FOR the first time in the Indian Science Congress in its 102 years history, the organisers held a symposium on “Ancient Sciences through Sanskrit”. Seven papers presented over the five-hour session were invited by the Department of Sanskrit, Mumbai University, and Kavi Kulaguru Kalidas University, and reviewed by the Mumbai University’s Department of Sanskrit. Evidence of ancient aviation in the Rigveda was claimed in a paper co-authored by Captain Anand Bodas, retired head of a pilot training centre, and Ameya Jadhav, a teacher.

THE 28th state conference of the Punjab Agriculture Worker’s Union was held from December 11-13, 2014 in Khankhana village in Jalandhar district to commemorate the first conference of the agricultural workers of Punjab that took place in 1954 from December 11-13, during which the Dehati Mazdoor Sabha was formed with Comrade Darshan Singh Jhabbal elected as the president and Comrade Pundit Bakshi Ram as general secretary.

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement on January 2.

THE announcement of a Niti Aayog to replace the Planning Commission is a regressive step which will further push the country into a market-driven economy and privatisation in all spheres at the expense of diluting even the present inadequate schemes aimed at improving people’s welfare. Whatever role the Planning Commission had, to allocate resources for the public sector and deploying public investment keeping in mind the regional disparities, has now ended.

Six Left parties, the CPI, CPI(M), CPI(ML)-Liberation, AIFB, SUCI(C) and RSP have issued the following statement on January 3, 2015.

THE Modi government and the BJP have unleashed the forces of Hindutva which threaten the secular and democratic values of the Indian republic. It is at such a juncture that the government has invited President Obama of the United States of America to be the chief guest of the Republic Day on January 26.

NEARLY 40 percent of girls are in higher education in our country. Many of us take our education as granted – as something of a normal progression. If at all some of us are forced to discontinue our studies, we think it is because of the economic conditions of our families. Of course, many of us are also forced out of education, due to the lecherous behaviour of our so-called 'stronger sex', eve-teasing and sexual harassment. In other words, those of us fortunate enough to continue with our education, think that it is thanks to our familial support, we are able to pursue our dreams.