• India offers food aid to Bangladesh
• Bangladesh court grants interim bail to ex-PM Hasina
• US, India announce completion of nuclear deal
• 7 congressional leaders warn India of illicit activities, ties with Iran
• US Congressmen threaten to block N-deal
• India must use thorium-based nuclear reactores: Kalam
• India's first female president takes office
• Making way for 'Kalam chacha'

• 'India understands implications of nuke testing'
• CPI-M to target 'unwritten agenda' in India-US deal
• I did not receive papers on Afzal's mercy plea: Kalam
• Bhutan's PM resigns to contest elections
• Kalam's writings disappear from presidential website
• Pakistan Test Fires N-Capable Missile
• India approves Nuclear Deal with US
• 'All concerns of India addressed in 123 agreements'

The US on Monday said India understands the "political implications" of conducting a nuclear test and noted that New Delhi's ties with Tehran would be "very closely reviewed and scrutinised" by the American Congress members in the context of the civil nuclear deal. The US said a "judgement" would be made if and when India conducts a nuclear test as it expressed confidence that New Delhi will continue to abide by its unilateral moratorium. Ambassador David C Mulford said both the countries had made "compromises" and "concessions" for finalisation of the deal and promised that the US would lobby "aggressively" in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) to ensure trade between India and the international community in the field. "It is a speculative question. I don't answer speculative questions," he said when asked about the repercussions on the civil nuclear cooperation if India conducted an atomic test. "The testing issue is not mentioned in the 123 agreement... But the US law is very clear, there is right of return (of nuclear fuel and technology) which is a discretionary right of the (US) President. That has been preserved in the Hyde Act," Mulford said in a telephonic press conference with Indian journalists from Wisconsin in the US. Noting that New Delhi has a "self-declared moratorium" on nuclear testing, he said if changes are made in the policy, "India understands the political implications." He, however, added that a "judgement" would be made on the basis of the situation at that time. To a question, Mulford said India's relations with Iran will be "very closely reviewed and scrutinised by the members of the (US) Congress as they vote on the 123 agreement." He, however, said Iran did not figure anywhere during the discussions on the civil nuclear deal. The agreement, reached a week ago, is required to be passed by the US Congress after India negotiates a safeguards agreement with IAEA and NSG changes its guidelines. The US Ambassador said his country would work aggressively with the NSG to ensure the 45-nation grouping changes its guidelines to allow the international community to have nuclear trade with India. The US expressed readiness to help India create strategic reserves of fuel while committing assurances of fuel supplies to the safeguarded civilian nuclear facilities here. Mulford, who was involved in the discussions on the civil nuclear deal right from the beginning, said the "last bottom line" on the deal became "visible" during the visit of US Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns to India in May. He said both sides were clear whether they were getting the deal or not and were also aware that if they did not, the deal would languish. Mulford said India's offer for a dedicated nuclear facility to reprocess spent fuel under IAEA safeguards proved a major breakthrough. He said the final problems in the deal were overcome through "very, very complex" and repeated efforts on language to reach a "workable arrangement". "At no time did any one walk out in a huff," Mulford said adding the meetings were "friendly".

Courtesy: www.hindu.com, July 31, 2007

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In view of the deteriorating flood situation in Bangladesh, India has offered food aid comprising 40,000 tonnes of rice to the country. Besides rice, the aid includes 10,000 tonnes of wheat and 1,000 tonnes of milk powder. Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee informed the Bangladesh Foreign Adviser Iftekhar A Chowdhury of the aid in a letter, delivered by Indian High Commissioner Pinak R Chakraborty at the foreign ministry. "India remains committed to working with Bangladesh to strengthen the relationship between the people of the two countries who share enduring fraternal and familial ties and common aspirations," an Indian High Commission press release said here yesterday. Bangladesh foreign ministry officials said during last week's visit of Indian State Minister for Commerce Jairam Ramesh, Dhaka had asked New Delhi if it could import some of these products. Receiving the letter yesterday, Chowdhury said the aid from India will strengthen the relationship between the two countries and it would also come in handy in the upcoming month of Ramadan.

Courtesy: www.hindu.com, July 31, 2007

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The Left parties, led by the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), are set to be quite critical of the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) when the proposed India-US nuclear deal comes up for discussion in the monsoon session of parliament.CPI-M politburo member Sitaram Yechury told IANS: "When the issue comes up (for debate in parliament), we will question whether there is an unwritten agenda." This is notwithstanding the fact that last week, at a meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the Left seemed to have meekly accepted the deal without much ado. In fact, a candid Communist Party of India (CPI) general secretary A.B. Bardhan admitted later: "There was not much to criticise in the deal." But Yechury indicated that his party might still question the UPA government for its growing proximity with the US-Israeli axis. The CPI-M line on the issue is visible in the latest edition of the party organ People's Democracy. The magazine has carried a strident criticism of the government's foreign policy by former diplomat M.K. Bhadrakumar, blaming it for distancing itself from China and Russia and instead developing defence cooperation with the US and Israel. The weekly says: "The UPA government is diligently following up on a task that the previous NDA (National Democratic Alliance) government had left incomplete - making India and the US 'natural allies' in the 21st century. The UPA government decision to chariot India into the so-called quadripartite format - comprising the US, Japan, Australia - is a turning point in the Indian foreign policy."It said: "India is thereby stepping out to fill a gap in the US's Asian strategy. The format has no political rationale except that of 'ganging up' against China." It further said: "From the viewpoint of the neo-conservative ideology that guides the present US administration's policies, Delhi's induction into the US strategic orbit is highly desirable." The CPI-M write up predicts, "It is likely that the UPA government in its remaining period in office would unveil three major decisions in the foreign and security policies," describing these as "massive expansion of its military cooperation programme with the US..; second the resultant 'inter-operability' of the two air forces (Indian and US) will pave the way for India to become a participant in the US' so-called ant-ballistic missile system" and "third, New Delhi will accordingly calibrate its relations with the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO)". Referring to the recent call by the US naval carrier Nimitz at Chennai port, the magazine said this was a benchmark. "As the UPA government and the Bush administration work hard at closing the Indo-US nuclear deal, the country may expect more such surprises," it said.

Courtesy: www.newkerala.com, July 31, 2007

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Bangladesh's former prime minister Sheikh Hasina was granted interim bail by the High Court on Monday, nearly two weeks after she was detained on extortion charges, her lawyers said.The court gave the authorities two weeks to provide justification for the use of emergency laws to prosecute the Awami League leader, but she was unlikely to be freed immediately because of a second extortion charge filed against her on Sunday. "The court ordered authorities to release Sheikh Hasina on bail, suspended the prosecution and asked the government to explain within two weeks, the legality in putting the charges under emergency rules," lawyer Rafiqul Haque told reporters. Her lawyers said they would challenge the second case in the High Court as soon as possible. "We will take it up in a day or two after, and hope our client will get justice," said another lawyer, Shafique Ahmed. Awami League acting president Zillur Rahman said: "It's a victory of truth, which prevails over the false and injustice. We hope the government will release the leader soon." Bangladesh has been under a state of emergency imposed by the army-backed interim administration, which took over in January and launched a crackdown on corruption ahead of elections planned for late next year. Hasina was arrested on July 16 and sent to a house converted into a prison inside Dhaka's sprawling parliament compound. Charges of extorting money from a businessman were formally filed against her a week later. Hasina's lawyers filed a petition signed by her with the High Court on Sunday, arguing emergency rules imposed this year -- which require the prosecution to be completed within 45 days -- should not be used to try a case relating to offences allegedly committed in 1998. The former prime minister is accused of extorting 80 million taka ($1.16 million) from two businessmen during her last spell in office from 1996 to 2001. Hasina denies the charges, which she says are being used to try and force her out of politics ahead of the elections.More than 170 political figures, including former ministers in both the governments of Hasina and her arch rival Begum Khaleda Zia, leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, have been detained for graft and abuse of power.

Courtesy: http://in.reuters.com, July 30, 2007

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Former President A P J Abdul Kalam has answered critics over the delay in deciding on the mercy plea of Mohammed Afzal Guru, facing a death sentence for his role in the terror attack on Parliament, contending that he had not received any papers from the government. 'Regarding Afzal Guru, I have not received any papers from the ministry concerned so far,' Kalam said, while responding to a question asked during an interview to India Today magazine on requests for clemency for persons facing the death penalty, including Guru, which had been pending with him. Kalam had sent Guru's mercy plea to the home ministry for its views. When asked about the decision to dissolve the Bihar assembly as something he could have acted differently on, the former President said, 'I have no regrets. At that time, I was in Russia [Images] and I took the decision there...I had detailed discussions with the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh [Images] on the issue and whatever other information I needed was electronically transmitted to me. Based on that, I took the decision.' Kalam went on to explain that he asked 'certain questions' and the prime minister discussed it with him twice. The 75-year-old missile scientist justified his decision to return the Office of Profit Bill to Parliament. 'I had to return it to Parliament for the first time. Naturally, they had to debate and discuss it in Parliament. It had created the necessary impact.'

Courtesy: www.newindpress.com, July 28, 2007

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The United States and India on Friday announced completion of negotiations on a civil nuclear cooperation deal that would allow New Delhi to reprocess U.S.-origin fuel and may ensure continued fuel supplies even if India tests another nuclear weapon. Officials on both sides said the long-delayed accord met their needs but critical other steps must be taken before it can be implemented, including approval by the U.S. Congress. The pact would give India access to U.S. nuclear fuel and equipment for the first time in 30 years, even though New Delhi refused to join nonproliferation pacts and tested nuclear weapons. "Civil nuclear cooperation between the United States and India will offer enormous strategic and economic benefits to both countries, including enhanced energy security, a more environmentally friendly energy source, greater economic opportunities and more robust nonproliferation efforts," U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee said in a joint statement. Before cooperation can begin, India must negotiate an inspection regime for its civil nuclear facilities with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and win approval from the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group. Also, the U.S. Congress must approve it. Many lawmakers and nonproliferation experts are concerned about what they believe are concessions to the Indian nuclear establishment that undermine U.S. nonproliferation goals. "We have not mortgaged any right, if anything we have enhanced our rights," National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan said in New Delhi.

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Officials in both capitals discussed the agreement publicly but have not yet released a text. Michael Krepon, co-founder of the Henry L. Stimson Center think tank, said that "at the very least, the administration should not make it easier for New Delhi to resume nuclear testing and to produce fissile material for nuclear weapons." But "it appears that the ... agreement fails to meet these minimal standards as well as the clear requirements" in U.S. law, he said. To some critics, the Bush administration's willingness to let India reprocess U.S. origin nuclear fuel raises a question of inconsistency in its dealings with Iran. Unlike India, Iran is a member of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, yet Washington has led a U.N. effort to force Tehran to abandon an enrichment program it hid for 18 years. U.S. Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns played down recent U.S. sanctions against Indian companies for selling dangerous technology to Iran and insisted the accord proves that if countries "behave responsibility" like India they will be invited to participate in international nuclear trade. The break-through in negotiations came two months ago when India proposed a brand-new reprocessing facility to handle U.S. and other origin spent fuel that would be subject to permanent IAEA inspections, Burns told a news briefing. He did not know when the plant would be constructed but said the United States and India would first have to work out procedures that would also be subject to congressional action. U.S. President George W. Bush agreed to reprocessing by India despite asserting in 2004 that "enrichment and reprocessing are not necessary for nations seeking to harness nuclear energy for peaceful purposes." Previously, the United States has only granted reprocessing rights to Japan and the European Union, key allies. Burns said the sale of U.S. reprocessing and enrichment equipment to India would require additional approvals. Another major feature of the deal is a U.S. commitment to ensure an uninterrupted flow of nuclear fuel to India, including by supporting creation of an Indian strategic fuel reserve. Congressional sources said this could be at odds with U.S. law requiring that Washington halt nuclear cooperation if India tests a weapon as it did in 1998. Experts expect more tests but Burns insisted this is "hypothetical." The pact makes no reference to testing but asserts each country's right to request the return of transferred items, like fuel, "under appropriate circumstances" and Burns said the administration would do that if needed. "This agreement has a finalized text which meets the concerns of both sides and serves the interest of both sides," Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon said. "There are no conditionalities."

Courtesy: www.newindpress.com, July 28, 2007

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Bhutan Prime Minister Lyonpo Khandu Wangchuk and six of his cabinet ministers Thursday resigned to enter politics when the Himalayan kingdom holds its first parliamentary elections next year as part of a historic shift from monarchy to democracy. 'I on behalf of six other ministers submitted our resignation from our current posts to His Majesty the King (Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck) on Thursday to join the political process. The seven of us will leave our current position from Aug 6,' the prime minister was quoted as saying by the government-run television network, the Bhutan Broadcasting Corp. Khandu said he would hand over the office of the prime minister to the minister of works and human settlement Lyonpo Kinzang Dorji. The transformation from monarchy to democracy is the culmination of a plan by former king Jigme Singye Wangchuck - who handed his crown to his young Oxford-educated son Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck in December - to change with the times and to relinquish absolute rule. So far just three parties have been formed - the People's Democratic Party, the Bhutan National Party and the Druk Phunsum Tshogpa (DPT). The outgoing prime minister has already hinted at joining DPT. 'I am very confident that together we can make democracy succeed,' Khandu said. The other ministers who have resigned are Home Minister Lyonpo Jigme Y. Thinley, Trade and Industry Minister Lyonpo Yeshey Zimba, Agriculture Minister Lyonpo Sangay Ngedup, Finance Minister Lyonpo Wangdi Norbu, Health Minister Lyonpo Jigme Singye and Labour and Human Resources Minister Lyonpo Ugyen Tshering. Bhutan's election commission guidelines requires that anybody contesting the general elections scheduled for February-March should resign from current posts held in the government or in the private sector. Bhutan had earlier announced there would be 47 constituencies in the country, the members of which would be elected to the National Assembly or parliament in the first general elections. Two rounds of mock elections were held in April and May as a dress rehearsal for the polls in 2008. There would be a primary round of elections where voters would vote for a political party and not candidates. The two parties that receive the highest number of votes in the primary round could then field their candidates for the general elections, the winners then becoming members of the National Assembly. The transition began in 2001 when the former king handed over the powers of day-to-day governance to a council of ministers and empowered the National Assembly to force a royal abdication if three-quarters of its membership backed the motion.

Courtesy: www.indiaenews.com, July 27, 2007

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Seven congressional leaders, both Republican and Democratic, have protested to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of India against a "significant violation" by New Delhi of US export control laws when several individuals were indicted by the Pentagon, including a member of the Indian embassy in Washington, for the "illegal" procurement of "sensitive technology for India's ballistic missile programme." The seven congressional leaders - Tom Lantos, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Howard Berman, Gary Ackerman, Mike Pence, Edward Royce and Brad Sherman - said the illegal activity had occurred in April 2006. They also expressed deep concern about India's increasing cooperation with Iran, including the exchange visits between high-level officials, enhanced military ties and negotiation of agreements to establish closer economic relations. The two countries had also formed a "joint defence working group" that is to meet later this year in Tehran to pursue broader cooperation in defence, including the training of Iranian military personnel. The seven congressional leaders wrote, "Such cooperation raises renewed questions about the possible diversion of sensitive technology to Iran, for which Indian entities have been sanctioned in recent years, including US-origin technology provided to India in the context of civilian nuclear and space cooperation..." The congressmen also expressed concern about the proposed natural gas pipeline from Iran to India through Pakistan. India has also signed an LNG supply agreement with Iran, they pointed out. They warned, "We must point out that these ventures could be subject to US action under the Iran Sanctions Act." They pointed out that "far more serious" was the fact that these steps by India would undermine the international community's efforts to impose financial and other constraints on the Iranian government to persuade it to stop its programme to acquire a nuclear weapons capability." The congressmen said India's increasingly broad cooperation with Iran is "especially disturbing" in terms of its impact on the United States because of Iran's role in Iraq. "More broadly, Iran is seeking military domination of the Persian Gulf and continues to arm and support terrorists in Iraq, Lebanon and other countries," they alleged. They said it is difficult for them to fathom why India would want to enhance security cooperation with the "world's most active state sponsor of terrorism." They also stressed to the Indian prime minister that India's pursuit of close relations with Iran "appears to be inconsistent with the letter and spirit of the July 18, 2005, announcement by you and President Bush of the establishment of a 'global partnership' between our two countries.'" It was also contrary to the pledge that India would play a leading role in international efforts to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons. The congressmen warned that the subject of India's strengthening relationship with Iran would inevitably be a factor in the consideration of the 123 Agreement (the Indo-US nuclear cooperation treaty) when it is presented to Congress. They urged Manmohan Singh to "provide assurances that India will cease illicit procurement activities in the US, sever military cooperation with Iran, and terminate participation in the development of Iran's energy sector."

Courtesy: www.dailytimes.com.pk, July 27, 2007

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On Thursday, hundreds of fans of former president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam were shocked to find all his speeches and comments absent from their favourite website www.presidentofindia.nic.in. The change of guard at Rashtrapati Bhavan Wednesday - when Kalam demitted office as India's 11th president and make way for Pratibha Patil - has placed the website 'under construction'. 'The website is to be modified because Mr. Kalam has become the ex-president and all references to him have to be changed according to that. So it is under renovation for two-three days,' said an official at Rashtrapati Bhavan. For the last five years, the 'presidentofindia' site hosted e-mails to and from Kalam, chats, speeches and lectures, his books, poems, his biography and his vision. It had a children's corner as well as a speech-enabled site for the visually challenged. Every day 250,000 visitors had visited the site and at times there were more than 500,000 hits on a single day. Sources said this month at least a 10 million people visited the website. But Kalam, a nuclear scientist and a man not to disappoint his fans, told admirers in Chennai - where he went from New Delhi Wednesday - that he had another website called www.abdulkalam.com. Kalam's personal website 'abdulkalam.com' was originally launched on his 69th birthday, which he celebrated on Oct 15, 2001, before he became president. The site was launched by Infosys mentor N.R. Narayan Murthy. It is maintained by V. Ponraj, assistant project director of network services, Aeronautical Development Agency, Bangalore. This site will be as interactive as the presidential site, Ponraj said.

Courtesy: www.indiaenews.com, July 26, 2007

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Pakistan yesterday successfully test fired its nuclear-capable radar-dodging cruise missile, the military said. The indigenously developed Babar (Hatf-VII) missile has a range of 700 kilometers (437 miles) and "near stealth" properties, it said in a statement. The missile was last tested in March and first fired in 2005, since when its range has been increased from 500 kilometers. "The missile test is part of a continuous process of validating the design parameters set for this weapon system," the statement said. It said President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz congratulated the scientists and engineers "on this very important success." "The Babar, which has near stealth capabilities, is a low flying, terrain hugging missile with high maneuverability, pinpoint accuracy and radar avoidance features," the statement said. "The test will consolidate Pakistan's strategic capability and strengthen national security." Pakistan and India have routinely conducted missile tests since the two countries carried out tit-for-tat nuclear detonations in May 1998. However in 2004 they launched a slow-moving peace process aimed at ending six decades of hostility and resolving their dispute over the Himalayan territory of Kashmir, the cause of two of their three wars. In February, Pakistan signed a historic deal with India to cut the risk of atomic weapons accidents. "Neighboring countries were informed about the test," the Foreign Office said. Pakistan and India have an agreement to notify each other about tests of ballistic missiles but not cruise missiles.

Courtesy: www.arabnews.com, July 27, 2007

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India has to take up nuclear power generation in a big way with thorium-based reactors to meet its growing energy needs, former president, A P J Abdul Kalam, said Thursday. Thorium, a non-fissile material, is available in abundance in India. Intensive research is needed to convert thorium to maximise its use and to generate electricity with thorium-based reactors, he said while addressing professors at the Anna University here, where he has taken up a teaching assignment. Referring to regions in India that periodically face earthquakes, he said it was essential to work on mission mode research to forecast temblors. Multiple parameters should be used with "precursors like pre-shock conditions and electromagnetic phenomena prior to the final rupture and atmospheric and ionosphere anomalies," he said. "Earthquakes can be forecast...if somebody tells you it cannot be done, tell them it can be (done)," he said. "Between now and 2050, two important events will take place in our country. India would have become a developed nation by 2020 through an integrated development plan in five key areas where we have core competence," Kalam said. "We would have also realised energy independence by 2030. During this period, the number of youths, accounting for 54 per cent of the total population, will continuously grow till 2050, which will be unique to India." This will provide an opportunity to develop a "Global Human Resource Cadre" that will be an essential resource for India and many other countries, he said.

Courtesy: www.hindu.com, July 27, 2007

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India's Cabinet has signed off on the technical details of a civilian nuclear cooperation deal with the United States, moving a step closer to finalizing a pact touted as the cornerstone of an emerging partnership, officials said Wednesday. The broad deal was approved two years ago, but talks on its technical aspects had dragged on, held up by American reluctance to allow India to reprocess spent atomic fuel _ a key step in making atomic weapons _ and Indian demands for a guaranteed fuel supply for reactors. New Delhi also wanted the right to test nuclear weapons. How those issues were resolved remains an open question. Neither side has released details of the deal since Friday, when they said it was nearly complete and awaiting final approval. But after the Indian Cabinet's committees on security and political affairs jointly met and approved the deal Wednesday, Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee told reporters that "all concerns of India have been reflected and have been adequately addressed." Officials in the United States still have to approve the technical agreement. The nuclear pact is seen as the foundation of closer India-U.S. relations. The deal allows the United States to ship nuclear fuel and technology to India, which in exchange would open its civilian nuclear reactors to international inspectors. India's military reactors would remain off-limits. The two sides first struck the deal in July 2005, and the U.S. Congress last year approved the overall pact, leaving New Delhi and Washington to hammer out an agreement detailing how the nuclear cooperation would actually work. With that agreement sewn up, India's government now plans to brief its left-wing political allies and the Hindu nationalist opposition _ both of which have expressed fears the pact could undermine India's nuclear weapons program and the country's sovereignty. Once President Bush's administration approves the deal, as it is expected to do, it must once again get Congressional approval. India also needs to make a separate agreement with the U.N. nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, and the Nuclear Suppliers Group, an assembly of nations that export nuclear material.

Courtesy: www.washingtonpost.com, July 26, 2007

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India's first woman president since independence 60 years ago was sworn into office yesterday, following a vitriolic campaign which raised doubts about her suitability for the largely ceremonial role. Pratibha Patil, 72, took the oath of office in an elaborate ceremony inside parliament in New Delhi. "We must banish malnutrition, female foeticide and fight poverty, ignorance and disease" she said, adding that empowering Indian women remained particularly important to her. In recent years the incumbent has played a crucial role in the formation of the federal government following indecisive electoral outcomes. A former governor of Rajasthan, she has courted controversy. A co-operative bank for women she helped establish and which carries her name was closed down four years ago plagued by debts and accusations of financial irregularities. The bank's trade union branch has taken Mrs Patil and others to court claiming loans, meant for destitute women, were given to her relatives. She was also accused of trying to shield her brother in a murder inquiry and her husband in an alleged suicide scandal but as India's first citizen she enjoys immunity from any investigation.

Courtesy: www.telegraph.co.uk, July 26, 2007

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Approving the draft Indo-US nuclear cooperation agreement reached in Washington last week, Government today said "all concerns" of India have been "adequately addressed". The nod for the 123 agreement to operationalise the nuclear deal was given at a joint meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) and Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. "All concerns of India have been reflected and adequately addressed" in the agreement, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee told reporters after an hour-long meeting held at the residence of the Prime Minister. Besides Mukherjee, the meeting was attended among others by Defence Minister A K Antony, Home Minister Shivraj Patil, Finance Minsiter P Chidambaram, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad and Surface Transport Minsiter T R Baalu. India's concerns during the tough negotiations in Washington led by National Security Adviser M K Narayanan related to right to test nuclear weapons, guarantees of life time fuel supply and the right to reprocess the spent fuel. The Prime Minister will apprise his predecessor Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Leader of Opposition L K Advani and Jaswant Singh on the salient features of the agreement. As part of the consultations, he will meet CPI(M) leaders tomorrow, Mukherjee said adding that the government will make a statement on the agreement on first working day of Parliament, which is slated to commence its Monsoon session on August 10.

Courtesy: www.hindu.com, July 25, 2007

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He has many sobriquets - 'Missile Man', 'People's President', 'Rocket Scientist' - but one name the 76-year-old former teacher from Tamil Nadu would love to keep is 'Kalam chacha'. The 11th President who demits office today would also be remembered for opening up the magestic Rashtrapati Bhavan to tiny-tots and making himself accessible to commoners, which made him popular overnight. A P J Abdul Kalam often took time off his busy schedule to interact with children during his official programmes across the country and even opened a dedicated children's gallery in the President's website. The gallery saw kids and teenagers from across the globe asking questions to their favourite President on a host of issues ranging from his unusual hairstyle to his inspiration, and from his hobbies to his vision about India. They even posed serious queries like steps needed to fight the scourge of corruption, ways to develop the country besides seeking his advise on how to shape up their careers.Some of the questions made interesting reading. Abhudaya, a 11-year-old from Madhya Pradesh, felt that homework should be banned and asked the President whether there will be policy change in education to achieve this. Much to his disappointment, Kalam, who is planning to take up teaching, said he believe homework was part of education, as it improved the working habit of students. "Personally, it had helped me," he told Abhudaya. The kids were also curious about Kalam's bachelorhood with one questioner asking about his success mantra quoting the adage "Behind every successful man there is a woman." The bachelor President chose to give a modest reply saying his family and the people of India were partners in his success. To another query, Kalam indicated that as a student he never dreamt of becoming President. "As a student, I wanted to study something connected with flight sciences," he said. Six-year-old, Ammar Shariq Arifi, from Aurangabad in Maharashtra was not convinced with his parents' decision to make him study in Urdu medium. Kalam counselled him saying that even he had studied in primary and school in his mother tongue, Tamil. "After that, you can always learn other languages for your professional courses." To 11-year-old, Tushar Wadhwa, who was disappointed at his parents and friends sneering at him for working on new experiments, Kalam advised not to get disheartened. "People who have a dream and worked hard and did not deviate from the aim have all succeeded," he said. Nine-year-old, Sagar Khuteta, wondered how Kalam had made so many missiles in such a short time. "It was team effort. Knowledge, perseverance and hard work are required to achieve the success in missions." On his favourite book, Kalam said it was Lillian Eichler Watson's "Light From Many Lamps" because it provided courage, happiness and knowledge.The out-going President said the future goal of his life was to see smiles on the faces of a billion people.

Courtsy: www.thehindu.com, July 24, 2007

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