket and Pro Kabaddi League (Aurora 2016). Central to all of India’s achievements in the aforementioned fields are its people. Indian nationals are at the forefront of development, with abilities to sustain and strengthen their country’s growth, continuing to be wakeful amidst turbulent times with vision, inspiration and resolution.

INDIA IN T&T NEWSLETTER PAGE 2 CCCuuullltttuuurrraaalll CCCooollllllaaabbbooorrraaatttiiiooonnnsss

Launch of new postage stamp by the Trinidad & Tobago Postal Corporation (TTPOST) in commemoration of the 175th anniversary of the arrival of Indians to T&T.

H.E. Mr. Arun Kumar Sahu & Mr. Ashok Jajoria, H.E. Mr. Arun Kumar Sahu, High Commissioner, Director of MGICC met with Mr. Mahendra Rampersad, participated in the virtual inauguration of the Producer of the Miss India T&T pageant & Ms. Erica World Indian Diaspora Conference 2020 Caton, former Miss India T&T where they discussed stronger linkages with India

H.E. Mr. Arun Kumar Sahu attended the 11th Miss India T&T pageant 2020 held at the Southern Academy for the Performing Arts, San Fernando (SAPA).

INDIA IN T&T NEWSLETTER PAGE 3 हद का चार Promotion of Hindi

आआआभभभााासससीीी कककााा (((VVViiirrrtttuuuaaalll CCClllaaassssss)))

Students of the Virtual Conversational Hindi class were introduced to Hindi Poetry. The first poem recited & discussed was 'Shunya' written by H.E. Mr. Arun Kumar Sahu.

SSttuuddeennttss'' FFeeeeddbbaacckk SSttaayy ccoonnnneecctteedd wwiitthh HHiinnddii aatt tthhee HHiigghh CCoommmmiissssiioonn::

@HindiInTnT

'Learning Hindi' playlist on India in Trinidad and Tobago's Page

Virtual Conversational Hindi classes are free of charge and held every Thursday at 4:30pm.

INDIA IN T&T NEWSLETTER PAGE 4 D e m o c r a c y a t W o r k

Repatriation of stranded Indian Citizens from Dominica, Grenada & T&T.

Did you know? The birth anniversary of Late Shri Rajiv Gandhi, Prime Minister of India on 20th August is observed as 'SADBHAVANA DIWAS'. The aim is to encourage national integration, peace, affection & communal harmony among Indians of all religions & languages.'Sadbhavana' in English means goodwill.

T&T students on Govt. of India Hindi scholarship returning home after they had an extended stay due to Covid-19 restrictions.

On Sadbhavana Diwas, H.E. Mr. Arun Kumar Sahu, High Commissioner, administered the pledge to officials for communal harmony.

INDIA IN T&T NEWSLETTER PAGE 5 The Mahatma Gandhi Institute for Cultural Co-operation (MGICC) # A r t A g a i n s t C o r o n a

Launch of new postage stamp by the Trinidad & Tobago Postal Corporation (TTPOST) in commemoration of the 175th anniversary of the arrival of Indians to T&T.

Webinar on Indian Fashion in Trinidad and Tobago featured some of T&T's eminent fashion designers.

Presentation of prizes to winners of the Yoga Blog Competition in commemoration of the 6th International Day of Yoga. Virtual Tabla, Vocal & Yoga Classes on Youtube @MGICCTandT Tabla: Arshad Khan Thirakwa Vocal: Paritosh Kumar Sinha Yoga: Omprakash Kuriyal

INDIA IN T&T NEWSLETTER PAGE 6 Incredible India : Uttarakhand : 'Land of the Gods'

Uttarakhand, a state in northern India crossed by the Himalayas, is known for its Hindu pilgrimage sites. Rishikesh, a major centre for yoga study, was made famous by the Beatles’ 1968 visit. The city hosts the evening Ganga Aarti, a spiritual gathering on the sacred Ganges River. The state's forested Jim Corbett National Park shelters Bengal tigers and other native wildlife. Beauty is so inherent to almost all things Uttarakhand stands for – the magnanimous Himalayas, the holiest of the rivers, the spiritual mystery, stunning landscapes, Auli, bounded by the snowy peaks of the incessantly colorful play of nature, enchanting history carved in ancient the Himalayas, is renowned for its stones, a mesmerizing floral and faunal plethora and the simplest of the people. fascinating ski resorts Myths, anecdotes and stories are part of every visual that unfolds itself to the eyes of the beholder.The age-old Hindu traditions have always accorded highest esteem to the glory of the colossal and composed heights of the Himalayas which are spontaneously assumed to be the chosen consecrated residences of Gods. A whole lot of the Hindu lore sets out from this ‘Land of the Gods’.Pilgrimages to these heights dating back to more than 1500 years are found recorded in authentic documents and Uttarakhand still attracts millions of devout people who come here with the chaste objective of spiritual emancipation and Jim Corbett National Park revelation.Today, these mountains are no longer restricted to the religious or the spiritual – as a traveler one can get pleasure from mountaineering, trekking, mountain biking, rock climbing or simply strolling amongst the highest mountainous terrains in the world.A description of the charismatic beauty of Uttarakhand would be incomplete without the mention of people who inhabit this blessed country – simple, willing to help and hardworking people of the state are as diversified as the elements of nature. Several indigenous tribal groups peacefully co-exist with others, simultaneously keeping their distinct cultures Tungnath-One of the highest Shiva alive. Apart from being a unique tourism destination, Uttarakhand is a goldmine temples for anthropologists, historians, ornithologists, linguists, geologists … you name the discipline and the state has something on offer.No words can ever be enough to perfectly describe this blessed land. The incredulous variety of experiences – both spiritual and sensory – goes beyond any language or dialect. Interesting Facts: Also known as 'Devbhoomi' The only state to have Sanskrit as (Land of the Gods) due to the its second official state language Kempty Falls, Mussorie vast amount of Hindu religious The state flower is the Brahma sites Kamal (White Lotus) & is famous The Jim Corbett park,founded for its medicinal properties in 1936 to protect the Rishikesh is known as the Yoga endangered Bengal Tiger, is Capital of the world India's oldest national park The famous band Beatles spent 3 Has the 3rd highest number of months in Rishikesh practicing Haridwar- Ancient city along the tigers in India after Madhya Transcendental Meditation Ganges river Pradesh & Karnataka INDIA IN T&T NEWSLETTER PAGE 7 High Commission in the Headlines

For more articles featuring the High Commission of India published in T&T's local newspapers, please visit : @IndiaInTnT on Facebook

INDIA IN T&T NEWSLETTER PAGE 8 EEEddduuucccaaatttiiiooonnnaaalll IIInnnssstttiiitttuuuttteeesss iiinnn IIInnndddiiiaaa

J a w a h a r l a l N e h r u U n i v e r s i t y : ' U n i v e r s i t y o f E x c e l l e n c e '

JNU AT A GLANCE : Jawaharlal Nehru University is the foremost University in India, and a world-renowned Key Facts : centre for teaching and research. Ranked number one in India by the National JNU was established by an Act of Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) with a Grade Point of 3.91 (on a scale of Parliament in 1969 4). JNU also received the Best University Award from the President of India in 2017. Ranked no. 2 among all Universities Several academic Centres of the university have been declared by the University Grants in India by the National Commission (UGC) to be ‘Centres of Excellence’ :- Institutional Ranking Framework, The Centre for Historical Studies, the Centre for the Study of Social Systems, the Centre for Political Government of India in 2020 Studies, the Centre for Economic Studies and Planning, Centre for the Study of Regional Development, Zakir Husain Centre for Educational Studies, School of Physical Sciences, School of Life Sciences and Est. in 1955, the School of School of Environmental Sciences. International Studies is the oldest JNU itself has been given the status of the ‘University of Excellence’ by the UGC. school in the University

School of Biotechnology is internationally recognized for their contribution to basic and applied aspects of Biotechnology research

Dr. Satya Vrat Shastri, first & only recipient of Jnanpith Award in Sanskrit, is currently an honorary professor at the Special Centre for Sanskrit Studies

NNootteeaabbllee JJNNUU AAlluummnnii :: Shri Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, current Minister of External Affairs, Govt. of India Nirmala Sitharaman, current Finance Minister, Govt. of India Abhijit Vinayak Banerjee, Noble Laureate & Ford Foundation International Professor of Economics at MIT, USA Ali Zeidan,Former Prime Minister of Libya Dr. Baburam Bhattarai, Former Prime Minister of Nepal Harin Rashid Khan, Former deputy governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Amitabh Kant ,CEO, NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India) H.E. Mr. Arun Kumar Sahu, present High Commissioner of India to Trinidad & Tobago Swara Bhaskar, Bollywood Actress

For more information on Academics & Admissions, please visit : HTTP://WWW.JNU.AC.IN/MAIN/

INDIA IN T&T NEWSLETTER PAGE 9 Upcoming & Ongoing Events/Programmes

INDIA IN T&T NEWSLETTER PAGE 10 CCoonnttaacctt IInnffoorrmmaattiioonn

6,Victoria Avenue Port of Spain Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies

(868)225-4340

https://www.hcipos.gov.in/ India in T&T Newsletters: https://www.hcipos.gov.in/page/cultural_news/

Consular/Visa: [email protected] Scholarships: [email protected] Commerce: [email protected] Hindi: [email protected]

Feedback on Newsletter: Ms. Sasha Maharaj, Editor([email protected])

Connect with us on Social Media:

IndiaInTnT @IndiaInTnT india_in_tnt India in Trinidad & @AmbArunSahu Tobago