New Delhi, January 25
Nobel laureate of Indian origin Venkatraman Ramakrishnan, Apollo Hospitals chief Pratap Reddy and former RBI Governor YV Reddy were today named for the country’s second highest civilian award Padma Vibhushan, as music maestro AR Rahman, Bollywood actor Aamir Khan and controversial Indian origin businessman Sant Singh Chatwal were named for Padma Bhushan.

Awards announced on the occasion of 60th Republic Day included eminent theatre personalities Zohra Segal and Ebrahim Alkazi; and noted mridangam Carnatic artist Umayalpuram K Sivaraman, who were the other three chosen for Padma Vibhushan.

In all, 130 persons, including 13 in the category of foreigners, NRIs and PIOs, were named for the Padma awards. 43 for Padma Bhushan and 83 for Padma Shri.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s cardiac surgeon RM Panda, eminent neurosurgeon Satya Paul Agarwal, prominent industrialist from Punjab SP Oswal along with Manvinder Singh Banga and real estate czar KP Singh were also named for Padma Bhushan awards.

Cricketer Virendra Sehwag, hockey national Ignace Tirkey, Formula One driver Narain Kartikeyan, badminton star Saina Nehwal, boxer Vijender Singh and Sachin Tendulkar's 'guru' Ramakant Achrekar have been selected for Padma Shri awards in the sports category.

Yesteryear Bollywood diva Rekha and actor Saif Ali Khan have also been named for Padma Shri awards for their contribution in the field of art.

Aamir Khan (44), who made his directorial debut with the critically-acclaimed Taare Zameen Par in 2007, recently came out with 3 Idiots that has become the highest-earning movie in Bollywood.

Apart from this, music maestro, Illaiyaraaja has also been selected for the prestigious Padma Bhushan awards. Oscar winner sound recordist of Slumdog Millionaire Resul Pokutty has also been awarded with a Padma Shri.

Eminent journalist Fareed Zakaria has been selected for Padma Bhushan.

Incidentally, controversy has been dogging New York-based hotelier Chatwal. The Padma Bhushan - nation's third highest civilian honour after the Bharat Ratna and Padma Vibhushan - is awarded to individuals with exceptional track records.

Chatwal has been accused in the past of financial irregularities, including not repaying Indian bank loans and unpaid taxes in the US.

Incidentally, wrestler Sushil Kumar is the only Beijing Olympic medallist to miss out on a Padma award. While Vijender, who won bronze in Beijing, won it this year, Olympic gold medallist shooter Abhinav Bindra was awarded the Padma Bhushan award last year. Vijender, who is leaving for exhibition bouts in China, said he expected the honour earlier but had no issues with it coming late.

New Delhi, January 25
Law Minister M Veerappa Moily today clarified that the government had no role in the impeachment move for the removal of Karnataka High Court Chief Justice PD Dinakaran on the charges of corruption and land grabbing.

“There is no question of government playing any role in the matter” as the probe panel constituted by Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari had to go into the charges. The role of the ministry was restricted to notifying the constitution which was under process,” Moily told reporters.

When reporters persisted with the query on the government’s stand on the issue, he said since the panel would conduct the inquiry there is no question of the government shirking or taking a pro-active step.

“It does not arise,” said the Union Law Minister.

New Delhi, January 25
Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda has expressed apprehension that Karnataka High Court Chief Justice PD Dinakaran might be a victim of a conspiracy since he had ordered action against the NICE company for alleged irregularities in some projects.

A group of MPs led by the BJP had submitted a signed memorandum to Vice-President and Rajya Sabha chairman Hamid Ansari to impeach Dinakaran for allegedly indulging in land grabbing following which a three-member committee was set up to study the allegations and submit a report. If the committee finds substance in the allegations, Parliament could go ahead with impeachment proceedings against Dinakaran.

Deve Gowda, who has been agitating against the BJP government headed by Chief Minister BS Yedyurappa for bartering off farmers’ land around Bangalore to NICE company, alleged here today that the Karnataka government appointed the legal counsel of NICE the state’s Advocate General.

He also said Dinakaran struck down the land grant to NICE and pointed out that the lawyer BV Acharya was the main mover against Dinakaran. “Maybe some people involved in this case were angered by Dinakaran judgement,” said Gowda.The former PM has written a second letter to the CM wondering why he had also set aside the findings of the BC Patel Commission.

“You and your government are indulging in systematic acts of collusion with NICE Ltd. to bury the fraud and reverse all decisions taken by a Cabinet of which you was a part as the deputy CM and the Finance Minister,” Gowda wrote in his letter. 

New Delhi, January 25
Even as the PMO has ordered an inquiry into the inclusion of former Pakistan Air Force chief’s photograph in a government advertisement, Directorate of Audio Visual Publicity (DAVP) today said its only role was to release it on the ministry concerned’s orders.

Official sources in the Ministry for Information and Broadcasting (under which the DAVP comes) said here that the publicity wing’s role is only to release advertisements on the orders of the ministries, once they are sent to it.

A senior officer said the advertisement in question, which carried the ex-Pakistani officer’s photograph, was created and conceptualised by the Ministry for Women and Child Development, which it had designed with the help of an external agency.

The official added that in this specific case, the DAVP was only asked by the ministry to release the advertisement.

“Despite our limited role in the whole episode, we had an internal meeting to discuss the matter yesterday and we came to the conclusion that there has been no lapse on DAVP’s part,” the official said.

Ministry sources said after the advertisement was asked to be released by the ministry, the DAVP did so after checking its technical specifications like size, typography, and colour scheme.

The official said if an advertisement is handed over to the DAVP’s design team for its complete conceptualisation, then its entire creation is the publicity wing’s responsibility, but in the case of the said advertisement, the DAVP only released it as per the ministry’s orders.

In fact, ministry sources also said the advertisement had been sent directly to the DAVP by the WCD ministry instead of getting clearances from the departments concerned.

The photograph of former Pakistan Air chief marshal Tanvir Mahmood Ahmed in uniform appeared along with those of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi in a full-page newspaper advertisement given by Ministry of Women and Child Development to mark the National Girl Child Day.

After the PMO regretted the error and ordered an inquiry, Minister for Women and Child Development Krishna Tirath also apologised on behalf of her ministry and said that a probe would bring out who was responsible for the advertisement as multi-level agencies were involved in its printing. -PTI

New Delhi, January 25
Asserting that Pakistan will be held responsible if there is a Mumbai-type attack, India today termed as “very irresponsible” the statement by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani that his country cannot guarantee that such an incident will not recur.

Home Minister P Chidambaram expressed unhappiness over the way Pakistan has dealt with the evidence provided to it in connection with Mumbai terror attack and said India continues to be “vulnerable” as the “level of threat is pretty high”.He rejected Pakistan’s effort to make distinction between state and non-state actors.

“I don’t think Pakistan can get away with this charade of making a distinction between state and non-state...if it emanates from Pakistan soil,” he said.

“I never believe in this distinction between state and non-state actor as far as Pakistan is concerned and the information that we have recently makes it quite clear that this so-called distinction does not exist. Therefore, if there is another attack, emanating from Pakistan soil, I think whole world will hold Pakistan responsible,” he told Times Now.

On Gilani’s contention that Islamabad cannot guarantee that there would be no repeat of 26/11 Mumbai attack, he said, “Gilani is the prime minister of that country, ordinarily I should not comment on the prime minister’s statement. But with great respect, that was very irresponsible statement.”

He expressed confidence that India has the capacity to be able to neutralise any threat and “if luck also plays a part, I think we will be able to face any challenge”.

He referred to the recent suicide attack at Lal Chowk in Srinagar and said it had links in Pakistan.“There was a handler. Conversations have been recorded...can Pakistan get away by saying this is a non-state actor? Is it not Pakistan’s obligation to examine who the handler was and tell us who the handler was, where did he operate from,” he said. — PTI

New Delhi, January 25
Rejecting an application of former Punjab police chief SS Virk, the Supreme Court today observed that further investigation and trial against him in a corruption case could continue simultaneously.

A Bench comprising Justices Markandey Katju and RM Lodha said the law had provision for further investigations in criminal cases even if the trial had commenced.

The former DGP, who was responsible for checking corruption, was himself facing charges of amassing wealth through property dealing and colonisation and holding 37 bank accounts jointly with his family members, the Bench observed.

New Delhi, January 25
Terming non-inclusion of Pakistani players in IPL as “disservice to cricket”, Home Minister P Chidambaram today said there was no ‘hint or nudge’ from the government to do so.

Describing some of them as “among the best Twenty20” cricket players, he said, “These players were coming as individuals, it was not a Pakistan team.”

“I think it is disservice to cricket that some of these players were not picked. I don’t know why the IPL teams acted in the manner they acted. But certainly to suggest that there was a hint or nudge from the government is completely untrue,” the minister told Times Now.

No Pakistani player was bought by the eight IPL teams during an auction last week for the third edition of the competition, despite Pakistan being the reigning world champions in the Twenty20 format of cricket, triggering a strong reaction from Pakistan government which saw it as snub and called-off official visits to India.

Asked whether he thought that Pakistan was over-reacting on the issue, Chidambaram said, “Well, you see, if no player from a country is picked, obviously the country does feel insulted. But whether the reaction is proportionate or not, it is not for me to comment.”

“But as I said, cricket lovers are disappointed that no player from Pakistan was picked. I think that could have been avoided.”

Chidambaram also said personally, as a cricket lover, he was disappointed over non-inclusion of Pakistani players.

Noting that the government had issued 17 visas to these players, he said, “In fact, I am disappointed that the IPL teams, IPL organisers did not pick any Pakistani player. We gave the visas and we have nothing to do with this.” — PTI

Kolkata, January 25
Elusive Maoist leader Kishenji today said he is ready for talks with Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee but set pre-conditions like no laying down of arms and that the Trinamool Congress chief should come without the police.

“If you want to come to ‘Jangal Mahal’ for talks without bringing the police, you are always welcome,” Kishenji said in an open letter to Banerjee, who on January 15 at Jhargram had given the Maoists a seven-day deadline to hold talks or she would go on a padayatra in the Naxal-hit areas.

Rejecting Mamata’s demand that Maoists give up arms before talks, Kishenji said, “If the Central government or a political party gives a proposal to lay down arms and sit for talks, that is not possible. Giving up arms is not on our agenda.” Mamata declined to respond to questions by newsmen on Kishenji’s letter.

The West Bengal government said the open letter seemed to have been sent by Kishenji, but not probably written by him as he cannot write Bengali.

State Home Secretary Ardhendu Sen said quoting intelligence officials, “Overall, it seems to be Kishenji’s letter, but may not have been his own handwriting”" He said the government was probing the identity of the writer.

Commenting on Kishenji’s suggestion for talks to Banerjee, he said the matter rested with the Centre and not with the state government that had not made any offer of talks to the Maoist leader.

Addressing the Trinamool supremo as ‘didi’ (sister) as she is popularly known in the state, Kishenji said, “No talks are possible within the agenda of UPA or the TC policy. You need to adopt a new agenda so that Maoists can speak to you.”

Apparently referring to Banerjee’s plea that she was making the request with folded hands and was even willing to touch their feet, he accused her of following a carrot and stick policy.

“First you accused us and then tried to pacify us which is not right,” the Maoist leader said. — PTI

New Delhi, January 25
Bill Gates, co-chairman of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, today released his second annual letter, which is a personal appraisal of the foundation’s efforts to date and how innovation impacts the priorities of the foundation.

Gates said he was optimistic that despite the tough economy, a combination of scientific innovations and strong partners working on behalf of the world’s poorest people would continue to improve the human condition.

“Although innovation is unpredictable,” he says, “there is a lot that governments, private companies, and foundations can do to accelerate it. Rich governments need to spend more on research and development, for instance, and we need better measurement systems in health and education to determine what works.”

Throughout his letter, Gates highlights innovations that are saving or improving lives and expanding opportunity.

In the developing world, vaccines are thwarting preventable diseases in children, new tools are aiding in the fight against malaria and HIV, and improved seeds and farming techniques are increasing agricultural productivity.

In the United States, innovations are helping educators improve teaching and learning so that high school students graduate ready for success and are prepared to earn post-secondary degrees.

The Microsoft founder also defines the foundation’s role as investing in innovations that would otherwise go unfunded-including some that may ultimately fail.

He discusses in his letter the foundation’s support of a range of innovations - from low to high risk, some with time-frames as long as 15 years - aimed at combating disease, hunger, and poverty in the developing world and improving education in the United States.

Since its inception in 1994, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has committed more than $21 billion in grants. As of September 30, 2009, the foundation’s endowment was valued at $34.17 billion.

New Delhi, January 25
Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor visited quake devastated Haiti and met President Rene Garcia Preval at his temporary home as well as Indian peacekeepers aiding the survivors in the Caribbean nation.

Tharoor made an unscheduled visit to Haiti capital Port-au-Prince on Sunday after completing his tri-nation Latin American tour to Colombia, Peru and Dominican Republic, said officials in the ministry of external affairs.

As speculation continues about the toll of the January 12 earthquake, Preval told Tharoor that the latest figure on fatalities was over 1,11,000 dead.

With the presidential palace abandoned, the meeting took place in the house where the President is staying temporarily. His office now operates from a police station.

India has already pledged $6 million as immediate emergency cash donation. Tharoor, arrived on Sunday at Haiti and laid a wreath at the Christopher Hotel, which was once the headquarters of the UN and is now a twisted heap of rubble and iron cables, officials said.

Tharoor mentioned on his twitter account that he had known Brazillian Costa for over 20 years as well as Hedi Annabi. “At Luis da Costa's widow's rqst (request), prayed for their souls & (and) those left (behind),” he tweeted on Sunday.

He then met with the members of the Indian community in Haiti, which include a large contingent working with the United Nations.

The Indian contingent deployed with UN's Haiti mission, called MINUSTAH, consists of a 140-member Formed Police Unit (FPU), mainly from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), as well as 11 UN police officers.

The Indian members of the UN had been working non-stop to coordinate the activities of the aid agencies travelling to the Caribbean nation. The FPU had also set up a medical camp within their premises, with two Indian doctors having attended to nearly 500 trauma cases.

Besides, there were about 40 Indian families scattered around the islands, some of whom had been living with the FPU for the last several days.

There was also a group of Indian nuns of Missionaries of Charity who also met the Indian minister and talked about their work after the quake.

India is currently assessing long-term aid need for Haiti and is likely to participate in a donor's conference in April at Dominican Republic. — IANS

Guwahati, January 25
The Asian Centre for Human Rights (ACHR) has accused the Mizoram government for failing to rehabilitate the violence-displaced Bru refugees, now taking shelter in Tripura.

The ACHR was invited by the Mizoram government to visit the violence-affected areas following the murder of a Mizo youth, Zarzokima, in November last. The ACHR fact finding team visited Mizoram and Tripura in December last.

In its report titled “Brus of Mizoram: Unequal, Unwanted and Unwelcome”, the ACHR stated that Mizoram must learn the lessons from the failed repatriation of November. The absence of a written agreement created fear and suspicion among the Mizos and Brus and Zarzokima’s murder had been used to stall the repatriation process.

Guwahati, January 25
A teacher of the Bodo Language Department of Gauhati University here murdered a girl student of the same department last night before walking into the nearby by police outpost at Jalukbari to confess about the crime he had just committed.

In the bizarre incident that has shocked the entire community in the premier institution, Bodo Language Department Reader Birlang Narzary (32) killed Jharna Wari, 3rd semester student, at his official residence last night.

A senior police official informed that the teacher had consumed some poisonous substance before coming to them. He was immediately admitted to a hospital and later arrested after the police recovered the body of the girl from his residence.

“We are investigating the matter and not ruling out the possibility of a love angle in the incident,” a police official said.

The university authorities today suspended the teacher and lodged an FIR against him even as Postgraduate Students’ Union registered protests against the incident and demanded better security for students within the campus.

All Bodo Students’ Union president Promode Bodo said: “It is high time for the university authorities to enforce strict disciplinary codes for students.

How could the girl student stay out of her hostel so late at night?”

A senior varsity official said: “Security has been a concern for the varsity authorities as the university has multiple entry and exit points.

With the national highway 37 passing through the university, it is difficult to keep a tab on anyone moving about inside the campus.”

Jaipur, January 25
The five-day Jaipur Literature Festival today concluded with an enthralling session of Punjabi Dalit literature which saw noted Punjabi writers participating in it.

Addressing the session, “Million suns: A celebration of Punjabi Dalit literature”, poet and critic Nirupama Dutt said Punjab has a strong tradition of Dalit writing, initially oral and then written, since medieval period. Peero Preman of Gulabdasia Sect was one of the first Punjabi Dalit writers. “Lal Singh Dil and Sant Ram Udasi also made a great contribution to Dalit literature. While the former was more into modern poetry, the latter was known as the people’s poet,” said Dutt.

She said it is an irony that though Sikhism doesn’t recognise caste and creed, Punjab has the highest percentage of Dalits. Poet Iqbal Udasi left the audiences spellbound with her soulful rendition of her father Sant Ram Udasi’s verses.

Punjabi novelist Des Raj Kali dubbed Punjabi Dalit literature as “literature of love and celebration”, as he said there is no remorse in it. He opined that Sufism had a deep impact on Dalit literature. He said Punjab had been witness to various revolutionary movements in the past and every time these movements have given birth to literature. Even the Naxalite movement had a deep impact on Punjab’s literature, he added.

Replying to a query on mushrooming deras in Punjab, he said the traditional deras, whether they belong to Jats, Dalits or Ramgariahs, are playing a constructive role. Dutt felt those belonging to lower caste don’t get due respect in gurdwaras and the deras, therefore, in a way empower Dalits. “They don’t feel rejected in these deras,” said Dutt.

Jaipur, January 25
Though there is a popular perception that Camilla Parker Bowles was responsible for breaking the Charles-Diana marriage, noted journalist and author of “The Diana Chronicles” says the second wife of the Prince of Wales had initially played the matchmaker.

Participating in a session at the Jaipur Literature Festival, Brown said, “It was Camilla who had approved of Diana as Charles’ wife, thinking that she would continue to have her extramarital affair with him, and the “demure, shy, country mouse Diana” would say nothing. However, much to her chagrin, the mouse soon began to roar.”

She said while the alliance was agony for Charles right from the beginning, it was “loveless marriage” for Diana. She said Diana’s first affair came as early as one and a half years of her marriage with the entry of Barry Mannake in her life. “She was passing through a heartbreaking time those days and she saw in him a reassuring figure.” Brown said Diana always believed that her husband’s heart belonged to Camila Parker Bowles.

Talking about her love life, Brown said, “Diana was always looking for love.... But no man could have assuaged her. She would freak them out by stalking them. She would call them over a hundred times a day, which drove men away.”

Brown said Diana always sought attention, while Charles didn’t like to have been upstaged by the more popular wife. “Camilla succeeded because for her Charles was always the centre of attention.”

According to Brown, Diana leaked the secrets of her married life to the media after she realised that her life was hell, the royal family was horrible to her and her marriage was a sham, though she never admitted to have done the same. The author felt that paparazzi had “commodified” Diana, though she also played games at times.

Jaipur, January 25
The Rajasthan Government today ordered a fresh probe into the death of a newborn at a state-run hospital in Udaipur after the baby’s arm was allegedly cut during caesarian section, official sources said.

The infant died on Friday at Pannadhay hospital after his arm was nearly chopped off during the operation on January 19.

The fresh probe comes following family’s dissatisfaction over an inquiry, which ruled out medical negligence in the incident.

“The baby’s family members were not satisfied with the probe conducted by the local authorities. So, we ordered reinvestigation of the matter,” CM Meena, Principal Secretary of Medical Education department said here.

“Divisional Commissioner Udaipur, Aparna Arora, will probe the matter assisted by DD Sinha, Superintendent of J K Lone Hospital of Jaipur, and submit report within the next five-six days,” he said.

The family had alleged that the baby boy was not even given a proper dressing after the injury, leading to his death three days later. The hospital, however, had defended saying the injury was not serious.

Earlier, a three-member committee was set up to investigate the case, but it did not find negligence on doctor’s part. It had said that the baby was premature and had developed septicaemia (presence of bacteria in blood) leading to death.

The report had said that the baby was not in proper position in the womb and that it sustained a cut following a repositioning process in the complex situation. — PTI