Bhawna Jat to compete in 20 km walk at Olympics
All of Rajasthan will keep a close eye on the 20km race walk to be held in Tokyo Olympics on Aug 6. That’s because Bhawna Jat who hails from a poor farmer’s family at Kabra village in in Rajasthan’s Rajsamand district will be competing. She had qualified for the Olympics with a national record time at the National Championships in Ranchi last year. For the past several months, she has been training hard at the Sports Authority Centre in Bangalore. Her effort of qualifying for the Olympics has inspired many across the state. People in her village are holding prayers and can barely wait to see her on TV. Here’s wishing the best for Rajasthan’s daughter when she competes on the penultimate day of the Olympics !!
India, Pak revive ‘sweets diplomacy’ on Eid-al-Adha
India and Pakistan revived their tradition of ‘sweets diplomacy’ along the border on Eid-al-Adha last week. BSF personnel in Rajasthan, Punjab and Jammu-Kashmir exchanged sweets on the auspicious occasion. In Rajasthan, BSF soldiers gave sweets to their Pakistani counterparts at Munabao in Barmer district and in the border areas of Bikaner and Sri Ganganagar districts. This was the first exchange of sweets between the two forces after the Pulwama terror attack in February, 2019. This special ceremony is being seen as an enhanced confidence-building measure in the backdrop of the ongoing ceasefire. Most citizens are praying that this gesture of sweets and pleasantries will help to promote peace and harmony between India and Pakistan.
Child bride free from marriage after 18 years
20-year-old girl Sanju, trapped into a child marriage when she was just two, has finally got freedom after 18 years. A family court recently gave the historic verdict for annulment of her marriage, the first child marriage annulled in Rajasthan’s Tonk district. Sanju of Ranoli village was helped Dr. Kriti Bharti, the managing trustee and rehabilitation psychologist of Saarthi Trust of Jodhpur. Dr. Kriti Bharti said “Sanju had expressed pain and wanted to be liberated from her child marriage. It was also the last wish of her late father to get the child marriage annulled.” A delighted Sanju is now dreaming big - “I got freedom from child marriage and Kriti Didi fulfilled my father’s last wish. Now I will be able to fulfill my dream of becoming an RAS officer.”
Database created to promote artists, generate awareness
Rajasthan govt is creating an online database of artists who are looking for a platform to showcase their talents. Their skills will be utilized to spread awareness about welfare schemes and to create an avenue for employment. The Jawahar Kala Kendra, the nodal agency for the database, has invited applications from artists accomplished in performing arts, visual arts, literary arts, puppetry, folk music and tribal arts. They can send in applications through District Collectors by July 30 or at JKK by Aug 15. Rajasthan is the 1st state to take such an initiative.
Rajesh Asnani
Our correspondent in Jaipur rajesh.asnani@ newindianexpress.com
