India’s first Olympian swimmer Mehboob Khan no more

News Network
October 16, 2017

Guntur, Oct 16: Mehboob Shamsher Khan, India’s first Olympian swimmer, passed away due to cardiac arrest at his native village of Kaithepalle in Repalle Mandal of Guntur district on Sunday at the age of 92 years.

He was national hero in the year 1956 when he became first Indian swimmer to finish fifth at the Melbourne Olympics. He is survived by two sons, daughters-in-law and grandchildren.

Shamsher Khan ironically lived in utter poverty till his death despite serving in the Indian army for nearly 24 years and retiring in the rank of Subedar.

Shamsher Khan had joined the Army in 1946 and served in two crucial wars — against China in 1962 and Pakistan in 1973. He was inducted into the Madras Engineer Group in Bengaluru.

In interviews he explained his swimming training as totally “local” and “rural.” He said that he initially learnt to swim with buffaloes at the village pond and got the chance to get trained after joining the Army. He set a national record in the 200 metres butterfly in 1954 and broke all records at the national meet in 1955.

Khan got place on the Olympic swimming team with sheer performance which he repeated in Melbourne. Recalling his experience, he had said that the Indian government arranged only air fare to Melbourne and that he got a loan of Rs 300 from the Army to meet his costs during the Olympics. He further explained in interviews that his salary was only Rs 56 per month and that the loan amount was deducted without any subsidy, rebate or reduction.

Shamsher Khan’s elder son Sajid Vali Khan is serving the Indian army and he was living with his younger son Ali Khan in his native place. Family members stated that Shamsher Khan suffered a heart attack few years ago and was on medication.

A.P. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and YSR Congress president Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy expressed grief and sorrow over Shamsher Khan’s demise and praised his services.

Comments

Rahim
 - 
Monday, 16 Oct 2017

We belong to Allah and to Him we shall return.

Ibrahim
 - 
Monday, 16 Oct 2017

Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un

well wisher
 - 
Monday, 16 Oct 2017

Why and for what reason the history of such great swimmers was kept under carpet.

Abdul
 - 
Monday, 16 Oct 2017

Inna Lillahi Wa Inna ilahi Rajihoon.......

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News Network
July 25,2020

Bengaluru, July 25:  Karnataka reported 5,072 new COVID-19 positive cases and 72 deaths on Saturday, taking the total number of cases in the state to 90,942.

The total count includes 55,388 active cases and 1,796 deaths, the state health department said.

Meanwhile, a 100-year-old woman resident of Huvina Hadagali town in Bellary district here recovered from COVID-19 after testing positive for the virus earlier this month.

"Doctors treated me well. Along with regular food, I was eating an apple a day. The doctors are giving me tablets and injection, and I am healthy now. COVID-19 is like a common cold," said Hallamma while speaking to news agency.

The woman's son, daughter-in-law, and grandson had also tested positive for the virus, and the family was treated at their home.

India reported a spike of 48,916 coronavirus cases on Saturday, taking the total number of reported COVID-19 cases to 13,36,861, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The total count include 4,56,071 active cases, 8,49,431 cured/discharged/migrated. With 757 deaths in the last 24 hours, the cumulative toll reached 31,358.

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coastaldigest.com news network
July 11,2020

Mangaluru, Jul 11: A youth was run over by a lorry after a speeding car knocked his two-wheeler down on Netravati Bridge near Thokkottu on the outskirts of the city today.

The deceased has been identified as Ubaid (28), a resident of Bandikotya in Ullal. According to sources, he was recently engaged and was supposed to get married on July 23.

Shakir, who was with Ubaid on the two-wheeler suffered serious injuries. He was shifted to a private hospital for treatment. 

The car hit the two-wheeler when the two were heading back to Ullal from Mangaluru. 

The impact of the collision was such that Ubaid was thrown on to the road. Within a second a speeding lorry crushed him to death on the spot. 

The car driver sped away after the mishap instead of stopping to help the accident victims. However, local residents chased the car and waylaid it near Thokkotty flyover. 

The car was reportedly driven by Krishna, who works at Someshwar municipality office. He had reportedly purchased the car just two days ago. Police have taken him into custody along with another person who was also on board the car.

Traffic south police have registered a hit-and-run case and investigations are on.

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News Network
January 27,2020

Mangaluru, Jan 27: JD(S) leader and former Labour Minister K Amarnath Shetty passed away at a private hospital in Mangaluru on Monday morning. He was 80. Shetty was unwell for sometime, and was admitted to the hospital a few days ago, family sources said.

Amarnath Shetty, a trustee of Alva's Education Foundation (AEF), had joined politics in 1965.

He became the president of Paladka Gram Panchayat and soon was elected as MLA from Moodbdri constituency in 1983. He won the successive elections held in the same constituency in 1987 and 1994. He had served as Tourism and later as Labour Minister.

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