DK Shivakumar urges Centre to confer Bharat Ratna on late Shivakumara Swami
Vijayapura, Feb 3: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Saturday requested the Union government to confer Bharat Ratna posthumously on Siddaganga Mutt seer Shivakumara Swami.
Shivakumar, who is also the Karnataka Congress state president, put forth the demand hours after the Centre announced conferring the highest civilian award on former Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani.
Speaking to the reporters after offering prayers at the Basavanna temple in Basavana Bagewadi, he said, "I welcome Bharat Ratna for Advani, but I urge the Centre to announce the coveted award to Shivakumara Swami. The seer has made an immense contribution to humanity with initiatives like Anna Dasoha (free commensalities)."
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Shivakumar said the state government had written to the Centre in the past to give Bharat Ratna to the seer, but that the decision is left to the Union government.
The deputy chief minister said Shivakumara Swami was called the "Walking God" and was highly revered by the dominant Lingayat community of Karnataka for his charitable works.
The spiritual leader died at the age of 111 in January 2019 in Tumakuru where his Math was located.
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EAM Jaishankar meets Jamaican PM, gifts over 10 BHISHM Cubes
Kingston (PTI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday met Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness and discussed ways to further deepen "political, economic and people-to-people cooperation."
Jaishankar also conveyed greetings from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Holness.
"Pleased to call on Prime Minister @AndrewHolnessJM in Kingston. Conveyed the greetings of PM @narendramodi," Jaishankar posted on X.
"Discussed deepening our political, economic and people-to-people cooperation. Value his commitment towards further strengthening India-Jamaica relations," the post further read.
Also, the external affairs minister handed over 10 BHISHM (Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog Hita & Maitri) Cubes as a gift to Jamaica.
"Formally handed over 10 BHISHM Cubes as a gift from India to Jamaica, in the presence of PM @AndrewHolnessJM, Health Minister @christufton and FM @kaminajsmith," Jaishankar posted on X.
"The BHISHM Cube mobile hospital system, designed for rapid deployment, will help Jamaica during disasters and emergencies. The gift of these cubes is a statement of friendship, a commitment to disaster preparedness, and an outcome of innovation," the post said.
Jaishankar arrived in Kingston on Saturday evening, marking the first leg of his nine-day tour of Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago, aimed at further strengthening India's strategic and cultural ties with the Caribbean nations.
Earlier in the day, he interacted with the Indian diaspora and discussed India's ongoing transformation in infrastructure, human development and technology-driven governance and entrepreneurship with them.
He also highlighted the cricket bond between both countries as India gifted a scoreboard to Jamaica.
A scoreboard was dedicated at Sabina Park in Kingston. It is the home of the Jamaica cricket team and is the only Test cricket ground in the Caribbean island nation.
The minister expressed hope that the new scoreboard would witness many memorable innings, including those symbolising the enduring friendship between the two countries.
Cricket has long been a strong cultural bridge between India and Jamaica, which is part of the West Indies cricket team.
Jamaican players, including Chris Gayle, Courtney Walsh and Michael Holding, have played a major role in shaping the legacy of West Indies cricket in the international arena, contributing to its dominance in earlier decades and its continued global appeal.
