The young cricket star who made history

VAIBHAV SURYAVANSHI

Imagine being just 14 years old and playing in one of the biggest cricket leagues in the world — that’s exactly what Vaibhav Suryavanshi did! On April 19, 2025, Vaibhav Suryavanshi became the youngest ever player to play in the Indian Premier League (“IPL”) after making his debut for Rajasthan Royals against Lucknow Super Giants at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur at the age of 14 years and 23 days. He started his innings with a BANG — he hit the very first ball he faced for a six. He scored 34 runs from 20 balls, showing everyone he’s got serious skills. Although his team lost by just 2 runs, Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s amazing debut was the real win. At just 13, he made headlines during the IPL 2025 mega auction by becoming the youngest cricketer in history to be shortlisted for an IPL auction. He was signed by the Rajasthan Royals team for the IPL 2025 season.

The 14-year-old prodigy shattered multiple long-standing IPL records during his side's match against Gujarat Titans on April 29 in Jaipur. He scored 100 runs in only 35 balls - that’s super fast! He broke the record for the fastest century by an Indian in the IPL. And guess what? Vaibhav Suryavanshi also broke a massive world record. He is now the youngest ever to score a ton in the T20 format.

About Vaibhav Suryavanshi: Vaibhav Suryavanshi was born on March 27, 2011, in Tajpur village, Bihar. His cricket journey started early, when his father—a farmer—noticed his love for the game at age four. To support his son’s passion, he built a small practice area in their backyard and even sold his farm in Motipur to help fund Vaibhav’s cricketing dreams. After Vaibhav Suryavanshi turned nine, he joined a cricket academy located in the nearby town of Samastipur.

Strings that speak

THE TIMELESS ART OF PUPPETRY 

In a world dominated by screens and digital storytelling, the age-old charm of puppetry still holds its ground. From the vibrant Kathputlis of Rajasthan to the shadow puppets of Indonesia and the marionettes of Europe, puppets have enchanted audiences for centuries, weaving stories with strings, shadows, and spirited movements.

Puppetry is more than entertainment—it is a mirror to culture, tradition, and imagination. Across the globe, puppet shows have long served as a medium for folklore, moral lessons, political satire, and religious epics. Long before cinema and animation, puppeteers brought gods, kings, animals, and even demons to life on makeshift stages, captivating both young and old.

Tholu Bommalata 

There are many types of puppets: string (marionettes), hand, rod, shadow, and glove puppets, each with its own distinct method of operation and appeal. In India alone, different regions boast unique forms—like Tholu Bommalata from Andhra Pradesh (leather shadow puppetry) or Gombeyatta from Karnataka (rod puppets). Each style carries centuries of heritage, performed with live music, narration, and traditional costumes.

Gombeyatta 

Today, puppetry has expanded beyond folk art. It plays a role in education, therapy, and even political commentary. Modern puppeteers are blending technology with tradition, creating interactive performances and digital puppetry that preserve the soul of the art while reaching new audiences.

Yet, for all its evolution, the essence of puppetry remains unchanged: it's about storytelling through movement, voice, and heart. In the skilled hands of a puppeteer, a lifeless figure becomes a breathing character, speaking truths that resonate across time and culture.

As long as there are stories to tell and listeners to wonder, puppets will continue to dance, whisper, and sing—reminding us of the magic that lies in the simplest forms of expression.

World puppetry day is celebrated on March 21st.

Do you know

HOW LIDAR WORKS 

LiDAR, which stands for Light Detection and Ranging, is a kind of combination of light and radar. LiDAR sends pulses of laser beams at objects far away. Tracking the distances these beams of light travel helps create accurate three-dimensional, or 3D, maps and configurations. 

When scientists tried a primitive form of LiDAR in the 1930s, they just used big flashlights. Initially, they were looking for particles in the atmosphere called aerosols. In 1960, the first working laser was devised, which greatly expanded what was possible with LiDAR. 

Laser light is different from the light of a flashlight. It has a narrow beam of light that can travel great distances without getting wider or weaker. Let’s say a LiDAR scanner is aimed at a bicycle a few blocks away. When the light reaches the bike, it bounces back the way it came and hits the receiver. 

The amount of time it took for the light to travel roundtrip is recorded by a computer. By dividing that number by two, you know how far away the bike is—its range. But that’s not all. You can also tell how far away the handlebars, pedals, and wheels are and how they’re positioned. 

Scientists from different disciplines take those many points of light and turn them into accurate 3D images. 

Seismologists, or earthquake scientists, can see previously unknown fault lines. Volcanologists can watch how volcanoes breathe gas. Conservationists can find areas and trees that endangered animals call home.

A moment of pride

ODISHA’S KHAJA EARNS GLOBAL HONOUR 

Odisha's beloved traditional sweet, Khaja, has recently achieved international fame by being recognised among the world's best sweet pastries by TasteAtlas, a global food guide. This prestigious recognition places Khaja alongside legendary international confections like croissants and doughnuts, marking it as the only Indian sweet to feature in the top ten list.

What is Khaja?

Khaja is a centuries-old delicacy, deeply rooted in Odisha’s cultural and culinary heritage, especially associated with the sacred Jagannath Temple in Puri. The sweet is made from a simple yet rich combination of refined wheat flour, ghee, and sugar. The dough is meticulously rolled into thin layers, deep-fried until golden and crispy, and finally soaked in sugar syrup. The result is a flaky, crunchy, yet melt-in-the-mouth pastry that has delighted generations.

Cultural and Spiritual Significance: Beyond its delectable taste, Khaja holds immense spiritual importance. It forms an integral part of the 'Mahaprasad' — the sacred offering made to Lord Jagannath at the Puri temple. Devotees from across the world purchase Khaja as a blessed souvenir, believing it carries divine blessings. Its preparation is not just a culinary process but a tradition passed down through generations, maintaining its purity and sanctity.

Global Recognition: TasteAtlas praised Khaja for its unique preparation and cultural richness, highlighting how it stands out even amidst other Indian sweets. The platform also noted that Khaja is sometimes known as 'Pheni' and shares its revered space with other popular Indian pastries like Gujiya, Chiroti, and Karanji — but it is Khaja that made it to the world’s top rankings.

A Moment of Pride for Odisha: This international recognition not only celebrates the rich legacy of Khaja but also shines a spotlight on Odisha's culinary traditions, bringing them to a global audience. It is a proud moment for every Odia and a testament to the timeless appeal of this divine delicacy.

Pizza for two or more

THE PIZZA THEOREM 

It’s time for a snack, and you and your pal are all set to share a pizza, with each of you getting half. When the pizza arrives, however, you find that the slices are not all the same size.

The pizza slicer had made four cuts with equal angles, all crossing at one point, to end up with eight slices. But the crossing point is not at the pizza’s center, so some slices are larger than others.

Mathematicians have shown there’s an easy solution to sharing the pizza evenly. They call it the Pizza Theorem. If you and your pal take alternate slices, you each automatically end up with an equal amount. It doesn’t matter where the crossing point is or which wedge you start with. 

The strategy of going around the pizza and taking alternate slices also gives each person exactly the same amount of edge crust. Nice, if you love stuffed-crust pizza.

The Pizza Theorem doesn’t work for a pizza cut into just four slices, but it does work for eight, 12, 16, 20, or any larger multiple of four. In all these cases, the sums of the areas of alternate slices are equal.

What if three of you want equal shares of a pizza? This time, you would need a pizza cut into 12 slices, with each person receiving four. For five people, you would need a pizza cut into 20 slices.

And there’s more. Suppose you have a pizza with, say, three toppings spread unevenly across the surface. As long as each topping covers a circular area and the crossing point of the cuts lies inside all three splotches of topping, the Pizza Theorem ensures that everyone sharing the pizza gets the same amount of the three toppings.

There’s nothing like math to help make sharing easier. Good thing too, because your pal gets pretty grouchy when you take more than your portion of the pie.

India’s first frozen zoo

PADMAJA NAIDU HIMALAYAN ZOOLOGICAL PARK 

Darjeeling’s Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park has established India’s first “Frozen Zoo”. This facility is designed to store the genetic material of various Himalayan species at extremely low temperatures. 

The “Frozen Zoo” is like a super-safe vault for preserving animal DNA at very cold temperatures. Scientists collect tiny pieces of tissue from animals (even ones that have passed away), and then they store these samples in a special lab. 

This helps save the genetic blueprints of these endangered animals. Well, lots of amazing animals, like red pandas, gorals, mishmi takins, and snow leopards, are in danger of disappearing forever. 

By freezing their DNA, we can protect their genetic variety and maybe even bring them back from the brink of extinction one day! This Frozen Zoo is a collaboration between the zoo and Hyderabad-based Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology.

What is a Frozen Zoo?

A frozen zoo is a genetic cryobank that stores genetic material (like DNA, sperm, eggs, and embryos) from animals that are typically endangered and are on the verge of extinction. The genetic material is stored in liquid nitrogen tanks at extremely low temperatures (-196°C) for long-term preservation. 

Did you know?

There are very few frozen zoos in the world. The first one was set up in 1975 by Kurt Benirschke at the Institute for Conservation Research in San Diego. Today, it holds over 8,400 samples from 800 species.

The ghost bird

THE GREAT POTOO

The great potoo (Nyctibius grandis) is a fascinating and mysterious bird found in Central and South America, known for its ghostly appearance and haunting calls. 

Appearance: 

Large bird, about 48–60 cm (19–24 inches) in length.

Mottled gray, brown, and white plumage that makes it blend seamlessly with tree branches, looking almost like a broken stump.

Large, round eyes that glow in the dark when light hits them—perfect for its nocturnal lifestyle.

Behaviour:

Master of camouflage: During the day, it perches motionless on tree stumps or branches, mimicking them to avoid predators.

Nocturnal hunter: Comes alive at night to catch insects like moths and beetles mid-flight.

Emits a deep, eerie call, often described as haunting or ghost-like—part of why it's steeped in local myths.

Interesting Facts:

It doesn’t build nests. Instead, it lays a single egg directly on a branch or stump.

Despite its owl-like behavior, it’s not related to owls—it's in its own family: Nyctibiidae.

Locals in some regions associate its call with supernatural legends or omens.