Category Archives: World Opinion

Reviving an 800-yr-old art

October 11, 2015Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Community Involvement / Social Issues, World Opinionmpositiveone@gmail.com

Kolkata :

Among the stories of torture, loot and oppression that the British left behind for us, one of the most common is that of how the thumbs of muslin weavers from Bengal were chopped off to wipe out the ancient art form from the face of the country. Muslin has since then been an item only to be seen in museums across the world.

A fine cotton textile making art that originated in India in the ancient times, with the maximum concentration in Bengal, and proliferated under Mughal patronage since the 17th century, muslin died an unnatural death when the British decided to smother it so that they can bring in their own mill-made textiles from Manchester to India.

Recently, the West Bengal chapter of Crafts Council of India has taken up a project to revive the art of muslin making. It started in 2010 and now weavers who were being re-skilled for producing muslin, have finally been able to reach an enviable thread count of 500.

After the Mamata Banerjee government came into power, the state micro, small and medium enterprises department also started thinking on how the fine textile making art can be revived in Bengal. The MSME department scouted for experts in villages across five districts of the state where muslin used to be produced traditionally. In this manner, some 793 weavers’ families were chosen from Birbhum, Murshidabad, Nadia, Bankura, West Misnapur and Burdwan, who had all been connected with muslin making some generations ago. The state government encouraged them to take to the art once again.

When the thread count reached 300 last year, muslin made by weavers under MSME made its way to the government’s Biswa Bangla Haat. MSME department is trying its best to increase the count further because the higher the count, the better is the quality of muslin.

During the time of the Mughals, muslin weavers from Dhaka were able to reach a count of 1500. Samples of these are available in museums across the world. A 500 count means that the two threads crisscross each other to create a mesh 500 times in the span of a square inch. “It all started quite by an accident. An American advertising honcho, Anne Johnson, had visited us with inquiries about muslin and whether any efforts were being made to revive it. She was fascinated with muslin and was even prepared to fund it if we took up a revival project, which we eventually did at a cost of Rs 70 lakh,” said Ruby Pal Chowdhury, who heads the Crafts Council of India here.

The Crafts Council project took place in Kalna, where master weavers, who are otherwise associated with the production of khadi yards under the aegis of the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) of the central government and West Bengal Khadi Board (WBKB), kept experimenting with spinning of the yarn with the right thickness out of cotton sourced from Gujarat.

“Once the yarn is spun, it has to be soaked in starch made of kolma or dohor nagra varieties of rice. The water used is essentially rain water to keep the solution soft. There is no formula for this, these are part of family knowledge that are being gradually recalled through re-skilling,” said Pal Chowdhury.

The weavers of the council have not only been able to weave muslin yards but also entwine antique jamdani motifs in it. These have been christened as muslin jamdani and a pure saree woven thus costs nothing less than Rs 20,000. These creations are now available for viewing at Artisana, the council’s outfit at Chowringhee Terrace, while a mega debut is also being planned.

Considering the huge expense that such revival incurs, the council is also trying to tie up with Biswa Bangla to take the revival issue a step forward.

“We would welcome this because the final aim is to bring back muslin to its original glory. That will be possible only if we are able to keep giving incentives to weavers to sacrifice other commercial interests and concentrate on spinning finer yarns and then weaving finer counts,” said Sinha.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Kolkata / by Jhimli Mukherjee Pandey , TNN / October 11th, 2015

Four-in-a-row for Sania and Hingis

October 11, 2015Sports, World Opinionmpositiveone@gmail.com

VICTORY JIG: Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis pose with their trophy after winning the women's doubles final in Beijing. Photo: Lintao Zhang / Getty Images — VICTORY JIG: Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis pose with their trophy after winning the women’s doubles final in Beijing. Photo: Lintao Zhang / Getty Images

In a remarkable run, Sania and Martina have dropped only two sets in their last 17 matches in four tournaments.

Extending their incredible unbeaten record, Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis on Saturday won their eighth trophy of the season and fourth in a row, winning the WTA China Open doubles here.

The top seeds faced stiff resistance from sixth seed Taipei girls Hao-Ching Chan and Yung-Jan Chan before winning 6-7(9), 6-1, 10-8 in the final which lasted one hour and 40 minutes.

In the match tie-breaker, the two pair were going neck and neck and the score was 7-7 at one stage but Sania and Hingis won three of the next four points to clinch the issue.

Martina Hingis (foreground) and Sania Mirza. File photo: Kevin Lee / Getty Images

It was fourth title in a row for the Sania-Hingis pair.

In a remarkable run, they have dropped only two sets in their last 17 matches in four tournaments.

It was ninth title for Sania in the 2015 season and eighth with Swiss great Hingis.

They had won titles at Indian Wells, Miami, Charleston, Wimbledon, the US Open, Guangzhou and Wuhan before today’s win.

Meanwhile, Rafael Nadal overcame his nemesis Fabio Fognini with a spirited 7-5, 6-3 victory to reach the ATP China Open final. And Novak Djokovic brushed off David Ferrer 6-2, 6-3 where Nadal stands between the Serb and a sixth title in Beijing.

Nadal has lost three times to Fognini this year, including at last month’s US Open, but he redressed the balance with a tight win.

In Sunday’s final, Nadal will be seeking his fourth trophy of a season in which he has failed to win a Grand Slam title for the first time since 2004 and has seen his ranking drop to eighth.

Paire stuns Nishikori

Meanwhile, lightning struck twice for Kei Nishikori as the defending ATP Japan Open champion was defeated by “shoeless” Frenchman Benoit Paire in an explosive semifinal.

Paire, playing in a pair of badly torn sneakers following a forlorn dash to buy some new ones, won a nail-biter 1-6, 6-4, 6-2 to prove his first-round win over Nishikori at the US Open six weeks ago was no fluke.

Top seed Stan Wawrinka awaits his close friend in Sunday’s final after the French Open champion produced a clinical 6-4, 7-6 win over Luxembourg’s Gilles Muller.

The results:

At Beijing: ATP & WTA China Open: Men: Semifinals: Rafael Nadal bt Fabio Fognini 7-5, 6-3; Novak Djokovic bt David Ferrer 6-2, 6-3.

Women: Semifinals: Timea Bacsinszky bt Ana Ivanovic 5-7, 6-4, 6-1; Garbine Muguruza bt Agnieszka Radwanska 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Doubles: Final: Sania Mirza & Martina Hingis bt Hao-Ching Chan & Yung-Jan Chan 6-7(9), 6-1, 10-8.

At Tokyo: ATP Japan Open: Semifinals: Stan Wawrinka bt Gilles Muller 6-4, 7-6(5); Benoit Paire bt Kei Nishikori 1-6, 6-4, 6-2.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Sport / Agencies / Beijing – October 10th, 2015

Sania Mirza-Martina Hingis win Wuhan Open title

October 4, 2015Sports, World Opinionmpositiveone@gmail.com

This is the seventh title that the Sania-Martina combination has won this year. (Getty Images)

Wuhan :

Ace Indian tennis star Sania Mirza continued her superb run with Swiss partner Martina Hingis as the duo clinched its seventh title together by winning the Wuhan Open women’s doubles trophy on Saturday.

The top-seeded pair eased past the Romanian team of Irina-Camelia Begu and Monica Niculescu 6-2, 6-3 in the title clash.

“Title number 7 #SanTina @mhingis #WuhanOpen,” the Indian star tweeted accompanied by a picture of the duo with the trophy.

Sania and Hingis had it relatively easy in the second round, quarterfinals and semi-finals after getting a first round bye in the tournament.

Sania and Hingis dropped serve three times and fought back from a 2-0 deficit in the second set to emerge triumphant in the summit clash today.

With this win, the Indo-Swiss pairing has seven WTA doubles titles together this year — Indian Wells, Miami, Charleston, Wimbledon, the US Open, Guangzhou and Wuhan.

They have won their last three tournaments and their last 13 matches without dropping a single set.

They now head to the China Open in Beijing, where they have been given the top billing.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> Sports> Tennis / PTI / October 03rd, 2015

Tipu’s legacy endures…

September 30, 2015Business & Economy, Leaders, World Opinionmpositiveone@gmail.com

The 216th death anniversary of Tipu Sultan was commemorated on Monday.— Photo: M.A. Sriram / The Hindu

The expansion of sericulture in Mysuru region has been credited to Tipu Sultan

The death of Tipu Sultan on May 4, 1799, brought to close a fascinating chapter in Indian history; but his legacy continues to endure notwithstanding the controversy surrounding him in the present times.

Though it has been 216 years since the death of Tipu Sultan, historians are unanimous in pointing out that his initiatives in the socio-economic fields have continued to endure, though these were fast fading from public memory.

The expansion of sericulture in the Mysuru region has been credited to Tipu Sultan. The Mysore Gazetteer notes that Tipu secured the know-how from Bengal and introduced mulberry cultivation in 21 centres. In what could be described as a step to encourage local industry, he banned the export of cotton to ensure that local weavers were not denied the raw material.

The introduction of sugarcane on a large scale has also been attributed to Tipu Sultan for which he secured the assistance of Chinese experts, according to the Gazetteer, which notes that quality sugar and candy were produced with their assistance.

During the pause between the various wars he fought, Tipu Sultan took some reformatory measures including a ban on alcohol. Cattle being closely linked to agriculture, Tipu Sultan encouraged livestock breeding. Hallikar and Amrit Mahal breeds are believed to be products of this initiative.

Rocket technology

Modern day historians also credit Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan with an elementary knowledge of missile or rocket technology, which is considered to be the prototype of present-day missiles and rockets. They were put to full use during the wars with the British. Some of these have been preserved at the Royal Artillery Museum in England. The paintings at Dariya Daulat, the summer palace of Tipu Sultan at Srirangapatana, are a clear indicator of the use of these missiles in wars.

A courtyard within the ruins of the Srirangapatana Fort was identified by archaeologists as the possible spot from where the missiles were launched. Scientists from DRDO have also visited the spot on many occasions in a bid to ensure better maintenance. Plans for a ‘missile museum’ are yet to materialise.

The expansion of sericulture in Mysuru region has been credited to Tipu Sultan

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Karnataka / by R. Krishna Kumar / Mysuru, May 05th, 2015

Tipu Sultan: a secular internationalist, not a bigot

September 30, 2015Amazing Feats, Community Involvement / Social Issues, Leaders, World Opinionmpositiveone@gmail.com

Tipu Sultan cannot be reduced to a singular narrative or tradition of intolerance or bigotry as he represented multiple traditions. Photo: M.A. Sriram / The Hindu

The recent offer made by a film producer to Tamil superstar Rajinikanth to act in a movie on the ‘Tiger of Mysore’, Tipu Sultan, has yet again opened up a Pandora’s Box. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and some Hindutva groups have demanded that Rajinikanth refuse the offer. This argument is made on the grounds that Tipu, the 18th century ruler of Mysore state, was a “tyrant” who killed thousands of Hindus as they refused to convert to Islam.

This is not the first time that Tipu’s name has been dragged into a controversy. It began some years back when Sanjay Khan made a tele-serial based on Bhagwan S. Gidwani’s book, The Sword of Tipu Sultan. His name was once again dragged into a controversy when the Congress government intended to celebrate his birth anniversary in 2014. There was opposition when a proposal was made to establish a university named after him.

Tipu’s very name has become contentious for two reasons: first, his controversial steps in dealing with different communities and people who rose against him. Second, different perspectives through which history was constructed and his image built.

Colonial historians have projected Tipu as a “religious bigot”, who was instrumental in killing and converting to Islam thousands of Nayars of Kerala, Catholics of Dakshina Kannada and Coorgis of Kodagu. Even Kannada chauvinists have projected him as anti-Kannadiga as he was instrumental in changing the local names of places and introducing Persian vocabulary into administration. Marxist historians, on the other hand, have viewed him as “one of the foremost commanders of independence struggle” and a “harbinger of new productive forces”.

History is unkind to Tipu Sultan. The fact is that Tipu cannot be reduced to a singular narrative or tradition of intolerance or bigotry as he represented multiple traditions. He combined tolerant inter-religious traditions, liberal and secular traditions, anti-colonialism and internationalism. He could do this as he had strong roots in Sufism, which is not explored much by historians. He belonged to the Chisti/Bande Nawaz tradition of Sufism.

In fact, Tipu was radical in more than one sense. He was the first to ban consumption of alcohol in the entire State, not on religious grounds, but on moral and health grounds. He went to the extent of saying: “A total prohibition is very near to my heart.” He is credited with introducing missile or rocket technology in war. He was the first to introduce sericulture to the then Mysore state. He was the first to confiscate the property of upper castes, including Mutts, and distribute it among the Shudras. He is also credited with sowing the seeds of capitalist development at a time when the country was completely feudal. He thought about constructing a dam across the Cauvery in the present-day location of Krishnaraja Sagar. He completed the task of establishing a biodiversity garden named Lal Bagh.

His tolerance is reflected in his annual grants to no less than 156 temples, which included land deeds and jewellery. His army was largely composed of Shudras. When the famed Sringeri Mutt, established by Shankaracharya, was invaded by the Maratha army, he issued a firman to provide financial assistance for reinstallation of the holy idol and restoring the tradition of worship at the Mutt. His donation to the famous Srikanteshwara temple at Nanjangud; the donation of 10,000 gold coins to complete temple work at Kanchi; settling the disputes between two sects of priests at the Melkote temple; and gifts to Lakshmikanta temple at Kalale are all well-known. Interestingly, Srirangapatna, a temple town, remained his permanent capital till the end of his rule. He was also instrumental in constructing the first-ever church in Mysuru. Incidentally, well-known historian B.A. Saletore calls him “defender of Hindu Dharma”.

The allegation of forcible conversions has to be seen in the background of political exigencies — either they were with the colonialists such as in the case of Christians of Dakshina Kannada, or were waging a protracted guerrilla war as in the case of Coorg. Here, historians have distorted the facts by reducing political exigencies to the “communal ideology” of Tipu.

A ruler, who once identified himself with the American and French Revolution and Jacobinism, has remained an enigma to many. That a man who ruled for just 16 years continues to haunt Hindutva groups obviously means that Tipu continues to exist in the political discourses, political narratives as well as in the imagination of nation-building. This is where the irony of history lies — one cannot just bury Tipu in the annals of history.

(The writer is chairman, department of political science at the University of Mysore. muzaffar.assadi@gmail.com.)

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Karnataka / by Muzaffar Assadi / September 27th, 2015

Laham Mandi tickles city palate

September 30, 2015Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Travel & Tourism, World Opinionmpositiveone@gmail.com

Hyderabad :

The traditional Hyderabadi dastarkhwan has a new entrant: Laham Mandi.

From the exotic desert peninsula, the simple dish of rice and tender mutton has taken the city by storm. And nothing could explain the success that it has found as it enjoys a place alongside zafrani biryani, a delicacy Hyderabadis swear by.

But how did Laham Mandi make inroads into the Hyderabadi dastarkhwan that denizens are so fiercely protective of? Experts point out that it is the Hyderabadi diaspora, spread across Arabian countries, which has imported Mandi and its variants to the city.

“There was an import of culture as soon as Indians set foot in the Middle East. Though shawarma came to India before Laham Mandi, the latter became a huge hit with the youngsters. They want something different. The trend, particularly with wedding feasts is about two years old,” says Chef Taha Mohammed Quadri from Feast Express, a company that specialises in Arabian cuisine. “Now, bridegrooms are insisting that Mandi be on the dulhe ka dastar along with biryani,” he adds.

Ask Mohammed Abdul Rasheed, an engineer who recently tied the knot, why Mandi was on the menu and pat comes the reply, “All my friends love gorging on Mandi. Also, it is something different from the tried and tested affair.”

Traditional bawarchis say that the dish itself is simple to make. The meat is boiled in water till the time it is succulent and the rice is cooked separately. However, others, like seasoned chef Mir Asif Ali Khan from Arabian Nights argue that Laham Mandi is a madfoon dish, meaning that it is cooked in a cavity in the earth. He has lost count of the number of Hyderabadi weddings in which he has served Laham Mandi, he claims. While listing the traditional Hyderabadi fare on a dastarkhwan, he says, “The traditional dastarkhwan cannot go without lukhmi, qubani ka meetha, double ka meetha and of course, biryani. The introduction of Mandi is a fad.”

Khan explains that affordability and its large portions have led to its popularity. “The quantity of rice per person is huge, so much so that as many as three people can share it. Not just that, the average quantity of meat per portion is around 300 grams, for just Rs 240. What else would a youngster want,” he asks.

Others like Mohammed Moinuddin from Moghal Caterers says that for those who are not too keen on having Laham Mandi at weddings, the dish has found its place in pre-wedding parties. “Sanchak and Mehendi rituals are examples,” he says.

Experts say that restaurants in Toli Chowki like Four Seasons were one of the first to introduce the dish in the city about a decade ago. But, it was around three years ago that it started to gain popularity -courtesy the Arab tribals residing in Barkas, an Old City suburb. According to sources, of the 50-odd restaurants and cafes in the area, almost a third of them serve Mandi.

“The Yemeni tribes in Barkas used it to their advantage. They exploited their exotic lineage, made Mandi affordable and experimented with it by offering chicken and fish Mandi,” says Waseem Khan, a Mandi lover. The ambience in these restaurants is exotic, he adds. “You sit cross legged on the floor and people eat from the same large plate. Portraits of Arab rulers hang from the walls and there is calligraphy. All this adds to the exoticism,” he explains. Restaurants in Toli Chowki with Arabic names have mushroomed. Others like Spice 6 and All Seasons have made Laham Mandi a fine dining experience, he adds.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Hyderabad / TNN / September 28th, 2015

How I survived Haj stampede in 2006

September 26, 2015Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Books (incl.Biographies - w.e.f.01 jan 2018 ), Community Involvement / Social Issues, Education, Karnataka (under research project), Travel & Tourism, World OpinionA K Pasha, A M Ahmadi - Chief Justice of India, Aftab Kamal Pasha, AK Pasha, Chief Justice of India - A M Ahmadi, CJI A M Ahmadi, Prof A K Pasha, Prof A K Pasha - West Asian Politics - JNU, Prof Aftab Kamal Pasha - JNU, Prof AK Pasha - West Asian Politics- JNUmpositiveone@gmail.com

Mysuru, KARNATAKA / NEW DELHI :

People usually hurry to reach Mina creating tremendous risk for themselves and others. It’s during this ritual that chaos is triggered.

I went for Haj pilgrimage with my wife in December-January 2006. During the journey, we noticed that the Gulf region was unstable owing to the trial of the deposed Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein in Baghdad and emotions were running high among the Arabs. The political fever in the region also spread among Haj pilgrims. Emotions and arguments add to the atmospherics of Haj. One can imagine the energy and excitement of a pilgrimage in which millions of people from diverse linguistic, ethnic and racial backgrounds are united by religion.

Our delegation was special as we were being accompanied by former Chief Justice of India A.M. Ahmadi and other dignitaries from different parts of India. But from the beginning of the journey, I saw that arrangements on the ground were not quite right. The Saudi officials gave out instructions only in Arabic, though most of the pilgrims were unfamiliar with the language.

Countries that send the largest number of pilgrims are from South and Southeast Asia like Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and India. People from this region speak many languages. Special attention is needed for the elderly, many of whom undertake foreign travel for the first time and, therefore, are quite disoriented and find it difficult to adjust to sudden orders yelled out in Arabic by policemen.

Also, the Saudi rules aim at segregation of men and women which creates a lot of problems for first-time travellers from our region. Often families which are separated by the Saudi police have to endure hardship, which is multiplied because neither the pilgrims nor the police can understand each other.

The process of Haj starts from Mina where one has to begin early after a prayer, followed by the circumambulation of the holy mosque Kaaba. The pilgrimage ends at Mina following the ritual of ‘Stoning the Shaitan.’ This last ritual at Mina needs to be completed before sunset and people usually hurry to reach Mina creating tremendous risk for themselves and others. It’s during this ritual that chaos is triggered.

On January 12, as we were returning to Mina for the last ritual of Haj, we saw the big stampede from a distance as waves of people collided. Dust and fear enveloped us. Our group stopped midway out of fear and went back to Mecca.

Next morning, we started early at 3 a.m. for the dash to Mina. On the way, we saw huge piles of shoes, clothes, and water bottles left behind by the stampede victims being loaded onto the trucks by the police. Officials informed us that around 350 people had died in the stampede and hundreds more were injured. The possessions of the pilgrims left behind made me suspicious of the official account.

The road to Mina which is where the stampedes often happen is very risky as it’s the only one for the journey to Mina and for returning to Mecca. I am told that the Saudi government has created an alternative route for the pilgrims returning to Mecca but that route is longer and many pilgrims continue to return by the old, shorter and narrow route which puts them at risk.

Year after year, stampedes have taken place on the same route near Mina, yet the Saudi authorities have failed to do anything to reduce the risk.

The occasion of Haj brings more than three million pilgrims to Mecca. A number of factors can trigger a crisis and a stampede on the ground where the crowd is united by religion and divided by political sentiments of the Arab countries. Sabotage is often suspected when such tragedies take place.

The Saudi government should also be open to learning from other countries where a large number of pilgrims congregate, for example in India’s Kumbh Melas and in the Vatican where authorities take care of the linguistic differences while managing people. There is no harm in learning from others.

Prof. Pasha teaches West Asian politics in JNU.

(As told to Kallol Bhattacherjee)

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National / by Prof. A.K. Pasha / September 26th, 2015

Motocross is the ultimate mix of Man and Machine, says Mysuru lad Tanveer

September 18, 2015Sports, World Opinionmpositiveone@gmail.com

Motorcycle racing is one of the most exciting and thrilling competition one could see. The riders or skilled racers risk serious injury or worse to become champion. Racers are part of the bike and both the machine and rider have to work in harmony.

Mysuru city has produced good racers and one such racer is Abdul Wahid Tanveer, fondly called as Tanni by his fans.

This bike-riding fanatic is the youngest member of a family full of motocross riders, who started racing (Dirt Track) when he was studying in class eight at St. Mathias School in city.

Tanveer’s skills have led him to scoop a collection of medals and trophies. “I had a room full of trophies and medals, but I gave away some to my fans as mementos as I did not have place to keep them all,” said Tanveer with a grin.

Tanveer, speaking to SOM, said that he was crazy about motocross racing since a kid and the interest grew when he used to see his elder brother Abdul Majid, a National-level bike racer practice.

He said that his first race was when he was studying in eighth standard where he finished fourth and added that this encouraged him to practice more to become perfect. In the next year, when he was studying in ninth standard, he won his first title ‘Best Rider’ award by riding his modified Yamaha 135 two stroke and Yamaha YBX 4 stroke bikes.

His father late Mohammed Shafi, a wrestler, popularly known as Chirag Pailwan, who was a timber merchant and his mother, a housewife, initially refused to allow him to go racing as he was the youngest and the most pampered kid in the family.

But when he overcame all odds and won the first title in the National-level racing in Bengaluru while he was studying in 10 std., his parents began to encourage him and from then, there was no looking back for Tanveer, it was only winning trophies and medals.

Tanveer, who joined TVS as a racer in 2014, has won many championships including MRF Championship and Rally De Bengaluru in 2014, where he was the overall champion, Dakshin Dare Rally in 2015 in which he was adjudged as the ‘Best Rider’ in the Ultimate Bike category and an Overall Champion.

He has won races in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Hassan, Chikkamagaluru, Coorg and other places in the country and aims to make it to the Great Himalayan Rally this year. He says “I have participated in all categories in different events and Indian Open Class is my favourite.”

Tanveer said, “You got to finish to win. Of course, you got to be fast to win too, otherwise everybody would be doing it.”

This year, Tanveer has participated in over 25 races, both local and National and has won prizes in all.

He is now participating in the MRF Championship which is being held in six rounds in Ahmedabad, Chennai, Hyderabad, Coimbatore and Pune. Of which, three races have been completed with the first held at Ahmedabad, the second at Coimbatore and the third at Chennai.

He said that he now leads the race with 12 points and the remaining three races will be held at Hyderabad, Bengaluru with the final race to be held in Pune.

When asked which bike he uses for the races, he said that he races in three groups and uses three different bikes such as a custom made TVS 300FX for Group-B, custom made Apache RTR 180 for Group- B and Apache RTR 160 for Group-C and said that he enjoys riding his Apache RTR 180.

Speaking about injuries, Tanveer said that in 2014, when he was leading in the MRF Championship, he crashed during a practice session and suffered elbow fracture besides suffering from severe burns as the bike fell on him leaving him hospitalised which resulted him being out of the race.

When asked if racing got encouragement in Mysuru, Tanveer said that there is no encouragement for racing in Mysuru and it was only his family members and a few friends who are encouraging him from the beginning. He said that earlier, Zabiulla, a mechanic near Ya-allah Masjid, used to tune his vehicle when he began racing.

He also said that as there was no encouragement, he had stopped racing for a year in 2012 and added that it was a person from Kerala who persuaded him to continue and it is then he began to race again and continue his winning streak.

Speaking about precautions to be taken during racing, Tanveer said that it is always necessary to wear safety equipment, no matter what the circumstances, wear well fitting Motocross Protection equipment, if you are just starting out, take things slow, find an experienced person who knows about Motocross to give you tips, do some practice before you race, keep in mind that your protection is always more important than winning and finally, do not be afraid to race.

Strength Training

Tanveer said that racers need a strength training programme that targets key muscle groups and keeps them in balance. He said that his strength training is based on four principles that improves not only the strength but the lap time too.

Tanveer says concentrate on your back as the back muscles are equally important in maintaining a proper riding stance. A weak posterior chain will lead to a slumped posture and fatigue the chest, shoulders, arms, and quads, more rapidly leading to general fatigue.

Strong Core Muscles are Key: Proper training of the core region is needed to maintaining proper form and function during a race.

If the core muscles are weak, a rider will alter his posture and riding position, therefore transferring work to the weaker shoulders and arms. When this happens, the arms, shoulders and even legs do more of the work and become fatigue quickly.

Weight Train for Strength not Endurance: Motocross racers are experts at endurance training and therefore usually weight train for endurance. But lifting heavier weights for fewer reps is necessary for building strength.

Concentrate on Total Body Movements: The key to an efficient total body strength programme is to incorporate exercises that require the use of multiple joints versus isolation exercises.

Giving his piece of advice to youngsters, Tanveer said “The streets or roads are not racing tracks,” this should be always in the mind of youngsters. Do not race on streets as it will not only cause problems to the riders but also to others which is against the law. While on road, follow traffic rules.

It does not matter if you are the smoothest rider or you are out of control, pain does not discriminate and wearing proper safety gear could save you, or someone else from a painful experience, Tanveer said.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / by S. Kenneth Shishir / September 18th, 2015

BETWEEN WICKETS – Indian ‘braves’ who ran the Englishman Close

September 16, 2015Amazing Feats, Sports, World Opinionmpositiveone@gmail.com

Excessive bravery, like genius, comes with a touch of madness

Brian Close who passed away on Sunday was, by common consent in England, the bravest man to have played cricket.

As a batsman, Close stepped out to the West Indies fast bowlers Wes Hall and Charlie Griffith, taking blows to the body. As a fielder at short leg he was renowned for getting hit. His bare upper body was the staple of photographs on sports pages — complete with deep impressions of the cricket ball. In colour pages, you could tell the black from the blue! A well-known comedian said it was always possible to know when the cricket season began in England: “by the sound of leather hitting Close.”

Every country has its tales of the bravest — or the most foolhardy. Players, who, with scant regard for personal safety simply got on with the game. Many have become legends for a single act of bravery — Rick McCosker batting with a bandaged jaw, Colin Cowdrey stepping out to bat with his arm in a sling, Hanif Mohammed making a triple century even as the skin under his eyes kept peeling off.

Iron man of Indian cricket

Indian cricket’s bravest have always been measured against their first Test captain, C.K. Nayudu. On his final tour of England, aged 41, he was struck on the under the heart by fast bowler Gubby Allen. It was just the incentive he needed to make his highest Test score, 81.

Hit on the mouth by Dattu Phadkar in a Ranji Trophy match, Nayudu waved away assistance, swept away his teeth from the pitch, and when served up a full toss next ball, berated the bowler for this. He was in his 50s then. Chandu Borde has written about how “even at the age of 58, Nayudu was the iron man of Indian cricket.”

Nayudu played his last first class match in 1963-64. By then, Tiger Pataudi was India captain. Tiger was, perhaps, the bravest man to play for India. The mere thought of taking the field with just one good eye against bowlers around the world is mind boggling. For some years between the reigns of Nayudu and Tiger, India had earned a reputation for being soft. There were even stories of players pulling out of difficult tours.

With the arrival — and success — of Tiger Pataudi, things began to change. Apart from injecting his players with self-respect, Tiger also toughened them. He hasn’t been given enough credit for this. After all, it would have been ridiculous to whine to a captain who had such a serious handicap.

Thus was born the next generation of Indian ‘braves’ — Abid Ali, Eknath Solkar, Mohinder Amarnath, Sunil Gavaskar. Abid and Solkar at short leg picked up catches off genuine sweeps by batsmen that they ought to have been ducking from.

Amarnath’s heroics against the fast bowlers in Pakistan and the West Indies make up one of the inspiring chapters of Indian batting. For a brief period he was the best in the world. For barely getting hit as an opener in a career spanning 125 Tests, Gavaskar was special. A combination of technique and heart made up his game.

During a tour, we once calculated the number of days in a year when big, strong men with a cricket ball in their hands were attempting to incapacitate him. Sometimes bravery is calculated by what you don’t do. Close ensured he got hit; Gavaskar ensured he didn’t. That was perhaps even more admirable.

Kumble’s valour

In recent years, thanks to better equipment, better protection and better pitches, batsmen and fielders have felt safer. The single bravest act on a cricket field by an Indian remains, however, Anil Kumble bowling with a broken jaw in the Antigua Test of 2002. Kumble, hit by Merv Dillon while batting, sent down 14 consecutive overs and became the first bowler to dismiss Brian Lara while bowling with his jaw strapped up. He was due to fly back to Bangalore the following day for surgery, and said, “At least I can now go home with the thought that I tried my best.”

“It was one of the bravest things I’ve seen on the field of play,” said Viv Richards later.

An Abid Ali refusing to flinch, even charging out to the fast bowlers. A Solkar keeping his eyes on the ball, placing the taking of a catch above self-preservation. A Nayudu acknowledging a fast bowler’s dental skill. All part of legend now.

Close was a brave player. He was also, as Vic Marks has pointed out in a tribute, “a wee bit mad.” Perhaps, like genius, excessive bravery comes with a touch of madness.

by Suresh Menon