Punjab's French Connection: French Town Saint Tropez To Install Statue Of Maharaja Ranjit Singh
Darpan News Desk IANS, 20 Jul, 2015 10:11 AM
A statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh will soon be installed in a coastal town of France following years of efforts by a historian and descendant of a French officer who served under the Sikh king, a media report said on Monday.
The statue will be installed at Saint Tropez along with the statue of General Jean-Francois Allard, who served as a military adviser to the king of Punjab from 1822 to 1839, Sikh24.com reported.
Jean-Francois Allard was an officer in the Napoleon army before being exiled to India in 1822. Maharaja Ranjit Singh appointed him to train his royal brigade -- Fauj-e-Khas.
The installation of the statue has been made possible by Henri Prevost Allard, who is the deputy mayor for tourism of Saint Tropeza and a direct descendant of Jean-Francois.
Sikhs have to explain to American people what the turban means because that is the immediate source of their identification, according to the author of a new report on Sikhs in America presented to US lawmakers.
Even as voters gear up to stand in queue for Britain's upcoming general election this month, researchers, including one of Indian-origin, have developed a technique to allow people to vote online - even if their home computers are suspected of being infected with viruses.
Appreciating the help extended by Indian rescuers following the devastating earthquake that rocked Nepal on April 25, Prime Minister Sushil Koirala said on Friday that the country is blessed to have neighbours like India.
India was quick to respond to the disaster by launching a massive relief and rescue operation within hours of the temblor that has left over 6,000 people dead.
After India signed a deal with Canada on uranium imports during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Ottawa, questions are being raised as to why it has taken Canberra so long to clinch a similar pact.
The toll in the massive earthquake that devastated Nepal on April 25 crossed 5,000 on Wednesday, Sindhupalchok being the worst affected district with 1,400 deaths, the government said.
