VENKATA GIRI :AN ADOVOCATE OF LABOUR & HUMAN RIGHTS

 

Varahagiri Venkata Giri was born on August 10, 1894, in a Telugu-speaking family in the Berhampur district of Odisha. His father was a lawyer, and his mother was a social worker. He received his primary and secondary education in Berhampur. In 1913, he went to University College Dublin to study law, where he was greatly influenced by Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy that student involvement in the freedom struggle was more important than formal studies.

Upon returning to India, Giri prioritized his involvement in the freedom movement over his studies. He became an active participant in the labor movement and eventually became the President of the All India Railwaymen's Federation. In 1926 and 1942, he served as the President of the Indian Trade Union Congress. Additionally, he held the Ministry of Labour and Industries portfolio in 1937 and 1946 in the Madras Presidency.

Giri's activism during the Quit India Movement in 1942 led to his imprisonment. Despite this, he remained dedicated to the country's cause after India gained independence. He was appointed as the High Commissioner to Sri Lanka and was elected to the first Lok Sabha in 1952. From 1952 to 1954, he served under the Ministry of Labour.

Giri also held the position of Governor in Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, and Karnataka from 1957 to 1967. In 1967, he was elected as the Vice President of the country following the death of the 10th President, Zakir Hussain, on May 3, 1969. The presidential election of 1969 was notable, with Prime Minister Indira Gandhi urging her party members to vote according to their conscience. Giri, supported by the Congress party, won the election and became the fourth President of India post-independence, securing 50.2% of the vote.

Apart from his political career, Giri had a keen interest in writing books, which became popular. In 1994, the India Post and Telegram Department issued a commemorative stamp in his honor for his contributions to the Indian freedom struggle and public affairs. On June 24, 1980, in Chennai, he passed away due to a heart attack, leaving behind a legacy of service to the nation.

The Man Behind the Moustache: Exploring the Personal Life of Charlie Chaplin

  Charlie Chaplin was one of the most iconic figures of the early twentieth century, known for his incredible talent as an actor, director, and producer. 

He was born on April 16, 1889, in London, England, as Charles Spencer Chaplin. His parents were both performers in the music hall circuit, and his father, Charles Chaplin Sr., was also an alcoholic. Chaplin's early life was difficult, as he and his brother Sydney had to contend with their father's alcoholism and their mother's mental health issues. At the age of five, Chaplin's parents separated, and he and his brother were sent to live with their mother in a boarding house. They were later placed in a workhouse when their mother was unable to care for them, and Chaplin was forced to leave school at the age of ten to work various odd jobs. Chaplin's introduction to the world of performance came when he was recruited to join a clog-dancing troupe at the age of eight. He soon discovered a talent for comedy, and by the age of 17, he was performing regularly in music halls and vaudeville shows. In 1908, he joined the Fred Karno Company, a leading British music hall troupe, and quickly became one of its star performers. In 1910, Chaplin was spotted by the American film producer Mack Sennett, who offered him a contract with his Keystone Studios. Chaplin made his film debut in the short film "Making a Living," playing a con artist. The film was not a success, and Chaplin was dissatisfied with the way he was portrayed. He soon developed his own character, the "Little Tramp," a lovable but down-on-his-luck everyman with a distinctive costume of a tight coat, baggy trousers, and oversized shoes. Chaplin's first appearance as the Little Tramp was in the short film "Kid Auto Races at Venice" (1914), in which he played a spectator who keeps getting in the way of the camera. 

The character was an instant success, and Chaplin became a major star almost overnight. He quickly became one of the most popular and highest-paid performers in Hollywood, and he eventually started his own production company, United Artists, in partnership with Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, and D.W. Griffith. Over the next two decades, Chaplin created some of the most memorable films in cinema history, including "The Kid" (1921), "The Gold Rush" (1925), "City Lights" (1931), and "Modern Times" (1936). He was renowned for his perfectionism and his attention to detail, often spending months or even years on a single film. He was also a pioneer in the use of sound in film, incorporating it into his work long before it became standard practice in the industry. 

 Chaplin's personal life was tumultuous, marked by a series of scandalous affairs and two failed marriages. In 1940, he married Oona O'Neill, the daughter of playwright Eugene O'Neill, and they remained together until Chaplin's death in 1977. 

Chaplin's political views also caused controversy, as he was accused of being sympathetic to communism during the Red Scare of the 1950s. He was eventually exiled from the United States and moved to Switzerland, where he spent the rest of his life. 

 Despite the controversies surrounding his personal life, Chaplin remains one of the most revered figures in the history of cinema. He was the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including an Academy Award for his lifetime achievement in 1972. His films continue to be studied and admired by film scholars and fans alike, and his influence on the art of filmmaking can.