Tag: KERALA

Categories
India News

Veteran Congress leader Thalekunnil Basheer dies at 79

Apart from being a lawmaker, he also occupied key party posts including that of the vice-president of its Kerala unit and president of the Thiruvananthapuram unit of the party….reports Asian Lite News

Veteran Kerala Congress leader Thalekunnil Basheer passed away at his residence here on Friday morning. He was 79.

Often referred to as the ‘soft face’ of the party, Basheer was confined to his house on account of his failing health over the past few years.

He was also a two-time Lok Sabha member, served one term in the Upper House and won the state Legislative Assembly.

Basheer, the brother-in-law of the legendary evergreen Kerala actor Prem Nazir, had resigned from his Assembly seat to enable A.K.Antony contest after he was sworn in as the chief Minister in 1977, replacing K.Karunakaran.

Apart from being a lawmaker, he also occupied key party posts including that of the vice-president of its Kerala unit and president of the Thiruvananthapuram unit of the party.

His last rites would be performed here on Saturday and before that, the body would be placed at various offices for party workers to pay tributes to him.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan condoled the demise of Basheer and said he upheld the values of Congress politics.

“Basheer used to intervene in the issues affecting the public and upheld the general interest of the society,” Vijayan said in his condolences message.

Senior Congress leaders also condoled the demise of Basheer who was an executive member of KPCC for decades.

A graduate from Ivanios College and Law College, Basheer has also authored several books including ‘Velicham Kooduthal Velicham’, ‘Rajeev Gandhi: Surya Thejassinte Ormakku’, ‘Mandelayude Nattil, Gandhijiyudeyum’ and ‘K Damodaran Muthal Berlin Kunjananthan Nair Vare’.

Former Union minister Mukul Wasnik, who is also the general secretary of the Indian National Congress, also offered his condolences. Deeply saddened by the sad demise of senior Congress leader Thalekunnil Basheer ji. He will always be remembered for his active and well informed participation in parliamentary debates and in upholding value based politics. May his soul rest in peace,” he said.

ALSO READ: No urgent hearing on hijab in Supreme Court

Categories
Lite Blogs Travel Travel & Tourism

Mood swings? Come on…let’s have a trip

Varkala, a coastal town in southern Kerala, is a hipster’s paradise, with palm-covered red cliffs, pristine golden beaches, and pilgrimage sites…reports Asian Lite News

Taking a vacation is the ultimate way to feel good, with 85 per cent of Indian travellers stating that their motivation for travelling is to improve their mood. Travel can lift spirits and boost happiness levels for weeks after returning home.

Booking.com has chosen five of the top destinations with the best mood-boosting activities based on traveller reviews. From scuba diving in the Andamans to yoga on the beach in Varkala, adventure sports to wellness therapies and delectable food, include a mood-boosting activity in your next vacation to make it the most joyful yet.

Outdoor activities in Neil Island

Neil Island is a perfect gem of the Andaman Islands, blessed with magnificent biodiversity, unexplored coral reefs, white sandy beaches, and tropical woodlands. Officially known as ‘Shaheed Dweep,’ it is one of the platforms travellers’ top-recommended outdoor activity destinations. It’s the ideal place to find happiness, with activities ranging from surfing to scuba diving and paddleboarding. Explore the easy cycling trails immersed in nature inland, or head to the beach to sunbathe, read, or simply lie down.

Wellness in Auroville, Tamil Nadu

Auroville is a quiet town in Tamil Nadu that is an experimental township. It’s well-known for hosting weekly workshops, therapies, and community yoga, making it the ideal vacation for rest and relaxation – and one of the top destinations for wellness according to Booking.com travellers, which is a key factor in feeling content. Visitors can de-stress and relax in its wet and dry tropical climate, as well as take walks on its open roads to instill inner peace. The township’s community is very close-knit, and the atmosphere is very welcoming. Matrimandir is a secular gathering place in town where people can meditate and experience tranquillity in peaceful silence. This lovely town has become synonymous with community healing and is a haven for those seeking inner peace.

Yoga in Varkala, Kerala

Varkala, a coastal town in southern Kerala, is a hipster’s paradise, with palm-covered red cliffs, pristine golden beaches, and pilgrimage sites. Varkala is more of a state of mind than a location, but it is one of the top recommended yoga destinations on the travel site, according to travellers. Head to Papanasam Beach, ten kilometres from Varkala, where visitors can enjoy sunset sun salutations by a natural spring, or sunrise for early risers. Whether you practise Vinyasa or Bikram, a yogi novice or a yogi master will find a relaxing retreat.

Waterfalls in Shillong, Meghalaya

Shillong, known as the “Scotland of the East,” is home to several scenic waterfalls and has been named one of the best waterfall destinations by the platforms travellers. Meghalaya has 16 major waterfalls, one of which, Nohkalikai Falls, at 1,115 feet, is said to be India’s tallest plunge waterfall. This waterfall is fed by rainwater that collects on the top, making the once-in-a-lifetime sound of water plunging to the earth difficult to forget. The city is also notable for its towering pine conifers, pineapple shrubs, and undulating terrain. Along with the breathtaking waterfalls, visitors can stroll through Mawlynnong, Asia’s cleanest village known for its wood carvings and traditional craftsmanship.

Nature in Munnar, Kerala

Munnar, located 1,600 metres above sea level and a few hours from Alleppey, is one of Kerala’s most scenic areas. With its vast tea plantations, beautiful cottages, and vibrant hiking trails, it’s no surprise that the city is one of the top destinations for nature walks. Few people visit the lush green mountains, eat authentic food, or indulge in an ayurvedic spa while still embracing the sheer magnificence and raw natural beauty of this town.

ALSO READ-From sarees to stripes – true stories of commercial women pilots in India

Categories
India News Kerala Sports

ISL 2022: Hyderabad FC clinch maiden title

Kerala, missing Sahal Abdul Samad to injury, started on the brighter side from the first minute and it remained so throughout the first half barring a Siverio effort at the cusp of halftime…reports Asian Lite News

Laxmikant Kattimani saved three penalties as Hyderabad FC rose above the din with a 3-1 victory in a nerve-racking penalty shootout over Kerala Blasters FC and their sea of yellow supporters, in a rip-roaring 2021-22 Indian Super League final at the packed PJN Stadium in Fatorda on Sunday.

Hyderabad FC became champions for the first time, vindicating Manolo Márquez’s vision of a well-rounded team with the perfect blend of youth and experience, but it took a lottery to decide the winners in an evenly-contested summit clash that ended 1-1 after extra time as the two teams could not be separated in 90 minutes.

Rahul KP (68th) opened the scoring for Kerala, Kattimani failing to get his hands to a long-ranger before Sahil Tavora (88th) scored a stunning goal to equalise and take the game to extra time. After the outfits cancelled each other out over 30 minutes, it had to be a shootout to decide the champions.

Marko Leskovic, Nishu Kumar and Jeakson Singh saw their efforts saved brilliantly by Kattimani, the 32-year-old veteran goalkeeper even saving twice from Nishu after his first was ruled out due to him stepping out of his line. For Hyderabad, skipper Joao Victor, Khassa Camara and Halicharan Narzary found the back of the net as Javier Siverio shot over the bar. Ayush Adhikari scored Kerala’s only goal from the spot.

It was heartbreak for Kerala as they reached the final for the third time, only to finish second-best when it mattered the most. The thousands of Kerala fans, many of whom travelled all the way from home by road, were left high and dry as their team fell at the last hurdle after displaying a spirited performance.

Kerala, missing Sahal Abdul Samad to injury, started on the brighter side from the first minute and it remained so throughout the first half barring a Siverio effort at the cusp of halftime.

Jorge Diaz could have helped Kerala take an early lead but the Argentine forward could not connect well to a Harmanjot Khabra floater inside the area that caught Asish Rai napping.

Diaz looked in fine form as he ran Hyderabad defence ragged and made those off-the-ball runs that kept the opposition defence on tenterhooks. At the half-hour mark, Luna tried his trademark dipping effort but the ball was collected with ease by Laxmikant Kattimani in Hyderabad’s goal.

The game got off to a lively start with Kerala dominating proceedings but the tempo tapered off a bit after the initial exchanges with both teams not really showing teeth upfront. Kerala were successful in keeping Ogbeche quiet but the likes of Luna and Vazquez too struggled to really burst to life.

Hyderabad were dealt a blow when Joel Chianese had to be replaced by Javier Siverio as the former picked up an injury in the 39th minute, and almost immediately Vazquez found the woodwork after Luna put in a delightful ball inside the box for Khabra to chest it down and Vazquez charging in to have a crack at goal first time. The missile of a strike cannoned off the crossbar as Hyderabad heaved a sigh of relief.

Just before half-time, Siverio forced Prabhsukhan Gill to make a brilliant save after the Spaniard got on the end of a Yasir Mohammad free-kick only for his header to be turned away at the near post.

Hyderabad FC came out all guns blazing in the second period, Joao Victor forcing Gil into a diving save from distance and Ogbeche firing over the bar after bursting through on goal with a deft first touch. Against the run of play, Kerala took the lead.

Vazquez found Rahul in the final third, the latter sprinting towards goal with Hyderabad defenders guilty of not closing him down. Rahul then tried his luck from distance and Kattimani should have done better, getting a feeble hand to the ball but failing to keep it out of goal.

Gill then kept his side in the driver’s seat with a brilliant save from an Ogbeche free-kick but Hyderabad’s constant forays bore fruit two minutes from full time, Tavora scoring a screamer after another substitute Halicharan Narzary’s delectable ball inside the box was cleared by the Kerala defence.

In extra-time, Ogbeche’s overhead kick went just wide in the first half while the Nigerian’s effort was cleared off the line in the second essay by Marko Leskovic. Kerala coach Ivan Vukomanovic replaced Vazquez with Vincy Barretto, raising a few eyebrows but it looked it the Spaniard had picked up a knock.

ALSO READ-‘Performing well and ending up on the podium will be my target’

Categories
India News Kerala

Kerala govt vows support for Ukraine returned students

According to Vijayan there are around 3,000 Kerala students, most of whom are pursuing medicine at various universities in Ukraine….reports Asian Lite News

 Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday informed the State Assembly that the state government will get in touch with the Centre and the National Medical Commission (NMC) to see how best the medical students in the state who have returned from war torn Ukraine can be helped.

“I assure the assembly, the state government will do everything possible to see how best our students who were studying medicine in Ukraine can be helped. A decision on what can be done has to be taken by the Centre and the NMC and for that we will do what can be done,” said Vijayan.

He went on to add that NMC’s decision is awaited as they are the competent authority for such things.

“There are guidelines of the NMC in extreme cases of war and pandemic periods on what needs to be done especially for those who are doing residency and what’s the way forward for such students,” added Vijayan.

He also pointed out that consequent to the war in Ukraine for all those students who were doing studies in various courses there, had to return and those who have lost their certificates and concerns of their future studies, the call has to be taken by the Centre.

“To coordinate all this, a special cell will be set up which will consist of officials from the Health department and the Non resident Keralites Affairs department (Norka) and an allocation of Rs 10 crore has been set aside in the recently presented budget,” added Vijayan.

According to Vijayan there are around 3,000 Kerala students, most of whom are pursuing medicine at various universities in Ukraine.

Former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has already asked Vijayan to see that steps are taken so that all those students who returned from Ukraine can resume their studies in the state and Karnataka has already announced that they are going forward with it.

ALSO READ: Ukraine revisits recruitment of foreign mercenaries

Categories
India News Kerala

Congress to face repercussions also in Kerala

The first hurdle to cross in Kerala in the wake of the near washout in the current round of Assembly polls is that the party will have to clear a nominee for the one Rajya Sabha seat…reports Asian Lite News

With the Assembly poll results in five states on Thursday giving nothing for the Congress to cheer about as it lost Punjab, while failing to make headway in the other four, it does not also portend well for the party’s faction-ridden Kerala unit.

In the Kerala unit, ever since the 2021 Assembly poll reversal, it was the party high command, especially senior leader Rahul Gandhi, along with his now close aide K.C. Venugopal, calling the shots, and this had ruffled seasoned veterans like Oommen Chandy and Ramesh Chennithala.

The high command, perhaps for the first time, decided to ignore veterans and brought in K. Sudhakaran as the new state chief and V.D. Satheesan as Leader of Opposition and since then, affairs in the party have not been smooth.

The first hurdle to cross in Kerala in the wake of the near washout in the current round of Assembly polls is that the party will have to clear a nominee for the one Rajya Sabha seat which it can win out of the three to which polls, if required, will be held on March 31.

“That could be a problem because there are quite a good number of senior leaders hoping against hope and are looking forward to the lone seat. In the bargain, the high command will be able to please just one leader and those who are left out will certainly be displeased. Another issue which is on the cards is the revamp of the district level office bearers and here too, with factional feuds also in the air, it could lead to washing dirty linen in public and a free for all,” a political commentator, who did not want to be identified, said.

Pinarayi Vijayan

Surendran slams Vijayan

With the resounding poll victory of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, at least now Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan should stop criticising the former, said Kerala BJP President K. Surendran.

“People saw what Vijayan was saying against Yogi and even went to the extent of advising him that Uttar Pradesh must adopt the ‘Kerala model’. Now we (BJP) will say Kerala should adopt the Uttar Pradesh model as the so-called Kerala model has been rejected by the people there,” Surendran added.

During the election campaign in Uttar Pradesh, a political war of words had broken out between the two Chief Ministers.

According to a video, Yogi told the people that their vote will decide the future of Uttar Pradesh.

The Uttar Pradesh CM said the state could soon become a “Kashmir, Bengal or Kerala” if the people repeat the mistake of not electing the BJP government back to power..

“Many good things have taken place in five years. Vote cautiously or the work done in the past five years will be ruined. Uttar Pradesh could become Kashmir, Kerala and Bengal. This is a time for taking major decisions,” Adityanath added.

The Kerala Chief Minister retorted to Yogi and wrote on his Twitter account, “If Uttar Pradesh turns into Kerala as @myogiadityanath fears, it will enjoy the best education, health services, social welfare, living standards and create a harmonious society in which people won’t be killed in the name of religion and caste. That’s what the people of Uttar Pradesh would want.”

Slamming the Congress and its former President Rahul Gandhi, the Kerala BJP President said the Congress is on the verge of being routed from the country and now Gandhi can only dream of becoming the Prime Minister of Wayanad.

“The election results show the people of all five states have voted for Narendra Modi and the way he is charting the growth trajectory of the country,” Surendran added.

ALSO READ: ‘Humbly accept people’s verdict’

Categories
India News News Woman

Sky’s the limit for Athulya as she breaks gender stereotypes

Sky's the limit for Athulya as she breaks gender stereotypes

Breaking the glass ceiling, 19-year-old Athulya Dinesh has emerged as the first woman to become an IRATA International Certified Rope Access technician in India…reports Asian Lite News

Trained at ‘ARIES Rope Access Certification centre,’ Athulya, who hails from Thalayolaparampu in Kottayam district, is the first Indian woman employed in the hitherto male-dominated sector.

She works as a Rope Access technician at the Aries Group of Companies, here as a member of its specialist team.

A rope access system is a challenging yet safe method of working at heights where ropes and associated equipment are used to access to and from work positions and to be supported there.

Its applications takes place at industrial sectors, including oil and gas, civil construction, manufacturing, petrochemical and such areas.

These industries maintain safety as the first priority with zero tolerance for any mishaps.

Therefore, the rope access service sector adopts rigorous monitoring, controls, robust training, planning, documentation, execution, and an evolving regime of work procedures that imparts skills, knowledge, and experience.

ALSO READ: No more stereotypes, proves determined woman entrepreneur

Athulya is at present pursuing her IRATA L-1 certification.

This certification covers a range of rope access manoeuvres, including basic ascending, descending through a twin rope system, various rigging techniques, and a few of the basic rescue techniques.

With prospects to work anywhere globally, she has set an illustrating example by breaking biases in the male-dominated rope access sector – an achievement worth reckoning on this Women’s Day.

“I like adventure and that’s how I came into this field and I am very happy that I have opted for the right profession as with all the licenses, only sky is the limit,” said Athulya.

Categories
India News Kerala News

Country’s youngest Mayor gets engaged to Kerala’s Youngest MLA

Country's youngest Mayor gets engaged to Kerala's Youngest MLA

The country’s youngest Mayor, Arya Rajendran got engaged to Kerala’s youngest legislator, Sachin Dev on Sunday at the state headquarters of the ruling CPM, AKG Centre…reports Asian Lite News

The ring exchange of the couple was attended by senior leaders of the CPI-M and close friends and relatives.

While Arya is the state committee member of the Students Federation of India (SFI), Sachin Dev is its state secretary. Both Arya and Sachin had worked together in Balasangam and SFI and were friends. The couple had decided to get hitched in January 2022 which was big news in the state.

Presently Sachin is the Kozhikode district committee member of the CPI-M and state secretary of the SFI while Arya is the Chala area committee member of the CPI-M and state committee member of SFI. They will tie the knot next month.

ALSO READ: Popular Kerala vlogger found dead at Dubai home

Arya and Sachin are both from CPI-M families. While Arya belongs to Thiruvananthapuram, Sachin Dev hails from Balussery in Kozhikode district of Kerala and had won the Balussery assembly seat as a CPM candidate trouncing Kerala’s star comedian, Dharmajan Bologatti of the Congress.

CPI-M politburo member, M.A. Baby presented a book to the couple as a wedding gift.

Categories
India News Kerala

Kerala CPI-M targets youth as 23rd party congress begins

With regard to women members, Balakrishnan said that in 2018, women constituted 17 per cent of the total members, which has gone up to 19.74 per cent today with a total of 1,04,093 female members….reports Asian lite News

While the CPI-M may appear to be stagnant in states like West Bengal and Tripura, according to Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, the party’s secretary in Kerala, things are different in the southern state where it has witnessed a rise in membership with the motto to make the Red outfit the party of majority.

Balakrishnan was speaking to the media on the sidelines of the 23rd State Party Congress here on Tuesday.

“There has been an increase in party membership, which grew from 4,63,472 in 2018 to 5,27,378 today. Likewise, there has been an increase of 3,682 branch committees, which grew from 32,967 to 36,549 during this period,” said Balakrishnan.

He said that it has been found that of the total membership, only 9.42 per cent fall in the below 25 age category.

“A total of 55.84 per cent of the present members came into the party after 2012. It has been decided to ensure that the party enrols more members from the below 25 category,” added Balakrishnan.

With regard to women members, Balakrishnan said that in 2018, women constituted 17 per cent of the total members, which has gone up to 19.74 per cent today with a total of 1,04,093 female members.

“After the newly-constituted lower level committees, there are 1,991 women branch committee secretaries. For the first time, in each of the state’s 14 districts we now have one woman in the district secretariat. Likewise, in Kannur and Kasargod districts, women members’ strength has now crossed 25 per cent of the total membership,” said Balakrishnan.

He said the general opinion of the party is that it’s time to attract more people into the CPI-M fold, and for that feeder organisations will have to be strengthened.

“Our aim is to see that the CPI-M becomes the party of majority in Kerala,” he said.

ALSO READ: Hate speech: EC slaps 24-hr ban on BJP lawmaker
Categories
Dubai Kerala News

Popular Kerala vlogger found dead at Dubai home

RIFA MEHNU INSTAGRAM

A 21-year-old popular Kerala Vlogger and album star, Rifa Mehnu was found dead at their home in Dubai…reports Asian Lite News

Mehnu was living with her husband and a baby. Friends of Mehnu mentioned that she was active on social media and her last post was with her husband from Burj Khalifa, which was hours before her death.

Rifa Mehnu had 300,000 followers on Instagram and also run a YouTube channel with 100,000 subscribers. Efforts have been initiated to repatriate the body to Kerala

ALSO READ: Death of 10-year-old Polina catches the world’s attention

Categories
India News Sport Sports

Ranji Trophy: Remarkable win for Kerala with Rohan’s historic hundred

Kerala and Madhya Pradesh have 13 points each in the group, with the latter ahead due to superior net run rate. The match between these two teams from March 3 will determine the topper of the Group…reports Asian Lite News

On last day of second round in the 2021/22 Ranji Trophy, Kerala, Mumbai, Saurashtra and Karnataka registered victories in different ways. Apart from these teams, Bengal, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, too emerged victorious in their respective matches.

Elite Group A

Kerala’s Rohan Kunnummal notched up yet another century to lead his team to a famous eight-wicket win over Gujarat at Rajkot. After making 129 in the first innings two days ago, Kunnummal made an unbeaten 106 off 87 balls to lead the way in acing a daunting chase of 214.

After Gujarat’s second innings ended at 264, Kunnummal got support from captain Sachin Baby (62 off 76 balls) to achieve six points for the win with a whirlwind chase.

In the other match, Madhya Pradesh won by an innings and 301 runs against Meghalaya. Meghalaya were just out for 61 in the first innings, with Gourav Kumar taking 5/11.

In response, Madhya Pradesh declared at a mammoth 499/6, thanks to centuries from Shubham Sharma (111), Akshat Raghuvanshi (100 not out) and 86 from Rajat Patidar. The side then bowled out Meghalaya for 137, with Anubhav Agarwal taking 5/38, ensuring a big win with a bonus point.

Kerala and Madhya Pradesh have 13 points each in the group, with the latter ahead due to superior net run rate. The match between these two teams from March 3 will determine the topper of the Group.

Elite Group B

Bengal cruised to top of the points table after defeating Hyderabad by 72 runs at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack. Chasing 239, Hyderabad’s overnight batter Tilak Varma made 90 to keep his side in the hunt. But he got very little support from other batters as Akash Deep had a great spell of 4/41 while left-arm spinner Shahbaz Ahmed complimented well with 3/41.

In the other match at the Vikash Cricket Ground, Baroda took the first innings lead as their match against Chandigarh ended in a draw. The destiny of the match was sealed when Chandigarh were 168 all out in reply to a mammoth 517 from Baroda. Though Chandigarh made 473/7, it wasn’t enough to deny Baroda three points.

Bengal now have 12 points while Hyderabad is stuck at six points. Baroda has three points and Chandigarh has just a solitary point.

Elite Group C

Karnataka registered an emphatic 117-run win over Jammu and Kashmir at the IIT Chemplast Ground in Chennai. Needing 508 to win on final day, Jammu and Kashmir were kept in the hunt, thanks to 110 from Ian Dev Singh Chauhan and a quickfire 70 from all-rounder Abdul Samad. The duo put up a partnership of 143 for the fifth wicket.

But when Samad was dismissed by S Sharath and Chauhan by K Gowtham, Jammu and Kashmir looked in trouble. Though Parvez Rasool and Abid Mushtaq tried to resurrect the chase, pacer Prasidh Krishna took out the tail quickly to end the innings at 390 to earn a ten-wicket match haul as Karnataka pocketed six points.

In other match at the Gurunanak College Ground, Railways took the first-innings lead against Pondicherry as the match ended in a draw. After Railways declared at 525/9 with a lead of 183 in the first innings, Paras Dogra made an unbeaten 64 while Pavan Deshpande too was unconquered at 59. The duo’s efforts meant that Railways couldn’t go out for a win and had to settle with the first innings lead.

Ahead of the final round, Karnataka are on top at nine points while Jammu and Kashmir are second at six points.

Elite Group D

Shams Mulani starred with bat and ball as Mumbai defeated Goa by 119 runs at Ahmedabad to keep their play-offs hopes alive. After some resistance acts by Ajinkya Rahane (56) and Sarfaraz Khan (48), Mulani stood up with a half-century and along with 98 from Tanush Kotian helped in Mumbai setting a target of 232 for Goa. In reply, Goa were 80/9 as Mulani took a five-wicket haul with his left-arm spin. Amulya Pandrekar and Amit Yadav resisted for a bit till Kotian took out the latter in the last hour to script a memorable win for Mumbai.

In the other match, Saurashtra defeated Odisha by an innings and 131 runs to be in the hunt for the play-offs. After bowling out Odisha for 165, Saurashtra made a massive 501, thanks to Chirag jani’s 235. With a big lead in hand, Saurashtra bowled out Odisha for 205 to secure a win with a bonus point. In the points table, Mumbai are at the top with nine points while Saurashtra are just a point behind.

Brief Scores:

Saurashtra Won by an innings and 131 Runs vs Odisha

Karnataka Won by 117 Runs vs J&K

Mumbai Won by 119 Runs vs Goa

Kerala Won by 8 Wickets vs Gujarat

ALSO READ-Indian shooting squad ready for action in Cairo World Cup