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World
Vision to Spend $70 m to Help Tsunami-Affected
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WORLD
Vision India, a non-governmental organisation,
expects to spend around $70 million (Rs
315 crore) on various tsunami-victims rehabilitation
projects in India, the NGO's National Director,
Dr Jayakumar Christian, told a press conference
here today. "By December, we would have
spent about Rs 131 crore," he said. Most
of the money has come as contributions from
abroad. Excluding the tsunami rehabilitation
projects, World Vision India will spend
Rs 136 crore in various projects in India,
he said. The NGO has committed to building
6,074 permanent houses. Part of the work
is `economic recovery through micro-finance'.
Today, Pfizer India Ltd announced a grant
of Rs 1 crore to World Vision India, which
is to be made available as micro finance
loans to those affected by the tsunami.
The programme is to be conducted through
World Vision India's micro-finance arm,
Innovative Microfinance for Poverty Alleviation
and Community Transformation (Impact), a
not-for-profit company. The programme aims
to benefit 1,000 economically disadvantaged
persons and their families across eight
villages. Speaking at the press conference,
Mr Kewal Handa, Managing Director, Pfizer
India, noted that Pfizer Inc, of US, had
pledged $70 million for tsunami victims
in South East Asia, apart from making available
resources such as doctors, volunteers and
medicines.
Courtesy:
The Hindu Business Line, November 25, 2005
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World's
Oldest Fossil of Rodent Discovered in Jaisalmer
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The
Geological Survey of India on Thursday announced
the discovery of "the world's oldest fossil
of a rodent belonging to the period ranging
from 93.2 million to 142 million years ago."
The fossil of the rodent's tooth forms part
of a micro-vertebrate fossil assemblage
unearthed in Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan.
The fossils, which were discovered in a
three-month field exploration early this
year, were believed to have existed during
the Cretaceous age of the Mesozoic era.
The discovery is expected to provide vital
links to the evolutionary lineage of these
animals. In addition to the remains of an
upper molariform tooth supported by five
roots of the oldest rodent mammal, a complete
mandibular jaw with 13 pleurodontid teeth
of a lizard, and eight fin-ray fish scales
were discovered. P. M. Dutta, director,
Palaeontology Division in the GSI's western
region, told reporters here that the rodent
mammal fossil, found in the Parewar region
of Jaisalmer basin, was the world's earliest
record of a rodent. "In all probability,
it was a small mouse," said Mr. Dutta. Mr.
Dutta, who carried out exploration in the
region during January to March this year,
said the length of the tooth was 1.05 mm
and width 0.75 mm. The presence of a rodent
fossil in the territory, combined with the
evidence of lizard and fish inhabiting the
region, indicates to the topography of rivers,
valley and wetland during the Cretaceous
age in western Rajasthan, which is now a
sprawling desert. The find is the first
systematic record of the Mesozoic vertebrate
fossils from the State containing the three
major groups - mammal, reptile and fish
- of animals with spinal column. The GSI
expects that the discovery would place the
Jaisalmer basin prominently on the world's
fossil atlas.
Mr.
Dutta said the fossil of iguanian lizard,
found in the Sanu region of Jaisalmer basin,
would compensate the paucity of the lizard
fossil record from the southern continents
in comparison with that of the northern
continents. The Rajasthan lizard has also
suggested the southern origin of the squamate
reptile. The discovery of fossils at a shallow
level around Jaisalmer also indicates that
the rocks in the region might not have a
significant presence of oil. Oil has been
detected recently in huge quantity in the
neighbouring Barmer district. Mr. Dutta
said about 1.5 tonnes of matrix was collected
by excavation at Parewar and Sanu and scientifically
analysed. The residue yielded the remarkable
fossils as well as numerous unidentified
skeletal remains. The GSI expert and deputy
director-general R.S. Goyal expressed the
hope that the fossil collection would provide
corroborative evidence on the origin and
age of animals and help in the reconstruction
of palaeo-biogeography and palaeo-ecology
of the Cretaceous world.
Courtesy:
The Hindu, November 25, 2005
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The
Director and Head of the Department of Hand
and Micro Surgery of Ganga Hospital here,
S. Rajasabapathy, was conferred the `British
Society for Surgery of the Hand Award' at
the annual meeting of the Royal College
of Surgeons in London recently. He was also
invited to deliver the Douglas Lamb Lecture
on hand surgery. A press release from the
hospital said on Sunday that it was in recognition
of his contributions in hand reconstruction.
Courtesy:
The Hindu, November 21, 2005
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Gandhian
Message For Corporates
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At
an age when most people look forward to
a retired life, 76-year-old Mathoor Krishnamurti
has other plans - he's pursuing a dual passion.
Energetic and enthusiastic, Mr Krishnamurti,
the executive director of the Bharatiya
Vidya Bhavan, has chalked out a strategy
to integrate Gandhian principles into people's
lives. The dream is ambitious and if all
goes well, it will encompass the two ends
of the spectrum - rural folk and corporate
professionals. Always a Gandhian, the idea
was encouraged by a recent award for spreading
the Gandhian message and social service.
The award instituted by Mr M.P. Prakash
(deputy chief minister) in the name of his
father Mr M.M. Patil, carried a citation
and a cash prize of Rs 25,000 and was presented
in Harapanahally in Dharwad. "Gandhiji felt
that every Indian should have a knowledge
of Sanskrit and in an attempt to propagate
his principles, I intend to approach the
industrial houses, with a course on the
working knowledge of the language," says
Krishnamurti. The fact that he hails from
Mathoor in Shimoga, has worked to his advantage,
as Sanskrit is its means of communication.
It's a way of life in Mathoor and a team
of volunteers from the region will help
him take the concept forward. Having authored
20 books in Kannada, writing also fits into
the scheme of things. This time, the themes
will revolve round Gandhian thoughts. More
significantly, he wants to incorporate the
Gandhian philosophy in parts of Karnataka.
The former journalist-author plans to make
a beginning in his home turf - Hosahalli
in Mathoor. The thrust is on education and
empowerment, besides eventually initiating
the rural folk into the cottage industry.
Right now, his immediate concern is to percolate
into the smaller sockets, for the betterment
of the villagers. Obviously to fulfil a
mega scale project of this nature, he intends
to involve philanthropists.
Courtesy:
The Asian Age, November 09, 2005
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Indian
Among Top 100 Powerful People
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Indian-born
Arun Sarin is among the top 100 powerful
people. Maarten Van Den Bergh, the chairman
of Lloyds TSB and non-executive director
of BT, BA and Royal Dutch Shell, tops The
Times Power 100 list of the most influential
FTSE directors this year. He is joined in
the list by 20 new names. Baroness Hogg
is the highest-placed woman in the Power
100. Lady Hogg is the first and only woman
chairman of a FTSE 100 company. She recently
added a directorship of BG, the former British
Gas, to her chairmanship of 3i and leapt
to tenth place in the rankings. Kathleen
O'Donovan, former finance chief of BTR and
Invensys, is the highest-placed female new
entrant. Her directorships of Prudential,
the insurer, O2, the telecoms company, EMI,
the music group, and Great Portland Estates,
the property group, put her in 32nd place.
Three other women make their first appearance
in the Power 100, including Susan Murray,
of Imperial Tobacco, Enterprise Inns, Wm
Morrison and SSL; Christine Morin-Postel,
of Royal Dutch Shell, 3i and Pilkington;
and Mary Francis, of Aviva, Centrica and
St Modwen Properties. Andrew Hornby, aged
38, is the youngest constituent. Iain Conn,
of BP and Rolls Royce, is, at 43, the youngest
new face. Arun Sarin chief executive of
Vodafone, remains consistent at 82nd position
from last year. Jan du Plessis, former finance
director of Rothmans, the cigarette group,
is the highest new entrant.
Courtesy:
Hindustan Times, November 08, 2005
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Township
for Japanese Investors in Chennai
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Cashing
in on the rapidly growing ties between India
and Japan, the Tamil Nadu government plans
to set up a "home-away-from-home" township
exclusively for Japanese investors in the
capital city of Chennai. "My government
is firmly committed to create an entire
ecosystem where investors feel welcome,
wanted and wholly satisfied," the Chief
Minister, Ms Jayalalithaa, told a delegation
from Fukuoka city in Japan, led by its Mayor
Mr Hirotaro Yamasaki. "I know investors
from Japan are also looking for a township
that would address housing, cultural, educational,
entertainment, social and culinary needs
of their community - the concept being that
this 'home away from home' will enhance
quality of life, productivity and effectiveness"
she said. The Chief Minister said that she
would look into the possibility of a suitable
location where a 'Little Japan' township
in Chennai could be created. Thanking Japan
for Rs 643 crore aid through its Japan Bank
for International Co-operation for the state's
afforestation project Ms Jayalalithaa said
that the Bank had committed an additional
Rs 567.42 crore for the project. An Indo-Japanese
joint study group was considering the feasibility
of an economic partnership treaty and a
new science and technology initiative between
the two Asian countries had been taken up,
the Chief Minister informed. The Tamil Nadu
government had also deputed an industrial
delegation from the state to Japan, she
said. "I am sure this is only the beginning
and we will see several other relations
following Fukuoka's lead," she said.
Courtesy:
The Hindu Business Line: November 08, 2005
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India
on Top in US Varsity Enrolments
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India
is once again the undisputed leader in international
student enrolments in US universities. For
the fourth year in a row, it leads the table
in what otherwise has been another year
of overall decline in foreign student inflows
into American campuses. With 80,466 of its
students admitted to US universities during
the 2004-05 academic year, India was well
ahead of China (62,523), South Korea (53,358),
Japan (42,215) and Canada (28,140). Four
years ago, India stole a march over China
as the No.1 sender of students to American
universities and has built on the lead with
each passing year. The enrolment figures,
compiled by the Institute of International
Education for its Open Doors 2005 report,
will be formally released next week. Overall,
there is a 1.3 per cent decline in the number
of foreign students enrolled during the
year - down from 572,509 to 565,039. Experts
have attributed the decline to the sharp
rise in US tuition costs and difficulties
in obtaining student visas. The growth in
the number of Indian students, too, has
been much smaller this time - 0.9 per cent
against 6.9 per cent last year. University
of Southern California at Los Angeles is
the No.1 host institution for international
students, admitting 6,846 of them during
the year. It is followed by the University
of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University
of Texas at Austin, and the Big Apple's
Columbia University and New York University.
The Council of Graduate Schools has come
out with its own report, dealing with admissions
at Master's level and above. It reported
a 1 per cent increase in the number of new
international graduate students, indicating
a marginal rebound.
Courtesy:
Hindustan Times, November 07, 2005
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Literacy
Rate Seen Rising to Over 80 Per Cent in
10 Years
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It
may not be a win-win situation for India
Inc. Salaries are expected to go through
the roof in '06, but this may be a mixed
blessing because as paychecks get fatter,
India is losing its cost advantage. According
to Deutsche Bank, if Indian salaries and
real estate costs keep rising at the same
rate, it will soon be profitable to shift
these same Indian professionals to other
locations like Singapore or Dubai. While
the "white collar" revolution, which has
both been a cause as well as an effect of
India's economic transformation over the
past 15 years, may be in danger of running
out of steam, it is felt that the new growth
engine may be provided by the pool of newly-literate
blue-collared workers who will enter the
workforce. Deutsche Bank says that a silent
primary education revolution is taking place
in the country and it expects literacy levels
in the country to rise to over 80% within
the next decade. With rising literacy levels,
the country will have a new pool of human
capital that fills the middle ground. It
will significantly change the availability
of blue-collar workers to employers as well
as the type of consumers available to producers.
This demographic shift, it is projected,
will be accompanied by another major shift
in the availability of low-cost capital.
The Deutsche Bank report says that it is
possible that India's savings rate could
touch 35% of GDP by the middle of the next
decade. If savings rates rise, conditions
will be ripe for a growth dynamic that is
driven by mass mobilisation of labour and
capital. This, in turn, will feed the kind
of large-scale manufacturing and mega-infrastructure
projects that have driven growth in South
East Asia and China. However, this growth,
according to the report, is conditional
on the country being able to remove systemic
constraints such as poor infrastructure
and archaic regulations.
Courtesy:
The Economic Times, November 07, 2005
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For
some, Dilli Haat means a relaxing getaway
from the daily mad rush. For others, it
means getting acquainted with a slice of
India. Thanks to its kaleidoscopic mix of
traditional art, culture and food, Dilli
Haat has become a model for not only other
states, but also international cities like
London. It's no less important for players
- artisans and craftsperons from all over
the country - who make it possible. Says
Deepak Sankit, a craftsmen of Minakari art
hailing from Jaipur, "Getting an invitation
from the office of development commissioner
(Handicrafts) was delightful. It was not
only a chance for coming to Delhi, which
is the biggest and best market of arts and
crafts, but also a recognition for me back
home." A project of Delhi Tourism and Transportation
Development Corporation (DTTDC), Dilli Haat
Food and Craft Bazaar has been developed
to promote artisans and craftsmen from all
over the country. The Haat enables them
exhibit and sell their wares in an urban
marketplace. There are as many as 201 stalls
and spaces at the Haat, which are allotted
on a rotational basis to artisans and craftsmen
from different states. Out of the stalls,
151 stalls are dedicated to handicrafts,
while 50 are kept for handloom artisans.
With theme-based fairs being organised every
fortnight, the Haat wears a new look regularly.
Since the idea is to do away with middlemen,
the stalls are at liberty to determine the
prices of their products. The artisans for
Dilli Haat stalls are shortlisted and selected
by development commissioner (Handicrafts)
and development commissioner (Handlooms)
of the Union Ministry of Textiles. An annual
plan is prepared by both the departments
and handed over to the Dilli Haat authorities
at the beginning of the year. "DC (Handicrafts)
aims to promote artisans and crafts from
a few states every month. So if five states
are chosen for a particular month, the ministry
aims to get representation from a variety
of crafts from the state and invites a varied
selection of craftsworks from the chosen
region. An artisan has to pay Rs 300 per
day for the stall," says Ajay Kumar, additional
development commissioner (Handicrafts).
The artisans have to get themselves registered
with the regional offices located in the
country's six zones. These offices have
headquarters in Delhi with DC (Handicrafts),
which maintains an annual statewise calendar
of Dilli Haat. According to the themes of
the fair planned at the Haat, the artisans
(recommended by the regional offices) are
called for showcasing their products. Invitations
are sent to artisans and identity cards
are issued later. With 200 artisans given
chance every fortnight, more than 20,000
craftsmen get a chance to be at Dilli Haat
in a year. "The basic idea of the Haat is
to create a platform for direct dealing
between craftsmen and customers to help
the former get a better price and the latter
good quality products at a reasonable amount.
To strengthen the traditional links further,
the Haat hosts cultural activities like
dances, dramas, fashion shows and street
plays," says M S Sridhar, chief manager,
DTTDC. Besides craftsmen, the NGOs that
are registered with the DC (Handicrafts)
can also apply for space at Dilli Haat.
The procedure is the same as above. NGOs
have to mention how many stalls they need
while making the application, says Sridhar.
Courtesy:
The Financial Express, November 07, 2005
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Indra
Nooyi is Among Fortune's 50 Most Powerful
Women
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Chennai-born
Indra Nooyi, the vivacious 49-year-old president
and chief financial officer of PepsiCo,
had no trouble making it to Fortune's annual
list of the 50 Most Powerful Women in business
in America. Fortune did not have to shop
to find the most powerful woman. For the
second year running, it is Meg Whitman,
49, chairman and CEO of eBay. Carly Fiorina,
who long held the No. 1 spot, dropped off
the list after leaving Hewlett-Packard;
Martha Stewart returned at No. 21. Nooyi
jumped one place up from her previous ranking
to occupy the No 11 spot. "Pepsi is feeling
nothing but joy," Fortune said. "In its
most recent quarter, revenues jumped 13
per cent." Nooyi is known for sharp deal-making
skills, which she used to recast the company
over the decade. She played key roles in
the Tricon spin-off, the purchase of Tropicana,
the public offering of Pepsi Cola bottling
group, and merger with Quaker Foods. Analysts
think she will succeed Pepsi CEO Steve Reinemund.
In second spot is Anne Mulcahy, 52, CEO
of Xerox, who helped boost the company's
net by 138 per cent. Brenda Barnes, 51,
CEO of Sara Lee, rocketed to third from
No. 39 last year. Oprah Winfrey, 51, is
fourth, thanks to her "awesome cultural
influence" due mostly to her TV show with
nine million viewers a day. Rounding out
the rest are Andrea Jung, CEO, Avon (No.
5); Pat Woertz, executive vice-president,
Global Downstream, Chevron (No. 6); Sallie
Krawcheck, CFO, head of strategy, Citigroup
(No. 7); Abigail Johnson, president, Fidelity
Employer Services, Fidelity (No. 8); Karen
Katen, vice-chairman, and president of Human
Health, Pfizer (No. 9); and Judy McGrath,
chairman and CEO, MTV Networks (No. 10).
Courtesy:
dnaindia.com, November 03, 2005
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