ITV

Tag: Bharat Ratna

  • PM Modi remembers the late Lata Mangeshkar on her 93rd birth anniversary

    PM Modi remembers the late Lata Mangeshkar on her 93rd birth anniversary

    Mumbai: On the 93rd birth anniversary of the late Lata Mangeshkar, prime minister Narendra Modi shared his interactions and affections with the legendary singer. “Remembering Lata Didi on her birth anniversary. There is so much that I recall… the innumerable interactions in which she would shower so much affection.”

    To honour the contribution of Lata Didi to the Indian music industry and her efforts as a Bharat Ratna Awardee to bring laurels to the nation, Modi stated, “I am glad that today a chowk in Ayodhya will be named after her. It is a fitting tribute to one of the greatest Indian icons.”

     

     

    Lata Mangeshkar, who was born in 1929, is well-known for her incredible voice, which has infused charm into hundreds of songs and continues to be a favourite of many people today. Starting her career at the early age of 13, she dominated playback singing for many years. The most talented singer in the Indian cinema industry, also referred to as the “Nightingale of India,” was born in Indore on 28 September 1929 to classical musician Pandit Deenanath Mangeshkar and Shevanti.

    Lata Didi’s siblings, Meena Khadikar, Asha Bhosle, Usha Mangeshkar, and Hridaynath Mangeshkar, are also well-known figures in the Indian music and film industries.

    5,000+ songs by Lata Didi have been featured in more than 1,000 Hindi and 36 foreign films. The famous song, “Meri Awaaz hi Phechaan Hai,” sums up her career that lasted more than 80 years as India’s most well-known and renowned vocalist in a very beautiful way. Other masterpieces of melody that Lata Didi created and will live on forever include: “Lag Jaa Gale,” “Tere Bina Zidagi,” “Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon,” “Aap Ki Nazron Ne Samjha,” “Pyaar Hua Ikrar Hua,” “Aaj Phir Jeene Ki Tamanna Hai,” and others.

    On the occasion of her birth anniversary, a number of other distinguished individuals have paid tribute to the master singer. Many artists created tribute artworks for her.

     

     

  • Sachin Tendulkar’s autobiography to launch on 6 November 2014

    Sachin Tendulkar’s autobiography to launch on 6 November 2014

    MUMBAI: The highest run-scorer in the history of international cricket, Sachin Tendulkar who retired in 2013 after playing for an astonishing 24 years will be launching his autobiography on 6 November 2014.  The book has been titled ‘Playing It My Way – My Autobiography’.

    The most celebrated Indian cricketer of all time was conferred the Bharat Ratna – India’s highest civilian award – on the day of his retirement. Now Sachin Tendulkar tells his own remarkable story from playing in the by lanes of suburban Mumbai, to his first Test cap at the age of 16 to his 100th international century and the emotional final farewell that brought his country to a standstill.

    Speaking about the book, Tendulkar commented that “I knew that agreeing to write my story would need me to be completely honest, as that’s the way I have always played the game. It would require talking about a number of aspects I have not shared in public before.

    So here I am, at the end of my final innings, having taken that last walk back to the pavilion, ready to recount as many incidents as I can remember since first picking up a cricket bat as a child in Mumbai 35 years ago.”

    His many achievements with India include winning the World Cup and topping the world Test rankings. Yet he has also known his fair share of frustration and failure – from injuries and early World Cup exits to stinging criticism from the press, especially during his tenure as captain.

    Hodder and Stoughton editor Roddy Bloomfield said, “Over the past 25 years Sachin Tendulkar’s colossal batting triumphs for India have singled him out as one of the greatest players in cricket history. He is universally admired and respected and most impressively remains a very modest man.”

    “I can’t over-emphasise the pleasure it gives me to announce that Hodder and Stoughton will be publishing Sachin Tendulkar’s inspirational autobiography in November of this year,” he added.

    The book will be simultaneously released all over the world and in India will be represented by Hachette India.
  • Actors Rishi Kapoor and Shivaji Satam to get Mangeshkar awards

    Actors Rishi Kapoor and Shivaji Satam to get Mangeshkar awards

    NEW DELHI: Ten personalities in the field of social awareness, music, literature and arts are to receive the annual Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Awards later this month.

     

    Bharat Ratna and legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar told during a press conference held at her residence in Prabhakunj in Mumbai that the 25th edition of the awards will be presented by her at a function on 24 April at Shanmukhananda Hall, Mumbai.

     

    While tabla player Zakir Hussain and classical vocalist Pandharinath Kolhapure (father of actress Padmini Kolhapure) will be given the Master Deenanath Paritoshik award for music, senior actor Rishi Kapoor and the versatile Marathi actor Shivaji Satam will get the Master Deenanath Mangeshkar (Vishesh Paritoshik) awards.

     

    The Master Dinanath Paritoshak will be given to two journalists Anant Dixit and Prakash Bal, while the Vagvilasini Paritoshik will go to litterateur Dr Anand Yadav.

     

    Dinesh Pedanekar and Mukta Barve will get the Mohan Wagh Puraskar for the Marathi drama ‘Chapa Kata.’

     

    Anna Hazare gets the Master Deenanath  Mangeshkar (Jeevan Gaurav) for social awareness and Miraj Vidyarthi Singh receives the Anadmayee Paritoshik foir social service.

     

    The awards will be organised by Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Smriti Prathishthan Trust, which celebrates the Memorial day of Master Deenanath Mangeshkar every year on 24 April where legendary actors, film makers, social activists, musicians, singers, dramatists, dramas and poets are felicitated for their respective outstanding contribution in their field by presenting them with the prestigious ‘Master Deenanath Award’ and a prize of Rs one lakh each. The founders of this trust are Pandit Hridaynath Mangeshkar, Bharati Hridyanath Mangeshkar and Shriram Narayan Gogate.

     

    This year the trust celebrates 25th anniversary of the awards, and so a two-day festival of award ceremony and concerts will be held as a tribute to the legendary theatre artiste of his times and father of the Mangeshkar’s Lata, Meena, Usha, Hridynath and Asha Bhosle.

     

     The award ceremony on 24 April, will be followed by a solo Tabla concert by legendary Tabla player-Ustad Zakir Hussain, while the next day will see Asha Bhosle in a live Concert with her musician brother Pandit Hridaynath Mangeshkar.

  • Hockey wizard Dhyan Chand’s name suggested for Bharat Ratna by Sports Ministry

    Hockey wizard Dhyan Chand’s name suggested for Bharat Ratna by Sports Ministry

    NEW DELHI: The Sports Ministry has recommended the name of the late Major Dhyan Chand who is considered among the greatest hockey players of all time for the top national civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna.

     

    This was revealed in Parliament today by Sports Minister Jitendra Singh who said the recommendation was for Dhyan Chand’s achievements in the field of sports.
    Dhyan Chand (29 August 1905 – 3 December 1979) was a field hockey player widely considered to be one of the greatest players of all time.

     

    Chand is most remembered for his goal-scoring feats and for his three Olympic gold medals (1928, 1932, and 1936) in field hockey, during an era where India was dominant in the sport.

     

    Known as “The Wizard” for his superb ball control, Chand played his final international match in 1948, having scored more than 400 goals during his international career.

     

    Born in Allahabad, he was the elder brother of another player Roop Singh. His father Sameshwar Dutt Singh was in the British Indian Army, and he played hockey in the army. Dhyan Chand had two brothers – Mool Singh, and Roop Singh. Because of Sameshwar Dutt’s numerous army transfers, the family had to move to different cities and so Chand had to terminate his education after only six years of schooling. The family finally settled in Jhansi. Being in the military, Dhyan’s father got a small piece of land for a house.

     

    Young Chand had no serious inclination towards sports, though he loved wrestling. He joined the Indian Army at the age of 16.

     

    Between 1922 and 1926, Chand exclusively played army hockey tournaments and regimental games. Chand was ultimately selected for the Indian Army team which was to tour New Zealand. The team won 18 matches, drew two and lost only one, receiving praise from all spectators. Following this, in the two Test matches against the New Zealand squad, the team won the first and narrowly lost the second. Returning to India, Chand was immediately promoted to Lance Naik.

     

    After successfully lobbying for reintroducing field hockey in the Olympics, the newly formed Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) made preparations to send its best possible team for the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics. In 1925, an Inter-Provincial Tournament was held to select India’s national field hockey team. Five teams participated in the inaugural nationals – United Provinces (UP), Punjab, Bengal, Rajputana, and Central Provinces. Chand got permission from the Army to play for the United Provinces team.

     

    In the 1928 Amsterdam Summer Olympics, the Indian team was put in the division A table, with Austria, Belgium, Denmark and Switzerland. On 17 May the Indian national hockey team made its Olympic debut against Austria, winning 6-0, with Chand scoring 3 goals. The next day India defeated Belgium 9-0; however Chand only scored once. On 20 May, Denmark lost to India 5-0, with Chand netting 3. Two days later, he scored 4 goals when India defeated Switzerland 6-0 in the semi-finals.

     

    The final match took place on 26 May, with India facing the home team of the Netherlands. The Indian team’s better players Feroze Khan, Ali Shaukat and Kher Singh were on the sick list and Chand himself was ill. However, even with a skeletal side, India managed to defeat the hosts 3-0 (with Singh scoring 2), and the Indian team won its country’s first Olympic gold medal. Keeper Richard Allen created a unique record of not conceding a single goal. Chand was the top scorer of the tournament by a large margin, scoring 14 goals in 5 matches.

  • Vidya Balan set to play M S Subbulakshmi in biopic

    Vidya Balan set to play M S Subbulakshmi in biopic

    MUMBAI: Known to have directed critically acclaimed Tamil films like Minsara Kanavu and Kandukondain Kandukondain, cinematographer turned director Rajiv Menon has approached Vidya Balan to play noted vocalist and Bharat Ratna awardee M S Subbulakshmi in a biopic to be made on her.

    In a message from a distant land where he is currently shooting, Menon stated, “When I narrated the script to Vidya, she has approved of it. Next week, we would be taking the project to the next level after I return to India. At the moment, I am shooting in South Africa.”

    It is said that earlier Menon wanted to make a biopic on Lata Mangeshkar but later changed his mind to do the same of Subbulakshmi when he came to know that Vidya, being a keen student of music, would be able to carry out the role encompassing the songstress‘ age-span from 18 to 88 with ease.

    According to the director, the Subbulakshmi biopic would be the most costliest ever to be made at an estimated cost of Rs 70 crore in three languages Hindi, Tamil and English.

  • Bal Thackeray demands Bharat Ratna for Amitabh Bachchan

    Bal Thackeray demands Bharat Ratna for Amitabh Bachchan

    MUMBAI: Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray has demanded that the country‘s highest civilian honour, Bharat Ratna, should be conferred on Amitabh Bachchan.

    Thackeray in his editorial peace in Samna said, “Bachchan is the last ‘Shahenshah‘ (emperor) of Bollywood. In many countries of the world, the people don‘t know who is the president or prime minister of the country, but they know Bachchan.”

    “He is a real jewel of India who has brought laurels to the country. Bachchan truly deserves the Bharat Ratna.”

    Praising the 69-year old mega star, Thackeray pointed out that some time ago, Lata Mangeshkar had also suggested Bachchan‘s name for the honour.

    Thackeray‘s comments assume significance in view of the ongoing Marathi versus north-Indians debate kicked off by city Congress MP Sanjay Nirupam.