01.29.09
Posted in THE SANGAM FOUNDATION at 12:23 pm by admin
Dear fellow Indians,
Will be grateful if you can kindly encourage all Indians and other sympathetic persons in your comune to stand up and observe two minutes silence at precisely 1100 hours tomorrow 30 January, 2009, in memory of Gandhiji and all the martyrs to the Indian freedom struggle.
In case your Comune already has a street named or a bust mounted in honour of Gandhiji, you could lay a small bouquet or wreath there in his memory.Any appropriate gesture to raise public awareness of Gandhian values will be welcome and highly appreciated.
May the world adopt the approach of non-violence in conflict resolution and the lasting peace Gandhiji sought to achieve, during the rest of this century.
Jai Hind
S.Chakravarti
Consul General of India
Milan
Permalink
01.28.09
Posted in Media Council at 9:56 am by YUDHISTRA
http://in.news.yahoo.com/139/20090128/832/tbs-eighteen-u-s-nris-honored-in-new-del.html
New Delhi, Jan 28 (ANI/Business Wire India): Dr. Shan Nair, Co-founder of Nair and Co., a leading global integrated solution provider helping companies expand internationally, has won the 2008 ‘Hind Rattan’ also known as the ‘Jewel of India’ award, which is presented by the Non Resident Indian (NRI) Welfare Society of India, a prestigious global non-profit organization.
The award recognizes the economic and philanthropic achievements of the Indian Diaspora. In its 28th year now, the “Hind Rattan” is presented each year to leading expatriates. The five-day awards program began in the Indian capital New Delhi on January 24 with a dinner reception and cultural extravaganza.
External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, Labor Minister Oscar Fernandes, and Sports And Youth Affairs Minister M.S. Gill joined other government dignitaries, diplomats and industrialists at the award gala on January 25 at New Delhi’s Lalit Intercontinental Hotel.
“We are proud of NRIs like Dr. Shan Nair for making substantial contributions in strengthening India’s economy,” said Deepak Singh, convener of the NRI Welfare Society of India.
The ‘Hind Rattan’ award adds to a growing list of accolades for Dr. Nair who received the ‘Bharat Samman’ award in early January, and the ‘Gullands Excellence Award’ for contribution in science and business, and ‘Outstanding 50 Asian Americans in Business’ award in 2008.
“It is a great honor to be part of this prestigious group. I congratulate my peers who are all helping bring wealth and prosperity to India,” Dr. Shan Nair said.
With the ‘Hind Rattan’ award, Dr. Nair joins an illustrious list of past awardees that include Hotelier Sant Singh Chatwal (U.S.), former diplomat and UNESCO’s goodwill ambassador Madanjeet Singh (U.S.), Hotelier Nawab Gaur (U.K.), Justice Mota Singh (U.K.), and British Member Of Parliament P.S. Khabra (U.K.).
This year’s “Hind Rattan” awardees from the United States are: Dr. Ahmed D. Faheem, Dr. Anil K. Mandal, Dr. Anup Hazra, Dr. Anuj Bhargava, Dr. Ashok Kumar Sahai, Acharya Sri Khadi Madama, Ajay Khetani, Hasu Patel, Dr. Masood A. Rizvi, Malathi Iyengar, Dr. Madhavi Kasam, Dr. Madhu Singh, Oliver M. Das, Dr. Prasad Srinivasan, Dr. Ramamohan Rao V. Ballem, Satish Maripuri, Dr. Shelia Bhattacharya and Dr. Shan Nair. (ANI)
Permalink
Posted in Media Council at 9:52 am by YUDHISTRA
http://in.news.yahoo.com/241/20090128/1274/ttc-monster-data-fraud-hits-job-seekers.html
Monster Worldwide Inc, the popular global website for job hunters, has said that hackers have broken into its databases and stolen personal data.
Monster spokeswoman Nikki Richardson confirmed on Tuesday that sites around the world had been targeted, but said some regions, notably Asia Pacific and eastern Europe, were spared.
She said Monster was working with the “appropriate law enforcement agencies” but declined to say in which countries.
In the United States, where the company is based, “an investigation is in progress.”
Monster operates in 36 countries with millions of users, including 4.5 million in Britain.
A statement on www.monster.com said: “We recently learned our database was illegally accessed and certain contact and account data were taken, including Monster user IDs and passwords, email addresses, names, phone numbers, and some basic demographic data.”
The breach did not access resumes, social security numbers or financial data, Monster said.
The company advised clients to change their password and said it had taken its own “corrective steps.”
Hackers could use email addresses to “phish” for further information, the company warned.
This is the second serious data breach at the company in 18 months, according to Computer Weekly magazine.
Earlier this month, payments processor Heartland Payment Systems, based in New Jersey, said that it had suffered a security breach in 2008.
“We found evidence of an intrusion last week and immediately notified federal law enforcement officials as well as the card brands,” said Robert Baldwin, Heartland’s president in a statement on January 20.
Permalink
Posted in Cultural Council, NEWS FROM INDIA at 9:48 am by YUDHISTRA
http://in.news.yahoo.com/139/20090128/824/tnl-kashmir-band-to-participate-in-an-in.html
The band ‘Valley Youth Xpressions’ funded by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) will be competing with musical bands from different countries including Pakistan in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh to give the youth a welcome break from the continuous agitations and strikes in the state.
The main objective of such initiative taken by the CRPF is to promote their musical talent.
“We have taken a decision to support the youth. We support them in many programmes and activities. We give musical instruments and financial assistance to them. CRPF is bearing all the expenses incurred by them during their participation in the International Music Festival. For such kind of activities, we provide financial and moral support,”said D. Pathak, Inspector General of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
The participants said that it was a major step taken by the CRPF to pep uphe strife-ridden lives of the youth.
” Such an event gives us a chance for interaction with people from other groups. This will help us a lot to come over the stress. This is plus point for the group. And we want such programmes to organize outside the state and over here to reduce the stress level,” said Farhan, a musician.
The members of the band believe that their enthusiastic music performancesill inspire the youth in the valley to pursue their talents and keep away from all negative influences. By Pervez Butt (ANI)
Permalink
Posted in NEWS FROM INDIA at 9:47 am by YUDHISTRA
http://in.news.yahoo.com/139/20090128/824/tnl-coconut-farmers-defy-government-ban.html
Coimbatore, Jan 28 (ANI): Coconut and palm growers spearheaded an agitation in Tamil Nadu demanding the State Government to lift a ban on production and sale of ‘Toddy’, a traditional drink of the state.
‘Toddy’, a local drink extracted from either a coconut tree or a Palm tree flower has been banned in the state since 1987 for being an alcoholic drink.
The farmers want the government to exempt toddy from the list of alcohol products banned in the State.
The farmers have now started tapping toddy and distributing it free of cost amongst the people.
They claim that Toddy, one of the food items in old times in Tamil Nadu, is quite nutritious and healthy.
“For the past 21 years toddy tapping is banned in Tamil Nadu and despite various request made by us to the government to allow tapping toddy, the government refused. But in Kerala and Karnataka tapping toddy and selling it is allowed. But we are not allowed to tap toddy. So now we have decided to tap defying the ban,” said Snethil Kumar, a coconut farmer.
They also claim that allowing Toddy tapping would also benefit hundreds of poor farmers since the state has some 45 million coconut trees.
Also the farmers lament that since the sale of coconut products has come down, Toddy tapping would aid them in enhancing their earnings.
Toddy is prepared by tying a clay pot over a blossoming coconut flower. A small hole is also made in front of the flower so that the white milk like juice from the flower is collected inside the pot.
The mouth of the pot is then covered with a cloth and left for some time. Fermentation starts in the pot and in a day or two, the drink is ready to be consumed. The farmers then sell this Toddy. By Jehova(ANI)
Permalink
Posted in NEWS FROM INDIA at 9:45 am by admin
The Election Commissioner of India, S Y Quraishi, has said that the next general elections will be held between April 8 and May 15 2009.
General election in India is the largest electoral exercise in the world involving 671 million voters
Permalink
Posted in NEWS FROM INDIA at 9:42 am by YUDHISTRA
http://in.news.yahoo.com/139/20090128/808/tnl-monks-in-bodh-gaya-offer-special-pra.html
Bodh Gaya, Jan 28 (ANI): Thousands of Buddhist monks converged at Bodh Gaya on Tuesday to offer ‘Nigma Monlam Puja’, a ritual of special prayers for universal peace.
Lama Buddhist monks from various countries participated in this 10-day event.
“For decades, the Nigma Monlam Puja has been organised during this particular time and attended by thousands of monks. The main purpose of this prayer is world peace. Buddhist Lama Monks from various countries are participating in this prayer,” said Bhante P. Civili, a Buddhist monk, Bodh Gaya.
Bodh Gaya is the place where Buddha attained spiritual enlightenment as such it is among the prominent pilgrim centres for Buddhists.
Buddhist scriptures describe Bodh Gaya as the navel of the Earth.
Around a million pilgrims and tourists visit Bodh Gaya every year to see the Mahabodhi Temple and also the tree under which Lord Buddha attained enlightenment. (ANI)
Permalink
Posted in NEWS FROM INDIA at 9:41 am by admin
http://in.news.yahoo.com/139/20090127/874/twl-musharraf-urges-us-to-force-india-pa.html
Former President Pervez Musharraf has urged the United States to pressurize India and Pakistan to resolve all longstanding issues including the Kashmir dispute.
Speaking at the Franklin Institute, Musharraf was of the view that Kashmir and other disputes between both archrivals were the root cause of extremism in the region.
“Radicalism can never be abolished from the region until the resolution of Kashmir dispute and other differences between India and Pakistan,” he said.
Musharraf termed it legitimate and the need of hour to use the army in overcoming terrorism, but added that army operations alone cannot succeed in exterminating terrorism.
The News quoted Musharraf as saying that the substantial and swift growth of extremism in India was due to violent incidents in Gujarat and the Babri Mosque tragedy.
Extremism in India cannot be ignored, he added.
Discussing disgraced Pakistani scientist Dr. A Q Khan’s home confinement; Musharraf said Dr. Khan is the hero of the common man as he turned Pakistan into a nuclear power.
Permalink
Posted in Media Council at 9:37 am by admin
http://in.news.yahoo.com/48/20090127/1246/twl-don-t-listen-to-indians-pak-american.html
Pakistani Americans, in a move to counter Indo-American groups active in lobbying in Washington, have floated a body, which has asked the Obama administration and US lawmakers not to listen to the demands of India.
Accusing Indian American groups of lobbying with Washington for putting pressure on Islamabad in the aftermath of the Mumbai attack, the Pakistani-American groups are telling the US that Islamabad has been a reliable ally in its war against terror.
Leaders of the newly formed Pakistan American National Alliance (PANA), at a press conference said Indian Americans were lobbying before the Congress and the Obama Administration asking them to exhort pressure on Pakistan for taking action against the terrorists involved in the Mumbai attack, and penalize Islamabad in case it fails to do so.
PANA, which includes six eminent Pakistani American organisations, announced its formation on the eve of some 150 Indian American leaders from various parts of the country converging in Washington to lobby before the Obama team and Congressmen to tell Pakistan to take action against the perpetrators of the Mumbai attack.
“As previous experience shows some of the terrorist acts by non-state actors are in fact complex, well planned and sophisticated as witnessed during the tragic events of 9/11 and embassy bombings in Africa. The perpetrators of 9/11 were Saudi and Egyptian citizens, but the US Government never suspected nor blamed the Saudi of Egyptian governments,” the group said in a statement.
“Therefore the presumption that since a citizen of a certain country performs a certain act, therefore its government should be held responsible is erroneous,” it said and urged the Obama administration to influence India for a joint Indo-Pak investigation of the Mumbai terrorist attack.
The Pakistani-Americans also announced they would hold day-long lobbying activities at the Capitol on February 18, after the US Congress resumes.
Asking the White House and the US Congress to cooperate with the government in Islamabad and provide massive economic aid to the country, Pakistani Americans demanded that Indian parties like Bharatiya Janata Party, Rashtriya Swyamsevak Sangha, Shiv Sena and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad be declared terrorist outfits.
It also demanded appointment of a special mediator to resolve the Kashmir issue and urged the new administration not to give US visa to the Gujarat Chief Minister, Narendra Modi.
Permalink
Posted in NEWS FROM INDIA at 9:35 am by admin
http://in.news.yahoo.com/20/20090128/1416/tnl-pm-making-speedy-recovery_1.html
Prime Minister Manmohan Singhis making a “speedy recovery” after a successful coronaryby-pass surgery, doctors attending on him said today. “His is a speedy recovery in the expected time frame,”said Dr Vijay D’Silva, an ICU Specialist from Asian HeartInstitute, who is looking after the Prime Minister.
D’Silva also said that a decision to shift the PrimeMinister from the ICU to another room will be taken after ameeting of doctors later in the day. The 76-year-old Prime Minister, who underwent coronarybypass surgery on Saturday last, walked in his room yesterdayand was put on a normal diet.
The Prime Minister’s media advisor Deepak Sandhuyesterday said that Singh has been steadily making progress inhis post-operative period and was being supported by a team ofcardiac rehabilitation and physio-therapy experts at the AIIMShospital. Dr Ramakant Panda, a specialist cardiac surgeon fromMumbai’s Asian Heart Institute, who had led the team ofdoctors during the over 11-hour-long operation, had indicatedthat Singh may not require intensive care beyond today givenhis quick progress.
Permalink
« Previous entries Next Page » Next Page »
