Gangtok : The Mountain Black Cat Division of the Indian Army has rescued 230 tourists last night when they were stranded near Changu Lake (13300 ft height) , 15 km away from Nathu La, on India-China border in eastern Sikkim. Heavy rain and landslides in this area has cut off traffic. The nearest regiment of army jawans noticed nearly 47 vehicles carrying tourists who were stranded at night. They were provided accomodation in army camps, and warm clothes, food, blankets and beddings were provided. 

A senior officer of Army's Black Cat Division said, the landslide occured at Kyangonosa La on Jawaharlal Nehru Marg towards Nathu La. The tourists included 95 men, 83 ladies and 51 children. All of them were sent back to gangtok this morning. Chief Engineer of Border Roads Organisation (BRO) SS Porwal said, BRO staff were busy cleaning up the road blockage caused due to landslide. Meanwhile, Sikkim Government has prohibited movement of vehicles of tourists or traders on the Gangtok-Nathu La road till Saturday due to bad weather. 

Met department has forecasted torrential rainfall in Sikkim in the next 2-3 days. Porwal said, North Sikkim Highway would be closed any time due to landslide specially in Phodong, Lanthekhola and also some parts of the Lachen routes on way to Gurudongmar Lake. A 40 member team of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) reached Sikkim yesterday from Siliguri. It will camp at Mangan, North Sikkim till the monsoons are over.

Dehradun : IAF sources said five of its personnel and three civilians were among the dead as the chopper crashed near Gaurikund. All 8 people were reportedly killed as an Mi-17 V5 chopper of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed during a rescue operation in flood-hit Uttarakhand on Tuesday. "One Mi-17 V5 chopper on a rescue mission from Gauchar to Guptkashi and Kedarnath while returning from Kedarnath crashed north of Gaurikund," an IAF spokesperson said. Eight persons onboard, including five crew members, suffered fatal injuries in the mishap, she said in Delhi. 

A Court of Inquiry has been order to investigate the crash, the spokesperson said. The IAF said its operations in the area will continue. IAF had started inducting Mi-17 V5 choppers only last year after 80 of them were ordered from Russia. This is the second incident of a helicopter crash this week in the hill state. A private helicopter carrying relief materials for the rain-affected people in Rudraprayag district had crashed on Sunday near Gaurikund leaving the pilot injured. While the incident is said to have taken place due to bad weather, the reason for the crash is yet to be ascertained.

भारत के गोरखा समाज को लम्बे समय से अपनी पहचान के लिए संघर्ष करना पड़ा है . इसी क्रम में उत्तराखंड में आये भीषण प्राकर्तिक आपदा के बीच मीडिया में राहत के दौरान नेपाली लोगो द्वारा लूटपाट और हमले की खबर आ रही है. इस प्रकार की रिपोर्ट में कहा जा रहा है कि स्थानीय नेपाली लोग इस तरह के घृणित कृत्य में सम्मिलित है जो कि पूर्णत: सत्य नहीं है , उत्तराखंड की पहाडियों से हाल के दिनों में जमकर पलायन हुआ है जिसके बाद वहा के खेतों खलिहानों में कार्य हेतु बड़ी संख्या में नेपाल के मजदूरों का आना शुरू हुआ. इस नेपाली मजदूर वर्ग का एक बड़ा तबका नेपाल के मैदानी एवं तराई  के इलाको से आ रहा है . इन लोगो के अलावा स्थानीय डोटिया लोगो के कुछ एक आपराधिक प्रवत्ति के लोगो द्वारा समूह बनाकर आपदा में फंसे लोगो के सामानों को लूटा जा रहा है .  इससे इतर गोरखा लोग जो इस आपदा में ITBP और IAF के मार्फ़त इस राहत कार्य में अभूतपूर्व योगदान दे रहे है . इसी बानगी एक खबर आई है जिसे पढ़कर भारतीय गोरखा होने और उसके ज़ज्बे को समझा जा सकता है .

भारतीय सेना के जवान ड्यूटी पर हों या छुट्टी पर देश सेवा का जज्बा एवं जुनून हमेसा उनके अंदर भरा होता है तथा अपनी जान की बाद मे सोचते हैं पर जरूरतमन्द की जानइनको अपनी जान से ज्यादा प्यारी होती है। ऐसे ही हमारे एक सैनिक हैं 5/5 गोरखा राइफल्स के मेजर महेश कार्की। मेजर महेश कार्की 12 जून 2013 से 7 जुलाई 2013 तक छुट्टी पर थे और देहरादून से बद्रीनाथ अपनी SUV मे जा रहे थे। इनकी गाड़ी मे इनकी पत्नी, 2 बच्चे एवं इनकी सास थीं। कर्णप्रयाग मे मेजर कार्की बारिश और इस सैलाब मेफंस गए फिर भी कैसे भी करके मेजर कार्की जोशीमठ पहुंचे। वहाँ पर पता चला की रोड टूट चुका था और मेजर कार्की को वापस जाने को कहा गया। अब मेजर कार्की के पास 2 रास्ते थे या तो वापस लौट आते एवं कुछ ना करते या फिर टूटे हुए रोड के उस ओर फंसे 25 लोगों को बचाते। मेजर कार्की से रहा नहीं गया और इन्होने अपनी पत्नी से कहा की आप मेरा इंतेजार करो, मैं अभी आता हूँ।

मेजर कार्की रोड के टूटे हुए हिस्से के दूसरी ओर गए एवं वहाँ से 4-4 करके फंसे हुए लोगों को टूटे हुए रोड के इस पार ले आए एवं सभी 25 लोगों को मेजर कार्की ने बचा लिया। मेजर कार्की 4 लोगों को इस लिए ला रहे थे क्यूंकी एक तो रोड टूटी हुई थी एवं बारिश लगाता रहा था ऐसे मे सभी को एक साथ लाने मे दुर्घटना होने की संभावना ज्यादा थी। यहाँ भी मेजर कार्की ने अपनी सूझबूझ एवं जुझारू सैनिक होने का फर्ज अदा करते हुए 25 लोगों की जान बचाई। मेजर कार्की ने ना सिर्फ लोगों की जान बचाई अपितु लोगों को अपने साथ लेकर गोविंदघाट तक आए जहां से सेना के ड्यूटी पर तैनात जवानों ने उन लोगों की सुरक्षा का जिम्मा अपने सर पर लिया। 

गोर्खालीयो के बिना इतिहास खाली है 

गोर्खालीयो की बहादुरी की मिसाल बड़ी है, 

गोर्खालीयो ने इस धरती को अपने लहु से सिंचा है 

तभी तो इस धरती पर आज गौरवशाली लाली है"

DEHRADUN: Evacuation of stranded people from flood-hit areas of Uttarakhand picked up pace on Saturday with security forces rescuing 17 foreign tourists from Dharasu and sighting 1000 pilgrims stuck between Kedarnath and Gaurikund even as bad weather hampered chopper operations at some places. Union home minister Sushilkumar Shinde, meanwhile, arrived here to review ongoing rescue efforts in consultation with chief minister Vijay Bahuguna. An eight-member team of experts is also being sent to Kedarnath shrine on Saturday to take a count of bodies lying in the temple area, disaster management authorities here said. 

Photos of the bodies strewn all over the area will be taken and put on the state government's official website, they said. Chopper operations were hampered here early on Saturday morning with overcast conditions delaying the programme of Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi, who was to undertake an aerial survey of the affected areas in Rudraprayag, Chamoli and Uttarkashi districts. About 1000 more pilgrims stranded in Rambara and Junglechatti areas en route to Kedarnath shrine in Rudraprayag district were sighted by security forces. These people seem to have taken refuge in the gorges and ravines in these areas when the massive deluge occurred nearly a week ago. 

Hungry for days, many of those sighted are ill and and in need of immediate medical care, official sources said, adding the sick and ailing among them are being evacuated on a priority basis. Apart from the 40 choppers in operation, the Rajasthan government has also given two choppers and 30 buses for evacuation of pilgrims. The Gujarat government has also put into operation two chartered planes 747 Boeings (Jet Airways) with a capacity of 140 persons each to ferry pilgrims from the state stuck in high altitude areas to Ahmedabad. A control room for pilgrims from Gujarat has been set up at Shantikunj Haridwar.

Dehradun: A total of 33,192 people, stranded due to floods in Uttarakhand, were rescued in the ongoing mammoth multi-agency rescue and relief operation even as thousands are still trapped or missing in the hills. Almost everyone from the worst hit Kedarnath town has been rescued. Today, the focus of the rescue efforts will be on Gaurikund and Rambara - more than 5,000 people are believed to be trapped in this narrow valley. The NDRF team reached Rambada today morning. According to the Home Ministry statement, a total of 50,422 pilgrims were still stranded at various places. 

Also, over 13,000 people are said to be missing. The search, rescue and relief operations are being carried out with the help of helicopters and personnel from Army, Air Force, NDRF, the Sashastra Sena Bal and Uttarakhand government. The Defence Ministry said that the Army had deployed 8,100 soldiers, including medical teams, engineer task forces and signal detachment. Ten specialised mountaineering teams of the Army were also pressed into service in the Kedarnath-Soumang area. 

The official death toll still stood at 150 but Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna said the casualties could run into several hundreds which will be known only when areas become accessible and water recedes. ITBP chief Ajay Chadha, whose 1,000 men are involved in relief work in Uttarakhand, told reporters in Delhi that the worst affected Kedarnath temple area has been evacuated of people and there could still be about 400-500 people in the upper reaches. He said Army will launch operations today to bring these people down.

(With Agency inputs)

Mumbai :The rupee slumped to a record low on Thursday, while stocks and bonds were hit, after the Federal Reserve signalled a tapering of its monetary stimulus, highlighting the country's dependence on foreign capital inflows to fund its current account deficit. The rupee fell to a record low of 59.9350 to the dollar, breaching past its all-time low of 58.98 on June 11. The rupee was trading at 59.64 as of 10.40 a.m., down from its 58.71/72 close on Wednesday. The BSE Sensex and the Nifty fell more than 2 per cent each. Bond yields jumped, with the benchmark 7.16 per cent 2023 bond yield rising 10 basis points to 7.36 per cent from its previous close. Traders are unnerved after U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke confirmed that the Fed would begin reducing its stimulus spending later this year. The Fed's tapering of its bond purchases could trigger an outflow from emerging markets including India. 

Outflows from equity markets have added to concerns about the funding of the current account deficit. Foreign fund selling in Indian equities have picked up pace to add to the huge sell-off in debt markets. Overseas investors have sold $485 million of Indian shares in five sessions, adding to outflows of $4.7 billion in 18 consecutive sessions of debt selling, as per capital market regulator data. Inflows are crucial to bridge India's current account gap and will be needed to fund an estimated $90 billion gap in its balance of payments in the current financial year. Credit Agricole has sharply lowered its rupee forecast to 59 to a dollar by end-September from 53.25, highlighting the currency's difficulty to fund its financial constraints. 

Dehradun: Uttarakhand has been battered by the rain fury. The torrential rain has caused landslips in the higher reaches and swept away several roads and bridges in Uttarkashi and Chamoli districts. It has also led to suspension of the Char Dham Yatra. The rain has caused havoc in Kedarnath Valley, one of the four Hindu pilgrim spots (Char Dham) in Uttarakhand, where more than 100 houses have reportedly collapsed due to landslide. Reports say 10 people have been killed and more than 50 others are missing. Reports also say that nearly 30,000 pilgrims are stranded in the valley because of landslides. 

Flash floods in the Assiganga in Uttarkashi swept away vehicles and heavy machineries yesterday evening with a high alert being sounded for local residents and labourers to move to higher ground. The state government has sounded a warning of 48 hours to all those on the Char Dham Yatra across the hill-districts. Both Mandakini and Alaknanda, major tributaries of the Ganga, are flowing over the danger mark and the bridge connecting Rudraprayag and Gaurikund has been damaged leading to its closure, disaster management officer Meera Kenthura said. State Disaster Management and Rehabilitation Minister Yashpal Arya said the administration is on alert to deal with any emergency. 

All government schools in capital Dehradun have been closed as precautionary measure. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is busy repairing the roads damaged by rains, he said, adding that the state government has also sought the assistance of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) to clear the roads blocked due to landslides. 

Sikkim finally presents an actress to the world of Bollywood film industry which comprises of Katrina kaif, Aishwarya Rai and Kareena/Sonam Kapoor. A promising actor from Sikkim – Geetanjali Thapa. A model turned actor Geetanjali Thapa has already made her mark by winning award for the best actress for the movie named ‘I.D.’ just a few days ago during a film festival in Madrid, Spain. This movie will be released in both hindi and english version. The movie ‘I.D.’ revolves around Charu, a character played by Geetanjali Thapa. The movie has already won many awards both nationally and internationally and is making rounds across the world to represent Asia. 

The movie will be released publicly in India soon. Geetanjali has also completed upcoming hindi movie ‘ Monsoon Shootout ‘ produced by well-known producers Guneet Monga and Anurag Kashyap who are the makers of a superhit hindi movie ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’. Nawazuddin Siddiqui is also featuring in ‘Monsoon Shootout’. She is also working in a hindi movie ‘Liar’s Dice’ in a lead role which is under production. And one more awesome news we have right now is that Geetanjali Thapa has just finished a big international project. So get ready to feel the first time experience to see her in Multiplexes and single screen Cinema Halls which was never felt before, very soon.

 From the Facebook Page of SIKKIM MESSENGER

NEW DELHI : In quick response to a request made by visiting former prime minister of Nepal, Sher Bahadur Deuba, the Chief Minister (CM) of Uttarakhand State of India, Bijay Bahuguna, has pledged to construct a suspension bridge from Purnagiri to Parshuram area in Dadeldhura district, Nepal. The proposal was made during Deuba´s meeting with the CM in Dehradun, Uttarakhand on Wednesday. Deuba had reached Dehradun as part of his six-day visit to India which started on June 9. "The meeting was very positive as the CM has agreed to the proposal to construct the suspension bridge," Deuba´s spouse, Dr Arzu Rana Deuba, told Republica over the phone. She, along with senior Nepali Congress leader Bimalendra Nidhi, accompanied Deuba to Dehradun and were present at the meeting. In another significant move, Bahuguna also proposed a direct air link between Dehradun and Kathmandu, which it is believed will bring down travel time between Uttarakhand and Kathmandu significantly. 

Dehradun is the state capital of Uttarakhand, a state which borders Mahakali zone in the Far-Western Region of Nepal on its eastern side. The distance between Dehradun and Kathmandu is 1,080 km and if an air link is established the travel time will be little more than an hour. As per India´s Census of 2001, there is a Nepali speaking population of about 600,000 in Uttarakhand. The State shares a 276 km-long border with Nepal. Deuba´s desire to visit Tehri Dam in Dehradun was foiled by weather conditions. But he was briefed on the project and the functioning of the high-dam. Deuba choose to visit Dehradun as his constituency, Dadeldhura, shares a border with Uttarakhand. 

Deuba also visited some industrial areas in Dehradun and later held an interaction with the large Nepali community there. "He (Deuba) listened to the problems of the Nepali people and has requested them to keep Nepal´s reputation flying high," Arzu Deuba added. Deuba returned to the Indian capital on Wednesday and is scheduled to hold further consultations with some leaders in New Delhi on Thursday, including with leaders of the opposition BJP. He is also scheduled to hold a separate meeting with Commerce Minister Anand Sharma. Sharma was present during Deuba´s meeting with United Progressive Alliance Chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Monday. Deuba is to return to Kathmandu on Friday. 

NEW DELHI: A day after Narendra Modi became the BJP's campaign committee chief, senior party leader L K Advani resigned from all party posts - the national executive, parliamentary board and the election committee. The senior leader sent a letter to BJP president Rajnath Singh informing him of his resignation. Advani had skipped the BJP executive meet in Goa held over the weekend. The BJP leadership on Sunday appointed Narendra Modi as the chairman of its national election committee in a significant step towards complete compliance with the pressure from the cadre to declare the Gujarat CM the saffron candidate for prime ministership. 

The decision came in the face of resistance of stalwart L K Advani and marks Modi's emergence as BJP's pre-eminent leader at the expense of the former deputy PM and many others. Besides taking the party out of the long and still-lingering shadow of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Advani and enshrining the role of cadre pressure as a major factor in Sangh Parivar's decision-making, the big boost for Modi also heralds his rise as principal challenger to the Congress - in fact the entire "secular" end of the political establishment. 

Addressing party workers after the announcement of Modi's elevation, BJP chief Rajnath Singh said that he could not have ignored the wishes of millions of party workers: an assertion that was read as a message to the old guard and Modi's peers to come to terms with the inauguration of a new phase in BJP, where the Gujarat strongman will be playing the lead role, perhaps rivalling even the RSS's infuence.

DARJEELING: Two boys and two girls died on the spot after their vehicle crashed 40-feet down near Teesta Bazaar, about 16 km from Kalimpong. According to the police, the private vehicle was travelling from Darjeeling to Gangtok. All four victims were residents of Sikkim. The victims were later identified as Catherine Sangey Lepcha, 38, Samuel Simon Sangey Lepcha, 29, Kinju Mingma Doma Sangey, 26, and Kelsang Ghaley Sherpa, 25. All of them are said to be relatives. According to cops, the accident took place around 4: 30 in the evening when the vehicle skidded off the road. However, the cause of the accident has not yet been ascertained.

QUNU: Former South African president Nelson Mandela was taken to a hospital in a 'serious' condition today following a recurrence of the lung infection that has plagued him in recent months. It is the third spell in hospital since December for the 94-year-old anti-apartheid leader, whose health has been failing in recent years. Mandela was said to be in 'good spirits' but the situation was 'serious this time', a government spokesman told South African television today. 'The situation is serious this time but doctors have assured us he is comfortable,' presidential spokesman Mac Maharaj told television station eNCA.Mr Maharaj said members of Mandela's family had accompanied him to hospital and remained at his bedside.He told the BBC the country's first black president developed his lung condition while incarcerated in prison many years ago and that he requires treatment from time to time. 

Doctors treat the matter with great caution, he said, and Mandela is admitted to hospital 'as necessary' to give him the best opportunity to recover. 'He has been in good spirits. He is a fighter and he will be with us as long as he is there fighting,' Mr Maharaj added. An earlier statement from the office of President Jacob Zuma said: 'During the past few days, former President Nelson Mandela has had a recurrence of lung infection, 'This morning at about 1.30am, his condition deteriorated and he was transferred to a Pretoria hospital.' The statement said Mandela remains in a 'serious but stable' condition. It said Mandela, who will celebrate his 95th birthday next month, was receiving expert medical care and 'doctors are doing everything possible to make him better and comfortable'. Zuma wished Mandela a quick recovery on behalf of the government and the nation and requested that the media and the public respect the privacy of the former leader and his family, the statement said. 

Using the former president's Xhosa clan name, the statement said: 'President Jacob Zuma, on behalf of government and the nation, wishes Madiba a speedy recovery.' In Britain, Prime Minister David Cameron was among the first to send get well wishes to the former South African president, tweeting: 'My thoughts are with Nelson Mandela, who is in hospital in South Africa.' The African National Congress (ANC), the ruling party that has dominated politics in South Africa since the end of apartheid, said it hoped Mandela would get better soon. 'We will keep President Mandela and his family in our thoughts and prayers at this time and call upon South Africans and the peoples of the globe to do the same for our beloved statesman and icon, Madiba,' the party said in a statement. Mandela's forgiving spirit and belief in racial reconciliation helped hold South Africa together at a time of extreme tension in the run up to elections in 1994.

The Nobel Peace Prize laureate, who was imprisoned for 27 years by the racist white regime, became the first democratically elected president of South Africa in that year. Mandela was previously admitted to hospital in March, where doctors drained fluid from his lung area after diagnosing him with pneumonia. The former president spent 10 days in hospital before being released in 'good shape' on April 6. Video footage was released of Mandela - or Madiba as he is affectionately known in South Africa - back at home and surrounded by family and friends. It is the last time he has been seen in public. It followed an earlier stint in hospital in December 2012 after he developed a lung infection and gallstones. 

MANALI : All the three accused in the gang-rape of a 30-year-old US national in this Himachal Pradesh tourist resort, who were arrested early Thursday, were Nepali nationals, police said.The three arrested people are all truck drivers, identified as Arjun, Lucky and Som Bahadur, Superintendent of Police Vinod Dhawan told IANS. He said that although they were Nepali nationals, they had been living in the state for a long time. “Two of them were arrested from Patlikuhl (20 km before Manali) and one from Mandi town,” Dhawan added. 

The victim, who reached this tourist resort along with three other women just a day before the crime, alleged that she was early Tuesday repeatedly raped by three men, who offered her a lift late in the night when she could not find a taxi. Police said the men drove the woman to a secluded spot where they raped and robbed her. Meanwhile, a team of forensic experts collected samples from the scene which were sent for examination. “The victim’s medical examination report confirmed sexual assault,” Dhawan said. The police Wednesday seized the vehicle used in the crime. This incident brought back memories of 2009, when an 18-year-old British volunteer teacher was raped by two cab drivers in Palampur town of Kangra district.

मेलवादेवीले श्री ३ चन्द्रशमशेरको दरबारमा गीत गाउन थालिन् । उनी दरबारको रङ्गमञ्च, सभासमारोहका अतिरिक्त चन्द्रशमशेरसँगै सिकारमा जङ्गल पुगेर समेत गीत गाउँथिन् । चन्द्रशमशेर पनि मेलवादेवीको स्वरका भक्त थिए । चन्द्रशमशेरले मात्र होइन उनकी रानी बालकुमारीदेवीबाट पनि सुरुसुरुमा मेलवादेवीले बक्सिस पाइरहिन् । मेलवादेवीको कोकिल स्वरलाई विराट् स्वरूप प्रदान गर्न चन्द्रशमशेर मग्न थिए । त्यसैले मेलवादेवीलाई ख्यातिप्राप्त उस्ताद बालाप्रसाद शर्मा, गणपत, खेमचन्द्रआदिबाट शास्त्रीय सङ्गीतको गायनमा पनि तालिम दिन थालियो । त्यसपछि उनी झन् उत्कृष्ट स्वरकी कोइलीमा दर्ता हुन थालिन् ।

मेलवादेवीको स्वरले प्रकृतिलाई पनि पगाल्ने गथ्र्यो । उनको स्वरको विषयमा उनकी छोरी विमला दीक्षतिले भनेकी थिइन् ”मेरी आमाको स्वरमा महाराज चन्द्रशमशेरका साइँला छोरा हिजहाइनेस केशरशमशेर पनि भुतुक्कै हुन्थे । त्यसैले एक दिन टन्टलापुर घाम लागेको बेला केशरशमशेरले आमालाई भने ‘अब यस्तो बेलामा गीत गाएर तिमी पानी पार्न सक्छयौ -’ त्यस बेला आमाको प्रत्युत्तर थियो ‘पानी कति मात्रामा पर्छ म त्यो भन्न सक्तिनँ । तर आकाशमा बादल आउँछ र पानी पर्छ म यति भन्न सक्छु ।’ अनि केशरशमशेरले आमासँग बाजी राख्तै भने ‘लौ तिमीले भनेको कुरा पुग्यो भने म तिमीलाई पाँच हजार रुपियाँ दिन्छु ।’ आमाले डेढ घण्टा गीत गाएपछि आकाशमा क्रमशः बादल लाग्यो र पानी पर्न थाल्यो । अनि केशरशमशेरले स्याबास भन्दै आमालाई पाँच हजार रुपियाँ बक्सिस दिए ।”

चन्द्रशमशेरका पाहुनापासा आउँदा पनि सिंहदरबार बेलायती बैठकमा झकिझकाउका साथ मेलवादेवीलाई उपस्थित गराइन्थ्यो । त्यतिखेर मेलवादेवी अतिथिको रुचिअनुसार शास्त्रीय, आधुनिक, भजन, लोकगीत र नेवारी गीत समेत गाउने गर्थिन् । उनको स्वर सुनेर चन्द्रशमशेरले बराबर उनलाई धाप मार्थे । त्यसैले मेलवादेवीको ईर्ष्यागर्नेहरूको ताँतीले पनि सिंहदरबार बेरिएको थियो । त्यसपछि उनको स्वरलाई विगार्न चन्द्रशमशेरकी रानी बालकुमारीदेवीका इसारामा मेलावादेवीका शत्रुहरूद्वारा पानमा सिन्दूर राखेर उनलाई खुवाइएको थियो । त्यसपछि उनको स्वर एक्कासि खच्क्यो । त्यस बेहोराले चन्द्रशमशेर अति नै दुखित भए ।

चन्द्रशमशेरले मेलवादेवीको स्वरको उपचार गर्न बेलायतबाट चिकित्सक बोलाए । तर जति नै खर्च गरे तापनि उनको स्वर पहिलाजस्तै हुन सकेन । तर पनि चन्द्रशमशेरले उनको स्वरको तारिफ गर्न छाडेनन् । मेलवादेवीको स्वर सुक्न थालेपछि पनि चन्द्रशमशेर भन्ने गर्थे “गा न गा, मलाई तेरो यही सुकेको आवाज नै मन पर्छ ।” चन्द्रशमशेरकी मन पर्ने गायिका भएका कारण सिंहदरबारमा मेलवादेवीको औपचारिक सुरक्षाचाहिँ देखिन्थ्यो । त्यस बेला उनलाई खास गरेर पुरुषवर्गले प्रत्यक्ष सम्पर्क गर्नु, प्रेम गर्नु र स्नेह देखाउनु भनेको बाघसँग कुस्ती खेल्नुसरह मानिन्थ्यो । यति हुँदाहुँदै पनि चन्द्रशमशेरका छोरा बबरशमशेरचाहिँ मेलवादेवीप्रति प्रायः आक्रामक देखिन्थे । साथै तबलावादक भक्तकृष्ण मानन्धर पनि मेलवादेवीको कला, रूप, यौवन र धनसम्पत्रि्रति त्यति नै आसक्त थिए ।

मेलवादेवी र चन्द्रशमशेर एकअर्कामा समर्पित भएको दृश्य हेर्न चन्द्रशमशेरकी रानी बालकुमारीदेवीलाई अति नै सकस पर्न थालेको थियो । त्यही परिवेशमा दरबारबाट मेलवादेवीको टिकट काटिन गयो । त्यसै सर्न्दर्भमा चन्द्रशमशेरले उनलाई काठमाडौँको विजयेश्वरीमा एउटा घर किनिदिए । त्यसपछि चौबीस वर्षभुक्तान भएको उमेर बोकेर उनी सिंहदरबारबाट निस्केकी थिइन् । यस घटनाले भक्तकृष्ण मानन्धरलाई ढुङ्गा खोज्दा देउता मिलेझैँ भएको थियो । त्यसैले त्यतिखेर उनका पछिपछि उस्ताद मानन्धर लागेका थिए । मानन्धरले कैयौँ सपनाविपना देखाएर मेलवादेवीलाई दक्षिणकालीको मन्दिरमा लगेर सिन्दूरपोते र चुरा धागोले सजाएका थिए ।

भक्तकृष्णले पहिला पनि दुई जनासँग बिहे गरेर सन्तान जन्माएका थिए । साथै मेलवादेवीतर्फाट पनि दुईटी छोरी विमला र शान्ति जन्मेका थिए । मेलवादेवीसँगको बिहेपछि भक्तकृष्णलाई सिंहदरबार छिर्न बन्देज लगाइयो।साथै गुरुङसँगको बैबाहिक जीवन गाँसेको कसुरमा त्यस बेला उनी आफ्नो जातीय समाजबाट पनि बहिष्कृत भएका थिए । भक्तकृष्णसँग बिहे गरेको केही वर्षा मेलवादेवीको दाम्पत्य जीवन भङ्ग भयो । अनि उनले आफ्नो घरबार सस्तैमा बेचिन् र शुक्रराज शास्त्रीको सल्लाहमा कोलकाता जाने निर्णय गरिन् । सुत्केरी भएकै महिनादिनपछि उनी आफ्ना दुईनावालक छोरी विमला र शान्ति चेपेर रेलमार्गद्वारा कोलकाता लागिन् । कोलकाता पुगेपछि यात्राको अनुभव सँगालेर उनले ‘सवारी मेरो रेलैमा’ बोलको गीत गाइन् । त्यस बेलासम्म नेपालीभाषामा नेपाली नारीको स्वर रिकर्डिङ भएको थिएन ।

मेलवादेवीको कोलकातामा स्वच्छन्दतावादी यात्रा थियो । त्यतिखेर उनका खुट्टा रोक्ने न कुनै कल्ली थिए न उनका हात बाँध्ने नै कुनै बाईं थिए । त्यसैले उनी साङ्गीतिक कार्यक्रमहरूमा प्रवेश गरिरहन्थिन् । उनी घरी इलाहाबाद सङ्गीत सम्मेलनमा पुगिरहन्थिन् र घरी रामगढ सङ्गीत सम्मेलनमा भाग लिइरहन्थिन् । उनी जहाँजहाँ गएर आफ्नो गलाको कौशल देखाउँथिन् त्यहाँत्यहाँबाट उनले सुनका तक्मा पनि प्राप्त गर्थिन् । त्यति मात्र होइन इलाहाबाद सङ्गीत सम्मेलनले त उनलाई ‘ठुमरीकी रानी’को दर्जा पनि अर्पित गरेको थियो ।

मेलवादेवीले जीवनको उत्तर्रार्धमा आफ्नो नाउँ सुलभा राखिन् । खासमा त्यतिखेर आर्थिक रूपमा उनी निम्नस्तरमा नै बामे र्सर्दै थिइन् । आफ्नो जीविकोपार्जनका साथै छोरीहरूको पालनपोषणका निम्ति कोलकाताकै मारवाडी बालिका विद्यालयमा उनी सङ्गीतकी गुरुमा बनिन् । साथै त्यहीं स्कुलमा उनका छोरीहरु पनि भर्ना गरिए । त्यस घडी त्यहाँको मात्र आयस्ताले उपलब्धि हुन नसक्ता उनले आफ्ना कोठामा सङ्गीतको कक्षा पनि सञ्चालन गरिन् । आफ्ना शिष्यहरूलाई अध्यापन गराउन नेपाली, हिन्दी र बङ्गाली भाषामा उनी बराबरी नै गीत गाइरहन्थिन् । दुक्खसुक्ख जीवन भुक्तान गर्दै उनले दुवै छोरीहरूको विवाह पनि गरिदिइन् ।

छोरीहरुको बिहे गरेपछि मेलवादेवी डेरामा एक्लै बसिन् । उनले पहिलेझै एउटै कोठामा खाने र सुत्ने गरिन् । त्यतिखेर उनी विक्षिप्त मानसिक अवस्थामा नै घस्रँदै जीवन चलाउने गर्थिन् । २०१२ साल मङ्सिर महिनाको कुरा हो- खाना पकाइरहेका बेला स्टोभ पड्केर उनको शरीरमा आगो लाग्यो । त्यसको भोलिपल्ट छिमेकीले कोठाभित्रै उनको डढेको शरीर फेला पारे । अनि कोलकाता मेडिकल कलेजमा उनको लासको पोस्टमार्टम भयो । त्यसको केही दिनपछि उनका धर्मपुत्र रामचन्द्र गुप्ताले त्यो लास बुझे । यो दुःखद घटनाको विवरण उनका छोरीहरू विमला दीक्षित र शान्तिरानी आर्यले पनि पछि मात्र थाहा पाए ।

सवारी मेरो रेलैमा.....

सानु र सानु लैलै कुसुमे रुमाल बरिलै

ज्यान तिमीले पायौ कि बरिलै

झन् पर जान्छु लैलै झन् माया लाग्छ बरिलै

मोहनी लायौ कि बरिलै

सवारी मेरो रेलैमा !..

(स्वर, सङ्गीत र शब्द : मेलवादेवी)

(  जानकारी : कुनैपनि व्यक्तिको बारेमा जिबनी लेख्नु भनेको चानचुने कुरा हैन । एउटा जिबनी तयार पार्नको निमित्त प्रयाप्त अध्ययनको आबश्यक पर्दछ । नेपाली संगीतका स्थापनाकाल देखिका कलाकारको जिबनी लेख्ने एक मात्र जिबनीकार  हुन् - नरेन्द्रराज प्रसाई । हाल सम्म उहाँले १०० भन्दा बढी कलाकर्मीको जिबनी लेख्नु भएको छ । ) 

Kiran Carrie Chetry (born August 26, 1974) is a Nepali-born American TV broadcast journalist anchor who, until 2011, was a cable news anchor for CNN's early morning program. From 2001 to 2007 she reported – and then anchored – cable news at Fox News. She is currently not working as a journalist. Kiran (Sanskrit: किरण, kiraņ) means "ray of light". Chetry (Nepali: छेत्री, Chhetrĩ) refers to the large traditional caste of rulers and soldiers among Hindus in the Middle Hills of Nepal. Kiran's father Hom Chetry belongs to this caste and uses it as his surname. Kiran's mother Nancy is of Ukrainian, Dutch and German ancestry. The couple met while Nancy was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nepal.

Kiran was born in Patan Hospital (Shanta Bhawan), Kathmandu, Nepal. Seven months later her parents moved their new family to the United States. Kiran grew up in Gaithersburg, Maryland and attended Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring, Maryland, where she served in student government, danced on the pom squad,and competed on the swim team.Upon graduation she enrolled at the University of Maryland, College Park's College of Journalism, where she joined the Alpha Pi chapter of Delta Delta Delta sorority and received her bachelor of arts in broadcast journalism.

Family
Chetry is married to Chris Knowles, a former Fox News Channel and erstwhile New York City WPIX-TV weekend weatherman.On February 8, 2006, Chetry gave birth to their 6 lb. 10oz. daughter, Maya Rose. (Chetry has included her in special segments on Fox & Friends and American Morning.) On October 24, 2007, Chetry announced that she and Knowles were expecting their second child in an exclusive interview published by People magazine: Kiran gave birth to their first son, Christopher Chetry Knowles, on April 17, 2008 at 10:45pm weighing 7 pounds.

Career
Chetry began her career in 1995 at News 21 in Rockville, Maryland. The next year she moved to WICU-TV in Erie, Pennsylvania, where she was the main anchor and health reporter. (She met her future husband Chris Knowles there who was the prime time news anchor.) She received the Best Enterprise Reporting award from the Pennsylvania Associated Press Broadcasters Association in 1997 for her series "Young and Hooked," which looked at teen smoking. In 1999 Chetry went from WICU-TV to KXTV in Sacramento, California to work as a morning anchor and reporter until joining Fox News Channel.

In 2001 Chetry joined the cable news network Fox News Channel as a general reporter, first appearing on March 8, 2001, in a story about eating ice cream. The next year Chetry was honored with the Making our Mark (MOM) Award from the Association of Nepalis in the Americas.During her time at Fox News, she worked as a rotating anchor for Fox News Live and the early morning news program Fox & Friends First. In late 2005, she became a regular co-host on the network's weekend morning news program, Fox & Friends Weekend.

In early 2007, as Chetry's contract with Fox News neared the end of its term, the network negotiated with Chetry's agent to renew her contract. Her contract was expected to be renewed with her continuing to co-host Fox & Friends Weekend. However, talks ended when Fox News claimed in a February 15, 2007, letter to Chetry's agent, that Chetry had demanded "that Fox News include a clause in her new agreement that would have been detrimental to other Fox News Talent." The cable news network added that it would not renew her contract and that she was free to leave before the expiration of her contract: Chetry exercised that option. Allegedly, Chetry wanted a clause in her contract that would have had Gretchen Carlson, a co-anchor of Fox & Friends, fired.Chetry's agent countered that the allegation of Chetry's wanting Carlson fired was "absolutely false". Another source said that the clause in question merely requested a written clarification of whether Chetry would become a "Fox & Friends" co-host and, if so, when. If that were not to happen by a certain date, then Chetry would have a window to exit her new contract.

Reportedly, CNN signed Chetry within an hour of her release from the Fox News Channel. After the deal had been inked, Chetry stated, "CNN is the gold standard when it comes to journalism, and I am thrilled to be part of the team." On February 16, 2007, Chetry began work as a CNN anchor and correspondent. That very day she served as a co-host on American Morning in the morning, and anchored Anderson Cooper 360 that evening. She went on to substitute as an anchor for Paula Zahn Now and CNN Newsroom.

On April 4, 2007, CNN's President Jonathan Klein officially announced Chetry as the new co-anchor. Her first American Morning broadcast was on April 16, 2007, the same day as the Virginia Tech Massacre. Initially, Chetry co-hosted from New York whereas John Roberts did so from Washington: eventually both generally co-anchored from CNN's New York bureau. John Roberts later left CNN to become an Atlanta-based correspondent for FOX News Channel. In addition to her American Morning duties, Chetry co-hosted with Roberts two CNN prime-time previews of the 2007 YouTube Democratic debate and the 01/07/08 CNN Election Center analysis of the post Michigan-primary presidential race. Moreover, she served as the iParty correspondent on CNN's 2008 New Year's Eve Live with Anderson Cooper.

Kiran's last day on American Morning and at CNN was July 29, 2011.

( Source - Wikipedia and Google)

 IANS

Mumbai : Bollywood actress Nafisa alias Jiah Khan, who was seen opposite Amitabh Bachchan in ‘Nishabd’, committed suicide at her residence in Mumbai’s Juhu area, police said Tuesday. She was 25. The Britain-born actress was found hanging at her flat in Sagar Sangeet Building in the posh Juhu area of northwest Mumbai around midnight. The cause of the suicide is not yet clear, police said, adding that autopsy reports were awaited. The body of the actress was taken to the Cooper Hospital in Vile Parle Monday night and later shifted to J.J. Hospital in Byculla. ‘The body was brought here last night. 

It has now been taken to the J.J. Hospital,’ a source from the Cooper Hospital told IANS. However, he didn’t reveal why the body was moved. Police are questioning her domestic help, security personnel and neighbours to ascertain what could have triggered the extreme step. News of her death was first reported by actress Dia Mirza through a social networking site around 1.45 a.m. Jiah shot into the limelight in 2007 with Ram Gopal Varma’s ‘Nishabd’ in which she plays a teenager besotted with a man old enough to be her father. She got a Filmfare Best Debutant nomination for the role. ‘Shocked and choked to hear about Jiah,’ Varma tweeted after hearing the news. ‘Never seen a debutant actress with more spunk and more spirit than Jiah when I was directing her in Nishabd,’ the director said in another tweet. 

In 2008, she was seen along with Aamir Khan and Asin in the blockbuster ‘Ghajini’, a remake of A.R. Murugadoss’s Tamil film by the same title. She was last seen in Sajid Khan’s ‘Housefull’ with Akshay Kumar, Reiteish Deshmukh, Deepika Padukone and Lara Dutta. She was born Nafisa and changed her name to Jiah before going back to her birth name. Her mother is Rabiya Amin, an actress in the 1980s who was seen in the Tahir Hussain movie ‘Dulha Bikta Hai’.

Gangtok: Chief Justice of India Altamas Kabir today inaugurated the Sikkim Judicial Academy in the presence of chief minister Pawan Chamling and chief justice of Sikkim High Court Pius C. Kuriakose. Sikkim Judicial Academy is the second such institution in the North East region, the first one being in Guwahati. Judicial Academies all over the country impart training to judicial officers. However, in view of the small size of the subordinate judiciary in Sikkim, the academy will extend its benefits to the new members of the Bar and also to the final year law students of Government Law College and the Universities in Sikkim, Justice Kuriakose said. Justice Altamas Kabir hoped that SJA will be an exemplary institution not only in the region but also in the country. Sikkim government has made available the building to start the SJA for the time being and has also allotted 2.92 acres of land at Sokeythang, East Sikkim for construction of campus of the academy.