No Mercedes: Nikhat Zareen wants to send her parents to perform Umrah with World Championship money
New Delhi, Mar 26: Contrary to her earlier plans of buying a Mercedes, newly-crowned two-time World Champion Nikhat Zareen now wants to send her parents to perform 'Umrah' with the prize money.
Nikhat won her second world championship title with a 5-0 win over Nguyen Thi Tam of Vietnam here on Sunday.
With the title she also received USD 100,000 winner's cheque and 'Thar' car gifted by sponsors Mahindra.
She had earlier said she would buy a Mercedes car with the prize money.
"I haven't thought about it. Last time I said I will get a Mercedes but since I have got a Thar as a gift so now I'm thinking of not getting a Mercedes.
"I want to send my parents for Umrah because Ramazan is going on. I will talk to them about this at home," Nikhat, who belongs to a Nizamabad-based Muslim family, told reporters hours after her bout.
'Umrah' is a minor pilgrimage to the twin Muslim holy cities of Mecca and Medina.
A believer in thinking positively, Nikhat said she manifest her two world titles and Commonwealth Games title.
"Everyone has a success mantra. I visualise things. I like to think positive. I have written 'champion' and drew a gold medal on a sticky note and pasted it on my bed.
"Every day when I wake up I see that, when I go to sleep I see that. It motivates me to do well. I did that for the last world championships, the CWG and this time too."
Nikhat has already qualified for the Asian Games, which is also an Olympic qualifier later this month.
"My next target is Asian Games which is a qualifier. I hope to qualify for Paris Olympics."
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.
Karnataka Minister Satish Jarkiholi triggers debate over change of Congress state president
Bengaluru, Jan 15: Karnataka Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi on Wednesday sparked a debate within the ruling Congress over the change of the state president, saying a full-time leader was needed to devote more time to the party in the state.
Currently, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar holds the post.
“It’s not about whether this person or that person should become the party president. The person should give their full time to the party. That’s the only demand, and nothing else,” Jarkiholi told reporters here.
According to him, while there is a lot of discussion happening at the lower levels, it should also take place at the top level.
“It’s not about someone’s adamant posture. We want someone who works, that’s it,” the minister said.
Noting that the decision is up to the party's high command, whether to allow the incumbent to continue or bring in someone new, Jarkiholi emphasised that a discussion at the top level was needed.
The minister added, “The organisational work has decreased since all of us became ministers. We are busy with the work of our portfolios and our districts. We are not going anywhere, and we are not able to devote time to the party.”
He further explained that earlier, Congress leaders were all active in the party organisation, but after becoming ministers, the pressure to handle district-level work left them with little time for the party.
“Our only concern is that the speed with which we worked in 2023 is no longer there,” he said.
Jarkiholi also claimed that the party leadership had intended to change the state president after the Lok Sabha elections, but this has not happened.
“There was talk, and also a written note with K C Venugopal’s signature, stating that the post should be given up after the Lok Sabha elections. So now, they need to clarify whether the same person will continue, or they should gather the leaders and decide on a new president,” he said.
According to him, a few people from the backward community are ready to take up the job.
Reacting to this, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah told media in New Delhi that the party high command’s decision was supreme.
When he was told about Jarkiholi’s claim regarding Venugopal’s written letter for a change of the Congress state president, he said, “You better ask him.”
Congress state working president and MLA Tanveer Sait said Jarkiholi had raised this issue in the recent Congress Legislative Party meeting, where it was discussed in detail.
“There is no such information with us regarding a cabinet reshuffle or change of the party president,” he told reporters in Mysuru.
