Interview – Dr Kamal K.Mishra

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Sanskrit is the Language of God in the land of human being, is the finest Soul of Indian Cultural heritage and Civilization – Dr Kamal K Mishra

Dr Mishra an asst. Professor, is an eminent faculty when it comes to the world of Sanskrit Epigraphy, Palaeography and Manuscriptology. He teaches at the prestigious Calcutta University. In an exclusive interview with News Kashmir, he talks to Rameez Makhdoomi and Farzana Mumtaz.

1.Tell us about your upcoming book project?
My new book is a query on the actual authorship of the famous Sanskrit works purported to be of Kalidas. It is titled “Who is the Real Author: Mahākavī Kālidāsa or Vidushī Vidyottamā, the learned princess of Kashi?” is a major research commissioned by Stree Shakti The Parallel Force. This book is result of my research of the last two decades. The work is now in publication and is expected to be out in the next few months.

2. When are you releasing it?
The book would be released within a time frame of 1 year.

3. What aspects you touch in this book?
The book highlights the splendour of Sanskrit language and poetry. We know that Mahakavi Kālidāsa is considered as a great poet in Indian literary history and Vidushī Vidyottamā, the learned princess of Kashi. There are several facets of this narrative. When we analyse the texts of Kālidāsa in detail we are impressed by texts, internal beauty and the way it reflects the nature of women. A deep analysis of the overall nature and depth of text shows that the real author was Vidushī Vidyottamā, who was a legendary author of her time in ancient India. It is sad that women authors like Vidushī Vidyottamā, of great calibre have been lost sight of in history.

In the Twenty first Century a fresh inquiry is being made into her role; the works of poet Kālidāsa are being looked at from a gender perspective. There are several issues that beg revisiting and re-examining the works of Kālidāsa from gender point of view. Even though the task of analysing the contribution of women authors started in the world nearly 50 Yrs ago, yet no research has been conducted to identify Vidushī Vidyottamā’ s real contribution to the literature of Kālidāsa.

When we study Kālidāsa in the light of this premise, Many interesting facts have emerged. The names of the three heroines feature prominently in the titles of the plays Abhijñānam Śakuntlam, Vikrmovarṣīyam and Mālvikāgnimitram which was not a tradition of Sanskrit Literature though we have an exception in Mahākavī Bhāsa (1st AD) Swapanvāsavdattam. All three famous plays of Kālidāsa have women centric themes and have sensitive portrayal of aspirations, suffering and challenges of the three heroines; Śakuntalā, ūrvaṣi and Mālavikā.

Some important highlights on this research.

● Powerful base narrative: Folk tales and oral traditions of India and Sri Lanka: Raja Kumaradas, Kamini and Kālidāsa.

● Narrative tradition: Legends have also been considered an important source of ancient Indian history.

● Vidushī Vidyottama, the Learned princess of Kashi, has been considered Vidushī, while her husband Kālidāsa has been considered Unenlightened/ illiterate. She has not been given her due.

● Invocation: In the invocation of seven of the texts, there appears worship of Ardhanarishvara: ParvatiParmeshwar, but there is a conspicuous absence of Maa Kali, which also raises doubts about Kālidāsa being the purported author and which exhorts a deep inquiry.

● Central role of women: In the analysis of seven compositions, it was found that there were 88 female protagonists compared to 33 male protagonists. While the male characters speak in Sanskrit, women spoke in two languages namely Prakrit and Sanskrit. The compositions were centred in the creativity of women.

● Majestic Splendor: The behavior, splendor, ethics, contemplation, gems and jewels, grandeur of palaces, and splendor of the apartments evident in the compositions, introduce the readers to an impressive world.

● The story of women and youth: The expression of women, youth and nature is ubiquitous. The importance of woman’s latent aspirations and superiority has been accepted.

● A woman is the first creation of Brahma (22, Meghdutam)

● Beauty and confidence: Beauty, that can achieve its beloved fortune, is the basis of confidence.

● Swayamvara and marriage: Swayamvara and the splendor of marriage, the intelligence and description of the princess has been described as –the swayamvar of Indumati, the swayamvar of Lakshmi, and the marriage of Parvati and Shiva.

● Justice and Self-Esteem: Repentance

● Vistas of wisdom and knowledge: The seven works are replete with the wealth of nobility, gentleness, wisdom and knowledge of the Vedas, Upanishads, Kama-Shastra and Lok-Shastra.

4. Wouldn’t the supporters of Kālidāsa oppose your book?
Time will tell…

5. Your take on the growth of Sanskrit as language?
Sanskrit is the identity and soul of India. Sanskrit is language of God Devavani in the land of humans. Without Sanskrit there is no India. The oldest text of world is in Sanskrit. The Rigveda is respected widely and treated as a marvel by the UNESCO.

6. Are you happy with efforts to revive interest of Sanskrit among youth of India?
More and more youth across country as well as the different parts of the world are taking up study and research of Sanskrit Language with keen interest. It helps to understand the strength of India.

7. Your take on Kashmir in larger definition of civilization?
Kashmir is known to us as Sarada Peeth for ages. Here special studies have been done on all disciplines of philosophy and aesthetics. Sanskrit Aesthetic was developed here in Kashmir. It was once a prestigious centre of knowledge and philosophy. About a thousand years ago, it is also known by the name Sharda Desam.

The cultural heritage of Kashmir is significant. Since ancient times, there has been an atmosphere of research and understanding of knowledge and philosophy. Kashmir region has a special contribution to the cultural prosperity of India. According to the Puranas, it was established by Rishi Kashyap. Kalhan was a distinguished historian of Kashmir. Rajatargini written by him, is considered to be authentic history. Similarly, Abhinavgupta composed vast literature. His writings on Tantric texts and Devistutis are amazing. Kashmir reflects the greatness of ancient Indian civilization.

8. You have served in Fiji. Please share something about that country?
Fiji is a beautiful country. It is a mini India in the Pacific ocean. Hindi is widely spoken in Fiji and the country is rich in Indian traditions. In 2009, as an Indian Cultural Diplomat, our efforts were to make “people to people connect” in all possible way. My efforts were dedicated to establish permanent friendly relationships. The Sanskrit concept of the world being a family — Vashudhaiv Kutumbakam; With this core principle, the next 12th World Hindi Conference has been proposed to be held in Republic of Fiji. We all are looking forward.

9. Tell us about Calcutta University where you teach Sanskrit?
Calcutta University is one of the oldest universities of the world, and India. It has produced remarkable personalities in the world. Fredrick John, the education secretary to the British Government in India, first tendered a proposal for the establishment of a university at Calcutta, along the lines of London University in 1854. As one of premier institutions of higher learning I It has produced remarkable personalities including noble laureates and other dynamic personalities. The five Nobel laureates associated with this university are: Ronald Ross, Rabindranath Tagore, C. V. Raman, Amartya Sen and Abhijit Vinayak Banerjee.

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Madan Mohan Malaviya and distinguished personalities spent some time at the university. Malaviya was also the founder of the Banaras Hindu University. Among the presidents of India associated with this university are: Dr. Rajendra Prasad (who studied here) and Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan (who taught here), and Pranab Mukherjee, who both studied and taught at affiliated colleges of the university.

I am very happy to share that at present, with vision of our Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor Vidushi Professor Sonali Chakravarti Banerjee, university is progressing day by day and immensely contributing to Nation Building.

I have been serving this university since 2008. During these 15 years my work as a faculty in Sanskrit Deptt of Calcutta University I feel blessed, and get opportunity to contribute best of my ability in Sanskrit studies through Research and innovations in teaching.

A bit more about you ?
I am currently pursuing research with a focus on Sanskrit Epigraphy, palaeography and manuscriptology as India is very rich in this respect and we must secure this fund of knowledge enshrined in the manuscripts. It’s a priority area but normally neglected by the departments of Sanskrit in most of the universities. Some of the themes of my work include enclude Sanskrit Knowledge Systems on the Eve of Epigraphy and Paleography with Manuscriptology, Art & Aesthetic in Nātyaśāstra, Society & Administration in Arthaśāstra, Notion of Self & Soul in the Mahābhārata, Indian Diaspora & Cultural Psychology, Early Cultural history of South East Asia (particularly Greater India, Epigraphy, Paleography & Manuscriptology), Sanskrit language and linguistics : An Early Intellectual History, Ancient Indo-Iranian languages: Avestan, Pali, Prakrit and Indo-European Philology.*

*I am sure that this kind of work would be helpful to reclaim the legacy of ancient scholarship and contribute to cultural awakening of new India in twenty first century and realise the national aspirations of Amrit Kal.*

India to be world leader in coming times: Bhupendra Kumar Modi

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Bhupendra Kumar Modi (born 2 January 1949), known informally as Dr. M,is an world known personality, Indian-born Singaporean businessman, social entrepreneur, and philanthropist.He is the founder-chairman of Smart Group of companies, the founder of the Global Citizen Forum and the global chairman of the Foreign Investors India Forum. He is also the Honorary President of the World Federation of United Nations Associations.

Recently during the 75th Independence Day celebration event held by his esteemed persona at New Delhi Bhupendra Kumar Modi dwelled on important aspects .

“India has population resource . We add three hundred children every minute and USA just 40. The population is now mostly digital and educated . These children in 2047 would be adult and make India a new India. We have highly productive population. India is not Binded by borders. Many countries have mini India’s. The political system needs to change as outside residing Indians need to have more tangible say in important affairs of India . Be it Doctors or CEOs or technology sector Indians are in lead role be it in USA or UK . We need to ensure that money from outside earned by Indians comes in a good portion to India. India and its civilization is not just within its borders throughout the world. Be it veda or Yoga or Gita they are highly respected in USA along with our family structure is highly appreciated there .Spiritual leaders, politicians, technocrats, businessman are highly respected in USA and world. At 100 years Indian civilization would shine over entire world and we would emerge as world Guru . Everyone needs to be part of this great journey,” Bhupendra Kumar Modi.

Cold Chain growth in India

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The cold chain is must for the economy growth of every nation in present day world. It’s role is paramount in the agriculture and Horticulture sector as it ensures that perishable products are safe and of high quality at the point of consumption. Failing to keep product at the correct temperatures can result in textural degradation, discoloring, bruising, and microbial growth.
India has come a long way in ensuring that cold chain grows at rampant pace and make it world class.
As per a study on “All India Cold Chain Infrastructure Capacity (Assessment of Status & Gap)” conducted by NABARD Consultancy Services Pvt. Ltd. (NABCONS) that was commissioned by the National Centre for Cold Chain Development (NCCD) under Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare in the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, the requirement of cold storage in the country is 35 million MT, while capacity of such storage is around 32 million MT.
Though the Government is not establishing such facilities on its own, it is implementing various demand driven schemes like Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojna (PMKSY) and Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) for extending financial support for setting up of such facilities by individuals/ entities who come forward with eligible proposals as per respective scheme guidelines.
This information was given by Minister of State for M/o Food Processing Industries, Shri Prahlad Singh Patel in a written reply in Lok Sabha few time back.
The hope on ground zero is that the cold chain would continue to grow throughout the country so that our agricultural and Horticulture produce always gets optimum value . In Jammu and Kashmir the role of cold chain becomes all the more important when it comes to all important apple sector .

Modernizing Food Grain Infrastructure

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Food is the basic necessity of all human beings. Food Security is key to nation progress and for it we need to modernize the Food Grain Infrastructure.
The Department of Food and Public Distribution (DFPD) has received overwhelming response towards the technical bids of Design, Build, Fund, Own & Operate (DBFOT) tender under Hub and Spoke Model. Taking into consideration modernization of foodgrain storage infrastructure in the country, a new model for development of grain Silos across the country i.e. Hub & Spoke Model in Public Private Partnership (PPP) Mode has been proposed.
Total of 38 bids have been received against 4 bundles comprising of 14 locations in the state of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Punjab, Maharashtra & Madhya Pradesh. Total 15 prospective parties have shown their interest and submitted their bids. Technical Evaluation is expected to be completed in 3-4 weeks.
Hub and Spoke Model is a transportation system which consolidates the transportation assets from standalone locations referred to as “Spoke” to a central location named as “Hub” for long distance transportation. Hubs have a dedicated railway siding and container depot facility while the transportation from Spoke to Hub is undertaken through road and from Hub to Hub vai rail. This model by harnessing the efficiency of railway siding, promotes cost efficiency through bulk storage & movement, reduces cost and time of handling and transportation and simplifies operational complexities in addition to economic development, infrastructure development & employment generation in the country. Besides, Silo are declared as sub Mandi yard which brings ease of procurement for farmers and leads to reduction in logistics cost.
The need of the hour is that we maintain the tempo in ensuring Food Grain modernisation of the country.

Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav

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News Kashmir Exclusive

This 15th August marks the 75th year of Independence of our great country India.
75th Anniversary of Indian Independence or Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav is an ongoing event, in which the 75th Anniversary of the Independence of India is being celebrated in India and abroad. We have come along in a great way to grow as country in all fields and spheres of life .India is the hub of global democracy and an example for being the melting pots of all civilizations and religions and cultures. The cultural and religious, language diversity of India has been amazing. No other country in the world is as pluralistic as India is .
We have become global leaders be it in the field of Agriculture or Science.
As a matter of fact , The Government of India decided to celebrate the 75 years of Independence of India, with great excitement and tribute to freedom fighters. So, they decided to do various programs and the government named the celebration as ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’. Amrit Mahotsav. meaning Nectar of grand celebration which signifies the 75 years of India’s independence from British Raj .The overall celebrations began on 12 March 2021 and will continue up to 15 August 2023.
In the usual ceremonial practice the Prime Minister of India hoist the flag from Red Fort at Delhi followed by speech on achievements and proud moments as a people of this country.
The individual states and cities of India will also celebrate the same at their local level.
It is worth mentioning here that,
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha few days back said ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ provides a perfect opportunity for new dreams and new resolve to bring about peace, prosperity, and all-around progress in the country. Sinha dedicated the 16th edition of ‘Awaam Ki Awaaz’ program to the people who are working for the betterment of society and nation building.
Jan Bhagidari, Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, Good Governance, Police-Public Cooperation, Reviving Heritage, and Women Entrepreneurs were among the focus areas of this month’s episode of Awaam ki Awaaz program which was aired recently on all local and primary channels of All India Radio (AIR) in the Union territory and also broadcast on DD Kashmir.
It is a pride moment for India Within a short span of ten days, India Post has sold more than 1 crore national flags, through its 1.5 lakh post offices as well as online, informed the Ministry of Communications few days back .

“Department of Posts (DoP) with its omnipresent network of 1.5 lakh post offices, has taken the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ programme to every citizen of the country. Within a short span of 10 days, India Post has sold more than 1 crore national flags, through post offices as well as online, to citizens,” the statement said.
These Flags have been sold by the department at a price of Rs 25.
These 75 years of Independence are certainly a proud moment for the country to cherish with full heart and soul .

Data Insecurity

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News Kashmir Analysis

Data is an important thing in the world of ours. With the boom of internet driven technology the role of Data has attained much critical role, Data is now used for characterization, calibration, verification, validation, and assessment of models for predicting the long-term structural durability and performance of materials in extreme environments. Without adequate data to verify and assess them, many models would have no purpose.

People also ask more often than not Why is data the most important?

Well the answer is that Data helps in tracking performance, analyzing data helps to understand the performance of a business model based on any changes made. Data helps us in understanding the market and tailor products based on customer satisfaction. Data even helps in measuring a company’s success and employees’ productivity.
But there are growing concerns about Data insecurity throughout the world. Kashmir too often seems to be hit by this data breach .
In this regard, it is known that
The Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) that works under the aegis of the Ministry of Information Technology (MeitY) has sought an “urgent” report from the Kashmir University (KU) authorities after a major data breach was reported in the University’s data system that put the data of over a million students and employees for sale on ‘Dark Web’.

CERT is a national nodal agency which responds to cyber security incidents in the country, according to information available on the MeitY website.
The expert pulse is that
Today, in the internet-focused world we live in, data is widely considered to be among the world’s most valuable resources because of how much potential revenue and business value it can provide. Moreover, it’s available for sale and purchase. So we need to be extra cautious about Data security and safety .
It is worth mentioning in case of Kashmir University Data leak breached data includes a database of Kashmir University’s UG 3rd year with 3,47,421 entries including admit card details and other details ranging from year 2015 till 2021.
The second database includes details of UG 2nd year that has 2,72,070 entries including a variety of data from admission year 2015 till 2021. Third database is based on “Iqbal Conference” which has 196 entries including registration fees and many other details.
One hopes we in Kashmir would be extra cautious about Data safety . We need to bear in mind need to make Data secure especially in our highest academic institutions.

I have Soul Connection with Kathak: Shovana Narayan

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Shovana Narayan is a recognised Indian Kathak dancer and a career officer with Indian Audit and Accounts Service. She performs in India and internationally, and has been awarded the Padma Shri.

She was the creative director-producer-dancer of the first-ever trilogy involving western classical dance-Kathak-flamenco in “The Dawn After” in 1994.
In an exclusive interview with the News Kashmir, she talks with Rameez Makhdoomi and Farzana Mumtaz.

What inspired you to kathak ?
I got into the field of Kathak when I was just 3 years old .My mother wanted also me to do Kathak . I loved Kathak ,and the moment I got mentored by the mother and ace Kathak Dancer like Sadhana Bose ,my heart and mind I found in Kathak and I got linked to it by soul.
How did you maintain great grip on study ?
I did masters and PHD in Physics ,and I successfully got inducted into Civil Service as a career officer with Indian Audit and Accounts Service. I had equal love for study and dance.

Who have been guiding forces for you in Dance Journey ?
My dance journey guiding forces have been my mother and then Sadhana Bose in Kolkata , Kundan Lal in Mumbai and then trained under legendary personality of Birju Maharaj in Delhi , he had great charisma as Dance Guru. Beyond Dance is the Atma or soul of Dance that I learnt via my mother.

How did you balance between career officer in civil services and life as Dancer?

I have always had duality about my nature. I gave passion and full energy to the both roles that I had to play both as Civil Service officer and Dancer.

How about support from husband?
He has always rendered me tremendous support, and we have both have been extremely faithful to one another. MY HUSBAND Dr. Herbert Traxl, Austrian Ambassador to India and many other countries is an prominemt diplomat ,but he has lend every possible support to my career.

What about present dance traditions in the India?
The contemporary theme is always going on but
In all ages the classical world especially in our country is going on with same zeal and enthusiasm especially among the dedicated youngesters who give their soul to classical dance tradition.

Your journey impact on others?
Well as a performer and guru,” I Shovana Narayan have performed widely in several prestigious national and international festivals and before several heads of state and governments and has trained several Kathak artists of the young generation.

What is your message ?
My message especially to the youth is never ever take short cuts as it hurts the journey of career. Dwell deep into what you love to do and give it your soul.

How do you see dance talent in India ?
The dance talent in India is simply beyond imagination and it is unbelievable to say the least. We only need to channelise the talent and it’s energy in right direction to make maximum out of it .