President of India Smt

President of India Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil’s visit to Mumbai on October 27-28, 2010

(Media Coverage Report)

PRESS INFORMATION BUREAU MUMBAI

PRESS INFORMATION BUREAU 1st Floor, Pratishtha Bhawan Annex, M K Road, Churchgate, Mumbai 400 020 +91-22-2206 9413/ Fax – 2206 2989 / [email protected] / www.pibmumbai.gov.in

Mumbai, October 29, 2010

Smt Pratibha Devisingh Patil, President of India, visited Mumbai on 27 th and 28 th October, 2010 to attend four functions viz. Inauguration of the World Innovation Summit and Expo at MMRDA, Bandra-Kurla Complex; Release of Commemorative Postage Stamp of the Cathedral and John Connon School at Homi Bhabha Auditorium, TIFR; Inauguration of INDIA-CHEM 2010 at International Hotel ‘Lalit’, Sahar Road; and Presentation of Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation Awards at Y.B. Chavan Pratishthan. The function was covered by almost all the print and electronic media from Mumbai. Copy of press clippings is attached here with.

English Media Pratibha calls for energy revolution (Business Line) Fort school creates history ( Hindustan Times) ‘The President will release the stamp’ ( DNA) ‘Gandhian, ‘Glacier Man’ honoured at Bajaj awards ( Afternoon Despatch & Courier ) President’s visit slows down city ( Hindustan Times) Spare US the VIP! ( Mid Day) President honours four Gandhians for promoting Mahatma’s values ( Hindustan Times ) Glacier maker among Bajaj awards winners ( DNA) Photo: Award for excellence received by MCGM Commissioner (Indian Express) Photo: President gives away Jamnalal Bajaj Awards (Indian Express)

Hindi Media Commissioner get the award ( Navbharat Times) Invest in technology for environment protection: President (Navbharat Times) Photo: President giving away Jamnalal Bajaj Awards (Navbharat Times) Photo: President giving award to Municipal Commissioner (Hamara Mahanagar ) Need to raise awareness about dangerous chemicals (Yashobhumi) President for PPP model in area of energy ( Yashobhumi) Stamp for a 150 year old school released (Navbharat)

Marathi Media Power revolution possible with the help of public private partnership( Prahar) There is need of power revolution in the country – President ( Navshakti + Navshakti+ Lokmat + Saamna + Sakaal + Apla Vartahar + Mumbai Chaufer) Chemical industry must take care of environment ( Prahar) Build a corruption free society ( Lokmat) Women must identify their own inherent potential strength ( Prahar) Then only second green revolution possible ( Saamna) Development of rural areas important – President ( Pudhari) Photo: President at the India innovation summit (Sakaal) Photo: President gives away Jamnalal Bajaj Awards (Navshakti)

Gujarati Media Participation of private sector necessary in energy sector (Divya Bhaskar) Gujarat gets Power India excellence award (Divya Bhaskar + Janmabhoomi) Photo: Maharashtra Governors welcomes President Pratibha Patil at the Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai (Gujrat Samachar ) Face of the country will change in coming 5 years ( Mumbai Samachar) Need for attitudinal change against women (Mumbai Samachar)

Urdu Media Photo: President at the India innovation summit (Rashtriya Sahara, Urdu) Photo: Award for excellence received by MCGM Commissioner ( Rashtriya Sahara, Urdu)

Alok Mishra Dy. Director (M&C) Mumbai

Glacier maker among Bajaj awards winners

Chewang Norphel, a civil engineer who builds artificial glaciers in Ladakh’s cold desert to conserve water, Chunibhai Vaidya, a 94-year-old campaigner against government acquisition of land from poor farmers for industrialisation, and Shakuntala Choudhary, a freedom fighter whose Maitri Ashram provides succour in the insurgency-prone north- east, are among the winners of this year’s Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation awards.

The awards, which are into its 33rd year, were announced on Thursday by Madhur Bajaj, trustee of the foundation and Chandrasekhar Dharmadhikari, former chief justice of Bombay high court who is the chairperson of the award’s selection committee.

The international award for promoting Gandhian values outside India was given to professor Lia Diskin who runs an NGO in Brazil that works in the fields of education, environment and health. Diskin started an annual ‘Gandhi Week’ to promote his ideas. The awards were presented to the winners by president Pratibha Patil.

Speaking to the press, Norphel said that farmers in Ladakh grew a single crop in a year due to short summers. Since the rain-shadow region received little rainfall, crops were fed by snow melt from surrounding glaciers. But climate change has reduced the quantity of water from snow melt. While Ladakhis start sowing for the annual crop in April, snow melt was available only in June when the ice in higher altitudes melted. Norphel constructed low cost dams to trap snow and create glaciers at lower altitudes during the winter. This water otherwise could not have been used in winter because all agricultural activities stop.

A leading proponent of prohibition, Chunibhai Vaidya’s motto of ‘Development without tears’ has taken him to lead the opposition to the grant of grazing land to an MNC and a mega-port project in Umargaon. He led villagers in Gujarat’s Banaskantha district in their fight to get water rights over two local rivers and constructed check dams to conserve water in 17 villages.

He said, “There have been instances in Gujarat where the government has refused to give land to landless people, saying they do not have land. On the other hand, business groups have been given thousands of acres acquired from farmers.” He is currently campaigning for a law that would give ownership of all natural resources, to local residents and not the government.

President felicitates four Gandhians for promoting Mahatma’s values

President Pratibha Patil felicitated four veteran Gandhians, who dedicated their lives to fighting injustice and promoting Gandhi’s ideals, at the 33rd Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation Awards on Thursday.

Among the awardees was professor Lia Diskin, 60, from Brazil, who was given the International Award for promoting Gandhian Values outside India. She has been organising a ‘Gandhi Week’ in October for the past 29 years in Sao Paulo, Brazil, to spread awareness about Gandhian values through plays, film screenings and discussions. Sao Paulo now has a Gandhi Square with a full size bronze statue of the Mahatma due to the efforts of Diskin.

Sushri Shakuntala Choudhary, 90, who represents the Assam wing of Kasturba Gandhi National Memorial Trust, won for development and welfare of women and children. She set up 22 Gram Seva centres across north-east to spread literacy and environmental awareness among women and train them in yard spinning and weaving. These centres also play a role in diffusing tension in the insurgency-prone areas. The award for use of science and technology for rural development was given to Chewang Norphel, 75, from Leh while Ahmedabad-based Chunibhai Vaidya was awarded for his outstanding contribution in the field of constructive work. All winners are given a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh, a trophy and a citation.

Nonagenarians among four Jamnalal Bajaj awardees

PTI President Pratibha Patil greets Shakuntala Choudhary after conferring on her the Jamnalal Bajaj award for the development and welfare of women in Mumbai on Thursday.

President Pratibha Patil on Thursday presented the Jamnalal Bajaj Awards for 2010 for outstanding contributions in social development. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal and Governor K. Sankaranarayanan were present at the occasion.

“The objective of these awards is to encourage, recognise and reward outstanding people who have given their lives for Gandhian ideas. We want millions to get inspired by them,” said Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation chairperson Rahul Bajaj.

Chewang Norphel, a 74-year-old civil engineer from Ladakh, was presented the award for application of science and technology for rural development. His ‘artificial glacier' has helped farmers in the dry and difficult region of Ladakh get water supply in April and May — the most crucial period of sowing.

Mr. Norphel's 20-year-old innovation has received many awards and recognition. “A team from Chile had recently visited me to emulate this project in their country. People want to implement it in Lahaul-Spiti in Himachal Pradesh,” he said. Mr. Norphel artificially creates a glacier at an altitude 4,000-5,000 feet lower than a natural glacier. “A lot of water is wasted during winter. So, I tried diverting a channel from the main stream. In this way, the glacial run-off is stored at different altitudes above the village. When spring is to arrive, the artificial glaciers melt first, ensuring water supply for crops.”The natural glaciers start melting only after mid-June.

Chunibhai Vaidya, a nonagenarian from Ahmedabad, was given the award for outstanding contribution in the field of constructive work. The oldest living Gandhian, Mr. Vaidya has been active in many movements in Gujarat and Rajasthan for betterment of the poor and the marginalised. He has also authored several books.

Water supply

Mr. Vaidya was instrumental in providing drinking water supply to more than 352 villages in Gujarat. He has also mobilised social groups for various activities, like de- silting canals. “We are moving towards a very unjust society, where the distribution of resources in not equal. The government does not own the resources, the community does. We will fight for a just society.”

The award for development and welfare of women and children was given to Shakuntala Choudhary, a nonagenarian from Assam. She has trained thousands of gram sevikas through Kasturba Centres throughout the State, and also worked for maintaining peaceful and harmonious relations among various social groups.

The award for promoting Gandhian values outside India was given to Lia Diskin from Brazil. Ms. Diskin has formed a non-governmental organisation for community-oriented programmes in education, healthcare, human rights, environmental preservation, social welfare and cultural peace.

She has also been organising ‘Gandhi Week' since the past 28 years.

The winners were chosen from 124 nominations across the world.

Fort school creates history

The stronger the system of school education, the greater are the prospects of the country, said President Pratibha Patil on Wednesday while releasing a stamp to commemorate 150 years of Cathedral & John Connon School, Fort. “Schools constitute the basic pillars of the edifice of a nation,” said Patil in her keynote address at the Homi Bhabha Auditorium in Navy Nagar.

“This school and the city of Mumbai through a century-and-a-half have shared a history of remarkable growth. I wish the school many many more years of success and excellence in the field of education.”

The Rs 5-stamp released on Wednesday has an image of the façade of the school’s main building.

“Today is a historic day and we shall remember it with pride,” said Meera Isaacs, the school’s principal.

“Celebrating this occasion in an auditorium named after one of our most illustrious students is serendipity with a vengeance,” she added.

Physicist Homi Bhabha went to school at Cathedral. Other eminent alumni include journalist Fareed Zakaria, writer Salman Rushdie and industrialist JRD Tata.

“I still remember the sense of betrayal I felt the day my parents dropped me off at Cathedral’s infant school, but Cathedral took care of me after that,” said Rahul Bose, who passed out in 1985.

“I have so many memories of the school.”

The President will release the stamp on a school in Mumbai

All roads will lead to the Homi Bhabha Auditorium today at a special function to commemorate 150 years of one of India’s most prestigious schools — the Cathedral and John Connon School (established on November 14, 1860).

The Indian postal department is releasing a special stamp on the school and president of India Pratibha Patil will be present to release the stamp.

Meera Isaacs, principal of the school, is elated.

“We are looking forward to what I would call a rather unusual event. We are the first school to have a stamp in Maharashtra," Said Isaacs.

"While president Pratibha Patil will be there, what’s even more exciting is that we are having the function at the Homi Bhabha Auditorium. Homi Bhabha was one of our most illustrious students. When he came back from abroad, he kept in touch and gave us what is our physics laboratory.”

The school function will undoubtedly see the city’s luminaries step out for their alma mater. “The Tatas and Choksis have studied at Cathedral, so have many other top business families,” says Isaacs.

“Ex-students —Milind and Mukul Deora, Tanya Godrej and Rahul Bose will be coming.”

Actor and sportsperson Rahul Bose says, “It’s a matter of great pride for the school. The commemorative stamp speaks of the high esteem the institution is held in. Personally, I owe a lot to that school, especially the grounding it gave me in my dramatics,” he says.

Restaurateur Nikhil Chib is also gung-ho over the stamp. “It’s fantasic news,” he says. “Part of Mumbai means Cathedral to me, and I think the school is a landmark in India. It held me in good stead and I thank the school for that.”

DISPATCH & COURIER

Gandhian, ‘Glacier man’ honoured at Bajaj awards

The Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation honours people who have made a significant mark in various spheres of the society. The 33rd award function saw the presence of President Pratibha Patil and Chhagan Bhujbal, Deputy Chief Minister, Maharshtra, where awards for Outstanding Contribution in the field of Constructive Work, Application of Science and Technology for Rural Development, Development and Welfare of Women and Children and International Award for Promoting Gandhian Values Outside India were given.

Addressing the media before the function, 92-year-old Chunibhai Vaidya, a Gandhian by principle and recipient of the award for Outstanding Contribution in the field of Constructive work from Ahmedabad said, “I have been a part of several movements in my life and my recent initiative is about the ownership of natural resources. Natural resources belong to the society and not to the government. This is a movement for the people and the entire country is ready to take a stand and fight for their lands. The youth has taken the ‘jaan denge zameen nahi’ stand.”

While Gandhian values is what Chunibhai spoke about, Chewang Norphel, who received the award for Application of Science and Technology for rural development, shared his experience while introducing the concept of artificial glaciers in Leh so that the villagers get water supply throughout the year.

Leh has a very short summer and the farmers have to sow their crops in the months of April to June. With the help of Norphel’s artificial glaciers the farmers get water a month before the snow starts melting from the mountains. “The winters here are very harsh and farmers don’t grow crops during this time. The little water in the mountain streams go waste so I thought of diverting this water to places where water is needed with the help of pipes. These artificial glaciers are just to supplement the water needs of the farmers during summers,” explained Norphel, who is also known as Ladakh’s ‘Glacier man’. These artificial glaciers are about two kilometres long and 150 feet wide with their depth ranging from three feet to 11 feet.

The recipients of the awards for Development and Welfare of Women and Children and International award for Promoting Gandhian Values Outside India were Sushri Shakuntala Choudhary and Prof. Lia Diskin respectively.

Chunikaka gets Jamnalal Bajaj award

Chunibhai Vaidya, the 94-year-old renowned Gandhian popularly known in Gujarat as Chunikaka, was awarded the Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation Awards named after the late industrialist and close associate of Mahatma Gandhi. The awards were presented to several well-known social workers in Mumbai by President Pratibha Patil on Thursday, with Chunikaka being joined by fellow veteran Gandhian from Assam, 92- year-old Shakuntala Baideo.

President Patil stresses on growth of chemical industry

President Pratibha Devisingh Patil on Thursday stressed that the growth of the chemical industry should come with greater realisation of an increased attention towards safety, health and environmental standards.

"There is a need to create awareness about safe use of chemicals so as to prevent their harmful effects on the environment and human beings," said President Patil, who inaugurated the sixth edition of the India Chem 2010 Conference and Exhibition here today.

"The national and international laws and conventions pertaining to the safety measures to be taken by the chemical industry should be strictly implemented. The chemical industry should show an increased corporate social responsibility and should think of providing maximum benefits to the society," she added.

Delegates from more than 25 counties including USA, Germany, Korea, Russia, Spain and Italy attended the India Chem 2010, which is a biannual conference.

Maharashtra Governor K Shankar Narayan, Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizer M K Azhagiri, Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers Shrikant Jena, Minister of State for Communication and Information Technology Gurudas Kamat and Maharashtra Transport Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil also attended the conference, which was organised by the department of chemicals and petrochemicals and Federation of India Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). (ANI)

Involve Agricultural Economy for Overall Growth: Prez

India's growth story is incomplete, unless there is development in rural areas of the country with increased agricultural productivity, President Pratibha Patil said today.

"Seventy per cent of our population lives in villages, and India's development will not be comprehensive or complete unless there is development in the rural areas, and there is increased agricultural productivity. Our farmers are ready and willing to work, earn and learn. We have to respond positively," she said here at a function to confer Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation Awards, named after the late industrialist and a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi.

"We have to involve the agricultural economy more pro-actively into the growth process, both as a centre of production and as a generator of demand for various products and services," she said.

"We must not forget that the food security of India is dependent on the growth of its agriculture. We should aim at enhancing productivity by using better technology and innovative farming practices, with the active participation of the panchayats to usher in a second Green Revolution," the President said.

There are many complementaries that exist between farming communities and the corporate world, because both are private enterprises, she said. The possibilities of a win- win partnership between industry and agriculture should be fully explored, she added.

The President said that there should be a full participation of women the the nation building activities.

"Today, Indian women are excelling in various fields -- in politics, administration, science, arts and business. However, it is also true that they are still confronted with many challenges relating to their own development and empowerment."

"The literacy level of women is lower than men and "they have higher incidence of malnutrition and face societal disadvantages," she said.

Socio-economic development of women is deeply intertwined and if one dimension remains absent, the outcome would suffer, she said. "I am confident that with education and with the proper implementation of women related schemes and programmes, they will progress."

"The Government is pursuing a public-private partnership model in many sectors. NGOs, civil society, entrepreneurs and industrialists should come forward to support programmes of social welfare, capacity building and infrastructure development and work with commitment and with a spirit of national service," she said.

Those who received the award on the occasion include Chunibhai Vaidya, a 94-year-old renowned Gandhian of Gujarat.

Chewang Norphel, an engineer from Leh, whose innovative 'Artificial Glacier Technology' is a unique, simple, cost effective and potential means of high altitude water harvesting and conservation technique.

Shakuntala Baideo, an 92 years old Gandhian of Assam, has done exemplary work for women and children development in a self-effacing manner. Prof Lia Diskin, the founder of the Palas Athena Association in Brazil started a programme of observing Gandhi Week since 1982. She was not present to receive the award.

Development of rural areas important – President

President Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil said that, “India’s development will not be comprehensive unless there is development in the rural areas, and there is increased agricultural productivity.

Then only second green revolution possible

Food security of India is dependent on the growth of its agriculture. Second green revolution is possible, when the partnership between industry and agricultural sector will be come into the force

Chemical industry must take care of environment

President Smt. Pratibha Patil has urged the investors of Indian Chemical Industry to come forward to make the investment in the chemical industry for the growth of industry & safety of environment.

Women must identify their own inherent potential strength

President Smt. Pratibha Patil said that, “Women had their own inherent potential strength. Men and Women have a complementary and supplementary role to play in building their future together. Women are excelling in various fields but they are still confronted with many challenges relating to their own development and empowerment.

Build a corruption free society

President Smt. Pratibha Patil has urged the society to build a corruption free society. India’s development will not be complete unless there is development in the rural areas.

Chemical industry must take care of environment

President Smt. Pratibha Patil has urged the investors of Indian Chemical Industry to come forward to make the investment in the Chemical Industry for the growth of Industry and safety of environment