Current Events May,2023

At the age of 95, Haryana’s Bhagwani Devi Dagar clinched three gold medals for India at the 2023 World Master Athletics Indoor Championship in Poland. All three victories came in the 95-99 age division, with Bhagwani Devi competing in temperatures as cold as minus seven degrees Celsius. Nicknamed “Sprinter Dadi”, Bhagwani Devi, whose athletic career began at 94, followed up on her one gold and two silver medals from last year’s competition in Finland with first place in the 60m running, shot put and discus throw categories in the Polish city of Torun this time around.

“Dadi’s win is a testament to the dreams of millions of Indian women who dare to put their dreams to action. She reinstates our belief in nari shakti and samman regardless of age, education, caste and creed. These are the very principles of Aparajita, which believes every woman has the wings to fly. We just need to make them believe in themselves. At Aparajita, we’re proud to have fully supported Dadi in her journey and hope she can continue to deliver many more historic wins in the time to come,” said Ruchika Gupta, director at the Kolkata-headquartered Sanmarg and founder guardian of Aparajita, which recognises and supports women achievers. For Bhagwani Devi’s Poland trip, Aparajita was in charge of sponsoring her travel, logistics as well as other forms of on-ground support required by the nonagenarian athlete.

Floods of Runs in Cricket T-20 International

In the recently concluded T-20 international series between South Africa and the West Indies, a world record was created by South Africa. In the 2nd match of the series. Batting first, West Indies put on a mammoth total of 258/5 in their allotted 20 overs, thanks to a brilliant century by Johnson Charles (118 runs in 46 balls). With this huge total in their kitty, West Indies was confident to win the match easily and clinch the 3-match series as well. But South African openers Quinton de Cock and Reeza Hendricks had some other ideas. Right from the very 1st over, they started to attack the opponent bowlers and put on 152 runs in 10.5 overs. de Cock scored 100 runs in 44 balls and Hendricks scored 68 runs in 28 balls. With their magnificent effort and alao, able support from other batters, South Africa reached their target in 18.5 overs. Incidentally, this was the highest target reached by any team in T-20 international.

Kolkata Metro Conducts Trial Run Underneath the Hooghly River

A first for the cpuntry, our Kolkata metro’s newest line, set to open to the public in November, does a successful trial run, passing underneath the Hooghly River in the city’s northeast, with the tunnel 32 meters (105 feet) below the water. Running 32 metres below water level, is considered an engineering marvel.

The line will connect the soon-to-open metro station of Howrah Maidan and the existing station of Esplanade on the opposite side of the river, traveling 520 meters (1700 feet) in just 45 seconds. Once open, Howrah Maidan will be the deepest metro station in India.

Its important to mention, the underground water seepage had caused cracks in 12 buildings at Madan Dutta Lane in Bowbazar, last year.

Cartoon Acknowledgement – Uday De

However, this is not the first tunnel underneath Hooghy River. Not for for India, but the Asia’s first underwater tunnel was made and finally completed in July 1931.

This tunnel was not made by modern tunnel boring machine. It was made by simple tools like spade, shovel etc. Indian Punjabi labours were digging this tunnel and attached the cast iron rings with the tunnel wall.

Sir Harley Hugh Dalrymple was the project head of this construction. He and the boiler specialist John Lochrance had designed the Asia’s first underwater tunnel in 1928. Construction began in March 1930. At first labours digging a well on the Hooghly River side at Indian Botanic Garden in Howrah. After one month, another similar well began digging on the opposite side of Hooghly River at Metiabruz in Kolkata. The wells digging process were taken to complete first four months. Then the main 0.539 km (0.335 mi) tunnel digging process was began from Metiabruz side, under 33.5 metres (110 ft) from the river bottom. The total construction of this tunnel took 17 months to complete. Two Indian labours and a British worker died during the construction.

This tunnel is strictly for the engineering operational purposes of CESC. It has landing facilities at both the ends, has proper ventilation system, and enough space for maintenance staff to carry their works.

Dhono Dhanyo Auditorium was inaugurated in southwest Kolkata’s Alipore

Dhono Dhanyo Auditorium was inaugurated in southwest Kolkata’s Alipore.

The much-awaited Dhana Dhanye auditorium at Alipore was presented for the people of Kolkata on Thursday, the 15^th of April 2023 the eve of Bengali New Year. The construction of another auditorium by the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA) at Amtala in South 24 Parganas is expected to be completed by May-end.

The state-of-the-art auditorium shaped like a conch is 510 feet in length and 210 feet in width. The six-floor auditorium has two meeting halls with a capacity of 2,000 and 540 seats respectively. There is also a street theatre facility with a seating capacity of 300. There is a banquet, food court and car parking arrangements on the ground floor where 250 cars can be parked. The work for the project with a budget of Rs 440 crore kicked off in December 2017 and was supposed to be completed within 40 months. However, the Covid pandemic and the revised seating arrangement that was enhanced from 2,400 to 2,600 has led to the delay. An agency from Delhi which has constructed the main structure of the Biswa Bangla Convention Centre in New Town is executing the Dhana Dhanye Auditorium. Constructed by WBPWD.