Varun Kumar

Amit Lodha, an IIT passout, who went on to make a career as an IPS officer, had shot to fame for his contribution in making the crime rate dip in Bihar.   He has been felicitated with prestigious awards like President’s Police Medal for Meritorious Service, the Police Medal for Gallantry and the Internal Security Medal for his exemplary work. Bihar Diaries narrates the thrilling account of how Amit Lodha arrested Vijay Samrat, one of Bihar's most feared gang lords, notorious for extortion, kidnapping and the massacre of scores of people. The book follows the adrenaline-fueled chase that took place across three states during Amit's tenure as superintendent of police of Shekhpura, a sleepy mofussil town in Bihar. With a change of guard in 2005, Lodha notes, a wave of “sushasan” or good governance, began in the State. It is during that time that Lodha, an award-winning IPS officer, was posted in Shekhpura. His trysts with criminals, and how he worked towards ending ...

Nothing compares to the sheer beauty; the Himalayas has to offer. Nepal is the home to the greatest range of mountains in the world and many tourists come to Nepal to see them. However, neither everyone is a trekker / mountaineer nor has the time to walk into the mountains, so what are the options for these tourists to enjoy the highest points on the planet? Mountain flights!!! Taking a mountain flight is one of the most exhilarating things you can do in Nepal. Easily arranged, you can go eye-to-eye with Mt. Everest and world's highest peaks within minutes! The 50 min flight takes off early in the morning (first flight 6 am), and only operates if the weather is good.  Today, I took the one and believe me it was the best thing I ever witnessed.  Although it looked cloudy from the ground, once we rose above the clouds the view was all clear and just breathtaking. Once the flight takes off from Kathmandu, first peak comes is L...

Ferdinand  is a 2017 animated film produced by Blue Sky Studios and distributed by 20th Century Fox. The film was based on Munro Leaf and Robert Lawson's children's book “ The Story of Ferdinand”. After Ferdinand, a bull with a big heart, is mistaken for a dangerous beast, is captured and taken from his home. Determined to return to his family, he rallies a misfit team on the ultimate adventure.

On the Polynesian island of Motunui, the inhabitants worship the goddess Te Fiti, who brought life to the ocean, using a pounamu stone as her heart and the source of her power. Maui, the shapeshifting demigod and master of sailing, steals the heart to give humanity the power of creation. However, Te Fiti disintegrates, and Maui is attacked by Te Kā, a volcanic demon, losing both his magical giant fishhook and the heart to the depths. A millennium later, Moana, daughter of Motunui's chief Tui, is chosen by the ocean to return the heart to Te Fiti. However, Tui arrives and takes Moana away, causing her to lose the heart. Tui and Moana's mother, Sina, try to keep her away from the ocean to prepare her for ascension as the island's chief. Years later, a blight strikes the island, rotting the coconuts and dwindling the number of fish caught. Moana suggests going beyond the island's reef to find more fish, but Tui forbids it. Moana tries conquering the...

When you think of Dracula, you don't think "kid-friendly." So, you may be wondering if it's OK to watch Hotel Transylvania with your children. Fortunately, yes! It’s a 3D animated comedy film. Mavis and Johnny have a young son named Dennis, whose lack of any vampire abilities worries his grandfather Dracula. When Mavis and Johnny go on a visit to Johnny's parents, Dracula calls his friends to help him make Dennis a vampire. Soon, things turn upside-down when Dracula's old-school human-hating father Vlad unexpectedly visits the hotel.

Mission: Impossible – Fallout  is a 2018 American action spy film written, produced and directed by Christopher McQuarrie. It is the sixth installment in the  Mission: Impossible  film series. Two years after Lane's capture, the remains of his organization "the Syndicate" are now a terrorist group named "the Apostles". Ethan is assigned to intercept three stolen plutonium cores in Berlin before the Apostles can sell them to fundamentalist Lark. He joins Benji and Luther for the mission, but they fail when Luther is taken hostage and Ethan chooses to save his life, allowing the Apostles to take the plutonium. The team capture nuclear weapons expert Nils and learn that he built three portable nuclear weapons for the Apostles. Furious at the IMF's failure to secure the plutonium, CIA Director Erica instructs Special Activities Division operative Walker to shadow Ethan as he attempts to retrieve the plut...

The Greatest Showman  is a 2017 American musical film directed by Michael Gracey. Barnum and his father Philo, a tailor, work for the Hallett family, he becomes infatuated with their daughter, Charity. Though Charity is being sent to finishing school, Barnum reassures her they will not be separated. The two keep in touch through letters until they meet again in adulthood eventually marrying and raising two daughters, Caroline and Helen, in New York City. They live a humble life; though Charity is happy, Barnum dreams of more. Barnum loses his job as a clerk at a shipping company after the company goes bankrupt. Taking a risky bet, he takes out a large loan from a bank, deceiving the bank into accepting his former employer's lost ships as collateral. He uses this loan to buy Barnum's American Museum in downtown Manhattan, an attraction showcasing various wax models. Initially, sales are slow; on the suggestion of his children to showcase s...

A suit-wearing, briefcase-carrying baby pairs up with his 7-year old brother to stop the dastardly plot of the CEO of Puppy Co. With a sly, heart-filled message about the importance of family, The Boss Baby is an authentic and broadly appealing original comedy for all ages. One day, Tim is surprised when an infant wearing a business suit arrives at his house in a taxi, and Ted and Janice call him Tim's little brother. Tim is envious of the attention the baby receives, not to mention suspicious when the infant acts odd around him Tim learns that the baby can talk like an adult, and he introduces himself as "The Boss". Seeing an opportunity to be rid of him, Tim decides to record a conversation between the Boss Baby and other toddlers who are at Tim's house for a meeting. The Boss Baby and the other infants catch Tim with the recording, and the cassette tape is terminated after the Boss Baby threatens to tear up Tim's favorite stuffed animal, Lam-Lam. Wi...

I am a big fan of MSD. Not just of his wicket keeping, batting or leadership, but I am fan of him even as a human being. I have written previously as well in Feb 2012 on MSD in the same blog. Below is the link. https://varun-kr.blogspot.com/2012/02/leadership-dhonis-way.html Recently, I was in a Book Store and show this book and couldn't stop myself from buying it. I completed reading the book same night.  This is a nice book celebrating the coolest and the most successful Indian Cricket captain ever and fans will definitely like to lay their hands on it. Everyone talks about MS Dhoni’s meteoric rise, but few have spent time cataloguing his journey as painstakingly as veteran sports journalist Gulu Ezekiel. The book is at its strongest at the start. Ezekiel has used his extensive network of contacts in the world of cricket, including former players, coaches and administrators, to highlight Dhoni’s humble Ranchi roots like no one else. ‘It must be my power, th...

Pashupatinath Temple  is a famous and sacred Hindu temple complex that is located on the banks of the Bagmati River, in the eastern part of Kathmandu Valley. This temple complex was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites's list in 1979. One of the major festivals of the temple is Maha Shivaratri on which day over 10 Lac devotees visit here. Only Hindus are allowed inside the gates of the main temple. The inner sanctum has a Shiva  lingam  and outside sits the largest statue of Nandi the bull. There are hundreds of Shiva  lingam  within the compound. The main temple is built in the Nepalese pagoda style of architecture. The main idol is a stone Mukhalinga with a silver yoni base bound with the silver serpent. The lingam is one meter high and has faces in four directions.  The unique feature of this temple is that only 4 priests can touch the idol. Daily rituals o...

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of watching "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory". It  is a 2005 musical fantasy comedy film directed by Tim Burton and written by John August. The film stars Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka and Freddie Highmore as Charlie Bucket.  Charlie is a poor boy who lives near the Wonka Candy Company. The company's owner, Willy Wonka, has for long closed access to his factory due to problems concerning industrial espionage that led him to fire all his employees, among them Charlie's Grandpa. One day, Wonka announces a contest, in which Golden Tickets have been placed in five random Wonka Bars worldwide, and the winners will be given a full tour of the factory as well as a lifetime supply of chocolate, while one ticket holder will be given a special prize at the end of the tour. Wonka's sales subsequently skyrocket, and the first four...

The Indian Citizens' Association (ICA) of Nepal, a union of resident Indian citizens living in Nepal, in association with the Embassy of India, Kathmandu hosted a cultural-dance-food festival 'Bharat Mahotsav' to celebrate 70 years of India's Independence. I am glad to be present in the event with my son Giansh. The event happened in the premises of Indian Embassy in Kathmandu from 11 am onwards. The program was inaugurated by the Ambassador of India to Nepal Shri Manjeev Singh Puri. Students of Kendriya Vidyalaya School, Kathmandu put up stalls with various science and arts creatives.