Dehradun, November 13
Amid the clutter of FM radios that claim to be full of banter and entertainment, the Community FM radio of the National Institute of Visually Handicapped (NIVH) is expected to disseminate information and become a source of inspiration and a learning companion to countless visually challenged individuals.

The Community FM radio service by the Dehradun-based NIVH is expected to hit air-waves in March next year and will be available on 91.2 megahertz frequency.

“The service will provide opportunity for dissemination of information and also a platform for the visually handicapped to present programmes on radio. It will also serve as a practical laboratory for those undertaking diploma courses in radio journalism and broadcasting,” said Anuradha Mohit, Director, NIVH.

“The radio will air programmes of interest to the community living in the surrounding areas of the NIVH,” added Anuradha.

The institute has already completed a list of preferences of listeners that will be used as a reference point for preparing content of the programme that will be aired twice a day in the morning and evening for two hours initially.

“As of now, we have only been allotted the frequency. Other modalities have to be worked out. Our coverage area will roughly be around 5 km that means that listeners in Mussoorie, Rishikesh, Prem Nagar and Vikas Nagar will be able to catch us, but we are doubtful if we will be able to reach beyond Raipur tunnel,” said Shailender Tiwari, in charge, National Talking Book Library.

The institute will also start a six-month certificate course in radio journalism and a six-month course in radio broadcasting. However, on completion of these two courses spanning a year, students will earn a diploma in broadcast journalism.

Though a little late in the day, by setting up a community radio, the NIVH will only be fulfilling the Indian government’s agenda of utilising radio as a tool to impart education to the visually challenged by 2000.

John Gideon, sound recordist at the NIVH, who is a votary of using media for disseminating education in his paper, said, “A number of studies confirm the superiority of radio as a media. Research has, however, shown that visually handicapped students can efficiently use radio to learn academic material.”

To get the ambitious project going, the NIVH has been allocated a sum of Rs 25 lakh by the central government that will usher in a state-of-the-art studio and new equipment will be added to the existing studio.

“In addition, Rs 5 lakh will be spent on content development and enhancement. Further provision has also been made for paying two permanent staff members comprising a radio manager and technician. Honorarium will be paid to visiting faculty members,” said Anuradha Mohit, Director, NIVH.

Rishikesh, November 13
Even while Rishikesh is a major hub for foreigners to learn yoga, meditation, travelling and adventure sports, most of them, earlier, stayed for a short tenure. But now, their stay in the town has witnessed an extension and they are also coming more often.

One reason, apart from the development of yoga and adventure sports into a trade in Rishikesh, is the easy access to internet and availability of cyber cafés in the town.

Staying in touch with their family and their offices is just a mouse click away and after attending an early morning session of yoga or sailing down from Kaudiyala to Rishikesh in rafts, they can easily communicate, mail, chat with their families and also take care of official work without moving from Rishikesh.

This is all due to the availability of broadband connection and opening of cyber cafes in numbers galore which were quite non-existent a few years back.

Some internet cafes are always full of foreigners and a glance from outside gives the impression of an office in a Western country.

Blue Hills on Swargashram-Parmarth Niketan Road is all the time abuzz with foreign tourists and 95 per cent of its customers are foreigners. Locals and nearby shopkeepers have termed the shop as ‘Angrezon vala café’.

Manoj Rajpoot, owner of the cyber café, informed that despite his customers being foreigners, not a single penny extra is charged from them.

“We have same rate for Indians and foreigners. Foreigners are surprised at this and feel very happy,” said Rajpoot.

Anastasia Safina, a Russian tourist and a regular at the Rishikesh café, said that with internet facility available in town, she is at ease as she can get connected with her family any time. This helps in keeping homesickness at bay for a longer while, she said.

Saniya Wilson, an executive in a private firm in the US, said, “With internet facility, we can book air and rail tickets and do our office work which earlier was a problem.”

“During my last trip to Rishikesh a few years back, I recall that there was rarely an internet point. If it was available, the speed was too slow and café overcrowded. So, I used to surf the net in New Delhi.”

People related to tourism and old-timers recall that Rishikesh became a foreigners’ hub from the mid-nineties. With yoga gaining worldwide recognition, more and more Westerners are coming and it has affected local trade as well.

And yoga centres, travelling companies and cyber cafes are most to get the benefit from these changes.

“Many foreigners come with their laptops. As they use their systems and sit for many hours, it is beneficial for us,” added Rajpoot.

The cafes become a meeting point for persons coming from different nations. They mingle, share their experiences and get friendly with each other. These internet points seem to be acting as tea or café points for these foreign tourists.

“We talk about yoga, Australia, cricket, India and local Rishikesh tourist spots besides chatting with our families and friends,” remarked Mark Jones and Silvia who met at Blue Hills.

In Rishikesh, if you want to meet and interact with foreign nationals, then apart from yoga classes, internet cafes are the place you should be visiting.

“I dropped out after class VI and my parents made me work in a factory as a labourer,” Ram Kumar, who resides in a slum near Bindal bridge.

“But now, I have restarted my studies in a government school and all credit goes to our Reena madam from the NGO Chetna that is running successfully at all slums of the city.

“She explained to my parents about the importance of studies and convinced them to send me back to school. I am now the secretary of Chetna with the responsibility of visiting other education points in the city,” said Kumar who is a budding educator and student of Chetna.

“During my visit to these classes, I tell students about their rights and duties. I conduct games and coordinate with people to support and promote us,” added Kumar.

When contacted Reena Sondhi, the teacher appointed to conduct classes at ‘Chuna Bhatti’ and Bindal area said that the organisation has been running classes for the past two years to educate unprivileged children at Chuna Bhatti, single Bhatti, Kargi and Indira Colony.

“We have a target of teaching 30 kids at each point which we have met very successfully. We have children in the age group of 7 to 16 years. We teach them according to their IQ and once they are set to continue, they are given admission in government schools.”

She added, “Books and stationery are provided to these kids by our NGO. We aim at building confidence in these unprivileged kids. We intend to make a difference in the lives of kids who are rag pickers, labourers and domestic helpers.”

The NGO had organised a media-interface programme last month and will conduct a talent show for these slum-dwellers where they can showcase their flair and ability.

“On Children’s Day, let us try to fill colours into the grey lives of slum kids,” said Reena. “Try to help them get out of the filth they are living in. Don’t look at them with pity but endow them with equal rights. We need to produce many Ram Kumars from the filth and dirt of society,” said Reena.

Dehradun, November 13
Students of Poly Kids School have been celebrating children week at its three main branches in Dalanwala, Vasant Vihar and Mayur Vihar localities of Dehradun from November 9.

The kids had a gala time amid the week-long celebrations. Various activities provided children a platform to showcase their talent.

The function began on Monday with a clay-modelling competition in which children had to create various articles. It was a colouring competition on Tuesday, a puppet show and a skit by teachers on Wednesday and a movie show on Thursday.

However, to enlighten students about the importance of a healthy mind and body, a health/dental check-up camp was organised under the guidance of pediatrician Dr Alok Semwal and dentist Meetu Singh on Wednesday and Thursday.

Today, a contest to exhibit their talent was organised. Dressed in colourful clothes, some children sang melodious numbers others walked the ramp in style and presented a rose to a teachers who was dressed as Chacha Nehru for the occasion.

The Poly Kids king’s title was bagged by Shaurya, Shivansh and Aryan Khanna and the title of queen was bagged by Vedika, Simar and Siddhi.

For the best dressed title, Anjanay, Ambika and Sanya Sehgal bagged the top positions, while for the most confident, it was Yashica, Ananya and Vanya.

In the curliest hair category, the top three positions were bagged by Ravleen, Aditi and Roli Negi respectively, where for the chubbiest cheeks, Prayan, Vaibhav and Jeeyika bagged the top three positions.

For the best smile, Mahua, Shivam and Ranbeer took the top three positions and for twinkling eyes, the first three positions went to Piyush, Ria and Amreet Batra.

Present at the occasion along with school director Ranjana Mahendru were headmistress Nidhi, Shivani and other school teachers. 

Dehradun, November 13
Hilton School (HS) thrashed GRD Rajpur 44-11 here today during the Council School Senior Boys Basketball Tournament underway at Raja Ram Mohan Roy Academy.

Arpit Bachchan kept up the good work for HS today as well. He top scored for the team with 23 points. Geetank also chipped in with eight baskets. While for GRS Nishant and Ayush contributed with three points each.

In the second encounter, hosts RRRA got the better of SIS 38-20. Both the teams had a neck-to-neck fight in the first quarter however both tied with 6 points each.

The host managed to take lead in the next round with the quarter ended with 8-2 in its favour. SIS gave some fight in third quarter as it scored four points while the hosts gained edge with seven points.

SIS had hoped to make a come back in the last quarter but their hopes shattered as the mighty RRRA finished the fourth round 17-9.

Dehradun, November 13
Subhajit Dass of West Bengal claimed gold medal with 26.1 points on the first day of the Aero Kickboxing Championship being organised by Uttarkhand Kickboxing Association, here today.

Vishva Roop of West Bengal got the second place with 24.2 points while Shiva Khrola of Uttarakhand got bronze medal with 23.55 points.

The championship which started today will culminate on November 15.