My Prize Winning Messeges!!

I won loads of prizes like shopping vouchers, privilege cards, car frames, jewelry vouchers, mobile phone, kitchen wares, La'Opala Ivory sets and lot more by contesting in The Hitvada Message Contests!! Here are those messages! They would always mean a lot to me!! And so would the addressees!!

To Mamma,
I read the book of nature in your reflecting eyes. As a toddler I stood up and today, I stand on my own on the path, your care has enlightened.

Srishti
Mother’s Day, 2006, consolation prize
To Janu,

Our relationship is like a white cloth. Simple and peaceful! There have been loopholes of the differences that we darned together. And hey!! These mosaic patches have made this piece of cloth more beautiful!!

Srishti

Valentine’s Day, 2011, 2nd prize (Samsung Corby Colors)
To My Best Friend,

During the classes, all the friends would share the books, benches, pranks, secrets, the recess snacks! But, only you would walk me home post-classes, in those rainy eves. You were always the best!

Srishti

Friendship Day, 2011, 1st prize


To My CASHEW Granny,
When I toddled, you were a teacher, a story teller. When I fell ill, you were a nurse. How gracefully you adapted to the modernizing world, over the eight decades you live, to become a friend!!

Srishti

Grandparents’ Day, 2011, 4th prize

To My Sweetheart,

Like God, love is within us. We make prayers, so do we celebrate Valentine's Day! We love each other everyday. Today, let's recollect and aggregate all the cherished moments and live them together once again!

Srishti

Valentine's Day, 2013, Consolation prize

To My Cashew Granny,

Books narrate events. You are the thread that connected me to my country, its culture, its history, its freedom struggle, the values otherwise lost. Thanks a bunch for letting me know my true identity.

Srishti

Grandparent's Day, 2013, First prize

Poster Presentation: The post-ovarian genital complex and egg of damselfly, Ceriagrion coromandelianum (Insecta: Odonata)

Published in: Abstracts Memorabilia of National Symposium on Comparative Endocrinology and Reproductive Physiology: Current Advances
Publisher: Indian Society of Comparative Endocrinology

Andrew R.J., Kadwey M., Mudaliar Srishti

The post-ovarian genital complex of the damselfly Ceriagrion coromandelianum is located on the eighth abdominal sternum, just beneath the terminal abdominal ganglion. It is ectodermal in origin and consists of bursa copulatrix, spermatheca and vagina. The spermathecae open into the bursa copulatrix through a short spermathecal duct, while the bursa copulatrix opens into the vagina through spiny valve, the bursa communis. The Bursa communis is modeled to hold the anterior tip of the egg containing the micropylar apparatus for effective fertilization. The whole complex is internally lined with a thick sclerotised layer of cuticle, which forms large plates in the vagina. These plates help in the positioning and transportation of eggs during fertilization and oviposition. The eggs are spindle shaped, with pointed anterior and rounded posterior ends. Scanning and electron microscopic examination of the egg shell reveals that the surface is smooth without any reticulations. Five microyplar orifices are situated below the apex of the anterior end. The chorion is divided into a thin smooth exochorion and a thick endochorion. The vitelline membrane is smooth and thin in freshly laid eggs, but is thick and pitted in mature eggs. The egg shell exhibits microphological modifications to cope with the endophylic mode of oviposition.

Biography: The Shehnai Maestro

Published in: Souvenir, SHSJC, Nagpur
Publishers: Somalwar Education Society, Nagpur, 2007

The precincts of our country have always been glorified by the essence of the people, who have brought in
the incentives of laurels. One such eminent persona, that our era has witnessed, who single handedly succeeded in making Shehnai a renowned classical instrument is Bismillah Khan.

Bismillah Khan was born on March 21, 1916, at Bhirung Raut ki gali, in Dumraon, Bihar, as the second son of Paigambar Khan and Mitthan. He was first named Quamaruddin by his father. His grandfather Rasool Baksh uttered “Bismillah!” at his first sight; thus he was later named Bismillah. His ancestors were court musicians and used to play Naqqar Khana in the princely state of Bhojpur. His father was a Shehnai player in the court of Maharaja Keshav Pratap Singh of Dumraon Estate in Bihar.

Bismillah received his training under his uncle late Ali Baksh, a Shehnai player, in liaison with Varanasi Vishwanath temple. As a little chap Bismillah would play Shehnai at various temples, on the banks of river Ganga and at Vishwanath temple of Varanasi.

His stepping stone to the way of becoming one of the finest musicians in the field of post-independence Indian Classical music was his first performance on the Centre Stage of Indian Music, during a concert at the All India Music Conference, in Calcutta, in 1937.

The eminence of his music brought him the invitation from then Prime Minister Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, to play Shehnai on the very first Independence Day of India, August 15 1947, at the Delhi Red fort. The whole Nation was enthralled by his performance and he grabbed the opportunity to perform on the first Republic Day of India, January 26, 1950, at the Red Fort. He performed Raag Kaafi in the ceremony. His recital then almost became a cultural part of the Independence Day celebration. After the Prime Minister’s speech, the Doordarshan would telecast live performance by the Shehnai master.

After becoming renowned nationwide, Bismillah Khan also gave his performance at Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Europe, Iran, Iraq, Canada, West Africa, U.S., U.S.S.R., Japan, Hong Kong and almost all the capital cities across the world. He was then credited with the monopoly of the instrument. He also played Shehnai in the movies like Sanadi Appanna of Dr. Rajkumar. He also acted in the Jalsaghar of Satayajeet Ray. Later, a noted director Goutam Ghosh made a documentary Sang e Meel se Mulaquat, on the life story of Khan himself.

His works brought him honorary doctorates from Benaras Hindu University and Vishwa Bharti University, Shantiniketan. He was also awarded several times. He received Padmashree in 1961, Padmabhushan in 1968, Padmavibhushan in 1980 and Bharat Ratna in 2001.

His sole love was his music. After the demise of his wife, his Shehnai became his Begum.

Although he was a Shia Muslim, regardless of the creed, he was a devotee of Goddess Saraswati and Lord Krishna. On August 21, 2006, Bismillah passed away. But, he left behind the melody of his music and an instance of Hindu Muslim Unity.

Compiled by
Srishti Mudaliar