Khushbir Kaur’s family still remembers the days when a cowshed was their home and the country’s top racewalker, who won a silver at the 2014 Asian Games, used to sleep on a creaky charpoy.

Due to abject poverty, the family would regularly skip meals once or twice a day. From a cowshed, they moved to a crumbling house with a leaky log roof. When it rained, they had to accommodate their cows inside the house.

Those hardships are fresh in the minds of 25-year-old Khushbir, now a DSP with Punjab Police, and her mother Jasbir Kaur, residents of Rasulpur Kalan village in Amristar. “It has been quite a tough journey,” Khushbir said.

We lived stashed with cows in a room’

Khushbir lost her father, Balkar Singh, when she was six. It was her iron-willed mother, who raised four daughters and a son by sewing clothes and selling milk in nearby villages.

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“During the rainy season, my daughters, son, the cows and I all lived in a single room, stashed together,” Khushbir’s mother Jasbir Kaur says, tears rolling down her eyes.

” Hun kisay nu vee pind vicho pucho ki DSP Khushbir day ghar jana hai tae saray tuhanu das daen gay (Now ask anyone in the village that you have to go to DSP Khushbir’s house, all of them will tell you where to go),” she adds proudly.

Jasbir was the family’s sole breadwinner after her husband’s death. Khushbir, however, has taken over the mantle of being the leader of the family after she started winning medals on the national and international stage. Her mother isn’t complaining.

“It was only after Khushbir started winning medals and awards that we could afford a good meal. And after she won silver in the 20km race walk event at the 2014 Asian Games, we got a cemented roof over our heads,” says Jasbir.

Khushbir’s two sisters – Harjit Kaur and Karamjit Kaur – are also into sports. The third – Dharamjit Kaur – is a sports enthusiast. Her brother Bikramjit Singh wants to join the Indian Army.

Recalling their days of hardship, Jasbir says, “My husband was an employee with the state electricity department. But after his death, my in-laws’ family left me to survive with five young children – all on my own. But I didn’t lose heart, I dedicated my life to raise my children and encouraged my daughters to study as well as be involved in sports.

“We had a couple of cows. I used to sell milk and then stitch clothes, but the income was not enough. The teachers at the school where Khushbir and her sisters studied would often help them – with studies as well as school fees.”

Khushbir’s mother still has a couple of cows but the decaying, crumbling house has now turned into a modern pucca house. Signs of prosperity are visible. “My daughters are my pride. My message to anyone who indulges in female infanticide is: Remember, the girls saved the nation’s pride in the last Olympics,” she says.

Talking about difficult times, Bikramjit says, “I couldn’t invite my friends to our home because it was just a single room; and then we had cow dungs stored in that. It was awkward.”

Originally Published In The Times Of India

A Normanton man who has broken a world record for growing the longest cucumber says his secret is praying to the plant every day.

Raghbir Singh Sanghera feeds the 49-inch plant – which is still growing – with water and fertiliser in the morning, lunchtime and evening, and sits next to it for three hours a day.

The 75-year-old was given the cucumber seeds by a friend five years ago and has planted them every year since.

Raghbir, a local priest and keen gardener, said: “Last year I grew a 39-inch cucumber with the same seeds but this year I wanted to do better. I sit next to it and pray for my health, for my family and for the cucumber.

“I’ve been growing vegetables all my life but I’ve never had anything like this. I think the hot weather may have helped it to grow.”

Raghbir recites the traditional Sikh prayer, the Mool Mantar, every morning next to the cucumber.

The first line of the prayer ‘Ik Onkar’, translates as ‘there is only one God.’

The previous world record of the longest cucumber was 42.5 inches.

Raghbir said: “I am so proud of it. When it stops growing I will keep it for a few weeks to show people but eventually I will eat it in a salad. It can’t go to waste!”

He said: “Our children and two grandchildren love coming to see it. They are very proud. It is like another child.”

Raghbir also grows Indian vegetables, sweetcorn and onions, but none have compared to the giant cucumber.

Normanton ward councillor Balbir Sandhu said: “Raghbir rang me on Friday to tell me that the cucumber was 46 inches. I told him to wait a few more days, then he rang me on Monday saying it had grown another three inches.

“He has to keep lifting it higher every day because it grows so fast and he has to hang it so it stays straight. I can’t believe it, it’s amazing.”

Raghbir plans to submit his cucumber to the Guinness Book of Records when it has stopped growing.

Source- www.derbytelegraph.co.uk

Akal Academy, Baru Sahib works as a benediction for thousands of children tucked in rural areas. It facilitates them with values and education to make their unprivileged lives significant and successful.

Their sole aim is to improve the lives of  such rural kids residing in distant rural areas with deficient facilities. Tendering them with education at low-cost schools and universities, Akal Academy gifts them adignified life.

Attaining education is difficult in rural areas. The case is worst when it comes to girls. Our conservative rural society does not give the allowance to girls to follow their dreams. They assume girls as a burden. But Akal Academy without being gender bias motivates girls to study and achieve what they want.

One of such fortunate child is our alumnus Satnaam Kaur. A genius mind deprived in a village Dona Nanka, district Fazilka, Punjab. Raised in a small village her eyes couldn’t stop dreaming BIG.

‘Does not matter where you come from, what matters is where you reach in the end.’

Satnaam’s ambitions were being polished by The Akal Academy, Baru Sahib and this was the major step leading to her success.  

‘The blend of hard work and opportunity is equal to profound successes’

Very gracefully she headed towards her goal of success. Fighting with challenges and tussles she grew into a golden charm. In her village where girls were deprived of education and freedom she made her own way.

She showed this keen interest for studying. She studied in a government school and marked her territory by topping Punjab in class 5th. Now her talent needed a perfect place to be settled in and embellished

She joined Akal Academy, Baru Sahib in her sixth grade where she was given free education. She secured an outstanding result of 93% in her XIIth medical examinations. Her talent was put into the right mould for procuring best results by this institution.

She pursued her further studies at Guru Angad Veterinary University

Then, she  gracefully scored 72 all India rank in NEET exams, which is an remarkable achievement.

She is the FIRST girl from this village to study till 12th class and the First one to become a Doctor. Her village, district is so proud of her achievements.

She procured all her education on the basis of her talent and hard work. People sponsored her studies.

Her parents were exhilarated with this news with their chest swelled with pride. They could not even afford her education fees but did not hestiate in taking a loan for their child’s education.

She is a wonderful Veterinarian- Animal Doctor now. And we all are so proud of her. She became the first doctor in her village who scripted her own story of success.

She recalls: – Akal Academy rejuvenated me. They educated me academically and spiritually so I can serve humanity. That serene environment is a blessing on earth. Whatever I learned it’s all because of this institution. From a small village to a Doctor today,I pay my whole credit and heartfelt gratitude to this celestial institute for helping me climb this ladder of success.

Satnaam Kaur very gracefully opened the windows for all other rural girls to seek dreams. Girls who never thought of escaping this rural life are now inspired and Dare to DREAM BIG. Her village has now opened their own high school for the advancement of children. Akal Academies are their footsteps to help them to make children achievers.

‘Success is just a word until you attain it.’

A sardar ji from Malaysia is making maves in the area of Islamic finance. An innovative financial solution in the area of sukuk, or Islamic bonds, by his team has won them yet another award.

Charanjeev Singh and Danny Kwan, the founding partners of New Paradigm Capital Markets Sdn Bhd, picked up the Best Structured Finance Sukuk by the Asset at The Asset Triple A Islamic Finance Awards 2018.

The award recognises their role as financial adviser and deal structurer for SkyWorld Capital Berhad’s RM1.0 billion sukuk programme.

“This recognition means an incredible amount to all of us at NewParadigm Capital Markets, as we are able to have an active part in the development of the Malaysian bond market,” Charanjeev Singh said in a statement.

Established in 2005, NewParadigm Capital Markets is an independent and privately-owned corporate finance advisory firm licensed by the Securities Commission of Malaysia. It is in the niche business of providing independent, unconflicted financial and strategic advice on capital raising, financings, recapitalisation & restructurings and mergers & acquisitions to a diverse client base.

The sukuk under consideration is said to be the first structured transaction in Malaysia involving unbilled sales and the first in the world to involve affordable housing, as well as the first Shariah compliant securitisation of progress billings and monetisation of progress billings in the market globally.

The transaction monetises future payments to be received from the sale of yet-to-be-completed development projects allowing the Issuer to more efficiently manage project development cash flows, according to the statement.

-asiasamachaar

In 1506 A.D. Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji stepped on the land of Odisha when he was on his tour to Assam and Bengal. Guru Nanak Ji took shelter at the city of Cuttack at a small cottage near the stay of a person named Chaitany Bharati who was a mesmerist. He used to perform witchcraft with the motive of mobilizing Bhairav. Due to the influence of Guru Nanak Ji several people used to gather there and started following him as well. Seeing this Chaitanya Bharti’s heart was full of jealousy and hatred for Nanak Ji and hence he started applying witchcraft to divert the attention of the people from Guru Nanak Dev Ji. But, all his trials were worthless.