A tribute to Hollywood legend – Olivia de Havilland

Olivia De Havilland passed away in Paris on July 25, 2020, at the ripe old age of 104-years. She was one of the legends of the Golden Age of Hollywood and also the oldest living Academy Awards winner until last week.

De Havilland was born on July 1, 1916, in Tokyo, Japan, to British parents. Nicknamed Livvie, she was trained in music, dance and participated in dramas from a very young age.  De Havilland career in show business spanned over 53-years starting with 1935 “Alibi Ike,” and went on to feature in 49 films apart from appearing in 12, television movies & series.

 

Though she first featured in a lead role in the 1937 comedy film “Call It a Day,” she came into limelight with Victor Fleming’s “Gone with The Wind,” as Melanie Hamilton, for which she earned her first of five Academy Award nominations.  She earned her first of two Best Actress Oscars, for her portrayal of unwed mother in the 1946 romantic drama film “To Each His Own,” and the other for “The Heiress.” She put an end to her film career with the 1979 film “The Fifth Musketeers,” though she continued to appear in television.

The television movie “The Women He Loved,” in 1988, was her last screen appearance.  In 2003, De Havilland made special appearance as a presenter at the 75^th Annual Academy Awards and received a six-and-a-half-minute standing ovation.

She appeared in number of memorable films as “Captain Blood,” “Anthony Adverse,” “The Charge of the Light Brigade,” “The Great Garrick,” “The Adventure of Robin Hood,” “Dodge City,” and “They Died with Their Boots On,” to name a few.  She had a romantic angle in co-starring with Errol Flynn, her heartthrob with whom she had paired in eight films.

De Havilland is the first female president of the jury at the Cannes Film Festival in 1965 and recipient of highest French order, the Chevalier of the Legion d’honneur in 2010. Earlier in 2008, she was awarded with highest honor for artist the National Medal of Arts by the United States and decorated by the British government as Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2017.

She was instrumental in getting greater creative freedom for the artist with her legal victory over Warner Bros., in 1944, which has come to be known as De Havilland Law. Her lifetime contribution to the motion picture industry and art is best exemplified with Hollywood Walk of Fame and honorary doctorate from the University of Hertfordshire.

May her soul rest in peace with her graceful performances ever fresh in our memory.

Kargil Vijay Diwas – July 26

The July 26, is celebrated as ‘Vijay Diwas’ meaning ‘Victories Day,’ every year in memory of more than 500 soldiers who laid down their life for the country in the 1999 Kargil War with Pakistan. It was on this day, 21 years ago that, the Indian Army defeated the Pakistan Army in a three-month long war, to thwart their endeavor to occupy the Kargil Sector.

The Kargil, town is currently a part of the Union Territory of Ladakh and lies between Srinagar and Leh national highway. It is situated at around 127 miles from Srinagar and 107 miles from Pakistan Occupied Kashmir town of Skardu. The Kargil ridges, which was the focal point of conflict, stretches 100 miles, overlooking the valley from the height of around 16,000 ft. to 18,000 ft., with temperature dropping to as low as -54˚ F.

With a view to control Siachin Glacier region, the Pakistan Armed Force, launched Operation Badr in February 1999, all the while when then the Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was on a peace mission to Lahore on February 20, 1999.The troops from the Special Service Group were sent disguised as the Jihadists to occupy the vacant Indian post in the Kargil sector, on the Indian side of Line of Control to gain strategical advantage.

The Indian Army was taken by surprise when shepherds reported Pakistan intrusion on May 3, 1999, which was later turned out to be an area of around 80 sq. mi., under seize. Subsequently the Indian Government launched Operation Vijay with around 30,000 soldiers targeting Tiger Hill and Tololing complex in Dras which were overlooking National Highway 1, the main supply line.

The Indian Air Force got into the act on May 25^th, to assist the ground troops as the terrain with steep ascent were to its disadvantages in chill conditions. The Indian Forces tasted first success on June 9, when it re-captured two key positions in the Batalik sector and when the pivotal position Tololing in Dras sector was recaptured on June 13^th, it gained upper hand. By the time world opinion and United States in particular had forced Pakistan to withdraw its forces from Line of Control, India had re-captured 75 to 80% of its intruded area. The fighting ceased on July 26^th with capture of Drass subsector.

Though Pakistan Army denied its involvement it was subsequently exposed by its own Lieutenant General Shahid Aziz, in an article in The Nation daily in January 2013. The international community was concerned if the conflict continued further, as the use of nuclear warhead was imminent in view of United States intelligent report of Pakistan moving its nuclear arsenals towards the border.

To summarize, the Kargil war was the Pakistan’s miscalculated ambitious adventure.

 

 

5 Things To Know About India’s 26/11 Mumbai Terror Attack

Around 20.00 hours on 26 November 2008, Terrorist attacked several high-profile places in Mumbai that includes Taj Hotel, Oberai Hotel, Chhatrapati Sivaji Terminus Railway station and Leopold Café. More than 166 people were killed including 26 foreign nationals and 300 people were injured. This was the first time a large-scale terrorist attack was orchestrated especially on foreigners, thus making it international news.

There were a total of 10 terrorists who came by boat from Karachi. 6 of them disembark at the Macchimar nagar while the remaining 4 sail further south to Badhwar Park. 4 enter Taj Hotel, 2 enter Nariman house, 2 enter Oberoi Hotel which is interconnected with Taj Hotel and the remaining 2 enter the CST railway station. 9 terrorists are killed and a wounded Ajmal Kasab is captured.

1. A Chaiwala (Tea Seller) almost got killed in the CST railway station on that dreadful day. After an explosion nearby he called for help to a passing commando who turned out to be Ajmal Kasab, one of the terrorist. Kasab started abusing and opened fire at the people inside the ticket counter where the chaiwala was hiding. A railway employee was seriously injured. He helped the railway master to nearby hospital and stayed back at the station to help others.
   
2. Varun (name changed) a chef at Taj Banquet Kitchen in Hotel Taj, narrowly escaped death and was the lone survivor out of 7 chefs from that kitchen. When the attack happened many guests poured into the kitchen seeking shelter. After some time, all of them tried to escape through the back entrance when two terrorists emerged and started shooting. The first to fall were the head chef and sous chef and Varun hid behind a refrigerator. He ran back into the kitchen and waited for rescuers. Finally when he came out all his friends lay dead with many other guests. The refrigerator behind which he sheltered himself from gunshot had 3 bullet holes.
3. Assistant Sub Inspector Tukaram Omble’s sacrificed his life and helped in capture of terrorist Kasab. Police had barricaded the Girgaum Chowpatty expecting two terrorists moving in a silver skoda car. On approaching the barricade they started firing at the police and Omble who was following the car in a motorcycle positioned himself between the two groups. He immediately went for the assault rifle held by Kasab disregarding his life. Though Kasab emptied the gun into Omble’s body, the sub-inspector did not let go of the gun and provided the perfect cover for his fellow personals to capture the terrorist.
   
4. Hemant Karkare, Joint Commissioner of Police Mumbai Anti Terrorist Squad was killed during the fateful day. His death created a controversy surrounding the sub-standard bulletproof jacket that was provided to him. It raised more questions when the jacket was lost by the Indian authorities, who blamed a hospital staff for throwing it in a dustbin.
   He along with other 6 members was travelling in a police jeep looking for the terrorists when they spotted Kasab and opened fire on him. The wounded Kasab lost his AK-47 and fled. Just at that time two more terrorists emerged from behind a tree and opened fire on the police vehicle. Instantly killing all but one Inspector Jadav seated at the back.
5. The real unsung hero is Captain Ravi Dharnidharka, working in U.S Marine Corps, who was dinning at the 20th floor of Taj Mahal Hotel. When the shooting started he collaborated with few South African Ex-Commandos working for a private firm, and decided to take matters into their own hands. They ushered all the guests into a corridor and waited for some time for the rescue. Eventually realizing that the rescue operation would take more time, they evacuated 157 guests down the 20 floors safely, even carried a tired 84-year-old lady all the way down.

The First Cry

What comes to your mind when you think of a newborn? The Baby’s Cry! Isn’t it?

 

It’s pretty much the same every mother remembers. 90 percent of the mothers are conscious during the labor and strive to listen to the first cry of their baby. The low decibel sound gives the healing touch to the pain that the mother undergoes. Unfortunate fathers who are not allowed inside the labor room, comes to a standstill on hearing the shriek of his wife. But then the next sound brings some smile and tears to his eyes.

 

Those nine stressful and restricted months for a mother seems like a mere distant thought once she hears to her baby’s cry.  Every single painful tear during the pregnancy period, turns magically into happy tears, right at that moment.

 

You must have watched many videos of baby smiling, smirking, laughing and various other emotions that incite a good feeling in you. But what about the very first cry, probably only a parent can tell you how it felt. Ask your parents what it felt like when you entered the world with your first cry!

 

And just as the baby grows, everything around seems to light up. Especially for the mother, though being stuck in the house, doing nothing but feeding, changing nappy, shushing, rocking to sleep, still she will enjoy it the most. 

 

To say, the mother would want nothing more than holding the baby for however long it maybe, just to keep the baby safe. In case of the father, he would rush home just to see the baby smile. That’s the life of a father and a mother.

 

There is nothing to replace the happiest first cry of a baby and only the parents know how precious that is. Don’t you agree?