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ONGC
to Train Drilling Pros From Oman Co-Bags
Rs 1- Crore Order
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ONGC
is making steady progress in converting
its Research and Development and training
facilities into profit centres. The company
has bagged a Rs 1-crore contract from MB
Petroleum Services LLC, Oman (MBPS), for
offering well-control training to 200 of
the latter's drilling professionals in Oman.
MBPS is a multinational company providing
drilling and integrated well services in
more than 12 countries in Europe, West Asia
and Asia-Pacific. The training will be provided
by Well Control School (WCS) under the Institute
of Drilling Technology (IDT) of ONGC. According
to official sources, ONGC expects to bag
similar orders from Bangladesh by end of
this month. Also ONGC's Business Development
and Joint venture (BD & JV) group has received
a number of enquiries from Vietnam, the
Philippines, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Yemen,
Oman, Sudan and others for training, consultancy
and services, all of which are being actively
pursued. WCS was created to provide core
knowledge and job-related skills for handling
well-control situations. The Institute is
engaged in various R&D activities on oil
well-drilling and has been conducting well-control
courses for over 20 years using full-size
derrick floor simulators and a fully operational
drilling rig. The Oman project is a maiden
venture of WCS in imparting training at
clients' premises overseas. Some six trainers
may be deputed to Oman over three months
using the latest simulator model. The Institute
of Petroleum Safety, Health and Environment
(IPSHEM), another ONGC training and research
facility, recently bagged its first overseas
contract from Greater Nile Oil Project (GNOP)
in Sudan for creating infrastructure to
prevent oil spills, fires and crisis management
facilities in its (GNOP's) offshore oil
fields.
Courtesy:
www.thehindubusinessline.com, October 25,
2005
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America
Hunts For Indian CAs
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Move
over IT wizards. It's now the turn of chartered
accountants to top the most-wanted lists
in the US, with American accounting firms
looking to countries like India for recruitment.
This year, 20 CAs from India were recruited
by leading accounting firms. Good news for
Gujarat? No, says the Institute of Chartered
Accountants of India (ICAI). According to
ICAI central council member Sunil Talati,
US accounting firms made it clear that CAs
who have studied in universities of Gujarat
will not be preferred. "A lack of proficiency
in English and poor presentation skills
of graduates from all universities in Gujarat
are primary reasons," he says.
Courtesy:
The Times of India, October 24, 2005
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Indians
Make it to Top US B-Schools
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Guess
who'll become the next dean of Harvard Business
School. The person generating the most buzz
is Indian Srikant M Datar, accounting professor
at HBS since 1996 and senior associate dean
of executive education, says a recent BusinessWeek
article. Moreover, the 15-member faculty
advisory group for the dean search of the
world's best known B-school has another
Indian American faculty member Das Narayandas
on it. Nothing to be surprised really, considering
that Indians have arrived big time at top
B-schools in the US. "There has always been
a large representation of Indian professors
in the highest ranks of top B-Schools, including
full professors and chaired professors.
Now we are seeing many Indians in leadership
positions, such as dean. Several schools
in the Top-40 are led by people of Indian
origin," says Sankaran Venkataraman (Venkat),
who's himself a globally known scholar in
the field of entrepreneurship and the MasterCard
Professor of Business Administration at
the Darden Graduate School of Business Administration,
University of Virginia. "In addition to
dean's position, there are numerous people
of Indian origin who are associate deans
or chairs of departments. Many Indian professors
also hold leadership positions in professional
academic bodies such as the American Finance
Association, American Marketing Association,
or the Academy of Management. Finally, the
editors of some of the leading journals
are Indians," he adds.
Courtesy:
The Economic Times, October 24, 2005
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The
Punjabification of the globe can be traced
to this singular dish. Originally from Punjab,
the dish is now part of the world's menu.
Think velvety, succulent chicken pieces
marinated in curd with subtle spices and
a few drops of red/orange colour!
Elish
(Hilsa) paturi
This
is a classic from Bengal which some say
originated in what is now Bangladesh. Hilsa
is baked wrapped in banana leaf. Traditionally
the fish packets were cooked alongwith with
rice in a chula. The slow-cooking added
to the flavour. The flavour and taste cannot
be written of...but just has to be experienced!
Another classic from Bengal, the origins
of which have also been hotly debated by
those on either side of the border between
Bangladesh and West Bengal. Jumbo prawns
or or shrimp, whatever your preference,
they are simply divine cooked in coconut
milk. Sounds exotic? It is.
Courtesy:
The Times of India, October 22, 2005
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Quake
Relief: Indian Food, Music Help Raise Funds
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Campaigners
in Scotland have turned to spicy Indian
curry and lilting music to raise funds for
rehabilitating earthquake victims in South
Asia. Posters have gone up across Edinburgh
inviting people to 14 Indian restaurants
participating in the Asia Quake Appeal.
In the restaurants, diners will be given
a leaflet about the struggle to save lives
and rebuild communities in India, Pakistan
and Afghanistan. They will be invited to
make a donation that will go to the Disasters
Emergency Committee (DEC). Said Judith Robertson,
chairperson of the DEC in Scotland: "We
urge people in Scotland to have a curry
this weekend and make a donation after you've
eaten. You will be helping to save lives."
Curry is one of Scotland's favourite foods
and this idea gives people the opportunity
to do something practical while enjoying
it. Abdalaziz Aziz, owner of the Village
Tandoori restaurant at Jock's Lodge said:
"I think it's a great idea. Curry lovers
everywhere will be able to come into the
restaurant and help out in a very important
way." A major concert on the lines of Live
8 is also to be staged in Edinburgh to raise
funds for the earthquake victims. Bob Geldof
and Midge Ure are being asked to return
to Edinburgh to help pull together a star-studded
line-up. Organisers hope to raise at least
one million pounds by attracting a string
of major stars to the city in the spring.
Courtesy:
Hindustan Times, October 22, 2005
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Okha,
Gujarat: Model Village Panchayat
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A
website, sodium street lights, cemented
roads, house-to-house water connections,
a cricket stadium - all this in a village.
Thanks to a model village panchayat, all
this and more has been made possible for
the people of Okha, a small village on the
tip of Jamangar district. Being acclaimed
as the model village panchayat for more
than 5.5 lakh village panchayats in the
country, Okha entered the 21st century by
launching its own website recently.
Courtesy:
The Economic Times, October 20, 2005
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Now,
IIT to Help US Groom World Leaders
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Indian
Institute of Technology, Mumbai, is among
15 select Asian varsities partnering with
the Washington University in launching the
McDonnell Academy which aims at fostering
international cooperation in education and
research to create a worldwide network of
top class scholars, and business and government
leaders. The Academy would groom leaders
who are able to deal with challenges of
globalization in a socially sensitive way.
At least nine multinational corporations,
including Boeing, and several foundations
and individuals are supporting the Academy
established with an endowment of 10 million
dollars committed by retired Chairman of
the board of McDonnell Douglas Corporation
John F. McDonnell. Announcing the establishment
of the Academy, which will pay all expenses
for scholars it selects in various disciplines,
including arts, sciences, engineering, research
and medicine, for study at the Washington
University, Chancellor Mark S Wrighton said
more Indian research varsities would be
associated over period of time. The scope
of training would be much wider than their
discipline of study and the scholars would
be sensitized to the prevailing social and
political conditions. Each scholar would
be attached with a senior teacher who would
be his mentor and guide during the stay
and later go to the university from w here
his ward had come for a period of time to
build relationship between the two universities.
The training programme would include leadership
training, interactions with experts in key
areas and with government leaders. The Academy
will also encourage collaboration between
the universities on such diverse issue as
environment, energy, food production and
medicine.
Courtesy:
The Times of India, October 20, 2005
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India
is a Good Neighbour: Pak
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Pakistan's
Prime Minister said on Monday that cooperation
with India on earthquake relief is strengthening
relations between the two countries. India
has shipped food, tents, blankets and other
material to Pakistan, where much of the
damage is concentrated, Pakistani Prime
Minister Shaukat Aziz said on CNN's Late
Edition. The October 8 quake killed an estimated
54,000, relief officials said, and cold
and wet conditions were likely to cause
deaths among the estimated 2 million left
homeless by the disaster. ``I think this
is a good neighbourly attitude,'' Aziz said
of Indian cooperation. ``As the confidence-building
measures between the two countries and the
peace process moves ahead, all these measures
become confidence-building measures themselves.''
Pakistan is still in need of more tents,
Aziz said, especially as snow and rain begin
to fall. His country has created two separate
agencies to deal with the quake aftermath,
he said: one for rescue and relief and one
for rehabilitation and reconstruction.
Courtesy:
www.financialexpress.com, October 19, 2005
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Indian
Nurses in Great Demand in The US
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After
techies, perhaps it is now the turn of Indian
nurses to make an impact on the US. "On
an average, 150 qualified nurses approach
the US consulates every month to clear their
visa formalities. According to the US government,
it needs nearly 2 lakh qualified nurses
by 2006. Of these, nearly 50,000 Indians
may get in," Radhika Manne, managing director
of Smart Nurse Pvt Limited said. Ms Manne,
whose company has tied up with some of hospitals
in California, New Jersey and Virginia,
trains nurses in accordance with US standards
so that they could be absorbed. "Last year,
our firm alone got jobs for 32 nurses. There
are nearly 10 genuine firms across the country
engaged in training nurses. All put together,
1000 nurses go to the US every year," she
said. Unlike IT or the management field,
she said, it would take at least two years
for a nurse to complete formalities before
landing on US soil. "Nurses need to pass
two tests before their proposals are vetted
by the nursing boards of a particular US
state. Once they are through with these
formalities, they apply for visas which
may take 10 months," she revealed. But,
she said, the main hurdle that the Indians
face is in the English proficiency test.
"Generally Indians do better in other tests
except the English language test. Therefore,
we decided to train them in English language
skills too," she explained. At least five
nurses approach her every day evincing interest
to undergo the training programme. "Of these,
on an average, two will ultimately qualify."
Courtesy:
The Asian Age, October 18, 2005
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Legal
Outsourcing: The Next Big Thing
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India's
growing pool of lawyers are being tapped
to provide paralegal services for customers
from the United States as the next frontier
in the country's booming outsourcing sector,
executives say. Companies in India are offering
trained lawyers using legal databases such
as Westlaw and Lexis/Nexis to provide law
firms in the United States with low-cost
research, writing and analysis in a move
to capture a market worth billions of dollars.
"We did a survey of corporate houses in
the US in which 86 percent identified the
high cost of legal services as their number
one cost worry," said Sanjay Kamlani, co-founder
of the legal outsourcing firm Pangea3 LLC.
"Add to that there are one million lawyers
in India and 70,000 graduating from law
schools every year. We realised that we
had an enormous, enormous business opportunity,"
he said. The National Association of Software
and Service Companies, an Indian lobby group,
said in July that outsourcing firms had
barely scratched the potential of the estimated
$250 billion legal services market. It estimates
Indian firms now get $60 to $80 million
worth of outsourced legal business annually.
India earned $6.7 billion in the year ended
March 2005 in outsourcing services such
as software and call centers in an industry
that employs almost 350,000 people as the
country taps a large pool of English-speaking
professionals. The work has expanded in
the past five years into almost all fields
from computer-aided design to medical consulting
and fashion to provide jobs for a one-billion
plus population, more than half of whom
are under 25 years old.
Courtesy:
The Economic Times, October 18, 2005
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He's
Under 30, Earns 10K: Here's The Speculator
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Can
you identify the speculators from among
the ranks of retail investors? Surprise
surprise, it's not the high-income households.
The biggest opportunists within the class
of retail investors are those forming the
bottom of the pyramid in terms of income
class. Furthermore, a typical age profile
of those retail investors looking for quick
bucks from the bourses are households whose
head is less than 30 years old. While overall
Indian middle-class investors are predominantly
long-term players who tend to be conservative
and prefer to hold equity shares for over
a year, there are some interesting differences
when it comes to the age profile of the
investor as well as household income. This
is revealed by the survey commissioned by
the department of company affairs (DCA)
tracking the behaviour of Indian retail
investors, their portfolio strategies and
concerns about the equity market, conducted
in the middle of the current stock market
boom.
Courtesy:
The Economic Times, October 13, 2005
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Into
India, Outside China
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In
the debate over how to play Asia's biggest
developing markets, money manager T. Rowe
Price Group Inc. is tilting toward India
and avoiding companies in China, though
it says betting on the Chinese consumer
makes sense too. The contrasts between the
two countries are enormous, three of T.
Rowe's senior global portfolio managers
said in a panel discussion on Tuesday. India
has a sophisticated capital markets system,
while most money in China flows through
the state-controlled banking system, they
said. Some cities in China are almost 100
percent saturated with mobile phones; penetration
barely rises to 4 percent in many parts
of India. But China can't be ignored because
of its voracious consumption of raw materials
and the vacuum it could cause elsewhere
in the world if its economy caught cold
or came down with a worse affliction. A
slide in commodity prices would hurt South
American economies, for example. Investors
needn't tread in China to prosper from the
country's growth, said Rob Gensler, a T.
Rowe portfolio manager speaking at the company's
annual investment symposium. "A lot of money
can be made without even spending a day
in China," he said. Except for a few scattered
investment ideas play the growing number
of Chinese able to travel abroad who adore
brands such as Disney or Louis Vuitton,
or buy Brazilian mining company CVRD for
its iron ore exports to China the panelists
did not discuss specifics. Their insights,
though, provided a glimpse into how to go
about investing in two enormously important
markets that provide many opportunities,
and risks. Though China's banking system
is often pointed out as endemic of what
could go wrong, the country's $750 billion
in foreign reserves amounts to "plenty of
ammunition to solve the problem," said Chris
Alderson, another portfolio manager. Indian
information technology and pharmaceutical
companies are some of the best to be found
in emerging markets, the panelists said.
While China has cheap land and labor, the
quality of the companies is lacking, they
said. India is producing companies with
high intellectual property ownership. "The
pipeline for new companies is quite robust,"
said Frances Dydasco, referring to India.
"There are even broader investment opportunities
going forward." In short, the message was:
In India focus on India, in China focus
outside of the country, they said.
Courtesy:
www.financialexpress.com, October 13, 2005
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ONGC
Makes a Splash at Kazakh Oil Show
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After
rocking the World Petroleum Congress in
Johannesburg, it was time for state-owned
Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) to
make a splash in Central Asia's biggest
oil show - the 13th Kazakhstan International
Oil & Gas Exhibition (KIOGE). The stall
put up by India's lone integrated energy
company was a big draw among visitors and
fellow-exhibitors with its innovative design
and unique presentation of the expanding
global footprint of Indian exploration efforts.
Oil minister Mani Shankar Aiyar and his
Kazakhstan counterpart V Shkolnik inaugurated
the ONGC pavilion at Almaty on October 4
by jointly lighting the traditional lamp.
The two ministers also unveiled a booklet
on the ONGC group and its activities. Several
visitors recounted their long-standing relationship
with the Indian oil industry and ONGC, having
worked in various projects in India where
former Soviet Union supplied technology.
The pavilion also helped create ONGC's brand
awareness in Central Asia, particularly
Kazakhstan. KIOGE is one of the major events
in the oil and gas industry of Kazakhstan
and Central Asia. Main section of KIOGE
exhibition include geology and geophysics;
exploration; oil and gas equipment; oil
and gas production, treatment, processing
and storage; construction of oil and gas
facilities; after sale maintenance on oil
and gas fields; seismic surveys; pipeline,
transportation technologies; environment
and nature conservation services; control
instrumentation; automation, software and
computer technologies, engineering and consulting
etc.
Courtesy:
The Times of India, October 11, 2005
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US
NRIs Raise $1 mn in One Night For Noble
Cause
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Indians
in the Silicon Valley have raised a whopping
$1 million at a lavish annual bash for promoting
elementary education, women's empowerment
and eradication of AIDS in their home country.
Titled 'Bow Ties and Bangles', the second
annual fall benefit gala hosted by international
development organisation American Indian
Foundation (AIF), saw business magnets and
leading Bollywood stars joining hands to
raise some money for the cause. Several
Fortune 500 CEOs, corporate giants, celebrities
from the entertainment industry, including
Bollywood actress and AIDS activist Shilpa
Shetty, were among the 800 guests who attended
the evening on Saturday. "We are thrilled
by the response we have received," AIF President
Lata Krishnan said as she announced that
the event had met its target of generating
$1 million. The evening honoured Biocon
Limited Chairman and Managing Director Kiran
Mazumdar-Shaw and AMD Chairman and CEO Hector
Ruiz with 'AIF-India Corporate Leadership
Awards' for their leadership skills and
deep commitment to corporate social responsibility.
AIF is a leading international development
organisation working for universalising
elementary education, advancing women's
empowerment and eradicating AIDS in India.
Former US President Bill Clinton serves
as Honorary Chair of AIF, which has raised
more than $26 million since its inception.
Courtesy:
Hindustan Times, October 10, 2005
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India
is an Upcoming Power: Australia's HC
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Recognising
India as an upcoming economic power, Australia
on Friday underlined several key areas,
including IT, education, agriculture, food
processing and bio-technology, where the
two countries could work together to boost
bilateral ties. "India is becoming a significant
economic power... You (India) are simply
more important than you were a decade ago,"
Australia's High Commissioner John McCarthy
said addressing an interactive session organised
by CII in Chandigarh. He said there had
been a shift in policy by the US towards
India over the past two years "which has
gained momentum especially over the past
six months. Besides, "the amount of interest
which China is showing in India, the way
Japanese companies are looking to do business
with India" indicate the growing importance
of the country, he said adding "even the
European Union has shown interest in India".
McCarthy said a high-level business delegation
will accompany the Australian Prime Minister
when he visits India next year. "There is
no irreversibility in our view the way India
(economy) is growing," he said. He, however,
said that India needs to jack up its exports
to the Asean countries plus Japan and China,
which currently stood at 20 per cent as
against Australian figure of 60 per cent.
The high level delegations of CII and FICCI
had visited Australia this year "to explore
business opportunities that our country
has to offer", he said adding "India sees
Australia as a long term supplier of needed
resources." "We have a lot to offer to India.
We will like to invest in the mining sector,
but a more transparent regime is needed
which will make it easier for the foreign
companies to invest," he said. He informed
that Tata steel had invested in a coal mine
in Australia and a Gujarat-based company
had brought a coal mine in that country.
Courtesy:
Hindustan Times, October 07, 2005
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Former
Pro-Apartheid Leader Hails Gandhi's Contribution
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This
year's annual Gandhi Memorial Lecture in
South Africa was ironically delivered by
former pro-apartheid leader, South African
minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk, who stressed
the need for 'satyagraha' to remove global
racism and poverty. The talk was hosted
by the Phoenix Settlement Trust, located
in Mahatma Gandhi's 19th century home north
of Durban. Ironically, Van Schalkwyk, now
minister of environmental affairs and tourism,
was the last leader of the National Party
before its demise a few years ago, 40 years
after it ruled the country with oppressive
apartheid laws forcing the resettlement
of non-white communities. The National Party
had also in the 1940's advocated the repatriation
of all South African Indians to their "motherland"
of India, seeing them as a threat to the
economy of the minority white Afrikaner
community. Given his background, Van Schalkwyk,
who sounded the death knell for the National
Party when he threw in his lot with the
ruling African National Congress, sounded
strange as he spoke passionately about the
relevance of Gandhi's three-pronged philosophies
of ahimsa, sarvodaya and satyagraha in South
Africa and the world today. Significantly,
his mere presence highlighted the spirit
of reconciliation in South Africa today.
Recognising the need for Satyagraha in today's
times, he stressed, "There is a need for
a new paradigm, and new non-violent direct
action - Satyagraha at a new level - to
ensure that no people, nation, region, or
continent are permanently consigned to the
second- or third-class cabins of the world
economy." Emphasising the need to continue
with Gandhi's legacy, the minister said,
"It is our responsibility, in paying tribute
to the life of Mahatma Gandhi, to ensure
that here in South Africa we live the truth
of his words to: "Be the change you want
to see in the world."
Courtesy:
Hindustan Times, October 06, 2005
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Husain
Work Sells For Rs 9 cr on Net
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An
NRI corporation in London has paid $2 million
(Rs 9 crore) for an M F Husain work, 'The
Last Supper'. This tops the $1.5 million
sale of Tyeb Mehta's 'Mahishasura' at Christie's
two weeks ago, although since the former
is not a public sale the two cannot strictly
be compared. The artist, who has just turned
90, is in Singapore for a solo exhibition
of 21 works, including 'The Last Supper'.
The paintings are thematically linked under
the title 'The Lost Continent', the name
of the show. The sale, he said, was sealed
on the Internet, and he has therefore not
met his patron. He has, however, received
the cheque. "An NRI Bengali lady who represented
Bedros Assets saw the work liked it and
bought it," said Husain in a telephonic
interview with TOI. The dramatic oil painted
in London in July is a loose adaptation
of 'The Last Supper'. At a roughly hewn
table held up by a devil and an angel at
two ends, sits Christ, a haloed figure with
an open book in front of him, his torso
shaped like a dove. On his left is a woman
in robes and headgear, her hand cupping
a candle. On his right, are an old bearded
man and the imposing frame of an African
woman. The focal point of this strange tableau
is an empty white bowl. The famine in the
bowl and the dominating presence of Africa,
a continent repeatedly ravaged by hunger,
is the artist's statement on the global
politics of food. ''The empty bowl signifies
betrayal,'' he said.
Courtesy:
The Economic Times, October 06, 2005
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Indians
Are World's 4th Happiest Lot
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India
has the fourth happiest population in the
world, even ahead of Britain and Canada,
a survey indicated on Wednesday. The survey
carried out across 30 nations found that
only those living in Australia, the US and
Egypt are more upbeat. Around 30,000 people
were questioned in the survey by market
research company GfK NOP. It also found
that those in their 50s were the most downbeat,
regardless of which country they were from.
The most miserable population were the Hungarians.
Australia was the most cheerful nation,
with 46 per cent of the population saying
they were very happy. This was followed
by the Americans with 40 per cent. Britain
shares the fifth happiest spot with Canada.
One in three Britons is "very happy" with
the quality of life here. Just seven per
cent are disappointed with how their lives
have turned out. A separate poll, meanwhile,
has named Vancouver in Canada as the world's
best place to live. The Economist Intelligence
Unit ranked 127 cities by rating them on
factors such as stability, personal risk,
healthcare, culture and environment, education,
infrastructure and the availability of goods
and services.
Courtesy:
The Economic Times, October 06, 2005
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Sell
Old Indian Dictionaries @Rs 25K!
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They
are adding another meaning to antiquated
books. Old Indian dictionaries are being
picked up by overseas collectors and universities
for tidy sums. The demand for dictionaries
has gained momentum, with books in this
genre becoming rarer over time. The first
Bengali dictionary, for instance, titled
'Halhead's Grammar of Bengali', is going
with a tag of Rs 20,000-25,000, William
Carey's English to Bengali edition fetches
Rs 8,000-9,000, Molesworth's Maratha dictionary
is worth Rs 15,000-20,000 and the 1861 version
of the Dictionary of Gujarati Language is
valued at Rs 5,000. "Prices of dictionaries
are rising by around 50% every year. The
appreciation in values depends on the demand
and supply situation. Of course, there has
been a steady price rise because the books,
in any case, are fast becoming very hard
to acquire," old book dealer sources told
ET. Incidentally, while Halhead's Grammar
of Bengali was published in the 1700s, William
Carey's dictionary appeared in the 1800s.
At the same time, Molesworth's dictionary
of Maratha language came to life in two
volumes around 1821-22 and a volume of the
Gujarati dictionary, authored by Oza, began
circulating from the 1860s. There are other
well-known dictionaries, too, which have
become a part of history and are sought
after by collectors, scholars and academic
institutes, especially abroad.
Courtesy:
The Economic Times, October 06, 2005
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Qualified
Engineers Lure MNCs to India
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Multinational
companies (MNCs) from the US and other developed
countries are looking at India to set up
their globally-oriented research and development
units, attracted by availability of qualified
scientists and engineers, a United Nations
(UN) report has said. Be it Texas Instruments,
Microsoft, STMicroelectronics, Daimler-Benz,
Intel or Pfizer -- they are all attracted
to set up their R & D base in India, mostly
without local links to manufacturing activities.
''These TNCs (Trans-national Companies)
are attracted for several reasons, the most
important being the availability of qualified
scientists and engineers,'' the World Investment
Report 2005 of the UNCTAD has said. More
than 3,40,000 students were admitted to
bachelor degrees education in engineering
in 2004 in India while the country annually
produces about 1,20,000 chemists and chemical
engineers. In a survey, the availability
of personnel was ranked by TNCs as the most
important reason for locating the R & D
in India (4.12 out of five). For the multi-national
firms in the technology industries, this
factor was even more important. Conversely,
for conventional industries, proximity to
manufacturing and to the Indian market were
more important reasons. Government incentives
were relatively unimportant for both groups
of companies. The other attractive feature
for the TNCs to base R & D units in India
is the existence of internationally reputed
institutes such as the Indian Institute
of Technology, Indian Institute of Science,
Indian Institute of Chemical Technologies
and the Centre for Research. Many of the
global R & D units collaborate with these
institutes. The other phenomenon is formation
of R & D alliances or sub-contractual relationships
between the Indian firms and the global
majors. ''Indian software companies like
TCS, Wipro and Infosys, for example, have
alliances with Ericsson, Nokia and IBM.
Similarly, Indian pharmaceutical companies,
such as Dr Reddy's Laboratories and Ranbaxy,
have R & D alliances with Novo Nordisk,
Novartis and GlaxoSmithKline,'' the report
said.
Courtesy:
sify.com: October 03, 2005
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Sunita
Narain With Sen, Bhagwati Among Top Intellectual
Nominees
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An
opinion poll to select five names from a
list of the world's leading 100 contemporary
public intellectuals has Amartya Sen and
Jagdish Bhagwati along with Salman Rushdie
and Sunita Narain among the nominees. The
readers' opinion poll, published by British
magazine Prospect and American journal Foreign
Policy, closes on October 10 and results
will be declared in November. The list has
been offered as indicative and readers are
invited to nominate their own candidates
as well. Indians or people of Indian origin
on the list include US-based economist Jagdish
Bhagwati, Singapore-based diplomat and author
Kishore Mahbubani, New Delhi-based environmentalist
Sunita Narain, novelist Salman Rushdie,
Nobel laureate economist Amartya Sen and
Newsweek international editor Fareed Zakaria.
Prospect and Foreign Policy define a public
intellectual as "someone who has shown distinction
in their own field along with the ability
to communicate ideas and influence debate
outside of it". "This list is about public
influence, not intrinsic achievement. And
that is where things get really tricky.
Judging influence is hard enough inside
one's own culture, but when you are peering
across cultures and languages, the problem
becomes far harder. Obviously our list of
100 has been influenced by where most of
us sit, in the English-speaking West," their
announcement notes. The list is dominated
by litterateurs, academics, scientists and
experts on global affairs. Two intellectuals
who provided theoretical underpinning to
US President George W Bush' politics --
Samuel Huntington, author of The Clash of
Civilisations, and Francis Fukuyama of End
of History - figure in the list.
Courtesy:
Hindustan Times, October 3, 2005
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Gandhi
Jayanti Celebrated in Washington
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The
136th birth anniversary of Gandhiji on Sunday
was celebrated not just in India but Washington
with much fanfare. Singing of hymns, a Bharatnatyam
performance and an exhibition of postage
stamps from ninety countries honoring Mahatma
Gandhi were the key features Gandhi Jayanti
celebrated in Washington. Gandhi's favorite
hymns, 'Vaishnav jana to' and Rahgupati
Raghav Rajaram' were sung at the Gandhi
Centre followed by a Bharata Natyam performance
by danseuse Charu Narasimhan. India's envoy
to the US Ronen Sen recalled the role played
by Gandhi in inspiring freedom movement
in countries under colonialism. Revati Natesan
put up an exhibition of he collection of
postage stamps honoring Gandhi in ninety
countries around the world. Several American
nationals, who have been studying Gandhi's
life and works, also joined the people of
Indian origin in singing of hymns and prayer
songs likened by the Mahatma.
Courtesy:
The Times of India, October 03, 2005
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For
Indian Kids, it's Mathe-Magic
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Falling
interest in mathematics among children in
the world's number one superpower may be
an issue of grave concern. But in the country
which invented 'zero', the sway of the subject
among school-goers remains undiluted. The
much-awaited India Science Report has found
that mathematics remains the most preferred
subject at all levels of school education.
One-third of the students in Class VI to
X have it as their most preferred subject
while over 21 per cent still feel the same
way in classes 11 and 12. In the wake of
the longstanding perception that science
and mathematics remain the bugbears for
children, India Science Report makes revelations
to the contrary. Interesting enough to have
thrilled Aryabhatta. As many as 30 per cent
of the students of Class 11-12 prefer physics,
chemistry, and biology. The preference rate
is three times of that among students of
Class VI to VIII. The figures reflect that
attraction for science subjects increases
with the higher levels of school education.
This high level of interest, however, is
not translating into bigger numbers taking
to laboratories for research. They are falling
for the lure of big bucks and middleclass'
mad rush for careers in engineering and
medical. It also shows through in the three-fold
rise in the proportion of students wishing
to take up a career in commerce as they
move from class VI to VIII (4.7 per cent)
to class XI and XII (14.5 per cent). Students
are less inclined to pursue 'pure science'
in degree courses after showing interest
in intermediate schooling. According to
the report, at the class VI-VIII, 22 per
cent students want to study 'pure science'
(exclusive science subjects) at graduation
and post-graduation, which is in sharp contrast
to class XI-XII where the number falls to
13.4 per cent.
Courtesy:
The Times of India, October 01, 2005
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