China, not Pakistan, is India's main threat - India

30 june 2011

China, not Pakistan, is India's main threat

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

New Delhi:  China, and not Pakistan, is the focus of the Defence Ministry's latest 15-year plan for all the three services.

The latest integrated perspective plan, which will be in force from 2012 to 2027, is aimed at equipping the Indian armed forces to move from the current stage of dissuasion to deterrence against China. The plan is currently in the final stages of preparation.

According to the plan, by 2020, India wants to have dedicated Mountain Strike Corps, over 90,000 men specifically meant for deployment in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh and equipped for offensive operations.

To begin with, the military wants all the planned roads in these high altitude areas to be completed on priority basis.

India is also activating, revamping and upgrading its air bases along the China border both in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh. This includes at least eight advance-landing grounds. Nyoma air base, barely 25 km from the Line of Actual Control, will eventually have Su-30 combat jets stationed there.

The Army is all set to improve the living conditions in high altitude areas by placing over 5,000 specially-designed, self-contained, thermally-insulated shelters for troops so that they can withstand temperatures going down to minus 40 degrees.

In the long run, India also plans to acquire and deploy ultra-light howitzers and light tanks in Ladakh to bolster security there.

Even the Indian Navy is planning for future contingencies by planning to operate two carrier battle groups, several stealth battleships, submarines and long-range reconnaissance planes.

Another important component in the long-term plan is to beef up the fledgling tri-services Andaman and Nicobar Command to keep a closer vigil on the strategically crucial south east Asian region as well as the Mallaca Straits.

This is over and above the on-going plans to develop 8,000-km range inter-continental ballistic missiles in the coming decade.

News of the day - India

29 june 2011

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Former President APJ Abdul Kalam with brother Muthu Meeran Marakier and niece Joharammal after the inauguration of a photo gallery at Rameshwaram.

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

Artist Harwinder Singh Gill shows a bust made of 3,000 capsules and tablets, to depict drug abuse on International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

Members of Raj Kapoor's family pose for a photo with Premier of Ontario Dalton McGuinty outside the TIFF Bell Lightbox Theatre in Toronto. Considered the first family of Indian Cinema they were attending a tribute to the career of late director Raj Kapoor.

Aishwarya Rai's 'Heroine' postponed - India

28 june 2011

Aishwarya Rai's 'Heroine' postponed

UTV has announced that shooting of Madhur Bhandarkar's 'Heroine' has been put off indefinitely because of Aishwarya Rai's pregnancy. She plays the lead role.

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"We would like to put an end to the speculative and factually incorrect stories that are doing the rounds on 'Heroine' and to clarify the position once and for all," said a statement from the production house.
"At this point, nothing is more important than Aishwarya's well being and good health," UTV said.
"We have all agreed that the best step would be to avoid shooting further, rather than proceeding with an incredibly demanding schedule over the coming months," it said.
"Even as we will truly miss this opportunity to work with Aishwarya, the entire unit wishes her the very best for the exciting time ahead as she and Abhishek move into this special new phase in their lives," UTV said.
The project, also starring Arjun Rampal, was announced during the Cannes Film Festival this year.
After news of Aishwarya's pregnancy broke out, rumours of Priyanka Chopra being approached did the rounds.

Famous comparisons - India

27 june 2011

Famous comparisons

Pairs of famous personalities born oceans away but similar in so many ways. And following that, a section with pairs of famous places geographically so far away but so similar. Strange are the ways of nature!

Marilyn Monroe - Madhubala

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One of the most famous comparisons, both Marilyn Monroe and Madhubala were the most beautiful women of their times. One was considered the Venus of Hollywood and the other the Venus of Bollywood. Both died young. While Marilyn's death still remains a mystery , Madhubala died due to complications of the heart. And so many years after their death, their faces are still considered the loveliest ever.

Don Bradman - Sachin Tendulkar

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The Indian cricketing maestro and the great Aussie cricketing legend are spoken of in the same breath. Sir Donald Bradman completely dominated international cricket from the late 1920s to the late 1940s, a highlight being his handling of the infamous bodyline bowling. He ended his career with a test cricket average of 99.94. Sachin made his debut in international cricket at the very tender age of 16 and has never looked back. During his tenure, umpteen records have tumbled.
Sachin Tendulkar was among the only two cricketers invited by Sir Don Bradman to attend the great cricketer's 90th birthday celebrations. And Sir Bradman has also paid a moving tribute to Sachin: "I saw him playing on television and was struck by his technique, so I asked my wife to come look at him. Now I never saw myself play, but I feel that this player is playing much the same as I used to play, and she looked at him on Television and said yes, there is a similarity between the two... his compactness, technique, stroke production... it all seemed to gel."

Shakespeare - Kalidasa

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The Bard of Avon is considered the greatest English language poet and dramatist that ever lived and Kaviratna Kalidasa, one of the nine gems in the court of King Vikramaditya, the greatest Sanskrit poet and dramatist ever.
The genius of Kalidasa is evident in his great works most notably the plays 'Abhijnanasakuntalam', 'Malavikagnimitram' and 'Vikramorvasiyam' and poems like 'Raghuvamsa', 'Kumarasambhava', 'Rtusamhara' and 'Meghaduta'. Shakespeare's rich repertoire that's frequently referred to by the common man and academicians alike include among others, plays like 'Hamlet', 'The Merchant of Venice', 'Romeo and Juliet', 'Othello', and 'King Lear' and poems like 'Venus and Adonis' and 'The Rape of Lucrece'.

Orson Welles - Guru Dutt

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The legendary American film director, script-writer, actor and producer Orson Welles is most famous for his portrayal of Citizen Kane in the critically acclaimed film. His films had a unique style in terms of visuals and audio and the touch of brilliance stood out. His baritone voice added to his screen persona.
Like Welles, Guru Dutt was a highly talented director, producer and actor. His films 'Pyaasa' and 'Kaagaz Ke Phool' are considered among the 100 best films ever made.
Both led sad lives. While Welles had a love-hate relationship with Hollywood and had to battle obesity in his later years, Guru Dutt was a broken man when his film 'Kaagaz Ke Phool' did not receive the public adulation that he expected it would get and his personal life was marred by his extramarital affair with actress Waheeda Rehman.

Gregory Peck - Dev Anand

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One of the most loved Hollywood actors was Dev Anand's childhood idol and he grew up aping Gregory Peck's gait and hairstyle. Ironically, many years later when Dev Anand made his foray into Hindi films and was romantically involved with singer-actress Suraiya, he got to meet Peck for the first time at a Filmare Awards Function. Like Dev Anand, Suraiya too was a great fan of Peck and found in Dev Anand a lot of resemblance to the great Hollywood star.

Bill Gates - Azim Premji

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In early 2010, Forbes magazine likened Azim Premji to software mogul Bill Gates. Like Gates, the Wipro head had decided to donate a sizeable portion of his wealth towards charity. True to his word, the Wipro Chairman transferred nearly Rs 88,460,000,000 of his wealth in December 2010 to an irrevocable trust that finances the social and not-for-profit initiatives undertaken by the Azim Premji Foundation.
In June 2011, Premji was among the four Indians named among Asian Heroes of Philanthropy.

Vettel does it again, wins the European GP - India

26 june 2011

Vettel does it again, wins the European GP!

There seems to be no stopping to Sebastian Vettel’s winning streak this season as he continued to dominate the track and won the European Grand Prix comfortably.

Starting from pole position, the World Champion held onto his lead throughout the race by cruising ahead of his rivals.

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Red Bull's F1 driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany celebrates after winning the European Formula One Grand Prix at the Valencia racetrack, in Valencia, Spain, on Sunday, June 26, 2011.

Though Ferrari's Fernando Alonso tried to outdo Vettel in front of his home fans in Valencia, the Spaniard had to settle for a deserving second place. With his sixth win in this season, Vettel extends his Championship lead to 186 points, a huge 77-point margin over a tie between Jenson Button and Mark Webber.

There was a tough battle for the second place between Alonso and Red Bull's Webber, which was eventually won by Alonso. Though Webber started the race from P2 behind his team-mate, Alonso's fantastic pit-stop strategy helped him to better the Australian, who faced some gearbox issues.

The gap between the first three places and the others was significant as McLaren's Lewis Hamilton, who struggled with his tyres, finished fourth and was close to 50 seconds behind the leader. Ferrari's Felipe Massa lost time after a slow pit-stop and managed to finish at P5. After winning the Canadian GP, McLaren's Jenson Button was unable to pick up his pace today and could only manage a sixth place finish.

Mercedes GP had a disappointing day as Nico Rosberg finished at seventh place, while his team-mate Michael Schumacher was far behind in P17. Schumi lost time after he had to change his broken front wing following a collision with Nick Heidfeld on Lap 16.

It was a great race by Jaime Alguersuari of Toro Rosso, who climbed 10 places from a P18 start to finish at eighth place. Alguersuari faced tough challenge from Force India's Adrian Sutil during the closing laps of the race but Sutil could not outpace the Spaniard and finished behind him in ninth place. Renault's Heidfeld took the last point of the race by finishing at P10.

Sauber's Sergio Perez finished outside the points zone at P11, ahead of Rubens Barrichello in the Williams. Sebastien Buemi of Toro Rosso took P13, while Paul di Resta of Force India finished at P14, ahead of Vitaly Petrov of Renault. All the 24 drivers managed to finish the race, which was largely incident free. The last two places in the race were occupied by the two HRTs with Vitantonio Liuzzi finishing ahead of his team-mate Narain Karthikeyan.

With another win in the season at the European Grand Prix, Sebastian Vettel, who will celebrate his 24th birthday on July 3, gets closer to clinching his second World Championship. As we move into the next race of the season at the legendary Silverstone Circuit, Vettel and Red Bull would be hoping to finish on top at the British Grand Prix as well!

Relax! It's important - India

25 jun e  2011

Relax! It's important

Life is fast paced and stressful, and sometimes it can leave you feeling like you have no time to stop, think and reflect on the bigger picture. Relax. Seriously, the mental, physical and financial benefits of indulging in a little “me time” every now and again are vast. Focusing on yourself is not about shutting out the world, it’s about getting back in tune with it. It is not about ignoring all your responsibilities and hiding in your bed for days it’s about stepping back, gaining perspective and restoring your vitality.

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

Stress, relaxation and health
When you are stressed you are much more likely to become sick. This is because stress hormones suppress the immune response and its ability to fight germs these hormones can also make gastrointestinal symptoms worse, cause over-reactive airways in asthma patients, cause blood pressure spikes, damage your arteries, promote high cholesterol and lead to other health-related conditions, such as anxiety, depression, even addictions and obesity. In addition, stress-induced depression may lead to self-destructive behaviour, such as neglecting medications. Fortunately, research has shown that deep relaxation can have tremendous health benefits and reverse stress-induced ailments. People who suffer from asthma can sometimes widen their restricted respiratory passages through deep relaxation and sometimes diabetics can even reduce their need for insulin through the same techniques. Deep relaxation, however, does require a little more effort than sitting and reading a magazine but even a small amount of regular relaxation time can have long-standing benefits including energy, improved cardiovascular performance and life longevity.

Kashmir reverberates with summer tourists - India

24 june 2011

Kashmir reverberates with summer tourists

Thanks to the prevailing peace this summer, Kashmir Valley is once again the vaunted paradise on earth, overflowing with tourists who have snapped up every possible airline seat and accommodation in hotels, guest houses, houseboats, tourist huts and lodges.

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Tourists flock to the Mughal gardens in Srinagar.

The arrivals for the year could touch a staggering one million, an official said. "Up to Wednesday, we had 485,828 tourist arrivals in the Valley since January. This includes 442,540 domestic and 13,207 foreign tourists. This apart, 30,081 tourists visited the Ladakh region during this period with most of them using the Srinagar-Leh highway to reach there", said a senior official of the state tourism department.
He said the arrivals are likely to go up, especially in July, as more tourists are expected to reach here. "The annual Amarnath Yatra begins on June 29. Around 300,000 pilgrims have registered their arrival to the Valley for this year's Yatra," the official told IANS.
"Amarnath Yatra pilgrims included, we are expecting a record number of tourist arrivals in the Valley this year", said the tourism department official, adding that the figure for the entire year could go up to one million.
Tourism is the Valley's second biggest money spinner after the Rs.2,000-crore horticulture sector. It was badly hit last year as the Valley had remained shut for over four months because of the summer unrest d

India has 1.53 lakh millionaires

23 june 2011

Now, India has 1.53 lakh millionaires

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

The number of millionaires in India surged to a record high of 1.53 lakh in 2010, making the country's high networth individual (HNI) population 12th  largest across the globe, as per a global study.    
The increase in India's HNI population has also helped Asia-Pacific overtake Europe as the region with the second-highest number of millionaires, as per the annual World Wealth  Report of Merrill Lynch Wealth Management and Capgemini.
"India's HNI population became the world's 12th largest in 2010, entering the top 12 for the first time," the report said.
At the same time, Indian millionaires also showed growing interest in investments like luxury collectibles (luxury cars, boats and jets), as also in sports, the annual survey found.
At the end of 2010, India's HNI population stood at 1,53,000, up more than 20 per cent from 1,26,700 in 2009, when  India was ranked 14th.
The HNIs have been identified as those with investible assets of $1 million or more, excluding their primary residence, collectibles, consumables and consumer durables.
The report named the US as the country with the largest  HNI population (31,04,000), followed by Japan, Germany, China, UK, France, Canada, Switzerland, Australia, Italy, Brazil and  India.
In Asia-Pacific, India has the highest number of  millionaires after Japan, China and Australia. Among the top 12 countries globally, India's growth in HNI population was highest at 20.8 per cent.
The annual report said that the world's HNIs expanded in both population and wealth in 2010, surpassing the 2007 pre-crisis levels in nearly every region.
The worldwide population of HNIs rose by 8.3 per cent to 10.9 million, while their financial wealth grew by 9.7 per cent to $42.7 trillion.
At the same time, the global population of Ultra-HNIs (those having assets of $30 million or more) grew by 10.2 per cent in 2010 and its wealth by 11.5 per cent.
The report attributed the growth in wealth to factors like appreciation in equity and other asset classes, as also in markets like commodities and real estate.     
"Higher interest rates in some developing economies attracted investor capital from lower-rated developed  economies. The global HNI population remained highly concentrated in the US, Japan and Germany, which together account for 53 per cent of the world's HNIs.     
The US is still home to the single-largest HNI segment in the world, with its 3.1 million HNIs accounting for 28.6 per cent of the global HNI population.
"While over half of the global HNI population still resides in the top three countries, the concentration of HNIs is fragmenting very gradually over time," Capgemini Global  Financial Services' Global Head of Sales and Marketing Jean Lassignardie said.
"The concentration of HNIs among these areas will continue to erode if the HNI population of emerging and developing markets continues to grow faster than those of  developed markets," he added.     
The report said that Asia-Pacific surpassed Europe for the first time in both HNI population and wealth with the strongest regional rate of HNI population growth in 2010 among the top three markets.
Asia-Pacific is now the second-largest region for both HNI wealth and population, second only to North America.
The report also said that HNIs assumed calculated risk in search for better returns in 2010 and "in an environment of relatively stable but uneven recovery, equities and commodities markets, as well as real-estate (specifically in  Asia-Pacific), performed solidly throughout 2010."
"By the end of 2010, HNIs held 33 per cent of all their investments in equities, up from 29 per cent a year earlier. "Allocations to cash/deposits dropped to 14 per cent in  2010 from 17 per cent in 2009 and the share held in fixed-income investments dipped to 29 per cent from 31 per  cent."
Among alternative investments, many HNIs favoured commodities. The survey also found investments in emerging markets providing good opportunities for HNIs in search of profit.
"In the first 11 months, investors poured in record amounts into emerging market stocks and bond funds before selling to capture profits as the year ended and after the value of many emerging market investments topped pre-crisis  highs," it said.
Looking forward, HNIs are expected to increase their equity and commodities allocations even more in 2012 while reducing their allocations to real estate and cash/deposits.    
Regional preferences are less certain as the extent of emerging market opportunities will depend on whether those markets can push to new highs while economies are being weaned of the government stimulus, the report said.

Read more at: http://profit.ndtv.com/news/show/now-india-has-1-53-lakh-millionaires-161539?ch=jkbvhkaeb&cp

Manas sanctuary no longer a world heritage site 'in danger' - India

22 june 2011

Manas sanctuary no longer a world heritage site 'in danger'

New Delhi: The Unesco Tuesday removed the "in danger" tag from Assam's famed Manas National Park, a World Heritage site, reflecting the revival of the formerly beleaguered sanctuary home to tigers, elephants and the one horned rhinoceroses.

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The Manas sanctuary, a national park, a tiger reserve, an elephant and a biosphere reserve, was listed as a World Heritage site in 1985.
In 1992, it was declared a World Heritage site in Danger due to severe damages to the ecosystem during the civil unrest of the 1980s and early 1990s.
The decision to remove the 'in danger' tag was announced during the ongoing 35th Session of the World Heritage Committee (WHC) in Paris, the NGO Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) said in a statement from Paris.
"India scores a winning goal for Manas," said Jagdish Kishwan, additional director general (wildlife) of the environment and forests ministry.
"Inscription of a site in the List of World Heritage in Danger has two sides to it. One, it draws global attention to the problems faced by the site, which is beneficial; the second, it indicates a pending threat that the site could be deleted as a World Heritage completely if appropriate measures are not taken to restore it," said Vivek Menon, regional director south Asia of the NGO International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and a member of the Indian delegation to the session.

Tips for better sleep - India

21 june 2011

Tips for better sleep

Small changes can make big difference to sleep, say experts

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

Hectic schedules, stress and excess workload have made sound sleep a luxury for many. But a few lifestyle changes can make for a restful night, say experts.
Helpful wind-down routines include a bath, a hot milky drink, switching off the television and computer, getting clothes ready for the morning, listening to soothing music and planning the next day's schedule, help in relaxing minds which leads to sound sleep.
Experts say the surroundings could be rearranged to create an atmosphere more suited to sleep. Sleeping with the television on should be avoided as the waves disrupt sleep patterns.


To sleep well, there needs to be a fractional temperature difference between our body and our brain, a warm body and a cool head.
If a person prepares for sleep well before midnight (between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m.), he stands a much better chance of getting a good sleep.
Vital deep sleep occurs an hour or so after a person drops off. So one can optimise the quality of this initial stage by going to bed at a reasonable hour.
Experts also say that one should have breakfast within half-an-hour of waking. This not only stimulates body metabolism, but when one eats a healthy breakfast, the person starts to create the perfect internal chemistry for optimal sleep.


It is always good to keep a gap of 90 minutes between eating dinner and going to bed. A heavy meal late in the evening disrupts sleep pattern.
Consuming two-to-three litres of fluid throughout the day will help keep the body hydrated and improve the quality of sleep. However, caffeine should be avoided as it dehydrates the body.
Half an hour of gentle exercise every day boosts the production of hormones that makes a person feel relaxed, such as endorphins and serotonin, as well as helping to shift excess weight and improve breathing and energy levels.
To relax one's mind at bedtime, a person should think about something he or she really enjoys doing, like an activity or the memory of a perfect day. The person should run it through in the mind like a film and slow it right down. This exercise will make a person relaxed, peaceful and ultimately sleepy.

Famous refugees of the world - India

20 june 2011

Famous refugees of the world

On World Refugee Day, we take a look at personalities forced out of their countries, who went on to make it big on the global stage.

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Albert Einstein, physicist.
Home country: Germany
His name has practically become synonymous with "genius," and almost anyone on the street can name Einstein's most famous discovery, his theory of relativity -- even if they can't explain what it is. Hitler's rise to power forced the professor to flee his native Germany in 1933 and accept a teaching post at Princeton, where he stayed until his death in 1955.

The Dalai Lama, religious leader.

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Home country: Tibet.
The Political and Spiritual leader of Tibet has been living outside his homeland since the Chinese army brutally put down a nationalist uprising in 1959. The Dalai Lama turned the northern Indian city of Dharamsala into his home base for his travels around the world preaching compassion, forgiveness and tolerance.

Henry Kissinger, former Secretary of State.

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Home country: Germany
He's best known for serving as America's top diplomat, but the man who negotiated the end to the Vietnam War and helped send Nixon to China was actually born overseas. A teenage Heinz Alfred Kissinger and his family fled Nazi persecution in 1938.

Sigmund Freud, psychoanalyst.

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Home country: Austria

The father of psychoanalysis, Freud is probably best known for his work on the unconscious (hence the term "Freudian slip,") and a short-lived belief in the healing powers of cocaine. He spent most of his life in Vienna, as part of the city's rich pre-Nazi Jewish intellectual community, but was forced to flee in 1938. His four sisters died in concentration camps.

Madeleine Albright, former Secretary of State.

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Home country: Czechoslovakia
The first woman to head the State Department was born in Prague. Albright's parents converted from Judaism to Roman Catholicism before they fled to London ahead of World War II. Albright even starred as a child refugee in a wartime film aimed at promoting sympathy for all war refugees in London.

Nadia Comaneci, Olympic gymnast.

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Home country: Romania.
As a member of the Romanian Olympic Team, Comaneci won worldwide acclaim when she became the first gymnast to score a perfect 10 at the 1976 summer games. She went on to win five more medals over the course of her Olympic career, but later defected to the West in the waning days of the Communist regime. Post-retirement, Comaneci has been active with the Muscular Dystrophy Association and the Special Olympics (and even took a turn on Donald Trump's Celebrity Apprentice).

Elie Wiesel, author.

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Home country: Romania.
Born to a Romanian Jewish family, Wiesel survived the horrors of Auschwitz in World War II and eventually settled in the U.S. His memoir Night, about his time in the camp, has been translated into more than 30 languages, and his work as an activist for peace and forgiveness earned him the 1986 Nobel Peace Prize.

Movie 'Double Dhamaal' - India

19 june 2011

'Double Dhamaal'

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

The four good-for-nothing jokers from 'Dhamaal' - Roy (Ritesh Deshmukh), Adi (Arshad Warsi), Manav (Jaaved Jaaferi) and Boman (Aashish Chaudhry) are back again! They are still as stupid and useless as before. Hard work is a strict no and the only work they have ever done in their lives is to lie down on their backside and dream about a good life where they have everything without doing anything!
And then suddenly they see their old arch enemy - the corrupt Insp.Kabir Nayak (Sanjay Dutt). But he's no longer a cop and instead of chasing crooks, he's chasing money - driving a Merc, has a posh office and a lavish villa. The four mad caps are green with envy and decide that come what may, by hook or by crook they will share Kabir's good fortune. And so they blackmail Kabir into making them his business partners. They are in seventh heaven, yippee, all their dreams are coming true. What they don't know is that soon their dreams are going to turn into nightmares because Kabir has his own hidden agenda, only shared by his sultry wife Kamini (Mallika Sherawat) and lovely sister Kiya (Kangna Ranaut). And so starts a game of one-up-man ship, with both sides having tricks up their sleeves and where sundry characters like Batabhai (Satish Kaushik) and King of Casino Johnny Bonzola, turn up to make their foursome's life miserable. And of course, there's a helluva lot of money at stake.
There are also lots of twists and turns and a bellyful of laughs. But who will have the last laugh? Canny Kabir or our four loveable jokers?
Directed by Indra Kumar, the movie stars Sanjay Dutt, Arshad Warsi, Jaaved Jaaferi, Riteish Deshmukh, Ashish Chowdhry, Mallika Sherawat and Kangna Ranaut.
'Double Dhamaal' will be released on June 24.

King declares Morocco a Constitutional monarchy - India

18 june 2011

King declares Morocco a Constitutional monarchy

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

Rabat (Morocco):  Moroccan King Mohammed VI announced a series of Constitutional reforms in a speech on Friday night that he said will turn the North African country into a Constitutional monarchy, though pro-democracy activists remain skeptical.

Under the new Constitution, the king will remain the supreme commander of the army and a new article formalized him as the highest religious authority in the country. The speech marked the culmination of a three-month review of the Constitution at the order of the king after protests calling for reform swept the North African monarchy in February.

Immediately after the speech ended, cars flying Moroccan flags drove through the streets of the capital honking their horns, and young people marched along the wide boulevards banging drums and cheering. Morocco has long had a parliamentary system with dozens of parties, but they remain weak and many are beholden to the king and his advisers.

While the king himself remains popular, there is deep dissatisfaction over the government and the advisers around the monarchy whom are believed to be corrupt and rapacious.

The reform of the 15-year-old constitution represents the king's response to the wave of pro-democracy fervor sweeping the Middle East and North Africa that has toppled governments. The new constitution will be put to a referendum on July 1.

The king said the constitutional reform "confirms the features and mechanisms of the parliamentary nature of the Moroccan political system" and laid the basis for an "efficient, rational constitutional system whose core elements are the balance, independence and separation of powers, and whose foremost goal is the freedom and dignity of citizens."

The new constitution elevates the prime minister to the "head of government" and ensures he is selected from the party that received the most votes in election, rather than just chosen by the king.
The prime minister also will have the new powers of choosing and dismissing Cabinet members and will be able to fill a number of other government positions, though the selection of the powerful regional governors will remain the king's prerogative.

The king also will continue to chair two key councils - the Council of Ministers and the Supreme Security Council - which make security policy. The Prime Minister can chair these councils, but only using an agenda set by the king.

Activists from the pro-democracy February 20 movement dismissed many of the changes, describing them as cosmetic.

"Before we had an absolute monarch, now we have an absolute monarch that is a pope as well," said Elaabadila Chbihna, an activist with the February 20 movement that has been carrying out weekly pro-democracy marches around the country.

The reforms also strengthen Parliament, allowing it to launch investigations into officials with the support of just one-fifth of its members or to begin a censure motion against a minister with the backing of a third, rather than needing the unanimous approval demanded by the current Constitution.

The judiciary, which has long been criticised for lacking independence, would be governed by a Supreme Council composed of judges and the head of the national human rights council. The justice minister would not be on the council.

According to Hicham Ben Abdallah El Alaoui, the king's cousin and a researcher at Stanford University, the reforms follow the same pattern as previous ones, with the king dictating the terms to docile political parties.

"This scenario of a mock discussion among the same players as always, and a happy ending seems a foregone conclusion," he wrote in the French daily Liberation. "Constitutional amendments that are 'good enough' will come out and be approved by referendum and the international community. This will give the regime some credibility for reform so that it can dismiss the demonstrators in the street as 'undemocratic.'"

He predicted continued street protests, however, despite government attempts to paint the February 20 movement as a cover for extreme leftists and Islamic radicals.

Several activists watching the speech Friday night in an apartment in downtown Rabat scoffed at many of the king's proposals and afterward described the new constitution as being just as bad as the old one.

"He just spoke about the good elements in the constitution and then passed over the controversial ones," said Chbihna who had seen a leaked draft of the new constitution, which has been expanded from 108 articles to 180. He maintained that the king still held all the reins of power.

Mbarka Bouaida, a Member of Parliament from Casablanca, however, told The Associated Press that she saw the new constitution as an important step in opening up the political system. She cited the new document's clear commitment to human rights, gender equality and freedom of worship as important steps.

"I think it's progressive. Probably we will need another Constitution in 10 or 15 years, but we must go through this one first and give time for the political parties to be strengthened," she said, citing weak political parties as a problem in the system.

"It depends on the way we will apply it," added Bouaida, who is a member of the National Rally for Independents, which is part of the governing coalition. "The real value-added of this constitution is that we are institutionalizing the politics."

In the capital Rabat where crowds marched through the normally quiet nighttime streets, most seemed to applaud the king's speech.

"It elevates the constitution and lets the king pull back so the people and the government can rule," said Rafai Touhami, a 60-year-old clutching a sheaf of newspapers standing outside a cafe. "The king will always be there, though, since the political parties aren't ready to rule," he added, reflecting popular distrust of the politicians in favor of the king.

Abderrahim Chaawat, 34, who watched the speech from a cafe in Casablanca said the part of the speech that affected him the most were reforms to strengthen the judiciary.

"There is no justice in this country, it has to be changed totally from head to toe," he said. "If the justice system worked here, then everything would be fine."

UN splits Al Qaeda and Taliban on its terror list - India

17 june 2011

UN splits Al Qaeda and Taliban on its terror list

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

UNSC President for the month of July Peter
Wittig. (AP)

United Nations:  The UN Security Council (UNSC) has split the international sanctions regime for the Taliban and Al Qaeda to encourage the Taliban to join reconciliation efforts in Afghanistan.

The council unanimously passed two resolutions on Friday which set up one new blacklist of individuals and organisations accused of links to Al Qaeda and a second for those linked to the Taliban militia.

The two groups have until now been handled by the same sanctions committee. But the international powers wanted to separate them to highlight the divide between Al Qaeda's global jihadist agenda and the Taliban's focus on Afghanistan.

The new resolutions, 1988 and 1989, send "a clear message to the Taliban that there is a future for those who separate from Al Qaeda, renounce violence and abide by the Afghan Constitution," said Susan Rice, UN envoy for the United States, which led the campaign for the division.

Peter Wittig, Germany's UN ambassador who heads the Security Council anti-terrorism sanctions committee, said the resolution sends "a strong signal of trust and support for the peace and reconciliation efforts of the government of Afghanistan."

US President Barack Obama has set July as the target date to start cutting the 100,000 American troops in Afghanistan and Defence Secretary Robert Gates said this month there could be talks with the Taliban before the end of the year.

IT outsourcing shifting to outcome-based model - India

16 june 2011

IT outsourcing shifting to outcome-based model: Nasscom

Bangalore: India's IT industry body Nasscom chief Som Mittal has said that after the economic crisis, traditional IT outsourcing model in India is undergoing a fundamental shift to an outcome-based model.

Mittal said that India's IT outsourcing companies are expected to deliver double-digit growth by the end of the year. He is forecasting that revenues from the sector will rise at least 15% to about $70bn this year as customers in the US and Europe resume spending after the global economic downturn.
However, despite the projected growth, Mittal admits that India's traditional IT outsourcing model is experiencing a fundamental shift.
"We've now moved to an outcome-based model" - being paid on performance, rather than one based solely on the number of people deployed on any one job," he says.
"That is giving outsourcers an incentive to be more efficient." HCL Technologies director Bindi Bhullar reinforced what Mittal said.
Bhullar said, "One interesting trend is that buyers are becoming more sophisticated in their purchasing of IT services, looking for more outcome based pricing models.
"As a result, the frequency with which executives approve major consulting deals casually during a round of golf is diminishing. Instead, several developing trends are shaping client expectations for the client-consultant relationship. These trends include more centralised purchasing, better information sharing among clients and higher skilled IT workers."
Meanwhile, analysts warned that above-average wage rises that the IT outsourcing industry in India is witnessing could become a concern in future. According to research firm Gartner principal analyst Arup Roy wages have risen about 15% a year.
Roy said while India still remains a low-cost destination, that advantage is "depleting with every passing year". "The problem is that investors have got used to growth of 20-25 per cent. Investors will have to reset their expectations."

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

Acidic reservoir threatens Meghalaya's hydel project - India

15 june 2011

Acidic reservoir threatens Meghalaya's hydel project

Shillong: The Kopili Hydel Project in Meghalaya, owned by the North Eastern Electric Corporation (NEEPCO), has come under threat from high content of acid in its reservoir due to unscientific coal mining in the region, a senior official said Tuesday.

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

The reservoir of the 275 MW hydel project at Umrangso, a border area between Assam and Meghalaya, was found to contain acidic water discharged from the Kharkhar river, a tributary of the Kopili river originating in the Jaintia Hills.
"Unscientific coal mining in Meghalaya has affected the Kopili Hydel Project. Its life-span is very uncertain as most of the machinery is corroded due to sulpuric acid content in the reservoir," NEEPCO technical director Utpal Moral told IANS Tuesday.
According to Moral, the discharge of toxic wastes from the mines has contaminated the water, affecting the project's functioning.
"Important machinery and even the structure of the dam are being corroded due to the acid drainage. The approximate cost for the repair of the damaged parts is Rs.1.5 crore," the official said.
"Rat-hole coal mining carried out unscientifically has led to severe degradation of the environment. In fact, Meghalaya doesn't have a mining policy of its own despite its abundant mineral wealth," Moral added.

IndiGo to start international flights from Sept 1 - India

14 june 2011

IndiGo to start international operation from Sept 1

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

Come September and passengers flying to Dubai and South East Asia will have another low cost option. Domestic low cost carrier Indigo will soon take on international wings and will connect Dubai, Singapore and Bangkok starting September 1, 2011.

Indigo will be the second low cost carrier after SpiceJet to start international flights. Fares on these routes which are already quite competitive could see further fall in tariffs due to increased completion. Indigo is offering fares which are 30 per cent lower than average fares as inaugural fares.

"We are launching our international operations to Dubai, Singapore and Bangkok from this September. Keeping the stiff competition in mind, the all-inclusive return fare for any of the destinations would be Rs. 9,999 only," IndiGo chief executive officer Aditya Ghosh said.

Indigo which is buying an additional 180 aircraft for $15.6 billion is looking to raise its fleet size to 60 aircraft from the current 39 by end of 2012. However despite being confident of continuing its profitable streak this year as well the airline's top management hasn't finalised plans for an IPO yet. Indigo has earlier this year appointed bankers to advise it on the possibility of an IPO to raise funds for the airline.

The carrier has also applied for flights to Dhaka and Bangkok from Kolkata, which is likely to begin next year, Ghosh said, adding that there are options of operating more flights on international sectors as 34 per cent of the route authority from Indian side were yet to be utilised.

Even as crude prices continue to remain high Indigo says its expects domestic fares to remain stable and is confident that despite fears of economic growth slowing marginally passenger growth will outpace capacity addition this year.

Read more at: http://profit.ndtv.com/news/show/indigo-to-start-international-operation-from-sept-1-160221?pfrom=home-Business&cp

India's Bhupathi-Paes lose doubles final at Queen's tennis- India

13 june 2011

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

London: Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes were denied a first doubles title at Queen's as the Indian duo were beaten 6-7 (2/7), 7-6 (7/4), 10-6 by top seeds Bob and Mike Bryan on Monday.

Bhupathi and Paes were defeated by the Bryan brothers in the Australian Open final in January and once again they came up short against the world's number one ranked pair.

Third seeds Bhupathi and Paes had beaten French Open champions Max Mirnyi and Daniel Nestor in the semi-finals of this Wimbledon warm-up event and they had a good chance to win the final as well.

After taking the first set in a tense tie-break, Bhupathi and Paes were on course for victory when they broke for a 4-2 lead in the second set.

But the Bryans, three-time champions at Queen's, broke back to force another tie-break and this time they took it to level the match before coming out on top in the super tie-break.

7 mistakes to avoid when investing - India

12 june 2011

7 mistakes to avoid when investing!

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

Not taking a very conservative stand doesn’t mean you should play aggressive in the markets. An investor is bound to lose money even if he chooses to take a very aggressive stand by investing his money in high risk avenues such as equities without even taking enough care to understand how they work. The middle path is always better so that you can always make changes to your investment basket according to market conditions.
We all make mistakes, don’t we? Some mistakes are minor that you get a second chance to make amends. But there are some mistakes that will prove to be very, very costly and cannot be easily amended! Investment is one such tricky area where you just cannot afford to go wrong! So, what should you do before making an investment? Or do you know what are the most common mistakes that you should avoid when making an investment? Well, here’s a list of the seven common investing mistakes that you should avoid at any cost!
Confusing between trading and investing
This is perhaps the most basic confusion that you should get cleared of lest you will make big losses and lose confidence to try again: the confusion between trading and investing. Trading is something that you do without much planning or research that is you are said to be trading when you buy and sell stocks and mutual funds at will. Frankly speaking, trading might not help you build long-term wealth but could bring good money to your broker! So it is important to understand the basic differences between trading and investing before taking the plunge.
Investing takes a lot more research and well-thought planning in the different avenues of the investment. Your investment amount, your investment goal, your risk appetite, the present market conditions and some basic studies about the future of the markets and many other factors go into making the best investment strategy for you.
Taking a very conservative stand
Most people prefer to take a very conservative stand and invest in traditional products like bank deposits, public provident fund (PPF) and so on. Their argument is that the traditional products ensure guaranteed returns though they are comparatively lower than returns from stocks or mutual funds or equities. However, a good investment is not only about guaranteed returns but about real returns. Real returns are returns post inflation. And it is always better to calculate these real returns with an expert’s help considering the complexities involved in today’s economic scenario especially inflation.
Taking a very aggressive stand
Not taking a very conservative stand doesn’t mean you should play aggressive in the markets. An investor is bound to lose money even if he chooses to take a very aggressive stand by investing his money in high risk avenues such as equities without even taking enough care to understand how they work. The middle path is always better so that you can always make changes to your investment basket according to market conditions.
Holding on to the dud stocks
This is one of the most common mistakes some investors make, holding on to the dud stocks! A dud stocks need not necessarily mean only non-performing stocks; it could also mean purchasing stocks of unheard companies. Never buy stocks of unheard companies even if they are doing well while you are planning to buy them. It could well be just a short term stint because these unheard companies never have in them the thing to perform well on a long term and their stocks might soon turn to be duds. There are many instances of such companies and their stocks turning dud over a period of time.
Hence, it is important to invest in performing stocks, and at the same time have a backing from a good fund manager. For example, you could invest regularly in small amounts through Systematic Investment Plans (SIP) and make money by holding on to them for a long term.
Asset allocation holds the key
Your investment basket should be filled with the right type of assets for good long term returns. And remember to fine tune the basket at regular intervals depending on how the market behaves and in line with your risk appetite and financial goals. Improper asset allocation like investing in too much of debt for the long term or irregular investments in equity for the coming quarters could put you in an awkward position and leave you with no or little returns.
Timing the market
This is one area where even the experts fumble. Markets are highly unpredictable even in the short to medium terms. Though there are some parameters to predict the market like the changes to the country’s socio, economic, political and business spectrums, there is no fixed rule to say how markets would react to these turn of events. Hence, it is advisable to stay away from reading too much into such parameters while timing the markets. Instead, you could go in for a closely controlled investment strategy that could help you make money in the long term.
Overconfidence
Ask the long term players in the markets and they will perhaps warn you against being overconfident with recent successes. There is nothing wrong in hoping for the best times but overconfidence is something an investor should do away with. It is important to understand that your recent successes in the markets could have been due to many ‘hidden’ factors that might have escaped your attention. Overconfidence in your so called ‘perfect management of portfolio’ might spell trouble and you might end up losing money!
Avoid these common mistakes at any cost. After all, a good beginning is half the battle.

When shopping, look for the ‘eco-label’ - India

11 june 2011

Next time you go shopping, look for the ‘eco-label’!

A CIIE panel will issue ‘eco-labels’ for products & services.

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

The next time you want to buy an environment-friendly product, look for the 'eco-label' on which the Centre for Innovation Incubation and Entrepreneurship (CIIE) has been working for some time.
The 'eco-label' that would be issued by a CIIE panel to certify that a particular product was environment friendly, is the first effort in India to test products and services for their 'eco-friendliness', beyond the routine audits for energy efficiency. The assessment of product for its eco-friendliness will be done only when sought by its manufacturer.
The label would be given only after extensive tests by the steering committee constituted by the CIIE with experts drawn from different fields across the country.
The CIIE, established at the Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad (IIMA), aims to incubate technology-based innovations and help commercialise them.

Companies are launching their own schools - India

10 june 2011

India Inc's retail academy

To create job-ready talent, companies are launching their own schools

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

Fresh business plans of retail chains post the economic slowdown and dearth of talent in the sector have made retailers shift their strategy from hiring freshers to hiring trained staff.

Mumbai: In 2009, when Retailers Association of India (RAI) and Indira Gandhi National Open University jointly began a three- year bachelor's programme in retailing, the course saw 250 students enrolling.

Two years later, demand for the course has gone up by eight times with a batch size of 2,000 students and as many as 40 retailing companies including McDonald's, Future Group, Infinity Retail, Lifestyle and Shopper's Stop among others -- sponsoring courses for their staff.
Fresh business plans of retail chains post the economic slowdown and dearth of talent in the sector have made retailers shift their strategy from hiring freshers to hiring trained staff.
And creation of job-ready talent is the reason prompting entry of companies like--- Essar Group's Aegis Global Academy, Bharti Group's Centum Learning and Future Group's Future Innoversity -- launch their own courses in retailing.

World forests capturing more carbon - India

09 june 2011

World forests capturing more carbon

London: Forests are becoming larger carbon sinks thanks to higher density which has helped maintain regional carbon levels in the face of deforestation, according to the latest research from US and Europe.

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

In Europe and North America, increased density significantly raised carbon storage in trees despite little or no expansion of forest area, according to the study, led by Aapo Rautiainen of the University of Helsinki, Finland.
Even in the South American nations studied, more density helped maintain regional carbon levels in the face of deforestation, reports the journal Public Library of Science.
The researchers analyzed information from 68 nations, accounting for 72 percent of the world's forested land and 68 percent of reported carbon mass, according to a Helsinki statement.
They conclude that managing forests for timber growth and density offers a way to increase stored carbon, even with little or no expansion of forest area.

Baba Ramdev to declare assets, defends call to arms - India

08 june 2011

Baba Ramdev to declare assets, defends call to arms

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

Haridwar:  Baba Ramdev, who will declare his assets today to counter allegations that he has illegal wealth, has also defended his controversial call to arms yesterday.

On Wednesday, the Baba had said he would build and train an army of 11,000 men and women to fight corruption and warned the government that the next time there was police action at a protest, his supporters would be armed and would retaliate. He did not climb down completely on Thursday, but was on the defensive when he said he was not "training terrorists or Maoists, but nationalists."

"The words should be used in the right context...I said I will make a force who will not beat anyone but they will not get beaten either," the yoga teacher said, adding, "what is the harm or wrong if I speak about shaurya (valour)?"

Ramdev's provocative comment in Haridwar yesterday caused a political storm in nearby Delhi. He had said: "Twenty youth from each region will come forward for our fight against corruption. They must be dedicated, ready to make the ultimate sacrifice. They will be given arms training. Next time at Ramlila it will be Ravanlila. Let's see who gets beaten up."

The government made its stand clear. "It is anti-national and we have to take action," warned V Narayanswamy, Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office.  An hour later, the Home Minister weighed in. "I've seen Ramdev's statement. By making that statement he's exposed his true colours and intention. Let him do so and the law will deal with that," P Chidambaram said.

Later on Wednesday evening, a statement issued by his spokesperson SK Tijarawala said that the Baba did not mean training in the use of guns or bombs and that the intention was not to take law in their hands.
The government has been caught in a face-off with the yoga icon since the weekend, when it ordered the police to dismantle a massive camp that the Baba had organised - it combined yoga with a sit-in against corruption. On Saturday, the Baba launched an indefinite hunger strike. Hours later, the police moved in and arrested him. The 65,000 people gathered at Ramlila Maidan were teargassed and lathi-charged.

The incident brought together activists and opposition parties who condemned the government for breaking up a peaceful demonstration.

Gandhian Anna Hazare was also on a one-day fast on Wednesday at Rajghat in the Capital to protest against the action at Ramlila Maidan, and to push the government to agree to a new corruption law that's being drafted partly by activists led by him. Mr Hazare- the face of a campaign named India Against Corruption - declared that his movement is a "second freedom movement."  If the government doesn't introduce the new Lokpal Bill by August 15, he warned, he will go on another fast.

Man tried to throw slipper at Janardhan Dwivedi - India

07 june 2011

Man tried to throw slipper at Janardhan Dwivedi

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiothoracic Cardiac Heart Surgeon Surgery India

New Delhi:  After he launched a fierce attack against the BJP and Baba Ramdev, Congress spokesperson Janardhan Dwivedi was targeted at a press conference by a man who tried to throw a slipper at him.

The man has been identified as Sunil Kumar from Rajasthan; he was posing as a journalist. He was grabbed by Congress workers who beat him before the police took him into custody. "The attack was pre-planned," said Mr Dwivedi minutes later. "He appears to be an RSS activist," said the always-controversial Digvijaya Singh, who is the General Secretary of the Congress. (Watch) "Another party spokesperson Jayanthi Natarajan said, "It was very obvious that the same communal and divisive forces that were behind the agitation (supporting Ramdev) have planned this attack."

Before the attempted assault on him, Mr Dwivedi had mocked yoga guru Ramdev for dressing as a woman to avoid being arrested by the police on Saturday night. The yoga teacher's hunger strike against corruption was interrupted by the Delhi Police on late Saturday night. The government had ordered the police to dismantle the camp and force the yoga icon out of Ramlila Maidan. There were 65,000 people at the Baba's camp when the police lathicharged and teargassed the crowd. After a dramatic chase that ended with the yoga icon being discovered dressed as a woman, the Baba was flown to Uttarakhand.

The government has been submerged in criticism since then by every major political party and social activists. Mr Dwivedi was defending the government's decision to pull the plug on the Baba's camp at the official Congress briefing this evening.

Mr Kumar arrived in Delhi last night from Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan, according to the Delhi Police. He asked Mr Dwivedi if Baba Ramdev has replaced the BJP as the main enemy of the Congress. When Mr Dwivedi did not respond, Mr Kumar held up his slipper and said, "It seems you only respond when a shoe is shown to you."

The BJP said the Congress should introspect on why the country is so furious with the government. "The Congress' actions have maligned the nation...common people are unhappy with them," said party spokesperson Shanawaz Hussain.

Youth walk for environment in Green Walkathon - India

06 june 2011

Youth walk for environment in Green Walkathon

New Delhi: Hundreds of school children gathered early Sunday in the heart of the national capital for a Green Walkathon walk to mark the World Environment Day.

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiothoracic Cardiac Heart Surgeon Surgery India

"The youth are the key to promoting the cause of environment. With so many children turning up for the walk, it shows the awareness on environmental issues is on the rise", said Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh, as he flagged off the march.
The walk, organised by the ministry of environment and forests, was held from India Gate to Rafi Marg in central Delhi at 6.30 a.m.
Enthusiastic students began lining up for the walk displaying catchy slogans and posters early Sunday.
"First step to save the mother earth: Stop cutting down the trees," said Kapil Nandwani, 14, a Kannada Senior Secondary School student.
Eleven-year-old Mohit Vashistha from Ryan International said: "I have come here to spread the message to save environment and save lives."

World Bank to study Delhi's waste-to-energy plant - India

05 june 2011

World Bank to study Delhi's waste-to-energy plant

New Delhi: The waste-to-energy plant coming up in Delhi has been chosen by the World Bank for a case study, an official said Friday.

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiothoracic Cardiac Heart Surgeon Surgery India

The decision was taken at the C40 Cities Mayor's Summit, held in Sao Paulo in Brazil from May 31 to June 2, a Delhi government official said. Chief Secretary P.K. Tripathi was also present at the summit.
"Huge landfills cause environmental problem and we need to convert the waste into energy which will be an addition to energy sector and reduce the damage to environment. It is good as the World Bank has identified the capital of India as a case study for converting waste into energy," the official told IANS.
India's first waste-to-energy plant, Timarpur Okhla Municipal Solid Waste Management plant, will start operations from July 2011. It is a private-public partnership project of the the Jindal ITF Ecopolis and Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).
The project is spread over a two-acre landfill in Okhla in south Delhi. About 70 percent of the construction is complete

Priyanka Chopra Vs Rahul Bose on World Environment Day - India

05 june 2011

Priyanka Chopra Vs Rahul Bose on World Environment Day

New Delhi: Bollywood actors Priyanka Chopra and Rahul Bose are to compete on the World Environment Day June 5 to motivate people to do their bit to save the mother earth.

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The Bollywood stars are facing off in a new video for the ultimate Environment Day Challenge - where they are calling individuals, groups, families and schools, even entire communities - to post details of their green activities online at www.wedchallenge.org/india.
"And for Priyanka and Rahul, this is where the battle lines get drawn. When registering a green activity on the site, people will have the opportunity to pledge their activity to either one celebrity or the other," said a statement issued by UN here.
Priyanka has pledged to plant a tree for every green activity registered in her name while Rahul has pledged to plant two.
"Whether it's switching from plastic bags to cloth bags, car-pooling with colleagues or organising a tree-planting day, green activities can be big, small, local, international, noisy, quiet ... just as long as they're green," it said.
India for the first time is the global host of United Nations Environment Day this year.

Midnight crackdown with tear gas on Baba Ramdev peaceful fast - India

04 june 2011

Midnight crackdown on Ramdev fast

In a midnight raid, police use tear gas and lathis to clear Ramlila Maidan; Ramdev whisked away

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiothoracic Cardiac Heart Surgeon Surgery India

Delhi police officers remove supporters from the site where renowned yoga guru Baba Ramdev was holding a hunger strike in New Delhi, early Sunday, June 5, 2011. The police swooped down Sunday on the venue of the hunger strike by the charismatic Indian yoga guru and forcibly removed him and thousands of his supporters.

New Delhi: Hundreds of police swooped on the Ramlila ground here just after midnight Saturday and forcibly removed Baba Ramdev after dispersing his restive supporters with tear gas and batons, ending a high-profile hunger strike against corruption he launched less than 24 hours earlier.
In an operation that was clearly meticulously planned, Delhi Police and Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel desceneded on the protest venue in the heart of the capital taking by surprise both Ramdev and the mass of his sleeping supporters.
In no time, there was pandemonium as Ramdev tried to evade police.
As the crowds became restive at the sprawling ground, Ramdev took up a mike and frantically appealed to his supporters from the stage not to indulge in violence. He also quickly ran into the crowds, perhaps in the hope that the police may not take him away then.
His core supporters and close aides did throw a human ring around him. But it did not work.

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiothoracic Cardiac Heart Surgeon Surgery India

Delhi police officers evicting supporters from the site where Baba Ramdev was holding a hunger strike in New Delhi, early Sunday.

In no time, clashes erupted between the security personnel and Ramdev supporters, some of who armed themselves with iron rods, fire extinguishers and what appeared to be baseball bats.
As some of them hurled stones at the police, the security forces hit back viciously.
A few minor fires erupted on the high stage. The sound system was dismantled. Not only did some policemen throw back the stones hurled at them, but others fired tear gas, choking and blinding hundreds. Men and women who had been sleeping until an hour ago fled in different directions.
Amid the confusion, police personnel got on to the stage and pushed away the organizers and others. Those who refused to get off were hit with batons.

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiothoracic Cardiac Heart Surgeon Surgery India

Supporters of yoga guru Baba Ramdev react from tear gas after clashing with police at the site where they were holding a hunger strike in New Delhi, early Sunday, June 5, 2011.

Quickly, Baba Ramdev -- who enjoys a wide following in north India -- was physically lifted and carried away, further angering his supporters. Many had come from distant states.
Police said the reason for his removal was that Ramlial Ground was given for the yoga camp not for protests.
But the police action upset his supporters with many saying there was no need to use force against protestors.
"What they have done is disgusting. It is barbarous," said a former Indian Navy officer who said he had come from Chandigarh to offer his support to Ramdev's fast against unending corruption and black money stashed abroad by rich Indians.
An angry young man compared the crackdown with the earlier Egyptian protests.

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiothoracic Cardiac Heart Surgeon Surgery India

Police officers remove a supporter from the site where Baba Ramdev was holding a hunger strike in New Delhi, early Sunday, June 5.

"Even in Egypt they allowed people to demonstrate for so long. Look at this country," he said in a disgusting tone. A young woman accused police of misbehaving with her -- and other women.
Within two hours, the Ramlila ground was in shambles and looking like a war zone. Much of the stage had been broken. Most people left the place by 3 a.m. Sunday.
Some of the protestors were injured. A few showed bleeding wounds in the legs, accusing the police of using bamboo sticks indiscriminately.
There was confusion on Ramdev's whereabouts. Police and home ministry sources initially insisted that he had left the place voluntarily after being served an externment order to quit Delhi.

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiothoracic Cardiac Heart Surgeon Surgery India

Chairs are seen overturned after the Delhi police removed protesters from the site where Baba Ramdev was holding a hunger strike in New Delhi, early Sunday.

They denied that he had been arrested or detained. But another officer later claimed that he had been detained and would be taken out of the capital. He did not say where.
An uneasy calm descended on the protest venue by 4 a.m. after electricity was cut off. But a few women defiantly continued to sit there, refusing to clear out.
The midnight police action came just about 14 hours after Ramdev went on his indefinite fast at the Ramlila ground after his talks with senior government ministers failed.