Ayon, son of Nilesh and Malini Shah was married to Melissa on October 5. The wedding reception was largely attended. Tom Suozzi, a former County Executive of Nassau County who is contesting election for the office again, also attended, as did the Indian Consul General Dnyaneshwar Mulay and a former Consul General Prabhu Dayal.
Month: October 2013
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2013 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2013 has been awarded jointly to Martin Karplus, Michael Levitt and Arieh Warshel “for the development of multiscale models for complex chemical systems”.
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2013 Nobel Prize in Literature
The Nobel Prize in Literature has been awarded to Canadian author Alice Munro. The Prize Committee hailed her as the “master of the contemporary short story.”
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2013 Nobel Prize in Physics
The 2013 Nobel Prize for Physics was awarded jointly to François Englert of Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium and Peter W. Higgs of University of Edinburgh, UK “for the theoretical discovery of a mechanism that contributes to our understanding of the origin of mass of subatomic particles, and which recently was confirmed through the discovery of the predicted fundamental particle, by the ATLAS and CMS experiments at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider”.
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2013 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2013 was awarded jointly to James E. Rothman, Randy W. Schekman and Thomas C. Südhof” for their discoveries of machinery regulating vesicle traffic, a major transport system in our cells”.
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Ratan Tata, 8 Indian- Americans inducted in US engineering academy
WASHINGTON (TIP): Leading Indian industrialist Ratan Tata has been inducted into the prestigious US National Academy of Engineering in the US for his “outstanding contributions to industrial development in India and the world”. Tata, chairman emeritus of the Tata Group, was inducted as one of 11 new foreign associates of the private, independent, nonprofit institution that provides independent advice to the US federal government on matters involving engineering and technology. Besides Tata, eight Indian- Americans were among 69 new elected members taking the total US membership to 2,250 and the number of foreign associates to 211. Addressing the annual meeting of the group on Sunday, NAE president CD Mote Jr lamented that talented engineering workforce was not being given desired priority attention in the US.
At just four percent, the percentage of US engineering graduates among all its graduates is 1/3 of the European average (13 percent) and 1/6 of the Asian (India, Japan, China, Taiwan, South Korea, and Singapore) competitor average of 23%, he said. As part of its efforts to push its global reach, NAE has started bilateral “Frontiers of Engineering” programmes with India, Germany, Japan, China, and the EU and a new one with Brazil is scheduled for 2014, he said. The new Indian-American members are: Anant Agarwal, president, edX (online learning initiative of MIT and Harvard University) for contributions to shared-memory and multicore computer architectures. Murty P Bhavaraju, senior consultant, PJM Interconnection, Norristown, Pennsylvania for probabilistic reliability evaluation tools for large electric power systems. Ashok J Gadgil, director and senior scientist, environmental energy technologies division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory for engineering solutions to the problems of potable water and energy in underdeveloped nations.
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SIKHS Win Third Turban Case at the UN against France
NEW YORK (TIP): The UN Human Rights Committee (UNHRC) concluded that France has violated the religious freedom of 57 year old Shingara Mann Singh when he was asked to remove his turban for his passport photograph. Shingara Singh, a French national since 1989, was unable to renew his passport in 2005 because the French authorities insisted that he remove his turban for his ID photograph, which he refused to do. The UNITED SIKHS legal team took up his case in French courts and then retained O’Melveny & Myers LLP to file a communication on behalf of Shingara Singh to the UNHRC in December 2008. The UNHRC, in views dated September 26, 2013 and made public last week, said that France has failed to demonstrate that the restriction imposed on Shingara Singh is actually necessary. The Committee found that the restrictions result in a potential obstruction to his fundamental right to freedom of religion when he is required to appear in ID photos without the religious headwear he always wears, as he might thereafter be forced to take off his turban in public when going through ID checkpoints.
The Committee also observed that France had not explained why the act of wearing a turban covering only the upper portion of an individual’s head and forehead (but leaving the face clearly visible) makes it more difficult to identify the wearer, or why a bare headed ID photograph in Shingara Singh’s case would make it easier to ascertain his identity or to prevent fraud or forgery given that he wears his turban at all times when in public. “The Committee therefore must conclude that the regulations requiring him to appear in his passport photographs ‘with the head uncovered’ is a disproportionate restriction that poses a threat to the author’s [Shingara Singh’s] freedom of religion and thereby constitutes, in the present instance, a violation of Article 18 of the Covenant,” according to an unofficial English translation of the Committee’s Views. The Covenant was entered into force for France on 4 February 1981. “This is the third Turban case that the UNITED SIKHS legal team has won at the UN since these cases were filed against France in 2008, which shows that the international community recognizes that the wearing of turban by a Sikh is not only his/her religious duty but is a part of his/her identity.
We have done our work to show that international law recognizes the right to wear a turban in France. We now need to embark on a campaign to make France realize that it has to fulfill its obligations under international law to ensure that freedom of religion and belief is upheld for everyone in its country,” said Mejindarpal Kaur, UNITED SIKHS International Legal Director, who has been working on these cases since France banned the turban in state schools in 2004. “I have been a French citizen for more than 20 years. I continue to be proud to be French but I fail to see how my country can be proud of its slogan of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity if it cannot uphold its citizens’ fundamental right to religious freedom. I hope that the UNHRC’s decision will wake France up to its international obligations,” said Shingara Singh, who is struggling to conduct his life in France without an identity document. His driver’s license card too had been refused because of his refusal to bare his head for the ID photograph.
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Tendulkar to retire after 200th test match
NEW DELHI (TIP): Sachin Tendulkar on October 10 announced his decision to retire from Test cricket after playing his landmark 200th match against the West Indies next month, bringing an end to the intense speculation about his future. The 40-year-old Tendulkar, who has not been in the best of form in recent times, has informed the BCCI about his decision to quit Test cricket after a glorious career spanning 24 years. “All my life, I have had a dream of playing cricket for India. I have been living this dream every day for the last 24 years. It’s hard for me to imagine a life without playing cricket because it’s all I have ever done since I was 11 years old. “It’s been a huge honour to have represented my country and played all over the world. I look forward to playing my 200th Test Matchon home soil, as I call it a day,” Tendulkar, who has already retired from the ODIs, said in the released issued by BCCI Secretary Sanjay Patel.
Tendulkar thanked the BCCI for its support throughout his career and also for allowing to walk into Test sunset at a time of his choosing. “I thank the BCCI for everything over the years and for permitting me to move on when my heart feels it’s time! I thank my family for their patience and understanding. Most of all, I thank my fans and well-wishers who through their prayers and wishes have given me the strength to go out and perform at my best,” he said. Reacting to the news of his retirement, BCCI President N Srinivasan said that he is one of the greatest admirers of Sachin Tendulkar. “We respect Sachin’s decision to retire but many of us can’t imagine an Indian team without him,” he said. “Sachin has been an inspiration for generations of sportsmen and not just for cricketers,” he added. There was intense pressure on Tendulkar to bid adieu to Test cricket after a prolonged form slump and particularly with the advent of a number of young players. Tendulkar’s 200th Test match is most likely to be held at his home ground in Mumbai from November 14. The Eden Gardens in Kolkata is also a contender for hosting that historic match. The BCCI has not yet announced the venues for the two Tests against the West Indies.
The fact that the BCCI squeezed in a home series against the West Indies had raised speculation that it was done to give Tendulkar the opportunity to retire in front of his home fans. Although Tendulkar had always maintained that he would continue playing cricket as long as he enjoys playing the game, the pressure of playing at the international level has gradually taking a toll on his ageing body. He recently retired from the IPL and the Champions League T20 event after his franchise Mumbai Indians won both the titles this year. Although the decision to retire was in the offing for some time, the BCCI release did create a flutter, prompting many former Test crickets to pay glorious tributes to the champion batsman who virtually held every batting record. Tendulkar has been the most complete batsman of his time and the most prolific runmaker of all time. His 198 Test appearances yielded 15,837 runs at an average of 53.86. From his 463 ODI matches, he had, under his belt, a whopping 18,426 at an average of 44.83. He is the only batsman to score 100 international centuries — 51 in Tests and 49 in ODIs.
Much before his debut on November 15, 1989 against Pakistan, Tendulkar’s precocious talent was there to be seen when he shared an unbeaten 664-run stand with buddy Vinod Kambli in the Lord Harris Shield Inter-School Game in 1988. His first Test century came in England in 1990 at Old Trafford and the Mumbaikar rose in stature after the 1991-92 tour of Australia, hitting sublime hundreds on a Sydney turner and a Perth minefield. Tendulkar was also the first batsman in the world to score a double ton in ODIs, a feat he achieved in Gwalior against South Africa in February 2010. This was included in Times magazine’s top 10 sports moments of the year. A perfect team-man, Tendulkar limited his Twenty20 ambition to the Indian Premier League, ruling himself out of national reckoning lest it upsets the existing equilibrium of the side. The biggest compliment to his batting came from Bradman himself in 1999 when he said that Tendulkar’s style of playing resembled his style. His 154 scalps in ODIs underline the fact that Tendulkar could have also staked claim to be that elusive all-rounder that India has been desperately looking for since the legendary Kapil Dev. In the field, he is among the safest pair of hands in the slip and his flat throw releasing strong arm saw him manning the deep with equal aplomb. He has taken 114 catches in Test cricket and 140 in the ODIs.
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Asaram’s judicial custody extended till October 25
JAIPUR (TIP): A court in Rajasthan’s Jodhpur town on October 11 extended, till October 25, the judicial custody of spiritual guru Asaram Bapu, arrested for sexually assaulting a minor girl. The 72-year-old Asaram has been lodged in Jodhpur Central Jail since September 01. The court of the district and sessions judge (Jodhpur rural) will, meanwhile, decide on the plea by a Gujarat police team seeking custody of the jailed self-styled godman for questioning him in connection with a sexual assault case lodged by two sisters from Surat against him and his son. Armed with a warrant, the police team had moved a Jodhpur court on Thursday. The District and Session Court had adjourned the matter till Friday after the police team from Ahmedabad appeared before it with the production warrant issued against 72-year-old Asaram by a Gandhinagar court. The Surat Police had registered the two complaints – one against Asaram and another against son Narayan Sai – of rape, sexual assault, illegal confinement and other charges. The complaint against Asaram was transferred to Chandkheda police station in Ahmedabad as the incident took place in Asaram’s ashram here. A 16-year-old girl on August 20 lodged a police complaint, accusing Asaram of sexually assaulting her at his ashram near Jodhpur. Asaram was arrested from his ashram in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, and brought to Jodhpur on September 01.
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Gunmen seize Libyan PM Ali Zeidan; free him hours later
TRIPOLI (TIP): Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan appealed for calm Thursday, October 10 in his first public comments since he was freed after being abducted by militia gunmen for several hours, a CNN report said. In remarks to a Cabinet meeting broadcast on Libyan state TV, Zeidan said he did not want to see the situation escalate and urged Libyans to show “wisdom.” Zeidan’s abduction from a luxury hotel early Thursday highlighted the security threat posed by militias that have run rampant in Libya since the revolution that ousted Moammar Gadhafi two years ago. But the prime minister appeared to play down his kidnapping, characterizing it as an internal political problem. “I want to reassure the foreigners inside Libya that this issue happened within the context of political Libyan disagreements and the foreigners are not being targeted,” he said. Immediately after Zeidan’s release, Nouri Abusahmain, president of the Libyan General National Congress, said the prime minister was “in good shape” and “in good spirits” as he headed to his office. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, on a visit to Malaysia, said he had spoken with U.S. Ambassador to Libya Deborah Jones and Washington as the situation in Libya evolved, and would stay in close touch. “Our embassy personnel are secure.We’re confident about our abilities to keep them in that security,” Kerry said. The situation underscores “something that we’ve been really focused on in these last months,which is building capacity in Libya,” he added. It has been just over a year since U.S. envoy Christopher Stevens was killed in an attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya.
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AIA celebrates Deepavali at South Street Seaport
NEW YORK, NY (TIP): The New York Chapter of the Association of Indians in America (AIA-NY) hosted a Deepavali event at South Street Seaport, New York City on October 6th, 2013. The event lasted an entire day and was organized in order to celebrate the Hindu holiday, Deepavali, symbolizing the elimination of evil and the establishment of good. This was AIA’s 26th year celebrating this event at the South Street Seaport. In conjunction with the other colorful cultural events, the highlight this year was a record breaking bhangra party led by the famous DJ Rekha of Basement Bhangra. The celebration broke the Guinness record for the largest coordinated bhangra dance and DJ Rekha and AIA collaborated to make history. Pankhuri of the famous Star India Plus TV Show, “Pyaar Ka Dard Hain Meetha Meetha Pyaara Pyaara”, stole the hearts of the crowd. Omi Vaidya, famous for his role in the popular movie “3 Idiots”, entertained the audience with his presence. Later, Pankhuri and Vaidya came together to conduct “Main Bhi Star” in order to select a candidate to act in a future soap opera.
There were beautiful traditional dances held on the main stage at pier 16 while contemporary Bollywood dances rocked the stage near Water Street. Although AIA provided twelve food vendors in expectation of the large crowds that would be flocking to this event, there were still lines wrapped around the venue. Meena Bazaar sold traditional clothing and other items in big numbers. The weather was beautiful and enhanced the overall feeling of the event. All of the programs were seamlessly organized and coordinated well with each other and their respective audiences. The evening VIP hour was held on the waterfront with a spectacular view of the fireworks. It was attended by New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, Deputy Council General of India to New York, Dr. Devyani Khobragade, Congresswoman Grace Meng and New York City Comptroller John Liu. The Republican candidate for Mayor of New York, Joe Lhota, also stopped by to wish a happy Deepavali to the Indian community. Reshma Saujani represented public advocate and Democratic mayoral candidate Bill Di Blassio at the event and communicated his best wishes for Deepavali to the community. Awards of appreciation were distributed to all the major sponsors by Dr. Khobragade on behalf of AIA. The evening concluded with magnificent fireworks on the East River. The event was a great success overall and carried on the AIA tradition of celebrating Deepavali in New York City with pomp and splendor.
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India looks to the Diaspora with a lot of Expectations – BOB CMD Mundra
Bank of Baroda Chairman and Managing Director, Mr. S.S. Mundra visited New York from September 16th to 18th. It was his first visit to New York after he took over as Chairman and Managing Director of the second largest public sector bank of India, second only to State Bank of India. Mr. Mundra met with customers and the Indian American community and also launched the internet banking. A reception to Mr. Mundra was hosted by the Indian Consulate where he met the Consul General Dnyaneshwar Mulay and a cross section of Indian American community.
He also addressed the gathering and spoke about banking industry in general and, the Bank of Baroda operations in US in particular. He spoke about the synergy that can be developed through Bank of Baroda. Mr. S. S. Mundra was born on 18th July, 1954. After completing his Masters in Commerce, he joined Bank of Baroda as a Probationary Officer on 21st March, 1977. In his first stint in Bank of Baroda, he rose to the level of General Manager in 2007. During his illustrious career in Bank of Baroda, he held several challenging assignments which included a stint as Head of Bank’s Maharashtra & Goa Zone and Global Treasury Operations for over 5 years. During his overseas assignments, he served with Bank of Baroda (Uganda) Ltd. and was also Territorial Head of Bank’s European Operations, headquartered at London during the period 2008 – 2010.
Mr. Mundra was elevated as Executive Director in Union Bank of India in September, 2010. During his tenure at Union Bank of India, he handled many important portfolios including Treasury, International, Large Corporate and Alternate Channels. On his elevation as Chairman and Managing Director on 21st January, 2013, he joined Bank of Baroda a premier Public Sector Bank (PSB) in India having a branch network of over 4000 branches including Bank’s overseas operations spread over 24 countries with a global business of over INR 8 trillion (USD 131 bn). Bank of Baroda is second largest Public Sector Bank of India only after State Bank of India in terms of Balance Sheet size.
It has 100 branches/ offices outside India. He is on the Board of many national and international organizations which include EXIM Bank, National Institute of Bank Management (NIBM), Bank of Baroda (Uganda) Ltd., India International Bank Malaysia Bhd, Bank of Baroda (New Zealand) Ltd., BOBCARDS Ltd., India First Life Insurance, Baroda Pioneer Mutual Fund etc. He has remained Director on the Board of The Clearing Corporation of India Ltd. (CCIL), Central Depository Services (India) Ltd. (CDSL), MITCONConsulting and Engineering Services Ltd., BOB Asset Management Company, India Infrastructure Finance Corporation (UK) Ltd. (IIFCL), Star Union Dai-Ichi Life Insurance Company Ltd., National Payments Corporation of India Ltd (NPCI) and Bank of Baroda (Kenya) Ltd. He has also served on many Committees of RBI, IBA, NIBM, CII etc.
He has also attended many training programs, seminar/ conferences both in India and abroad, in the area of Banking and Finance. He has widely traveled abroad. The countries he visited include UK, Belgium, France, USA, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, various African countries etc. With the blend of wide overseas and domestic banking exposure at top management level, he has immensely contributed to the improvement of policy framework of the banking industry. As recognition of his contributions in the field of banking, finance, industry and commerce, he has won many Awards and accolades, latest being his inclusion in the list of India’s top 100 CEOs in CD-ET (Corporate Dossier – Economic Times) Survey after a stringent process of selection while Bank of Baroda is also ranked as 20th Best Indian Brand by Brand Equity – Economic Times.
The Indian Panorama chief editor Prof. Indrajit S Saluja interviewed Mr. Mundra. Here are excerpts from the interview.
Q. You have launched internet banking. How does it help your customers?
In today’s wired world, customers should have the right to have information in real time. At the moment, we are providing to our customers viewing facility. As of now, we are not providing transaction facility, which is a little complicated affair. However, there is no fee for the facility we are providing.
Q. When, do you think, you will provide the real time transaction facility?
There has to be an enhanced security level. Also, there has to be a higher comfort level for both the customers and the bank before we can go in for providing this facility. Q. Are there any legal or procedural difficulties in providing transaction facilities? Not so. Internet banking is an internationally accepted practice. There is no legal problem, as such. Yes, there could be procedural problems. There has to be a robust procedure that ensures the comfort level of customers. After all, the facility is meant to give comfort to customers.
Q. What are your impressions of your meetings with customers here?
I am glad our customers spoke highly of the services being provided by New York branch. All felt very happy with the staff and the cooperation they were getting.We look forward to long term relationship with our customers.We believe in making and cementing relationship. Of course, some suggested that we start retail banking. But then, there is no plan with the bank as of now.
Q. We hear of banks in India committing irregularities and being pulled up. Did your bank ever face this kind of situation?
We are a conservative bank, so to say.We are acutely compliant. There has never been a complaint about our not being compliant. However, there could some times be some small and inconsequential matters. But there always is room for improvement. Please remember, we are the second largest public sector bank, after State Bank of India.We have 42,000 employees and a customer base of 50 million. The total business of the bank, as on 31st march, 2013 , was 8 lac 50 thousand crore.
Q. What do you think about the future of Indian economy?
I believe the fundamentals of Indian economy are very strong. From a distance, the Diaspora may some times not be able to see the clear picture and have misgivings about the strength of the economy. But let me assure the Diaspora that Indian economy is strong and has the capacity to withstand knocks.
Q. Your message to the NRIs?
Indians abroad are doing very well. They are doing good to their genetic mother and also to their adopted mother. India is proud of them. And India looks up to them with great expectations.
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The AIA-NY DEEPAVALI is on 6th October at South Street Seaport
NEW YORK (TIP): The Association of Indians in America, NY Chapter (AIA-NY) hosts its 26th Annual Deepavali at South Street Seaport on October 6th, 2013 from 12 noon till 8pm (Fireworks at 7pm). Generally this event attracts 75,000 – 100,000 people from all corners of the tristate area. The weather forecast for Sunday October 6 is sunny 65 to 80 degrees, winds 9 mph. Given all the new things AIA has added to their event this year (see below), nice weather and the newly renovated pier 16 and a brand new pier 15, the turnout could easily go into 100,000 to 150,000 people. The Hindu Festival of Deepavali meaning ‘A row of lamps’ is also popularly known as Diwali, or ‘Festival of Lights’.
It signifies the triumph of ‘Good over Evil’. The festival is a full day celebration with numerous booths, vendors, performances and activities for the whole family including a live grand display of fireworks. At the Oct 6 event the Ambassador of Bhangra, DJ Rekha will lead the audience at 5 PM into an official Guinness World Record breaking attempt for the largest Bhangra party ever. With the ‘Main Bhi Star’ contest, participants get a chance to act on the big screen as they audition with leading lady Pankhuri (Disha Parmar) of popular Star Plus soap, Pyaar Ka Dard Hai…Meetha Meetha Pyaara Pyaara. Another attraction this year is Omi Vaidya (Chatur from 3 Idiots) who will be entertaining the masses with an exclusive comedy act at 4 PM.
Live Ramleela is on at 2:00 PM on the main stage. Famous singer Sharada is unveiling an exciting “Masti Ho” to curb childhood obesity with her live entertainment for children and then later a few melodies like “Jab bhi ye dil udaas hota hai”, and “Duniya ki sair karlo” for grown up audiences. Health fair booth shall have free screenings and free give aways. Mouth-watering delicacies from India, a designated area for Children, a holistic Health Fair, breath-taking performances in addition to a splendor showcase of Indian culture, arts and crafts, jewelry, traditional clothes and an evening of music and dance are some of the highlights that AIA-NY’s 26th Deepavali brings this year. The grand finale of the evening is the display of live Fireworks at 7:15 igniting the East River which is witnessed by over a million New Yorkers.
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GAMBHIR, SEHWAG BATTING WOES CONTINUE
SHIMOGA (TIP): Gautam Gambhir has gone 40 innings without a Test century and finds himself out of reckoning. But that’s an easy assessment. Many a time a quality bat goes through a lean patch even while middling the ball. Once the world’s No 1 Test batsman, Gambhir has cast a web of doubt around him. This is ironical since self-assurance was once his strength, especially against spinners. Here, in the midst of a lively college crowd, one could sense jaded energy in the way Gambhir approached his fielding, and when he took first strike against a fired-up Fidel Edwards. While on naught, he was caught behind off a no-ball, courtesy another tentative poke. With ball number 18, he finally pinched a single but refused to attack a series of juicy half-volleys. When spin was introduced, one expected him to come into his own. The feet didn’t move as nimbly, his only boundary coming off a mistimed shot.
Minutes later, he played an innocuous hoick off left-arm spinner V Permaul and Edwards completed the catch at deep square leg. Gambhir’s 70-minute stint accounted for just 11 runs off 44 balls. Later in the day, Cheteshwar Pujara’s dismissal triggered a thunderous roar from the students. While that might sound unjust to the India ‘A’ skipper, the roars were to welcome Virender Sehwag to the crease. He started cautiously before attempting a reckless cut off the third delivery and then survived a leg before shout. But none of these blips silenced the students. The batsman responded with a square cut that fetched him his only boundary. As the crowd egged him on, he stepped down to Permaul, who dropped one short. Sehwag survived but went down the same road again. This time, the spinner slid a short one across to set up a perfect stumping.
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ROYALS’ IMPECCABLE RECORD, SUPER KINGS’ CAUSE FOR CONCERN
JAIPUR (TIP): What started as a former captain’s demand is now a habit for the Rajasthan Royals. Shane Warne, who led the Royals to the inaugural Indian Premier League (IPL) crown in 2008, insisted that his troops turn the Sawai Mansingh Stadium into a fortress. It has been two years since the Australia spin wizard bid the IPL and Royals adieu, but breaching the Jaipur stadium is still a Herculean task for the opposition.
Invincible run
Now under the leadership of Rahul Dravid, the Royals are in the middle of an invincible run. Prior to the four victories in the ongoing Champions League T20, the side registered eight consecutive wins in the IPL. The only team in the CLT20 to have played all their games at home this year, Rajasthan refused to let the opportunity slip. Besides the Highveld Lions and Perth Scorchers, they have scalped two other major outfits. By brushing aside the defending IPL champions, Mumbai Indians, with relative ease and snapping the 15- match winning-streak of the Otago Volts, the Royals have exemplified the notion of home advantage in sport. What the winning run also meant was that the Royals earned the right to play their semifinal at home. Apart from the overwhelming crowd support, it is the familiarity that breeds success. At the nets on Thursday, the players chatted with the net bowlers and groundsmen. It was as if all the parties were aware of the team’s recipe for success.Opposition worried
In fact, the 12-game unbeaten run at home will worry the opposition, and Chennai Super Kings coach, Stephen Fleming, did sound concerned. “We would have loved to play the Mumbai Indians in the semifinals. But you cannot pick and choose and we are now heading to Rajasthan,” he said, before adding, “There is no illusion as we know their record at home. We all know how tough it would be for us.” Fleming ‘s side was caught unawares with the Trinidad and Tobago spinners making them struggle. To add to their discomfort, Royals’ Ashok Meneria said, “I think it could be a headache for Chennai to play us in Jaipur, where we have not lost the last 12 games, which is a big deal.” -
CLARKE A DOUBT FOR ASHES OPENER
SYDNEY (TIP): Australian captain Michael Clarke admitted he may not be fit for the first Ashes Test against England next month, with his long-standing back problem needing extended treatment and rest. Clarke was ruled out of Australia’s one-day tour of India in October and while desperate to be ready for the first Ashes Test in Brisbane on November 21, the star batsman is pragmatic. “Where I sit right now is I don’t know when I’ll be back playing cricket,” he said. “We have no idea how long it’s going to take. “There’s certainly no guarantee (for the first Test) at this stage. It’s hard for me to say that because I’m trying my best not to look at it like that. “I’m always positive and if they ask me, I’ll say I’ll be fit in a week’s time. But you ask Alex (Kountouris, team physio) who knows me very well, and he’d say there’d be doubt I won’t be right.” Clarke has been plagued by back problems for years and they flared up again before Australia’s final ODI in Southampton last month at the end of a gruelling five-Test Ashes tour to England, which Australia lost 3-0. He played in that game, but selectors were reluctant to take any more risks with him given the big home summer coming up, and ruled him out of the India tour. Coach Darren Lehmann said all he could do was hope Clarke would be fit to face arch-rivals England. “I hope he improves his back pretty quickly,” Lehmann said. “(The Ashes) is a long way off so hopefully with all the medicos behind him getting it right he should be right. “But only time will tell. I can’t worry about that. What I can worry about is making sure all the other players are ready to go as well… getting the right side for the first Test match.” Australia are due to play five Tests against England, starting in Brisbane
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POWERFUL VOLCANOES RAISE NEW QUESTIONS ABOUT ANCIENT MARS
HOUSTON (TIP): Ancient Mars was home to giant volcanoes capable of eruptions a thousand times more powerful than the one that shook Mount St. Helens in 1980, scientists said. The finding raises fresh questions about conditions on Mars in its early years, a time when scientists believe the planet was much more Earth-like with a thick atmosphere, warmer temperatures and water on its surface. Major volcanic eruptions likely would have triggered climate shifts that toggled Martian temperatures between cold spells when ash blocked sunlight and heat waves when greenhouse gases filled the skies, according to scientists. Supervolcanoes may have made it more difficult for life to evolve on the planet’s surface, but underground steam vents and the release of water into the atmosphere also could have created niches for microbes to thrive, said geologist Joseph Michalski of the Planetary Science Institute in Tucson, Arizona. The discovery of supervolcanoes on Mars comes from analysis of images from a quartet of Mars orbiters over the past 15 years.
These types of volcanoes, also known as “caldera” volcanoes, are ancient, collapsed structures rather than steep, cone-shaped or domed mountains like Olympus Mons on Mars, a so-called shield volcano that stands nearly three times taller than Mount Everest, the highest peak on Earth. “We know a lot about the volcanic history of Mars over the last 3 billion to 3.5 billion years, but that still leaves about 1 billion years before that over which we don’t really know anything about volcanism,” Michalski told Reuters. Some scientists theorized that the oldest Martian volcanoes had eroded away, but the new findings suggest a different kind of volcano existed long ago. “If early Mars saw a lot more explosive volcanism, then the features that are left from that don’t look like those shield volcanoes. That’s maybe why we didn’t see them,” Michalski said. Scientists say supervolcanoes erupt with about 1,000 times the force of typical volcanoes like Mount St. Helens in Washington state. The eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980 blasted the top off the mountain, killed 57 people and, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, shot ash, steam, water and debris about 80,000 feet (24,000 meters) into the air. Evidence of past supervolcanoes on Earth has been erased by plate tectonics and other geologic activities.
Michalski actually was studying Martian impact craters, not looking for volcanoes. “We made the discovery by accident,” he said. “As I went through (the images) of this one region, I found a number of them that were simply not impact craters,” he said. “One was clearly a volcano. … It is quite possible there are many more of these,” Michalski added. Because the emission of gases from volcanoes helps create a planet’s atmosphere, understanding the volcanic history of Mars is crucial to figuring out what the planet – the fourth from the Sun – was like in its early years. Additional evidence may come from NASA’s Mars Curiosity rover, which is heading toward a 3-mile (5-km) high mound of deposits called Mount Sharp. The rover touched down inside a giant impact basin near the planet’s equator in August 2012 to assess if Mars ever had the chemistry and environment to support and preserve microbial life. “There are thousands of layers of rocks in Mount Sharp and they contain a long record of geologic history,” Michalski said. “There could be interlayered rocks that are ash beds, and we predict that and we hope that the rover can test it,” he said.
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WORLD’S SHARPEST X-RAY BEAM DEVELOPED
BERLIN (TIP): Scientists have successfully generated the world’s sharpest x-ray beam which is ten thousand times thinner than a strand of hair. This fine beam of x-ray light barely 5 nanometres in diameter, created by researchers led by Professor Tim Salditt from the University of Gottingen, allows focusing on smallest details. “Instead of a common lens, we use a so-called Fresnel lens which consists of several layers,” said coauthor Dr Markus Osterhoff. The central support is a fine tungsten wire with the thickness of only a thousandth of a millimetre. Around the wire, nanometre-thin silicon and tungsten layers are applied in an alternating way. The physicists then cut a thin slice from the coated wire. “This slice has 50 to 60 silicon and tungsten layers, comparable to growth rings of a tree,” said team member Florian Doring. “And the layer thicknesses have to be extremely precise,” Christian Eberl added. The wire slice with a size of only about two thousandth of a millimetre is used as a lens. However, it does not diffract light like a glass lens but scatters it like an optical grid generating a pattern of bright and dark patches. The thickness of the layers is selected in such a way that the bright areas of the diffraction pattern coincide at the same spot.
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A DIABETES DRUG WHICH DOES NOT HURT YOUR HEART
BARCELONA (TIP): Mankind’s fight with diabetes and its associated medical complications goes back over 3,500 years ago. In fact, the earliest record of diabetes, written on a third dynasty Egyptian papyrus by physician Hesy-Ra , describes it as a “great emptying of the urine” . Medical advances since then have progressed from treating diabetes with “wheat grains, fruit and sweet bee” to a host of integrated drugs, apart from a regimen of diet and exercise. Currently, diabetes (both Type 1 and 2) affects an estimated 371 million people and kills over 4 million annually worldwide. Worryingly, over 63 million of these patients are found to be in India alone. Even more alarming is the correlation between diabetes and cardiovascular (CV) disease. Studies have shown that approximately 50% of diabetics die of a cardiovascular event. As Dr Mark Kearney, professor of cardiovascular and diabetes research at the British Heart Foundation, University of Leeds, said: “If you are a South Asian, you are not only more susceptible to Type 2 diabetes but also to cardiac failure.”
In fact, the cardiovascular age of a diabetic is pegged at 15 years more than the patient’s biological age. In simple terms, people with diabetes are four times more likely to die of a heart attack or stroke as compared to those who don’t have diabetes. The main outlook in treatment of such patients is not to increase the risk of CV events even further. This is where data from Phase 3 trials in linagliptin, a DPP-4 inhibitor, holds out some sweet news. Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly and Company recently announced at the annual European Association for the Study of Diabetes meeting that treatment with linagliptin is not associated with increased risk of CV events in the treatment of T2D. Linagliptin (a 5mg tablet, once daily), is the only DPP- 4 inhibitor that does not require dose adjustments in adults with T2D. It is marketed as Trajenta in Europe and Tradjenta in the US. The results from the Phase 3 clinical trials of linagliptin, that covered 6,000 people with T2D in various countries, are even more heartwarming when its efficacy, safety and tolerability levels, especially among elderly patients, are considered.
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Scientists use lightning to charge cellphone
LONDON (TIP): Thunder power! In a Frankensteinian breakthrough, scientists have for the first time charged a mobile phone using lightning bolt. Famous English author Mary Shelley in her gothic novel ‘Frankenstein’ used lightning to breathe life into the Frankenstein’s monster, some 200 years ago. The ground-breaking, proof-of-concept research by the University of Southampton, UK, into harnessing the power of lightning for personal use, is an industry first. The finding could potentially see consumers tap one of nature’s significant energy sources to charge their devices in a sustainable manner, researchers said. The study was undertaken to investigate how natural power resources could be used to a charge a mobile phone with an energy simulation similar to that of a bolt of lightning.”We were excited by this challenge presented to us by Nokia. Using an alternating current driven by a transformer, over 200,000 volts was sent across a 300mm gap – giving heat and light similar to that of a lightning bolt. The signal was then stepped into a second controlling transformer, allowing us to charge the phone,” Neil Palmer of the University’s Tony Davies High Voltage Laboratory – one of the world’s leading high voltage laboratories – said.
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KAAS PLATEAU
Kaas Plateau, also known as Kaas Pathar is a volcanic plateau located in Maharashtra, a half an hour drive from Satara and around 130 km from the city of Pune. This 1000 hectare plateau has only recently gained popularity since it was declared a bio-diversity site by UNESCO in June 2012.
By Road
There is a pretty decent four-lane highway that connects Pune and Satara. You will pass very close to Mahabaleshwar on this highway as well. The 3 hour drive to Satara from Pune can be made easily in one’s own car or in a rented car. There are also buses that ply between Pune and Satara. The drive is pleasant most of the way with the views getting remarkably spectacular as you begin the last leg of the ascent to the top of the plateaus. The surroundings include distant views of the massive Shivsagar Lake and you can sometimes see the Sajjangadh Fort in the distance.
Climate
The monsoons and the period just post monsoon are the best times to go to Kaas. So we’re talking August, September and October. The climate is amazing at this time with light drizzles and lovely cloudy weather which makes long walks on the plateau not just easy but also quite pleasurable. Within this 3 month period, the span of 3 weeks between the second week of September and the first week of October are the best time to visit and see what can only be called a phenomenon. Kaas turns into a valley of wild flowers with huge patches of different colours visible even from the distance.
Where to stay
Kaas is recommend as a day trip because there aren’t really many stay options available here. Apart from a few homestays and a camping option, there are only villages surrounding the Kaas plateau so if you do choose to spend the entire weekend away from the city – Mahabaleshwar is your best bet (it is around an hour away). You could stay in Satara but it is a regular small town with nothing out of the ordinary.
Food
You will pass a few popular Maharashtrian towns enroute Satara. In Wai, stop for MisalPav or Wada Pav. There are a few tiny restaurants that are very famous for local cuisine. The rows of cars parked up on the highway should give you a good idea on where to pull over. On the plateau, you’re not allowed to carry any food but before you reach the top, there are a few tiny food and beverage stalls on the roadsides.
Places of Interest
Since the declaration of the Kaas plateau as a UNESCO bio-diversity heritage site, hundreds of thousands of tourists throng this tourist spot. Naturally, this increase is number of visitors has put this secluded spot in danger of being polluted. For this reason there are a few guards standing around at most entry points onto the plateau while most other areas are barricaded.
Take a hike
Yes, literally. Walk around this 1000 hectareplateau because that is one of the best things to do.During September and October, this entire flat land becomes a lush green carpet with beautiful pink, purple, yellow and white embroidery. Locals say the plateau gets its name from the native Kaasatree which has red leaves that turn green on maturity. Whatever the story, this is a beautiful place to spend a few hours unwinding from the hectic city life.
Explore the Flora and Fauna
The Kaas plateau is known to be home to around 850 varieties of plants of which around 600 are flowering plants. Having peculiar volcanic rock soil, the plateau has become home to many endemic species of plants – those that can only survive in this region. It was absolutely amazing to see so many different flowers with the slightest differences in hue, making the plateau a Technicolor carpet. I managed to spot around 15 varieties of popular flowers.
Look for Rare Plants
Kaas also has around 33 endangered species. These species are only found in rocky lands and are on the brink of extinction due to the changes in climatic and geological conditions.
Sit by the Lake
A little down-hill from the Kaas plateau is the moss green KaasTalav which usually has a lovely waterfall flowing into it in the peak of Monsoon. The shore of the lake is flat and sandy like the ocean shore making it a great place to hang out or even pitch a tent for the evening.
Closure Line
While it’s a great place for botanists and plant enthusiasts to study them and for kids to see our varied bio-diversity, Kaas is not so Khaas for general weekend tourists. To a regular tourist, it is hard to differentiate between the different types of flowers. Within the vast expanses of pink and purple that you see, there are actually multiple varieties of flowers.
