Uttara Kannada boy among 5 Indian athletes who won Medals at Special Olympics World Games in UAE
Karwar: A 19-year old boy from Uttara Kannada District’s coastal town Kumta, brought laurel to the country by winning two gold medals at the Special Olympics World Games 2019, held in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
Sandesh Krishna Harikantra, a student of Dayanilaya Special School in Kumta, amazed everyone with his performances in the table tennis event of the Special Olympics 2019 as he bagged two gold medals in as many categories of the event.
Sandesh bagged his first gold in the Men’s single category in the age group of 16-21 years while he also bagged gold in the doubles category along with his fellow Indian teammate Tukaram.
Sandesh’s coach Cyril Salu, who is coaching him for five years said he was proud of the way the young lad performed and won the medal at the highest level with his hard work and dedication. Cyril added that Sandesh had been spending six hours of his day for practice and preparations for last five years.
Sandesh first participated in the Taluka level event from where he was qualified for the district level and subsequently for interstate, state and national level. Sandesh was then shortlisted among 1000 students from across the country for pre-preparatory camps from where players were reduced to 500 and then 300 before selecting five best players from the lot.
In the Special Olympics in Abu Dhabi, Sandesh was up against players from Switzerland and Egypt in Quarter final and Semi final respectively before clashing with a participant representing Siberia.
Other Indians who won gold medals in the event include Anu Chennekota from Andhra Pradesh in Women Table Tennis Division -3 under age group of 16-21 years, Sabita Yadava in Division-4 under age group of 16-21 years, Akash Tukaram from Maharashtra in men’s single under age group of 18-21 years, while Reshma Shaikh bagged Silver Medal in the Women's category.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
'Prasad' in temples: SC refuses to examine plea raising food quality concerns
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Friday refused to examine a plea seeking regulations over the quality of "prasad" or food offerings being distributed at temples, observing its prayers were within the state's domain.
A bench of Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan told the petitioner's counsel that Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 26 said the executive was discharging its function within its limits.
"We are not inclined to entertain the present petition in as much as the prayers made in the petition are within the domain of policy of the state," the bench noted, "if the petitioner so desires, he may make an application to the appropriate authority which would be considered in accordance with law".
The petitioner's counsel asserted that the PIL did not seek publicity while referring to news reports over people falling ill after the consumption of food offerings or "prasad" at various temples.
"Why only restricting it to prasadam? File it for food in hotels, food items that we purchase from the grocery (stores). There may also be adulteration there," the bench remarked.
The petitioner's counsel said it was not the case of temples being at fault as they lacked the wherewithal to check the quality of supplies.
He said though Food Safety and Standards Authority of India had powers, its guidelines lacked teeth and the plea was only seeking it to be regulated.
The bench, however, observed if there were individual cases concerning any temple, the person concerned could approach the respective high court.
