The Indian Panorama

Year: 2013

  • 17 Indian American Students Named 2013 Goldwater Scholars

    17 Indian American Students Named 2013 Goldwater Scholars

    NEW YORK (TIP): Seventeen Indian American students from around the country who hope to become America’s next crop of researchers were recently named as Goldwater Scholars for 2013.

    The Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program was established by Congress in 1986 to honor Senator Barry M. Goldwater, who served his country for 56 years as a soldier and statesman, including 30 years of service in the U.S. Senate.

    The purpose of the Foundation is to provide a continuing source of highly qualified scientists,mathematicians, and engineers by awarding scholarships to college students who intend to pursue careers in these fields. Ameen Barghi, of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, who seeks a Ph.D. in Behavioral Neuroscience and wants to conduct research in rehabilitation medicine and teach at the university/graduate level. Ritankar Das, the University of California-Berkeley, seeking a Ph.D. in Computational Science and Engineering, wants to perform bio-molecular simulation research to find new energy sources at a national research lab, received the 2012 Pearson Prize for Higher Education.

    Ria Chandra Domier, University of Alabama, seeks a Ph.D. in Chemical and Biological Engineering, wants to conduct research in regenerative medicine and teach at the university level.

    Neeraj Sapra, University of California-San Diego, seeks a Ph.D. in Computational Physics, wants to conduct research in biophysics and teach at the university level. Ragini Phansalkar, University of Connecticut, seeks a Ph.D. in Computational Biology, wants to develop technologies to aid in the diagnosis and treatment of cancers.

    Gautam Goel, Georgia Institute of Technology, seeks a Ph.D. in Applied and Computational Mathematics, wants to develop the next generation of bioinformatics algorithms and teach at a university. Nikhil Bommakanti, University of Illinois at Chicago, seeks a M.D./Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering, wants to conduct research in biomedical science and teach at the university. level. Manan Raval, University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign, seeks a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, wants to conduct research in photonics and laser technology. Suraj Kannan, University of Louisville, seeks a M.D./Ph.D. in Regenerative Medicine, wants to conduct research in the mechanisms of stem cells and develop therapies for a variety of clinical pathologies. Nilay Kumar, Columbia University, seeks a Ph.D. in Fundamental Physics,wants to conduct research in fundamental (particle) physics and teach at the university level.

    Aparna Sajja, George Washington University, seeks a M.D./Ph.D. in Cardiology/Neuroscience, wants to conduct NIH funded neurovascular translational research and teach at the university level. Sandya Subramanian, Johns Hopkins University, seeks a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering, wants to conduct research in biomedical science and engineering and work in industry. Kamal Shah, Rice University, seeks a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering, wants to conduct research in low-cost, molecular bioengineering techniques and teach at the university level. Sheena Patel, Harvey Mudd College, seeks a Ph.D. in Physics, wants to conduct research in experimental physics. Ravi Uday Sheth, Rice University, seeks a Ph.D. in Bioengineering, wants to conduct research in Synthetic Biology and teach at the university level, research at a national lab or in industry.

    Sai Prashanth Gourisankar, University of Texas at Austin, seeks a Ph.D. in Materials Science, wants to conduct research in nanomaterials and catalysis, and teach at the university level. Kushal Seetharam, Duke University, seeks a Ph.D. in Applied Physics, wants to conduct research in electromagnetics and photonics using computational methods and teach at the university level.

  • Lack Of Sleep Puts You In Bad Mood

    Lack Of Sleep Puts You In Bad Mood

    Here’s something that will interest a lot of men. And, even women. Here’s something that will interest a lot of men. And, even women. A new study has revealed that lack of sleep makes women feel grumpy the next morning — so don’t take their attitude too personally next time. While lack of sleep can affect both men and women, it seems that women are more affected because they require more sleep than men and can suffer mentally as well as physically if they don’t get their precious snooze time. So if you haven’t got adequate sleep the night before and are looking to change your mood, here are simple ways…

    Feel like biting everyone’s head off ? It is best you avoid interacting with people unless necessary. Stay alone for some time and ask yourself if it is worth saying or doing something that you might regret later.

    – When you’re in a bad mood, you are tempted to stick to a story that justifies it. Don’t. Let it go. Only you are in charge of your mood and can change it.
    – Generate positive feelings. Read inspirational quotes, listen to songs that uplift your mood, watch a movie, read your favourite book, go out shopping or eat your favourite snack.
    – Spend some time with your pet. Just petting your pet will evoke a sense of calmness and well-being.

  • Can Asthma Kill Your Sex Life?

    Can Asthma Kill Your Sex Life?

    Sex adds more pleasure to life for sure and is also necessary for a healthy relationship. But sometimes your sex life can take a hit and one of the reasons for that could be asthma. Your asthma symptoms like wheezing, shortness of breath and chest tightness can affect your sex life drastically. An asthmatic sufferer many not be able to experience sexual satisfaction due to those symptoms. If, asthma has brought your sex-life to a halt, then this article is meant for you.

    How can sex trigger asthma?
    Sex involves a combination of physical movements and increased breathing; these two factors can cause trigger asthma. Extreme emotions can also temporarily worsen your asthma symptoms. Besides, some people may experience asthma symptoms during sex and the asthma attack caused by sex is called as ‘sexerciseinduces asthma’

    How to control it?
    If your bedroom life is going to the dogs because of your asthma then you should speak to your physician. Your physician can prescribe bronchodilators, which can help to relax your muscles in the large and small airways thus increasing ventilation. Overdose is dangerous; hence consult your doctor before taking it. Besides, you should also change your bed sheets and pillow covers regularly to avoid common dust triggers present in the sheets.

    Tips to enjoy normal sex-life
    Change positions – Avoid putting too much of pressure on your chest. Constantly keep on changing positions to avoid asthma attack. Try a comfortable penetration position that will not threaten to trigger your asthmas attack. Adopt various love-making techniques – Don’t just focus on vigorous love making techniques. Adopt other techniques to pleasure each other in a less vigorous manner.

  • Dhoni Takes Stumbling Chennai Home

    Dhoni Takes Stumbling Chennai Home

    CHENNAI (TIP): You can be hero and villain on the same night. Ask Amit Mishra and Ashish Reddy. Reddy scored a whirlwind 36 off 16 balls to help Sunrisers Hyderabad get 59 off the last four overs and give them something to bowl at. Mishra kept them alive with the wickets of Michael Hussey, M Vijay and Suresh Raina. However, Mishra, promoted to No.5, wasted 21 balls for just 15 runs, and dropped MS Dhoni even before he had opened the account. Reddy was given the last over to bowl with 15 to defend, and a nowrampaging Dhoni to face. Reddy completely froze, and bowled the most predictable slower balls imaginable for Dhoni to win it easily.

    Spared villainy was Dwayne Bravo who bowled length in the final overs to allow Reddy those runs, but more crucially batted like a rabbit in the headlights, manufacturing – as the IPL’s wont has been – a thriller out of nowhere. He played out a maiden from Karan Sharma – who registered this IPL’s most economical fourover figures of 0 for 8 – in the 16th over. Then he holed out on the bowling of Ishant Sharma for a near game-changing 7 off 16. The man who well and truly snatched heroism from villainy was Dhoni. He too began dozily, playing six dots before he topedged Dale Steyn to long leg where Mishra missed him. How Dhoni made Sunrisers pay for it. Firstly, after Bravo’s maiden left Super Kings needing 46 off last four, Dhoni hit two sensational and consecutive pulled sixes off Steyn, who at times bowled at close to 150 kph. One over midwicket, and the other dragged from wide outside off to clear long-on. This was brutal hitting against the best bowler in the world. Bravo, though, turned it around again, and Sunrisers went to Steyn to bowl the 19th over with 27 runs to play with. Dhoni played another calculated over. Steyn bowled with third man and fine leg up to defend areas down the ground. Dhoni dabbed the first past short fine leg for two, and square-drove the second over point for four. The third one he slogged over deep midwicket. This was the first time Steyn was hit for three sixes in an IPL innings, and only the second time in any Twenty20 game.Steyn came back, though, with Ravindra Jadeja’s wicket, and left Super Kings needing 15 to win off the last over. Darren Sammy, the IPL debutant, was the only man who had bowled earlier on the night and had an over to go. Cameron White, though, went to Reddy. Perhaps he was thinking if this was Reddy’s evening, it might be his night too. It wasn’t.

    Reddy began with a back-of-the-hand slower ball that was almost off the pitch. He ran up again, and tried the same slower ball again. Dhoni missed, but it was not as though he had not picked it. Reddy had got lucky Dhoni didn’t connect. Reddy, though, tried it again, and Dhoni smacked it clean out of the ground. Eight off four now. Reddy was clearly nervous. He tried the normal yorker now, and missed his line by feet. Five wides. Hang on. Dhoni admits to having touched it. So three off four now becomes four off three.

    Dhoni pulled the next slower ball to beat long-on and bring the win that put Super Kings level with Royal Challengers Bangalore at the top of the table. Watching all this, Shikhar Dhawan would be wondering whatever happened to what should have been a special Sunrisers debut for him. He came out from a month in the cold storage, braved a blow in the unmentionables, scored a fifty to give Sunrisers a total to bowl at, but ended as a footnote on a night Dhoni went from 0 off 6 to 67 off 37.

  • Gayle’s Innings Left Bowlers ‘Scared’, Says Donald

    Gayle’s Innings Left Bowlers ‘Scared’, Says Donald

    BANGALORE (TIP): Allan Donald, the Pune Warriors coach, has said that his players were “scared” after the thunderous assault from Chris Gayle, which set up an enormous 130-run victory for Royal Challengers Bangalore. A day after the demoralising defeat, Donald admitted that he feared the “mental damage” the innings might have caused his players and said his biggest challenge was to keep them positive for the remaining eight matches. “We came across a bloke yesterday who was just devastating,” Donald told ESPNcricinfo in Bangalore. “I have never seen hitting like that in all my life.

    To see our guys getting pummeled like that was unbelievable. When I walked out for the first strategy break, I just saw people scared, really scared. I just mentioned to the players that if we don’t pull this back here, he is going to take us down big time, which he did.” Donald realised that the bowlers were clueless and if he did not deliver a stern message, Gayle could play havoc, which he eventually did with ease. “When I looked at their faces and no one said a word, the only way for me was to be very firm in my message; we had to find a way,” he said. “We also discussed in the meeting on the morning of the match that we had to bowl out batsmen who were not going to give up their wicket. We needed someone to stand up and do something special and stop the flow of runs.” As a response Donald observed blank faces. By the second timeout, in the 16th over, Gayle had doubled the team score, taking it past 200 and Donald was frustrated. “To me that plan was about how we were going to limit the damage in the next four overs. The plan was to go full into his pads and also vary the pace,” Donald said.

    The mental scarring Gayle has inflicted on his players has left the coach worried. “How much damage has this done to us mentally? My job becomes even harder now and I have to make sure these guys are ready against another team that is struggling (Delhi Daredevils) on a ground we have never played (Raipur),” he said. “This group now needs to rally together.” Barring the pair of Bhuvneshwar Kumar (4-0-23-0) and Luke Wright (4-0-26-1), at the start and end of the Royal Challengers’ innings, Gayle attacked the rest mercilessly. Donald was not shy to take the blame. He said the bowlers lacked consistency and the team was one experienced strike bowler short.”We haven’t been brilliant,” he said. “We have been okay in certain games and really off the boil in the others. And that is one area where we have let ourselves down. We do not have an attack that is express pace; we don’t have a Dale Styen or a Shuan Tait, though, we have fair bit of class in Kumar and Ashok Dinda.” At the same time, Donald pointed out, Gayle was unstoppable and intimidated the bowlers. “There were times during that knock where he just went ballistic, and then he took a little timeout and then he went again,” Donald said with a chuckle.

  • New York Tamils felicitate Ramjhi

    New York Tamils felicitate Ramjhi

    NEW YORK (TIP): Innovative musician of Chennai Ramakrishnan Subramaniam popularly known as Abaswaram Ramjhi who helped enthuse thousands of children in learning Carnatic music was felicitated for his service to music at a function held in New York on April 6. Ramjhi was invited by Cleveland Thaygaraja Aradhana committee that recently concluded its annual music celebrations and was honored by Indian Ambassador to the US Nirupama Rao for his contribution to Indian music. He was in New York on his way back to India. In the year 2000 – Issai Mazhalai, a musical extravaganza featuring children was launched by Ramjhi as India’s first music group capable of performing Carnatic, film and devotional music.

    The group was invited to perform at Rashtrapathi Bhavan at the invitation of President Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam in Oct 2004. The group has so far performed over 2000 concerts in India and overseas. The children have sung in several films for all leading music directors and composers such as A.R. Rahman, Vidhyasagar, Ilaya Raja to name a few in all the Indian languages Those children who joined the group at the time of inauguration 13 years ago have now grown into their teens and are very popular playback singers in the film industry. Today over 1200 children learn Classical Music from the Issai Mazhalai Training schools in 16 centers with the help of dedicated music teachers. Ramjhi was given the Samaikya Bharath Gaurav Satkar award by The Bharath Integration Committee at Vizag in 2006; Kala Seva Bharathi award by Bharath Kalachar in 2006; Guru Seva award by the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam 2006; The Acharya Award by M/S Call Teachers -2007; Acharya Rathna Award by Austere Media 2010 and Sangeetha Kala Vipanchee from Dr. M. Balamuralikrishna in 2010. He started his media career as an announcer and an anchor and produced and presented hundreds of popular programs, right from his school days.

    The best was a 204 week-long show called Cibaca Geetha Maalai, a Tamil version of the show presented by Ameen Sayani in Hindi as Binaca Geet Mala. He wrote and produced two Tamil feature films “Uruvangal Maralam” and “Viswanathan Velai Venum”. The first movie had all the top South Indian stars in the cast such as Sivaji Ganesan, Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, Jaishanker, Y.G.Mahendra, Suhasini Manirathnam, S.Ve. Shekhar to name a few He is the son of legendary film director K. Subrahmanyam considered the doyen of the Tamil Film Industry and S. D. Subbalakshmi, a leading film actress and musician.

    His sister is internationally renowned Bharatanatyam dancer Padma Bhushan Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam and he is married to Shobhaa Ramji, an International Reiki Grandmaster and grand daughter of H. M. Reddy who made the first Indian Talkie Film “Aalam Aara.” At a function held at Madras Woodlands in New Hyde Park, leading community leaders praised the service of Ramjhi to Indian music. Dr Arul Veerappan, vice president of New York Tamil Sangam, Gayathri Murali Rajan, treasurer of New York Tamil Sangam, John Joseph, president of Tamil Nadu chapter of Indian National Overseas Congress (INOC)-USA, Venkatachalam Krishnan, director of partnerships at United Nations, G. Padmanabhan, manager of Hindu Temple Society of North America and others felicitated Ramjhi. He was presented with a title “Issai Mazhalai Vinjani.” Prakash M Swamy, president of New York Tamil Sangam and founder of Shri Vari Foundation, welcomed the gathering.

  • Bhutto murder case: Federal Investigation Agency gets Musharraf’s physical remand

    Bhutto murder case: Federal Investigation Agency gets Musharraf’s physical remand

    ISLAMABAD (TIP): A Pakistani anti-terrorism court on Friday remanded Pervez Musharraf to the physical custody of the Federal Investigation Agency till April 30 in the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto in 2007. During a brief hearing at the anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi, Judge Chaudhry Habib-ur-Rehman accepted the FIA’s request to be given physical custody of the 69- year-old former military ruler. The FIA’s lawyers told the judge that they wanted physical custody of Musharraf so that he could be questioned in connection with the probe into Bhutto’s assassination. The judge directed the FIA to produce Musharraf in court again on April 30.

    Official sources told that Musharraf would continue to be held at his farmhouse on the outskirts of Islamabad, declared a “sub-jail” by authorities, while he is questioned by a joint investigation team of the FIA. The judge rejected a request from Musharraf’s lawyers for changing the joint investigation team, officials said. Musharraf was driven in a motorcade from his residence to the anti-terrorism court shortly before 10am. Scores of policemen and armed paramilitary troopers were deployed at the court complex to deter protests against the former dictator. During Musharraf’s last appearance at the same court earlier this week, several persons were injured when the former president’s supporters clashed with lawyers. The media was barred from the courtroom during today’s proceedings. Footage on television showed Musharraf’s motorcade leaving the court complex after the proceedings. Musharraf was formally arrested by the FIA yesterday after the anti-terrorism court directed investigators to include him in the probe into the 2007 assassination. The FIA joint investigation team also recorded Musharraf’s statement last night.

  • Death penalty possible?

    Death penalty possible?

    Italy says will wait to see charges by NIA
    NEW DELHI (TIP): India’s anti-terrorism agency will investigate the case of two Italian marines accused of murdering two Indian fishermen, the Supreme Court said on April 26, raising the possibility once more of the men facing the death penalty.

    The accused, Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone, are charged with murder in connection with the shooting of fishermen off the coast of the southern state of Kerala last year while serving as security guards on a cargo ship. The two say they fired warning shots at a fishing boat believing it to be a pirate vessel with armed men onboard. Italy maintains the incident happened in international waters and that the men should be tried on home soil. Last week, Italy opposed India’s decision to appoint the anti-terrorism National Investigation Agency (NIA) to investigate the case, saying that the NIA only had the jurisdiction to investigate terrorist crimes.

    It fears the NIA will invoke a maritime security law that attracts a mandatory punishment of death, which would violate an assurance given by India that the men would not be sent to the gallows. On Friday, Italy said it would wait to see if the NIA invoked the maritime security law before deciding whether to challenge the court’s decision. “The order says the NIA will continue on the case, but let’s see what charges are framed on the men.

    That will determine our course of action,” said a lawyer representing Italy, who did not want to be named. Tensions between India and Italy have escalated over the case since the shooting, peaking last month when Italy refused to send the marines back from a home visit. Outraged, the apex court briefly barred the Italian envoy from leaving the country. Rome returned the marines for trial after New Delhi promised them the men would not face the death sentence. Italy’s foreign minister resigned after the marines returned to India, saying he did not agree with the decision to send them back. Italy abolished the death penalty in 1947. In the past six months, India has hanged two men convicted of militant attacks.

  • Missing Indian- American student Sunil Tripathi is confirmed dead

    Missing Indian- American student Sunil Tripathi is confirmed dead

    Missing Indian- American student Sunil Tripathi is confirmed dead WASHINGTON (TIP): Sunil Tripathi, a Brown University student missing for more than a month, is dead. Rhode Islands medical examiner on April 25 said the body found in a river on April 23 is that of Sunil Tripathi. Health Department spokeswoman Dara Chadwick said the body was identified through a forensic dental exam.

    The cause of death has not been determined yet however. Tripathi, a 22-year-old philosophy student, was last seen on March 16. The body was found in Providence River behind the Wyndham Garden Providence Hotel at around 6 p.m. The coach of Brown’s rowing team, which practices in that area, saw the body floating in the water. The police waited for medical examiner to make the final determination. The family said in a statement on “Help us find Sunil Tripathi”, a Facebook page they had set up to help the search, they felt “indescribable grief” and were grateful for all-around support. Tripathi became the became the target of intense internet speculation last week if he was Suspect No 2 wanted for the Boston marathon bombings.

    Many thought it was him from the visuals released by the FBI. The Facebook page set up by his family to help in the search was hit by a storm of nasty hate messages. “It was outrageous, what they had to say,” Sunil’s father Akhil Tripathi told Hindustan Times. Reddit, a site that allows users to post news, apologized to the family for its role in it. The Tripathis are from Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. Akhil Tripathi, an engineering graduate from Harcourt Butler Technological Institute, Kanpur, came to the US in 1968.

  • Trinamool In Chit Fund Muddle Over Saradha Links

    Trinamool In Chit Fund Muddle Over Saradha Links

    KOLKATA (TIP): The chit-fund mess threatens to blow up in the face of Trinamool Congress even as it battles public outrage over the murder of a police officer in Garden Reach and the vandalism of Presidency University. Four FIRs have been filed against Sudipta Sen, chairman and MD of the Saradha Group, which proudly flaunted TrinamoolRajyaSabha MP KunalGhosh as its Group Media CEO. Ghosh couldn’t be reached over phone and Sen has been missing ever since Saradha Printing and Publishing Pvt Ltd issued closure notices on its newspapers and infotainment channels (including Tara Muzik, Tara News, Channel 10, Bengal Post, Seven Sisters Post and Bengali daily Sakalbela), rendering over a thousand jobless on the eve of Poila Boisakh. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee said on April 18 that all efforts are on to arrest Sen. “He is somewhere in north India,” Mamata said at Writers’ Buildings, sparking speculation that he may have already been detained.

    Two of the FIRs against Sen were filed in Kolkata and one each in Agartala and Guwahati. There is also a court complaint against him by advertising firm Selvel. Trinamool general secretary Mukul Roy is desperately trying to find private financiers for the closed Saradha Group media businesses. Failure is not an option for Roy because the chit fund row may do more damage to Trinamool than the outrage over the Presidency vandalism that has pushed the party on the back foot. The party is also in the spotlight because all the Saradha Group news channels and dailies had a distinct pro- Trinamool stand. Media was only a part of Sen’s flourishing empire, some of them allegedly relating to chit funds and multilevel marketing involving thousands of marketing agents and lakhs of depositors. The agents, facing heat back home, have been trooping to Trinamool Bhawan.

    Nearly 200 of them landed up announced on Wednesday evening, leaving party leaders scrambling. After a noisy demonstration, a few of them were allowed to meet Roy and industries minister Partha Chatterjee. With the company failing to meet its promised returns, the number of FIRs can shoot through the roof. The Trinamool is rattled — it cannot afford another public outcry less than four days before Parliament resumes. It has launched a desperate firefight. Tara’s general manager (finance) Indrajit Roy told TOI from Delhi, “The plans to resurrect the (closed) companies are being guided by the chief minister and MP Mukul Roy. The problem is that Sudipta Sen cannot be reached.

    Unless he signs on the dotted line, nothing can happen.” There was a buzz all day that police in Dehradun and Salt Lake have taken action against Sen and a senior vice-president of the group but this could not be confirmed. Uttarakhand DGP Satyavrat Bansal told TOI, “I confirm that no one by the name of Sudipta Sen has been arrested or detained in Dehradun or elsewhere in the state.” There were reports that a complaint had been filed against Ghosh, too, but Bidhannagar police commissioner Rajeev Kumar denied this.

    The employees of Tara TV Network got a mail on April 15 that their services had been terminated. The employees of Tara, a 13-year-old company, decided to go public with their protests. There was no further intimation from the management but for Ghosh’s sporadic social media posts, through which he informed about his resignation from the group and the takeover of Channel 10 by Rice Group (an education and infotech company). Another of his posts said that Sakalbela, too, will have a new buyer but details were not available. It is widely believed a similar proposition is being worked out for Tara as well. For Bengal Post, though, there is no such information.

  • Vaisakhi Celebrated at the Sikh Shrine of North Texas, Garland

    Vaisakhi Celebrated at the Sikh Shrine of North Texas, Garland

    GARLAND, TX (TIP): The Sikh shrine of North Texas at Garland celebrated the birth of Khalsa and Vaisakhi with great zeal and fervor on April 13. The celebrations attracted a large number of men, women and children who enjoyed being in the Gurdwara on a special day, with special prayers being offered and a special langar being served. It was a sheer delight to see young children dressed in the traditional Sikh attire.

    The ceremony got underway with the Five Beloveds (Panj Piare) entering the Prayer Hall. They were Bhai Chuhar Singh, Bhai Sohan Singh Jammu, Bhai Mehtab Singh, Bhai Balkar Singh, and Bhai Yuvraj Singh. Five children- Apkirat Singh, Tejpal Singh , Gurshant Singh, Jagmeet Singh and Jaitej Singh- were also dressed up in the traditional Sikh attire of the Five Beloveds.

    The congregation enjoyed the Kirtan and Katha in side the prayer hall. A little away, in the kitchen, men and women were busy cooking food which in a little while was to be made available. An attraction for all was the hoisting of the new flag (Nishan Sahib). The ceremony was marked by devotion and a commitment to live by the Sikh principles. One family received appreciation for the charity work they were doing.


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    The Sandhu family has been collecting donations for Pingalwara in Amritsar which runs shelters and clinics for the less privileged and the underprivileged poor people. Tarlok Singh Sandhu started with the charitable mission in 1986. Now the third generation of the sandhus is also involved in the charitable mission. In 2012, the Sandhus collected from the sangat $4730 for the Pingalwara. One would wish there were more such people to make this world a better and a happier place to live in.

  • Joyous Inauguration of Gurdwara Nishkam Seva, Irving

    Joyous Inauguration of Gurdwara Nishkam Seva, Irving

    DALLAS, TX (TIP):With tremendous joy and celebration Sikhs inaugurated a new Gurdwara in Irving, Texas, April 13, their collective birthday. Though the Sikh philosophy dates back to Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the First Master of the Sikhs who was born on April 15, 1469, the present form of the Sikhs was bestowed by the Tenth Master Guru Gobind Singh on April 13, 1699. The day of Vaisakhi is celebrated as the day of creation of Khalsa all over the world by nearly 27 million Sikhs. Sikhism is the fifth largest religion of the world.

    Over 400 people attended the historic event which included hoisting of a new flag (Nishan Sahib Seva), Shabad Kirtan (religious hymn singing), Nagar Kirtan (the 16th annual DFW Khalsa Parade), and outdoor community kitchen (free food) on a beautiful sunny day. The inauguration coincided with the Khalsa Day celebrations and hence the spirit and colors of the Khalsa were evident and added to the great significance of the occasion.

    The event was attended by leaders of all faith traditions who offered blessings and prayers in their own religious traditions. Represented were the Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, Orthodox Christian, Islamic, Hindu, Buddhist, Baha’i,Wicca, and Jewish leaders.


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    The Governor of Texas, Rick Perry officially recognized the Inauguration with a proclamation. The Mayor of Irving, Honorable Beth Van Duyne, also issued a proclamation declaring April 13 as “Khalsa Day” in the city. The Irving Police Chief Larry Boyd and Irving mayor Pro Tem Gerald Farris spoke at the event. “It was our desire that our brothers and sisters from all faiths will join us in prayers at the inauguration of this Gurdwara and, by Wageguru’s grace, this desire has been full-filled today” said Harbhajan Singh Virdee, one of the organizers of the event.

  • Meet an artist, par excellence Noor Amrohvi the light of literary congregations

    Meet an artist, par excellence Noor Amrohvi the light of literary congregations

    “You need just a few sincere friends to make life pleasurable”, says Noor.
    In every city, in every era and in every country a high bright star becomes the center of attention of everybody. Yet very few people know this fact that in order to reach that glitter and height, one has to pass through hardships besides waging practical struggle. One of such gifted people equipped with practical and professional traits is Noor Amrohvi, who is a young poet, one of the best Mushairas compere and an excellent speaker. He was born in 1973 in Amroha, (the land known for literary figures) in a literary, religious and business family. Side by side religious education (learning Quran by heart and recitation) he also got worldly education. He has the honor of being a student in Aligarh Muslim University. He secured first division in class XII and attained distinctive position in Adeeb-e- Fazil examination. Besides, from Bombay University he did his Masters in Economics and Urdu along with obtaining the garment designing diploma as part of the professional education. Since his upbringing was done in a literary and educated family, he had a natural liking for Urdu literature. Since his childhood he has been composing and reciting Urdu verses but because of his educational responsibilities, he did not encourage himself in this regard.When he was a grown up person then he headed towards Bombay to discharge his domestic responsibilities. After getting into new world besides fulfilling his professional responsibilities, he decided to quench his thirst for his poetic and literary taste. When he was able to shoulder further responsibilities then his dream to spent his days and nights of youth in Bombay was left half way and he had to travel to Dubai where a very bright future was waiting for him and where an opportunity to serve Urdu were also available. It is said that when he was in Dubai, besides his professional responsibilities he would take part in literary and poetic activities with great zeal. Despite his appointment in an American garment factory on the post of a supervisor, his interest for education and studies continued unabated. But finding him unfit in this frame he became a teacher in a famous English school in Bombay. Noor Amrohvi has seen such difficult times and harrowing hardships in life that most of the people get discouraged and lose their heart in the way. But out of these sufferings and hardships, he gained enormous experience and vision and came out like gold. Amazingly despite all these difficult circumstances he could not disassociate himself from literary activities and social work. He is such a poet of high talent that distinguished personalities like Professor Pirzada Qasim, Professor Nisar Farooqi and John Elia appreciated and praised his unmatched skills and his brilliant achievements. In Dubai he left his foot print wherever he presented his “kalam” , yet in America wherever he went he left his endearing remembrance. Who would have known that this young man who came to Bombay in search of a bright future and them move on to Dubai, would finally land in United States of America and become the glittering tower for literary activities and Urdu culture. In North American city of Dallas in the state of Texas where Noor Amrohvi came to stay, he has to face very strong opposition from various circles. After making arrangement for his living, he started displaying his poetry, the oratorical talent, writing ability and administrative potential. He became the target of criticism from unknown jealous quarters. But due to true passion hard work, diligence, honesty he befriended the opponent currents and his critics started walking along with him. The literary organization and personalities opine that Noor Amrohvi’s compeering is unique and full of logic. As far as his poetry is concerned, it is just like showing lamp to the sun and his humanity and gentleness is superb. He is soft spoken, articulate, embodiment of sincerity and love, humility, and is a model of politeness. Being a businessman and with a poetic temperament, simplicity and mercurial disposition, his friends and partners took advantage and sidelined him. In Radio programs he opts for novelty, innovation and the psychology of the listeners in writing and presenting radio scripts. He presented new and unique programs and therefore a large circle of the desi community is still his admirer.

    He is distinguished for starting the tradition of Na’atia Mushairas in Dallas city, being regularly conducted for the last eight years. In these Mushairas besides poets from North America many eminent poets from Indo Pak have already participated. Also under the aegis of the International Noor Academy, he has been organizing for eight years, international Urdu Mushairas and Kavi sammelen” Every celebrated poet from Indo- Pak has participated in theses Mushairas. Now a situation has arrived that the people aspire that Noor Amrohvi should invite them to their Mushairas. His sincere and close friends also help him In organizing the Na’atia international Mushairas which Noor Amrohvi conducts every year,.

    Because of his excellent organizational faculties even his opponents started acknowledging his abilities. For his services he is now counted among the outstanding organizers of the best Mushairas in North America. In view of his literary and educational services he received several awards in India, Pakistan, United States and the Gulf countries. But I have observed that when he comes to India he usually avoid gatherings and parties. He comes here quietly and returns quietly.

    It usually happens that whenever anyone even a fake person comes from America or other foreign countries, he wants that somebody should conduct a reception for him and that his name should be published in the newspapers. Contrary to that Noor Amrohvi runs away from selfprojection by avoiding the literary meetings and believes that projection is not the accomplishment but to demonstrate excellence of vision and conduct is the real achievement. Despite this, the circle of his friends is so wide that news of his arrival in India spreads like wildfire and then a stream of functions are held in his honor sometime in Bombay, some time in Delhi or a lecture in some educational institutions. It means that a pomegranate is divided into hundred patients.

    Amroha is very proud that Noor Amrohvi from his early age has proven his God given capabilities in various domains of life and that his personage has become a model for others. This fact is noteworthy that Noor Amrohvi loves Amroha intensely. Its living example is the suffix of “Amrohvi” with the name. While in America after receiving citizenship, everyone is allowed to change the name; his legal name is still Amrohvi, a fact not known to so many people. In America if the word Amrohvi is attached with anybody’s name he is no one else but Noor Amrohvi. More than that, pleasantly, he has two children aged 6 & 7 and both have their names tagged with Amrohvi and that is also written on their birth certificates. Finally join me in discussing Noor Amrohvi’s poetry.

    Noor Amrohvi has a unique and an inimitable style of composing verse which is certainly a difficult task. These verses indicate that the intellectual maturity of Noor Amrohvi and his multidimensional personality has given more depth and broadness to ghazal. In this age of chaos there are only a few voices like Noor Amrohvi who because of their loud clarion call have established their qualities besides remaining strongly wedded to humanity, gentleness and civility. Noor Amrohvi and poets from Amroha have perfumed and brightened the whole world. Wherever there is Urdu and Indian civilization their name is taken with great respect. It is our prayer that this lamp light should keep glowing

  • US aims to expand India arms trade by “billions of dollars”

    US aims to expand India arms trade by “billions of dollars”

    WASHINGTON (TIP): The United States has already made “tremendous progress” in expanding weapons sales to India since 2008, and US companies could see “billions of dollars” in additional sales in coming years, a senior US State Department official said on april 18.

    Andrew Shapiro, assistant secretary of state for politicalmilitary affairs, said US sales of military equipment to India had grown from zero in 2008 to around $8 billion, despite a decision by India to choose a French-built plane in a closely-watched fighter plane competition. “While that fighter competition loss was disappointing, we have made tremendous progress in the defense trade relationship,” he told a news briefing. “There’s going to be billions of dollars more in the next couple of years.” He said a major arms trade initiative headed by Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton Carter was making good progress and should lead to “an ever greater pace of additional defense trade.” He gave no details on future possible arms sales. US weapons makers including Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N), Boeing Co (BA.N), Raytheon Co (RTN.N) and others, are keen to sale their wares to India, the world’s largest arms importer, especially since US military spending is now declining after a decade of sharp growth fueled by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. India plans to spend about $100 billion over the next decade upgrading its mostly Sovietera military hardware.

    Shapiro, who is due to leave the State Department at the end of this week, said he had seen news reports about delays in India’s talks with France’s Dassault Aviation (AVMD.PA) about a $15 billion purchase of 126 Rafale fighter jets. But he said the US State Department had not received word from India that it planned to reopen that competition or move ahead with a separate Indian naval fighter competition. Lockheed and Boeing were eliminated from the Indian fighter competition in April 2011.

    Shapiro said the State Department was seeing continued demand for US weaponry from the Middle East and Asia, but US companies faced stiff competition from European weapons makers, who are also facing declining demand in their home markets. He declined to discuss any specific arms sales, but noted that Singapore, Indonesia, and Australia had been key partners in defense trade in recent years. South Korea is also expected to announce the winner of its 60-fighter competition soon.

    Shapiro said his office had dramatically increased its advocacy for US weapons makers under former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and her successor, John Kerry, planned to continue the “economic diplomacy” initiative. Shapiro said State Department representatives planned to attend a major air show in Paris in June, despite mandatory budget cuts required under a process known as sequestration, but said officials would have to be conservative about the number of air shows they attended. He said sequestration-related furloughs could also slow the Pentagon’s work on export license requests, which threatened to slow or reverse progress made by the State Department in accelerating work on the licenses to 17 days on average now from 40 to 60 days several years ago. “Those processing times are likely to increase at a time when we’re trying to increase our defense trade. That’s not the best signal to send,” Shapiro said.

  • US man charged with threatening Obama, others

    US man charged with threatening Obama, others

    CORINTH, MISSISSIPPI (TIP): A man accused of mailing letters with suspected ricin to national leaders believed he had uncovered a conspiracy to sell human body parts on the black market and claimed “various parties within the government” were trying to ruin his reputation. Paul Kevin Curtis, 45, is charged with threatening President Barack Obama and others, according to a Thursday news release from the US department of justice. He is scheduled to appear in federal court on the two charges later on April 18, and if convicted could face up to 15 years in prison An affidavit says the letters sent to Obama, U.S. Sen.

    Roger Wicker and a judge in Mississippi told the recipients: “Maybe I have your attention now even if that means someone must die.” Curtis was arrested April 17 at his home in Corinth, Mississipi. Curtis had been living in Corinth, a city of about 14,000 in extreme northeastern Mississippi, since December, but local police had not had any contact with him prior to his arrest, Corinth Police Department Capt. Ralph Dance told The Associated Press on Thursday. Dance said the department aided the FBI during the arrest and that Curtis did not resist being taken into custody. Since Curtis arrived in the town, he had been living in “government housing,” Dance said. He did not elaborate.

    Police maintained a perimeter Thursday around Curtis’ home, and federal investigators were expected to search the house later in the morning, said local officers on the scene who declined to be identified. Four men who appeared to be investigators were in the neighborhood to speak to neighbors. There didn’t appear to be any hazardous-material crews, and no neighbors were evacuated. The material discovered in a letter to Wicker has been confirmed through field testing and laboratory testing to contain ricin, said Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Terrance Gainer.

    The FBI has not yet reported the results of its own testing of materials sent to Wicker and to President Barack Obama. “Our field tests indicate it was ricin. Our lab tests confirm it was ricin. So I don’t get why others are continuing to use equivocal words about this,” Gainer said. Preliminary field tests can often show false positives for ricin. Ricin is derived from the castor plant that makes castor oil. There is no antidote, and it’s deadliest when inhaled.

    The material sent to Wicker was not weaponized, Gainer said. An FBI intelligence bulletin obtained by The Associated Press said the two letters were postmarked Memphis, Tennessee. Both letters said: “To see a wrong and not expose it, is to become a silent partner to its continuance.” Both were signed, “I am KC and I approve this message.” The letters had Washington on edge in the days after the Boston Marathon bombing. As authorities scurried to investigate three questionable packages discovered in Senate office buildings on April 17, reports of suspicious items also came in from at least three senators’ offices in their home states. The items were found to be harmless. In addition, a Mississippi state lawmaker, Democratic Rep.

    Steve Holland, said Wednesday night that his 80- year-old mother, Judge Sadie Holland, received a threatening letter last week with a substance that has been sent to a lab for testing. He said this letter was also signed “K.C.” “She opened it herself” on April 11 and told Holland about it three days later, Holland said. He said she had not been to the doctor, but he planned to take her on April 18. “She’s fine,” Holland said. “She’s had no symptoms.” Curtis’ neighbors, who said he did not seem violent, were concerned about their safety on April 18 and worried by the idea that someone was making poison in a house that sits so close to their bedrooms and front yards.

  • FBI hunt for men isolated in video grab; no arrests yet

    FBI hunt for men isolated in video grab; no arrests yet

    WASHINGTON (TIP): Amid much confusion over the past 24 hours, it has emerged that US authorities have video grabs of at least one suspect and a few “persons of interest” in the Boston marathon bombing incident, but no arrests have been made yet. The images came from a store camera and cell phone footage from bystanders near the finish line where the explosions took place. In one instance, an individual is said to appear planting a bag close to where the explosions took place and then decamp from the scene even as others were stunned by the blast that follows.

    But in what came as a relief to many American immigrant communities, especially those from the subcontinent, it appears the prime suspect may be a white male, or at least not a “darkskinned” individual as one cable television channel reported initially. Also, the pressure cooker that was improvised as a bomb is made by a Spanish company named Fagor, and not one of the more popular ones from the subcontinent that are widely available in Asian stores here. The company said authorities had approached it for help in the probe and it was cooperating.

    Even as the FBI is lining up a manhunt, President Obama arrived in Boston to commiserate with the city and speak at an interfaith memorial where he pledged to find the terrorists and hold them responsible. Calling the killers “small stunted individuals who will rather destroy than build and think that makes them important,” Obama said America’s fidelity to a free and open society will only grow stronger. The media meanwhile got panned by the FBI by getting ahead of the story and reporting the arrest of a suspect late on April 17 when competitive pressure seemed to cause some reporters to overreach and over-interpret leaks.

  • ‘Don’t despair; you can still buy a home!’ The Ace Real Estate Guy Kenny Singh says

    ‘Don’t despair; you can still buy a home!’ The Ace Real Estate Guy Kenny Singh says

    Early predictions in 2013 seem to point that the real estate market is on the road to recovery. Kenny Singh also
    advertises this fact. He says, “In 2012, we were doing okay but this year, I can confirm we are better off. The market
    is gradually improving by 6 to 7 percent. This is a strong indicator that the meltdown is soon to dissipate.”

    After the terrible meltdown of 2008, some harsh truths came to the surface.Who cheated, who lied and who bent the rules to make quick money? But the biggest truth of it all was that those who remained true to the books, survived. Kenny Singh, founder and owner of New Age Properties, Inc. is a jack of many trades and master at real estate. Endowed with perhaps the most loyal and experienced staff, Kenny Singh has been able to face the meltdown without losing a lot. His knowledge in the real estate market of Long Island is perhaps unmatched and unquestioned. But before Kenny Singh learnt the nittygritty of real estate he was involved in many other trades. “I came in the United States in 1976 and that time I was working for an import and handicraft business. Soon after that, I worked with a tracking business. Then I worked in the retail industry in the garment section.

    I had heavy trades from Nepal and India. But the investment that I put in this trade was a sheer waste. Because, people from Nepal cheated me and I lost a lot of my hard earned money. I finally gave up. And in early 1990s, I changed my profession to real estate. From that time till now, I have been in this business,” says Singh. He made the switch to real estate for monetary reasons. Also, there was lower risk of direct investments in this profession. He made a sizeable amount in the 1990s as he soon began climbing the ladder of competition. He bent every competition from the time he established his own company in 1995. “There were not many contenders at that time during my rise in real estate. There was Usha Chandra and another, Salma in the Long Island area.


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    I was number three at that time. But I learned the trade fast. I soon became a broker while my competitors were still agents.” While many mimic the work ethics and performances of other role models, Kenny does not believe in having any external inspiration. He was driven to derive the best of him and believed only in himself. “I learnt on my own from everywhere. I worked as an agent. No role model. Just me. And because I had faith in myself, by 1995, I was the unquestioned king in this sector at Long Island.” Since 1995, he has sold a couple of hundred houses. He never kept a record of the actual number in his memory. Everything was sailing perfectly.

    The 1990s were considered the effervescent period for the real estate market in the US. There was an uncontainable demand for housing which was made possible to due to a more lenient loaning options made plausible by financial institutions and the Federal government. But the loom of a meltdown was predicted by many real estate developers, brokers and agents. One among them was Kenny Singh. “In 2008, we faced the downturn. But I survived. I had good savings and I made wise decisions before the meltdown. Also the threat of the meltdown was foreseen by many of us. But there was very little we could do except make moves to encourage savings.

    Despite it all, even I faced a loss of over $500,000,” he says. Early predictions in 2013 seem to point that the real estate market is on the road to recovery. Kenny Singh also advertises this fact. He says, “In 2012, we were doing okay but this year, I can confirm we are better off. The market is gradually improving by 6 to 7 percent. This is a strong indicator that the meltdown is soon to dissipate.” Many theories and conspiracies have been spewed over the reasons for financial crisis of 2008. Kenny simplifies it for us. “The banks were lenient and did not conduct proper checking of the buyer. The prices kept increasing but it was very easy to lend money at that time. So if you had a good credit, you could buy a house with 0% down payment and 4 percent interest.

    Naturally, we slumped. The money was never being protected. It was being offered to anyone and the hawks in the real estate business that thrived on making quick money paved easier way to this.” The federal government has taken immediate measures to dissolve the crisis and to avoid a repetition. And therefore, the market trend has changed immensely. Kenny explains, “The market trend has changed so much recently.

    For example, I was showing a house recently to a few people.We got an offer of more than our asking price many of the buyers. Most buyers are paying in all cash these days. This is an upward trend. Also according to our preliminary research for this year, the houses in the market do not become available for more than 63 days. It doesn’t matter if it they are good houses or bad houses. They all are gone. At this time, last year’s research shows that not only did we sell lesser number of houses compared to this year but the houses stayed for as long as 110 days in the market.

    In Hicksville during last year, only 508 houses were sold by all brokers. And this year we have sold an additional of 26 houses already with the rest of the year still to go. So there has been a 25% increase in the buyers demand.” More people in the Long Island area are opting for no-mortgage payment options by paying full amounts in cash. Besides that, many other loopholes are found by our community members while buying houses. Kenny explains why, “Mortgage is of course a very difficult financial process.

    Besides, the rate of interest is low as of now. What used to 7-8 percent five years ago is now 3.75 percent. Also, mortgage is not very easily available these days either. In Long Island, we have a ‘no income-full asset’ concept. This means that the person who is applying for mortgage must be self-employed. They don’t show their full income on paper.

    So while the banks offer 1% higher rate of interest for these people and ask for 35% down payment, it is not an issue for them because they have the money and they are not bound by life-long payment of mortgage. This proves beneficial to the bank also because no matter what the 35% down payment ensures easier and lower risks of payment for the buyer. But of course, it is all possible if you have good credit record.” So if you have the money and good credit history, it is plausible to buy a house without the hassle of long bound mortgages? “Yes. Of course, you have to go to the right people for this. I strongly recommend a good company which has the expertise, experience and people who understand real estate better than anyone else.” Yet, after the meltdown that hit almost every corner of the world, it is almost impossible to not ask this question.Will we face another meltdown? Kenny is quick to respond. “No. There will not be any downturn anytime now.

    The changes made by the government are enough to make sure the market stays up. It now conducts proper checking of the buyer and it also has asserted a few conditions on financial institutions. Besides, the last meltdown before 2008 was in 1931. Meltdown is not a quarterly or a five year recurring factor.” The realtors at Long Island belong under the banner of Long Island Board of Realtors.

    It is a multiple listing service that controls all the members of its board. There are regular training conducted every 2 years and violations of any rule and regulation is penalized for $1000 or license revokes. Kenny Singh was born in Moga in Punjab. He completed Engineering in Instrumental Technology from Chandigarh. He is married to Paramjit . He has a son Rimpoo Singh, and two daughters Jessica Singh and Monica Singh and a nephew Jeffrey Jeet Singh. Kenny and his family live with his parents in Long Island.

  • Survivors Sought In Texas Fertilizer Plant Blast

    Survivors Sought In Texas Fertilizer Plant Blast

    WEST, TEXAS (TIP): Rescuers worked in cold rain on April 18 to find survivors amid the rubble of houses destroyed in a fiery explosion at a Texas fertilizer plant filled with hazardous chemical tanks. The death toll in West, Texas ranged from five to 15 people and was likely to change as rescuers went from house to house along the burned-out streets after the West Fertilizer Co. blew up on Wednesday night, said Sgt. William Patrick Swanton of the police department in nearby Waco. The cause of the fire and explosion, which occurred just before 8 p.m. and injured more than 160 people, was not known. Officials said no evidence of foul play had been found. The US Chemical Safety Board, a federal agency charged with investigating industrial chemical accidents, was on the scene, as was the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

    Firefighters had been battling a fire at the plant on Wednesday night for about 20 minutes before the blast rocked the town of 2,700 people about 20 miles north of Waco. Three to four volunteer firefighters were still missing, Swanton said. “They were actively fighting the fire at the time the explosion occurred,” he said at a news conference held in a cattle auction house, where cows lowed behind him. Swanton said the plant was storing huge tanks of anhydrous ammonia. Anhydrous ammonia is used by farmers as fertilizer to boost nitrogen levels in soil and increase crop production.

    According to the Centers for Disease Control, anhydrous ammonia and water produces a poisonous cloud. When ammonia mixes with air, it forms an explosive mixture, and containers may explode when heated, according to the CDC. The West plant is one of thousands of sites across rural America that store and sell hazardous materials such as chemicals and fertilizer for agricultural use, many within close range of residences and schools. Privately owned by 83-year-old Donald Adair, the company has fewer than 10 employees. The plant had not been inspected by state officials since 2006, when a complaint of an ammonia smell was resolved, said Zak Covar, executive director of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. State inspections are done only when there is a complaint, Covar said. The federal Environmental Protection Agency fined the firm $2,300 in 2006 for failing to implement a risk management plan. The plant’s owner could not be reached for comment.

    Fire, evacuations before blast
    The firefighters had been evacuating several blocks around the fire before the blast out of concern for dangerous fumes, Swanton said. That threat had abated, he said. In West, the middle school, which was badly damaged, was one fifth of a mile from the plant and the high school was one-third of a mile away.

    The blast destroyed 60 to 80 houses, reduced a 50-unit apartment complex to what one local official called “a skeleton standing up” and left a horrific landscape of burnedout buildings and blackened rubble. “Last night was truly a nightmare scenario,” said Texas Governor Rick Perry. “This tragedy has most likely hit every family.” Perry declared McLennan County a disaster area and said he would request federal disaster aid from President Barack Obama. Texas is no stranger to industrial disasters. In 1947, 3,200 tons of ammonium nitrate fertilizer detonated aboard a ship in a Texas City port, killing almost 600 people. It is believed to be the deadliest industrial accident in US history. More recently, a 2005 explosion at a BP refinery in Texas City killed 15 people and injured more than 170 others when hydrocarbon vapors exploded in a processing plant.

    The operation in West remained a search and rescue mission, Swanton said. “They have not gotten to the point of no return where they don’t think that there’s anybody still alive,” he said. He said rain and cooler temperatures were a concern. At early afternoon, the temperature was just 50 degrees Fahrenheit, or 10 degrees Centigrade. The average temperature for the area in April is closer to 67 degrees F. “With the temperature getting a little cooler, with the weather raining here – pretty significant rains came through – we certainly want to find folks,” he said. Bodies had been taken to a nearby ball field and then a community center, he said. Officials said they had moved 133 people out of a nearby nursing home.

    If it was an industrial accident, investigators would look at whether firefighters ignited the blast by pouring water on a volatile substance. Nim Kidd, chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management, said it was too early to speculate. “A lot of firefighters will use their No. 1 tool, which is water, in a hazardous materials chemical situation to cool the surrounding environment,” he told a briefing in Austin. Obama, who flew to Boston for a memorial service for victims of the Boston Marathon bombing, offered support and prayers to the victims in Texas. Three hospitals in Waco and Dallas reported treating more than 160 injuries from the blast. Ground motion from the blast registered as a magnitude 2.1 seismic tremor and created a jolt felt 80 miles away in Dallas, the US Geological Survey reported.

  • Stage set for Narendra Modi-Will BJP’s NaMo chant save the party?

    Stage set for Narendra Modi-Will BJP’s NaMo chant save the party?

    NEW DELHI (TIP): Three days of rough political weather did not just wreck a 17-year-old BJP-JD(U) alliance, it also all but sealed the debate over Modi’s ascendancy in the BJP. Barely had Nitish Kumar finished a speech replete with derisive references to Modi on Sunday that the BJP brass was bombarded with messages and phone calls from the party rank and file. The message from below was unambiguous: The insult to the Gujarat CM shouldn’t be tolerated. A few senior leaders who demurred over the need to respond immediately felt the cadre’s pressure. The mismatch in moods was glaringly evident when at least two of the leaders, who are part of the grandly sounding “high command”, tried to reach out to Kumar just when the party rank and file was clamouring for a strong retaliation.

    The tide was tough to hold off. Eventually, a statement vehemently debunking the charges leveled against Modi was considered by leaders gathered at Advani’s residence and BJP chief Rajnath Singh quickly ordered its release. Apart from consolidating the support for Modi in the sangh parivar, the Nitish Kumar episode also brought out the cracks in the BJP leadership over Modi. For, what happened over the weekend has implications for leaders like L K Advani, Sushma Swaraj and Murli Manohar Joshi, each seen by his or her admirers as having strong credentials for leading the BJP into the 2014 race. The BJP parliamentary board, which theoretically takes the final call on whom to project as PM candidate, appeared split over the issue. How serious is the split? Not so serious as to jeopardise Modi’s candidature, it would seem. Some senior leaders are uncomfortable with the prospect of being overtaken by the Gujarat CM, and to that extent the resistance to Modi has not disappeared, but they risk every possibility of getting overwhelmed by the counter tide. RSS, initially not so enamoured of Modi, seems to be fast coming around to align itself with the mood of the party workers.

    The RSS chief hurt himself by seeking a second term for Nitin Gadkari even though the allegations against Gadkari were making him somewhat of a political liability. The weakening of the RSS boss’s authority has resulted in a decentralization of power within the Sangh and has created space for figures like Suresh Soni who are backing Modi. And seniors like Jaswant Singh and Yashwant Sinha in the BJP, who appear ambiguous about Gujarat CM or are opposed to him, risk being sidelined by the current pro-Modi mood. The BJP seems aware that fighting the polls under Modi is not without risks — loss of allies, consolidation of Muslim vote against the party, hostility of liberal intelligentsia, and a ruthless scrutiny of the Gujarat model, to list the main ones. However, it is banking on his energetic espousal of effective governance, swift economic growth, jobs and a development-oriented agenda to attract middle India that BJP had lost to the Congress in 2004.

    The task is not easy as BJP needs to cover a lot of ground and is hampered by geographical and social limits. As of now, BJP does not have a single MP from Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Orissa, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. Apart from Assam, the party has drawn a blank in the north east.

    In states like Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Himachal Pradesh, BJP’s numbers are already high. It can only look to improve in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Delhi and Uttarakhand. It needs new partners in Haryana and Jharkhand. Karnataka seems a lost bastion while the Shiv Sena infighting has made Maharashtra shaky. Yet, the party cadre and now an increasing number of leaders are getting in a mood to swim or sink with Modi. After angry exchanges with JD(U), BJP leaders are looking to assess options, preparing for the inevitable break with JD(U). Bihar leaders who met BJP chief Rajnath Singh on Monday set the tone by congratulating him for the party’s stern rejoinder to Kumar.

    Discussions are on to build an audacious campaign built around Modi who is poised to emerge as the clear successor to the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-L K Advani era. Powering BJP to 160 plus Lok Sabha seats will have to be followed by acquiring regional allies to take NDA past the 272 majority mark. Covering the last mile is not going to be easy. Yet, on balance, BJP finds Modi its best bet. Going to the polls under Modi may be risky but it is a risk worth taking because another dispiriting sub-par performance will put a serious question over the party’s future.

  • 2G case: JPC gives clean chit to PM, Chidambaram

    2G case: JPC gives clean chit to PM, Chidambaram

    NEW DELHI (TIP): The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the 2G spectrum scam in its draft report on April 17 sought to give a clean chit to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Finance Minister P Chidambaram, saying then telecom minister A Raja had failed to keep them in the loop about changes made in the policy.

    According to sources, the draft report, which is yet to be approved by members, said the norms for allocation of spectrum under the “first-come-first-served” policy were tweaked at the last minute to enable a few companies to jump the queue, and neither Singh or Chidambaram played any role in this. Raja reportedly changed the rules without informing the PM.

    A news agency quoted the report as saying that “the committee is inclined to conclude that the PM was misled about the procedure decided to be followed by the Department of Telecommunications in respect of issuance of UAS licences.” It added that the “assurance” given by Raja “in all his correspondence with the PM to maintain full transparency in following established rules and procedures of the department stood belied”. Sources said the draft report also rubbished the loss figure of Rs 1.76 lakh crore estimated by CAG, saying it was “ill-conceived”.

    JPC chairman P C Chacko has to get the backing of a majority of the 30 members of the committee to carry through the draft report. The UPA has 12 members on the panel. Meanwhile, DMK spokesperson T K S Elangovan said: “If the JPC makes any charges against Raja without hearing him and calling him for deposition, then the report will be incomplete and biased. It will be a one-sided report.”

  • Parties reach consensus on Land Bill

    Parties reach consensus on Land Bill

    NEW DELHI (TIP): The government on April 17 achieved “broad consensus” on the long-pending Land Acquisition Bill, paving the way for the contentious legislation to be taken up for consideration and passage in the Budget Session that resumes on Monday. “We have reached a broad consensus on the Land Acquisition Bill,” Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj said after the allparty meeting. The Bill proposes to replace the archaic Land Acquisition Act, 1894. The government agreed to a key demand of the BJP, which suggested that instead of acquisition, land could be leased to developers so that its ownership remains with farmers and also provides them with regular income. Sushma said the land mafia had bought huge tracts of land from farmers in the hope for four times compensation from the government. “I gave 12 suggestions and the government agreed to almost all of them.We have told the government that when you acquire land, you should give 50 per cent of the compensation to the original farmer and the government has agreed to that,” she said. Sources said the government would amend the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill, 2011, to provide the enabling provision for states to enact laws in this regard as leasing of land was a state subject.

    However, Left parties and DMK still have reservations on certain issues. The CPM is demanding consent of all families affected by land acquisition, whereas the Bill currently provides for agreement from at least 80 per cent affected persons. CPM leader Basudeb Acharia said the original Bill had been diluted and the current version was against the interest of farmers. “We will move amendments when the Bill is taken up in Parliament,” he said. DMK leader TR Baalu claimed that the Bill was against the Constitution’s federal structure.

    He has been asked to give suggestions on the issues by tomorrow. The forward movement on the Bill is a big relief for Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh. The first all-party meet on the Bill on April 9 had failed to iron out differences between the government and the BJP, SP and the Left Front. Ever since, Ramesh had been reaching out to leaders of various political parties to work out points of disagreement. Over the past one week, he met BJP leaders Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley and CPM’s Sitaram Yechury for their support to the Bill. “The atmosphere was positive. If Parliament functions, we will be able to get this Bill through,” he said today.

    The Land Acquisition Bill has emerged as one of UPA’s flagship projects and is followed keenly by chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. Congress strategists believe that land reforms can do for the UPA II what the job guarantee scheme and loan waiver had for the UPA I. It was Sonia who had vetoed the clause that said consent of 67% landowners would suffice for the government to acquire land.

    The draft legislation provides compensation for owners of acquired land to be four times the market value in rural areas and twice the market value in urban areas. In case of land acquisition for use by private companies or public-private partnerships, consent of 80 per cent displaced people will be required. Considering its far-reaching implications, the Bill has been through various procedural stages. Introduced in Parliament in September 2011, it was subsequently referred to a Parliamentary Standing Committee, which submitted its recommendations in May 2012. Ministries related to infrastructure and commerce insisted on changes to provisions that were perceived as hurdles to investment and industry. The industry felt that terms of compensation and rehabilitation provided by Bill would be detrimental to it.

    THE BREAKTHROUGH

    -The government agreed to a key BJP demand that instead of acquisition, land could be leased to developers

  • Badals Meet Prez, Seek Mercy For Bhullar

    Badals Meet Prez, Seek Mercy For Bhullar

    NEW DELHI (TIP): Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on April 17 filed a review mercy petition with President Pranab Mukherjee seeking clemency for 1993 Delhi bomb blast convict Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar and cautioned that hanging of the death row convict could disturb peace and harmony in the state.

    The 17-page mercy petition filed by Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Badal urges the President to go into “the merits of the case” and says “it does not fall within the definition of rare of the rarest cases”. Justifying the second mercy petition, SAD said “changed circumstances” necessitate a review and cites an SC judgment of 2010 to argue “there is no bar in filing a second clemency petition”. Emerging from the meeting, Badal told mediapersons, “We have sought clemency for Bhullar and the main reason is that the hanging will affect communal harmony and peace in Punjab.” On whether he was in favour of abolishing the death penalty, Badal said, “That is a big issue and needs a wider debate”. The petition says, “The Akali Dal is extremely concerned about the volatile law and order situation in the state. The fallout of the Supreme Court order has led to is a surcharged atmosphere in the state.

    Our apprehension is if the death sentence is executed, it will create serious law and order problem and will give fresh breeding ground to the people who are averse to the idea of peace and communal harmony”. The petition comes just three days after Badal met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde on the same issue and submitted representations. Bhullar’s first mercy petition was rejected last year by former President Pratibha Devi Singh Patil.

    The Supreme Court had on April 12 rejected a plea that there had been a delay in deciding a mercy petition and upheld his death sentence. The petition said, “The Akali Dal is extremely concerned about the volatile law and order situation in the state. The fallout of the Supreme Court order has led to is a surcharged atmosphere in the state. Our apprehension is if the death sentence is executed, it will create serious law and order problem and will give fresh breeding ground to the people who are averse to the idea of peace and communal harmony”. SAD argued that Bhullar’s death penalty was confirmed following a split verdict of the Supreme Court. “Mr Justice MB Shah had dissented and held that if death sentence is altered to imprisonment for life, it would the sufficient to meet the ends of justice… the confession of the accused (Bhullar) is not voluntary.

    The main accused (Daya Singh Lahoria) has already been acquitted and further held that the accused is not guilty and deserves to be acquitted,” the SAD petition says while quoting the SC verdict. Badal’s plea is that the SC, while deciding Bhullar’s main appeal as well as review petition, had said “the President of India would keep in mind the view of Mr Justice MB Shah while deciding the clemency petition.” The Petition goes on to remind the President about powers under Article 161 of the Constitution of India: “The Constitutional powers are meant to do substantial justice.” Further citing a 1989 apex court judgment and referring to Article 72 of the Constitution, the petition says, “The President can go into the merits of the case decided by the courts and can take a different view. That would not amount to suppression of the judicial verdict”.

    The petition reminds the President how Daya Singh Lahoria, the principal accused for the 1993 Delhi blast in which Bhullar was convicted, was acquitted on the same set of evidence. “It is a travesty of justice that the person who is alleged to have only abetted is being hanged to death and the principal accused has been acquitted,” the SAD argument says.

    The party says Bhullar’s case is exceptional. He is mentally sick and under treatment. Further, India has assured Germany, from where Bhullar was extradited, of no death sentence.

  • Terror Strikes Bangalore; 16 Injured

    Terror Strikes Bangalore; 16 Injured

    BANGALORE (TIP): At least 16 persons, including 11 policemen, were injured in a bomb blast near the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s state office in the Malleswaram area of the city on April 17. The blast later triggered a mudslinging fest among politicians in the poll-bound Karnataka.

    Police personnel bore the brunt of the blast triggered by an IED mounted on a two-wheeler. Five civilians, including three women and two teenagers, were among the injured. Fire tenders rushed to the scene to douse the fire and the police combed the area with sniffer dogs. National Investigation Agency (NIA) officials and forensic teams were also present at the scene to look for clues. The explosion comes on the anniversary of a series of blasts outside the Chinnaswamy Cricket Stadium in 2010 that forced the shifting of IPL matches from Bangalore to Mumbai. Describing the blast as a “clear act of terror”, Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister R Ashok said it was targeted at the party workers and its leaders. “It is a clear act of terror… It is targeted at the BJP, our senior leaders and workers,” Ashoka said. “State and central-level leaders keep coming to the party office for meetings in connection with the Assembly elections.

    The bomb was meant for them,” he said. Ashok said the date of the blast coincided with the Chinnaswamy Stadium blasts three years ago. The police would study this angle too during its investigations, he added. Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Siddaramaiah said the blast could be the handiwork of the BJP to attract the sympathy of voters. This charge was furiously refuted by Bangalore (South) MP and former union minister Anantha Kumar and other BJP functionaries. “A bomb-like material on a motorbike exploded around 10.30 am, injuring 16 persons, including 11 policemen, near the BJP office at Malleswaram,” state DGP Lalrokhuma Pachau said. “The injuries are not serious.

    The injured are being treated in a nearby government hospital,” Pachau added. “We do not know the type of material or bomb used in the blast. It is under investigation. The NIA and forensic experts are examining the charred vehicles,” he said. The motorcycle suspected to have been used in the blast bore a Tamil Nadu registration number and was parked between two cars. The explosion ripped through the twowheeler and charred both cars. The explosion also shattered the windowpanes of houses in the vicinity. BJP spokesperson Prakash, who was at the party office when the bomb went off, said they heard a loud noise. No senior leader of the BJP was in the office at the time of the blast, he added. The BJP used the incident to target the Election Commission of India, which had transferred senior police officers, including the police commissioner, of the city recently

  • New foreign trade policy to boost exports, revive SEZs

    New foreign trade policy to boost exports, revive SEZs

    NEW DELHI (TIP): In a bid to boost exports and bring down the current account deficit (CAD), the government on April 17 announced the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) which included major measures to revive the special economic zones (SEZ) and allowing exporters in all sectors to import capital goods at zero per cent duty under the Export Promotion Capital Goods (EPCG) scheme.

    This was announced by Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma as part of the annual supplement to the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) for 2013-14. Exports declined by 1.76 per cent to $ 300.6 billion during 2012-13 and pushed up the trade deficit to $ 190.91 billion. Acknowledging difficult global economic environment, the minister said in its latest report the World Trade Organisation (WTO) has revised the global trade growth projections downwards from 3.7 per cent to 2.5 per cent. “This is indeed a disturbing trend.

    We view exports not only as a valuable source of foreign exchange, which help in stabilising the Current Account Deficit, but also a key contributor to growth and employment”, he said. The FTP had announced significant measures for boosting SEZ scheme. The minimum land area requirement for setting up such zones has been reduced to half and there would be no ceiling for IT and ITes SEZs. On demands of exit policy for SEZs, the minister said it has been decided to allow transfer of ownership and sale of SEZ units. However, industry demands pertaining to removing minimum alternate tax (MAT) and dividend distribution tax (DDT) have not been accepted.

    The EPCG scheme, which allows exporters to import capital goods at zero duty, would be extended beyond March 2013 and would be applicable to all sectors. “We have decided not only to extend the zero duty EPCG scheme beyond March 2013, but also merge it with 3 per cent EPCG scheme. Now, the zero duty EPCG benefit will be available to all sectors,” the minister said.

  • German Bakery blast convict Baig to hang

    German Bakery blast convict Baig to hang

    MUMBAI (TIP): The Pune Sessions Court on April 17 sentenced to death Mirza Himayat Baig, 30, in connection with the 2010 bomb blast at Pune’s German Bakery that claimed 17 lives. Three days ago, Pune sessions court Special Judge NP Dhote had held Baig guilty in the case in which he was the lone accused arrested. A resident of Beed district, Baig was nabbed from Udgir town in neighbouring Latur district by the Maharashtra anti-terrorism squad (ATS) on September 7, 2010, nearly seven months after the attack. Investigators said they found 1,200 kg explosives in his possession. The chargesheet against Baig said the blast was planned by six persons at a meeting in Colombo two years before the event.

    On the day of conviction (April 15), Special Public Prosecutor Raja Thakre said Baig was charged under Sections 302, 307 (murder and attempt to murder), 435, 474 (mischief by fire and explosive and forgery) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC, besides other charges under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and the Explosives Act. The court upheld the prosecution contention that the blast was “a carefully planned and executed attack” calculated to terrorise the general public, causing extensive damage to life and property.

    The prosecution said the primary objective of the terror attack was to undermine and reduce faith of the common people in the elected government and destabilise the system of law. The special judge upheld the prosecution argument that the terror attack caused deaths of foreign nationals, earning the country a bad name. Five foreigners were among the 17 victims of the February 13, 2010, blast.