• Thai Wants Indian "Knowledge Workers"
• India, a Major Hub For clinical Trials
• Ayurveda in MBBS Course Now
• Dosa & Soul Curry Lure Them to B'lore
• Indian Origin Writer invited to Canadian Literary Fest
• L K Advani's Concluding Statement At The National Executive Meeting
• Guinness Record For Andhra Teacher
• Pick of India
• Lalu's 'Kulhars' Set to Conquer Britain
• Desi American in MIT's Innovator List
• Sania to be a 'Pathbreaking Indian Woman'
• Indians in UK a Success Story
• Indian American Hoteliers Open Doors to Hurricane Victims
• 'Records Ramesh' at it Once Again
• India Inc Joins The Battle Against AIDS
• A Story on Bhagidari of Animal Care
• NRI to Become President Bush's Advisor
• Harley Davidson to Rock Indian Streets

• India Emerges as Favourite Tourist Destination For Saudis
• Flying Messiah is Back Home Now, With Pride
• Preparing to Drum His Way Into Guiness Book
• India's Tallest Building Planned in Mumbai
• Gearing up For a Tougher Indian Challenge
• 2 NRI Lawyers Among Top Paid in UK
• 3-Year-Old Eyes Guinness Record
• India's Real Rich Live in Small Cities
• Delhi Hosts India's First Bartending Contest
• US-Indians Among Top Innovators
• You Can Recharge RIM Phones With Itz Cash Cards
• Golden Threads Woven Into Mosaic Motifs
• India Gives English Lessons to US
• Record in Planting of Sapplings
• Madurai Temple to Get Gold Steps
• US Sheds The Lard, Taps Desi Oil
• Mittal, Noon in 'The Asian Power List'

Thailand welcomed "knowledge workers" from India and was keen on a partnership with New Delhi in helping the south east asian country emulate the domestic economy's success in the outsourcing business, a top Thailand Trade Representative said on Thursday. "We want knowledge workers from India. We want them to train our people in IT and other knowledge-based skills...we wanted multinational companies to use Thailand as a hub for their R&D activities," Prachuab Chaiyasarn, Thailand trade representative and head of Thai negotiating team on Indo-Thai Free Trade Area (FTA), told a seminar. Companies like Toyota, Honda and Ford were setting up their R&D centres in Thailand, he said,adding the ambition of the country was to become the "brain nest for the next 20 years." He said Thailand was keen on "importing brain workers" from India to educate its people, especially on IT skills. "We know we cannot do this overnight," Chaiyasarn said, at a seminar on Indo-Thai FTA, jointly organised by FICCI and Royal Thai Embassy. The Indo-Thai FTA, which came into effect in Sept 2004 on 82 items as per the "early harvest scheme", saw an increase of over 70 per cent in the bilateral trade, he said. India should not be deterred by the "aftershocks" following tariff reduction on products on the Early Harvest Scheme. "Both countries should resolve to deepen their trade engagement to optimise the benefits under the FTA," he said. Chaiyasan said Thailand also wanted steel and aluminium alloy from India.

Courtesy: The Economic Times: September 23, 2005

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An increasing number of Saudis are looking toward India as favorite tourist destinations. Saudi tourist traffic to India increased by over 16 percent last year and was up a further six percent in the first half of this year as against the corresponding period last year. Addressing a group of travel agents and newsmen here on Monday night, Prakash Jajoria, regional director of India Tourism Dubai, said a total of 14,778 Saudis visited India during the period. "Our figures show that a growing number of Saudi tourists are visiting India for medical treatment, education and sight-seeing. A popular destination is Kerala, which has attracted visitors interested in rejuvenation through ayurvedic treatment. Bangalore and Hyderabad are popular with western tourists, especially those interested in the IT industry." The country has also emerged as a favorite destination for honeymooners, for whom a special brochure in Arabic was released. "India has moved beyond the land of snake charmers and now charms tourists with its myriad attractions," Jajoria said, warming up to the theme of "Incredible India" the slogan of the tourism promotion drive. Pointing out that there was a 23 percent jump in the tourist traffic from the Middle East last year, Jajoria said India had emerged as one of the world's top five destinations. He cited a survey conducted by Conde Nast Traveler, a French travel magazine, which showed that India's ranking in terms of value for money, tourist attractions, connectivity by air and road, among other criteria, placed that country ahead of France and the US. He disclosed that a brand new tourism product, cruise tourism, would be launched on Oct. 2 for those interested in enjoying luxury cruise from Goa to Lakshadweep islands and back.

Courtesy: arabnews.com : September 23, 2005

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India is emerging as a major hub for global clinical trials and this new sector is poised to generate more revenue than the Information Technology industry by 2010, an industry leader has forecast. "India is going to be one of the major hubs for clinical trials in the next five to seven years," Dr Krishna M Ella, Chairman and Managing Director of Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech International, one of India's largest biotech firms, said. "I believe that by 2010, the revenue of clinical trials may surpass even software industry of India," Ella, who is heading a FICCI biotech delegation to China, told the media here. Multinational companies like Aventis, Pfizer and Novartis have already moved the clinical trials to India, he said. One of the reasons for the growth of clinical trial sector is the availability of large number of private hospitals in India, he said. India, a major hub for clinical trials. "Almost 70 per cent of the hospitals in India are privately owned and most of the doctors are trained in the United States and United Kingdom. Since they have English-language capability, they can understand the protocol and Good Clinical Practices (GCP) issues. This is a very significant factor for the clinical trials," Ella said. The number of students undergoing masters degree in biotechnology is in the rage of 1.5 to 1.7 lakh, which also helped the biotech industry to grow rapidly with required skilled manpower, he said.

Courtesy: The Economic Times, September 22, 2005

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It was with a sense of gratitude that the IAF plane carrying relief supplies for the people ravaged by hurricane Katrina was received by the US authorities when it landed there on September 13 and the IAF team was overwhelmed by the gesture. Recalling the gesture, Group Captain Rajat Sharma, who flew the supplies to the US, said here on Wednesday, be it a toilet cleaner or the top US military or civil official, every one thanked India for coming to their rescue in this hour of crisis. Moreover, volunteers from well to do families helped the IAF crew to offload more than 25 tonnes of blankets, tarpaulins and personal hygiene kits from the giant IL-76 plane. This task was done within an hour and the commander of the air base, a Brigadier General, took off his uniform shirt and lifted heavy cargo himself, Capt Sharma told reporters. A veteran in flying relief sorties to disaster hit areas, be it the Bhuj earthquake, tsunami affected areas in Indonesia and Colombo and recent rains in Mumbai, Capt Sharma, who heads the Nagpur based 44 Squadron of the IAF, said his team accomplished the task with professional ease. The local press in the US covered the event in great detail, he added. He said they were lucky to off load the supplies in a short time as soon after a thunderstorm with accompanying winds of more than 50 knots hit the air base. The 16-member crew, however, managed to brave the storm and then took off return flight of more than 25 hours to New Delhi on September 15 and touched base on September 17. Capt Sharma said this task to a foreign country could be accomplished with speed as his squadron was used to carry such missions in India and abroad in recent years. Moreover, the 44 Transport Squadron was now the designated unit for ferrying relief to disaster hit areas, he said.

Courtesy: The Pioneer, September 22, 2005

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Union health minister Ambumani Ramadoss has announced that knowledge of the traditional Indian systems of medicine like ayurveda will be part of the modern medicine curriculum in medical colleges for the undergraduate MBBS course. The changes will come into force in two years' time. "A committee will be set up in the next few weeks to go into the revision of curriculum. Consultations will be held with the HRD ministry as well," the minister said. Dr Ramadoss made the announcement at a symposium of the Ayurvedic Drug Manufacturers Association (ADMA) in the capital. The traditional systems of medicine are ayurveda, homeopathy, unani and siddha. There are 242 medical colleges in the country. Dr Ramadoss said that Indian medical students ought to have knowledge of the traditional Indian systems of medicines which were being practised for thousands of years and were "time-tested." He cited the example of countries like Korea which had 70 per cent of modern medicine and 30 per cent of the traditional Korean systems of medicine in its medical college curriculum. "However, the committee to be set up will decide what is best for us and we are not going to base the revised curriculum on the pattern of either Korea or any other country," Dr Ramadoss said. Praising the Indian systems of medicine, Dr Ramadoss said that several western countries like Italy, France and Germany were showing interest in Indian systems of medicine while in the United States, naturopathy and herbal medicines were much in demand.

Courtesy: The Asian Age, September 21, 2005

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At two, Darshan Doshi gained entry in to the Limca Book of Records for being the youngest drummer in India. Now, at 20, he along with his band `Tapasya' is all set to break the Guinness Book of Records by playing the drums continuously for 43 hours. `Grand Boys', a Scottish band holds the present record. Doshi, a commerce student, says that setting the record would not be easy. "We have to follow a diet chart and also exercise regularly so that we can take the stress of playing for so long," he says. The Vile Parle boy readily accepts that drums are always his first priority, though studies are equally significant. "For the last two years, I have been playing in US and Dubai, but this year I dropped it because of my final exams," says Doshi. Having performed in more than 900 shows across India and abroad, he desires to be a perfectionist. With this end in view, Doshi also plans to enroll himself in the Berkley College of music in Boston. With Ranjit Barot for his guru, Doshi is associated with at least five different bands. Barot says he did not have to teach him much, because Doshi was born with the talent. "He will soon become a leading drummer of India," prophesises Barot. Along with his guru, who taught him to appreciate the nuances of music, Doshi owes his success to his father. "It was music all around and all the time at home," says Doshi referring to his father Shailesh, who after 33 years as a music teacher, believes that every individual has the talent of music in them, it's just a matter of realisation.

Courtesy: Hindustan Times, September 21, 2005

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There were times when America identified India on postcards. Stills of bullock carts, elephant mahoots, the Kumbh Mela, pontiffs in saffron. The country of snake-charmers and black magic. That was India. Yet, India is enchanting for them. It's a country where they come to seek balance in life- a mix of traditions and modernism. So much so that most Americans settled in Bangalore pack their bags almost every weekend and land up either in Mysore to buy silk sarees or trek to Bandipur for an elephant ride! "What I love about this place is that you can go to a church or a temple, watch traditional dance or some rock music, play golf or just watch streetchildren playing cricket... there is a lot of harmony between the old and the new world," says Teresa Jackman who has been in Bangalore for little over two years. It's evident not just from Thomas Friedman's pieces, but Americans do believe that the world is flatenning. "We came to Bangalore because the city offers an international experience. It's laid-back and also has a lot of energy at the workplace. In the evenings, there are pubs or you can go to chill out. The city provides good infrastructure for the soul," points out Lara Sackman who came down with her software-husband from Los Angeles about seven months ago. Lara, however, does not know a word in Kannada or Hindi but she relishes the Indian food. "Chaats... I love all of them. I like kebabs, masala dosa and chicken hariyali. But I eat Indian food not more than twice a week. When I cook at home, I opt for non-Indian food. I guess I don't want to mess up trying to make round dosas," she said.

Courtesy: The Economic Times, September 19, 2005

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Mumbai is turning upwardly mobile. Come 2007 and India's commercial capital will have the tallest building in the country at a height of 1,050 ft with 72 storeys. The India International Trade Tower (IITT) will be developed on 12 acres of National Textile Corporation's Indu Mills land in Prabhadevi, facing the Arabian Sea. The ministry of textiles has approached the Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH) to develop this world-class gem and jewellery centre besides other commercial floors. The EPCH has expertise in world-class marts having developed one for handicrafts on 45 acres of land at Greater Noida which will be operational by next month. The total estimated cost of the project will be more than Rs 700 cr. "With the view to create world class infrastructure to attract global investments in Mumbai and to make the city a major hub for internal trade especially in textiles and gems & jewellery, it is proposed to develop the prestigious commercial and business tower on NTC land in Mumbai. The project is to be totally self-financing and will be implemented through a special purpose vehicle (SPV)," said a senior official. It is estimated that each floor would cover 12,000 sq ft and the tower will have two floors. The ground level will have diamond cutting facilities, the convention centre will cover two floors, textile mega mart four floors, handicraft mart four floors, diamond and jewellery mart 20 floors, commercial complex & malls 10 floors, office space 15 floors, hotel complex 10 floors and restaurants and recreation centres five floors.

Courtesy: The Economic Times, September 18, 2005

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Indo Canadian writer Jay Gajjar has been invited to the 'The Word on the Street' annual literary festival in this Canadian city to read a chapter from his recently published Gujarati novel "Timirna Tej" (The Light in the Darkness). This will be Gajjar's second invitation to the festival, which is being celebrated for the last 16 years in Toronto. Gajjar is a resident of Mississauga and a prominent Gujarati storywriter and novelist. The literary festival promotes books, authors, literary activities and also hosts several book exhibitions. More than 200,000 book lovers are likely to descend on Queen's Park Crescent for the Sep 25 festival, Canada's largest outdoor book and magazine festival. Gajjar, who came to Canada in 1970, has penned about 300 short stories.

Courtesy: Hindustan Times, September 17, 2005

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From selling toothpastes to hawking colas. There may not be a great difference between the two to an average man. But for the 45-year-old Atul Singh, the transition has been short and spectacular. The newly-anointed president and CEO of Coca-Cola India has had a fruitful and happy career in Coke since joining the company from Colgate in 1998. As president of east, central & south China division - a division within the greater China division consisting of Shanghai, the Swire Territories of China, Hong Kong and Taiwan - Mr Singh was responsible for a large swathe of territory and his performance, according to his peers and colleagues, was excellent. "Under his leadership, the East China Region exceeded volume and profit targets by growing at double the rate of other regions," said a company spokesperson. "Under Atul's leadership, mainland China operations was among the fastest growing Coca-Cola businesses world-wide for the past three years," said a company insider. Now, as the head of Indian operations, Mr Singh faces a different challenge, a different battle. The Indian unit of the Atlanta-based soft drinks giant has seen six CEOs in the past 12 years, compared to Pepsi, which has had just two.

Courtesy: The Economic Times, September 17, 2005

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The following is the text of the concluding statement made by Bharatiya Janata Party president L.K. Advani at the national executive meeting of the party in Chennai on Sunday:

The Bharatiya Janata Party is celebrating 2005 as the year of its Rajat Jayanti (Silver Jubilee). Since its inception in 1980, the BJP has been the beacon of hope for crores of Indians who cherish the ideals of cultural nationalism, national security, democracy and development.

The people of India know that, during the six years of the NDA government at the Centre between 1998 and 2004, we made an earnest effort to take our country forward on the basis of these ideals, an effort in which we succeeded substantially. The NDA government laid the foundation and set direction for India's recognition as an important geo-political power center of the world.

On the political front, our greatest achievement in the past twenty five years has been our emergence as one of the two principal poles in India's polity. We also proved that the BJP was capable of leading a stable non-Congress coalition that could not only impart dynamism to India's all-round development but also solve many problems that it inherited from the past.

In 1977, the Janata Party Government was formed with Sri Morarji Desai as Prime Minister. This government lasted for just over two years. In the Sixth General Elections to the Lok Sabha, the Janata Party had secured an impressive tally of 295 seats. But in the Seventh General Elections, its strength slumped steeply to just 31 seats! Smt Gandhi and her Congress scored a resounding victory. The general talk in the country then became that there is no alternative to Mrs Gandhi and there is no alternative to the Congress.

The first annual session of the BJP in December 1980 was presided over by Sri Atal Behari Vajpayee. The 50000 delegates who had assembled at Bandra in Mumbai for the session felt thrilled when they heard Justice MC Chagla declare at the session that he saw in the BJP the only alternative and the only challenge to the authoritarian and corrupt Congress, and that he could clearly see Shri Vajpayee as India's future Prime Minister, a forecast we all have seen actually being realized.

In free India's political history, the launching of the BJP in 1980 has really proved a landmark event. The Indian polity has undergone a radical metamorphosis in these past twenty five years.

Personally, I deem it a proud privilege that while the First Session was presided over by Shri A.B.Vajpayee, the Party's Silver Jubilee Session being held this December at Mumbai is going to be presided over by me. I had accepted this responsibility as Party President in October 2004 because Shri Venkaiahji had some personal problems. I have decided, however, that after the Mumbai session, I shall demit office, and the party's stewardship should be taken over by some other colleague.

From time to time, and depending on the issue at hand, the BJP leadership has had no hesitation in consulting the RSS functionaries. After such consultations, the Party takes its own independent decisions. Some of these decisions may differ--and have indeed differed-- from the stated positions of the RSS and certain constituents of the 'Sangh Parivar'.

But lately an impression has gained ground that no political or organizational decision can be taken without the consent of the RSS functionaries. This perception, we hold, will do no good either to the Party or to the RSS. The RSS too must be concerned that such a perception will dwarf its greater mission of man-making and nation-building. Both the RSS and the BJP must consciously exert to dispel this impression.

We feel that the RSS should continue to play its role to strengthen the ethical, moral and idealistic moorings of the workers as well as functionaries of the BJP, as in the past, and this is in the larger interest of the nation.

The BJP greatly appreciates the continuing interaction we have been having with the RSS and with other organizations in the Sangh Parivar. Their views provide valuable inputs for our decision making process. But the BJP as a political party is accountable to the people, its performance being periodically put to test in elections. So in a democratic, multi party polity, an ideologically--driven party like the BJP has to function in a manner that enables it to keep its basic ideological stances intact and at the same time expand itself to reach the large sections of the people outside the layers of all ideology.

It is in protecting the ideological moorings of the BJP and in articulating it in an idiom and language that the people understand that great care is needed. For us in the BJP, Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya has been a model ideologue. We have seen him interpret the party's ideological commitments, as for example in respect of 'Akhand Bharat', with remarkable clarity and conviction, and yet with flexibility and finesse.

The RSS is a nationalist organization whose contribution to character building of millions and towards inculcating in them the spirit of patriotism, idealism and selfless service of the motherland has been incomparable. It is this organization that has inspired tens of thousands of public-spirited persons to serve the nation through the medium of politics. Those in the political field and those who are serving the society in other fields have to function with unity and trust like a family to ensure that the country secures its rightful place in the comity of nations.

Courtesy: The Hindu, September 18, 2005

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Two NRI lawyers are among the highest paid barristers in Britain, according to a UK government report released here on Wednesday. Kalyani Kaul came in at number three with a pay cheque of £766,000 and Balbir Singh was the fifth highest paid with earnings worth £750,000 in 2004-2005. Their earnings could be trimmed in the wake of calls for reform of the government's legal aid policy. The report revealed that top lawyers earn more than £600,000 from British taxpayers with most also having additional income from private clients. Labour MP Andrew Dismore, whose parliamentary question elicited the information, said: "They're just astronomical figures. Nobody is worth that sort of money from public funds. What it shows is how the legal aid system has become absolutely skewed towards a few fat cats, whereas those who are doing the donkey's work in magistrates courts and in the crown court are feeling the pinch."

Courtesy: The Asian Age, September 16, 2005

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A school teacher in Andhra Pradesh claims to have set a new record by teaching continuously for 60 hours, finding just enough time to eat and freshen up in snatches, but sleeping not a wink. A. Veeraiah, a retired teacher in the state's northern district of Karimnagar, taught English non-stop for 60 hours to students of the Zilla Parishad High School in Sircilla town, according to local newspaper reports on Wednesday. Veeraiah started teaching school students on Saturday morning and continued non-stop till Monday evening. He delivered lectures of two hours each to 600 students in separate batches. He thus claimed to have broken the Guinness Book world record of continuous teaching for 54 hours. Local people, the students and teachers at the school witnessed the feat.

Courtesy: The Times of India, September 15, 2005

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He is yet to step into the shoes of a man but when he puts on his jogging shoes, not many athletes can catch up with him. With a stamina to run for 10 hours and up to 48 km every day, three-and-a-halfyear-old Budhia Singh has one aim in life, to make it to the Guinness Book of World Records by running 90 km at a stretch. To achieve his target, the wunderkind follows a tough schedule. He gets up at five in the morning and runs for seven hours. After taking a siesta, he resumes his run from 4 pm to 7 pm. Budhia has had a tough life. His father died soon after he was born. His mother, who looks after three of his younger sisters, gave him away to Biranchi Das when she was unable to fend for him. Das, who was the Orissa Judo Association secretary, said, "Budhia's mother gave the boy to us last year. Since then he has been living with us.'' Das says he realised the child's great stamina when Budhia won a 25-km marathon organised by the CRPF. "I initiated Budhia into athletics when I became aware of his incredible stamina,'' he said. "I want to see him run the 90 km from Puri to Cuttack."

Courtesy: The Times of India, September 13, 2005

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Indian world record holder Mallikarjun Reddy shows a carved toothpick with 28 chainlinks in Bangalore on Monday. With this effort, Reddy has entered into the Guinness Book of World Records

Courtesy: The Statesman, September 13, 2005

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Consumer goods makers trying to hawk premium products this festive season will focus their marketing efforts much more than usual on smaller cities, based on findings that more than 60 per cent of the 'real rich' are found there. LG, Samsung, Maruti, Hyundai, BMW, DaimlerChrysler and others have ramped up distribution to tap this growing base of affluent, upwardly-mobile consumers in smaller cities, with aspirations matching that of their big city cousins. Several corporates are betting on big growth numbers from small towns to pep up their balance-sheets this year. Consumer goods makers are relying heavily on the latest National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) findings to tweak their marketing strategies. Estimates say that about 75% of India's 'sheer rich', 64% of 'clear rich' and 58% of the 'near rich' live in these 67 smaller cities. The top six cities - Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore and Hyderabad - represent 6% of the population and contribute 14% to India's GDP. The other cities with a population of more than half a million represent about 7% of the nation's population and contribute about 13% to the GDP. The findings came out in late '04. While the main metros remain the country's richest cities, the pace of growth has been far higher in the smaller cities with a population of more than half a million. Product launches, marketing strategies, promotions and discounts are being fine-tuned to bring in big growth numbers from second-tier cities like Nagpur, Surat, Vadodara, Ahmedabad, Vijaywada and others. Several models of high-end refrigerators, plasma televisions, high-end bikes and premium cars are all set to be rolled out in these markets to lure consumers. Dealer margins, too, have been upped in several markets to push brands, industry sources said. As far as durables are concerned, small towns (with a population of less than one lakh) across the country have begun contributing significantly to all high-end durables such as flat televisions and frost-free refrigerators. Ford has increased the number of dealers from 12 dealerships to more than 90 in about 70 cities, said auto analysts. Bacardi-Martini, a unit of Bacardi, today distributes alcoholic beverages in 50 cities.

Courtesy: The Economic Times: September 13, 2005

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Impressed by Railway Minister Lalu Prasad's eco-friendly move to replace plastic tea cups in trains with earthen cups, or 'kulhar', a British consultant plans to popularise the use of these cups in his country. Ken Hunt, a business advisor to UK Trade and Investment (UKTI)'s South Asia unit, said that Lalu's kulhar is a wonderful idea and needs to get wider advocacy to popularise its use. "I have decided to take the challenge to popularise earthen cups in Britain," said Hunt, currently visiting Jharkhand and Bihar on a business trip. Hunt recalled that during his train journey in northern India earlier this month, he noticed people sipping tea from kulhars, quite a new thing for him. "When I inquired about it, the tea hawkers said that the earthen cups were introduced by Lalu Prasad, known for his rustic ways," Hunt said.

Courtesy: The Economic Times, September 12, 2005

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India's first national bartending championship competition was held in the capital recently. The three-day event witnessed the participation of around 70 contestants across the country, who vied for the title of "The Bar Wizard 2005." The participants were judged on three parameters: acrobatics, style of preparation and quality of drinks. The competition was organised to spread awareness about bartending as a profession. Mr Sandeep Verma, MD, the Institute of Bar Operations and Management (IBOM) said, "Internationally, the concept of bartending competitions is extremely popular. In India, such competitions will improve the quality of bartending and hence satisfy the customers." After wining the title, Shawn D'Souza from Goa was all smiles. "I was never fond of drinking or smoking but was fascinated by mixing drinks. After watching the movie, Cocktail, I was so inspired that I wanted to learn the art of flairing," said Shawn, who is now the bar supervisor at the Taj Fort Aguada Beach Resort. The first and second runners-up were Jaideep Malik and Ami Shroff. Ami was one of the three women participants.

Courtesy: The Asian Age, September 10, 2005

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Four Indian Americans have been named in this year's list of top 35 technology innovators under the age of 35 by the Technology Review magazine of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The list includes Narasimha Chari of Tropos Networks, Anita Goel of Nanobiosym, Rajit Manohar of Cornell University and Shiladitya Sengupta of the Harvard Medical School. "Their work is a road map to what's hot in emerging technology - and their achievements will shape the world we live in for decades to come," the magazine said. "They are inventors and discoverers and entrepreneurs. They are chemists and biologists and software engineers and chip designers. They create their wonders in universities, start-ups and large corporations." The list is published annually, but there is no ranking of those who figure in it for their respective feats. Chari, 31, was honoured for setting the mesh networking standard. "In the late 1990s, when wi-fi equipped laptops were still a novelty, Narasimha Chari saw the possibility of creating large communications infrastructures using wireless mesh networks," the magazine said. Such technology was the exclusive province of the military, it said. "In 18 months of moonlighting while a physics grad student at Harvard University, he created elegant algorithms that tailored mesh networking for routine civilian communications," the journal added. Tropos Networks, the company Chari founded in 2000 with co-inventor Devabhaktuni Srikrishna, helped launch commercial wireless mesh networking. The firm is now ready to ship its first systems to India. Physicist and physician Goel, 32, found the place in the list on the merit of building novel pathogen detectors. "While working on her medical degree at Harvard in 2004, she founded Nanobiosym to apply her theories to the development of nano-tech devices for precisely controlling the proteins," the magazine said. "Such devices could identify viruses and bacteria in, say, a blood sample more rapidly, accurately and cheaply than current techniques can." Manohar, 33, an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at Cornell University, was appreciated for "taking the clocks out of computer chips". An onboard clock synchronises the different functions of a computer chip, but that means the fastest operations can't pass on their data until the slowest have finished, said the magazine.

Courtesy: The Economic Times, September 10, 2005

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Four Indian-Americans have been named among the world's top 35 young high-tech innovators by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's (MIT) prestigious Technology Review magazine. Anita Goel of Nanobiosym, Narasimha Chari of Tropos Networks, Rajit Manohar of Cornell University, and Shiladitya Sengupta of Harvard Medical School-all aged below 35-have been named top high-tech innovators for "exemplifying the spirit of contemporary technology leading to a road map to what's hot in emerging technology''. Goel, a physicist as well as a physician and also the founder and CEO of Nanobiosym was named top young innovator for developing nanotech devices that could identify viruses and bacteria in blood samples more rapidly, accurately and cheaply than existing techniques. Chari was selected for setting the wireless mesh networking standard. He created elegant algorithms that tailored mesh networking, once a province of the military, for routine civillian communication.

Courtesy: Times of India, September 10, 2005

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Tennis sensation Sania Mirza on Thursday expressed confidence that she would soon be the number one not only in tennis but also in many other walks of life to be a pathbreaking Indian woman. The 18-year-old Hyderabadi became the first Indian woman to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam at the US Open last week before losing to Maria Sharapova. In the weeks leading up to the event, she also became the first Indian, man or woman, to break into the top-50 in rankings since Ramesh Krishnan in 1980s. No other female player from the subcontinent has achieved the feat so far. On her future plans, world 42nd ranked Sania said she would take part in a WTA tour event in Bali next week and return to India to launch her campaign in the USD 170,000 tournament in Kolkata the following week.

Courtesy: The Times of India, September 09, 2005

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INTREX India Ltd, an Essel group venture, hopes to generate Rs 350 crore from sales of its Itz Cash Card in the current fiscal. The Itz Cash Card is stated to be India's first multi-purpose pre-paid card that enables customers to top-up mobile pre-paid accounts, shop online, book railway tickets, buy Internet connections, and play online games. Sales of the Itz Cash Card, launched in Mumbai in November 1993, helped the company generate revenue of Rs 70 crore in 2004-05. Speaking to newspersons at the launch of a facility to recharge Reliance India Mobile (RIM) phones with Itz Cash Card, Mr Gurpreet Bakshi, Chief Officer (New Projects), said by virtue of the tie-up with RIM, its customers would now be able to able to recharge their RIM pre-paid mobile phones.

Courtesy: www.thehindubusinessline.com, September 09, 2005

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The capital of 21st century Britain stands revealed as a patchwork city of colours, ethnicity, race and religion and thereby, the 'world capital of world cities' and home away from home for people everywhere, according to new research published by the BBC. The least surprising revelation of this new, most extensive assessment of migration into Britain ever produced, is that Indians remain the UK's most successful ethnic group, more successful than white Britons and fellow immigrants. The study shows that nearly eight per cent of people living in Britain were born overseas. Four out of every 10 people born abroad settle in London and the south-east of England, making the British capital the world's most multi-ethnic city and on the frontline of globalisation's economic push. Just over one million people moved to Britain in the decade to 2001 and just over half of the UK's population growth in recent years can be attributed to immigration, says the study by Sheffield University for the Institute for Public Policy Research.

Courtesy: The Economic Times, September 08, 2005

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Fibre carbon which is used to make aeroplane wings finds application in the jewellery creations. Textile embroidery techniques are transferred on to gold. The unexpected and strangest combinations sport an aesthetic appeal and call for attention. Such value additions are presented by Imagem, a jewellery line promoted by the jewellery house Khwaahish. "We had our first sale in Bangalore two years ago and since then, we've regularly exhibited our creations in South India. About 60 per cent of sales is generated from the region and many of our exhibits have been launched at the India International Jewellery Show in July," says Mr Neeraj Kayathwal of Khwaahish, which will exhibit its range at a city hotel from September 8 to 10. Khwaahish's strength lies in its sourcing, as it represents 100-odd consortiums of Italian manufacturers. This accessibility combines with futuristic techniques, which makes the jewellery lightweight and varied in finishes. It is seen in lines like Jewel Mesh, where gemstones are embedded in a mesh of 18K gold. Likewise Stone in Stone, wherein a small stone is embedded in a large semi precious stone. The concept lends itself to a kaleidoscope of colours. The most arresting piece is from the Arabesque collection, which packages traditional mango motifs with a contemporary twist. Textile embroidery techniques are transferred on to gold, and through diligent handcrafting methods gemstones are encased in gold. With golden threads woven into a mosaic of motifs, it looks like a tapestry of jewel art.

Courtesy: The Asian Age, September 08, 2005

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Even as numerous Indian American organisations are collecting funds for victims of Hurricane Katrina, the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) is chipping in with money and free accommodation. The devastating hurricane that pounded the US Gulf coast last week has wreaked havoc in the states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. The AAHOA, which controls some 35 per cent of the US hospitality industry, has a significant membership hailing from Mississippi and Alabama. And though they may be fewer in number in Louisiana, they have come forward with offers to help. The organisation announced that it has donated $100,001 toward relief efforts through the American Red Cross and other initiatives. In the wake of the disaster, infrastructure has collapsed and there is chaos on the streets as people wait for water and food amid bodies. Though there is no official death toll as bodies are still being recovered, it is expected to be in thousands. A semblance of order is creeping back, but there is a new fear of diseases breaking out. At a local level, the AAHOA said its members have been giving complimentary rooms, providing food and other essentials to refugees, opening up lobby areas as sleeping quarters, providing food to hoteliers in need and collecting tens of thousands of dollars in donations for the relief effort.

Courtesy: Hindustan Times, September 08, 2005

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A few minutes before 7 on a recent morning, Greeshma Salin swivelled her chair to face the computer, slipped on her headset and said in faintly accented English, "Hello, Daniela." Seconds later, she got the response, "Hello, Greeshma." The two chatted excitedly before Salin said, "We'll work on pronouns today." Then she typed in, "Daniela thinks that Daniela should give Daniela's horse Scarlett to Daniela's sister." Then, she asked: "Is this an awkward sentence? How can you make it better?" Nothing unusual about this exchange except that Salin, 22, was in Kochi and her student, Daniela Marinaro, 13, was at her home in Malibu, California. Salin is part of a new wave of outsourcing to India: tutoring US students. Salin, who grew up speaking Malayalam, has been tutoring Daniela in English grammar, comprehension and writing. Using a simulated whiteboard on their computers, connected by the Internet, and a copy of Daniela's textbook in front of her, she guides the teenager through the intricacies of nouns, adjectives and verbs. Daniela, an eighth grader at Malibu Middle School, said, "I get C's in English and I want to score A's," and added that she had given no thought to her tutor being 20,000 miles away, other than the situation feeling "a bit strange in the beginning".

Courtesy: The Times of India, September 08, 2005

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His email ID says 'recordrameshbabu,' but then that is what he is happiest doing - breaking records, that is. S Ramesh Babu, a metallurgist by training, claims to have 30 records - 23 world and seven national - to his credit on topics such as: fastest poori making, fastest gift wrapping, cucumber cutting, fastest paper plane making and flying, even fastest Sanskrit recitation! On Monday, the 49-year-old claimed he had set yet another record: in fastest kite making. He reportedly made 169 kites 12" x 12" in one hour. Just who certifies these 'records'? According to Ramesh, the kite-making at Seshadripuram high school was witnessed by the curator of Janapada Loka, Kuruva Basavaraj, and two others. "The feat has been videographed and all documentation will be sent to the Guinness and Limca Book of Records authorities for confirmation," he said. When not doing such feats, Ramesh conducts educational workshops through his 'Top of the World' Centre for Excellence.

Courtesy: The Times of India, September 06, 2005

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Gaining an entry into the prestigious Guinness Book of World Records requires a gigantic effort. The foods division of the ITC did exactly that by attempting a new world record in planting the highest number of saplings in one hour. The previous record was held by a Canadian agency, which planted 1.34 lakh saplings in one hour. With some advance planning and coordination, it bettered the existing record in style by planting 3,00,587 saplings of eucalyptus and subabul in just 20 minutes in 264 acres spread across 17 different locations in and around Bhadrachalam on Monday. Khammam district Collector R.N. Nimje and senior officials were present. It would take another two months for the ITC to submit its claim and get its achievement listed in the Guinness Book. Over 15,000 people, mostly farmers from the villages, assigned the task of planting about 20 saplings each in the given time. Cheered by volunteers, the farmers completed the task within 20 minutes. The plantation drive was not taken up for the record sake. The ITC has its own long-term plans in promoting the plantation of eucalyptus in vast areas for use in the paper industry.

Courtesy: The Hindu, September 06, 2005

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Corporate India is emerging as an AIDS warrior. Companies are now building defences against a free run of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) which causes AIDS, as the most affected sections of the population like truck drivers and migrant workers remain the pillars of sectors like tyre, cement and money lending. The virus has so far affected nearly half a crore people or 0.5% of the Indian population. Companies are alarmed at the figures from Africa, where in a decade and a half, the virus had spread its reach from one hundredth of the population to nearly a quarter of it, pushing many industries to bankruptcy. Almost 80% of the bankruptcies in African countries can be traced to the virus, according to the International Finance Corporation (IFC) which funds relief measures there. Apollo Tyres, which does not want truck drivers to quit the profession, has opened an exclusive clinic for this community at Sanjay Gandhi Transport Nagar here, where they would be treated and educated on an ongoing basis. Besides, the company has three clinics for its workers at plant premises and is planning to set up three more for truckers where their traffic is high, said Iyad Malas, the South Asia director for IFC, which funded half of the $144,000 project. Apollo is looking at Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Rajastan and Uttar Pradesh for setting up the new clinics. It would share its experience with other corporates at a seminar in the capital on Monday organised by the IFC, the National Aids Control Organisation, the Planning Commission and The Energy and Resources Institute. IFC is looking at funding more such projects upto half of the total cost. Cement major Gujarat Ambuja, which has eight plants in seven states and 45,000 employees, has set up a clinic at its own plant in Himachal Pradesh. With IFC's help, the company is now planning to set up such clinics in Gujarat, Punjab, Maharashtra, Rajastan, West Bengal and Chattishgarh, IFC's principal strategy officer Sabine Durier told ET.

Courtesy: The Economic Times, September 05, 2005

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The Arulmigu Dandayudhapani temple in Palani is adding further colour to the sanctum by paving the flight of steps leading to the sanctum sanctorum with golden plating at a cost of Rs 49 lakhs. This work would make it the only temple in Tamil Nadu to have a "golden path" leading to the sanctum. This stretch of steps is now covered with silver plating. The Dhandayuthapani Swamy hilltop temple is one of the six abodes of Lord Muruga. It is the leading temple in terms of revenue in Tamil Nadu and one of the richest temples in South India and comes only next to the Tirumala temple in Tirupathi in terms of earnings and offerings of the devotees, in the form of gold, diamond jewellery, silver cash and other valuables. This temple, where Lord Muruga is said to have sought to stay after a quarrel with his father over fruit, is the place where devotees throng in large numbers and has a steady flow throughout the year. A few years ago, the temple administration took efforts to pave the steps leading to the sanctum sanctorum with silver plating and also cover the doors with the same material. The devotees who come here have to pay an extra fee to step on these stairs so that they could have a closer darshan of the deity, by sitting on the step. On ordinary days the fee is Rs 100 per person and it doubles during the festival season. Now, an ardent devotee from Karur has come forward to replace the silver steps with gold plating at a cost of Rs 49 lakhs. According to the Joint Commissioner of the temple Sundaram, the gold plates that replace the silver would be intricately carved and designed with signs and figurines of peacocks, flowers, cocks etc. for Lord Muruga. The devotees can also witness the carvings of the other five abodes of the deity, on the walls when the work is completed he said.

Courtesy: The Asian Age, September 04, 2005

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Indian wildlife never had it so good. Public sector units at strategic wildlife areas have come out with helping hands to the wildlife NGOs in rescuing and treating animals in distress. A case in point is at Manas National Park, in lower Assam, last week. For quite sometime in the past, the capital-based Willlife Trust of India (WTI) was mooting ideas for mobile veterinary service (MVS) ambulances to rescue and treat trapped or injured animals in deep forests. It was an ambitious project, but the fund availability was the main constraint. Responding to the WTI's ideas on MVS, Assam-based Oil India Limited donated one to it, fully equipped to pick up and treat an animal in distress. The NGO's vet in chief, Dr NVK Ashraf, said, "Oil India's help will do immense good to wildlife at lower Assam."

Courtesy: The Times of India, September 03, 2005

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Dr Atkins may have filed for bankruptcy, but Uncle Sam is taking no chances. Worried by the obesity pandemic, American food companies are replacing hydrogenated fats with traditional desi favourites like coconut oil and palm oil. For tropical oils, this is a return to the land of Mcfoods after over two decades of being rejected as saturated fats. This is changing trade flows in the global cooking oil market. As the world's top producer of soyabean, the US is expecting to run up a bill of $2.5bn in '05, up $250m from '04, on the import of tropical oils such as coconut, palm, and palm kernel from Asia. This is chiefly because the US food industry is seeking alternatives for transfat in food products to comply with the new government labelling requirements starting in January '06. The import of palm oil products from Malaysia by the US has increased to 350,000 tonnes in '04 from 260,000 tonnes in '03. Tropical oils had lost favour with the US food industry a couple of decades ago as they contain saturated fats. The industry had, instead, shifted to partially-hydrogenated fats. That was a big hit for palm-oil exporting countries and a major boost for America's domestic soya industry. Now that public opinion has come out strongly against hydrogenated fats, companies are forced to take a second look at tropical oils. Soyabean oil - together with palm oil - now accounts for over half the oil consumed globally. Rape seed also enjoys a strong share of the market. The other hot favourite is olive oil, which has become expensive due to a drought-induced cut in Spanish production. This strong market growth is expected to sustain till companies shift to new alternatives.

Courtesy: The Economic Times, September 02, 2005

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The Bush administration will have an Indian-origin to advice the President as White House announced its intension to nominate Santanu K Baruah as an Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development. The announcement came on Wednesday as a communiqué saying that White House "intends" to nominate Baruah as the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development. The Oregon-based former management consultant is currently serving as the Chief of Staff for the Economic Development Administration at the Department of Commerce. Prior to joining the Administration, he was a Senior Management Consultant for Performance Consulting Group in Portland, Oregon. Earlier in his career, Baruah has also worked for the Secretaries of Interior and Labour. He received his Bachelor's degree from the University of Oregon and his master's degree from Williamette University.

Courtesy: Hindustan Times, September 01, 2005

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Two NRI's steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal and ready made meals manufacturer Sir Ghulam Noon today found their way into the 'Asian Power List' prepared by Insitute of Asian Professionals here. Mittal, who is worth 25 billion pounds this year as per Forbes estimates, and Gulam Noon, whose Noon Products turns out 1.2 million ready to eat meals a week, were selected in the Asian power list. A study published by the institute said Britons of South Asian origin generate a 'staggering' USD 185.2 billion for the economy. Although they make up only 2.5 per cent Of the total population, South Asians account for 10 per cent of the national economic output, the study said. "the figures are quite staggering. Many on the list arrived on these shores without a penny to their name, and they have built multi-million pound business empires," institute chairman Khalid Darr said. "Entrepreneurship, coupled with a wonderful work ethic, fuelled with a desire to better oneself, is a potent force driving the British Asian business community," he said.

Courtesy: www.financialexpress.com, September 01, 2005

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The big boy from the world of biking is revving on the passage to India. America's cult bike brand Harley Davidson is exploring the opportunity of riding into the burgeoning Indian motorcycle market through the direct import route. Harley Davidson is in the process of assessing the feasibility of entering the Indian market with its range of high-end performance bikes. "We do not have a presence in India yet and are keen on entering this market. We are now exploring the opportunities for our entry into India," Harley Davidson Inc vice-president Timothy K Hoelter told The Times of India. Though the finer modalities of its maiden ride on the Indian roads is yet to be chalked out, Hoelter - who is on a week-long visit to the country - said the bikes would be directly sourced from its American plant. "India is among the few motorcycle markets in the world that's growing at a fast pace and we are surely looking at a presence here. Whenever we enter the Indian market, it will be through the sourcing route. Harley Davidson buyers identify our bikes to be an all-American brand and they want to buy the bikes that are produced in US," he said.

Courtesy: The Economic Times, September 01, 2005

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