MEGHALAYA: Weekly News Round-up
Meghalaya’s Brian Kharpran discovers 1700 caves in the state
PM Narendra Modi acknowledges Meghalaya resident Brian D Kharpran who, along with his team, to have discovered over 1,700 caves in the state. Kharpran, who is the founder secretary of the Meghalaya Adventurers’ Association, has so far mapped 537.6 km of caves in the state.
PM Modi also urged people to visit Meghalaya’s caves, some of which are among the longest and deepest in the country.
In his Mann ki Baat address on the 27th of August 2023, the PM said, “In 1964, he (Brian) conducted his first exploration as a school-going boy. In 1990, he along with his friend established an association, and through this, he started to find out about the unknown caves of Meghalaya”. PTI
Abhay Gurung selected for Indian Futsal team
Abhay Gurung from Meghalaya was among the 14-member squad for the Indian Futsal National Team, which played their first International Futsal against Bahrain in August.
India lost both the matches against Bahrain India, but played with grit and determination that spoke a lot about their preparations prior to the tour of Bahrain.
Ronan Keating to headline Shillong Cherry Blossom Festival
Irish singer-songwriter Ronan Keating will be the star performer at this year’s Shillong Cherry Blossom Festival, to be held from November 17 to 19.
Other international artistes to feature in the festival will be Pink Panda, Jonas Blue, Hybrid Theory and Kenny Musk. Local artistes including Lou Majaw, Snow White, Da Minot, Summersalt will also perform at the festival.
Shillong Literary Festival (November 14-16) and Megha Kayak Fest (October 12-14) will be organized as a run-up to the Cherry Blossom Festival.
Via: The Shillong Times
Geological Survey of India exploring lithium in Garo Hills, Meghalaya
Reports say that the Geological Survey of India is conducting initial surveys to determine the prospects for Lithium Mining in Garo Hills of Meghalaya, Jammu and Kashmir, and Chhattisgarh.
Lithium is a critical non-ferrous alkali mineral used in lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles (EVs). With India’s focus on transitioning to EVs in the public and private transportation sectors, the availability of lithium becomes vital.
The GSI is exploring critical and strategic minerals such as lithium, rare earth elements (REEs), and vanadium, among others, which are crucial for green technologies, high-tech equipment, aviation, and national defence manufacturing needs.
At present, India imports a significant portion of these minerals. To reduce imports, the GSI is undertaking exploration projects in different states across the country.
