Month: January 2014

2013: DEFINING EVENTS IN SPORTS

When it did finally happen, there was a sense of relief — not just for one man but an entire nation. After a successful 2012, Andy Murray broke one of the biggest hoodoos in sport by ending Britain’s 77-year wait to become the first male to win the Wimbledon title this year, beating the then World No. 1 Novak Djokovic in straight sets. The satisfaction and sheer joy on the Scot’s face was palpable.

Murder mystery
How does the story of the first double amputee athlete to compete in Olympics go on from being inspiration to a murder mystery? On the cold morning of Valetnine’s Day, South Africa’s Oscar Pistorius allegedly shot his girl friend Reeva Steenkamp dead in Pretoria. She was found dead in the bathroom with bullet wounds. Oscar says he mistook her to be an intruder. Police cry murder. The case is on.

Wonder boy

Two days after Tendulkar played his last Test, Mumbai’s Prithvi Shaw was labelled the next Sachin. And why not, for his achievement was beyond imagination. The 15-year-old entered records books scoring 546 in a Harris Shield game. It is the third highest score going by all the registered scorecards available worldwide.

Achtung Munchen
Amidst all the hullabaloo over the English and Spanish league, it was Bayern Munich who kept the fabled German consistency going with their astounding treble. The Bundesliga, German Cup and the UEFA Champions League trophies now sit pretty in the office of the Munich club. The team has a registered fan club in India. And surely in that corner of the country, this was celebrated.

World at sindhu’s feet
While Indian badminton was obsessed with Saina Nehwal’s show on the field (and Jwala Gutta’s off it), an 18-year-old Hyderabad girl went on to become the first Indian female to win a singles medal at the World Championships. PV Sindhu was the toast of 2013 in many ways, for she also broke into the top-10. Now, India’s not just about Saina and Sania as far as sportswomen are concerned.

Champions one last time

Before departing to England, India’s press conference was quite a scene. MS Dhoni faced questions on IPL spot-fixing, and hardly any on the Champions Trophy. And as Dhoni most often does, he merely grinned. Maybe, the grin signified confidence, as the Men in Blue went on to bag the final edition of the ‘mini World Cup’ being undefeated.

Spot-Fixing
If you don’t see bowlers with towels tucked in trousers anymore, blame it on S Sreesanth. The harmless piece of cloth was allegedly used by the pacer as a signal to the bookies during IPL-6. Kerala’s maverick athlete has since has been slapped with life ban for spot-fixing. Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila too have been punished and a horde of bookies arrested. Cricketers now blame Sree for sweaty days.

Dhawan’s Dabangg act

Indians fans did not miss Virender Sehwag, not least on that day. Shikhar Dhawan produced one of the most swashbuckling innings to hit the fastest ton on debut against a hapless Aussie attack that could just stand, watch and admire. He finished with 187, and has since gone on to score many a century this year in the shorter format, but that one knock stamped his arrival in world cricket, along with his moustache.

Fall of the legend

An inspiration, a champion survivor, author of one of the most amazing book on sports and life. And what a let down. Seven straight Tour de France title winning cyclist Lance Armstrong admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs and was stripped of his titles. The survivor of testicular cancer continues with his fund-raising activities. The America’s global hero proved that at the end of the day, it wasn’t about his bike after all.

Goodbye, Sir Alex
So United fans, how does life feel without Sir Alex? In one of the most shocking retirements of the year (Graeme Swann can wait), Sir Alex Ferguson ended his 26-year-old love affair with Manchester United to hang up his boots in May. More than his 13 English League titles, five FA Cups and two Champions League trophies whilst at Old Trafford, the world would miss some of his oh-so-memorable quotes. Have you grabbed his autobiography yet?

Jacques in the box

The South African will possibly be one of those greats who will be unsung in their lifetime. Or hopefully, not. As he puts his white flannels away permanently after the ongoing Durban Test, there would be or at least there should be a debate on whether he is the greatest all-rounder. We have had enough of Bradman vs Tendulkar, Lara vs Tendulkar etc, there is room for more debates and Kallis surely deserves it.

Bale’s €100mn bonanza

Real Madrid, known as the ‘Galacticos’ in the footballing world, broke their bank once again this summer. This time for 26-year-old Welshman, Gareth Bale who’d lit up the Premier League on fire. And boy did they do it in style. Signed from Tottenham Hotspurs for a staggering 100 million euros, the winger pipped Cristiano Ronaldo’s transfer fee by six million euros.

Jan 11, 2014 – 6:47 am EST
Person not named in FIR, charge sheet can be tried: SC

NEW DELHI (TIP): The Supreme Court said on January 10that someone whose name does not figure either in an FIR or a charge sheet but whose role in an alleged crime surfaces during the course of a trial would be subject to the same trial too. A constitution bench of Chief Justice P. Sathasivam, Justice B.S Chauhan, Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai, Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice S.A. Bobde said: “A person not named in the FIR or a person though named in the FIR but has not been charge sheeted or a person who has been discharged can be summoned under Section 319 Cr.P.C. (Criminal Procedure Code) provided from the evidence it appears that such person can be tried along with the accused already facing trial.” Pronouncing the judgment, Justice Chauhan said, “Insofar as an accused who has been discharged is concerned, the requirement of Sections 300 and 398 Cr.P.C. has to be complied with before he can be summoned afresh.”

It said that under section 319, a person against whom material is disclosed is only summoned to face the trial and in such an event under Section 319(4), the proceeding against such person must begin from the stage of taking of cognizance, and the court need not wait for the evidence against the accused proposed to be summoned to be tested by crossexamination. The degree of satisfaction for summoning the subsequent accused has to be different from the court’s satisfaction while proceeding against the original accused, it said. “Fresh summoning of an accused will result in delay of the trial – therefore the degree of satisfaction for summoning the accused (original and subsequent) has to be different,” the court ruled. It said that the difference in the degree of satisfaction is due to the fact that the trial may have already commenced against the original accused and it is in the course of such trial that materials are disclosed against the newly summoned accused.

On the degree of satisfaction of trial court on the framing of charges, the bench said that though under Section 319(4)(b), the accused subsequently impleaded is to be treated as if he had been an accused when the court took cognizance of the offence, the degree of satisfaction that will be required for summoning a person would be the same as for framing a charge. On the questions that on what stage the powers under section 319 could be exercised and the nature of the evidence to satisfy the trial court to summon subsequent or new accused, the court said that materials coming before the court in course of such enquiries can be used for corroboration of the evidence recorded in the court after the trial commences for the purpose. “In view of the above position, the word ‘evidence’ in Section 319 Cr.P.C. has to be broadly understood and not literally i.e. as evidence brought during a trial,” the bench said answering five questions framed by a three judge bench Dec 8, 2008, for its consideration.

Section 319 of the CrPC spells out the proviso for the joint trial of a person, who though not been named as an accused, appears, during the course of investigation or trial, to have committed a crime. The five questions addressed by the constitution bench included at what stage the power under section 319 could be be exercised, and did “evidence” as used in section 319 (1) only mean that tested by crossexamination or could the court exercise this power on the basis of the statement made in the examination-in-chief of the witness concerned. It was also asked whether “evidence” was used in a comprehensive sense and did it include the evidence collected during the investigation or was limited to the evidence recorded during the trial? The constitution bench was also asked to spell out the nature of satisfaction required to invoke the section to arraign an accused, and could the power be exercised only if the court was satisfied that the accused summoned as likely to be convicted; and whether the power extended to people not named in the FIR or named but not charged or those discharged.

Jan 11, 2014 – 6:46 am EST
Man beheads woman in MP, walks into police station with severed head

INDORE (TIP): A man beheaded an elderly woman and walked into the police station with the severed head in one hand and an axe in the other at a village in Madhya Pradesh. Hari Shank Gond alias Jhurru (30) decapitated a 62-year-old woman on January 10 afternoon for taking away a log from a Mahua tree he had felled in his field at Pand village in Bundelkhand region. After hacking her with his axe, Jhurru picked up the head along with the weapon. He walked 4 kilometres to Majhauli police station in order to confess. Eyewitnesses said a couple of women passing by on the road fainted after seeing the head in Jhurru’s hands.

“The accused walked around 4 kilometres with the head of the deceased. When he was about to reach the police station, we were informed and he was arrested,” said AN Jharia, station house officer, Majhauli police station. Jhurru told police that he had got into a brawl with the woman, called Meerawati Gond, over the log. Had he not murdered her, she would have killed him by witchcraft, Jhurru said. “The accused appeared mentally stable but had no regrets about the crime. He alleged that the woman had killed his family members in the past couple of years with her witchcraft,” the officer said.

Jan 11, 2014 – 6:45 am EST
US deploys small team of military advisers to Somalia

WASHINGTON (TIP): The United States has sent a handful of military advisers to Somalia in recent months to help bolster an African Union force fighting Islamist militants there, officials said on January 10. The deployment marks the first stationing of US troops in the troubled country since 1993, when two Blackhawk helicopters were shot down and 18 Americans were killed in a disastrous operation. “The US has established a military coordination cell in Somalia to provide planning and advisory support to the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and Somali security forces to increase their capabilities and promote peace and security throughout Somalia and the region,” US Africa Command spokesman Colonel Tom Davis said in a statement.

The small team, which was launched in October and became fully operational last month, numbers “fewer than five” troops, a defence official told AFP on condition of anonymity. The troops will be based at Mogadishu airport, working alongside the AU mission to confront resurgent extremist militants, the official said, confirming the previously undisclosed deployment. The African Union mission supports Somali government forces, which have rolled back Shebab fighters out of key cities over the past 18 months. The US move comes as Washington steps up military assistance across Africa amid growing concern over Al-Qaida-linked militants in Libya, Mali, Somalia and other countries. The Pentagon has provided cargo aircraft and intelligence to French forces battling Islamists in Mali and uses airfields in Djibouti, Ethiopia and elsewhere to fly US drone aircraft.

In October, Navy SEAL commandos carried out a raid on the seaside home of a al-Shabaab militant but the operation had to be aborted and the operative was not captured. Although the al-Shabaab militia has suffered battlefield setbacks in Somalia, it has orchestrated a number of attacks in other East African countries, including a bloody four-day siege of a shopping centre in Nairobi in September that killed dozens. The UN security council in November approved an increase of 4,400 troops to the African Union mission in Somalia, expanding it from 17,700 to more than 22,100. The force is comprised of troops from Burundi, Djibouti,Kenya, Sierra Leone and Uganda. For the United States, the deployment of a handful of advisers reflects a gradual shift in approach as previously any boots on the ground were considered out of the question given the 1993 debacle in Somalia,which later became the subject of a best-selling book and film, “Blackhawk Down.”

Jan 11, 2014 – 6:43 am EST
Top US leadership feels diplomat row ‘most stupid thing to do’

WASHINGTON (TIP): Recognizing the damage that the diplomat row has done to the India-US relationship, there is a realisation in the top American leadership that “it was the most stupid thing to do” on their part and that they would now have to “work overtime” to bring back the ties on track. As Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade landed in New Delhi last night, there was a sense of relief in the US government, with officials expressing their determination to move forward the relationship, which President Barack Obama has described as the defining partnership of the 21st century. “The US and India enjoy a broad and deep friendship, and this isolated episode is not indicative of the close and mutually respectful ties that we share,” White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said.

Obama, sources said, was regularly updated on the development and National Security Advisor Susan Rice too was monitoring the situation; so was Secretary of State John Kerry, it is believed. “This has clearly been a challenging time in the US-India relationship. We expect and hope that this will now come to closure and the Indians will now take significant steps with us to improve our relationship and return it to a more constructive place,” State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki told reporters. Arrested on December 12, Khobragade, 39, was strip- searched and held with criminals, triggering a row between the two countries with India retaliating by downgrading privileges of certain category of US diplomats among other steps.

Now that the Khobragade has returned to India, sources told that there was “furious” reaction in the top American leadership when this was first brought to their notice on December 12, the day Khobragade was arrested in New York on charges of visa fraud and misrepresentation of facts. “It was one of the most stupid thing to do,” a top American leadership is learnt to have said, referring to the damage the diplomat case has done to the India-US ties. In fact a source pointed that the level of “furious reaction” in the top American leadership was similar to that of India. “If the Indians were furious, so were we.” It is one of the reasons why, Kerry in the middle of his overseas trip, made it a point to reach out to external affairs minister Salman Khurshid and since he could not be available at that time, he spoke with National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon. During the conversation, Kerry is believed to have apologised for the incident, sources said. But the public statement issued by the State Department noted that Kerry expressed his regret to Menon.

Jan 11, 2014 – 6:42 am EST
US court upholds approval of BP oil spill settlement

NEW ORLEANS (TIP): Over BP’s objections, a federal appeals court on January 10 upheld a judge’s approval of the company’s multibillion-dollar settlement with lawyers for businesses and residents who claim the massive 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico cost them money. BP has argued that US district judge Carl Barbier and court-appointed claims administrator Patrick Juneau have misinterpreted settlement terms in ways that would force the London-based oil giant to pay for billions of dollars in inflated or bogus claims by businesses.

During a hearing in November before a three-judge panel of the 5th US circuit court of Appeals, a BP lawyer argued that Barbier’s December 2012 approval of the deal shouldn’t stand unless the company ultimately prevails in its ongoing dispute over business payments. But the divided panel on Friday ruled that Barbier did not err by failing to determine more than a year ago whether the class of eligible claimants included individuals who haven’t actually suffered any injury related to the spill. Affirming Barbier’s initial ruling in 2012, the court said in its 48-page majority opinion that it can’t agree with arguments raised by BP and others who separately objected to the settlement.

“No case cited by BP or the Objectors suggests that a district court must also safeguard the interests of the defendant, which in most settlements can protect its own interests at the negotiating table,” the ruling says. The majority rejected BP’s request for the panel to “find an intraclass conflict of interest because the claimants allegedly include persons and entities that have suffered no injury.” “In support of this allegation, BP presents us with a series of economists’ declarations that had not been provided to the district court when the class was certified,” the ruling says. One of the three appellate judges, Emilio M. Garza, disagreed with the majority in a 14-page dissent. Garza said the “attempted global settlement fails in a narrow, but significant, regard” and should be vacated so it can be fixed.

Plaintiffs’ lawyers have argued that BP simply undervalued the settlement and underestimated how many claimants would be eligible for payments. “Today’s ruling is an enormous victory for the Gulf, and an important step forward in ensuring that every eligible claimant is fully compensated according to the objective, transparent formulas spelled out in the settlement agreement that BP co-authored and agreed to,” said plaintiffs’ attorneys Steve Herman and Jim Roy, who negotiated the settlement and urged the 5th Circuit to uphold it. BP didn’t immediately comment on Friday’s decision. In October, a different 5th Circuit panel threw out Barbier’s rulings on the dispute over business payments and ordered him to change the calculation of some damages. Last month, Barbier rejected BP’s argument that the settlement shouldn’t compensate businesses if they can’t directly trace their losses to the spill. BP has asked the other panel to overturn that ruling. The settlement doesn’t have a cap, but BP initially estimated that it would pay roughly $7.8 billion to resolve the claims. Later, as it started to challenge the business payouts, the company said it no longer could give a reliable estimate for how much the deal will cost.

Jan 11, 2014 – 6:41 am EST
2013: ENTERTAINMENT ROUNDUP

2013 has been an eventfull year for the entertainment industry whether it be for our own Bollywood or all the way to Hollywood. From Shah Rukh Khan-Salman Khan hug to Miley Cyrus turning all wacky, from Ranbir-Katrina’s trip to Ibiza to Angelina Jolie’s double mastectomy, the year was full of such events. We take a look at a few controversies, celebs, films and all things that made 2013 the year that it was.

This year has been a blockbuster year for Bollywood. While 8 films entered Rs.100 crore club this year and 3 amongst them made it to Rs.200 crore club. It was a record breaking year, Chennai Express became the biggest grosser of all time leaving behind 3 Idiots, but soon Krrish 3 was the one to mint maximum money and then came the Hurricane Dhoom 3 which is still going strong. Adult film like Grand Masti also made it to Rs.100 crore club.

Shah Rukh Khan-Salman Khan hug

It was a Kodak moment for Bollywood, infact for India when Bollywood’s arch rival superstars hugged each other and apparently patched up. Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan, who had fallen out over some unknown issue during Katrina Kaif’s birthday party five years back, hugged each other at the Iftar party hosted by Congress leader Baba Siddique in Mumbai on July 21. But the question was is that hug really a patch-up or was just a compulsion out of courtesy. And soon the answer was clear for world to see, both the stars on separate occasion made it clear that they can never be friends again. Sigh!

Miley Cyrus and her wacky antics

This year was clearly of pop sensation Miley Cyrus, who shook off that Disney princess image and became the pop phenomenon. She started making news in 2012 after she chopped her hair and in 2013 the series of Miley’s antics started with the infamous appearance at the MTV Video Music Awards. Dressed in a bear-inspired leotard, Miley not only stripped down to latex lingerie, she also gyrated, showed the middle finger, and stuck out her tongue (a lot) and twerked with Robin Thicke.

Then came the video of her music video Wrecking Ball. Miley wore just her favourite boots and climbed atop a wrecking ball. She also licked a sledgehammer. If that was not all she also smoked weed at MTV EMAs. Apart from all these antics, sticking out her toungue, twerking, spanking became a regular part of her performances throughout the year. Well, all her moves paid off as she became the most searched celebrity of the year and her singles Wrecking Ball and Bangerz did extremly well. Lets see how she will shock or surprise us on 2013.

Ranbir-Katrina’s trip to Spain
Their relationship was a secret that everybody knew but was still under the wrap till the pictures of Katrina in a white and red bikini and Ranbir in a pair of bermuda holidaying together on a beach in Ibiza went viral. Later, Katrina wrote an open letter to the media stating that she felt upset, distressed and this was an invasion of her privacy. But after that the couple became a little less and were spotted together many times in parties, movie dates etc.

A year of controversies
From weeing in a bucket while yelling “F**k Bill Clinton!” to becoming a wanted criminal for vandalism in Australia, it seems the pop star did everything wrong this year. The singer has been though a break-up, been criticised for his poor performances, had more than a few run-ins with the paparazzi. He was snapped coming out from a brothel in Rio de Janeiro, he was photographed spitting over a Toronto hotel balcony onto besotted fans waiting below the list goes on. And then he broke hearts of many Beliebers when he announced his retirement from music. Bieber told in an interview: “Um, I’m actually retiring man. I’m just gonna take some time. I think I’m probably gonna quit music, I’m quitting everything.” His manager then did a damage control and confirmed that his ‘artist’ was “just kidding”. Not letting the fiasco die down, Justin Bieber tweeted “My beloved beliebers I’m officially retiring” on Christmas Eve. Followed by a tweet: The media talks a lot about me.They make a up a lot of lies and want me to fail but I’m never leaving you, being a belieber is a lifestyle. We can’t wait to see what Justin will be upto in 2014.

Clebrities breakup

The year 2013 saw a number of relationships coming to its end. The most shocking was Hrithik Roshan and Sussanne Roshan’s seperation. The two couples decided to part ways and instead of allowing nasty speculation about their relationships, they chose to make dignified announcements. Hrithik Roshan sent out a statement to all the media houses about how his wife Sussane and he have mutually decided to part ways; pleading for “some privacy”. Kalki Koechlin and Anurag Kashyap too officially announced about their seperation.

“We are not filing for divorce, we are taking time off from each other to sort our issues,” she announced. Among Hollywood celebs the most prominent splits were of Justin Bieber- Selena Gomez and Miley Cyrus-Liam Hemsworth. Selena Gomez confirmed her split from Justin Bieber to friends at the Golden Globes this year. Miley and Liam finally called their relationship off after being engaged for a year in September. It was long rumoured, but Miranda Kerr and Orlando Bloom parted ways in October officially. Nicole Scherzinger and Lewis Hamilton ended their five year on-off romance in July this year. On and off couple Rihanna and Chris Brown finally parted ways in April.

According to reports the split was Rihanna’s choice, as the 25-year-old singer wanted to focus on her business and career opportunities. Rihanna had given Brown, 23, a second chance despite fears among fans that he could mistreat her again after he battered her in a pre-Grammy row in 2009.

Angelina Jolie’s double mastectomy

In an op-ed in the New York Times, Angelina Jolie revealed about the preventive double mastectomy she had undergone. Her decision to go public about her medical treatment was brave, bold and appreciated by everyone. Angelina Jolie was talked and wrote about a loty for her decision to go public with her medical decisions and to create awareness among women.

Sanjay Dutt behind bars

Sanjay Dutt was sentenced to five years imprisonment in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case in May this year. Sanjay had already spent 18 months behind bars and was ordered to surrender within four weeks to serve the remaining sentence. Dutt is currently out on parole as her wife Manyata Dutt has a tumour in her liver. Dutt was granted parole earlier also on medical grounds for himself.

SRK’s baby AbRam and other celebs parents of 2013
Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan confirmed the arrival of their third child AbRam in July this year. AbRam was born through surrogacy and prematurely by several months. A complaint was also filed against SRK and his wife Gauri for allegedly having a pre-natal sex determination test done on their unborn child. The couple wasl later given a clean chit by BMC. Other celebs who became proud parents this year are: Kim Kardashian gave birth to a baby girl on June 15.

Kanye West and Kim named their daugther North West. Prince William and Kate Middleton became parents to a baby boy, weighing 8lbs 6oz. The Duchess of Cambridge gave birth to the royal couple’s first child at St Mary’s Hospital in London on July 22. Halle Berry is officially on diaper duty again. The Oscar winning actress gave birth to a baby boy in Los Angeles in October Bollywood actor Fardeen Khan and wife Natasha Madhwani have been blessed with a baby girl, Diani Isabella Khan this month.

Ayesha Takia who made her debut with Bollywood film Tarzan recently delivered a baby boy in December. Colombian singer Shakira gave birth to her first child – a boy – in a Barcelona hospital on Jan 22.

Nigella Lawson
Nigella, famous TV celebrity chef, known for her show by her name became a big example of what is wrong with being a silent victim in a marriage. Her husband and advertising tycoon Charles Saatchi of Saatchi & Saatchi was seen grabbing her neck in public during a casual lunch.

Jan 11, 2014 – 6:34 am EST
KERALA: A PARADISE ON EARTH

Kerala is magical. Every corner and every turn of this magnetic state has a visual wonder tucked away. So pack your bags and get ready; a travel across paradise awaits you A vacation to the south of India ensures more than just a magnificent visual treat and the skipping of a heartbeat. Kerala’s breathtaking views and natural splendors pull aside their green curtains to greet every traveller.

The friendly locals are helpful and join their hands together to welcome all avid travelers with platters of appam and puttu and a shy namaskaram. Away from all strains and burdens of a city life, this year, do take the time to visit the surreal state of Kerala. Kerala is a place resplendent with natural beauty. Named as one of the ‘ten paradises of the world’ by the National Geographic Traveler, Kerala is famous especially for its ecotourism initiatives. The states name, in fact, originates from two words- ‘kera’ and ‘alam’, where ‘kera’ means coconut and ‘alam’ means land or location.

Apart from the food, pristine rain forests, beguiling beaches, the one feature that’s exclusive to Kerala are the backwaters. These waters are marked by a unique ecosystem wherein lagoons, lakes, canals, estuaries and deltas of several rivers meet the Arabian Sea. If you are looking for a quiet, rejuvenating and peaceful getaway, then look around no more. The quaint and peaceful backwaters prove to be the perfect dose for your restless soul. Here’s a look at some of the prime spots where one can visit the backwaters.

Kumarakom
The village of Kumarakom is situated 16 km away from Kottayam town, Central Kerala. One can reach this place either by the train – 16 kms from Kottayam; or by air – 76 kms from Cochin International Airport. As one enters Kumarakom, the environment seems almost freshlylaundered and the serenity of the place takes one by surprise. The chirping of wild birds peeking from an unknown distance helps break the mysteriously silent ambience of the backwaters.

A bed of clay sand and a slippery inlet leads one towards a colony of the most exquisite and extremely beautiful houseboats. Some houseboats have an open wide front, designed for some lazy bachelors who want to lounge around with a small TV, food and drinks and watch the calm water. Some house boats have the capacity to carry almost 5 families. The land on both sides is dotted with gangling palm trees. As one looks ahead, one sees a vast stretch of nothingness; only the silent water.

Thiruvallam
The friendly, popular and crowded Thiruvallam is 10 kms from Thiruvananthapuram. One can reach this place by road or rail. This specific location is famous for its canoe rides, kayaking and cruises in kettuvalloms (house boats). The Boat Club here organises tours to the nearby islands of Pozhikara and Edayar as well as visits to coir manufacturing units.

While sailing, hear the peaceful chorus of the rippling water alongside your houseboat cruise as you float on the breathtaking Kerala backwaters with palm fringed golden beaches on both sides. What is also truly magical about a houseboat ride is the breathtaking view of the untouched and inaccessible rural Kerala while you float! Seeing bobbing heads of locals swimming alongside your boat isn’t uncommon. Nor is it rare to see small thatch-roofed huts on the banks of the waters with locals watching you sail by.

Ashtamudi
Located in Kollam district of Kerala in southern India, Ashtamudi is one of the major centres of backwater tourism. One can reach this place by rail; Kollam being the nearest rail head. One can also reach this place by bus. Both luxury as well as semi deluxe buses are available from Kollam to Ashtamundi. Ashtamudi means ‘eight coned’. This name is indicative of the lake’s topography. Thevally lake, Kandachira lake, Kureepuzha lake, Kallada lake, Perumon lake, Kumbalath lake, Kanjirottu lake and Thekkumbhagam lake form the eight branchs of Ashtamudi lake.

Apart from enjoying a peaceful backwater ride, one can also truly witness the culture and traditions of Kerala here. One can participate in the festivals at the Sreekrishna Swamy Temple, Asramam, Thrikkadavoor Mahadeva Temple and Kottamkulangara temple. The various islands that make a semicircular cover around the backwaters are converted into the most breath-taking and luxurious resorts. Long, comfortable benches are spread along the banks of these islands where happy and relaxed bones find peace and tranquility. At night, the backwaters light up and look like a picture post card.

Emerald green hills and mists slip over the hills in the aqueous light, passing through the ululating hills. So get ready, pack your bags, and look up ahead. A fulfilling vacation and a soulful journey is waiting for you along the cost of the Arabian Sea. Do take the time to visit this paradise – one that is God’s calls His Own.

Jan 11, 2014 – 6:26 am EST
ECONOMY ENDS 2013 ON SLUGGISH NOTE

NEW DELHI (TIP): There was no respite from sluggish data in 2013. Two sets of data released on December 31, the last day of 2013, showed the health of the economy still remained fragile. During April-November, the fiscal deficit was estimated at nearly Rs 5.1 lakh crore, or 94% of the full-year, estimate of Rs 5.42 lakh crore as revenues remained sluggish and total spending touched 61% of the budget estimate of Rs 16.6 lakh crore. Separate data showed the core sector grew 1.7% in November 2013 compared to an expansion of 5.8% in the year earlier period.

The November data showed some signs of improvement from the previous month when the sector had contracted 0.6%. The core sector accounts for nearly 38% of the index of industrial production and any sign of improvement in this vital segment augurs well for industrial output. Factory output had contracted 1.8% in October while retail inflation shot up above 11% in November, raising fresh doubts about the health of the economy.

“The sub-2% core sector growth combined with the moderation in the growth of merchandise exports, prevailing issues in the sugar and gems and jewellery sectors, and an uneven uptick in domestic consumption led by rural demand, suggest that industrial growth remained muted in November 2013,” ICRA economist Aditi Nayar said in a statement. But economists cautioned that fiscal situation was a bigger concern. “It will be difficult to meet the target on a business as usual basis,” said D K Joshi, chief economist at ratings agency Crisil.

“The government will have to resort to expenditure cuts, rollover expenditure to next year and speed up divestments and finally they will have to dig into dividends from public sector units to keep the fiscal deficit within the target of 4.8% of gross domestic product,” said Joshi. Finance minister P Chidambaram has said the government will not breach the red line on the fiscal deficit and will keep it within the target of 4.8% of GDP. The core sector, which spans coal, steel, cement, fertilizers, crude oil, natural gas, petroleum refinery products and electricity, has remained volatile in the past few months making it difficult to derive a trend.

But overall, the industrial sector has remained under stress, hit by stubborn inflation, high interest rates, high input costs and rising wage pressures. Investment has remained sluggish as demand remains muted. Economic growth slowed to a decade low of 5% in 2012-13 and is expected to be on similar lines in the current fiscal year. Two sectors, natural gas and petroleum refinery products, remained laggards. Coal production grew by 2.3% in November from a year earlier, crude oil production increased by 1.1% in November.

Natural Gas production declined by 11.3% in November compared to contraction of 15.1% in November, 2012. Petroleum refinery products fell 5% in November compared with a growth of 29.9% in the year earlier month. Fertilizer production posted a growth of 0.6% while steel production recorded a growth of 3.9%. Cement production rose 4.2% in November compared to a decline of 0.2% in November 2012. Electricity generation increased by 5.9% in November compared with a growth 2.9% in the year earlier month.

Jan 11, 2014 – 6:20 am EST
$20BN INFLOWS HELP VOLATILE MARKETS

MUMBAI (TIP): Boosted by a $20-billion foreign fund inflow and strong gains in exporters like software and pharma sectors, which benefited from a weak rupee, the sensex closed nearly 9% up in 2013, ending a volatile year on a positive note. This was the second-highest yearly FII flow for the Indian market, Sebi data showed. The year that just ended could be described as the year of software stocks with sector leader TCS gaining 73%, Wipro 61% and Infosys 50%, which took the BSE IT index up by 60%.

The year also witnessed strong gains for a host of pharma stocks with Sun Pharma rallying over 54% and Dr Reddy’s Labs closing with a gain of nearly 39%. Boosted by such strong performance, the healthcare index closed 22.6% higher. Among the laggards, real estate stocks continued their weak performance with the realty index on BSE sliding 32% on the year. It was also a bad year for PSU stocks with SBI, BHEL, Coal India and NTPC among the top five sensex laggards.

During the year, for a couple of months, the Indian market was out of the elite club of countries with $1- trillion market capitalization when in July-August the rupee was falling sharply but it ended the year at about $1.13 trillion (nearly Rs 70 lakh crore). With a general election round the corner and global uncertainties continuing, 2014 could be even more volatile, but there is strong hope that markets are going to rally, brokers said. According to Anup Bagchi, MD & CEO, ICICI Securities, agri and rural consumption will occupy centre stage, and the robust exports by IT, pharma, commodity exporters and companies with global footprints would continue their strong showing.

“High cost of funds, sluggish demand for corporate credit and elevated NPA levels will impact banks. Due to favourable regulations and easing competition in certain sectors like oil & gas, mainly the private sector companies and telecom are expected to benefit,” Bagchi said. According to Arun Kejriwal, director, KRIS, an investment research and advisory firm, so far, despite the US Fed announcing a tapering of its easy liquidity policy, FIIs have not turned negative on the Indian market, which is a very positive sign. “Till FIIs turn negative, there is no problem,” Kejriwal said.

Jan 11, 2014 – 6:17 am EST
BOMBARDIER SAID TO WIN ORDER FOR $2.2BN IN JETS

NEW YORK (TIP): Bombardier Inc said it has received a firm order for 38 business jets with a combined list price of about $2.2 billion. Bombardier didn’t disclose the precise value of the deal – customers such as airlines routinely get discounts from plane manufacturers – and didn’t identify the buyer. The Canadian plane maker said the order covered 28 Global jets and 10 Challenger 605 aircraft.

The Global line includes four models capable of carrying up to 19 passengers on flights as long as 7,900 nautical miles. The Challenger jet can carry 12 passengers and a crew of three up to 4,000 nautical miles. Separately, Bombardier announced that its transportation division ended a contract for new signaling equipment for the London Underground.

The subway system said it would re-bid a contract that was awarded to Bombardier in 2011 and valued at $577 million at the time. The company didn’t provide a detailed explanation, but The Telegraph of London reported that Bombardier determined that its signaling system wasn’t compatible with the Underground’s old infrastructure.

Jan 11, 2014 – 6:14 am EST
INDIA BIGGER MARKET THAN CHINA FOR LE CIRQUE

MUMBAI (TIP): For New York’s legendary restaurant chain, Le Cirque, India, and not China, is the largest Asian market. With the country’s old and nouveau rich warming up to luxe fine dining, Le Cirque’s scion Mario Maccioni has set his eyes on the Indian shores and has brought the culinary experience from Manhattan to Mumbai. As part of the chain’s fresh expansion push, Maccioni plans to make open more outlets in this part of the region. “India is culturally stronger than other nations and is financially growing.

The rising income of people here demands that we bring up the nation’s dining experience,” says the restaurateur, who after testing waters in New Delhi, has opened Le Cirque in Mumbai and is set to open in Chennai and Bangalore. “We are not looking at China at the moment. We first want to get a footing in India, which is our entry into the Asian market.”

The Indian presence will up the chain’s global presence from the current 12. Though the chain entered India with Le Cirque, it has chosen the Le Cirque Signature brand, which is a little easier on the pocket, for Mumbai, Chennai and Bangalore. “The crowd in these three cities is casual unlike Delhi where it is formal,” says Maccioni. A meal at Le Cirque Signature will cost Rs 6,000-Rs 7,000 per person.

Le Cirque has stepped up its operations at a time when several other luxury fine dining chains are jostling for space in India. However, the 48-year-old seems unfazed. “When there are 10 icecream shops on a street, you should go ahead and open the 11th one. The more the merrier.” Several other storied restaurants like London’s San Lorenzo, Spainsh-themed Arola and Japan’s Akira Back too have marked their presence at the country’s top five-star hotels like Taj and JW Marriott.

The journey began in 1974, when Maccioni’s father Sirio Maccioni opened Le Cirque in New York, which went on to become a landmark. The success of Le Cirque gave birth to Circo and Sirio Restaurante. The Sirio restaurant, for instance, is housed at the Taj Pierre hotel in New York. Sirio’s sons Mario, Marco and Mauro followed in his steps, taking over the reins of the family-owned business. “There came a point when we decided that we should look beyond US. At that time, we had our ears and eyes open and an opportunity came knocking in the form of The Leela’s.

We met Leela hotels president Rajeev Kaul and materialized the restaurant in New Delhi,” Maccioni says. Le Cirque has an exclusive arrangement with the Leela group of hotels. The owner of the illustrious brand, however, maintains that he does not want to go over the board by opening a number of restaurants across the world. “We do not want to be a large chain. We want to run a handful of restaurants where we can control quality and focus better,” he says. Well, that’s how most legendary chains want to be.

Jan 11, 2014 – 6:14 am EST

Salman Khurshid’s Call to Expatriates to Help Build India’s Brand Image

NEW DELHI (TIP): Minister of External Affairs Sh. Salman Khurshid, has exhorted the overseas Indians to become India’s best ambassadors to spread and popularize the country’s values, beliefs, culture and heritage overseas. Presiding over the session on ‘India Soft Power’ on Day-2 of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2014, Khurshid called upon the delegates to be active in social networking to enable India to build its brand name and image so that deeper economic engagements are concluded with overseas economies, irrespective of their size.

Addressing the session, Kapil Sibal, Minister of Communication & Information Technology and Law & Justice said, the present aspirational India will begin to inspire the remaining part of the globe by 2025, as it will have 90 crore people in the working age population, throwing a lone challenge for successive governments to provide infrastructure and growth opportunities for the people to realize their collective potential. Sibal said that by 2020, 60 crore Indians would have migrated to large cities, embracing latest technologies with the best of education at their command.

This would create windows for them to unleash their potential and make India a hub to interact and interconnect with the rest of the world. The revenue generated in 2006 through IT &ITEs was estimated at $40 billion which has gone up to $100 billion now. Of this, $75 billion was contributed by export earnings. This was indicative of the strides made by the Indian economy, he added. Sibal complimented the diaspora present at the convention, saying that it epitomized India’s soft power and has done India proud and hoped that it continued to serve India. Minister of Culture, Smt Chandresh Kumari Katoch in her presentation, stated that the Indian diaspora should actively spread its civilization, heritage and cultural ethos in their host countries and organize promotional events.

Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards Winners
The President of India Sh. Pranab Mukherjee has conferred Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards to thirteen NRIs, PIOs and Organisations for their outstanding and illustrious contribution in the country of their residence as well as to India in different spheres of their activity.

Sr. No	Name	Country	Description
1	Ms Lisa Maria Singh	Australia	Public service and fostering friendly relations between India and Australia.
2	Mr. Kurian Varghese	Bahrain	Business for enhancing India’s image and for Promotion better understanding of India abroad.
3	Mr Vasdev Chanchlani	Canada	Community service and fostering ties between India and Canada.
4	Ramakrishna Mission	Fiji	Community service and philanthropic activity and enhancing India’s prestige abroad.
5	Satnarainsing Baldewsingh	Netherlands	Public service and developing closer ties between India and South Africa.
6	Bikas Chandra Sanyal	France	Education and culture and enhancing India’s image.
7	Sasindran Muthuvel	Papua New Guinea	In the field of Public service.
8	Shihabudeen Vava Kunju	Saudi Arabia	Community service and promoting ties between India and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
9	Ela Gandhi	South Africa	Public service, enhancing India’s image and promoting ties between India and South Africa.
10	Dr. Shamsheer Parambath	United Arab	Health business and in promoting Better understanding of India
11	Shailesh Lakhman Vara	United Kingdom	Public service and in promoting ties between India and the people of U.K.
12	Dr. Parthasarathy Pillai	USA	Science and for fostering closer relations between India and USA.
13	Renu Khator	USA	Education and enhancing India’s prestige abroad.

Jan 11, 2014 – 6:03 am EST

GOVERNMENT INTRODUCES ‘KNOW INDIA PROGRAMME’ FOR NRI AND PIO YOUTH

NEW DELHI (TIP): The Government has introduced a programme named “Know India Programme” for young persons of Overseas Indians with a view to provide them an exposure to the country of their origin so that they can understand it better and more intimately. Addressing a press conference on the 2nd day of PBD -2014, Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs, Vayalar Ravi said that under the Programme, 20 young persons of Indian origin in the age group of 18 to 24 from different countries visit India extensively every year, which will provide them an opportunity to have a deeper insight into Indian people and society.

Ravi said more than 900 delegates of Overseas Indians from about 50 countries have participated in this PBD and the highest number of 200 delegates are from Malaysia only. The Pravasi Bharatiya Centre in Delhi which was scheduled to be completed in September last year, will be completed very soon, he added.

Jan 11, 2014 – 5:42 am EST
Improving travel experience of NRI youth is high on Civil Aviation Ministry’s agenda: KC Venugopal

New Delhi (TIP): K.C. Venugopal, Minister of State for Civil Aviation, has underlined the Govrnment’s commitment to improve the travel experience of the youth who search for greener pastures across the world. Addressing a session on ‘Young Achievers’ at the Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, the Minister said, “Air India as the National Carrier is indebted to the Overseas Indians and always offers you the opportunity to fly you around. Air India had a bad time combating with debts. Now we are regaining the ground. We are happy that the improved customer confidence is being reflected in the bookings as well.

There were certain issues and concerns about the performance of Air India Express, the low cost carrier from Air India Group. Air India Express is specially designed for Gulf sector services. The process of empowering Air India Express as an independent business entity is progressing. We have rolled out many initiatives to make Air India Express complaint free. We have also increased our services to Gulf Sector, and on time performance is monitored at the apex level to ensure customer satisfaction. To hear from the NRIs personally about their concerns about Air India Express, I started a mail service too”, he said. The Minister said that every generation of NRIs has its own specific opportunities and challenges.

The long cultural exchange and bartering between the countries have set the soil ready for larger acceptance of young Indians. He said, “The second generation NRIs are the ambassadors of a resurgent India, which has opened its doors for the world. Ambition, innovation and management expertise in international trade are the trademarks of a successful Young Indian. They have enhanced footsteps of Indian business across the world. Even in Kerala, we have many such young investors who ventured to go out from their middle class houses in small towns to international business hotspots. However, the expectation levels and competencies of new generation NRIs are manifold compared to their predecessors. They deserve more handholding and enabling policies by the Indian Government.

It is a fact that there are initiatives to motivate the young investors back home in India. But I do believe that we have to expand our net so that a government umbrella for Young Overseas Indians can be set up. Such a body will have to extract data regarding investment potential in each sector, may tie up prospective cash flow for various PPP models, may ensure single window clearance for NRI investments etc.” “As a country and a responsible government we are committed to provide young Indians similar opportunities elsewhere, so that they can confidently invest in India. It is high time that we need to develop our own engineering research and reduce dependence on the borrowed technologies. In this liberalized economy now we can afford to integrate R&D into the prime business of Indian companies. The companies also need to promote the synergy between industries & education,” said Shri Venugopal.

Jan 11, 2014 – 5:40 am EST
Inauguration of Melinda Katz

Melinda Katz was sworn in as the 19th President of the Borough of Queens. The ceremony was held Thursday, January 9, in the LeFrak Concert Hall at Queens College. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio administered the oath of office to Melinda Katz during Katz’s inauguration as the 19th President of the Borough of Queens..

Melinda Katz made her way to become the President of Borough of Queens, one of the most diverse Boroughs in the country. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio administered her the oath of office. Seen holding the Bible is U.S. Rep. Joseph Crowley

Holding the Old Testament used for the swearing-in was U.S. Rep. Joseph Crowley, the chairman of the Queens County Democratic Organization. The copy of the Old Testament they used had been given to Katz’s late father David (the founder of the Queens Symphony Orchestra) by Frank O’Connor, a former Queens County District Attorney.

Jan 11, 2014 – 5:31 am EST
Inauguration of Kate Murray

On the day of her induction to a sixth term, Hempstead Town Supervisor Kate Murray led a group of 5 newly elected officials and a compelling tribute to the heroes and the victims of Hurricane Sandy. The ceremony detailed Hempstead Town’s resilience and strength in the wake of the Superstorm. Murray, the first elected female supervisor of America’s largest township, was sworn in during a moving ceremony at Hempstead Town Hall on January 2, 2014.

The event featured a musical performance by American Idol finalist and Merrick resident Robbie Rosen, a special video presentation, appearances by heroes of Superstorm Sandy and the unveiling of a state-of-the-art recreation facility for children with special needs. Along with Murray, Senior Councilman Anthony J. Santino, Councilwoman Dorothy Goosby, Councilman Gary Hudes and Town Clerk Nasrin Ahmad, winners of November 2013 elections were also inducted during the ceremony. More than a year ago, on October 29, 2012, Hempstead Town encountered a storm unlike any other. Devastating floods and high winds destroyed thousands of homes in the South Shore communities.

Under Murray’s leadership, Hempstead Town went right to work, distributing supplies, replenishing decimated beaches, restoring essential facilities and services, assisting victims as they rebuilt their homes and supporting Sandy-impacted businesses. “Over the past year, we’ve confronted the aftermath of a natural disaster, we’ve struggled, persevered and continue to recover,” Murray said. “What became most evident during this time of trial and tribulation was that, indeed, home is not made up of bricks, mortar and lumber. Rather, home is where memories are made, neighbors care for one another and a community exudes the warmth of a family’s loving embrace. Welcome home, Welcome to Hempstead Town.” In recognition of bravery in the face of danger, Murray presented a distinguished service pin to Chief Anthony D’Esposito of the Island Park Fire Department.

In the dark of night, the chief and his crew of volunteer firefighters marched through several feet of floodwater, damaged utility wires, dangerous fires and wind-driven debris to rescue trapped neighbors in their Sandy-slammed community. Murray recognized the efforts Mike and Gabrielle Fehling, who lost their home and business, Empire Kayaks, to Superstorm Sandy. They worked tirelessly to re-open their popular business and rebuild their home. The supervisor also saluted Rocco Anastasio, co-owner of Tropix on the Mile in Freeport, who rebuilt the Sandyimpacted business with his own hands, working closely with craftsmen throughout the process. “While some of our families are still struggling and recovering from Sandy, I am here to reassure those members of our family that they will always have a home in Hempstead Town,” Murray said. “Neighbors have rebuilt their houses while our township is rebuilding our island home.”

Jan 11, 2014 – 5:28 am EST
Inauguration of Edward P. Mangano.

Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano celebrated the inauguration for his second term Thursday, January 2, at Bethpage High School, his alma matter. When a paper Bible couldn’t be located, he took the oath of office with his hand on an iPad that had the Bible onscreen Various speakers included Governor Andrew Cuomo and Rep. Peter King, as well as Senators Charles Schumer, Alfonse M. D’Amato and Dean Skelos. “Ed Mangano has had four years of moments,” Cuomo said.

Mangano is sworn in for his second term by the Honorable Thomas Feinman

“In those four years, he has demonstrated a leadership capacity that is extraordinary.” Christopher Macchio serenaded the audience with performances of “Nessun Dorma” and “You Raise Me Up”. The oath of office was performed by the Honorable Thomas Feinman, after which Mangano offered his gratitude to the residents of Nassau County. “Now is the time for me to thank Nassau County,” Mangano said. “Thank you for allowing me to serve as County Executive for a second term. The support is overwhelming and very heart-warming.”

Jan 11, 2014 – 5:26 am EST
January, the month of Inaugurations

NEW YORK (TIP): November, 2013 was a month of elections. December, 2013 was a month of celebrations. And January 2014 is a month of Inaugurations. The Indian Panorama brings alive for our readers some of the more important inaugurations that took place in the first week of January.

Inauguration of Bill de Blasio as Mayor of New York City
Bill de Blasio was elected 109th Mayor of New York City in November elections. In his landslide victory, he defeated his Republican rival Joe Lhota by a colossal margin. Blasio was earlier Public Advocate of New York. In the beginning of the race for a Democratic nomination, he was considered an underdog, trailing almost behind everyone (there were three other contenders) but he came on top.

Early on in his campaign he established a huge lead over his Republican rival who was no match for him. In his inauguration speech , January 1, in front of City Hall, Bill de Blasio laid out a mayoralty that emphasized social and economic justice. Also inaugurated were Letitia James as Public Advocate and Scott M. Stringer as City Comptroller. Letitia has been a Councilwoman while Scott has been the Manhattan borough president.

Jan 11, 2014 – 5:22 am EST
Diplomatic Retaliation: India Expels Senior US Diplomat

NEW YORK (TIP): A full scale diplomatic war seems to have erupted between India and USA over the arrest and strip-search of a senior Indian Diplomat Devyani Khobragade in New York on December 12, 2013 and her subsequent indictment for “visa fraud”. In what can be seen as a tit for tat action, India, on January 10, expelled a senior US diplomat in retaliation for the expulsion of Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade hours earlier after she had been indicted by a grand jury in New York in a visa fraud case.

Arrest of Khobragade had led to tense diplomatic stand- off between the two countries which saw the US finally approving her accreditation to the UN on Wednesday, January 8 which gave her full immunity against partial immunity she enjoyed in her position as Deputy Consul General at the time of her arrest.Khobragade was told by the US to leave the country immediately after India refused to waive her diplomatic immunity to face trial. In a quick retaliation, New Delhi ordered the expulsion of an American diplomat of similar rank who was involved in arranging for the “evacuation” of three members of the maid’s family from India two days before Khobragade was arrested.

Refraining from using the term “expulsion”, official sources said in New Delhi that the US Embassy has been asked to “withdraw” one of its diplomats. Government of India has “reasons to believe that the diplomat is closely involved in the processes relating to the Khobragade case and subsequent unilateral action by the US”, the sources said without divulging the name of the American diplomat. The diplomat was understood to be closely involved in the “evacuation” of the family of Sangeeta, whose husband and two children were flown to the US with tickets issued by the official travel agency of the US Embassy. The diplomat is believed to have also signed the tax exemption for the air tickets using his diplomatic card. India’s tit-for-tat action is only the second instance of a US diplomat being expelled, the first instance being expulsion of George Griffin, then political Counselor, 33 years ago. That was in retaliation against similar action taken by the US against Prabhakar Menon, an Indian diplomat.

It is understood that it was always the effort of the government to bring back Khobragade, who had surrendered her passport after the arrest and was out on a bail of USD 250,000, through G-1 visa route which would have given her full immunity. Meanwhile, the office of US Attorney Preet Bharara made it known that the charges against Khobragade will remain pending until such time as she can be brought to Court to face the charges, either through a waiver of immunity or on her return to the US in a non-immune status which would make her liable to arrest. The United States has “deeply regretted” that India felt it necessary to expel the American diplomat. “We deeply regret that the Indian government felt it was necessary to expel one of our diplomatic personnel,” the State Department spokesman Jen Psaki said. “I can confirm that a US official accredited to the (American) Mission in India will be leaving post at the request of the government of India”, Psaki said. The spokesman said “this has clearly been a challenging time in the USIndia relationship” and the US expected that “this relationship will not come to a closure and India will take “significant steps” to improve the ties and return to a more “constructive place”.

Jan 11, 2014 – 5:12 am EST
2013 — THE DEAR DEPARTED

Renowned film actor Farooq Sheikh passed away on December 28 following a massive heart attack in Dubai. The 64-year-old actor was last seen in Club 60, released earlier this month. Sheikh was best known for his roles in Satyajit Ray’s Shatranj Ke Khiladi, Sai Paranjpe’s Chashme Baddoor and Sagar Sarhadi’s Bazaar.

PETER O’TOOLE

Peter O’Toole was an Irish actor. Often called the Hamlet of his generation. Nominated for eight Academy Awards for Best Actor in his lifetime. Some of his well-known works include ‘Lawrence of Arabia’, ‘Venus’ and ‘The Stunt Man’. Died on December 14.

VIDYA CHARAN SHUKLA

Vidya Charan Shukla, Former Union Cabinet minister and Congress leader. Close aide of Indira Gandhi. Critically injured in Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh on May 25. Succumbed to his injuries on June 11.

TARLA DALAL

Tarla Dalal, one of India’s most celebrated chefs and prolific cookbook writers. Died on November 6.

SYD FIELD

Syd Field was an American screenwriting guru. Died on November 17.

SRIKANTA DATTA WODEYAR

Scion of the erstwhile Mysore royal family, former Congress MP from the Mysore constituency and also a fashion designer. Died on December 10.

SIR JOHN TAVENER
Famous British composer. Some of his wellknown works include ‘Song for Athene’ and ‘The Whale’. Died on November 12.

SIR ANTHONY CARO
Widely regarded as the greatest British sculptor of his generation and worked as an assistant to Henry Moore in the 1950s. Died on October 23.

SHAMSHAD BEGUM

She was one of the first playback singers in the Hindi film industry. Died on April 23.

SHAKUNTALA DEVI
Known for her mathematical prowess and the ability to compute complex equations mentally. Died on April 21.

SEAMUS HEANEY
One of the world’s best-known poets and winner of the 1995 Nobel Prize for literature. Died on August 30.

SANDEEP ACHARYA

Winner of second season of Indian Idol. Died on December 15.

RITUPARNO GHOSH

National Award winner filmmaker. His widely acclaimed films include ‘Unishe April’, ‘Dahan’, ‘Asukh’, ‘Chokher Bali’, ‘Raincoat’, ‘Bariwali’, ‘Antarmahal’ and ‘Noukadubi’. Died on May 30.

RAY PRICE
Famous American singer and guitarist. Some of his well-known works include ‘Night Life’, ‘Release Me’ and ‘Crazy Arms’. Died on December 16.

RAJENDRA YADAV
Noted Hindi author and a pioneer of the literary movement ‘Nayi Kahani’. Died on October 28.

PRAN

Appeared in over 350 films. His widely acclaimed films include ‘Madhumati’, ‘Ram Aur Shyam’, ‘Don’, ‘Zanjeer’ and ‘Upkar’. Winner of Padma Bhushan and Dadasaheb Phalke Award. Died on July 12.

Hugo Chavez (March 5)
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez died after a two-year battle with cancer, ending 14 years of tumultuous rule that made the socialist leader a hero for the poor but a hate figure to his opponents. The flamboyant 58-year-old had undergone four operations in Cuba for a cancer that was first detected in his pelvic region in mid-2011. His last surgery was on December 11, 2012 and he had not been seen in public since.

Margaret Thatcher (April 8)

Britain’s first woman Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, known as the Iron Lady, passed away in April this year following a stroke at the age of 87. Thatcher’s three terms as Prime Minister brought enormous change to the UK.

ABIR GOSWAMI (MAY 30)
Television actor Abir Goswami, who acted in Hindi films such as ‘Khakee, Lakshya’ and ‘Darna Mana Hai’, died at the age of 37 following a heart attack.. Abir Goswami had acted in TV serials like ‘Kkusum, Yahan Main Ghar Ghar Kheli, Hotel Kingston’ and ‘Pyar Ka Dard Hai’. Abir was diagnosed with lymphoma in May 2012 and had unndergone surgery.

JIAH KHAN (JUNE 3)
The 25-year-old actress, best remembered as the ‘Nishabd’ girl, was found hanging at her flat in suburban Mumbai this year. A six-page suicide note was discovered by Jiah Khan’s mother a few days after her death. In the note Jiah wrote about her relationship with Suraj Pancholi, that landed the budding actor in jail. After spending over 20 days in jail, Suraj was released on bail. While the police claimed it was a case of suicide, Jiah’s mother Rabiya Khan alleged that it was not suicide and sought police to probe the angle of murder.

CORY MONTEITH (JULY 13)
‘Glee’ star Cory Monteith died of intravenous heroin use combined with the ingestion of alcohol in his hotel room in Vancouver. Monteith became famous as Finn Hudson with the success of Fox’s musical series since its launch in 2009. He was dating Lea Michele, who also played his onscreen love interest in the series and supported his decision to get into rehab.

MANNA DEY (OCTOBER 24)
Legendary playback singer Manna Dey died at a city hospital in October after prolonged illness. Manna Dey, 94, who was admitted to Narayana Hrudayalaya five months ago for respiratory problems, died of cardiac arrest. He was born as Prabodh Chandra Dey but was popularly known as Manna Dey. Manna Dey then began his journey in Bollywood as an assistant music director in 1942 when he accompanied Krishna Chandra Dey to Mumbai (then Bombay). During his lifespan, the legendary singer received Dadasaheb Phalke Award and National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer.

RESHMA (NOVEMBER 3)
Legendary Pakistani folk singer Reshma, who mesmerised music lovers in the Indian subcontinent with soulful rendition of songs like ‘Lambi Judai’ and ‘Dama Dam Mast Kalandar’ in her trademark rustic voice, died in Lahore on after a prolonged battle with throat cancer.

PAUL WALKER (NOVEMBER 30)
The star of the ‘Fast & Furious’ movie series died in a tragic car crash this November. The horrifying car crash killed Walker and his friend in north of Los Angeles. Walker, 40, was working on ‘Fast & Furious 7’ at the time of his death. He also starred in the suspense drama, ‘Hours’, which is set for release this month.

NELSON MANDELA (DEC 5)

Anti-Apartheid leader and former President of South Africa Nelson Mandela died at his Johannesburg home after a prolonged lung infection. He was born on 18th July 1918 in a small village of Mvezo which was then a part of South Africa’s Cape Town province. He was given the forename Rolihlahla which basically means ‘troublemaker’. Mandela’s name was going to have a huge effect on him in the future as he would go onto create enormous trouble for the ruling racist regime in South Africa.

DAVID COLEMAN (DEC 21)
British sports broadcaster David Coleman, who covered 11 Summer Olympics for the BBC and six football World Cups, died at the age of 87. Coleman retired from the BBC in 2000 after covering the Sydney Olympics. He became the first broadcaster to receive an Olympic Order medal to recognize his contribution to the Olympic movement.

MIKHAIL KALASHNIKOV (DECEMBER 23)
Mikhail Kalashnikov, the designer of famed Russian AK-47 assault rifle, passed away in his home city of Izhevsk, an industrial town. Kalashnikov was the carnage of World War II, when Nazi Germany overran much of the Soviet Union, which altered his course and made his name as well-known for bloodshed as Smith, Wesson and Colt. The distinctive shape of the gun, often called “a Kalashnikov,” appeared on revolutionary flags and adorns memorabilia

Jan 10, 2014 – 9:07 am EST
SIR ANTHONY CARO

Widely regarded as the greatest British sculptor of his generation and worked as an assistant to Henry Moore in the 1950s. Died on October 23.

Jan 10, 2014 – 8:51 am EST
SHAMSHAD BEGUM

She was one of the first playback singers in
the Hindi film industry. Died on April 23.

Jan 10, 2014 – 8:50 am EST
SHAKUNTALA DEVI

Known for her mathematical prowess and the
ability to compute complex equations
mentally. Died on April 21.

Jan 10, 2014 – 8:49 am EST
SEAMUS HEANEY

One of the world’s best-known poets and winner of the 1995
Nobel Prize for literature. Died on August 30.

Jan 10, 2014 – 8:48 am EST

Month: January 2014

Signup to our Newsletter!