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
February 7,2020

Mangaluru, Feb 7: To stop the NRC and CAA from being implemented everyone has to fight unitedly highlighting the failures of the ruling party, said National President of Priyadarshini squad, All India National Women’s Congress Kavya Narasimha Murthy.

Addressing the workshop for the protection of Citizenship against CAA, NRC and NPR for the party workers at the Cordel Hall, Kulshekar here Thursday by district Congress party, she said, “Protests are being held everywhere against the CAA, NRC and NPR but if we only go on protesting, the ruling party will implementing divisive policies and new laws every day.

Many think that they may not be affected by the CAA, NRC or NPR and keep away from protesting against it. The congress should fight against the CAA concentrating on three approaches. We cannot fight against divisive politics by fighting only against the CAA and NRC. We need to expose the government’s failures, their divisive politics and continue our protests against the CAA, NCR and NPR.”

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News Network
February 26,2020

Hassan, Feb 26: A 35-year-old poachers died on the spot by his fellow man accidentally, mistaking him as animal at Yedikumari Kaginahere forest areas near Sakaleshpura in the district early hours Tuesday, police sources said.

The deceased has been identified as Harish.

The incident happened when ten poachers went hunting for wild animals in the Yedikumari Kaginahare forest areas.

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News Network
July 10,2020

Bengaluru, Jul 10: Alarmed by the surging COVID-19 cases across the state, especially in Bengaluru, Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Thursday urged the state capital’s residents not to visit their villages to prevent the infection’s spread.

“I urge the people of Bengaluru not to travel to their villages and prevent the infection from spreading in rural areas,” Yediurappa told reporters.

Admitting that the battle against the virus would be long, he said that the fight against COVID-19 could be won only through persistent efforts and with people’s cooperation with the frontline ‘warriors’.

“Combating the pandemic through preventive measures, providing treatment to the infected and saving lives are our priority,” he said.

With a record 2,228 positive cases on Thursday, the southern state’s COVID-19 tally shot up to 31,105, including 17,782 active cases, while 457 people have died of the infection till date, 17 just in the last 24 hours.

Of the new cases in the state, Bengaluru accounted for 1,373, taking its tally to 13,882, including 10,870 active, while 177 have succumbed to the virus since March 9.

No deaths were, however, reported in the city on Thursday.

Of the 457 patients in intensive care units (ICU) across the state, 292 are in Bengaluru hospitals.

Since unlock began on June 1, COVID-19 cases shot up to 15,242 on June 30 from 3,221 on May 31 and to 31,105 in 9 days since July 1.

Similarly, in Bengaluru, positive cases shot up to 4,555 on June 30 from 358 on May 31 and rose to 13,882 in 9 days since July 1.

The Chief Minister also appealed to all legislators of the ruling and opposition parties to give priority to contain the disease in their Assembly segments.

“Visit the COVID-19 designated hospitals and inspect if the required facilities are in place and bring any shortcomings to our notice,” the CM said

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