Mumbaikar Gautam Dantas has done it again. The former St Mary's student, who went to the United States for research, has created the world's first completely new biomolecule (protein), using a computer-based design. Dantas' spectacular work for his PhD won him a prize for the best scientific paper of 2004. Four years later in April 2008, his first paper from his post-doctoral work, describing the unexpected finding of bacteria that eat antibiotics, has been published in the highly-respected magazine, Science. The discovery, published in the latest edition of the journal, came about almost by accident. A team, led by Harvard Medical School geneticist George Church, had a Department of Energy grant to develop ways to create biofuels from agriculture waste. Dantas was in the forefront of the researchers who discovered hundreds of germs in soil that literally gobble up antibiotics andare able to thrive with the potent drugs as their sole source of nutrition. These bacteria outwit antibiotics in a disturbingly novel way. Would germs that sicken people develop the same ability? The finding comes amid increasing concern that many infections could soon become untreatable, as more bacteria become immune to today's antibiotics even as few new drugs are being discovered. But the medical impact of the new work isn't yet clear. Germs in soil aren't big human threats, and no human pathogen has been spotted with the same ability. The next step would be to identify the actual genes that let these bacteria devour and degrade antibiotics and figure out if it really poses a threat.

Courtesy: www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com, April 22, 2008

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India-born internationally acclaimed filmmaker Mira Nair has been honoured with the 'Person of the Year' award by a leading ethnic newspaper in the US in recognition of her work. The award by the newspaper was presented last evening to the Oscar-nominated director by PespiCo CEO Indra Nooyi, who herself received the honour the previous year, at a gala dinner attended by a large number of community leaders at the Gotham Hall in New York City. Taking note of the contributions made by Nair to cinema and the community, Nooyi said she has captured the popular imagination through her excellence. In her acceptance speech, 50-year-old Nair paid rich tributes to her mother and all those women who had been a source of inspiration to her. Among Nair's highly successful movies are award winning Salaam Bombay, Monsoon Wedding and The Namesake. The producer-director-writer is to shoot her next film Amelia starring leading Hollywood actress Hillary Swank in locations in Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Canada. Also honoured at the event were legendary economists Padma Desai and her husband Jagdish Bhagwati. The couple, distinguished professors at Columbia University, received the India Abroad Lifetime Achievement Award.

Courtesy: www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com, March 29, 2008

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The World Economic Forum (WEF) has named 17 Indians, including budget carrier GoAir managing director Jeh Wadia and market regulator SEBI's executive director Sandeep Parekh, in its annual list of Young Global Leaders for 2008. However, India has scored below China in terms of total presence in the list of 245 leaders from across the world. There are as many as 31 Chinese individuals on the list against the 17 from India. The chosen ones are from all walks of life, including business and politics. WEF said that the honour is bestowed each year to recognize the top 200-300 young leaders from around the world for their professional accomplishments, commitment to society and potential to contribute to shaping the future of the world. Other Indians on the list include Lok Sabha MP Sachin Pilot, SKS Microfinance's CEO and founder Vikram K Akula, chairman of Bhatia Enterprises Sabeer Bhatia, managing director of Wipro Infrastructure Engineering Anurag Behar, senior NDTV journalist Barkha Dutt, Global ITeS' CEO and president Suhas Gopinath, director of PRS Legislative Research C V Madhukar and Thermax Ltd chairperson Meher Pudumjee. Besides, music composer Allah Rakha Rahman and sitar player Anoushka Shankar also find a place in the list. The World Economic Forum is a true multi-stakeholder community of global decision-makers. We need the Young Global Leaders to be a voice for the future in the global thought process and as a catalyst for initiatives in the global public interest, Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum said. The list also includes Moser Baer India's executive director Ratul Puri, Adlabs Films' director Pooja Shetty, OfficeTiger founder and president Joseph Sigelman, DLF Universal and DLF Retail's managing director Pia Singh and founder and director of Association for Democratic Reform & Centre for Collective Development, Trilochan Sastry. The young global leaders represents over 60 countries and includes the like of Larry Page and Sergey Brin, co-founders of search engine Google, Crown Prince Haakon of Norway, Hiroshi Nakada, Mayor of Yokohama, Japan, and Jack Ma Yun, chairman and chief executive officer, Alibaba Group, People's Republic of China. All the individuals named are aged 40 years or younger. From about 5,000 candidates, the young global leaders for this year were chosen by a selection committee of 31 eminent international media leaders, including Arthur Sulzberger, chairman and publisher of The New York Times, and Robert Thomson, the publisher of The Wall Street Journal. The committee is chaired by H M Queen Rania Al Abdullah of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Among the names are 121 business leaders, as well as leaders from government, academia, the media and society at large from 65 countries. Further, the new class represents all regions, including East Asia (64), Europe (58), the Middle East and North Africa (12), North America (45), South Asia (24), sub-Saharan Africa (21) and Latin America (21).

Courtesy: www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com, March 13, 2008

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A legendary Indian-American tech guru and a teenage Indian-American science prodigy won high recognition in the United States this week in yet more vindication of the ethnic group's growing reputation for producing science and technology 'brainiacs'. Amar Bose's induction into the National Inventors' Hall of Fame came as no surprise considering his long-hailed contribution to acoustics technology. This year, he joins inventors who gave the world the television remote control (Robert Adler), electrocardiograph (Willem Einthoven), hip replacement surgery (John Charnley), and Containerized Shipping (Malcolm McLean) in the national scroll. The only other Indian in the Inventors' Hall of Fame is Rangaswamy Srinivasan, a former IBM scientist named for his pioneering work on excimer laser surgery. The list has storied names like Thomas Edison and Wright Brothers. Meanwhile, a teenage Indian-American student from North Carolina who began to take interest in cancer research when she was six won the prestigious Intel Science Talent Search, annual competition often termed the "junior Nobel Prize". Shivani Sud, 17, a Durham high school student, was awarded a $100,000 college scholarship during a ceremony in Washington on Tuesday for her research to improve colon cancer treatment. Sud's interest in the subject began as a child when an immediate family member was diagnosed with a brain tumour. She would lug heavy books to her mother, a former cytogeneticist, and ask her to explain the science, according to accounts in the local News and Observer. In middle school, she began working in laboratories through programs at Temple University, Duke University and the National Institutes of Health. Sud's most recent work focuses on early-stage colon cancer, an illness in which as many as 30 per cent of patients relapse after treatment. By identifying a predictor that would determine which patients are likely to suffer relapses, she hopes to prevent patients who are unlikely to benefit from chemotherapy from going through the expensive and painful treatment. Looking at genetic predictors may also help doctors choose the best medications for cancer patients. Sud was among the seven high school students of Indian origin who made the list of 40 finalists in the annual Intel competition that attracted some 1600 high school seniors nationwide. The others, who each get $ 5000 scholarship and a laptop, are Avanthi Raghavan of Florida, Shravani Mikkilineni of Michigan, Hamsa Sridhar and Ashok Chandran of New York, Isha Jain of Pennsylvania, and Vinay Ramasesh of Texas. The recognitions came at a time when the Indian government boasted, on the basis of dubious, unsubstantiated numbers, that its education system was responsible for the large number of Indian scientists and engineers across the world. Neither Bose, whose mother was German, nor Sud and the other students are products of the Indian system, although in the case of the latter, some experts have suggested that Indian parental attention to education may have had a role in their success.

Courtesy: www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com, Mar 13, 2008

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An Indian-American High School girl has bagged a whopping USD 100,000 Intel scholarship for developing a model to identify early stage colon cancer patients with a high risk for recurrence, beating competition from 1,600 others. Shivani Sud, 17, of North Carolina won the the Intel Foundation's top award aimed at honouring the next generation of scientists and innovators in the US. For her research project, Sud developed a model that analysed the specific "molecular signatures" of tumors from patients with stage II colon cancer. She then used this information to identify those at higher risk for tumor recurrence and propose potentially effective drugs for treatment, Intel said in a media release. "That proud feeling comes from doing what I do and not just the acknowledgment of it," Sud, who attends Jordan High School, was quoted as saying by The News and Observer of Durham. Sud said her interest in cancer research started very early on as a result of a relative developing cancer. "I saw how hard that was for my family. "I saw how that kind of changed my outlook on life, because when you're 6 years old, you don't think about topics such as death or dying from this type of cancer -- having your life change drastically," she said. This year's Intel Science Talent Search finalists came from 19 states and represented 35 high schools throughout the United States.

Courtesy: www.yahoo.com, Mar 12, 2008

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Mumbai gynaecologist Dr Prakash Trivedi gets the National Award for major breakthrough research in 'Fibroids and Infertility', involving reduction of size, arresting of growth and removal of growth surgically of fibroids. TODAY, INDIANS are aware that fibroids are on the rise and are affecting around 25 million women in India. The Indian research, which Dr Prakash Trivedi has done, has revealed the cause for fibroids, which no one in the world knew before. This is a breakthrough research done for the first time in the world for which Trivedi recently was acknowledged by the national award. Trivedi's research has been acknowledged in United States and Australia. Along with Dr Kumud Tamaskar, National Award winner for original research in infertility, he has released a book on 'Infertility Dilemma's Expert's Final Verdict' given to the Federation of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Society of India (FOGSI) as a publication for all gynaecologists. The surgical techniques used for laparoscopic removal of fibroids is usually as follows: Trivedi's laparoscopic technique of small five mm ports makes separation of fibroids of big size and multiple in number can be separated easily. With less bleeding, a dilute vasopressin is infiltrated as 20 units in 100 ml of saline to achieve a vascular plane. Most important is the fact that Trivedi's endosuturing technique from same side, like in open surgery, is now being followed at more than 157 centres in the world making suturing safe and meticulous for next pregnancy. The new promising research study suggests that incidence of fibroids can be increased in first degree female relative having fibroids, type of diet, excess weight, excess blood pressure etc. New unknown facts surfaced for the first time in world, found by an Indian gynaec endoscopist and In-vitro Fertility (IVF) consultant and showing a strong relation of fibroids contributing to infertility, especially by production of prolactin and aromatase locally leading to local hyper estrogenaemia. A strong relation was found between infertility in patients having fibroids more than five centimetres in size and more than three years of no conception. Apart from direct obstruction of tubal ostia, distortion of the tubo-ovarian anatomy and artificial of lengthening distance sperm has to travel to fertilise the oocytes. Laparoscopic removal of fibroids increased the pregnancy rate to 42 per cent and decreased the abortion rate to five per cent without increasing the rate of uterine scar rupture on pregnancy, but increasing the need of doing elective caesarean section, especially due to removal of large and multiple myomas. In the IVF-ICSI group laparoscopic myomectomy of more than five centimetres in size prior increased the pregnancy rate to 38 per cent and specially, in the donor oocyte IVF to 50 per cent. Also, the unnecessary feared uterine scar rupture after the laparoscopic myomectomy is disproved in the hands of experts. The future probably holds a promise in drugs, which are good aromatase inhibitors, which may further be extremely useful to reduce the size of the fibroid, arrest the growth and may even reduce a incidence of surgical removal of fibroids.

Courtesy: www.merinews.com, March 10, 2008

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SOS- India has been felicitated as The NGO of the Year 2007 in Northern India at the India NGO Award ceremony held at Sheraton Hotel, New Delhi. The award was conferred by the Resource Alliance for setting and promoting best practices in resource mobilisation, accountability and transparency by SOS-India towards disabled and differently abled children. Mr. S. Sandilya, President, SOS India, received the award on behalf of the entire SOS - India family from chief guest Mr. P Chidambaram, Hon'ble Minister of Finance, Govt of India and guest of honor Mr. N. R Narayana Murthy, Chairman & Chief Mentor- Infosys Technologies Ltd. SOS- India was honoured as the Regional Awardee in the Large category. The India NGO Award is an initiative of The Resource Alliance in partnership with The Nand and Jeet Khemka Foundation. Launched in 2006, it seeks to acknowledge and felicitate organisations that are setting and promoting best practices in resource mobilisation, accountability and transparency. 131 NGOs from across the country participated in the India NGO Award under three different categories- Small, Medium, and Large based on their annual budget for 2006-7. Entries were evaluated on the effective and sustainable mobilisation of resources, the demonstration of efficient management of resources, good governance practices, transparency, accountability, and the impact of the services it provides to the community they aim to serve. The process for applying for the award included two stages of information gathering and a field study, which was undertaken at SOS Greenfield's. Mr. P Chidambaram appreciated the most deserving winners and said, " It is a delight to see such selfless devoted people who don't look at monetary awards but serves the humanity and create a better place for the people." Overwhelmed with this recognition, Mr. S. Sandilya, President of SOS Children's Villages of India said, "This award is recognition of our working ethics and culture. SOS- India has always tried to fulfill its purpose with the optimum utilization of resources available at its disposal. I take this platform to thank all our friends and co workers who have supported us in this endeavour over these years." Adding to this Mr. Pradeep Singh, National Director, SOS India said, " Such awards are an acknowledgement of works and efforts of hundreds of people for over almost half a decade."

Courtesy: www.indiaenews.com, March 06, 2008

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Renowned Kuchipudi dancers Raja and Radha Reddy's daughter Yamini is among the 30 young Indian artists who will be honoured with the Sangeet Natak Akademi's award for making a mark in the field of performing arts. Apart from Yamini, eight other dancers, including Sharvari Ashok Jamenis (Kathak) and C. Lavanya Ananth (Bharatanatyam), will be awarded. Sohini Sengupta, Rajinder Sharma 'Nanu' and Anoop Trivedi are among the eight who will be recognised for their work in the field of theatre. Eight musicians, including Sandeep Harish Deshmukh and Meeta Pandit for Hindustani vocal and Sikkil C. Gurucharan for Carnatic vocal, will be honoured for their contributions to the field. The award carries a cash award of Rs.25,000. The Akademi, the apex state-run organisation for music, dance and drama in the country, Monday announced the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar 2007 to honour artists below the age of 35 for their contributions. Named after late Shehnai player Ustad Bismillah Khan, who was honoured with the country's highest civilian award, Bharat Ratna, the Akademi instituted the awards in 2006 with the aim of identifying and encouraging outstanding young talents in diverse fields of performing arts. The award also seeks to give young artists national recognition so that they may work with greater commitment and dedication in their chosen fields.

Courtesy: www.indiaenews.com, March 03, 2008

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Four Indian managers at Convergys' Corporation (NYSE: CVG), a global leader in relationship management, have been selected to participate in Convergys' Emerging Leaders Program at Cincinnati, Ohio in USA. Amit Garg, Business Analysis Consultant, Ashish Garg, Senior HR Manager and Varun Dhamija, Senior Operations Manager, all located at Convergys' Atria facility in Gurgaon, and Sharmila Hiranandani, a Project Manager Level II located in Hyderabad, were chosen by Convergys to participate in the program based on their potential to succeed at higher levels of responsibility and performance, as well as their love of learning and commitment to development. The purpose of the innovative Convergys program is to create a diverse pipeline of leaders by providing a dynamic, high-impact leadership development experience for a diverse group of top talent manager-level employees from around the globe and across the company. For the participants, the Convergys Emerging Leaders Program is a powerful catalyst for growth as they gain exposure to the thinking of talented peers from across the company and are challenged to deliberately and choicefully define who they are and who they are becoming, as influential leaders at Convergys. Amit, Ashish, Varun and Sharmila are part of an elite group of 32 participants who gathered in Convergys' headquarters city for a 5-day seminar. Currently, the emerging leaders are participating in six monthly teleconferences that follow the seminar. The participants have been encouraged to explore outside their comfort zones, challenge their own assumptions and adopt new habits and practices. All of these practices will bring them closer to whom they want to be as leaders at Convergys. "We are proud to offer innovative leadership development opportunities, such as the Emerging Leaders Program, to our employees," said Sukant Srivastava, Managing Director and Country Manager for Convergys' Customer Management business in India. Convergys is the world leader in relationship management. Convergys employs 13,000 men and women in 9 state-of-the-art facilities throughout India. "This program in particular gives talented individuals from India the opportunity to meet and learn from their peers from across the company and around the world," added Paresh Shah, General Manager of Convergys' Information Management business in India.

Courtesy: www.headlinesindia.com, March 01, 2008

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Sir Edmund Hillary has posthumously been awarded one of India's highest awards as part of the country's Republic Day celebrations. The Padma Vibhushan, India's second highest civilian honour, is awarded to recognise exceptional service to the nation in any field. It consists of a medal and a citation and is awarded by Indian President Pratibha Devisingh Patil.

Courtesy: www.nzherald.co.nz, January 28, 2008

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The Indian Americans chosen for the Padma awards feel proud to be honoured by their home country and ascribe a large number of the civilian awards for NRIs this year to the increased visibility of the diaspora in India. In a record of sorts, the award list announced by the Indian government Friday has nine people living in the US. They account for five Padma Bhushan and four Padma Shri awardees. Padma Desai, an economics professor at Columbia University in New York who has been nominated for Padma Bhushan, told: "I am delighted to be honoured by India and also feel proud to have broken into what I thought was a male preserve in my husband's family." Her husband and fellow Columbia don, Jagdish Bhagwati, and brother-in-law, former chief justice P N Bhagwati, both have been honoured with Padma Vibhushans. Kaushik Basu, an economist at Cornell University and author who has been named for Padma Bhushan, said: "It feels extra good to be honoured by one's own country. I feel very connected as I visit India every three months or so." On the large number of NRIs in the Padma awards list this year, Basu said: "It is a recognition for Indians doing good work no matter where there are located."

Srinivasa S R Varadhan, a mathematician with New York University who is to receive the Padma Bhushan, said: "The Indian diaspora is becoming more visible back home. "The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (an annual conclave of Indian diaspora organised by the Indian government) has helped in this regard," added Varadhan, a 2007 laureate of the prestigious Abel prize, given to a mathematician annually by Norway. Nirupam Bajpai, named among the Padma Shri awardees, is director of the South Asia Programme, Centre on Globalisation and Sustainable Development at The Earth Institute, Columbia University. "The honour is an encouragement for us at Columbia focussing on India's economy and economic reforms," he said. An economic adviser to the Indian prime minister and other cabinet ministers, Bajpai said so many Indians in the US and elsewhere are doing extraordinary work and making a name for themselves as well as for India. Two other Indian Americans on the Padma Bhushan list this year are astronaut Sunita Williams and Vikram Pandit, who took over as Citigroup's chief executive last month. There are three more on the Padma Shri list. Manoj Night Shyamalan is a Hollywood scriptwriter and director. Madhuri Dixit, former Bollywood queen who made a comeback last year with Aaja Nachle, lives in Denver, Colorado, with her husband Shriram Nene, a cardiothoracic surgeon, and two children. Sant Singh Virmani is a renowned rice scientist who retired in 2005 after a long innings as senior scientist with the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines and has worked with the Washington-based Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research.

Courtesy: www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com, January, 27, 2008

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M. Natarajan, Scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister, received the Sir C.V. Raman birth centenary award-2008 and a gold medal from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at the inaugural function of the 95th Indian Science Congress held in Visakhapatnam on January 3. Mr. Natarajan, who is also Secretary, Defence Research and Development, was selected for the award for his outstanding achievements in defence research and development, and strategic systems. The citation says he has been instrumental in the progress and realisation of various defence technologies and products in combat vehicles' engineering, armaments, missiles, aeronautics, naval systems and life sciences. He made important contributions to the development of state-of-the-art defence systems, encompassing highly complex technologies, making India self-reliant. According to a communiqué, Mr. Natarajan was given the Best Scientist Award for 1994 for his contribution to the success of the main battle tank, Arjun. Earlier, as Chief Controller, R and D, at the DRDO headquarters, looking after armaments, combat vehicles and engineering equipment, he ensured the acceptance of the Pinaka multibarrel rocket launching system (MBRLS) by the Army after exhaustive field tests. It was developed by the Armament Research and Development Establishment, Pune. Mr. Natarajan was given the Technology Leadership Award for 2003 for his contribution to the design and development of combat vehicles, and mechanical systems for the Light Combat Aircraft.

Courtesy: www.hindu.com, January 13, 2008

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The University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW) is launching a scientific exchange programme with India in honour of Nobel laureate Har Gobind Khorana. The launch will coincide with the 40th anniversary of Dr Khorana winning the Nobel Prize in 1968 for his pioneering work in synthesis of the gene and for helping decipher the genetic code. At the time he was a member of the university's faculty. The Khorana Programme for Scientific Exchange will "foster and expand interaction between the Indian and US scientific communities and prove to be transformative for both American and Indian students," Aseem Zoe Ansari, professor of biochemistry who is the director of the programme, said. Although the programme is expected to become effective from June,2008, it is being formally launched in the first week of January in New Delhi. Kenneth Shapiro, professor of agricultural and applied economics and associate dean, along with Ansari will visit New Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore and Mumbai from Jan 4 onwards.

They are expected to meet officials of the ministry of science and technology, department of science and technology and department of biotechnology apart from the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT). Ansari said the programme was a "fitting way to honour this great scientist on the 40th anniversary of his award." Khorana, 85, who remained at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), was said to be happy with the launch of the programme in his name. Under the programme, Khorana Scholars from India will spend 8-10 weeks in research laboratories at UW, mentored by its faculty. They will have the opportunity to become part of major research programmes and join international teams of scholars under the auspices of the National Science Foundation. "In exchange, Khorana Scholars from UW would be placed in laboratories of Indian partner institutions for similarly enriching and scholarly experiences," Shapiro said. The new programme is expected to generate benefits for the rural-agricultural sector in India through its applied research. The university's agricultural programmes are considered among the best in the world. The 2006/7 US Faculty Scholarly Productivity Index rankings show Wisconsin first in animal sciences, plant science, and food science; second in entomology, and third in plant pathology, according to an official release from the university. The Khorana Programme will build teams of UW and Indian faculty and students to address the challenges of Indian rural development. The University of Wisconsin-Madison continues has a strong research tradition to which Dr. Khorana contributed immensely during his tenure. The discovery of the first vitamins in the Enzyme Institute was one of the highlights. More recently, UW scientists were the first to isolate and culture human embryonic stem cells, from which they developed the stem cell lines that form the basis for most of the world's stem cell research. UW was selected by the US government to be home to the only national stem cell bank. Last month, university announced that they had been able to reprogramme human skin cells to become indistinguishable from embryonic stem cells. This is regarded as a major breakthrough which tides over ethical questions and the challenges of organ rejection. In 2007 the US Department of Energy selected UW to start one of three new national bioenergy research centres that will be at the core of America's alternative energy strategy.

Courtesy: www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com, December 25, 2007

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The International Plant Nutrition Institute (IPNI) has selected PAU Additional Director of Research (Agriculture) Dr Milkha Singh Aulakh as the winner of the 2007 IPNI Science Award. The award carries a plaque and 5,000 US dollars. The award is being given to Dr Aulakh for his contribution in the field of soil science. Dr Aulakh did his doctorate from the University of Saskatchewan, Canada. He was a post-doctoral Research Fellow and Fulbright Scholar at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He has served at prestigious posts in various countries. According to a statement issued here, Dr Aulakh is currently Chief Scientific Investigator of the FAO/IAEA Coordinated Research Project on integrated soil, water and nutrient management for conservation agriculture. The statement added that Dr Aulakh worked on balanced and integrated nutrient management for optimum yields and quality of field crops, nutrient transformation and loss in soils, and associated environmental impacts. Dr Aulakh has published 90 research papers, 40 book chapters/scientific reviews, and 80 conference proceedings and technology transfer publications. He is a recipient of the Canadian Commonwealth Fellowship (1980-83), Plant Nutrient Sulphur Research Award by the Sulphur Institute of Washington, D.C. (1990), International Crop Nutrition Award by International Fertilizer Industry Association, Paris, (2001), Alumni Honour Award by the University of Saskatchewan, Canada (2002), and Pierre Becker Memorial Award by Fertilizer International and British Sulphur, (2005). He is also decorated with several prestigious Indian awards, including the Rafi Ahmad Kidwai Memorial Prize of ICAR, and the Silver Jubilee Award by the FAI in 1987.

Courtesy: www.expressindia.com, December 18, 2007

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The United States has honoured a Sri Lankan parliamentarian of Indian origin, Mano Ganesan, for defending human rights in the island nation. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice named Ganesan as a runner-up for the first Freedom Defenders Award 2007 at a ceremony to mark the Human Rights Day. Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, an NGO, got the award on December 10. "On several occasions, when the threats to his life and safety became acute, Ganesan and his family were forced to flee Sri Lanka and seek temporary refuge in India," the US Information Department said in a statement on the occasion. The award, part of President Bush's Freedom Agenda aimed at advancing freedom and democracy around the world, was set up to honour foreign activists and non-governmental organisations that have demonstrated outstanding commitment to advancing liberty and courage in the face of adversity. "I am happy at being honoured and will continue to work for human rights," Ganesan told reporters. In 2006, Ganesan founded Civil Monitoring Commission (CMC) and now serves as its convener. He established the Western People's Front in 2000 to represent Tamils of the greater Colombo area, which he continues to lead.

Courtesy: www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com, December 12, 2007

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Delhi University professor Shah Abdus Salam has been awarded the the 2007 Sharjah Prize for Arab Culture. The award which comprises a cash prize of USD 25,000 honours individuals, groups or institutions that have contributed in a significant way to the development, diffusion and promotion of Arab culture in the world, as well as to the preservation and revitalization of Arab heritage. Aladine Lolah, a professor at Aleppo University (Syria) and an architect, is the other awardee. Abdus Salam directs research on literature and Arab culture at the University of Delhi. His numerous publications are centered on the topics of Islamic culture and inter-faith dialogue. His work is already well-known in India, the United States, Canada, England, France and Saudi Arabia. The award was presented by UNESCO Director-General Koichiro Matsuura, and Sharjah Culture and Information Department General Abdullah Al Owaisat a ceremony organized at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris on Thursday, the UAE news agency said. Initially awarded every two years, the prize is given away annually since 2003.

Courtesy: www.hindu.com, December 11, 2007

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The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Neasden area here, which attracts visitors from all over the world, has won the 'UK Pride of Place' award in an online poll, the results of which were declared on Wednesday. The temple, the first traditional Hindu mandir constructed in Europe, not only took the most votes in London, but came out on top in the national poll, with 2,344 people going online to register their pride. The Pride of Place poll is part of the British government's 'Connect to your Council' campaign, which aims to encourage citizens to access their local authority services online -- anytime, anywhere. In the London vote, Firepower - the visitor attraction at the Royal Artillery Museum in Greenwich - and the Horniman Museum at Forest Hill in Lewisham, came second and third respectively behind the temple in Neasden in the borough of Brent. A spokesman for the Board of Trustees of the mandir said on Wednesday, "We are delighted that the Bochsanawasi Aksar Purushottam Shri Swaminarayan Mandir has won the UK Pride of Place Award." Nine local authorities across London took part in the Pride of Place poll by inviting visitors to click and vote for one of ten locally nominated top spots on their websites. In all, 36,800 people went online to vote for their favourite place in this first national council-led poll.

Courtesy: www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com December 05, 2007

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Jain Irrigation Systems Limited's founder chairman, B H Jain, has been conferred with the UNESCO & West Net-instituted 'Water Conserver of India' award for work in the area of water conservation. The award was presented by Union Minister of Water Resources Saif-Ud-Din Soz in New Delhi on November 29. Till date, the company has received 46 state awards, 85 national awards and three international awards for outstanding export performance, R&D achievements, entrepreneurship and fair trade practices, a company press release said.

Courtesy: www.sify.com, December 02, 2007

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The CEO of India's ICICI Bank, KV Kamath, has been named Businessman of the Year for 2007 by Forbes Asia , for his steadiness at steering ICICI into one of Asia's top banks. Under Kamath's watch since 1996, ICICI's market capitalisation has risen to 31 billion dollars, placing it among the region's top 10 banks. "By this measure, it is bigger than Singapore's DBS Group and Korea's Kookmin Bank, and has attracted big stakeholders such as Singapore's Temasek Holdings and CLSA and Merrill Lynch funds," a press release issued by Forbes said. Sixty-year old Kamath's win puts him in the company of fellow countrymen Nandan Nilekani of Infosys Technologies, last year's winner, and Ratan Tata, the 2004 businessman of the year. His addition means three Indian executives have won the accolade in the last four years. Tim Ferguson, Editor, Forbes Asia, said: "Kamath's leadership has been