Amarjit Singh Khiyam from Manipur recently was elected as the captain for the U-17 FIFA World Cup. Young Amarjit was chosen as the captain by his teammates through a process of secret ballot that was engineered by the Portuguese coach Luis Norton de Matos. This will be the first FIFA tournament hosted by the country.
His father Chandra Mani Singh Kiyam a small time farmer and a part time carpenter believed that his son can carry the weight of responsibility in this prestigious sporting event. Born and brought up in Manipur Amarjit’s introduction to the beautiful game came through his uncle when he introduced him to the Chandigarh Football Academy. When the selectors were hunting for players to represent India at the Under-17 World Cup, Amarjit was invited for trials and he caught the eye of everyone. At first he was slotted with the reserve side and made the first team grade after German coach Nicolai Adam was impressed with his abilities in midfield. Young Amarjit, who has represented India in the age group teams on 29 occasions, is the joint most experienced player at the camp alongside Komal Thatal, the only Indian to score against a Brazilian national team. With this responsibility Amarjit is keen on fulfilling his father’s dream of seeing the national jersey for the senior team as well.
The protest by the casual workers of the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Ltd (MeCL) entered third day. Over1200 regular casual workers of the MeCL participated in their ongoing peaceful agitation during lunch time. The protest is seen in various parts of Meghalaya including Shillong, Umiam, Kyrdemkulai, Jowai, Khliehriat, Tura, Phulbari, Ampati, Baghmara, Garobadha, Mendipathar, Nongstoin, Mairang and Mawkyrwat. The MeECL workers are protesting against the illegal contract being framed by the management which they have refused to sign as it clashes with many labour laws regarding working conditions, wages, and benefits.
The worker said the contract does not have provisions for PF, ESI Health Benefit, Bonus, Gratuity, Earned Leave, Overtime etc., which are mandatory in all employment contracts.
The workers previously have written petitions to the management expressing about their grievances but till date the management continues to counter the workers through legal norms which prompt the workers to go on strike.
The voice for a change in the political set up and administration in Meghalaya has started blowing, from people subscribing to the “Voice of Change Movement”, the idea being freely blowing in the wind with no strings attached to particularly with any party contesting the 2018 polls, slated for February.
Under the leadership of Olet Kharsahnoh, the “Voice of Change”, protagonists have started touring and visiting and also meeting people across party affiliations, stressing upon them, that the need of the hour is to change for the better.
The “Voice of Change”, would be covering as many constituencies as possible, across the state, inspite of financial constraints, as the “Voice of Change’ mission is voluntary.
“IF THE PEOPLE ARE TOTALLY DEPENDENT ON GOVERNMENT THEN THAT COUNTRY CANNOT BE SUCCESSFUL”
Eastern Panorama met with Shri Atul Kothari, General Secretary of Shiksha Sanskriti Utthan Nyas (Trust for the Uplift of Education and Culture) and also former General Secretary of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad and co-convenor of Shiksha Bachao Andolan Samiti The Nyas, founded on 18 May 2007, works in collaboration with a sister organisation Shiksha Bachao Andolan Samiti (Campaign Committee for Saving Education), which was also founded byDinanath Batra, a Pracharak of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the former Director of its Education wing Vidya Bharati. The mission of the Nyas is to find and establish alternatives to the present education system in India by changing its “syllabus, system, methods and policy” .
On the sidelines of National Conference on Revisiting Indology and Sanskrit in India held at NEHU (North Eastern Hill University) by the Department of Linguistics under the able Cordination of the Chairperson Prof Sailendra Kumar Singh , Editor Harsh Jhunjhunwala met Mr. Atul Kothari. The excerpts of the interview are reproduced for the readers.
Please explain you mission and what changes and why changes?
To change the country we have to change our education. The kind of country and society we want will come form the education we impart. So basic change in education is our first prerogative.
Secondly, Instead of problem we need to discuss the solution. Everybody knows the problem, some may be little more. But I have been seeing since last 40 yrs that all seminars discussions that take place discuss only problems and not the solution.
Thirdly, Mother, Motherland and Mother tounge there is no alternative.
Fourthly, In a country with democracy, if the people are totally dependent on government then that country cannot be successful and education is a field in which the involvement of people from the society, people concerned with education has to be more than that of the government.
In a democratic country, the role of government and that of the society is equal for creating a positive change, so both have to work collectively.
The change in education is that since last 70yrs we have not been able to decide what is the aim of our education? What is the crux of education that we are imparting?
Swami Vivekananada said, “Man making and character building is the primary purpose of education.” The personality and psychological development of a child should be as such that they can decide by themselves whether they want to be a doctor, engineer, industrialist, professor, etc. The proper development is what education should do. So this primary concept should come into our education system. In education our Indian knowledge system is no where to be found. Before five years not only India but the whole world was celebrating Srinivasa Ramanujan’s 25yrs of birth anniversary. During that time there was international conference in Delhi. Though I was not able to go, my friend from mathematics field had visited. He was telling me that mathematicians had come from all over the world including America, Europe, Australia and enquired from him has to why the Indians were not working on Ramanujan when the whole world was? Ramanujan was such a great mathematician. In 2011, when we were celebrating his life, people in our country did not know that Ramanujan belong to the field of mathematics. It is not their fault but the fault of the system. Ramanujan does not exists in our system. There are three hand-written diaries of this great mathematician whose solution no mathematician in the whole world is able to find. Such a great mathematician of our country but not in our system!! So this Indian knowledge, sciences of our own is missing in our education. Today, the world is moving with such great pace and great scientific research is taking place but our syllabus since decades is the same. Then how our children will be able to compete in the world. There should be communication of both. Similarly,the education system that we have has nothing to do with the society. People have done B.A.,M.A.,B.COM., but have u asked people if there is any help in your job? Nothing. Very less useful things in our present education system that will help in a person’s personal life or social life or nation building.
Here is a case for tit for tat, when an independent member of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, from the Baghmara constituency, Samuel Sangma, files a counter FIR, against a villager. The villager identified as Akang Marak, raised the question and allegation against the legislative member, that he had done nothing for the development of the constituency. The legislator instead of replying, physically assaulted the villager. According to the complain of the villager, one person who was with him, was also assaulted by the legislator. The legislator said he had gone for taking part in a festival and was pushed by a person, who was seemingly intoxicated.
It seems however that legislators are now involved in brawls and not only debate, which would certainly not be conducive, to built up an atmosphere, between the electors and the elected, in the run up to the 2018 elections.
Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, from the Baghmara constituency, 
Samuel Sangma, files a counter FIR, against a villager. The villager identified as Akang Marak, raised the question and allegation against the legislative member, that he had done nothing for the development of the constituency. The legislator instead of replying, physically assaulted the villager. According to the complain of the villager, one person who was with him, was also assaulted by the legislator. The legislator said he had gone for taking part in a festival and was pushed by a person, who was seemingly intoxicated.