NEW DELHI (TIP): NDA partner and Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan on Thursday spoke out on the Bihar election defeat for the first time since the verdict, saying the rival grand alliance benefitted from successfully convincing people that reservation for backwards would be withdrawn and minorities won’t be safe if the NDA came to office.
Even though Paswan refrained from directly blaming RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, he agreed that the quota remark and the Dadri incident were the two major reasons for votes moving away from NDA parties.
Besides the two controversial issues, the decision of Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar to shift a number of castes from OBCs to EBCs and from EBCs to SCs/STs also led to consolidation of votes in favour of the grand alliance, the LJP chief said at a press conference.
Replying to a question on Bhagwat’s remarks on quota review, Paswan said, “I do not think that this was the only issue. But this is true that the grand alliance leaders were to a large extent successful in misleading people with the help of that statement. That became a major issue. They were able to convince people that if NDA comes to power, reservation will be done away with.”
He added, “We were not successful in convincing voters from SCs and OBCs that it is not so, though all of us including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah clearly said that there was no plan to undo reservation system.”
He hastened to add that he was not in a position to say in what context Bhagwat had made the remarks or whether he was saying this in response to Hardik Patel’s stir for reservation for Patels in Gujarat.
Besides, he spoke about the discomfiture in NDA over the lynching in Dadri on the beef issue and subsequent row. “The incident of Dadri was a law and order problem and the blame for it should have gone to Samajwadi Party, which rules Uttar Pradesh. It should have been treated as an issue concerning Mulayam Singh Yadav. Latching on to this incident, the opposition was also successful in convincing minorities in Bihar that they will not be safe if NDA came to power,” Paswan said.
NEW DELHI (TIP): Underworld don Chhota Rajan was on Nov 19 evening handed over to the Tihar jail authorities. Rajan will spend his first night in a high security cell inside jail number 2.
Jail sources said that he was brought to the prison around 6 in the evening by CBI officials, who had custody of the gangster.
The don was extradited from Indonesia earlier this month after his arrest on October 27 at the Bali airport, where he was held while travelling under a false name. Sources said the don was kept alone and would be under constant CCTV surveillance. From Friday, he will be allowed to move only in a small corridor outside his cell. Tamil Nadu state police personnel will be posted to ensure that he is not ‘attacked’.
Sources said around 6.30pm on Wednesday, Rajan was brought to jail number 2.
Sources said that in the coming weeks, he could be given the facility of attending court hearings through video conferencing. “He is alone in his cell because of the high-security threat to him. He will not mix with anyone. A deputy superintendent has been asked to ensure that someone is always on his watch round the clock,” said a jail officer.
Even if Rajan is not able to get video conferencing facility, sources said that he would travel alone to the next court appearance slated for November 3.
CBI takes over cases
The CBI on Thursday took over 71-odd cases of Maharashtra police against Mumbai gangster Chhota Rajan, with the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) issuing a mandatory notification effecting the move on a request from the state government. “The CBI is in the process of taking over these cases,” said a CBI spokesperson.
A city court on Thursday sent Rajan to the city’s high-security Tihar jail in judicial custody for two weeks in a CBI case related to alleged passport fraud.
“Rajan was today produced before the competent court and the court sent him in 14 days’ judicial custody to the Tihar prison,” the spokesperson said. According to a CBI source, the agency will soon seek permission of the court to question Rajan in the cases, which are being re-registered.
The HT on Wednesday had first reported that the CBI will take over Maharashtra police’s cases against Rajan this week. The DoPT notification was in response to an earlier notification of the Maharashtra government beginning the handover process. It is yet to be seen, however, if all cases against Rajan, including those that are undergoing trial like the one pertaining to murder of Mumbai’s senior crime journalist Jyotirmoy Dey in 2011, are among the cases handed over to the agency, said the source.
NEW DELHI (TIP): Hours before Nitish Kumar’s swearing-in as Bihar chief minister following an election that the BJP handsomely lost, party rebel Shatrughan Sinha, through a series of tweets, continued to taunt his party leadership, which he has repeatedly attacked for ignoring him during the crucial polls.
“It has been the victory of democracy. I wish the new government led by Nitish babu, Laluji and rising star Rahul Gandhi great success,” the actor-turned-politician tweeted on Thursday night.
Hours ago at an event in New Delhi, the Congress vice-president had launched a high-voltage assault on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sealing his position as Modi’s official enemy. Sinha now calling Rahul a “rising star” opens a new front in the Patna Sahib MP’s frequent barbs at the BJP, which began after the results of the Bihar elections were declared on November 8.
“I welcome Nitish “Susashan” Babu, messiah of development as CM of Bihar & congratulate Laluji, leader of masses for massive victory in Bihar,” said another tweet by Sinha, who added that “despite his best intention”, he will not be able to attend the swearing-in ceremony at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan.
“Will miss the ceremony, but Nitishbabu & Laluji, I remain a well-wisher, admirer and friend…and remember, once a friend, always a friend,” he tweeted.
NEW DELHI (TIP): Hitting back over BJP leader Subramaniam Swamy’s allegation questioning his nationality, Rahul Gandhi today accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of “throwing mud” on him through his “cronies” and dared the government to “jail” him if he is guilty. Addressing a Youth Congress gathering on the occasion of the 98th birth anniversary of Indira Gandhi, he also accused the RSS and the BJP of throwing mud on his family members ever since he was a child, asserting that he is “not going to be scared” by such things and that he will continue to fight against BJP. “Ever since I was a child, I have been watching people from RSS and BJP throwing mud at my grand mother, my father and even my mother. I want to say one thing. Modi ji is now the Prime Minister of India. Different kinds of allegations are levelled against me. There is not even an iota of truth in them.
“Modi ji, it is your government. You have the agencies. Get a probe done against me and send me behind bars if you find something. Stop all this–the mud that you throw at me and my family through your cronies. You are not in opposition, you are in government now,” Gandhi said amidst cheers from the youth Congress activists adding he did not have an “iota of fear” on the issue. He did not direct refer to Swamy but was apparently referring to his allegations on the basis of documents purportedly showing that Gandhi had claimed himself to be a British national before the company law authorities in the UK for setting up a company.
WASHINGTON (TIP): “Nazm is gaining ground in Mushaira,” said Javed Akhtar, the famous poet, film lyricist, and screenplay writer, presiding over 41st Annual International mushaira organized by the Aligarh Alumni Association in Washington on November 7, 2015. Nazm, which is a major part of the Urdu poetry normally written in rhymed verse and also in modern prose style poems, is a significant genre of Urdu poetry. “I was very pleased to see that a number poets have recited magnificent nazms in addition to ghazals and the number of female poets also presented excellent poetry at this mushaira,” he added.
Javed Akhtar recites his poems
Javed Akhtar has recently released a five-volume collection of poetry written by Akhtar’s grandfather Muztar Khairabadi. At the request of audience he described the 10-year journey that culminated in the publication of the, Khirman. He mentioned how the oft-repeated ghazal Na kisi kii ankh ka noor hoon, na kissi ke dil ka qarar hoon/Jo kisi ke kaam na aa sake main woh ek musht-e-ghubar hoon, ascribed to Bahadur Shah Zafar was actually written by Muztar. He elaborated that eminent literary critics such as Niyaz Fatehpuri, Ale Ahmad Suroor and Gopichand Narang had long argued that this verse was not found in Zafar’s complete works published in 1887 by the Nawal Kishore Press, and was definitely Muztar’s. The discovery of this ghazal, written in Muztar’s own handwriting and carrying his takhallus (pen name) Muztar, finally puts to rest any doubt about these much-quoted and often-sung verses, wrongly said to portray Zafar’s anguish when he was exiled from Hindustan to Rangoon. Another testimony, more by way of criticism of the ghazal’s weakness but nevertheless an acknowledgement of its authorship by Muztar, comes from a contemporary, Shah Muhammad Mumtaz Ali ‘Aah’ in 1928-barely a year after Muztar’s death.
Akhtar received thunderous applause when he recited his nazm, yeh khail kiya hai. At the request of the audience he also recited Woh Kamra and Waqt.
Welcoming the audience, Association’s President Farzana Farooqi briefly apprised the gathering about the activities of the Association. She informed that the Association had been in the forefront of organizing high-quality literary and cultural activities for the last 40+ years. It was this Association, which started the tradition of international mushaira in North America. Her speech was followed by rendition of Aligarh University Tarana, Yeh Mera Chaman Hai, which was written by Akhtar’s maternal uncle Majaz Lakhnawi. More than 600 Urdu-lovers that included diverse sections of the Indo-Pak community came to this event that was held at a newly-constructed spacious Gaithersburg High School, Gaithersburg, Maryland, a venue well suited to a grand literary environment.
The Mushaira was skillfully moderated by Dr. A. Abdullah, whose golden touch has been a key factor in making the ambience and effect of these mushairas memorable. Dr. Abdullah said that with a modest beginning of poetry recitation by a few Urdu lovers in 1975, the Mushaira has now entered in 5th decade. “Forty years of untiring efforts by the Washington Aligarh Alumni Association and support of the community, this Mushaira is now the expression of common heritage of all Urdu lovers in this area. It has become a reference for the introduction of Washington in the Urdu world. To preserve this history and the prestige of this Mushaira is responsibility of every one,” he added.
Dr. Mohammad Akbar thanked all the poets, guests, and audience for their continued support. He also acknowledged the hard work of volunteers.
In addition to Javed Akhtar twelve poets recited their kalam in their own unique style. Other well-recognized poets included Lata Haya and A. M. Turaz (India), Seema Ghazal and Sarwat Zehra (Pakistan). The local poets from USA, who also recited their kalam (poetry) were Abdullah, Akram Mahmood, Hana Khan, Khalid Irfan, Razi Raziuddin, and Sabiha Saba.
Javed Akhtar
Dr. A. Abdullah. Also seen at right is Javed Akhtar
Lata Haya
Sarvat Zehra
Seema Ghazal
Khalid
Samples of poetry of some poets are as follows:
Lata Haya- Hindi ki beti jise Urdu ne paala hai-a popular poet from Rajhasthan said:
Main ke aurat hoon, meri sharm hai mera zevar; bas Takkhallus isi bais to “Haya” Rakha hai
She was applauded for her poem about Urdu. She also brought the emotions of the audience to a high pitch with her soulful recitation of a poem she had written five days after her mother’s death.
Woh zid, woh shararat aur akarpan chala gaya; Maa jab chali gaee, mera bachpan chala gaya
Incidentally, Dr. Abdullah’s mother had also passed away five days before the mushaira and this poem brought tears in his eyes and many in the audience were also affected.
Dr. Abdullah, who was moderating the mushaira brought in the humorous poet Khalid Irfan of New York to the podium to change the somber mood. Khalid charmed the audience with his sophisticated jibes on the religious and political leaders and ongoing skirmishes between the neighboring countries-India and Pakistan.
Paijamo ka design ko badal daala to kiya gham hai; Hamari beewion ke gharare to eik jaise hain
Pareshan haal hai public magar donon muulkon ke; Meerasi, cricketer aur filmi sitare to eik jaise hain
Expressing his appreciation of Aligarh Alumni Association’s dedication of more than four decades to promoting Urdu in North America, Khalid said that Association’s contribution will be written in golden words in history.
Dr. Sabiha Saba, a neurobiologist by profession, congratulated the Association for providing top-class mushaira every year. She also expressed her gratitude by acknowledging the Association for establishing her in poetry and literature. She recited a few poems. A sample is given below.
Awwal-e-ishq ki who beytabi Kaisi manzil se hum guzar aaye Aap aaeN to phi Saba mahke Mahfil-e-bey baar meiN samara aye Turaz-a young Bollywood poet delighted the audience with dramatized presentation of his poetry. His rendering of poetry reminded the audiences that poetry reading was once a performing art as well. It was his participation in Washington mushaira and he was very impressed with the standard of mushaira and audience.
Akram Mahmood’s poetry expresses concerns of present day trials and tribulations, especially those encountered by immigrants.
Yeh hijr-e-musalsal ka wazeefa hai meri jaan Ek tark-e-sukoonat hi to hijrat nahin hoti.
Sarwat Zehra is a medical doctor by profession and has been writing ghazal, geet, and nazm. She is a rising female poet belonging to Fahmida Riaz’s school of thought expressing concerns of women.
Bint-e-Hawwua hoon main, yeh mera jurm hai Aur phir shaiyri to kara jurm hai.
Main tamasha nahin apna izhaar hoon Jaanti hoon mera bolna jurm hai
A number of people from the audience expressed their thanks to the Association for organizing this excellent mushaira. Mr. Kaleem Kawaja-a senior community leader-expressed his views as follows, “In the last about ten years some other Urdu wala groups have held mushairas in Washington and elsewhere in United States and Canada, but almost none of them have been able to develop the aura, flavor and reputation of Asli Aligarh Mushaira. Go to any other mushaira in Washington or other cities in US and you will hear people comparing them to the Washington Aligarh Mushaira.” Youn to hotey hain mushaerey aksar; laikin Aligarh Association key mushairey kaa haiy andaaz kutch aur, he added.
Dr. Moazzam Siddiqi-a prominent literary person and former Chief of Near-Eastern Languages at Voice of America said that Mushaira organizers deserve credit for inviting participation of more female poets. Most of them very enthusiastic and presented quality poetry. Historically, poetry recitation used to be more of a performing art and Lata Haya and Turaz enthralled the audience by presenting their poetry in that old style.
Dr. Renuka Misra-International Coordinator of the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) said that she has been associated with the Aligarh mushaira religiously since she arrived in Washington more than two decades ago. It is a real pleasure to see that the standard of mushaira has been increasing. It was real treat to see more female poets’ participation in this year’s mushaira. I feel that that there should have been more time provided for Lata Haya and Turaz.
Mr. Bharat Bhargava-a retired Senior Executive of the World Bank said that it was one of the most successful Mushairas ever. Every poet came participated with vigor and kept the audience engaged. The organizers did an incredible job and Dr. Abdullah was as usual amazing.
Mr. Naimullah Qazi-a senior community member wrote: This year’s mushaira was very good. Audience enjoyed it fully. Everyone appreciated the way it was conducted. Poets were also very comfortable with Washington Audience.
Professor Dr. Maina Singh, wife of India’s Ambassador in Washington and a literary personality was accompanied by Mr. Shiv Rattan, Counsellor Community Affairs. Embassy of Pakistan was represented by Mr. Nadeem Hotiana, Minister for Press. Notable personalities included presidents and office bearers of community organizations such as the Association of Indian Muslims (AIMS), the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO), Washington Hyderabad Association (HAWAMA), Hindi Association, India Cultural Coordination Committee (ICCC), and the University of Karachi Alumni Association (UKAA).
Actress Sonam Kapoor says the makers of Prem Ratan Dhan Payo had to explain to her that the film’s collections were good since she is clueless about the mathematics behind box-office numbers.
“I don’t understand numbers. I just don’t get how it works. I used to receive a call from Fox (co-producer) every day about the collections and I would say ‘Is it good or bad?’ and they would say, ‘It’s a very good news’. This film has made those kind of numbers, so obviously many people have watched the film,” Sonam said at a press meet for Prem Ratan Dhan Payo, where Salman Khan and director Sooraj Barjatya were also present.
Sonam’s dance in the title track has been extremely popular, with numerous videos by celebrities such as Richa Chaddha, ‘Munni’ Harshaali Malhotra and even the Dilwale team dancing to her steps in them, which acted as a promotional tool for the film.
“Everybody is congratulating me. What I love is that I’m getting calls and messages from people who’ve never messaged or called in my life. And it’s people not from the industry. I’ve been getting a lot of calls from Indians abroad who’re watching the film and missing home so much. For me, that is the best thing, when something affects you emotionally in the best way,” she said.
Sonam recently became a victim of trolls on the social media for her
‘misogynistic’ remark on the meat ban in Mumbai. But there no trolls for her performance in the film.
Kate Hudson is busy shuffling between her acting assignment and her two kids, but the actress is happy with being single.
The 36-year-old Kung Fu Panda 3 star finds it nice to get acquainted with herself alone, reported Us magazine.
“It’s nice to get acquainted with myself alone,” the Kung Fu Panda 3 star said. “You know, the goal when you get into a relationship is not to be out of the relationship. It’s to try to stay in the relationship. But if it doesn’t work, you can’t force those things…
“It’s hard to let go of something, even when you know that it’s not right. I’ve chosen something in my life that I’m very comfortable with that goes against a lot of people’s more traditional feelings. If something’s not right, I don’t believe in maintaining something for the sake of what’s considered a traditional family,” Hudson said.
The Almost Famous actor is enjoying the way her life is taking shape and is at peace with her sons Ryder, 11, and four-year-old Bingham.
STORY: Emily (Hutchinson) and Leslie (Whitburn) are besties who embark on a long road trip in order to join some other friends for a party. As they hurtle along in their red Mustang on a lonely highway in the American Northwest, their journey takes a turn for the worse. They come across and are harassed by the driver of a big-rig tow truck. It soon becomes a matter of life and death for the girls.
MOVIE REVIEW: This film is said to be a take on Steven Spielberg’s 1971 TV movie Duel, but apart from borrowing the premise of road rage taken to the extreme, that’s where similarities end. Duel’s sole male protagonist is now swapped for two party girls, whose road trip is meant to culminate in a weekend of debauchery and fun. Leslie is the wilder one, who swallows ale and inhales weed with rapacious glee, even though designated driver Emily tut-tuts her and urges moderation. But Leslie has no patience – even for a lumbering tow truck that obstructs their speed and path – and bounces around in her seat impatiently like a simian on speed.
Their anger turns into fear when they realize that the rig’s driver is seemingly out to kill them. Why that is so, is never explained but we get a glimpse of his (or her?) diabolical bent thanks to shots of an upside down crucifix and a pentagram. The girls forget about the partying and try to save their lives. The film starts out promisingly but later, becomes a bit tedious, thanks to a somewhat repetitive pattern in the narrative. There’s also a lot less action than what such a film could promise. Sure, the film is low budget and corners are cut, but thankfully, at least the POV shots from the Mustang are passable even though the stunts are nonexistent as is a sense of intensity, buildup and climax.
The film’s only plus points are a few jump scares, slickness and the scenic great outdoors, where it was shot. Apart from that, there’s little else to recommend.
Actress Julianne Moore will reunite with her “Far From Heaven” director Todd Haynes for upcoming film “Wonderstruck”, an adaptation of an eponymous children’s book by Brian Selznick.
The book, part prose and part black and white illustrations, tells the story of two children, both deaf, from different time periods, one from 1927, one from 1977, who run away to New York. Despite a gap of decades, they are connected by a mystery waiting to be solved, reports hollywoodreporter.com
Selznick, whose book The Invention of Hugo Cabret”was adapted into the 2011 Martin Scorsese film Hugo, also wrote the script for the new movie.
WASHINGTON (TIP): Astronomers using data from Nasa’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope have detected hints of periodic changes in the brightness of a so-called “active” galaxy, whose emissions are powered by a supersized black hole.
If confirmed, the discovery would mark the first years-long cyclic gamma-ray emission ever detected from any galaxy, providing new insights into physical processes near the black hole.
“Looking at many years of data from Fermi’s Large Area Telescope (LAT), we picked up indications of a roughly two-year-long variation of gamma rays from a galaxy known as PG 1553+113,” said Stefano Ciprini, who coordinates the Fermi team at the Italian Space Agency’s Science Data Center (ASDC) in Rome.
“This signal is subtle and has been seen over less than four cycles, so while this is tantalising we need more observations,” he added.
Supermassive black holes lie at the hearts of most large galaxies, including our own Milky Way.
In about one percent of these galaxies, the monster black hole radiates billions of times as much energy as the sun, emission that can vary unpredictably on timescales ranging from minutes to years.
Astronomers refer to these as “active” galaxies.
More than half of the gamma-ray sources seen by Fermi’s LAT are active galaxies called blazars.
If the gamma-ray cycle of PG 1553+113 is in fact real, the scientists predict it will peak again in 2017 and 2019, well within Fermi’s expected operational lifetime.
PG 1553+113 lies in the direction of the constellation Serpens, and its light takes about five billion years to reach Earth. Nasa’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope was launched in June 2008.
KOLKATA (TIP): If you are hassled using multiple passwords for accessing your accounts, you can breathe easy. Experts at IIT Kharagpur have come up with a solution that won’t tax your memory. Instead of a password, you may be asked a few questions such as what was the last call you received or the latest song you downloaded. Answer them and you get access.
The innovation has been lauded by MIT and has gone viral in foreign media. The breakthrough claims to make you 95% safer online, which has taken the world by storm. Efforts are on to achieve the remaining five percent.
The project has been jointly handled by the computer science engineering faculty of IIT Kharagpur and the universities of Texas and Illinois. Interestingly, the two investigators at Texas and Illinois are also alumni of IIT Kharagpur. The idea was to bypass the multiple passwords that we juggle at all times for the plethora of online and digital interactions that we engage in daily. The alternative system will allow you to bypass password-based authentication on your personal devices and instead ask you a set of questions based on your recent online/digital activity. If you are able to answer these correctly, a new password for the day would be generated that is unique to you and cannot be permeated.
“Though it might sound a bit complicated, it is not so. We have been able to show how it is possible to extract ‘adequate secrets’ by observing the user’s activity logs from social networking sites, browsing history, call logs, and SMSes and then use those to frame questions,” explained Niloy Ganguly, a senior computer science faculty member and the principal investigator of the project.
“In order to access a certain website on your smartphone, you could be asked, who called you from Mumbai last evening or which song did you listen to during lunch hour today,” he added.
Questions could come in two formats, either text-based or multiple choice (MCQ). They change for every instance of authentication, and a single breach cannot cause permanent damage. For example, a user may be posed a set of three questions and will be authenticated even if he can answer two correctly. “A good mix of activity sources are considered during the challenge set generation which could comprise of three questions -one drawn from phone call history, one from face messaging and another from browsing history,” said Romit Roychowdhury, who has been leading the team from the University of Illinois. With a 95% success rate, the three institutions are now entering into understandings with e-commerce sites, especially those that deal with net flicks (online entertainment) to test run their system.
MUMBAI (TIP): The Reserve Bank on Thursday said its prior approval will be required for acquisition of shares or voting rights in a private bank for increasing the aggregate holding to 5% or more, as it put in place detailed take purchase norms in banks.
The RBI would undertake a due diligence on the applicant to assess his “fit and proper” status before according or denying permission or according permission for acquisition of a lower quantum than that has been applied for. The decision “shall be binding” on the applicant and the bank concerned.
The provisions will apply to the existing and proposed `major shareholders’ of the private sector banks and all private sector banks, including local area banks. However, where the acquisition results in the aggregate holding of the major shareholder of up to 10% of the shares or voting rights of the concerned bank, prior approval of the RBI is not necessary .
`Major shareholder’ means shareholder havinglikely to have an `aggregate holding’ to the extent of 5% or more of the paid-up share capital of the bank or 5% or more of the total voting rights.
LOS ANGELES (TIP): German automaker Volkswagen, tainted by an emissions scandal, said it will present US authorities tomorrow with plans for bringing its vehicles outfitted with pollution-cheating software into compliance with regulations.
“We’re hopeful we’ll be able to announce something soon about the remedies we have identified and which we’ll be discussing with the agencies in the coming days,” Volkswagen Group of America president and chief executive Michael Horn said at a Los Angeles auto show.
The event marked the group’s first auto show in North America since the Volkswagen scandal broke in September.
The automaker is struggling to cope with the biggest crisis of its history following its admission that it had fitted 11 million vehicles with devices designed to cheat pollution tests.
“We are discussing with the agencies on Friday all the remedies and afterwards there will be a communication,” Horn said.
“We’re cooperating fully with the regulators,” he added, singling out in particular the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Horn, who made his first public appearance since he testified before Congress on October 8, said that 120,000 owners have signed up for a goodwill compensation package, which includes a USD 500 prepaid Visa card.
Other perks of the deal are a USD 500 voucher for VW dealership services and free roadside assistance for three years.
Jessica Caldwell, an analyst at Edmunds.com, told AFP that the USD 500 gift card was a nice gesture but not what customers were looking for.
“They want to know what the fix is for their vehicles so they can move on and either accept the fix or look into selling the car,” she said.
“Until then they are stuck in a no man’s land, which by Volkswagen’s own admission, is incredibly frustrating for owners of these vehicles.”
Horn said he understood customers’ anger and frustration, but warned that the vehicle repair process “will take time.”
NEW DELHI (TIP): Exporters from labour-intensive, small and medium sectors can now avail bank loans at three per cent lower rates with the government on Wednesday approving the long-awaited interest subsidy scheme to boost exports. The scheme will help the identified export sectors to be internationally competitive and achieve higher level of export performance, Power Minister Piyush Goyal said after a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi which approved the scheme.
He said the scheme will cover the labour-intensive and employment generating sectors like processed agriculture, handicrafts, handmade and handloom products, fabrics, leather goods and toys among others manufactured by small sectors.
The scheme will be available for all exports of MSME but will not be available to merchant exporters, an official statement after the Cabinet meeting said.
The scheme will be in effect for five years from April 1, 2015. At the end of three years, the government will review the impact of the scheme on export promotion.
NEW DELHI (TIP): The government on Nov 18 approved 10 per cent stake sale in the state-owned Coal India. This is expected to garner Rs 20,000 crore as part of government’s aim to raise Rs 69,500 crore through minority stake sale in public sector companies.
The timing and price of the disinvestment will be decided by the finance ministry, Power Minister Piyush Goyal said after a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Government had sold 10 per cent stake in Coal India for more than Rs 25,000 crore in January this year. It owns close to 80 per cent share in Coal India at present. The government’s decision immediately won applause from India Inc with the CII saying it is a right signal that the government is fast-tracking reforms. The employees of Coal India, however, opposed the stake sale with one of the trade unions threatening to go on strike.
The government has raised Rs 12,700 crore or less than 20 per cent of its target but has lined up over 20 PSUs for divestment in the current fiscal. Important among them are Oil India, NDMC, Nalco, NTPC, ONGC and BHEL. The Union Cabinet also approved the proposal for issue of an Initial Public Offer of Cochin Shipyard.
BENGALURU (TIP): Axis Mutual Fund, an asset management subsidiary of Axis Bank with assets under management worth Rs 31,789 crore as of September 2015, has launched the Axis Children’s Gift Fund Scheme.
The scheme, a first of its kind, is an open-ended balanced scheme where 60-65 per cent of funds would be appropriated towards equity and equity-linked instruments, while the remaining 35-40 per cent would be set aside towards fixed-income instruments.
The scheme aims to focus on long-term investment and endeavours to save for the child’s needs as he or she grows up. The investments can be made in the name of the minor only, but can be contributed by anyone.
Speaking on the sidelines of the launch here on Wednesday, Karan Datta, Chief Business Officer of Axis Mutual Funds, said: “What we have done in the scheme is the use of language that common people can relate to. As an asset management company, we tend to use lot of jargon at times, which people cannot relate to. Combining that with the features of the product, we have a good chance to succeed.” Speaking about the market opportunity of the scheme, he said: “We have close to 2,000 mutual fund schemes in India out of which only five to six are related to securing the future of the children. We also have a huge young population. In our recent research done by AC Nielson, we found out that 83 per cent of the people were most worried about the education of their children.
This leaves us with a huge market to cater to.” He also emphasised the need to plan for the future of children as education inflation leads all other types of inflation.
“The annual fee of IIMA has increased from close to Rs 5,000 in 1982 to Rs 18.6 lakh as of today,” he added. The New Fund Offer (NFO) for the scheme started on Wednesday, and closed on December 3.
MUMBAI (TIP): Fair trade regulator Competition Commission of India (CCI) has imposed a penalty of Rs 258 crore on Jet Airways, IndiGo and SpiceJet for indulging in anti-competitive practices while fixing fuel surcharge (FSC).
Of this amount, Rs 151.69 crore was imposed on Jet Airways, Rs 63.74 crore on InterGlobe Aviation, which operates IndiGo, and Rs 42.48 crore on SpiceJet.
However, the CCI did not impose any penalty on Air India and Go Airlines, which were also named in a complaint filed by the Express Industry Council of India (EICI), an apex body of express companies.
The regulator said the penalty was not imposed on Air India “as its conduct was not found to be parallel with other airlines.”
Go Airlines, which was also named in a complaint, was spared as it gave its cargo belly space to third-party vendors.
According to a statement issued by the CCI, the commission while imposing penalties noted that such conduct in the air cargo industry undermines economic development of the country and ultimately acts to the detriment of end consumers.
“We had filed a complaint before the CCI against cartelisation of airlines by using fuel surcharge as a tool,” said Vijay Kumar, COO, EICI.
“What had happened was when oil prices were very volatile, the airlines had introduced fuel surcharge, which by itself was not an issue. The issue is when you use that fuel surcharge as a tool for ensuring that the prices go up in tandem. When the fuel rates were going down, even then the fuel surcharges were going up,” said Kumar, adding that it was clear that the airlines were using fuel surcharge as a tool to rig the market.
A SpiceJet spokesperson said that the company was likely to challenge the order.
“Jet is not in contravention of the provisions of the Competition Act and shall pursue all available legal steps to defend it’s position,” a Jet spokesperson said.
MUMBAI (TIP): In spite of a lacklustre year for emerging markets so far in 2015, India continues to be a preferred investment destination for foreign investors, buoyed by its growth prospects. The MSCI emerging markets index, which was down 0.3% on Wednesday, has fallen 14% so far in 2015.
Over the past week, foreign firms CLSA India and UBS India held their annual India forums to spell out their investment stances on Indian equities, which has seen some negatives in the form of an election loss in Bihar for the ruling NDA and a rebound in oil prices. India imports 70% of its crude requirements.
In its November survey of fund managers, Bank of America Merrill Lynch found that India had fallen out of favour from being the most overweight to neutral for the first time since October 2014. The survey revealed that China had moved up to the most overweight position as fund managers believed the Chinese economy would see improvements in the next 12 months, and were also less bearish on China’s growth prospects.
According to Anand Kumar, research analyst with Bank of America Merrill Lynch, the second-quarter corporate earnings have been weak with several one-off gains such as pension-related ones in Tata Steel and a telecoms tower sale by Bharti Airtel, masking poor results.
However, UBS head of global emerging markets Geoff Dennis thinks otherwise. “UBS is overweight on India within GEM (global emerging market) equities…we expect the market to outperform compared to GEMs based on strong GDP growth, reforms, relatively strong corporate sector performance and the scope for lower interest rates,” he said.
Even CLSA MD and equity strategist Christopher Woods maintained that he is bullish on India, though there are concerns that a lack of urgency in addressing bad-loan issues in state-run banks could delay the investment cycle. “It (India) remains a good story because its macro position is much better than most other emerging markets,” Woods said at a conference in Delhi on Monday.
While foreign portfolio investors have started selling Indian equities — they sold$517 million so far in November — the trend is more due to expectations of an US interest rate hike in December, which would give them attractive returns compared to India.
KATHMANDU (TIP): Bindu Ghimire’s chemotherapy appointment is approaching, but supplies of the drugs the 61-year-old desperately needs are in short supply as a political crisis in her native Nepal deepens.
Protests at the border with India have already led to crippling fuel shortages in the landlocked Himalayan nation, and now medical supplies are also running short.
“So far, the medicine had been available, but the pharmacy is not sure if they can provide it next time,” the 61-year-old’s son Shashi Shekhar Ghimire told AFP.
“I don’t know what I will do if we don’t get it,” said Ghimire, whose mother has stage two colon cancer and needs a chemotherapy session every 21 days.
“It is getting very difficult.”
Nepal is heavily dependent on its giant neighbour for fuel and other supplies, but little cargo has crossed the border since protests against a new constitution broke out in late September.
Demonstrators from the Madhesi ethnic minority have been blockading the main Birgunj crossing ever since, protesting a new constitution they say leaves them politically marginalized.
Movement across other border checkpoints has also slowed to a crawl, prompting fuel rationing and forcing the government to start selling firewood as residents run out of cooking gas.
Who is to blame for all this is a matter of dispute.
Nepal’s government accuses India, which has criticized the new constitution, of retaliating with an “unofficial blockade” — a charge New Delhi denies.
“The issues facing Nepal are political in nature. They are internal to Nepal and the Nepalese leadership has to resolve them through dialogue with agitating parties,” said Indian foreign ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup at a briefing on Thursday.
Whatever the explanation, the Nepal Chemists and Druggists Association says around 350 cargo trucks carrying medicines are stranded at the key crossing point.
“We are suffering from a shortage of imported life-saving injections and vaccines,” said Mrigendra Shrestha, president of the association.
“Medicines are crucial. We are now trying to airlift emergency supplies.”
Meanwhile the head of Bir Hospital — Nepal’s oldest —said both fuel and vital drugs were running short.
“Operations have become difficult without fuel. If this blockade continues, we will have a medical crisis on our hands,” Swayam Prakash Pandit told AFP. (Source: AFP)
UNITED NATIONS (TIP): The United Nations general assembly’s human rights committee on Wednesday criticized Myanmar for its treatment of the nation’s Muslim minority and urged the country to change its citizenship rules to make Rohingya full citizens.
Although many have lived in Myanmar for generations, the Rohingya minority in the country also known as Burma is not one of the 135 ethnic groups recognized under the country’s 1982 citizenship law and are thus entitled to only limited rights.
The non-binding draft resolution, co-sponsored by European nations, the United States and other Western states, was adopted by consensus during a meeting of the 193-nation assembly’s “Third Committee”, which focuses on human rights.
The resolution said the assembly “reiterates its serious concern about the situation of the Rohingyas in Rakhine State and of other minorities subject to marginalization and instances of human rights violations and abuses.”
It added that the assembly “calls upon the government of Myanmar to protect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all individuals, including persons belonging to the Rohingya minority.” The resolution said Rohingyas should have full citizenship and related rights in Myanmar.
The resolution also welcomed the positive developments in Myanmar, including political and economic reform and democratization. It called for bringing all institutions, including the military, under a civilian government with a fully elected parliament.
The resolution will be put to another vote at a plenary session of the General Assembly next month. (Source: Reuters)
Tulsi Vivah, the ceremonial marriage of Tulsi plant with Lord Vishnu is on November 23, 2015. Tulasi Vivah also marks the beginning of holy wedding season of the Hindus. Let’s get into the ritualistic mood and celebrated this day with with great fervor and joy.
Tulsi Vivah is a ritual of marriage of Tulasi plant (Holy Basil) and Lord Vishnu. The meaning of word Tulsi is incomparable, something that is unique. In Hinduism, Tulsi is considered a sacred plant and is planted at the entrance of the house to bring good fortune and positive energy in the house. It is believed that any Hindu household is not complete without the holy plant Tulsi.
This holy ceremony is performed anytime between the Prabodhini Ekadashi and the Karthik Purnima in the month of Karthik. This alliance also signifies the end of monsoon and beginning of the holy wedding season of the Hindus. It is believed that Tulsi is an incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi, who is the beloved of Lord Vishnu. This plant possesses different healing qualities that improve the brain and body.
The Ceremony
It is believed that every person who follows the tradition of marrying Tulsi to Lord Vishnu earns the credit of performing Kanyadaan (to marry off one’s daughter). Tulasi Vivah is performed a day after Kartik Ekadashi.
Tulsi plant is dressed up and decorated with traditional ornaments to make her look like a bride. An image of Lord Vishnu or a stone is taken to depict the groom. To begin the marriage ceremony, the couple is joined by cotton thread. With all the Mantras the marriage is commemorated and rice mixed with vermilion is showered on the holy couple of Tulsi and Shaligram.
A very special vegetarian meal is prepared which is offered to Tulsi and Shaligram. The day marks the beginning of the Hindu wedding period.
The Legend
As per the legends of Tulsi Vivah, Tulsi was the incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi who was born as Vrinda. She was married to demon King Jalandhar. She prayed with all the vigor and protected her demon husband from all the Gods.
Since every bad thing has to end one day, Jalandhar’s end also came. At the request of all the Gods, Lord Vishnu converted himself as Vrinda’s husband (Jalandhar) and started living with her.
On discovering the truth, she cursed Lord Vishnu and converted him into a stone which was named Shaligram. She also cursed him to get separated from his wife in the next birth as Lord Rama.
She then collapsed and a Tulasi plant was emerged from her body. From then it is believed that Lord Vishnu is worshiped using Tulsi leaves and this started the custom of Tulsi Vivah. She is very dear to Lord Vishnu and a ceremonial marriage takes place every year. As per another legend, Tulsi incarnated as a princess who fell in love with Lord Krishna. This displeased his beloved Radha and she cursed Tulsi.
In another story, Lord Krishna was weighted by gold by his wife Satyabhama. Even after using all the gold he could not be outweighed. His other wife Rukmani placed a Tulsi leaf on the weighing scale which outweighed him instantly.
Healing Power Of Tulsi
The Tulsi plant is considered to be having medicinal qualities and is grown in every Hindu household. Tulsi Puja is done daily in the morning and evening.
The Holy Basil is worshipped as a Goddess by Hindus. This plant is known to purify the atmosphere and decrease its pollution content by a large extent. It also works as an effective repellent for different harmful insects like mosquitoes and flies.
Tulsi oil is used for making different medicinal and herbal products. Tulsi extracts can also be used to cure many common ailments like headache, cold, stomach disorders, etc. Tulsi plant represents love, responsibilities, virtues and miseries of all the women. All the women relate to Tulsi and therefore, worship her with full devotion. Tulsi Puja is done after taking a bath and cleaning all the mental and physical dirt.
The place or vessel where Tulsi is planted is cleaned properly and Kumkum (Vermilion) is applied to its leaves. Women light Diyas around the plant and perform Aarti. Tulsi Vivah is specially celebrated with great enthusiasm by the women of India.
The ceremonial marriage of Tulsi and Shaligram (Tulsi Vivah) takes place every year. Tulsi Vivah 2015 will be celebrated with great fervor and joy in all Hindu households.
In India, Surya corresponds to the Greek Helios – he is the special god who dwelt in the body of the sun. Surya is described as the husband of dawn, as well as her son. He is also the guardian of the south-west quadrant, His father is the sky god, Dyaush or Indra. One myth tells how he arose from the eye of the world-giant, Purusa. Surya has golden hair and golden arms. He drives in a chariot drawn by a team of 4 or 7 horses.
Lord Surya is the source of life, light and all energy in the cosmos. There is no alternate to the life-giving rays of the Surya Dev. He is the most powerful and majestic visible Devata. Surya Dev has also played role of Master-Guru for many Devatas, number of Seers and Devotees. The three worlds have the sun as their source of origin. The entire universe including Devas, Asuras and human beings originates from him. The brilliance of the deities namely Rudra, Upendra and Mahendra, the splendour of the leading Brahmins and heaven-dwellers of great refulgence, and of all the worlds is lord Sun-the soul of all, the lord of all-Devas as well as human beings. The sun alone is the root cause of three worlds. He alone is the greatest deity. There are large number of kings and rulers around the world, who represent Solar Dynasty.
It has been mentioned in the Brahma Purana that everything is born of Lord Surya; everything is dissolved in him. He is the cause of origin and destruction of the universe. The following units of time have their origin in the Sun-god like moments, Muhurta (units of 48 nets), days, nights, fortnights, months, years, seasons and Yugas.
Lord Surya is tawny in spring; during summer he resembles gold, he is white during rainy season; he is pale, grey during autumn; he is copper-coloured in early winter; he is red during late winter. Thus the colours of sun-god caused by the seasons have been recounted. The Sun-god is the dispeller of darkness. He is the deity of great brilliance and is considered the Supreme Soul. Lord Surya is also the cause who brings about the change of seasons in the universe and it is also the sun-god which acts as the pivot of the entire universe.
Various treatises and Indian Puranas say that there are many names of Lord Surya. And each name of Surya Dev refers to a quality of consciousness. Some of the names of the sun-god are Aditya, Savita, Surya, Mihira, Arka, Prabhakara, Martanda, Bhaskara, Bhanu, Chitrabhanu, Divakara and Ravi. It is believed that the man who repeats the having the multiple names of the sun-god with pure mind and concentration, is liberated from conflagration of miseries and ocean of sorrows. He obtains all objects of his desire. Devotees enjoy fullness of energy, brilliance, inner light, perfect health and longevity. Their life shines like golden hue with the grace of Surya.
Sunday is the day of Lord Surya. It is recommended to listen to Sahasranam and other stotras of Surya Dev on Sunday.
Bandhavgarh National Park, the most popular national parks in India is located in the Vindhya Hills of the Umaria district in Madhya Pradesh. Declared as a national park in 1968 the Bandhavgarh National Park is spread across the area of 105 km². The name Bandhavgarh has been derived from the most prominent hillock of the area of Umaria. The area of Bandhavgarh is being flourished with a large biodiversity, the place which is also being famed to grip highest density of tiger population in India. Similarly, the park also beholds the largest breeding population of leopards and various species of deer. Over the years, the park has shown a great number of increases in the count of the tiger species and this is the reason why tiger tours is so famed to attract large amount of tourists at its vicinity.
The park has been divided into three major zones named as Tala, Magdi and Bamera out of which the Tala zone attracts major number of tourists by offering the tiger sighting opportunities. The park authorities are also focusing on the Magdi Zone by providing more opportunity to spot tigers. Elephant shows are also organized in Magdi zone of the Bandhavgarh national park to increase the chances of spotting the elusive king of the jungle.
Bandhavgarh National Park consists of mixed vegetations ranging from tall grasslands to thick Sal forest and so is the perfect habitat of variety of animals and birds. Due to varied topography, the Bandhavgarh national park provides ample opportunity to spot the majestic Indian tiger and some rarely seen animals like leopard and sloth bear. Due to high wildlife sighting it is becoming popular amongst tourists visiting India.
Wildlife in Bandhavgarh
There are more than 22 species of mammals and 250 species of birds. Common Langurs and Rhesus Macaque represent the primate group. Carnivores include the Asiatic Jackal, Bengal Fox, Sloth Bear, Ratel, Gray Mongoose, Striped Hyena, Jungle Cat, Leopard and Tiger. The artiodactyls frequently sighted are Wild Pigs, Spotted Deer, Sambar, Chausingha, Nilgai, Chinkara and Gaur. Mammals such as Dhole, the smallIndian Civet, Palm Squirrel and Lesser Bandicoot Rat are seen occasionally. Among the herbivores, Gaur is the only coarse feeder. There are two main ways of getting about in the park- in a motor vehicleoron elephant back. Many of the animals are now accustomed to both; evenso,it is best to talk quietly and not make rapid movements. Jeep safaris are best undertaken from dawn until about 10am and from about 4pm until dusk, as the animals are most active during these periods. A Forest Department guide must always accompany you. This guide will be able to direct you and point out wildlife. Elephants are used every morning by the Forest Department for Tiger- tracking. If a Tiger is found, then the elephant will take you directly to the Tiger either from the lodge or from a nearby point reached by jeep/car.
Wildlife Viewing
Getting a closer view of the wild creatures in the dense jungles of Bandhavgarh brings immense pleasure and enthusiasm among the tourists but a proper care and instructions are equally important for a safe and protected safari trip. For your knowledge, there are generally two main ways of getting about in the reserve; either in a motor vehicle or on an elephant back. And the pleasing fact is that many of the animals are accustomed to either of the mediums and don’t get annoyed of it but still it is advisable to talk quietly and to avoid making rapid movements.
Tips
If you are choosing for the jeep safari, it should be best undertaken from dawn until 10 am and from about 4 pm until dusk, as most of the animals are active during these periods.
A forest department guide must always accompany you who will be able to direct you and point any particular wild species.
Elephant safari is the safest medium for tiger tour and is preferred mostly by the forest department. If a tiger is found, then the elephant will take you directly to the tiger either from the lodge or from a nearby point reached by jeep/car.
You must pick safe and comfortable clothing so that you can find easy movement. Preferably cotton is the perfect choice which is safe and comfortable in every respect. Additionally, the color of the cloth should not be too bright to catch the attention of the animals (since it may disturb them) but a camouflage color can be the good option.
You must pay attention to your movements and activities that should surely not disturb the wild creatures.
Carrying almost every necessary item can be very helpful for you but mind it you should not be over-luggage. This can help you to avoid the extra burden of carrying weight and you can enjoy your trip completely by avoiding fatigue.
Carrying first aid ailments while travelling is a smart move as you never know when you will meet any inconveniences while enjoying jungle trip.
Photography is the most important part of any kind of wildlife tour when you can click the special moments and take them along with you. But while clicking on the object, your aim should be not to disturb them and you should silently click their shots.
You must be patient while observing the wild creatures and should note down their movement, behavior and features for your records.
Observe the birds carefully with a constant eye and be active throughout the observation since you are going to read the movements of nature’s most active creature.
Your observation should include everything, right from their movement, appearance and voice that will certainly help you to distinguish every species from another.
You must keep a permanent record of your observation so that you can make a careful distinction of the color and pattern of the birds, their hood shape, the size and shape of their beaks and wings and of course if possible their flying style and movements.
Your observation should also include the feeding habits and their style of eating.
Observing the general habitat, climate and the regions where the most common birds are found will definitely increase your knowledge of birds and will complement your bird-watching.
Above all a patient and careful observation and keeping a documented record of all of it will bring about a successful birding trip in Bandhavgarh which is the most perfect location for almost more than 150 species of birds.
WASHINGTON (TIP): Scientists have developed a new type of light-emitting diode (LED) using an organic-inorganic hybrid that could lead to cheaper and brighter lights and displays in the future.
The researchers used a class of materials called organometal halide perovskites to build a highly functioning LED. Perovskites are any materials with the same type of crystal structure as calcium titanium oxide. “The material glowed at about 10,000 candelas per square metre at a driving voltage of 12V,” reserchers said.
“Such brightness is due to the inherent high luminescent efficiency of this surface-treated, highly crystalline nanomaterial,” said Hanwei Gao, assistant professor of physics. Present LEDs glow at about 400 candelas per square meter.
WASHINGTON (TIP): In a bid to find concrete evidence of life outside Earth, Nasa is developing a ‘chemical laptop’ -the first portable, miniaturised laboratory built to detect both amino and fatty acids on other worlds. The battery-powered device analyses samples for materials associated with life.
“If this instrument was to be sent to space, it would be the most sensitive device of its kind to lea ve Earth,” said Jessica Creamer, a Nasa postdoctoral fellow.
Like a tricorder from Star Trek, the chemical laptop is roughly the size of a regular laptop, but much thicker to make room for chemical analysis components. But unlike a tricorder, it has to ingest a sample to analyse it, Nasa said.
“It is a chemical analyser that can be reprogrammed like a laptop to perform different functions. As on a regular laptop, we have different apps for different analyses like amino acids and fatty acids,” said Fernanda Mora, a technologist.
Amino acids are building blocks of proteins, while fatty acids are key components of cell membranes. Both are essential to life, but can also be found in non-life sources. Amino acids come in two types: Left-handed and right-handed.Like the left and right hands of a person, these amino acids are mirror images of each other but contain same components.
Some scientists hypothesise that life on Earth evolved to use just left-handed amino acids because that standard was adopted early in life’s history. It is possible that life on other worlds might use the right-handed kind. “If a test found a 50-50 mixture of lefthanded and right-handed amino acids, we could conclude that the sample was probably not of biological origin,” Creamer said. “But if we were to find an excess of either left or right, that would be the best evidence so far that life exists on other planets,” she said.
Signup to our Newsletter!
Don’t miss out on all the happenings around the world
Akhtar received thunderous applause when he recited his nazm, yeh khail kiya hai. At the request of the audience he also recited Woh Kamra and Waqt.
Actress Sonam Kapoor says the makers of Prem Ratan Dhan Payo had to explain to her that the film’s collections were good since she is clueless about the mathematics behind box-office numbers.
The park has been divided into three major zones named as Tala, Magdi and Bamera out of which the Tala zone attracts major number of tourists by offering the tiger sighting opportunities. The park authorities are also focusing on the Magdi Zone by providing more opportunity to spot tigers. Elephant shows are also organized in Magdi zone of the Bandhavgarh national park to increase the chances of spotting the elusive king of the jungle.