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Ranjeet Bachchan, the founder and state president of Vishwa Hindu Mahasabha, was shot dead in Uttar Pradesh during the wee hours on Sunday. Lucknow Police have said that eight teams have been formed to nab the culprits.

On Thursday, Indian women's team captain Rani Rampal became the first-ever hockey player to win the prestigious 'World Games Athlete of the Year' award. Earlier in the week, she was one among the six recipients from the category of sports to be conferred with Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award of our country. On Friday, January 31, 2019, the Indian Women's Hockey Team captain handed an out-of-turn promotion by the Sports Authority of India (SAI) to honour her achievement. In this episode of Not For Women Only with Sunita Iyer, let’s take a look at Rani Rampal’s inspiring journey so far.

On February 1, 2003, seven NASA astronauts lost their lives after their Space Shuttle Columbia STS-107 disintegrated while re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere. One of those killed in that tragic incident was the first Indian woman in space – Kalpana Chawla. She was an inspiration to thousands of Indian women. But how many of you know about how Kalpana Chawla’s childhood story and what made her go to space eventually? Let’s find out more in this episode of India Untold with Sunita Iyer.

Recently, a humble gesture by co-founder of software giant Infosys, Narayana Murthy, touching the feet of former Chairman of Tata group, Ratan Tata, went viral on social media. Narayan Murthy’s gesture came after he handed over Ratan Tata with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 11th edition of the TieCon Mumbai. While this heartwarming gesture won the hearts of several netizens, it has also brought focus on the age-old Indian tradition of touching the feet of our elders. Let’s find out more about this in today’s episode of Culture ‘Shauk’ with Sunita Iyer.

The national bird of a country is a designated representative of that country’s fauna. It is chosen on the basis of the unique qualities that the bird may symbolize. It should uphold certain core qualities or values of the nation it belongs to and feature in the cultural history of the country. On January 31, 1963, the Indian Peafowl commonly termed as the Peacock was declared the National Bird of India because of its rich religious and legendary involvement in Indian traditions. Vividly colorful and exuding oodles of grace, the Indian Peafowl commands a lot of attention. The peacock and its colors are synonymous with Indian identity.

It's official. Bengaluru is the world's most traffic congested city. Believe it or not, the time spent by Bengalureans on the road in 2019 is equivalent to the time taken in planting 244 trees, watching 215 episode of Game of Thrones or watching 139 football matches! According to a report by TomTom, the Netherlands-based global provider of navigation, traffic and map products, India’s startup hub beat 415 other cities across 57 countries to earn the title in 2019. The report said: Bengaluru takes the top spot this year with drivers in the southern Indian city expecting to spend an average of 71% extra travel time stuck in traffic.

From Irengbam, a village 22 km away from Imphal, to Scotland’s Glasgow. That is a life’s journey for India’s Bala Devi, who on Wednesday proudly wore the No.10 jersey of Scottish football giants Rangers FC. The Manipuri striker made history by becoming the first Indian woman footballer to bag a professional contract from a foreign club. With this she also becomes Rangers’ first Asian international footballer. Let’s find out more about Bala Devi’s historic feat in this episode of Not For Women Only with Sunita Iyer.

Overwhelmed to see Mahatma Gandhi’s attire, Winston Churchill once called him a ‘half-naked seditious fakir’. While the former UK prime minister mocked Mahatma Gandhi’s attire, what he failed to realize back then was that look of Mahatma Gandhi would go on to become the quintessential symbol of the common man and his spiritual strength. But do you know why Mahatma Gandhi opted for the iconic makeover? There is a deeper story set in the ancient city of Madurai, Tamil Nadu. Let’s find out more in this episode of India Untold with Sunita Iyer.

Assam’s fascinating tableau, which depicted the rich weave of handicraft, music, dance, life and its people, won the first prize at this year’s Republic Day Parade. With a theme of ‘Land of Unique Craftsmanship and Culture’, the tableau showcased several elements of the state’s rich culture. In this episode of Culture 'Shauk' with Sunita Iyer, let’s find out why Assam’s tableau at this year’s republic day parade won more than just the first prize.

In 2019, a report released by the Directorate of National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme stated that India recorded more than 67,377 cases of dengue between January and October. And Karnataka alone saw over 12,756 dengue cases, the highest in India. While questions have time and again been raised on the effectiveness of mosquito repellents, a 16-year-old student from Mangaluru has found an innovative solution that transforms your clothes to repel mosquitoes naturally & it only costs Rs 14. A recipient of the prestigious Bal Shakti Puraskar 2020 for Excellence in the Field of Innovation, let’s find out more about Suneetha Moorje Prabhu’s journey in this episode of Not For Women Only with Sunita Iyer.

Since 2008, Indian banker-turned-environmentalist Pavan Sukhdev has been warning the world about the kind of climate catastrophe currently unfolding in countries such as Brazil and Australia. On Monday, January 27, 59-year-old Sukdev, was awarded this year's Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement, often called the "Nobel prize for environment", for "revolutionising how decision-makers would come to view the natural world".

In a bid to boost tourism in the country, the government has come out with a very creative approach which might cheer travel enthusiasts. The Ministry of Tourism has decided to reward travelers who visit at least 15 tourists spots in the country in a year with the Dekho Apna Desh campaign. Union Tourism Minister Prahalad Patel Singh said, "The tourism ministry will fund the travel expenses of tourists who visit 15 destinations in the country in a year and submit the photos on our website.” However, he clarified that the move should not be considered as a monetary benefit, but as an incentive.

In 2019, Nirmala Sitharam made history by becoming India’s first full-time woman Finance Minister. While presenting the Budget 2019, she termed the women of the country as ‘nari tu narayani’, suggesting they hold an important place in the development of our country. As the countdown to Budget 2020 begins, let’s take a look at what Indian women want in this episode of Not For Women Only with Sunita Iyer.

 

Vasant Panchami refers to the religious Hindu festival of Saraswati Puja or Shree Panchami. It is a seasonal spring festival which is observed in many regions of the India. The festival also marks the start of preparation for Holika and Holi, which take place forty days later. Let’s find out more about the significance and importance of this festival in this episode of Culture Shauk with Sunita Iyer.

Lala Lajpat Rai left behind a legacy of nationalism, unity and strength. He was a firm believer in India’s independence and dedicated his whole life to the cause. On Lala Lajpat Rai’s birth anniversary, let’s take a look at what we as a country owe to this visionary, social reformer and freedom fighter.