Medical, engg craze will subside: Murthy - India

07 feb 2012

Medical, engg craze will subside: Murthy

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

Kochi: The craze for Medical and Engineering courses among Indian students will subside when the country becomes developed, N R Narayana Murthy, Chairman Emeritus of Infosys, said. India is a poor country. There are a lot of uneducated persons in this country, no proper drinking water (in many areas) and there is unemployment problem. Everyone wants to get jobs after completing their courses," Murthy said.
Developed countries have many students pursuing courses in different subjects such as philosophy and history, he said.
"When the country becomes developed, there will be a reverse of this present situation," he said at the release of the Malayalam translation of his book 'A Better India, A Better World', a collection of some of his speeches.
Murthy also said the recent appreciation of the Rupee would not affect Indian IT Companies.
"It will not be like that," Murthy said in a brief interaction with reporters.
The only way to solve poverty in ndia, Murthy said, was through entrepreneurship.
The Infosys co-founder listed out five qualities required for an aspiring entrepreneur: "he must have an idea, market must be ready for the idea, good team and value system, sacrifice today for the benefit of tomorrow and Finance".
Interacting with students, he said India was second to none. What needed to be done for youngsters and the coming generation was to create an environment that enhanced the enthusiasm of the students and get the cooperation of the central and state governments and corporate leaders,

S&P warns of risk factors to India's stable rating - India

S&P warns of risk factors to India's stable rating

Global credit rating agency Standard & Poor’s (S&P) on Monday warned that the balance of risk factors for the current sovereign credit rating on India may be shifting to negative.

The rating agency, which recently hit the headlines for downgrading the Untied State’s credit rating for the first ever to below AAA, said India’s risk factors included high inflation, a weak government fiscal position, and a slower rate of economic growth.



“Weaker economic growth prospects and high commodity prices could constrain the government's effort for fiscal consolidation,” the rating agency said in a note on Monday.

India currently enjoys a stable rating of BBB- on it sovereign debt. However, it has been grappling with political gridlock and the government’s ability to implement measures to improve economic growth and fiscal prudence will be vital to boosting confidence, S&P credit analyst Takahira Ogawa said. .

“Uncertainty in global financial markets and European sovereign debt problems could add to the pressures on India,” he added.

The risk factors, it said, had affected investor confidence in the rupee’s value, triggering capital flight, which in turn weighed on the sovereign rating.

Indeed, the fiscal deficit – or the difference between the government receipts and spending – touched Rs 3,81,000 crore for nine months ended December 2011. This is 92 per cent of the target of 4.6 per cent of GDP -- or about Rs 4,12,800 crore – set out in the Union Budget in February 2011. A higher fiscal deficit also means that the government will need to borrow more from the Reserve Bank of India; this will release more liquidity into the financial system and eventually lead to even higher inflation.

The central bank has also cautioned against the high fiscal deficit in the past, saying it would hurt growth if a cap was not put on public debt.

And on Monday, the same day as the S&P note, RBI deputy governor Subir Gokarn said “We can't discount the importance of fiscal consolidation contributing to growth. It is not that growth first and then we get fiscal consolidation. They are interrelated.”

While S&P does not expect to downgrade or revise the outlook on India’s long-term rating in the near future. the negative factors, combined with the government's weak policy formulation and implementation, may lead (us) to a tipping point, Ogawa said.

cricketer Yuvraj Singh's mother says her son is doing fine - India

05 feb 2012

Yuvraj Singh's mother says her son is doing fine

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Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

New Delhi: Shabnam Singh, mother of India's World Cup hero Yuvraj Singh who has been detected with cancer, has said her son is fine and that he will be back on the field soon.

A national daily quoted Shabnam as saying that there is nothing to worry about. "He is fine and will be back soon on the field. Don't worry," she said from Boston where Yuvraj is undergoing treatment at the Cancer Research Institute.

Yuvraj was diagnosed with a non-malignant tumour of the lungs last year and it was reported on Sunday that he has cancer.

ISRO report indicts ex-chief Nair, finds lapses in Antrix-Devas deal - India

04 feb 2012

ISRO report indicts ex-chief Nair, finds lapses in Antrix-Devas deal

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

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New Delhi:  Just a week after the government barred four scientists including former chief of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), G Madhavan Nair, from holding any official position over their alleged role in the controversial Antrix-Devas deal, ISRO has now justified the move, saying there were "serious procedural lapses" in the controversial contract.

The space agency has released parts of a report prepared by a high-level committee - that probed the deal - that has seriously indicted Mr Nair and others, saying the agreement "seems to be lacking in transparency and due diligence". "There have not only been serious administrative and procedural lapses but also suggestion of collusive behaviour on the part of certain individuals and accordingly, responsibilities have to be fixed for taking action".

Mr Nair, the former ISRO boss, is under the scanner for his alleged role in the sale of the precious S-band spectrum by ISRO's commercial arm Antrix at inexplicably low prices to a private firm Devas in 2005.

The five-member committee that was set up in May last year and was headed by former Chief Vigilance Commissioner, Pratyush Sinha, in its report, says that that the terms of the contract "were heavily loaded in favour of Devas". The report also says that the "approval process for the deal was riddled with incomplete and inaccurate information" with no clearance obtained from the legal cells of the Department of Space and the Finance Ministry - mandatory for any international agreement by any department of the Indian government.

The committee has further recommended action against Mr Nair as also the three scientists - A Bhaskaranarayana, K R Sridhara Murthi and K N Shankara all of whom have since retired.

Mr Nair hit back, accusing ISRO of being selective in revealing facts. "Whatever bits and pieces are being released shows that they don't want to reveal the full facts...the portions which are quoted from Pratyush Sinha committee are inaccurate and inconsistent," he said. The former ISRO chief had last week alleged victimisation, with the government action prompted him to say, "Am I worse than a terrorist?" He had also suggested that he would consider taking the government to court over the action.

Ironically, the latest report is at complete variance with another that was prepared by a High Powered Committee constituted by the government in February last year. The probe panel headed by former cabinet secretary B K Chaturvedi and scientist Roddam Narasimha, and which had no member from the Department of Space, categorically concluded that "concerns on cheap selling of spectrum have no basis whatsoever...Space spectrum is not comparable to terrestrial spectrum". This suggests that the scarce S-band spectrum was not sold at throwaway prices to Devas as alleged and that the company still needed to pay the Department of Telecom additional licence fees for use of spectrum on the ground like any other cellular service operator.

In 2005, ISRO's commercial arm, Antrix, agreed to build two satellites and provide scarce S-band spectrum for Devas, which planned to offer commercial broadband services. Devas was told to pay Rs. 1000 crore - a sweetheart deal that, according to some estimates, meant the government would incur losses worth two lakh crore rupees. Media reports rocketed the deal into controversy last year, especially embarrassing for the government since ISRO reports directly to the Prime Minister's Office. In May last year, the Prime Minister set up a three-member committee to examine the agreement between Antrix and Devas after media reports exposed the problematic contract.

Mr Nair blames his successor at ISRO, K Radhakrishnan, for misrepresenting the facts. "He (Radhakrishnan) has misled the Government on the whole issue (the controversial Devas deal). He is the key person who worked behind this; he misled and mis-communicated to the Government and he has taken action", alleged Mr Nair. Along with him, the three former ISRO colleagues who have allegedly been indicted for the Devas deal are K Bhaskaranarayana who was Scientific Secretary at ISRO; K N Shankara, former Director of the ISRO satellite centre; and K R Sridharamurthi, who was the Managing Director of Antrix.

Pakistan 'safe sanctuaries' causing problems in Afghanistan: US - India

03 feb 2012

Pak 'safe sanctuaries' causing problems in Afghanistan: US

Washington:  Doubting Pakistan's "willingness" to go after the militant groups enjoying sanctuary in the country, a top US intelligence official has said these elements have caused major problems for the Afghan and coalition forces working for a "new" Afghanistan.

"We should be cautious in what we anticipate in terms of the ability of our Pakistani partners, and in some cases the willingness to go after the Haqqani network in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of the Afghan Taliban down in Baluchistan," David Petraeus, Director of CIA, told lawmakers at a Congressional hearing, responding to a question from Congressman Adam Schiff.

 "My chief concern about Afghanistan is the safe haven in Pakistan. And my questions are these. First, do you anticipate any change in the status of the sanctuary that the insurgency finds in Pakistan?" Schiff asked.

"And second, if we can't expect that there's going to be much of a change in that safe haven for the Taliban insurgency, can we reasonably expect that the Afghan forces will be able to defend against an insurgency that enjoys that safe haven once we draw down our troops?" he questioned.

"Finally, should Afghan special forces be allowed to take the fight to the enemy leadership in Pakistan, and the sense of immunity from risk that the senior Taliban leadership enjoy in Pakistan," the Congressman asked.

Petraeus replied that there was no question about the existence of safe haven in Pakistan.

"There's no question that there are elements in Pakistan that have enjoyed sanctuary, and that caused major problems for Afghanistan and for the Afghan and coalition forces that are seeking to provide security to enable the development of the new Afghanistan," he said.

Pakistan, he said, has sustained very heavy combat operations against the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistani and affiliates.
"But again, the thought that they will go in and go after them is probably overly optimistic," Petraeus said.

The prospect of Afghanistan continuing to defend itself from the terrorist in these safe havens, he argued, depends on the amount of assistance that is provided to the Afghan security forces.

"Are there enablers in addition to just, say, money or equipment or various traditional forms of security assistance? We have obviously nearly three years before the end of 2014 to develop that kind of -- what that will consist of, noting again that not just President Obama but the leaders of the other major coalition countries of the NATO forces in Afghanistan have all pledged continued support in varying forms for Afghanistan beyond the end of 2014," he said.

"With respect to should the Afghan forces be allowed to go. Well, I think that's obviously a question for Afghanistan, but I think they probably have sufficient fights on their hands without invading the soil of another country, even as significant as is the threat that is posed by some of these safe havens across the border," Petraeus said.

Indian Canadian actress Lisa Ray has got engaged - India

02 feb 2012

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  Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

   

Indian Canadian actress Lisa Ray has got engaged. Her boyfriend Jason Dehni proposed to her in California's Napa Valley.

"Just returned from the glorious Napa Valley - the gourmand's and wine-lovers' paradise. ENGAGED to the love of my life. Jason Dehni proposed in Napa. #happiestdayever", she wrote on her Twitter page. She also posted her picture with her beau.

The actress was diagnosed with a rare cancer of plasma cells in 2009. After a year of treatment, she revealed she had beaten the disease. Lisa made her Bollywood debut in 2001 with Kasoor, but received critical acclaim for her performance in Deepa Mehta's Water.

'Soul Train' creator Don Cornelius commits suicide - India

01  feb 2012

'Soul Train' creator Don Cornelius commits suicide

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

(Reuters) - Don Cornelius, creator of the iconic TV music and dance show "Soul Train" that helped introduce Americans to black pop culture, died on Wednesday after shooting himself in the head, Los Angeles officials said.
Police found the body of Cornelius, 75, at his house in the wealthy, hillside area of Los Angeles called Sherman Oaks at around 4 a.m on Wednesday. He was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.
"The death was reported as a suicide, a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head," Los Angeles coroner's Assistant Chief Ed Winter said. Police said there was no evidence of foul play.
It was not immediately known why Cornelius would have taken his own life, although he was said to have been in failing health in recent years.
Cornelius, who launched "Soul Train" in Chicago in the early 1970s and hosted it for more than 20 years, told a judge in his 2009 divorce that he was suffering from significant health issues and wanted the case settled quickly.
"Soul Train", which ran until 2006, became part of U.S. pop culture history, boosting the careers of newcomers like the Jackson Five and older artists such as James Brown who were trying to tap into a younger audience.
Almost immediately following news that he died, tributes poured in from the music world.
Aretha Franklin, who appeared on the dance and TV show, called his death "sad, stunning and downright shocking and a huge and momentous loss to the African-American community and the world at large."
Composer and record producer Quincy Jones said he was "deeply saddened" at the sudden passing of his friend, colleague and business partner.
The Recording Academy, which gives out the Grammys, called Cornelius a "trailblazer" who "created a cultural phenomenon with 'Soul Train.'"
SON OF THE '60s
Cornelius was born in 1936 in Chicago and as an adult, became a journalist who was active in the civil rights movement. For a time, he worked at local radio station WVON, and by the late 1960s he had dreamed up the idea of a TV show dedicated to the soulful sounds of African-American music.
"Soul Train" was born with the deep-voiced Cornelius as the host who gave hip kids of the '70s what "American Bandstand" creator Dick Clark offered TV viewers in the early days of rock 'n' roll -- a show mixing youth, music, fashion and pop culture.
As "Soul Train" gained popularity, it crossed over into mainstream TV and allowed R&B artists the ability to broaden their fan base.
"Don played an enormous part in my career by giving me exposure when there was none for African American recording artists on television," Dionne Warwick said in a statement. He called him "an icon of the broadcasting world."
Cornelius hosted "Soul Train" until 1993. The show continued to air. It eventually became the longest running U.S. series in first-run syndication . Cornelius sold his company in 2008.
"Once he left the TV show, he kind of dropped out of sight... He stayed within the confines of his family and home," Los Angeles-based black music historian Tom Reed said.
Civil rights activist Rev. Al Sharpton, a longtime friend, expressed shock and grief over Cornelius' death.
"He brought soul music and dance to the world in a way that it had never been shown and he was a cultural game changer on a global level," Sharpton said in a statement.
Former basketball star Earvin Magic Johnson, whose Vibe Holdings company currently owns the rights to "Soul Train", said on his Twitter account; "`Soul Train' taught the world how to dance! I thank (Don) for trusting me with his `Soul Train' brand and I will carry on his legacy through it."
A statement was posted on the Soul Train website calling Cornelius a "television visionary."