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Showing posts from March, 2022

Lord Jagannath

  Lord Jagannath is a deity unique to Orissa, no other region worships a form of Vishnu like him. As Jagannath he is called the Lord of the Universe, of the three worlds of the heavens, earth and the netherworld. He is also one of the forms of Lord Krishna, the eighth avatar of Lord Vishnu. Jagannath possesses many of the qualities of Vishnu who is the preserver of the universe that has been created by Lord Brahma. So to his devotees Jagannath is kind and compassionate, patiently listening to their prayers and then offering them the joy of many colourful festivals and the most delectable offering of food. Jagannath is a protective and generous god and that is why he is so beloved of his devotees. This is a temple of truly ancient origins and it also possesses many unusual qualities. First, Krishna-Jagannath, his sister Subhadra and elder brother Balabhadra are worshipped at Puri, the only temple with the tradition of worshipping Krishna with his siblings. Then the icons i

Boita Bandāna

  Boita Bandāna (Odia: boita bandāṇa ) also known as Dangā Bhasā (Odia: ଡଙ୍ଗା ଭସା ḍaṅgā bhasā ), is a traditional Odia maritime and naval festival celebrated annually throughout Odisha, India. The name could be translated as "to float ritual boats and worshipping with lighted lamp" and comes from the tradition of making decorated boats, which are then floated on a river as a symbolic gesture of their ancestors' voyage. Boita Bandana takes place in the early morning of Kartik Purnima which is the full moon day in the month Kartika in the traditional Odia calendar. Since it falls on the lunar phase of the solar calendar, the exact date of the festival changes every year. In the Gregorian calendar, the festival usually falls in the month of November. The festival is a celebrated to mark the commemoration on the day when Sadhabas (ancient Odia mariner merchants) would set sail to distant lands of mainland and insular Southeast Asia and Sri Lanka for trade and cult

Budhei Osha

  "Budhei Osha" also known as Budhei-Sudhei Osha or Budhi Baman Osha observed on Wednesdays in the month of Bhadrab and goddess Bimala or Tarini is worshipped with the establishment of the idol of Buddhi Baman in a Sila (Curry Stone, which is used for pressing/grinding of Masalas for Curry). If you are going to observe " Budhei Osha " this year, then you should download this Pooja Book or Budhibaman Osha/Budhei Osha Bahi Katha. The book is exclusively available for free of cost. If you are residing in Odisha, you can buy this book from any local book store to help Publisher and Owner of the book. OdiaPortal.IN do not own this book's Copyright. The women worship an idol of Maa Mangala. The idol is prepared using Turmeric and Water and given the shape of a human on a Curry Stone. Cowries are used to make the sense organs of the idol. This fast is kept for 4/5 Wednesdays by Women for their children in Odisha. According to another myth, this fast was kept

Savitri Amavasya

  Savitri Amavasya is a regional public holiday in the Indian state of Odisha on the last day of the dark fortnight, in the month of  Jyestha. This means it falls in May or June in the western calendar.  Traditions of Savitri Amavasya In the early morning, women take purifying baths, wear new clothes and bangles, and apply red vermilion to their foreheads. Nine types of fruits and nine types of flowers are offered to the Goddess Savitri. The women fast from sunrise to sunset. During the day they pray for their husbands to have a long life, and listen to the tale of Savitri ,  who saved her husband Satyavan from being taken by the death god. Savitri was the beautiful daughter of King Aswapati of Madra Desa. She had chosen Satyaban as her life partner. Satyaban was a prince in exile who was living in the forest with his blind father. Savitri left her palace to live with her husband and his father in the forest. She was a devoted wife and daughter-in-law, going to great lengt

Bāta Oshā

  Bāta Oshā is celebrated in Odisha on the month of Pousha (in between December-January, according to English calendar). It is also known as Danda Pahanra Osha or Yama Osha. God Yama is the presiding deity in this festival. It is held on the second lunar day of the dark fortnight of pousha in honour of Yama. It is popularly celebrated at Odisha. This festival is all about worshipping Yama himself, the jolly pot-bellied God in black. On this puja, the ritual fasting is only observed by the mothers. Womens wear the new clothes and do the puja and worship Yama at the junction of three or four roads by praying for the well-being of their husbands and children whenever they travel. Since the worship takes place on the road which means Bāta in Odia language, so the name of this festival is Bāta Oshā . Also a plant named ‘Bajra Muli’ worshipped near pooja’s place. And this plant is used as broom stick when the women sweeping the road. Woman who don’t have children, she performs a

Bhai Jiuntia Osha

  On the occasion of this festival girls worship goddess Durga for the prosperity of their brothers. Bhai Jiuntia is celebrated on the 8th day of the bright fortnight in the Hindu month of Aswina. Married women visit their father’s place in this time of the year to observe Bhai Jiuntia for their brothers. On this day, sisters observe fast and arrange the worship. In the evening they get assembled at the place of worship wearing new or clean clothes.  They offer 108 duba grasses, unbroken rice, jiuntia and fruits. A priest reads out the story of Bhai Jiuntia from the book. In the following day they tie the jiuntia in the wrist of their brother for their betterment.

Jahni Osha

  Jahni Osha is an Osha celebrated in Odisha. It is celebrated from the first day of the month of Ashwin to the full moon. It is celebrated by the Osha virgins and is celebrated on the full moon day of Kumar. Every afternoon during the month, the virgins worship Vrindavati at the base of the Tulsi Chura, which is full of jahniful flowers, which include leia, nectar, bananas, and cucumbers. As a song, the girls celebrate the Osha at dusk with a bang. In the afternoon, the girls make jahniful flowers and other flowers at the base of the quarry, set up the kalasa, and read and worship the jahnosa books. Singing gives Vrindavati a finger of Jahni flower. Leprosy is said to be used to relieve leprosy. If you can’t do Osha throughout the month, you can do it 15 days or 5 days before the full moon of Kumar. Singing in the afternoon with Osha rituals and traditions and spending some time in joy and happiness is considered a form of exercise for virgins. In this Osha, Deenakrishna

Maha Shivaratri

  Maha Shivaratri is a famous Hindu festival celebrated each year in reverence of Lord Shiva, the Hindu god of destruction and regeneration. A Shivaratri is celebrated on the 13th night and 14th day of every lunar month. The Shivaratri in the month of Falgun (Phalguna) - the last month of Hindu calendar - is Maha Shivaratri which means "the Great Night of Shiva". It takes place just before the arrival of Spring, usually in February or March in the Western calendar. It is celebrated across India and is a holiday in most states and it is also a public holiday in Mauritius and Nepal. What is Maha Shivratri? The festival marks the end of winter and the arrival of summer and is a major observation in Hinduism. It is very significant to the Shaivism tradition of Hinduism, which worships Shiva as its primary deity. The Maha Shivaratri is mentioned in several Puranas (Hindu Literature) and presents different versions of this festival and referencing the icons of Shiva. Mah

Dussehra

  Dussehra, also known as Vijaya Dashami marking the triumph of good over evil is celebrated today. It is the end of the spectacular ten-day festival celebrating the divine feminine power of Goddess Durga.  Today marks the day when Lord Rama killed the evil King Ravana and Maa Durga herself defeated the demon Mahishasur. Special rituals are being performed at various puja mandaps and shrines across Odisha on the occasion.  However, no rush of devotees was found due to restrictions imposed in view of Covid-19. The Dussehra rituals were concluded at Maa Bimala temple, the presiding goddess of Jagannath temple, amid a divine atmosphere. Similarly, special puja is offered to Devi Kakudikhai, who is regarded as the representative of goddess Bimala, outside Srimandir. The goddess bids adieu in the evening of Dussehra.  Though the Dussehra festival is celebrated with much pomp and show every year, Coronavirus pandemic has played a spoilsport this year again. Pandals, which usual

Pipili Applique Work

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  One can spot Pipli a small and beautiful village at a distance of 29 Km from Bhubaneswar. The place is admired and much frequents by tourists because of the amazing applique work displaying items in bright and vibrant colors. This work involves sewing over various pieces of cloths that are kept over a large canvas. The work is quite different from the patchwork and the images that are sewn over the cloth are of plants and animals and all this is done with dark and bright colors that are clearly visible and more than enough to catch your eyes. The prominent colors that are used for this appealing work include red, blue, green and yellow. The main places that are famous for this work include Parlakhemundi, Khallikote as well as Boudh. You can shop various enticing items such as handbags, canopies as well as umbrellas. In Pipli, you can witness a number of Dutch and Portuguese edifices and churches. The enchanting embroidery work done with the help of needle beautifies va

Ratha Yatra

  Ratha Yatra or Ratha Jatra or Chariot Festival of Lord Jagannath ,  Devi Subhadra and Lord Balabhadra, a Hindu festival, is undoubtedly the  biggest and the most popular festival held in Odisha. It is the oldest  Ratha Yatra taking place in India and the world. Every year in the month  of June or July, this festival is celebrated on the second day of the  Shukla Paksha, Ashadh month as per the traditional Oriya calendar. It is  considered most auspicious to visit the temple during this period.  Thefestivalin Odisha is celebrated for nine days, the commencement of  this festival is called as the Rath Yatra and the return journey on a  ninth day is called as Bahuda Jatra. During the return journey (Bahuda  Jatra) of Ratha yatra festival, the chariot of Lord Jagannath stops at  Mausi Maa temple (Lord Jagannath's Aunt) and the deity is offered his  favorite Poda Pitha, a kind of baked cake meant for the poor. As part of  Ratha Yatra, the deities of Lord Jagannath, his elder brother L

Kalinga

  Kalinga Its territory formed a part of the ancient Kalinga of Mahabharat fame. Ashok the Mauryan King of Magadh, invaded Kalinga in 261 BC and this event has gone down in history as the Great Kalinga war. Then the people of Kalinga offered a relentless & dauntless resistance, but they lost at last. How desperate was the battle, how bitterly was it fought, and how terrible were the results, are known from Ashok’s own descriptions. This is what he wrote about the Kalinga war in his thirteenth Rock Edict. The country of Kalinga was conquered when King Priyadarshan, beloved of the Gods had been anointed eight years. One hundred and fifty thousand were there from captured, one hundred thousand were there slain, and many times as many died. But what was the result? The conquered Kalinga conquered her conqueror. This was the last war fought by him after which he became the great champion of Buddhism and upheld the values of peace and non-violence. The ancient sta

Konark

  The name Konark comes from the combination of the Sanskrit words Kona (corner or angle) and Ark (the sun), in reference to the temple which was dedicated to the Sun God, Surya. The Konark Sun Temple is a 13th-century Hindu temple dedicated to the Sun God. Shaped like a giant chariot, the temple is known for the exquisite stone carvings that cover the entire structure. It is the best-known tourist destination in Orissa and has been a World Heritage Site since 1984. It is located in the village of Konark, which is 35 kilometers north of Puri on the coast of the Bay of Bengal. Frequently referred to as the Black Pagoda, the Konark Temple was constructed in the mid-13th century by Raja Narasinghs Deva-I of the Ganga Dynasty. The temple is unique in its architecture and is built in the form of a chariot driven by seven horses on 12 pairs of decorated wheels. © Mike Prince/Flickr | © Arpan Bhowmick/Flickr | © UNIDO/Flickr There are beautiful carvings on the wall of the main temple, and t

Gopabandhu Das

  Daitari Das and Swarnamayee Devi were his parents. His mother died soon after the birth of Gopabandhu and he was brought up by his paternal aunt. Amidst adversity he completed matriculation in 1899 from Puri zilla school and entered Ravenshaw College to study Arts. After graduation, he pursued law degree in 1906 and he successfully completed it. But, he did not thrive on law profession. Having realised the pitiable plight of people of Utkal in every aspects of their lives, he thought that education would solve the myriad problems of oriyas and thus he experimented his educational ideas at Sakhigopal on 12th August, 1909. This institution was named as Satyabadi System of education or Vana Vidyalya. He dedicated the rest of his life for the upliftment of pupils and people. His enduring social service to the poorest of the poor, destitute and deserved during natural calamities like flood, famine and fire gives him a indelible mark of a true social worker believing in dee

The Old House

  We bought an old house, my boyfriend and I. He's in charge of the "new" construction – converting the kitchen in to the master bedroom for instance, while I'm on wallpaper removal duty. The previous owner papered EVERY wall and CEILING! Removing it is brutal, but oddly satisfying. The best feeling is getting a long peel, similar to your skin when you're peeling from a sunburn. (Story) I don't know about you but I kinda make a game of peeling, on the hunt for the longest piece before it rips.Under a corner section of paper in every room is a person’s name and a date. Curiosity got the best of me one night when I Googled one of the names and discovered the person was actually a missing person, the missing date matching the date under the wallpaper! The next day, I made a list of all the names and dates. Sure enough each name was for a missing person with dates to match. We notified the police who naturally sent out the crime scene team. I overhead one tech sa

Mother Teresa

  She experienced two particularly traumatic periods in Calcutta. The first was the Bengal famine of 1943 and the second was the Hindu/Muslim violence in 1946, before the partition of India. In 1948, she left the convent to live full-time among the poorest of Calcutta. She chose to wear a white Indian sari, with a blue border, out of respect for the traditional Indian dress. For many years, Mother Teresa and a small band of fellow nuns survived on minimal income and food, often having to beg for funds. But, slowly her efforts with the poorest were noted and appreciated by the local community and Indian politicians. In 1952, she opened her first home for the dying, which allowed people to die with dignity. Mother Teresa often spent time with those who were dying. Some have criticised the lack of proper medical attention, and their refusal to give painkillers. Others say that it afforded many neglected people the opportunity to die knowing that someone cared. Her work sprea

Mohandas Gandhi

  Mohandas Gandhi was born October 2, 1869, in Porbandar, India, the last child of his father Karamchand Gandhi and his fourth wife Putlibai. Young Gandhi was a shy, mediocre student. At age 13, he married Kasturba Kapadia as part of an arranged marriage. She bore four sons and supported Gandhi's endeavors until her 1944 death. In September 1888 at age 18, Gandhi left India alone to study law in London. He attempted to become an English gentleman, buying suits, fine-tuning his English accent, learning French, and taking music lessons. Deciding that was a waste of time and money, he spent the rest of his three-year stay as a serious student living a simple lifestyle. Gandhi also adopted vegetarianism and joined the London Vegetarian Society, whose intellectual crowd introduced Gandhi to authors Henry David Thoreau and Leo Tolstoy. He also studied the "Bhagavad Gita," an epic poem sacred to Hindus. These books' concepts set the foundation for his later beli

Bibhuti Pattanaik

  The tenth edition of ‘ Chappal Chhanda ’ has been published in a few years. The fact that this novel has caused a great stir among the ignorant readers and literary critics of Odisha is reassuring to me for various reasons.The events of this political novel, written in historical context, are limited to the period after India’s first general election since World War II.Some of the information contained in it about the Gadjat Prajamandal movement is taken from the history of the long unpublished long Gadjat movement of the late Sarangdhar Das.   After the publication of the first edition, it was appropriate to name the novel ‘Chhapal Chhanda’ instead of ‘Itikatha of Andharigarh’, which was accepted by my predecessor Mohapatra Neelamani Sahu. I don’t think I should have implemented that advice so as not to give readers unnecessary suspicion of name change.I would be happy to accept the name ‘Chappal Chhanda’ for those who may seem petty in the name of ‘Itikatha of Andharig

Surendra Mohanty

  Surendra Mohanty born in Orissa was an award-winning author who wrote in Oriya. He was the recipient of prestigious Orissa Sahitya Academy Award for his novel Nilashaila. Career Surendra was the President of Orissa Sahitya Academy from the year 1981 to 1987. He was also the first editor, and later chief editor for the newspaper The Sambad. He is a writer of short stories, novels, travelogues, criticism and biographies. He wrote around 50 books belonging to different genres. His wellknown books are Mahanagarira Ratri (The Night of the Metropolis), Maralara Mrutyu (The Death of a Swan), Andha Diganta (The Dark Horizon), and Mahanirvana (The Final Departure). Yadubamsa O Anyaanya Galpa (The Yadubamsa and other stories), Rajadhani O Anyaanya Galpa (The Capital and other stories), Krushnachuda (The Gulmohur) and Ruti O Chandra (The Bread and The Moon) are his famous short stories. Awards Sahitya Akademi Award, 1957; for Sabujapatra O Dhusara Golap.Sharala Award, 1980; for Kul

Gopinath Mohanty

  He and his elder brother, Kahnu Charan Mohanty, along with his nephew Guru Prasad Mohanty exercised tremendous influence on Oriya literature for about three decades. Born at Nagabali (a small village on the bank of River Mahanadi which can boast of producing some of the trendsetters in oriya literature be it Gopinath himself, Kahnu Charan and Guru Prasad) in Cuttack district on 20 April 1914, Mohanty received higher education at Ravenshaw College. He got his M. A. degree from Patna University in 1936. Career He joined the Orissa Administrative Service in 1938. Most of his service career was spent among the poor tribals of the undivided Koraput district. He retired from government service in 1969. In 1986, he joined San Jose State University in the U.S.A. as an Adjunct Professor of Social Sciences. He died at San Jose, Califormia on 20 August 1991. Awards He received Visuva Milan citation in 1950. He won the central Sahitya Akademi Award in 1974 for his prose-epic, Matim

Prativa Ray

  The 78-year-old writer, who has earlier won prestigious awards like Jnanpith, Moortidevi and Saptarshi for her literary exploits is among the boldest writers in India whose writings in Odia language bring out her desire for a social order based on equality, love, peace, non-violence and emotional integration. Daughter of a school principal, Ray caught the attention with her first novel Barsha Basanta Baishakha (Rain, spring and summer) in 1974, that was set in a rural ambience. By mid-eighties she was already established as a leading writer in Odia with novels like Parichaya (An identity – 1978), Punyatoya (The Hallowed River – 1978), Asabari (The rhythm asabari, 1980), Nilatrushna (The Blue Thirst, 1981), Sila Padma (The Stone Lotus, 1983), Uttarmarga (The Salvation Way-1988) and Adibhumi (The Primal Land / The Primitive Land – 1993). Prativa worked first as a headmistress of a tribal school and then as a professor in a college. She churned out 21 novels, 24 short stor

Manoj Das

  In the passing away of Manoj Das, one of the finest bilingual writers of post-independence India, the nation has lost an original mind and creative voice in the world of literature, literary journalism, public culture and spirituality. Indeed, it would be hard to faithfully chronicle the diverse domains where Manoj Das excelled with equal ease and felicity. He acquired a magisterial stature in the course of more than six decades of active creative life. He was a novelist, short story writer, educator, editor, literary journalist, exponent of Indian culture and spirituality, a staunch believer in Sri Aurobindo’s Integral Yoga and the future evolution of the human species. He was, most of all, a narrator and storyteller par excellence who belonged to, and reclaimed, the traditions of Panchatantra, the Jataka tales and Katha Sarita Sagar for contemporary needs. He saw no contradictions in creative self-expression in English and his mother tongue Odia, anchored to the rich repertoire of

A forest

  A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function.The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) defines a forest as, "Land spanning more than 0.5 hectares with trees higher than 5 meters and a canopy cover of more than 10 percent, or trees able to reach these thresholds in situ. It does not include land that is predominantly under agricultural or urban use."Using this definition, Global Forest Resources Assessment 2020 (FRA 2020) found that forests covered 4.06 billion hectares (10.0 billion acres; 40.6 million square kilometres; 15.7 million square miles), or approximately 31 percent of the world's land area in 2020. Forests are the predominant terrestrial ecosystem of Earth, and are distributed around the globe. More than half of the world's forests are found in only five countri

Jim Corbett

  Jim Corbett, a colonel in the British Indian Army, was best known for being a hunter, conservationist and naturalist. He held the honor of killing many man-eating tigers and leopards in India, especially the United Provinces (now the Indian states of Uttar Pradesh & Uttarakhand). Being a multi-faceted personality, he was also avid photographer and an author. In fact, after his retirement, Jim wrote a number of books on wildlife, describing his hunts and experiences, the most prominent ones being 'Maneaters of Kumaon' and 'Jungle Lore'. He is also credited for speaking on the need to save wildlife from extinction. For this very reason, the Corbett National Park in Kumaon has been named after him. To know more about Corbett, continue reading this insightful biography on him. Personal Life Jim Corbett was born as Edward James Corbett, on 25th July 1875, in Nainital, near the Kumaon foothills of the Himalayas, in the United Provinces (now in Uttarakhand). He was the

Ram Das

  Ramdas or previously Narayan was born at Jamb, a village in present-day Jalna district, Maharashtra on the occasion of Rama Navami, probably in 1608. He was born into a Marathi Deshastha Rigvedi Brahmin family to Suryajipanta and Ranubai Thosar. His father was a devotee of Surya, the Vedic solar deity. Ramdas had an elder brother named Gangadhar. His father died when Narayan was around seven years of age. It is believed that Narayan turned into an introvert after the demise of his father and was often noticed to be engrossed in thoughts about the divine. According to legend, Narayan fled his wedding ceremony upon hearing a pundit chant the word 'Saavdhan' (Beware!) during a customary Hindu wedding ritual. Then at the age of twelve, he is believed to have walked to Panchavati, a Hindu pilgrimage town near Nashik. He later moved to Taakli near Nashik. At Taakli, he spent the next twelve years probably between 1621 and 1633 as an ascetic in complete devotion to Rama. During thi

Sri Aurobindo

  Sri Aurobindo was one of the first Indians educated in England. He was a poet, thinker, freedom fighter, yogi and spiritual leader. He was born on 15 August 1872 in Kolkata, West Bengal. Let us read about Sri Aurobindo's early life, family, achievements, education, and works, etc. Sri Aurobindo is also known as Aurobindo Ghose and also spelled as Aravinda. He propounded a philosophy of divine life on earth and founded an ashram in Puducherry. His epic poem Savitri is one of the greatest works of him. His participation in the Indian freedom struggle against the British gave him popularity and gradually evolved to become a spiritual and yogic guru. He came up with a new path of spirituality known as 'integral yoga'. The main objective of his teachings was to increase the level of consciousness of people and to aware people of their true selves. He had written several books focused on Indian culture, socio-political development of the country, spirituality, etc.

Gautam Buddha

  Many biographies of the Buddha begin not with his birth in his last lifetime but in a lifetime millions of years before, when he first made the vow to become a buddha. According to a well-known version, many aeons ago there lived a Brahman named (in some accounts) Sumedha, who realized that life is characterized by suffering and then set out to find a state beyond death. He retired to the mountains, where he became a hermit, practiced meditation, and gained yogic powers. While flying through the air one day, he noticed a great crowd around a teacher, whom Sumedha learned was the buddha Dipamkara. When he heard the word buddha he was overcome with joy. Upon Dipamkara’s approach, Sumedha loosened his yogin’s matted locks and laid himself down to make a passage across the mud for the Buddha. Sumedha reflected that were he to practice the teachings of Dipamkara he could free himself from future rebirth in that very lifetime. But he concluded that it would be better to delay his liberati

Ramakrishna Paramhansa

  One of the most prominent religious figures of India during the nineteenth century, Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa was a mystic and a yogi who translated complex spiritual concepts into lucid and easily intelligible manner. Born in a simple Bengali rural family in 1836, Ramakrishna was as simple yogi. He pursued the Divine throughout his life in various forms and believed in divine embodiment of the Supreme Being in every individual. Sometimes believed to be the modern day reincarnation of Lord Vishnu, Ramakrishna was the embodiment of spiritual salvation to troubled souls from all walks of life. He was a key figure in revival of Hinduism in Bengal at a time when intense spiritual crisis was gripping the province leading to predominance of young Bengalis embracing Brahmoism and Christianity. His legacy did not end with his death in 1886; his most prominent disciple Swami Vivekananda carried on his teachings and philosophy to the world through Ramakrishna Mission. In essence, his teaching

Robin Sharma

  Robin Sharma is a Canadian author of Indian origin, internationally acclaimed as a motivational and leadership speaker. He became a worldwide sensation with his second book, ‘The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari,’ and is known as a writer with a deep understanding of life. He holds a master’s degree in law and has worked as a litigation lawyer. However, he could not find peace or satisfaction in his work. At the young age of 25, Sharma decided to turn his life around and give writing a shot. The turning point in his life did not come in a moment’s epiphany. It was a long-drawn process, full of failures. After the international success of his second book, he quit law and gave in to his calling. What he did not foresee, however, was his popularity as a speaker. Currently, he is consulted by CEOs and top leaders from the corporate world, who seek his advice on how to keep employees inspired. He has consulted and conducted trainings for many ‘Fortune 500’ companies, including ‘Microsoft,’ ‘GE,

Ravi Shankar

  ‘My vision is a violence free, stress free world’, stated the spiritual leader and humanitarian ambassador, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, who has long been working towards building peace among nations. He is the founder of the ‘Art of Living Foundation’, which is one of the world’s largest humanitarian, non-governmental organizations and is known for its great services to mankind. As a child, he was extremely gifted and always dreamt of building a peaceful world. Today, he propagates his ideologies through the countless ‘ashrams’ and Art of Living institutes all around the world. A universally revered saint, Ravi Shankar is a multi-faceted social activist and his humanitarian initiatives include conflict resolution, trauma relief and poverty assuagement. He claims deep meditation and a potent breathing technique known as the ‘Sudarshan Kriya’ can be directly integrated in one’s daily life to calm the mind and to bring about positivity and vigor. His preaching and ideologies have reached out

Paramhansa Yogananda

  Paramhansa Yogananda, born in 1893, was the first yoga master of India to take up permanent residence in the West. Yogananda arrived in America in 1920, and proceeded to travel throughout the United States on what he called his “spiritual campaigns.” Hundreds of thousands filled the largest halls in major American cities to see the yoga master from India. Yogananda continued to lecture and write up to his passing in 1952. Yogananda’s initial impact on the western culture was truly impressive. But his lasting spiritual legacy has been even greater. His Autobiography of a Yogi, first published in 1946, helped launch a spiritual revolution in the West. Translated into more than a dozen languages, it remains a best-selling spiritual classic to this day. Before embarking on his mission to the West, he received this admonition from his teacher, Swami Sri Yukteswar:     The West is high in material attainments, but lacking in spiritual understanding. It is God’s will that you play a role i

Shri Narendra Modi

  Shri Narendra Modi was sworn-in as India’s Prime Minister on 30th May 2019, marking the start of his second term in office. The first ever Prime Minister to be born after Independence, Shri Modi has previously served as the Prime Minister of India from 2014 to 2019. He also has the distinction of being the longest serving Chief Minister of Gujarat with his term spanning from October 2001 to May 2014. In the 2014 and 2019 Parliamentary elections, Shri Modi led the Bharatiya Janata Party to record wins, securing absolute majority on both occasions. The last time that a political party secured such an absolute majority was in the elections of 1984. Inspired by the motto of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas’, Shri Modi has ushered in a paradigm shift in governance that has led to inclusive, development-oriented and corruption-free governance. The Prime Minister has worked with speed and scale to realise the aim of Antyodaya, or ensuring last-mile delivery of schemes and services.

Bhubaneswar Behera

  Bhubaneswar Behera joined as an apprenticeship in Government of Orissa and worked in the Irrigation Department. Later, he worked as an Assistant Engineer in the Jog Hydro Power Project with special charge of irrigation under the Kalahandi, Darbar in February, 1945. He also developed a project to make artificial water fall which had provided good water supply for irrigation and Hydro power generation. Bhubaneswar Behera also completed his master degree in the State University of USA in the year 1947 through the scholarship provided by the Government of India. The Government of Odisha had appointed him as a state engineer for irrigation department in the year 1947. After, He had shifted to Hirakud Dam project and worked as Assistant and Executive engineer for the Dam project up to 1956. Bhubaneswar Behera became an academician by joining as a professor of Civil Engineering department at the University College of Engineering, Burla in the year 1958 and he had been appointed as a Princi

Ramakanta Ratha

  Ramakant Rath was born on December 13, 1934 in Cuttack district of Odisha. A poet of remarkable calibre, he has always remained largely unconcerned about readers’ responses, demonstrating a solid faith in his poetry. His poetry is full of melancholy and laments the inevitability of death and the resultant feeling of futility. The poetic expressions found in his creations carry a distinct sign of symbolic annotations to spiritual and metaphysical contents of life. He retired as Chief Secretary Odisha after holding several important posts in the Central Government such as Secretary to the Government of India. He received the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1977, Saraswathi Samman in 1992, Bishuva Samman in 1990 and India’s 3rd highest civilian honour, the Padma Bhushan in 2006. He was the Vice President of the Sahitya Academy of India from 1993 to 1998 and the President of the Sahitya Akademi of India from 1998 to 2003, New Delhi. A number of his poems have been translated into English and o

Bhubaneswar Behera

  Bhubaneswar Behera joined as an apprenticeship in Government of Orissa and worked in the Irrigation Department. Later, he worked as an Assistant Engineer in the Jog Hydro Power Project with special charge of irrigation under the Kalahandi, Darbar in February, 1945. He also developed a project to make artificial water fall which had provided good water supply for irrigation and Hydro power generation. Bhubaneswar Behera also completed his master degree in the State University of USA in the year 1947 through the scholarship provided by the Government of India. The Government of Odisha had appointed him as a state engineer for irrigation department in the year 1947. After, He had shifted to Hirakud Dam project and worked as Assistant and Executive engineer for the Dam project up to 1956. Bhubaneswar Behera became an academician by joining as a professor of Civil Engineering department at the University College of Engineering, Burla in the year 1958 and he had been appointed as a Princi

Kalandi Charan Panigrahi

  Kalindi Charan Panigrahi was a noted Odia poet, novelist, story writer, dramatist, and essayist. He is famous for his magnum opus Matira Manisha. He has been awarded Padma Bhushan and Sahitya Akademi award for contribution to Odia literature.   Kalindi Charan Panigrahi (2 July 1901 – 15 May 1991) was a noted Odia poet, novelist, story writer, dramatist, and essayist. He was one of the members of the Odia literary group Sabuja Goshthi (the Green Group). Influenced by the romantic thoughts of Rabindranath Tagore, during the thirties when the progressive Marxist movements was in full flow in Odia Literature, Kalindi Charana Panigrahi, the older brother of Bhagabati Charana Panigrahi, the founder of Marxist trend in Odisha, formed a group in 1920 called "Sabuja Samiti", along with two of his writer friends Annada Shankar Ray and Baikuntha Patnaik. Perhaps it was the very short existed period in Odia Literature, and later submerged with either Gandhian thoughts o

Mahasweta Devi

  Mahasweta Devi  (1926–2016) was one of India’s foremost literary figures from the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries—a writer and social activist in equal right. Author of numerous novels, essays and short stories, she received the Jnanpith Award, India’s highest literary honour, in 1996. Maheswata was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1997 for her ‘ compassionate crusade through art and activism to claim for tribal peoples a just and honourable place in India's national life ’ .

Soubhagini Parida

  ‘ Atharva Ishwar ’ is my second collection of stories. The readership and support that has been found in the first collection of stories is unique and indescribable. Not to mention Beginning with Vyasakabi Fakir Mohan, the storyline continues to flow like Jahnavi to this day. My collection is short for revealing the names of many brilliant pearls that have glorified our literary world in this storyline. They are so obsessed with literature that even my small collection is unable to contain their names. They are not only my ancestors, but also my ancestors The answers to some of the questions left in the future of modern short stories in their works are very long, logical and research-oriented. This is just a small effort of mine to lead that rich tradition of fiction and to walk the path of that path for a simple solution to that question.

Susmita Bagchi

  Susmita Bagchi started writing in Oriya in 1982, and has published five novels, seven collections of short stories and a travelogue; she received the State Sahitya Akademi Award in 1993. Susmita lives in Bangalore with her husband Subroto; they have two daughters. Two things cannot be ignored about Oriya author Susmita Bagchi . She writes the way she speaks – that is, always straight from the heart. That is why perhaps she never misses the mark with her readers and has been connecting with them since 1982 when she wrote her first ever short story for Sucharita, an Odia magazine. Thirty three years later with eight novels, seven collections of short stories and a travelogue to her credit, she keeps herself firmly ensconced in the hearts of her readers.

Pandit Nilakantha Das

  Pandit Nilakantha Das was one of the most illustrious sons of Odisha, who appeared both in its political and literary arena at the most crucial period of its history, when Odisha had no political identity in the map of India, and Odia as a language was about to be extinct. This illustrious son of Orissa was born on 5th August, 1884 in the family of Ananda Das at Sri Ramachandrapur village in the district of Puri. He had his early education at the village school. In 1899 he was admitted to Puri Zilla School. In 1909 he passed his B.A. and had been to Calcutta to continue his M.A. and B.L. studies. In 1911 after returning from Calcutta Pandit Nilakantha joined as a teacher in Satyabadi School. He then continued as a Headmaster of the school for a large period. Later he joined as a Professor in Oriya and Philosophy but relinquished his service in order to join non-cooperation movement.He was elected as a working member of Utkala Pradesh Congress Committee and also a member

Ashapurna Devi

  Ashapurna Devi, also Ashapoorna Devi or Ashapurna Debi, was a prominent Indian novelist and poet in Bengali. In 1976, she was awarded the Jnanpith Award and Padma Shri by the Government of India, D.Litt. by the Universities of Jabalpur, Rabindra Bharati, Burdwan and Jadavpur. She hailed from an ultra-orthodox family of north Kolkata. Ashapurna devi Her paternal grandmother did not permit her (and her sisters) to attend school since it would involve stepping out into the ‘big bad world’. So the young girl lived a cloistered life, devoting herself to reading. As a matter of fact, books were her doors and windows to the vast world that lay outside, often beckoning to her silently. By her grit and sheer determination, the spirited woman surmounted her obstacles to emerge as an ardent feminist and champion of women’s liberation.

Rabindranath Thakur

 R abindranath Tjakur FRAS was a Bengali polymath—poet, writer, playwright, composer, philosopher, social reformer and painter. He reshaped Bengali literature and music as well as Indian art with Contextual Modernism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Sivasankara Pillai

  Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai, popularly known as Thakazhi after his place of birth, was an Indian novelist and short story writer of Malayalam literature. He wrote over 30 novels and novellas and over 7 short stories focusing on the lives of the oppressed classes. Autobiography by Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai , a compilation of his three autobiographical books: Balyakaalam, Vakkeel Jeevitham and Ormayude Theerangalil . This collection shed light on the history of his times too.

Benyamin

  Benyamin is an Indian novelist and short story writer in Malayalam from Njettur, Kulanada, near Pandalam of the south Indian state of Kerala. He lived in the Kingdom of Bahrain from 1992 to 2013, before returning to Kerala. His works appear regularly in Malayalam publications in Kerala.. Benyamin (born Benny Daniel in 1971) is an Indian novelist and short story writer in Malayalam from Njettur, Kulanada, near Pandalam of the south Indian state of Kerala. Benyamin lived in the Kingdom of Bahrain from 1992 to 2013, before returning to Kerala. His works appear regularly in Malayalam publications in Kerala. Goat Days (Aadujeevitham), his most famous novel, portrays the life of an Indian labourer in Saudi Arabia. It is used as a textbook at Kerala University, Calicut University, Bharathiar University, Pondicherry University and 10th standard for Kerala State syllabus. Jasmine Days (Juggernaut Books, 2018), translated by Shahnaz Habib won the inaugural JCB Prize for Literat

Taslima Nasrin

  Taslima Nasrin is a Bangladeshi-Swedish writer, physician, feminist, secular humanist, and activist. She is known for her writing on women's oppression and criticism of religion. Some of her books are banned in Bangladesh. She has been blacklisted and banished from the Bengal region. She gained global attention by the beginning of 1990s owing to her essays and novels with feminist views and criticism of what she characterizes as all "misogynistic" religions. Nasrin has been living in exile since 1994. After living more than a decade in Europe and the United States, she moved to India in 2004, but was banished from the country in 2008, although she has been staying in India on a resident permit long-term, multiple-entry or 'X' visa since 2004. She now lives in New Delhi, India.

Tarasankar Bandyopadhyay

  Tarasankar Bandyopadhyay was an Indian novelist who wrote in the Bengali language. He wrote 65 novels, 53-story-books, 12 plays, 4 essay-books, 4 autobiographies, 2 travel stories and composed several songs. He was awarded Rabindra Puraskar, Sahitya Akademi Award, Jnanpith Award, Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan. B andyopadhya y , Tarashankar (1898-1971) novelist, was born on 23 July 1898 at Labhpur in Birbhum, son of Haridas Bandyopadhyay and Prabhavati Devi. He passed the Matriculation examination (1916) from Labhpur and took admission in IA at St Xavier's College, Calcutta. However, he soon left college and joined the non-cooperation movement (1920). He was imprisoned for one year (1930) for his political activities. He took active part in anti-fascist movements. He was a member of the West Bengal Bidhan Sabha for eight years and the Rajya Sabha for six years. He worked for some time in Kanpur and also had some dealings in coal. Tarashankar wrote in a variety of genr

Dr. indira Goswami

  Dr Mamoni Raisom Goswami is a distinguished name in the world of literature. In the year 2000, she was honoured with ‘Jnanpith’, the highest literary award in India, for her immense contributions. She was an eminent writer, a prolific author, a Ramayani scholar, an editor and former Professor of Delhi University.     Born to Umakanta Goswami and Ambika Devi on 14 November 1942 in Guwahati, she was named Indira by her father in memory of Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru. She was lovingly called Mamoni by her mother. Mamoni Raisom Goswami is her pen name by which she preferred to write.     Indira Goswami studied in Pine Mount School, Shillong in the early years and matriculated from Tarini Charan Girls’ High School, Guwahati. Her first collection of stories Chinaki Morom was published when she was thirteen years of age. She graduated in Assamese Literature from Cotton College, Guwahati and obtained her postgraduate degree from Gauhati University.

Adibhumi

 Not Aryabhumi, not Anarya Bhumi, Adi Mens' Adibhumi Independent 'Bandadesh'. Deshke Phank, Naike Bank. Ther is no river in that country, lies swings, streams,Prakh(drains), and keeping the thorn of hills, mountains and cultures of people for thousand years. ......

ApaddudarStotra-maaDurga

Namaste Sharannye Shive SaanukampeNamaste Jagad-Vyaapike Vishva-Ruupe |Namaste Jagad-Vandya-Paada-AravindeNamaste Jagat-Taarinni Traahi Durge Namaste Jagac-Cintyamaana-SvaruupeNamaste Mahaa-Yogi-Vijnyaana-Ruupe |Namaste Namaste Sadaa-[Aa]nanda RuupeNamaste Jagat-Taarinni Traahi Durge ||2|| Anaathasya Diinasya Trssnna-[A]aturasyaBhayaartasya Bhiitasya Baddhasya Jantoh |Tvam-Ekaa Gatir-Devi Nistaara-KartriiNamaste Jagat-Taarinni Traahi Durge ||3|| Arannye Ranne Daarunne Shatru-MadhyeJale Sangkatte Raaja-Gehe Pravaate |Tvam-Ekaa Gatir-Devi Nistaara HeturNamaste Jagat-Taarinni Traahi Durge ||4|| Apaare Maha-Dustare-[A]tyanta-GhoreVipat Saagare Majjataam Dehabhaajaam |Tvam-Ekaa Gatir-Devi Nistaara-NaukaaNamaste Jagat-Taarinni Traahi Durge ||5|| Namash-Cannddike Cannddor-Danndda-LiilaaSamut-Khanndditaa Khannddala-Ashessa-Shatroh |Tvam-Ekaa Gatir-Vighna-Sandoha-HartriiNamaste Jagat-Taarinni Traahi Durge ||6|| Tvam-Ekaa Sadaa-[Aa]raadhitaa Satya-Vaadi_Nya[i-A]neka-Akhilaa-Akrodha

Aaranyaka By Manoj Das

  Manoj Das, a prolific author , is among India's foremost short story writers. He writes both in Oriya (Odia) and English, and is a Professor of English at the Sri Aurobindo International University, Pondicherry.Manoj Das was born in a small coastal village named Shankari in Balasore district, Orissa State. Since 1963, he has been an ashramite at Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry. He is presently concentrating on writing novels.Manoj Das is perhaps the foremost bilingual Oriya writer and a master of dramatic expression both in his English and Oriya short stories and novels. He says that: "Characters follow the theme of a story, and the words are merely added by author to represent the thoughts of the character." That is the precise reason why Das's characters in fiction are from so many varied backgrounds, and display many different dimensions of human nature. He is a philosopher, a thinker-writer whose works can be defined as a quest for finding the

Aasa Geeta Gai Padhiba Patha

 Odia Book Aasa Geeta Gai Padhiba Patha By Naliniprabha Dei ..Kids Book

Abana Rasatarang-Upendra Bhanj

 Kabi Samrata Upendra Bhanja (Odia) was considered as the greatest poet of Odia Literature and was awarded the title "Kabi-Samrata" – "The Emperor of Poets". Born in a royal family, Upendra Bhanja had never eyed for throne.

Pratva Ray Abantiru Nilachala

 Website. pratibharay.org. Pratibha Ray (born 21 January 1944) is an Indian academic and writer of Odia-language novels and stories. For her contribution to the Indian literature, Ray received the Jnanpith Award in 2011. She was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2022.

Abhinaba Accupresure Chikistchha

  Acupressure treatment is an effort to make treatment available to the general public in a very simple and easy way. The human body was essential. Acupressure is the only way to get rid of this disease for free. The author’s main goal is to heal his own disease and help others get rid of it. This method of treatment is so simple and understandable that everyone from young children to adults can learn it in a very short time. The aim of the author is to help readers with their own experiences and medical treatment written in different languages.   ‘Shariramadyam khalu dharmasadhanam’ Only a healthy state of mind is possible in a healthy body. So it is said in English ‘A healthy mind in a healthy body.’ The existence of a healthy body cannot be denied at the root of keeping the mind healthy. The word ‘health’ originates from the word ‘healthy’.But disregarding the laws of nature, it is inviting modern human disease by disregarding the natural daily routine, side effects, m

Abhinaba Khana Bachana

 ‘ Khanabachan ’ is a famous universal, timeless, timeless book written by Khana. As Lord Krishna wrote in the Gita of the eighteenth chapter of the beloved disciple Arjuna in the field of war during the war of the Mahabharata – Similarly, Khana (after cutting off her tongue) told all these things to her husband Mihir and father-in-law before her death in one night.Just as the pain (or blackness) in the form of pain on the moon does not interfere with the full

Surendra Mohanty

 Surendra Mohanty born in Odisha was an author who wrote in Odia. He was the recipient of the Central Sahitya Academy Award for his novel Nilashaila.

Acharya Harihar

 Born on 1879 in the auspicious full moon of Phalgun, Acharya Harihar was born in a conservative Brahmin family in Sriramchandrapur village Sakhigopal in Puri District. His fathers name was Mahadev Brahma and his mothers name was Sraddhadevi. After completing his primary studies in the village he studied in the Puri District School. From his early childhood Acharya Harihar was dedicated towards social service. He had laid the foundation stone of a associated social service in the land of Odisha.

Mayadhar Mansingh

 Mansingh born in Nandala village, Krushnaprasad Tahasil of Puri district, Odisha, India.He was married and had three sons. His second son is the former diplomat and Foreign Secretary of India, Lalit Mansingh. Mansingh's literary contributions include essays, poetic plays and long narrative poems. He also authored several research articles on the History of Odisha. His poetic style is profuse with the use of romantic and erotic metaphor, for which he has earned the appellation "Premika Kabi" (Lover poet) in Odia literature.Some of his notable works include poems Krushna, Kamalayana,Kōṇārka and Ēi sahakāra taḷē.Mansingh authored several research articles on the history of Odia literature, an subject in which he had abiding interest. He also authored a history of the Odia language, documenting the general use of the language, as also the development of Odia literature. The treatise, Odia Sahityara Itihasa (History of Odia language), was published in 1962.Mansingh has also

Jayee Rajguru

 Aykrushana Mohapatra popularly known as Jayee Rajguru a great freedom fighter and martyr of Odisha was born on, 29th October, 1739 the auspicious day of the Anla Navami in Biraharekrushnapur in Puri District to Chand Rajguru and Haramani Devi. Jaykrushna was born in a family in which his ancestors served in the court of the King of Khurda as Rajguru. His forefathers were the political, military advisors and spiritual teachers to the King of Khurda and were traditionally called Rajguru. Jayee Rajguru was an excellent scholar in Sanskrit and a great tantra Sadhaka. He had mastered Vedas, Puranas and Scriptures in the early years of his life.

Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru

 Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru was born in Allabahad on November 14, 1889. He received his early education at home under private tutors. At the age of fifteen, he went to England and after two years at Harrow, joined Cambridge University where he took his tripos in Natural Sciences. He was later called to the Bar from Inner Temple. He returned to India in 1912 and plunged straight into politics. Even as a student, he had been interested in the struggle of all nations who suffered under foreign domination. He took keen interest in the Sinn Fein Movement in Ireland. In India, he was inevitably drawn into the struggle for independence. In 1912, he attended the Bankipore Congress as a delegate, and became Secretary of the Home Rule League, Allahabad in 1919. In 1916 he had his first meeting with Mahatma Gandhi and felt immensely inspired by him. He organised the first Kisan March in Pratapgarh District of Uttar Pradesh in 1920. He was twice imprisoned in connection with the Non-Cooperation Movement

Indira Gandhi

 Born on November 19, 1917 in an illustrious family, Smt. Indira Gandhi was the daughter of Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru. She studied at prime institutions like Ecole Nouvelle, Bex (Switzerland), Ecole Internationale, Geneva, Pupils’ Own School, Poona and Bombay, Badminton School, Bristol, Vishwa Bharati, Shantiniketan and Somerville College, Oxford. She was conferred Honorary doctoral degree by a host of Universities globally. With an impressive academic background she also got the Citation of Distinction from the Columbia University. Smt. Indira Gandhi was actively involved in the freedom struggle. In her childhood, she founded the ‘Bal Charkha Sangh’ and in 1930, the ‘Vanar Sena’ of children to help the Congress party during the Non-Cooperation Movement. She was imprisoned in September 1942, and worked in riot-affected areas of Delhi in 1947 under Gandhi’s guidance.   She got married to Feroze Gandhi on March 26, 1942 and had two sons. Smt. Gandhi became a Member, Congress Working Committe

Gopal Krishna Gokhale

 Born on 9 May, 1866, in Maharashtra, Gopal Krishna Gokhale was an Indian liberal political leader and a social reformer during the Indian Independence Movement. Being one of the first generations of Indians to receive a university education, Gokhale graduated from Elphinstone College in 1884. In addition to learning English, he was exposed to Western political thought and became a great admirer of theorists such as John Stuart Mill and Edmund Burke. He had a great influence of the social works of Justice Mahadev Govind Ranade on his life. He was named as the Protege Son’ i.e. Manas Putra of Justice Mahadev Govind Ranade. Apart from beinga senior leader of the Indian National Congress, he was the founder of the Servants of India Society. Through the Society as well as the Congress and other legislative bodies he served in, Gokhale campaigned for Indian self-rule and for social reforms. Gokhale was famously a mentor to Mahatma Gandhi in the latter’s formative years. As a young barriste

Fakir Mohan Senapati

  A Master in the art of writing short stories, he injected a new life in Odia literature in an environment of gloom and despair. His sence of humour remains unsurpassed in Odia literature. Discarding romantic themes, he wrote about the common man and his problems. Senapati could rightly be compared with the 20th Century great novelist like Premchand and Bibhutibhusan Banerjee. Eventhough he had no formaleducation, he proved to be an enlightened teacher, painter and a great administrator. In his writings, Odia Nationalism was the dominant theme. As a recognised literary poet, Senapati has made his place secure as a great prose writer in Odia .

Buxi Jagabandhu

 Buxi Jagabandhu Bidyadhar Mohapatra Bhramarbar Ray was the leader of the historic Paika Revolt of 1847 of Khurda. He was the landlord of Rodhanga and was nominated as the Senapati by the king of Khurda. In Fact, the perks of Khurda headed by Buxi raised their voice against heavy taxation and illegal encroachment of the tax-free lands and restriction on salt by the British Rule. Apart from this, a conspiracy was made against him by Krushna Singh who recorded Buxis entire landed properties rights in his brothers name. This lead to a revolution and Buxi was Sardar of the revolution.

Lala Lajpat Rai

 The tyrannical British rule in India was responsible for a sense of deep unrest among Indians. Millions of Indians were protesting against the British in a way that they felt would best lead the country towards freedom. While some believed in a peaceful approach, others had a more direct, radical attitude towards the revolution. The triumvirate of Lal-Bal-Pal was a part of the latter group. Lala Lajpat Rai , from undivided Punjab, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, from Maharashtra and Bipin Chandra Pal from what was then united Bengal, had come together to advocate the Swadeshi movement—rejecting the purchase of British goods and becoming self-reliant as a country. Born in undivided Punjab on 28 January 1865, Lala Lajpat Rai grew up in a family that allowed the freedom of faith. His father, Munshi Azad was a scholar of Persian and Urdu and was a teacher at a Government school. Rai studied in the same school. Even before he focused his efforts towards a self-sufficient India, Rai believed in the pr

Mr. Shiv Khera

 Mr. Shiv Khera inspires and encourages individuals to realize their true potential. He has taken his dynamic personal messages to opposite sides of the globe, from the U.S. to Singapore. His 40 years of research and understanding has put millions on the path of. . . .

Naveen Patnaik

 Naveen Patnaik led the BJD to yet another victory in 2019 Odisha Assembly elections, thus becoming the Chief Minister of the state for a fifth consecutive time. He is the son of Biju Patnaik, the former chief ministe r of Odisha. He formed the Biju Janata Dal, to which he belongs, in 1998 when the party broke off from the Janata dal. His popularity among the masses in Odisha rests upon the pro-poor political stance he has. Before joining politics he completed his college education from University of Delhi and is also a writer with four books to his name. Having spent a large part of his life outside Odisha, he is not fluent in the vernacular language of the state and has come under a lot of critism from his political opponent because of this.