Sri Lanka, in their 11th final in this tournament, are aiming to take their Asia Cup title tally to 6 while Pakistan is looking to add their third to the trophy cabinet…reports Asian Lite News
Sri Lanka and Pakistan, who began their campaign with losses and later made remarkable comebacks, will take the field for the last time in the tournament, with an aim to win a well-contested Asia Cup 2022 title at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, here on Sunday.
Sri Lanka, who came to the tournament after a socio-economic crisis and turmoil in their country, suffered an eight-wicket loss against Afghanistan in their opening game. However, since then, the Dasun Shanaka-led side haven’t lost a game and are on a four-match winning streak.
On the other hand, Pakistan had lost a close game against their arch-rivals in their campaign opener. However, they also won the crucial games and managed to reach the finals.
Sri Lanka, in their 11th final in this tournament, are aiming to take their Asia Cup title tally to 6 while Pakistan are looking to add their third to the trophy cabinet.
Before the all-important final, both teams faced each other in a Super Four game on Friday where Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by five wickets. It was a kind of dress rehearsal before the summit clash and they must have gotten a glimpse into each other’s strengths and weaknesses.
In the final, Pakistan will look to improve their batting effort against Sri Lanka’s spin potency. The top-six of Babar Azam-led team folded at less than 120 against spinners in T20Is since 2021 so the spin department led by Wanindu Hasaranga could define Sri Lanka’s fate in this fixture.
Pakistan batters clearly struggled against Sri Lanka spinners on Friday. Even part-timer Dhananjaya de Silva had them on strings, finishing with a spell of 1 for 18 in which he didn’t concede a single four.
Pakistan have also repeatedly lost momentum in the post-PowerPlay phase of 7 to 10 overs — a phase that Sri Lanka spinners could look to maximise. Also, they have tried different combinations in batting during the middle overs, which haven’t allowed anyone to master the specific role.
So, Shadab Khan, who was tidy with the bat at No. 5 in the thriller against Afghanistan, could once again counter Sri Lanka’s spin threat.
The bowling line-up have been Pakistan’s strength in the ongoing tournament despite the absence of a few key fast bowlers. Naseem Shah and Shadab Khan, who were rested on Friday, should return to Pakistan eleven for the final.
On the other hand, the toss could be an important factor for Sri Lanka. They have had the advantage of bowling first in each of their four victories, so the flip of fortunes at the toss could come as a stern test.
Apart from their spin bowling, Sri Lanka also has had solid contributions from their top-five batters. Openers Kusal Mendis and Pathum Nissanka have given positive starts at the top while the likes of Danushka Gunathilaka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Shanaka himself and Chamikaatne Karunaratne have all made runs when they mattered the most.
Sri Lanka and Pakistan have met in three Asia Cup finals — the former won in 1986 and 2014 while the latter emerged victorious in 2000. This will be Sri Lanka’s 11th Asia Cup final — the most for a team. So, overall, a spicy and exciting contest awaits fans on Sunday.
Teams:
Sri Lanka: Dasun Shanaka (c), Danushka Gunathilaka, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Charith Asalanka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Ashen Bandara, Dhananjaya de Silva, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Jeffrey Vandersay, Praveen Jayawickrama, Chamika Karunaratne, Dilshan Madushanka, Matheesha Pathirana, Nuwanidu Fernando and Dinesh Chandimal
Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Shadab Khan, Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Shahnawaz Dahani, Usman Qadir, Mohammed Hasnain, Hasan Ali
If the agreement is successful, Tata might become the first Indian business to manufacture iPhones…reports Asian Lite News
Tata Group is in discussions with a Taiwanese supplier to Apple in order to build an electronics manufacturing joint venture in India and assemble iPhones here, Bloomberg reported on Friday.
According to the report, the discussions with Wistron are aimed at making Tata a force in technology manufacturing and the Group wants to tap the Taiwanese company’s expertise in product development, supply chain, and assembly.
If the agreement is successful, Tata might become the first Indian business to manufacture iPhones, which are now largely put together in China and India by Taiwanese manufacturing behemoths like Wistron and Foxconn Technology Group, the report said.
Meanwhile, earlier this month, industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed that the next iPhone 15 is likely to be manufactured at the same time in India and China next year.
“The iPhone 14’s mass production schedule in India this year is still about six weeks behind China, but the gap has improved significantly. Therefore, it is reasonable to expect that India and China will be able to produce the new iPhone 15 at the same time next year,” Kuo tweeted earlier.
Last month, reports mentioned that the tech giant would start the production of the latest iPhones in India two months after its debut. However, Kuo later noted that it would be manufactured “about six weeks” later.
Apple first started manufacturing iPhones in India in 2017 with iPhone SE. The tech giant manufactures some of its most advanced iPhones in the country, including iPhone 11, iPhone 12 and iPhone 13, at the Foxconn facility, while iPhone SE and iPhone 12 are being assembled at the Wistron factory in the country.
Industry said that all the three iPhone 14 models — especially 14 Pro followed by iPhone 14 — have received tremendous response..reports Asian Lite News
With the pre-order window now open for the new Apple iPhone 14 series, Indian Apple Authorised Resellers and third-party vendors have received robust demand and were inundated with record number of pre-order queries, industry sources said on Saturday.
The pre-booking window for Apple iPhone 14 series opened Friday evening and iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max were available for pre-order, which will be available from September 16.
Industry sources told IANS that all the three iPhone 14 models — especially 14 Pro followed by iPhone 14 — have received tremendous response and after some initial hiccups online, the pre-orders were now smooth.
According to Tarun Pathak, Research Director at Counterpoint Research, within the new series, iPhone 14 Pro and 14 are going to be the best-sellers in India.
“iPhone 13 will also be a hit with lucrative offers in the festive season. The price cut on previous iPhone models will make it a win-win situation for the Indian aspirational buyers,” Pathak told IANS.
IT technology provider Redington said it will offer iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus at 4,000 retail locations across the country.
Redington has teamed up with HDFC Bank to offer cashback on the full range of the new iPhone.
For iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, customers can get a cashback of Rs 4,000 each and for iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus a cashback of Rs 5,000 each.
Customers can also get an exchange bonus of up to Rs 3,000 on new iPhones.
iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max will be available on September 16 and iPhone 14 Plus on October 7.
Redington said it will offer Apple Watch Series 8, Watch SE at more that 2,800 retail locations across the country, and Apple Watch Ultra at 2,500 retail locations.
For Apple Watch Series 8, customers can get a cashback of Rs 3,000 and for Apple Watch SE, the cashback will be Rs 2,000 and for Apple Watch Ultra, customers can get a cashback of Rs 4,000.
Apple Watch Series 8 will be available on September 16 and Watch Ultra on September 23.
Ingram Micro India will also offer iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus at more than 3,800 retail locations across the country.
Ingram Micro has also teamed up with HDFC Bank to offer cashback offers.
For iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, customers can get a cashback of Rs 4,000 each, and for iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus a cashback of INR 5,000 each.
Customers can also get an exchange bonus of up to Rs 2,000 on iPhone 14.
Ingram Micro and HDFC Bank also offer a cashback of Rs 2,500 on AirPods Pro (2nd Generation).
5G will be a key enabler of enterprise digital transformation processes across manufacturing, energy and utilities, banking, transportation, healthcare, sports and retail in the country…reports Asian Lite News
The telecom carriers in India are expected to invest around $19.5 billion in the development of advanced infrastructure for 5G by 2025, according to a GSMA report.
The report showed that 5G could benefit the Indian economy by $455 billion between 2023 and 2040, or more than 0.6 per cent of the GDP forecast for 2040, reflecting the large number of 5G use cases that could be implemented in the main sectors of India’s economy.
“5G benefits are expected to be realised in new applications in the manufacturing sector (representing 20 per cent of the total benefit) as well as the retail, ICT and agricultural sectors,” the findings showed.
However, while the Indian government has assigned two carriers of 250 MHz each in the E-band to address the current need to support 5G rollouts, this may not be enough in the 5G era given the requirement for high-capacity backhaul to support use cases and increased data traffic.
“Clear policy guidelines on the allocation of backhaul spectrum arenecessary,” the report said.
5G will be a key enabler of enterprise digital transformation processes across manufacturing, energy and utilities, banking, transportation, healthcare, sports and retail in the country.
“The consumer and enterprise segments both present significant opportunities for 5G services in India. However, further reforms are required to support the development of advanced telecom infrastructure is a fundamental driver for a digital society,” said the report titled ‘India: on the road to a digital nation’.
There still exists a substantial digital divide in India, with lack of literacy and skills remaining the greatest barrier preventing large swathes of the population from participating in the digital economy and the social and economic benefits it can bring to their lives.
“Given the importance of 5G to India’s digital future, it has become critical for the government and the mobile industry to collectively evolve and ensure the sustainable growth of the mobile industry,” the GSMA report mentioned.
While Reliance Jio rolls out standalone 5G services in select cities in the country by Diwali, which falls on October 24, Bharti Airtel is set to kick off 5G roll out within a month.
Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has also said that 5G services are expected to be rolled out from October.
Cloostermans developed technology that is being used in Amazon operations to help move and stack heavy palettes and totes or package products together for customer delivery….reports Asian Lite News
Amazon on Friday announced to acquire Belgium-based Cloostermans, that designs and manufactures mechatronics solutions, for an undisclosed sum.
With the acquisition of Cloostermans, Amazon said it will continue to invest in customized state-of-the-art technology to drive innovation in its workplace and improve the employee experience.
Cloostermans developed technology that is being used in Amazon operations to help move and stack heavy palettes and totes or package products together for customer delivery.
Amazon began working with Cloostermans in 2019.
“As we continue to broaden and accelerate the robotics and technology we design, engineer and deploy across our operations, we look forward to welcoming Cloostermans to Amazon and are excited to see what we can build together,” said Ian Simpson, vice president of Global Robotics at Amazon.
Cloostermans’s team of approximately 200 employees will be joining Amazon Global Robotics’ growing presence in Europe.
“Amazon has raised the bar for how supply chain technologies can benefit employees and customers, and we’re looking forward to be part of the next chapter of this innovation,” said Frederik Berckmoes-Joos, CEO of Cloostermans.
Since Amazon began introducing robotics into its facilities in 2012, it have deployed more than 520,000 robotic drive units worldwide while also creating over a million new jobs.
“Automation has led to new roles at our facilities, including jobs such as robotics and mechatronics maintenance technicians as well as flow control specialists,” said Amazon.
“To support career development, we have introduced apprenticeship programs that offer our employees paid training and on-the-job learning that leads to certification, technical skills, and an opportunity for rewarding work,” it added.
Developed countries such as Australia, New Zealand, and Canada are constitutional monarchies, and their political systems are oriented in a way that the new monarch of the United Kingdom will as part of the usual process become their head of state…reports Asian Lite News
The passing of Queen Elizabeth II is a delicate moment for the British Commonwealth, 14 countries out of which continue to recognise the monarch as their Head of State, a position that is explicitly stated in the constitutions and laws of some of these countries. In these cases, changes to the law or statute might be required and could trigger calls for a referendum in jurisdictions where there is significant opposition to the current situation. Jamaica is one example, and it could well follow its regional neighbour Barbados, which left the Commonwealth after becoming a republic in 2021.
Developed countries such as Australia, New Zealand, and Canada are constitutional monarchies, and their political systems are oriented in a way that the new monarch of the United Kingdom will as part of the usual process become their head of state. However, in June, Australia’s new government headed by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese appointed Matt Thistlewaite as the country’s first minister tasked with overseeing a transition to a republic, which triggered talk that a referendum to remove the Queen as head of state could follow.
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, or simply the Commonwealth, is a group of 56 member countries, the vast majority of which are former British colonies. They are mostly in Africa, Asia, the Americas, and the Pacific. Three European nations are part of the Commonwealth: Cyprus, Malta, and of course, the UK itself.
Fourteen of these 56 countries — along with the UK — constitute the “Commonwealth realms”. They are Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Belize, Canada, Grenada, Jamaica, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu. The British monarch — now King Charles III, the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II — is the head of state of these countries.
Of the remaining 41 member states of the Commonwealth, 36 are republics — this group includes India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. The other five — Brunei Darussalam, Lesotho, Malaysia, Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) and Tonga — have their own monarchs.
For the wider Commonwealth, the most visible uniting feature is the Commonwealth Games, the multi-sport international competition that is held every four years in one of the member countries. The Commonwealth Games — which were hosted by India in 2010 and the latest edition of which was completed in Birmingham, England last month — are pretty much the only association that ordinary Indians make with the Commonwealth, even though there are wider aspects of intergovernmental cooperation within the grouping.
Pic credits thecommonwealth.org
History of the Commonwealth
The Commonwealth is home to 2.5 billion people, a third of the world’s population, the bulk of whom live in the Indian subcontinent. The smaller Commonwealth realms represent the last vestiges of Britain’s colonial empire, a thread that binds the British monarch to about 150 million people outside of the UK. Most living residents of the Commonwealth realms have never experienced a direct relationship with Britain.
The Commonwealth was born out of an attempt by Queen Victoria to maintain control over the colonies as movements for independence grew stronger. In 1867, after Canada made its frustrations with imperial oversight known, the Queen agreed to grant the territory dominion status, which meant that it would have self-rule, but that Britain could veto policies at the monarch’s discretion.
In subsequent decades other, primarily white, British colonies also became dominions — including Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. After World War I, rising tides of nationalist sentiment in the dominions forced more changes and, in 1926, Britain and the dominions agreed that they would be equal in status. That declaration, formalised through the Statute of Westminster in 1931, marked the founding of the British Commonwealth of Nations.
Although India was present at those talks, leaders of the Indian National Movement pushed for full independence. In 1949, newly independent India was invited to join the Commonwealth, and Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru agreed with a pivotal caveat. India asked that it should be given membership without the requirement of having to swear allegiance to the Crown. The member nations agreed — and later that year, India, Pakistan, and Ceylon (Sri Lanka) joined the Commonwealth.
Four countries in the Commonwealth — Mozambique (1995), Rwanda (2009), Togo (2022), and Gabon (2022) — had no colonial ties with Britain. Mozambique was a Portuguese colony, Rwanda was ruled by the Belgians and Germans, and Togo and Gabon by the French.
All these countries, however, recognise shared values and ties to the British Empire and, according to an analysis published by the BBC, “they see the organisation as a useful network of diplomatic and cultural influence, and for exercising ‘soft power’ on the world stage”. Also, the analysis said, their membership “testifies to the importance of English as a language of business, science and international politics and the necessity of building a range of connections to support economic development and get diplomatic messages heard”.
Elizabeth and Commonwealth
The deceased Queen cemented her dedication to the Commonwealth on her 21st birthday on April 21, 1947, when she issued a broadcast from South Africa addressing “the youth of the British family of nations” and promised to pledge her life to the service of the union.
After her coronation on June 2, 1953 (she had ascended the throne on February 6, 1952, the day her father, King George VI, passed away), the Queen embarked on a tour of the Commonwealth and was greeted with much ceremony and enthusiasm. Through her long reign, she visited well over a hundred countries and was likely among the most travelled heads of state in history.
Her many tours became symbols of Britain’s diplomacy, and while she rarely spoke publicly about her social views, many of her visits placed a clear accent on racial equality and ties between nations. In 1995, she visited South Africa to commemorate the end of apartheid, and to induct the nation into the Commonwealth.
Some, like the historian Ben Pimlott, have suggested that the Queen needed the Commonwealth more than it needed her. “The monarchy, with its imperial memory, keenly sought a Commonwealth role, partly to justify itself, but also because it had taken its supra-national role seriously, and — in a way that was never quite understood by politicians — it continued to relate to distant communities which showed their loyalty in ways that did not necessarily come to the attention of Whitehall,” Pimlott wrote.
It is important to underline, though, that the Queen had no influence on the governance of either the member states of the Commonwealth of Nations or those of the Commonwealth realms, of which she was head of state. In the latter group of countries, she had some constitutional duties — notably, the approval of new governments and, sometimes, legislation; and the grant of state honours or the appointment of certain officials.
But all these roles were always largely ceremonial — with only one significant exception. In 1975, Sir John Kerr, the Governor General of Australia, who was the Queen’s representative to the country, unilaterally dismissed the sitting Prime Minister, Gough Whitlam of the Labour Party, to break a parliamentary deadlock, and then commissioned the Leader of Opposition, Malcolm Fraser of the Liberal Party, to succeed him. This triggered what has been billed as the greatest constitutional crisis in the history of Australia.
Dame Louise Martin, President of the Commonwealth, Games Federation with the Queen
Leaving the Commonwealth
In the 1970s, a host of countries chose to leave the Commonwealth realm, including Dominica, Guyana, and Trinidad and Tobago, effectively removing the Queen as their head of state. In 2021, as Barbados left the realm, its Governor General argued that “the time has come fully to leave our colonial past behind”. The exit was timed with the 55th anniversary of Barbados’s independence from the UK.
Another reason for leaving is that the priorities of Britain may not align with those of member states. Although in recent years, those divides may be cultural, in the past they have also concerned matters of foreign policy. In 1939, when the UK declared war against Nazi Germany, the Union of South Africa and Canada waited over a week to do the same. During that period, King George VI, as king of the United Kingdom, South Africa, and Canada, was both at war and at peace with Germany.
Such stark contrasts are rare today, but the Black Lives Matter protests have created a rift between the crown and its black Commonwealth subjects. Jamaica, a member of the realm, was particularly vocal in this regard, even petitioning the Queen for reparations for the Crown’s role in the transatlantic slave trade.
Analysts have wondered whether, with Elizabeth no more, the new monarch would be able to lawfully appoint Governors-General in countries of the Commonwealth realm if those countries do not first change their Constitutions to refer to the “King” as their head of state instead of the Queen.
If Canada were to consider leaving the realm, an amendment to its constitution would be required. In the case of Australia, it would have to be a referendum. In 1999, a referendum to give the Australian Parliament the power to choose the nation’s head of state was defeated by 45 per cent to 55 per cent, but a fresh referendum may be called by the current government.
In the end, though, the immense popularity and goodwill the Queen enjoyed, both in the UK and in the Commonwealth, was a binding glue. It is doubtful whether Charles and Queen Consort Camilla are seen with similar affection, and that could in the end determine the future of the Commonwealth. It has, indeed, been argued that with the end of the reign of Elizabeth II, a union that was essentially forged on the basis of subordination and which is tainted by its association with racism and the colonial rule should also be allowed to fade away.
The Queen and her royal consort, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, first visited India in January 1961, the first royal British tour of India in 50 years…reports Asian Lite News
Queen Elizabeth II, the head of state of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and Britain’s longest serving monarch died at the age of 96 on Thursday (September 8), after holding the throne for nearly 70 years.
After her father, King George VI died in 1952, Elizabeth ascended to the throne five years after India attained independence from colonial rule, becoming the first British ruler to take the throne after the empire lost its ‘jewel in the crown’. During her reign she undertook three state visits to India, in 1961, 1983, and 1997.
First visit: 1961
The Queen and her royal consort, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, first visited India in January 1961, the first royal British tour of India in 50 years. According to newspapers cited by the BBC, people were so excited to catch a glimpse of her during the visit, that nearly a million people thronged the route that took her from the airport to the official residence of the President of India, Dr Rajendra Prasad, in New Delhi.
The royal couple toured Bombay (Mumbai), Madras (Chennai), and Calcutta (Kolkata), and also visited the Taj Mahal in Agra and the Pink Palace in Rajasthan. She paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat in New Delhi.
President Dr Rajendra Prasad invited them as Guests of Honour for the Republic Day parade on January 26 of that year, and the Queen addressed thousands of people at a meeting in Delhi’s Ramlila Ground.
Second visit: 1983
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip’s next royal visit took place nearly two decades later, upon the invitation of President Giani Zail Singh, and they stayed at the visitors’ suite of the Rashtrapati Bhavan. According to a newspaper cited by the BBC, the Indian furnishings were replaced with Viceregal decor for the visit, and old Western style dishes were prepared for her, since the Queen was said to like “simple meals”.
Her royal visit was at the same time as the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) hosted by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. During her visit, the Queen famously presented Mother Teresa — now Saint Teresa of Calcutta — with the honorary Order of Merit, an extremely exclusive reward that is only limited to 42 living members at one time, for her service to humanity.
Third visit: 1997
Her final and third royal visit to India in October 1997 was to mark the golden jubilee celebrations of India’s Independence. During her stay, Queen Elizabeth touched on the violence unleashed by British colonial rule in India. “It is no secret that there have been some difficult episodes in our past. Jallianwala Bagh is a distressing example,” she said in her banquet address.
Amidst the calls for an apology for the killing of thousands of peaceful protesters upon the orders of General Reginald Dyer for protesting against the Rowlatt Act in 1919, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip visited Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar and placed a wreath at the memorial.
While her speech and visit did not satisfy those who had called for an explicit apology, the BBC reported that it seemed to appease the relatives of those who were killed, who had planned a protest at the Amritsar airport during her arrival. The Queen was allowed to enter the Golden Temple after taking off her shoes
As a token tribute, the dabbawalas paid homage to the Queen at the Borivali railway station in north Mumbai, since Friday is a public holiday..writes Quaid Najmi
The famed ‘dabbawala’ (tiffin-carrier) community of Mumbai mourned the passing away of Great Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II at 96 after a brief illness, here on Friday.
The Nutan Mumbai Tiffin Box Suppliers Association Charitable Trust Chairman Ulhas Muke said the Mumbai dabbawalas shared a close association with Britain’s royal family.
“We are extremely sad to hear about the passing of Queen Elizabeth II… There was a wave of shock and disbelief among the dabbawalas community last night when they heard the devastating news. We all pray that her soul rests in peace,” said Muke in a statement.
As a token tribute, the dabbawalas paid homage to the Queen at the Borivali railway station in north Mumbai, since Friday is a public holiday, NMTBSACT spokesperson Ritesh Shantaram Andre said.
Maharashtra and Mumbai are currently immersed in the immersion ceremonies of gigantic, big, medium and small idols of Lord Ganesh on the occasion of Anant Chaturdashi, marking the curtains on the 10-day long Ganeshotsav festival.
The dabbawalas enjoyed a close rapport with the British royalty ever since the Prince of Wales — now King Charles — visited and interacted with them first in 2003.
Highly impressed by their work and sheer dedication, later the British royal family had invited the dabbawalas’ leaders to Prince Charles and Camilla’s wedding in April 2005.
Two dabbawalas’ representatives — Raghunath Medge and Sopan Mare — attended the royal wedding, rubbing shoulders with other VVIPs from across the globe.
At the wedding, the dabbawalas had gifted a kurta set to Prince Charles and a sari to his wife Camilla, plus one trademark ‘dabba’ (tiffin).
In April 2016, during the first visit of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge Prince William and Kate Middleton, the Mumbai dabbawalas had welcomed them as warmly as they would welcome a ‘mulga’ (son) and ‘suon’ (daughter-in-law).
At that time, the dabbawalas presented the Duchess with a coveted Paithani sari, considered an auspicious gift for a Maharashtrian bride, and a ‘pheta’ (headgear), a picture and statuettes of Lord Vithoba and his consort Rukmini.
Lord Vithoba and his consort are the presiding deities of the state as also the dabbawalas, whose main temple is in the pilgrimage centre of Pandharpur in Solapur district.
Later, in May 2018, during the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the dabbawalas sent a gift of a traditional ‘pheta’ (turban) for the groom and a special kurta-lehenga for his bride.
In May 2019, another body, the Mumbai Dabbawalas Association had presented a special set of silver jewellery to Prince Archie — the son of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
At that time, MDA spokesperson Subhash Talekar had excitedly told IANS: “We feel as if we have all become ‘Ajoba’ (grandpa). We have presented them with a silver ‘kamarpatta’, ‘toda’ and ‘wala’ (waist-band, wrist-band and anklets), gifted to a grandson.”
The dabbawalas are grateful that it was owing to the respect given to them and their humble trade by King Charles two decades ago that their 132-year-old tribe attained global fame and accolades.
Instantly recognized in their simple but iconic attire — a white kurta, loose pyjama and a cap — since 1890, the 5,000 dabbawalas deliver over 2,00,000 lunch tiffin boxes to hungary government or private companies’ staffers and even students daily all over the city, and post-Coronavirus pandemic, diversified into other related service sectors.
In 1961, the Queen and her husband, the late Prince Phillip – Duke of Edinburgh, toured Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata – then Bombay, Madras, and Calcutta – and also visited the Taj Mahal in Agra…reports Asian Lite News
Queen Elizabeth II, who died aged 96 on Thursday, was the first British monarch to accede to the throne after India’s Independence from colonial rule in 1952 and cherished the “warmth and hospitality” she received during her three State Visits to the country over the course of her reign – in 1961, 1983 and 1997.
“The warmth and hospitality of the Indian people, and the richness and diversity of India itself have been an inspiration to all of us,” she said in one of her addresses.
In 1961, the Queen and her husband, the late Prince Phillip – Duke of Edinburgh, toured Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata – then Bombay, Madras, and Calcutta – and also visited the Taj Mahal in Agra and paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat in New Delhi.
They were Guests of Honour at the Republic Day Parade on the invitation of the then President, Dr Rajendra Prasad, and an enduring image from the tour shows the Queen addressing a massive crowd of several thousand people packed into Ramlila Grounds in Delhi for her address, dressed in a fur coat and hat.
In 1983, her visit was in time for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) and she famously presented Mother Teresa with an honorary Order of the Merit. Her final visit to India was to mark the 50th anniversary celebrations of India’s Independence and for the first time she made a reference to “difficult episodes” of colonial history.
“It is no secret that there have been some difficult episodes in our past. Jallianwala Bagh is a distressing example,” the monarch noted in her banquet address.
She and her husband later paid a visit to the scene of the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar to place a wreath at the memorial, amid widespread calls for an apology for the thousands killed at the orders of a British General during the Raj era.
Over the years, the Queen has also hosted three Indian presidents – Dr Radhakrishnan in 1963, R. Venkataraman in 1990 and Pratibha Patil in 2009.
“Britain and India have a long-shared history which today is a source of great strength in building a new partnership fit for this new century,” the Queen said in her State Banquet address for President Patil at Buckingham Palace.
“Nearly 2 million of our own citizens are tied by descent and enduring family links to India. They represent one of the United Kingdom’s most dynamic and successful communities… relations between our two countries are built on strong and deep foundations, and are set fair for the 21st century,” she said.
The Queen’s death triggers what is dubbed in Britain’s royal circles as Operation London Bridge – or the formal preparations and protocol that kicks in following the death of the monarch – with Operation Spring Tide, or the accession of her son and heir Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, to the throne.
“London Bridge is down” is allegedly the way in which the death of the monarch would have been communicated to the Prime Minister, Liz Truss, by the Queen’s Private Secretary, who will also tell the Cabinet Secretary and the Privy Council of senior officials and ministers.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) Global Response Centre is responsible for informing governments outside the UK where she is Head of State, followed by other Commonwealth nations including India. The day of her death is referred to as D-Day, with each subsequent day a countdown until the funeral, expected 10 days after her death.
It comes just days after she appointed her 15th Prime Minister, Liz Truss, at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, where she had been staying for her summer break. It marked a historic first for a British Prime Minister to not be anointed at Buckingham Palace in London after it was decided the journey would be avoided for the monarch, who has been suffering some mobility issues since last year and has been using a walking stick.
The UK had celebrated the Platinum Jubilee of its longest serving monarch on a grand scale in June, coinciding with Queen Elizabeth II’s official birthday. Her husband, Prince Philip, passed away aged 99 last April.
Singh said he was child when the Queen visited the shrine where she was presented with a traditional robe of honour…writes Vishal Gulati
Residents of this holy town in Punjab on Friday fondly remembered the visit of Queen Elizabeth II to the holiest of the Sikh shrines, Harmandir Sahib, popularly known as Golden Temple, to pay homage as a devotee in 1997.
Then the Queen’s itinerary also included visit to the monument of Jallianwala Bagh that serves as a remembrance of the indiscriminate killing of unarmed people on April 13, 1919, which was Baisakhi. They had gathered there to protest against the colonial administration.
“Donning her trademark hat, the Queen elegantly took the ‘parikrama’ of the Golden Temple before praying at the sanctum sanctorum during her visit to the gurdwara,” Rajinder Singh, a security in-charge in the Golden Temple, said.
Singh said he was child when the Queen visited the shrine where she was presented with a traditional robe of honour.
He said his father was working as a ‘sewadar’ and he was accompanying him during Queen Elizabeth’s visit.
“Since the devotees are not allowed to wear socks inside the gurdwara, a special provision was granted by the SGPC to the Queen to wear white socks and gloves,” a gurdwara functionary said.
Accompanying then Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, the Queen also elegantly ate the ‘karah parsad’ and greeted members of Sikh community at the Golden Temple, he said.
She greeted devotees with folded hands while scores of visitors were lined up to see her closely.
The Queen was also honoured by the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC), said the functionary.
Sharing photos of the Queen’s memorable visit to the Golden Temple along with his father, Shiromani Akali Dal President President Sukhbir Badal tweeted: “Queen Elizabeth II was a remarkable monarch whose life epitomised dignity & service to her country & extended family of Commonwealth nations.
“She will be remembered for her outstanding leadership & inspirational life. Condolences to the Royal family & the people of the UK.”
“May waheguru bless her and her successor,” remarked an emotional Dalbir Kaur, an octogenarian resident of Amritsar.
“Though Queen Elizabeth II had never apologised for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, but her visit somehow provide solace to the families of those who sacrificed their lives for the nation,” added another resident Gurdev Sachdeva.
He said it was only during the visit to India in 1997 the Queen talked about the “difficult episodes” of colonial history and called the Jallianwala Bagh massacre “a distressing example”.
“That gave a solace to the martyred families,” he added.
“It is no secret that there have been some difficult episodes in our past. Jallianwala Bagh is a distressing example,” the Queen noted in her banquet address.
She also placed wreaths at the Jallianwala Bagh memorial amidst calls for an official apology for the killings during the colonial rule.
