The bodybuilder in hijab takes Kochi by storm
Majiziya Bhanu, 23, a student of Dental Sciences, was declared the winner of bodybuilding championship held here on September 9. But sadly enough, the young sportswoman is finding no support from the Government and the community to participate in the World Arm Wrestling Championship under 55 kg category in Turkey in October. The event is slated for October 13-22 at Antalya region in Turkey. She has booked her ticket to travel to Turkey on Oct. 11. The sportswoman also requires funds for constantly upgrading her dieting and other supplements. Her father works as a private cab driver. Mother is a housewife.
Speaking to this scribe on phone from her native village Orkkatteri in Calicut district, Majiziya said another girl trainee belonging to the SC category received full support from the Government while she has been looking around for sponsors.
The final year BDS student was a dark horse in the September 9 event. She was on the way to bench press competition in Alappuzha in the first week of September when someone suggested that she should try her luck at the bodybuilding championship too. She was encouraged by her fiance, Noor Ahamed. Her parents, Abdul Majeed and Raziya, offered their full support. And the resolute woman from the suburbs of Kozhikode stormed into the Kochi championship to flex her muscles. She struck to her favourites suit, the hijab, with which she had been attending powerlifting contest.
Bhanu, who has been training to be a powerlifter for over a year, said that she was clueless about bodybuilding contests when got onto the stage for the semifinals. She did not even know how to pose on stage. She was so tense that she forgot to forge a smile on her face. To her surprise, she was selected to the final.
Officials from the Bodybuilding Association of Kerala encouraged her. They told her she had a good chance and a little smile would help. Bhanu had her hands full though. She had to take part in the bench press championship in Alappuzha on Sept. 10 morning. She topped the senior women's section in the 52-kg category. She was crowned the 'Best Lifter of Kerala".
Equipped with quick tips from the male bodybuilders from her home district, Bhanu faced the crowd with confidence. There was no turning back. She beat the other finalists, including a professional from Mumbai. Bhanu said that she wanted to be a boxer. Her trainer Ramesh, however, suggested that she should focus on powerlifting. She travels from her village in Orkkatteri to the Kozhikode town every week to train with instructor Jayadas. Bhanu said that she wanted to be a boxer. Her trainer Ramesh, however, suggested that she should focus on powerlifting.
Bhanu has been representing her college in several tournaments. She has her eyes set on an international powerlifting title.
She can be contacted on whatsapp no. 95445-45411, cell: 94461-79069, email: majiziya.bhanu@gmail.com
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Chhattisgarh Vedanta power plant blast: Death toll rises to 20; sixteen workers undergoing treatment
Sakti (Chhattisgarh) (PTI): The death toll in a blast at the Vedanta power plant in Chhattisgarh's Sakti district has mounted to 20 with seven more workers succumbing to injuries, while 16 others are undergoing treatment at different hospitals, officials said on Wednesday.
The deceased include six labourers from West Bengal, five from Chhattisgarh, three each from Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh, two from Bihar, and one from Madhya Pradesh.
The opposition Congress has demanded registration of an FIR against the plant management and a judicial inquiry into the incident.
The explosion occurred on Tuesday afternoon in a steel tube carrying high-pressure steam from the boiler to the turbine at the Vedanta Ltd power plant located in Singhitarai village, leaving several workers with severe burn injuries.
According to officials, four workers died on the spot, while nine others succumbed to injuries soon after the incident.
Seven more workers have died in hospitals, raising the toll to 20, Sakti Collector Amrit Vikas Topno told PTI on Wednesday.
He said that a total of 36 workers were affected in the blast, and 20 of them died.
"Of the 16 injured workers, five are undergoing treatment in hospitals in Raipur, while 11 others are in hospitals of Raigarh, the neighbouring district of Sakti," he added.
Topno added that every possible effort was being made to provide the best medical treatment to the injured.
The deceased were identified, and their family members are being contacted. Arrangements have been made to transport the mortal remains to their native villages via ambulance following the postmortem examination and to provide immediate financial assistance, he said.
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai has announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the families of each deceased worker and Rs 50,000 for those injured.
Vedanta Power has also announced a Rs 35 lakh compensation for the family of each deceased worker, along with employment support.
The company will also provide Rs 15 lakh to each injured person, ensure salary continuation until recovery, and offer counselling support, a statement from the plant management said.
The chief minister has ordered an inquiry by the Commissioner of the Bilaspur division, assuring strict action against the guilty.
He directed officials to ensure free and proper medical treatment for all injured and emphasised that no negligence in their care would be tolerated.
The district administration has also ordered a separate magisterial probe, while the company has initiated its own internal investigation.
Collector Topno has appointed the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Dabhra to conduct the magisterial inquiry.
The SDM has been asked to submit a report within 30 days covering key aspects, including the cause of the accident, whether it was due to technical or human error, and details of safety inspections carried out at the plant.
Meanwhile, the opposition Congress has demanded registration of an FIR against the plant management and a judicial inquiry into the incident.
State Congress communication wing head Sushil Anand Shukla on Wednesday alleged negligence on the plant management's part and accused the government of attempting to shield those responsible.
He also demanded compensation of Rs 1 crore for the families of the deceased and Rs 50 lakh for the injured.
The construction of a 1,200 MW coal-based thermal power project (two units of 600 MW each) in Singhitarai, originally owned by Athena Chhattisgarh Power Ltd, started in 2009, but remained stalled between 2016 and 2022.
Vedanta acquired the plant in 2022, after which a 600 MW unit was completed and commissioned in August last year, while the second unit is still under construction.
The deceased have been identified as Amrit Lal Patel, Thanda Ram Lahre, Udhab Singh Yadav, Rameshwar Mahilange, and Nadeem Ansari (all from Chhattisgarh); Susanta Jana, Sheikh Saifuddin, Manas Giri, Kailash Mahto, Shibnath Murmu, and Dipankar Singh (West Bengal), Tarun Kumar Ojha, Abdul Karim and Ashok Parhiya (Jharkhand), Raju Ram, Pappu Kumar and Brijesh Kumar (Uttar Pradesh), Aakib Khan and Ritesh Kumar (Bihar), and Chitranjan Dhulai of Madhya Pradesh, officials said.
