Dance enthusiasts, friends and students came together and paid a heartfelt tribute in the loving memory of renowned western dance teacher late Benedict Peters fondly called as Tiki Peters. Moreover, the get-together also gave a chance to enthusiasts who wished to express their love for dance. The get together was held at Money Plant Terrace in Laxmi Nagar on March 13.

Hosts – businessman Dhananjay Sakharkar and Deputy Executive Editor at ABP Majha Sarita Kaushik – along with other guests, reminisced some memorable anecdotes of Tiki that lifted spirits of all as they went down the memory lane. 

Fondly remembering Peters, Sarita Kaushik told Nation Next, “Tiki was a dear friend for whom Dhananjay and I arranged this small get-together. He was a gifted teacher who danced like no one else. His moves were fabulous; no body could teach better than him. He had a commendable sense of aesthetics when it came to dance. I’m glad his elder sister and brother are equally talented and will continue Tiki’s legacy of excellence.”

Dhananjay, who had known Peters for nearly four decades, said, “My association Tiki dates back to over 40 years. He taught  us many dance forms including Jive, Salsa, Disco, Ballroom, Waltz, Cha Cha Cha. More than anything else, Tiki was an exceptional human being – with amazing sense of humour! When Tiki passed away, Sarita and I arranged a small party where we served everything that he loved  – veg puff, macarons, cakes, soft drinks and of course music to dance! This was our small gesture for our dear friend who, I’m certain, was smiling from the heavens that evening!”

Tiki Peters, who was brought up in an Anglo-Indian culture – something that was predominant in city’s Mohan Nagar area, passed away in November last year. 

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Nitin Gadkari

In a rather shocking incident amid the high security C20 conference in Nagpur, the Public Relations Office of Union Minister Nitin Gadkari again received two death threat calls  today morning (March 21). According to the information received, once again there have been threatening calls received in the name of a criminal named Jayesh Pujari alias Jayesh Kantha.

Employees of the senior BJP leader’s office alerted Nagpur Police and security has been beefed up outside the office in Khamla and the leader’s residence on Wardha Road. However, cops are yet to ascertain whether the call was actually made by the same person who had issued death threats to Gadkari in January. 

On January 14 this year, an unidentified extortionist, claiming to speak on behalf of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, threatened to kill Gadkari in an explosion if he didn’t pay him ₹100 crore.

The caller threatened Gadkari though a phone call on the landline number of his Public Relations Office (PRO) at Khamla in Nagpur (around one kilometre away from his residence) at 11:25 am, 11:32 am, and 12:30 pm.

The employees of the office alerted the police after the threat call, where in the caller also threatened to blow up Gadkari’s office. Nagpur Police immediately beefed up the security outside Gadkari’s office and residence. 

It was later revealed that a notorious gangster named Jayesh Pujari had threatened to kill Gadkari by allegedly making the three threat calls illegally using a cellphone while he was lodged in Belgaum Jail at Karnataka. 

In 2016, Pujari had even escaped after breaking the jail. The gangster, in the past too, had threatened several senior officers and other people in a similar manner. 

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Arush Chitre in Open Group and Shraddha Bajaj in Girls Group annexed the title of the  Nagpur District Under-17 Open and Girls Chess Championship organised by Chess Association Nagpur on 19^th March 2023 in association with GH Raisoni Sports and Cultural Foundation and Kalpana Prakash Welfare Foundation at Vivekanand Hall at Shraddha House in Nagpur.

Arush Chitre, seeded second, improved his position to achieve the title scoring 6.5 out of 7. Ayush Ramteke also scored 6.5 points but was placed second based on their tie-break score.

In the Girls Group, second seeded Shraddha Bajaj took the top spot with 4.5 points out of 5 Rounds. Fifth seeded Swanandi Sole followed her to take second place in the merit list with 4 points out of five. 

Arush Chitre and  Ayush Ramteke shall represent the Nagpur District in Open Group and Shraddha Baja and Swanandi sole shall represent Nagpur District in Girls Group in the Maharashtra State Under 17 FIDE Rating Chess Championship to be held at Buldhana from 14^th April 2022 to 16^th April 2023.

Prizes were distributed at the hands of Swapnil Ahirkar Joint Secretary NCP Business Cell Maharashtra, Social worker & Director Ahirkar Group of Nagpur. Bhushsan Shriwas, Secretary, Chess Association Nagpur and Chief Arbiter Deepak Chavan were present on the dais. Top five finishers in Open and Girls Group got the trophies while medals were given to top two in under 15,13,11,09,07 category.

Deepak Chavan, Chief Arbiter successfully conducted the event assisted by SNA Sagar Sakhare, SNA Prayas Ambade and Prathamesh Machave.

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