Tina

Easter brings joy to families & fun games! Holy weekend celebrations came to a culmination with the blast and joy of Easter in Christian community. Families came together, played Easter games, shared wishes and opened their fast with delicious food. Baked goodies were the key highlight in food, while finding the eggs was the most popular game. The family celebrations began after special services late on Saturday night. Churches belonging to different Christian denominations in the city organised special services which started late Saturday night to mark the celebrations. Additional customs that have become associated with Easter and are observed by both Christians and some non-Christians include Easter parades, communal dancing, the Easter Bunny and egg hunting. These celebrations were seen in thousands of migrants from across the world residing in Indore. “We celebrate with eggs dominating food and games as they symbolise fertility and birth, and they befitted a festival commemora...

Book Review: Simple dreams & adventurous book for young readers: Kapi wants to fly Kapi wants to Fly is a simple children’s book that talks about dreams, adventurous and joy of friendship. The book is specifically targeted for primary students. An outlined story that is sometimes predictable, but still gains enough interest from the age-group. The story features Kapi, a tiny monkey who lives in the tree covers around a Mahabaleshwar resort, and decides to hitch a ride to Panchgani. He is joined by Vajra, his brawny nemesis, and Tara, a headstrong monkey. Facing challenges, the story finds a happy ending. What the young readers can learn from the story is power of persistent efforts. Further, on linguistic basics, the book features fun and interesting descriptive words like wire-tailed swallows. The book is an easy read for young Indian children. The idea of including Hanuman in the story would definitely attract parents’ attention to the book as well. The fun phrases of visual imag...

Stars find Indore’s love assured success for movies Last week before the release of upcoming movie ‘3rd October’, actresses Sneha Ullal, Kanchi Singh and producer Rohit Sharma came to Indore quoting it as one of the most important city, holding the heart of India. The movie crew noted that Indore’s audience has a perfect blend of all parts of India and hence, if they like the movie, it’s a hit. ‘3rd October’ is an upcoming Hindi drama movie written and directed by Vineet Jha. The storyline of 3rd October movie centers around two lawyers with contrasting perspectives, each justified in their own right. The film sheds light on the role of the justice system and the media within our society. Shocking revelations unfold, questioning perceptions, while exploring personal struggles.

Raising awareness about learning disability in primary school students, Create Stories NGO organised a free workshop on ‘Making Children Stronger’ with mothers at a centre in Anand Bazar area on Friday. “We tend to judge a child based simply on their quick learning abilities and marks, but that’s not fair to many intelligent kids suffering from neurodevelopmental disorders that hamper their learning ability,” Deepak Sharma from the NGO said. He added that it’s important to understand that people with learning disabilities generally have average to superior intelligence and are often gifted in fields such as science, math, fine arts, and other creative mediums. “Hence, we organised the workshop to raise awareness and help parents detect the problem,” Sharma said. Addressing mothers, child psychologist Vini Jhariya said, “Children with learning disabilities often find themselves failing in certain academic or professional areas due to reasons beyond their control, or having to put in tre...

Catholic community in Indore observed Good Friday with worship of Holy Way of the Cross was worshiped at the Grotto of Our Lady in Palasia. The day is observed commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary. In all the Catholic churches of Indore, the Passion of Lord Jesus Christ (Journey to the Holy Cross) and death were remembered as per their convenience between 01:30 to 02:30 pm. A procession was taken out at Holy Spirit Church, Palada. Catholic community devoutly participated in the Way of the Cross and prayer. The day on which Lord Jesus was crucified and Lord Jesus sacrificed his life for the salvation of mankind was Friday and in its memory Good Friday is celebrated. On Good Friday, Lord Jesus offered his life to God on the cross. Although he was innocent, he was hanged on the cross as punishment. Father Antony Swamy SVD said, “After becoming an adult, Lord Jesus always gave the message of humanity and peace to the people.” However, some religious scholars accu...

88 years of Odisha: Let’s celebrate Utkal Divas with creativity & fun The coming Monday is a special day in history, as one of the simplest states of India celebrates its 88th foundation day. Odisha celebrates its foundation day on April 1, which is also known as Utkal Divas. As we join the celebrations, let’s learn from this beautiful state the art of making Jhoti Chita, a traditional art form. It’s not just for art, rather it’s known for establishing a relationship between the mystical and the material, thus are symbolic and meaningful. Next, let’s feast on India’s first cheesecake: Chhena poda. Interestingly, it was invented in a culinary accident. Owner of a confectionery Sudarshana Sahoo decided to add sugar and seasonings to leftover cottage cheese and left it in a coal oven that was still warm from the earlier use. Ta-da, you had India’s first own cheesecake! Test your knowledge on Odisha with a quiz and chill out. Chhena poda Ingredients • 1.5 L Fresh Milk (Full Cream, Boil...

Holy weekend coming up; observance of Good Friday today Commemorating Maundy Thursday marking the event of the Last Supper, Christian community prepared for Good Friday. On Thursday, Jesus had introduced the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist and washed his disciples' feet, emphasising service and humility. The same was replicated by his followers. “We remember Jesus and feel gratitude for Jesus’s sacrifice, which was ultimately the fulfillment of God's plan for salvation,” Bishop Chacko Thottumarickal SVD said. The observance of Good Friday will include church services, reading of the Passion narrative from the Gospels, prayers, hymns, and periods of silence or reflection, as shared by BA Alvares, media coordinator. Some Christians will also fast or abstain from certain foods on this day as a form of spiritual discipline, he added. Fr Anthony Swamy said, "On Good Friday, the Holy Way of the Cross will be worshiped at the Grotto of Our Lady in Palasia at 09 am." He added...

Thanks to mindless sanctions of forest department to allow overnight working in forest protected areas, a wildcat was lost to a fatal accident on Simrol road in Choral forest area on Wednesday. Will this loss be enough for forest department to open their eyes and not extend night working in forest areas?! We will find out in April... A group of workers driving through the forest area crashed into a leopard on Simrol road that resulted in the dead of the wildcat. They tried to drop water on the leopard and then dragged it to the roadside​. Forest department team found the carcass of leopard and CCTV footage of the car drivers. Hence, they reached the spot and documented the events. With this death and straying leopards, it’s clear that wildlife in forest area of Indore is on high threats. Due to recent construction of Indore – Khandwa highway, most animals lost their home and hence, tried to find new habitat. The leopard family in Infosys & TCS campus on Super Corridor, followed by ...

Holika of Indore: the never ending battle on roads VIBGYOR of Indore’s roads featuring violent to spicy drama queens Indore: cleanest city, smart city, Ahilya’s city… and a crowded city that witnesses a battle much stronger than sparks from Holika on roads every-day. Traffic is not just a major issue, it determines the crazy battles, conflicts and every-day drama for all the residents. Indorians are wonderful people: loving, kind and generous… However, once on the road, they are furious fighters racing the competitors and squeezing through the smallest spaces to be the last to catch green lights. As we celebrate Holi, we hope that this fighting spirit of Indore is burned away with Holika. Whether or not, we observed the seven, colourful types of drivers seen across the city every-day. Though we all will turn the other way and say ‘Not me’, we hope that you get a chuckle out of the article. V-iolent honker Honk! Honk! Honk! Honk! Hoonkk!! Hoonkk!! And it goes on until the rider finally ...

Cancer saving 25k saplings for Indore Gifting health and joy to Indorians on Holi, a team of forest officials led by divisional forest officer (DFO) Mahendra Singh Solanki has planted over 25,000 saplings, most with medicinal properties. These saplings will be gifted to all the interested residents, educators, hospitals and institutes to assist in treatment of many diseases including cancer. Coming from a farming background, Solanki wanted to present this to Indore before retiring. “I was born in Khargone, but Indore is my land, a place where I studied and found myself… my karma bhumi,” Solanki said. He picked out saplings with medicinal properties to help people fight diseases. Solanki paid for the plantation, seeds, saplings and processing from his salary. “We have especially planted Lakshmi Taru (Simarouba glauca), which is an important tree species growing in the forests of Central America,” Solanki said. He added that an extract that has been shown to possess anti-cancer activity....

Almost every student who clears IIT JEE or any engineering entrance gives preference to computer science stream, but they could have a starting salary 3 times (average starting salary 10 lakh per annum) more than a software developer (average starting salary is 3 lakh) if they chose to learn electronics and VLSI. Sharing this in an exclusive interview, president of VLSI society of India, Dr Satya Gupta discussed how the road to Viksit Bharat goes through electronics and semiconductors. "By 2047, electronics will be 4 trillion dollar industry in India and out of this, 700 billion dollars will be semiconductors," He said. This very big number will provide employment to at least 10 crore people in India. "10 crore people would be 7.5 percent of total projected population and 15 percent of working population in 2047," Dr Gupta said. Hence, the contribution of semiconductors industry to India's GDP will be 15 percent. "Such a large percentage will drive India...

Holi Care Rely on herbs, oiling & hydrating to protect your hair & skin Love playing Holi but afraid of the toll it takes on your hair and skin? Helping people connect with the fun of Holi with easy ways to protect your skin, Create Stories Social Welfare Society organised a free, educative seminar in Saket Nagar on Thursday. “We have to realize that hydrating well does so much good for the body, skin, and hair,” beauty educator Seema Soni said. She added that holi colours dry the skin, hair scalp and the body also gets tired. “Next, before heading out to play Holi, ensure to give your body a good oil massage,” Soni said. She added that oil massage provides the nourishment needed to protect the skin. “Oil restraints colours from sticking or seeping into your skin and body,” Soni said. Coconut oil will provide a protective layer through your scalp to your tresses and disallow your scalp from absorbing the colours, she added. Herbs for hair & skin masks • Amla hair mask • Met...

Seekho-Kamao Only 9 per cent youth trained in National Scheme, Big Hopes from State Scheme Youth training program in Indore for employement in State Tourism High school students in Indore can now apply for one and a half year diploma with assured jobs after starting with stipend of Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000. Under the Mukhyamantri Seekho-Kamao Yojana 2023, district education department launched the program in association with Madhya Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation Ltd. One of the possible reasons for the launch of this program in Indore is the growing population of students as the city emerges as education hub of the state. Furthermore, many students had grudges and were held back in the national scheme Seekho and Kamao due to limited seats. About 45,987 youth have been trained under the national scheme since its inception in 2014-15. This is 9 per cent of total 4,68,686 youth trained under the national scheme in the same time duration. The highest proportion of beneficiaries in th...

Leopard strays in RRCAT, once their home, scientists panic A leopard strayed in the sensitive area of Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology (RRCAT), causing panic among scientists on Monday morning. After a few sighted the leopard, RRCAT officials called the forest department seeking help and rescue of the leopard from their campus. RRCAT is a unit of the Department of Atomic Energy, Government of India, engaged in R & D in non-nuclear front line research areas of Lasers, Particle Accelerators & related technologies. Due to the sensitive area of working, RRCAT has stringent rules on entry of personnel in the campus. However, the leopard, being sneaky by nature, found its way in. Following the information about a leopard sighting, the forest department deployed a rescue team to search for the leopard. While there were no signs in major areas of the campus, by end of day, pug-marks and faeces confirmed the presence of leopard. After confirmation, divisional forest officer ...

Indore’s food & Mahakal’s blessings charm TV actors To celebrate Mahashivratri, the famous Jodis from &TV shows Daroga Happu Singh, and his Dabbang Dulhania Rajesh, from Happu Ki Ultan Paltan visited the most revered Lord Shiva temple. Yogesh Tripathi (Daroga Happu Singh) and Geetanjali Mishra (Rajesh Singh) visited Indore to witness the grand celebration at one of the most revered Lord Shiva temples in Ujjain – Shri Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga temple. After their visit, they addressed a press conference in Indore. During the conference, the actors talked about their visit to Ujjain’s Shri Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga, Yogesh Tripathi, aka Daroga Happu Singh from &TV’s Happu Ki Ultan Paltan, shared, “Seeking the blessings of Lord Shiva in this sacred temple brought a deep sense of peace and fulfilment.” He added that during Mahashivratri, the city exudes a different vibe and energy. “I was fortunate to relive this experience and receive blessings at one of India's most rever...

His Grace Gaur Gopal Das in an exclusive interaction with Free Press shared his personal life, experiences and insights on simple things in life. Following is his wisdom on simple questions from our team: What does His Grace Gopal Das lack in his 100? Das: What do I lack in my 100 is… How can I do what I do better? The best is what I lack in my 100. If I am able to reach a hundred thousand people then how can I reach more people? If we don’t feel that it is missing, how will we get passionate about what we do! What if you are working as much as others, but failing to succeed? Das: The more you are looking at other’s plate, the more frustrated you will feel. The only reason for frustration is taking focus away from your plate to another person’s. If you are looking at it, then you can definitely take up something good from it and apply it to yours. If you plant mustard seeds, then you will get flowers in 5 days. If you plant a coconut tree, then you will get coconuts only after 25 years...

Words of Wisdom: give up ego & pressure, built on relationships, 3Cs & beat comparison disease Lights glittered in smiles of Free Press readers as His Grace Gaur Gopal Das came down from the stage at Labh Mandapam sharing his ‘Words of Wisdom’ and celebrating 40 years of Free Press in Indore. Enchanting the city with wisdom, charm, humility, love and embracing every reader with his connect, Das addressed the special gathering of our readers on Saturday evening. He showered love through his words, gestures and expressed awe for Indoreans through local dialect as ‘Kaise ho bhiya!’ Das said, “This is my 4th time in Indore. 'Kaise bhaiya?' I have researched enough. Don't know why people call Mumbai the food capital... It has to change. Indore is the true food capital.” Following are some key takeaways in the words of His Grace Gaur Gopal Das from the inspirational session: Beware of the circle of time, give up ego! It's extremely important to give up ego. When we sa...

Dil se connect...Gaur Gopal Das @ Free Press event ‘Namaste to Indoreans who cannot live without poha and jalebi.’ This is how began an evening of joy, wisdom, connections and celebrations of 40 years of Free Press in Indore at Labh Mandapam on Saturday. Free Press organised grand celebrations in a bid to spread joy and gift its readers with ‘Words of Wisdom’ from His Grace Gaur Gopal Das. Taking the readers on our inspirational journey, Free Press group president Abhishek Karnani expressed love and admiration for the beautiful city and its people. “It’s with immense pride and gratitude that I stand before you as a representative of this esteemed newspaper, a publication that has become synonymous with credibility, integrity and unfaltering commitment to the truth,” Karnani said. He noted that the journey of Free Press started 95 years back in Mumbai. “We delighted that we opened editions in Indore and Bhopal as well, because first it got us to the heart of India; second it is good to...