Bidar: The residents of Jalsangi village in Humnabad taluk had an unusual and unexpected ‘visitor’ on Saturday morning, with the air balloon launched from Hyderabad to study weather conditions landing in the village.
The air balloon had been launched from the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Hyderabad, late Friday night, carrying technical equipment. The residents of Jalsangi, however, were taken aback on seeing the air balloon that landed in their village at around 6 am on Saturday.
The authorities from the TIFR centre had followed the air balloon from Hyderabad and reached Jalsangi village. The local police officers also visited the site where the air balloon had landed.
The villagers were provided necessary information about the balloon to clear doubts and fear regarding their safety due to the strange equipment that landed in their village.
The balloon, which is a part of the research satellite payload of the Central government, reportedly had a weather study period of six to seven hours, before its landing. It carried a note stating in three languages, English, Kannada and Marathi, that the balloon had been launched for weather condition research and asking people who found it wherever it had landed not to damage it. The note also provided phone numbers for people who found the balloon to inform the centre of the landing of the air balloon.
The concerned officers have said that such air balloons are launched twice a year to study the weather conditions in the area.
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New Delhi (PTI): The "quiet" Test retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma ahead of the tour of England came as a "huge surprise" to legendary spinner and former India captain Anil Kumble, who believes the two senior batters deserved an on-field farewell.
Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket on Monday, bringing the curtains down on an illustrious red-ball career in which he played 123 matches, scoring 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85, including 30 centuries.
This was after Rohit decided to step away from the longest format last Thursday.
"It is a huge surprise. Two outstanding, great players retiring on the back of few days. I didn't see it coming. It has certainly caught me off guard. I thought he has a few more years left in him, especially at the Test level," Kumble said on Kohli on 'ESPNCricinfo'.
"He's playing only the ODI format now. No player leaves with any regret and I am sure he would have thought through this and ultimately it is the player's call."
Kumble, who ended as India's leading Test wicket-takers with 619 scalps, said players of such stature should have been given an opportunity to bow out in front of fans.
"It is a very quiet exit. Every player deserves to leave on his terms, but I think on the field. We spoke about this when R Ashwin retired as well, right in the middle of the series he announced his retirement and came back (to India from Australia).
"Right now, Rohit Sharma a few days ago and then Virat Kohli. I think all three of them deserved a proper send off on the field. I strongly believe people who matter need to address that. I know it is a social media age, yes the fans want to be there, there would have been plenty of fans and have a roaring send off.
India are scheduled to tour England for a five-match Test series starting June 20. Kumble said Kohli could have played a crucial role during the challenging assignment.