The 212th birth anniversary of the pioneer poet of Nepali literature, Bhanubhakta Acharya, is being celebrated today by organizing a variety of programs across the country and abroad.

Among many noble creations, Bhanubhakta is revered for his Nepali translation of the Ramayana, a Hindu scripture originally written in Sanskrit language.

He is also recognized as having unified modern Nepal through language, literature and culture, after King Prithvi Narayan Shah united the country geographically. Born on 29 Asar 1871 BS in the village of Chundiramgha in Tanahun, , Bhanubhakta has many other creations including 'Badhushikshya', 'Prashnottar', 'Bhaktamala', 'Ramgeeta' etc.

Critics and well-wishers alike gather in various events today to offer respect to Bhanubhakta and hold discussions and review on his ideas and creations.

The statue of national icon Bhanubhakta in front of Ranipokhari in Kathmandu will be garlanded after an early morning procession today.

Bhanu Jayanti is also celebrated by reciting the Ramayana, which was translated into Nepali by Adikabi Acharya.

Tribhuvan University Associate Professor Gyannishtha Gyawali, who is studying and researching Bhanubhakta, says that it is fair to call Bhanubhakta Adikabi or pioneer poet as he made a significant contribution to linguistic unity by translating a text like Ramayana into Nepali language.

Poet Acharya passed away in Asoj 1925 BS. Bhanubhakta's birth anniversary is also celebrated in countries and places where there are many Nepali speakers including Bhutan, Myanmar, Darjeeling, Sikkim and other parts of India.

Meanwhile, in a message on the occasion, President Ramchandra Paudel has said that we should all reflect on the historical fact that Bhanubhakta helped establish linguistic unity among Nepali speakers around the world.

“Bhanubhakta has an incomparable contribution to the promotion of Nepali language, literature and culture by making Nepali language the language of the people and making it more advanced,” the President has said in message said.

The President has mentioned that Bhanubhakta's Ramayana is a work that promotes the Nepali script and helps in using religion, duty, loyalty, service, etc. in human life.

He has also called for developing the birthplace of Bhanubhakta as a historical and cultural site, while wishing that the day would inspire all of us to love, respect and protect language and culture, deepen the feeling of mutual trust, love and unity among all Nepalis. (RSS)

Indian authorities release preliminary report on Air India crash

Indian authorities have released a preliminary report on last month's plane crash in the western city of Ahmedabad that left at least 260 people dead. The report says the aircraft's switches for controlling fuel flow to the engines transitioned to the cutoff position and the engines began to decrease from their takeoff values.

An Air India passenger jet bound for Britain came down shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad in the state of Gujarat on June 12. There were 242 people on board the Boeing 787, and only one passenger survived. The death toll includes students at a medical college dormitory that was struck by the jet.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation released the report on Saturday, exactly one month after the incident.

The report says that after the fuel control switches were transitioned from run to cutoff position, one of the pilots is heard in the cockpit voice recording asking the other why he cut them off. It says the other pilot responded that he did not do so.