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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
April 12,2020
Mangaluru, Apr 12: The spread of COVID-19 in the country has been contained through the prompt, effective and timely measures taken by the Centre, BJP Karnataka president and Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel said on Sunday.
 
The Centre brought in stringent regulations including the lockdown at the right time and ensured that the pandemic did not spread rapidly, he told reporters here.
 
Kateel inspected the railway coaches which have been converted into isolation wards for infected patients at the central railway station here.
 
He said 20 out of the 32 railway coaches re-designed into wards by Southern Railway's Palakkad division, will be stationed here.
 
The wards are equipped with necessary medical equipment and facilities for doctors and paramedical staff.
 
Kateel said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has shown how such difficult situations need to be handled.
 
The lockdown was announced in time so that coronavirus spread was checked and all the central departments carried out their works efficiently to monitor the situation, he said.
 
Mangaluru South MLA D Vedavyas Kamath was also present.

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News Network
April 3,2020

Bengaluru, April 3: Former prime minister HD Deve Gowda has written to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan stating that he has communicated in writing to Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa to make arrangements for the passing of vehicles related to medical facilities and essential goods between Mangaluru and Kasargod.

"What made me write this letter is the pain and anguish I experienced when BM Farookhji, the national working president of JDS and K Krishnan Kutty, MLA and a member of your Cabinet and member of JDS, a coalition partner of your government brought to my notice the inhuman and inappropriate action on part of the authorities of Karnataka to block the interstate highway between Mangaluru and Kasargod, bringing the traffic movements between the two states and particularly to Kasargod district having a sizeable population of Kannadigas to a grinding halt," Gowda wrote in the letter.

"I immediately wrote a letter to Yeddiyurappaji, the Chief Minister of Karnataka to make arrangements to permit goods movement and the passage of ambulances and other vehicles for any emergency. But authorities of Karnataka government appears to be very adamant despite the assurance given before the High Court," it added.

Gowda said that the situation is very grim since he learnt that four to five patients died for want of medical facilities since the ambulances ferrying the patients were denied permission to cross the border, to avail treatment from the hospitals at Mangaluru.

He also condemned the Karnataka government for denying access to medical facilities to people in Kerala.

"I very strongly condemn the attitude of the BJP government in Karnataka denying access to people from Kerala to avail medical facilities on emergency and also the movement of essential goods for the survival of the people and deprivation of such emergency services amounts to violation of human rights and opposed to all norms of humanity and humanitarian considerations," the letter read.
Gowda said he will take up the issue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"I take this opportunity to assure you that I will take up this issue with the Prime Minister who had assured while imposing 21 days of lockdown that the supply of essential commodities will be maintained and hospital facilities will be kept open round the clock so as to prevent any untoward incident," he stated.

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coastaldigest.com news network
July 29,2020

Mangaluru, July 29: The police have managed to nab a youth in connection with issuing death threat against IAS officer Sindhu B Rupesh, the outgoing deputy commissioner of Dakshina Kannada.

The arrested has been identified as Ranjit, a resident of Bajpe, on the outskirts of the city. He is said to be Hindutva activist. 

The death threat came in the wake of the officer’s warning against attack on cattle traders by anti-social elements ahead of Eid al-Adha. 

Even though the IAS officer had not lodged any complaint, Moodbidri police had registered a suo motu case after a WhatsApp screenshot of the death threat went viral on social media.

Meanwhile, Sindhu B Rupesh was transferred and posted as director, electronic delivery citizen services (EDCS), DP & AR (e governance) Bengaluru.

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