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Clueless on end to age row, says Army Chief
ARMY DAY
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Pending Bills
Prez’s sugar factory defaults on loans
After Hasina’s visit, it is advantage Tripura
Maoists tell AP MLAs to oppose bauxite mining
Govt clean chit to WB hospital in missing child case
DRDO developing laser warheads for missiles
NHPC’s SOS to Centre
Notice to college over Rahul’s function
Police seeks technical help in Jarawa case
SC: HCs can’t increase seats in medical colleges
Jantar Mantar
Somali pirates release Indian ship with crew
Now, two tribesmen filmed
19 competitors, 23 bull tamers injured in jallikattu
Sports varsity to come up at Hyderabad
22 crore Aakash tablets required in future: Govt
5 hurt in BSF helicopter crash in Raipur
India’s first woman photojourno Homai Vyarawala dead
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Clueless on end to age row, says Army Chief
New Delhi, January 15 Parrying questions, he said he had already stated a lot of things on the subject. “Actually, there is no requirement for me to say anything anymore. The reason is that whatever I say, something of it gets misinterpreted.” He maintained there was no need to give any spin or add wings to the controversy. He also refused to respond to a query as to whether he would accept the government decision to treat his date of birth as May 10, 1950, as mentioned on his UPSC entrance form for the National Defence Academy (NDA) and not as May 10, 1951, the date on his school leaving certificate. Under the government decision, he is due to retire on May 31 this year. Asked about Defence Minister AK Antony expressing confidence in him, Gen Singh said he appreciated it and would try to measure up to the minister’s sentiments. Nevertheless, he said he was working for the organisation. Responding to a remark that the ministry had already settled the issue, he said he had nothing more to say on the subject.
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ARMY DAY
Bangalore, January 15 Five Sena Medals were awarded posthumously. Two of the five recipients got martyred in anti-terrorist operations in Kupwara district of Kashmir, two others were helicopter pilots based at Nasik and one died while trying to save labourers from a flash flood. The two soldiers awarded gallantry awards posthumously for engaging terrorists belonged to the Madras Regiment. Fighting for their country far away from their homes in Tamil Nadu, the two continued their advance against a group of terrorists despite receiving gunshot wounds. Three terrorists were killed in the encounter in which Sepoy Rajendran and Sepoy Panchavarnam also laid down their lives. Major Atul Gharje and Major Bhanu Chander of the Army Aviation Squadron were awarded Gallantry Medals posthumously for maneuvering their tottering helicopter away from a densely populated locality and crashing in a deserted area. A total of 31 Sena Medals for gallentry (including five awarded posthumously) were awarded today. Twenty-one (21) Vishisht Seva Medals and five Sena Medals for distinguished services were also presented. Four of the 31 gallantry award winners got the honours for engaging terrorists in Assam. Major Gaurav Bhatia of Field Artillery Regiment and Lance Havildar Lava K B were awarded gallantry medals for counter insurgency operations in Udalguri and Kokrajhar districts of Assam, respectively. Both these districts are strongholds of the Bodo militants. Lava had killed a militant in a single combat in the jungles of Kokrajhar district on July 26, 2010. Gaurav Bhatia shot a militant who was later identified as the self-styled lieutenant of the dreaded Bodo Security Force. He was evading the security forces for two decades. An explosive expert, who was notorious for his ruthlessness, he was the kingpin of subversive as well as extortion activities in lower Assam. Large quantity of arms and ammunition along with incriminating documents relating to the national security were recovered from him. Major Amandeep Singh Aulakh of the Dogra Regiment also received gallantry award for killing a Bodo militant in Baksha district of Assam. Lance Naik Pawan of the Rajputana Rifles was awarded gallantry medal for engaging ULFA militants in Assam’s Nagaon district. Major MK Shekhar of the Maratha Light Infantry (MLI) and Major Ashish Swaroop of Armoured Corps received gallantry medals for action against Naga militants (NSCN-IM) in Manipur’s Chandel district. Major Aman Ahluwalia (MLI) received gallantry medal for an operation against the Meitei militants in Imphal in Manipur. Lt RK Mohapatra of Sikh Light Infantry got gallantry medal for killing two terrorists in East Garo Hills in Meghalaya in June 2010. The shootouts at J&K, for which army personnel were awarded gallantry medals today, took place mostly in Kupwara, Poonch and Pulwama districts. Three gallantry medals were given for showing exemplary courage during relief and rescue operations. Sepoy Rakesh Kumar Gupta (Army Service Corps) was awarded gallantry medal posthumously for trying to save labourers from flash flood. Lt. Varun Khajuria (Grenadiers) received the Sena Medal (Gallantry) for evacuating ski trainees in Gulmarg in Kashmir. Lt. Col. Siddharth Khanna of Army Aviation (R&O Flight) got gallantry medal for a successful evacuation mission carried out by him in Arunachal Pradesh in 2010.
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Pending Bills New Delhi, January 15 The national carrier, which is facing financial crunch, has pending bills of 12 special flights for the President, the Vice-President and the Prime Minister which amount to over Rs 110 crore, an RTI reply from the carrier said. It said during July last year, the total outstanding bills were Rs 291 crore. "Out of the above amount, recently the government has paid Rs 181.30 crore leaving a balance outstanding amount of Rs 110.60 crore," the reply said. The records show that two bills of are pending with the Defence Ministry for the abroad travel of the President to Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Damascus and Aleppo during November 20-30, 2010, which is Rs 14.5 crore and another to Paro via Bagdogra which is Rs 4.45 crore. The bill to Paro, Bhutan is nearly three years old, the reply dated December 28, 2011 said. Five bills worth Rs 55.81 crore are pending with the Cabinet Secretariat for the travel of the Prime Minister to Huahin, Thailand during October 23-25, 2009, to Paro, Bhutan during April 27-30, to Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur, Hanoi during October 23-30, 2010, to Seoul during November 9-12, 2010 and to Brussels and Berlin during December 8-12, 2010. The External Affairs Ministry which is responsible for organising the tours of the Vice-President owes Rs 35.79 crore towards the Air India for five tours abroad. — PTI
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Prez’s sugar factory defaults on loans
Mumbai, January 15 The SMSSK will be one among 15 sugar factories in Maharashtra whose properties are to be auctioned by MSCBL as part of its loan recovery. "The dues of the SMSSK to the Maharashtra State Co-op Bank run into more than Rs 60 crore. In addition, the factory has unpaid loans from other financial institution as well," an MSCB official said. The factory is based in Maharashtra's Jalgaon district and can crush 2500 tonne sugarcane per day. The auction will see the factory's plant and machinery in addition to 140 acre land being up for sale to the highest bidder. The MSCB has set a reserve price of Rs 46.08 crore. Should the proceeds from the auction fail to cover the dues from the sugar factory, the bank will invoke the guarantee given by the Maharashtra government. "The Maharashtra government has guaranteed the loans given to sugar factories and the Maharashtra State Co-operative Bank will invoke the guarantee to recover its dues from them," Pramod Karnad, Managing Director, MSCB said. In all the bank has to recover bad debts amounting to Rs 1752 crores from 15 sugar factories. However, the assets of most of these factories have depleted and the apex co-operative bank expects to recover only a part of the dues. The SMSSK factory was started by Patil more than 20 years ago and was one of the few ventures in the co-operative sector to be headed by a woman. However, with the fortunes of the factory plunging soon after, its management was handed over to Patil's brother. The change of management did not help and the factory continued to make huge losses. According to info from Maharashtra State Co-operative Department, the SMSSK has defaulted on loans from a number of co-operative banks despite some debt restructuring packages. The amount runs into more than Rs 120 crore, say officials. kicked off 20 years ago
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After Hasina’s visit, it is advantage Tripura
Guwahati, January 15 Tripura was economically hard hit by the Partition of India as back then, its surface and sea routes linking the state with the rest of the country had, all of a sudden, snapped. Twelve-hour-long Agartala-Kolkata road journeys became more than 24-hour-long journeys via Guwahati and North Bengal. Posts in Bangladesh (erstwhile East Pakistan) became inaccessible to Tripura and other north-eastern states and all these combined to decelerate economic development in the region. Now, with Sheikh Hasina making it clear during her visit to Agartala that her government wants to pay India, especially Tripura and its people back for the support they provided to the liberation war of Bangladesh, it is a great opportunity for the government of India to restore landlocked N-E states’ old communication links with mainland India through Bangladesh. “Tripura and India will continue to occupy a special place in the hearts of the people of Bangladesh for the support provided in our liberation struggle. My government sincerely wishes to consolidate cooperation with India through Tripura and other N-E states for mutual benefit and effective regional economic cooperation,” Sheikh Hasina said during her two-day visit to Agartala on January 11-12. Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar publicly announced his government’s proposal to provide Bangladesh with 100 MW power to be generated by the upcoming 726 MW Palatana power project of the ONGC out of Tripura’s allotted share of 196 MW power. Hasina offered to buy all surplus power, if any, from Tripura and proposed Bangladesh’s investment joint venture in future power projects in Tripura. Sarkar further said, “Landlocked Tripura needs cooperation from Bangladesh government to tap its rich natural resources including hydrocarbons.” Hasina told the India-Bangladesh business meet at Agartala, “Bangladesh imports goods worth about $4.5 billion from India per year compared to Indian import from Bangladesh worth about $521 million. Now that India and Bangladesh are enjoying close political ties, the industry and business communities from both the countries need to exploit it to their advantage.” She said there is tremendous scope for Indian businessmen to invest in sectors like power, telecommunication, textiles and healthcare in Bangladesh. Tripura government is looking forward to regular uninterrupted Agartala-Dhaka-Kolkata bus service, perpetual transit facilities through Bangladesh via Tripura to mainland India and more Land Customs Stations (LCS) to come up along the 856-kilometre-long border with Bangladesh in
Tripura.
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Maoists tell AP MLAs to oppose bauxite mining
Hyderabad, January 15 The outlawed outfit, CPI (Maoist), has put up banners, posters and even distributed pamphlets in several villages in Visakhapatnam district warning of serious consequences if the MLAs went ahead with the proposal for bauxite mining. The Maoists’ stern message came in the midst of an all-party legislators’ study tour of the tribal areas of the region. The tour is being organised by Assembly Speaker N Manohar to help MLAs gather the first-hand knowledge of issues confronting the tribals. Around 100 first-time members of the Assembly and Legislative Council are touring the region which has been witnessing protests against bauxite mining. The local tribals, environmentalists and Opposition parties have been opposing the mining on the ground that it would deprive the local villagers of their livelihood sources and harm the environment. The widespread protests had forced a central committee of experts to cancel its visit to tribal areas to conduct public hearing last month. The Andhra Pradesh Mining Development Corporation (APMDC) proposes to take up bauxite mining in tribal areas under public-private partnership model following agreements signed with Anrak Alumina and Jindal Group. The local resistance to bauxite mining in Visakhapatnam and Vizianagaram districts has provided a handle for Maoists to stage a comeback in the state which was once their stronghold. They have issued an ultimatum to political leaders to quit their elected and nominated posts and join the anti-bauxite movement or face dire consequences. The Opposition TDP, Left parties, local environmentalist groups and tribal organisations have joined the anti-mining movement. In May last year, the Maoists had gunned down a ruling Congress leader and vice-chairman of Visakhapatnam Zilla Parishad, U Somalingam, in Choudupalli village in Visakhapatnam district for supporting the bauxite mining by private companies. Stern message
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Govt clean chit to WB hospital in missing child case
Kolkata, January 15 Government officials also denied their responsibilities for the sudden death of Usha Devi, who died soon after giving birth to twin babies. Despite having a valid admission health card, she was allegedly denied admission to two Chittaranjan Seva Sadan and Shambunath Pandit hospitals. Both these hospitals are located near the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's residence at Kalighat. At a hurriedly called press conference here today, newly appointed Additional Chief Secretary (in charge of health) Sanjay Mitra, Health Secretary Biswaranjan Satpati and Director, Health Services, Susanto Banerjee admitted that the health care facilities at government hospitals were inadequate. However, they did not hold the hospital authorities responsible for the two unfortunate incidents that caused uproar in political and administrative circles. An inquiry was ordered into these incidents by the Chief Minister. The preliminary report of the inquiry was released to the press at her residence today. Mitra, the high-profile bureaucrat at the PMO in New Delhi who was chosen by the Chief Minister herself for the assignment, virtually gave clean chit to hospital doctors, nurses and other employees in both the incidents. Mitra denied Usha Devi was refused admission to the two hospitals. He alleged Usha Devi had given birth to twin babies at her home and she was already dead when brought to the SSKM hospital. He also alleged that Quaniq Begum had herself allowed one of her relatives to take care of her child, whom the hospital staff and other patients saw going out of the ward carrying the baby on Friday afternoon. "If the mother is careless about her baby, what will the doctors, nurses and other hospital staff do?" Mitra said. He advised all mothers to be more caring about their babies while in hospitals. They should be their real protectors instead of depending on the hospital authorities. However, he said, the government was taking elaborate measures to upgrade all government hospitals for providing better health care facilities to the patients. Mom take care If the mother is careless about her baby, what will the doctors, nurses and other hospital staff do? — Sanjay Mitra, Additional Chief Secretary
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DRDO developing laser warheads for missiles
Chandigarh, January 15 These warheads would be used on application of lasers, electrical energy or electromagnetic pulses to destroy the intended target instead of using explosives. Besides reducing the size and payload of the missile, these would offer a very high degree of accuracy as their effect can be directed in a particular direction. “High energy directed warheads is a key area for weaponisation in future,” Dr Avinash Chander, Chief Controller, Missiles and Strategic Systems, said during his visit to the Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory here today. “We have also developed technology to miniaturise warheads and developed shaped charges with controlled detonation without compromising on their lethality and effectiveness,” he added. One of the most obvious applications of high energy warheads is in anti-ballistic missile systems, whose effectiveness could be considerably enhanced vis-ŕ-vis the use of explosive-based warheads. Last year, DRDO had successfully tested a high-altitude interceptor missile, based on a modified version of the Prithvi, under its ongoing ballistic missile defence programme. There have also been reports of a hypersonic anti-ballistic missile being developed. While some technologies in the field of high energy warheads and ballistic missile defence have been validated, there are some areas wherein work is underway. “We are establishing an independent centre for research in directed high energy systems for developing warheads that can be used on multiple launch platforms,” Dr Chander said. He added that the Army is shortly expected to induct the Prahar tactical battlefield guided missile. With a range of 150 km, it is expected to fill the gap between multi-barrel rocket launchers like the Pinaka and Smerch and short-range ballistic missiles. With an accuracy of 10 metre and a warhead of 200 kg, it would be used against targets like command centres, supply depots, fuel and ammunition dumps and troop concentrations within the tactical battle zone. The DRDO expects to test launch the 5,000- km range Agni-5 by the end of next month. Classified as an Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile, it will be India’s longest range missile. The test was earlier scheduled for December 2011, but was postponed. “We have already validated most of the technologies to be used in Agni-5 during the successful test of the Agni-4 in November 2011,” Dr Chander said. While pointing out that though the present threat assessment does not require India to go in for Inter Continental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM), having a range greater than 5,500 km, he said the DRDO possesses the ability to produce ICBMs. DRDO is already engaged in developing various capabilities and technologies, including multiple warheads for ballistic missiles, which could be integrated into the defence mechanism as and when required.
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NHPC’s SOS to Centre
Guwahati, January 15 Several organisations led by Krishak Mukti Sangram Samity (KMSS) have imposed blockade on movement of goods, machinery and fuels to the dam site of the 2000 MW Lower Subansiri Hydropower Project of the NHPC, demanding complete halt to the work, apprehending ‘disastrous’ downstream impact in Assam valley. NHPC officials including executive director AK Chabria, general manager Om Prakash and other senior officials said that besides bringing work on the Rs 10,000 crore project to a halt, the blockade had caused scarcity of food, drinking water, power and fuels for the NHPC staff families living on the dam site. “We look forward to both the Centre and the state government to resolve the crisis. We are ready for talks with anti-dam protesters, but our families should be spared inhuman sufferings,” the NHPC general manager said. “The NHPC has so far constructed and has been operating on 14 mega dams within and outside India during the last 35 years. There has not been any harm to lives or property due to these projects. Many of our dams like the one on the Teesta river in Sikkim, Uri in J-K and one in Andaman and Nicobar Islands have successfully withstood impact of mega earthquakes. So, the fear of catastrophic downstream impact due to construction of the dam in question is not justified,” the NHPC official said while making a detailed powerpoint presentation on various technical aspects and safety measures related to the project. NHPC has so far completed about 55 per cent work on Lower Subansiri Hydro Power Project. Officials dismissed the fear that the river would dry up because of the dam, saying diverted water will be released back to the main course after a stretch of 500 metres. In view of the raging anti-dam protests in Assam, the Government of India has constituted a technical expert committee to look into various reports submitted by other expert groups on the dam project. NHPC officials allege that anti-dam protesters include those who hardly understand technicalities related to a dam project and are being instigated by those with vested interests.
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Notice to college over Rahul’s function
Lucknow, January 15 During the mass contact programme of eastern Uttar Pradesh, Rahul Gandhi had visited the historic Shibli National College on January 10 where he spent the night at the college guest house. Next morning, some young men reportedly belonging to the Ulema Council had burnt his effigy in front of the college gate and raised slogans demanding a judicial inquiry into the Batla House encounter. This forced the security agencies to allow only women to enter the college premises where Rahul Gandhi addressed the students. The Azamgarh District Magistrate and Returning Officer Ashutosh Dwivedi has issued notices to
the college management, Principal and even the district Congress president seeking their explanation on the matter within three days. Due to Rahul’s stay,
the educational work in Shibli National PG College reportedly suffered on
January 11 as thousands of persons gathered there, claimed the District Magistrate. He also alleged that there was a violation of prohibitory orders that is in force in the state. According to state Election Officer Umesh Sinha, 1,585 FIRs have been lodged across the state for violation of the model code of conduct in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh. As many as 7 lakh persons have been detained under the Sections 107/116 (security for keeping the peace and enquiry as to truth of information) of the Criminal Procedure Code. Non-bailable warrants have been issued against 14,970 persons and 4,343 illegal arms factory have been raided and sealed. With today’s massive haul of illicit liquor from the districts of Basti, Baghpat, Muzaffarnagar, Prabudh Nagar and Ambedkar Nagar, the total quantity of illicit liquor seized has gone up to 1,35,149
litres.
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Police seeks technical help in Jarawa case
Port Blair/New Delhi, January 15 With clear directions from the Union Home Ministry to nail the culprits behind the videography of the Jarawa
tribals, the police sought help of the NTRO in establishing the source computer from where it was uploaded so that legal action could be initiated in the case. Under the Protection of Aboriginal Tribes (PAT) Act, taking pictures or video shooting of tribals is banned. The police was also trying to identify the voice of a purported travel agent whose telephone conversation with a British journalist has been uploaded. This also, according to officials of the union territory, seems to be a design of some vested interests to prevent the building of a road within the jungles of South Andaman. The Centre has already cleared Andaman Trunk Road
(ATR) to connect the northern part of the island with the southern part. Some portion of the road passes through the jungles of South Andaman where the 383-member Jarawa tribe was located.
— PTI
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SC: HCs can’t increase seats in medical colleges
New Delhi, January 15 “Courts cannot by its fiat increase the seats, a task entrusted to the Board of Governors and that too by an interim order,” a Bench comprising Justices HL Dattu and CK Prasad held last week while allowing an appeal filed by the MCI against one such order of the Karnataka High Court. “We cannot imagine anything more destructive of the rule of law than a direction by the court to allow continuance of such students whose admissions is found illegal in the ultimate analysis,” the SC observed. In normal circumstances, the HC should not issue an interim order granting permission for increasing the seats. The HC ought to realize that granting such permissions had ‘a cascading effect.’
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Jantar Mantar
Kinship advantage
Quota politics
Ever since the UPA government decided to carve out 4.5 per cent sub-quota for backward minorities from the existing OBC quota, the BJP has been trying hard to seek political mileage from this move. With the Congress and the Samajwadi Party wooing the Muslim voter in next month’s Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, the BJP is stirring up the OBC caste cauldron by pointing out that the reservation for minorities would actually eat into their existing 27 per cent quota share. As part of its strategy, the BJP has started fielding OBC leaders at its press briefings to reiterate this point. Uma Bharati, who has been busy campaigning in UP, was especially called down to the Capital for a media interaction on the subject. Since the BJP has no tall OBC leader after Kalyan Singh quit the party, it really has to strain hard to find credible faces. Desperate to garner the OBC vote, it even fielded Bhupendra Yadav, a member of the BJP’s legal cell and a relatively junior functionary, to address the press last week. As the election campaign picks up momentum, nobody should be surprised if more such OBC faces are fielded by the BJP in the coming days.
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Somali pirates release Indian ship with crew
Mumbai, January 15 This is a second piece of good news for the Indian seafaring community within a fortnight. Seventeen sailors from a hijacked Iranian ship had been released late last month. MT Fairchem Bogey, managed by
Mumbai-based Anglo-Eastern Ship Management, was hijacked on August 20 while it was anchored in Salalah port, Oman. "We cannot at the moment disclose the port where the ship is headed or any details on the terms of release," a source from Anglo-Eastern Shipping said on Sunday. "It will be led by an Indian naval ship which is headed towards their direction. It is not there yet."
— Agencies
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Now, two tribesmen filmed
Port Blair, January 15 The tourist from West Bengal was detained at Jirkatang check post and his camera seized yesterday. There were two footages in the featuring a couple of Jarawa men walking on the Andaman Trunk Road. However, no legal action was taken against the tourist and, after removing the footages from the camera, he was allowed to go. — PTI
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19 competitors, 23 bull tamers injured in jallikattu
Madurai, January 15 Earlier, the event got off to a rousing start with the participation of 257 bulls from various parts of the state. Hundreds of people had gathered at the venue here to witness the traditional rural sport of Tamil
Nadu. More than 500 policemen were deployed for the event, which was held as per Supreme Court guidelines, issued in the wake of complaints from animal rights activists about cruelty to the animals, besides casualties among spectators.
— PTI
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Sports varsity to come up at Hyderabad
Hyderabad, January 15 The company has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the state government during the ongoing Partnership Summit here. "This will be a university aimed at training sportsmen right from their childhood. Nowadays, everyone's looking at engineering or medical education. But in the West, sports education too is equally important. We want to bring such a culture to India. All sporting and education facilities will be brought under one roof. Sports companies like Nike and Reebok will be roped in as partners of the university," Yash Birla, Chairman of the Group, said. The Yash Birla Group has also signed MoUs for setting up two more projects-- an ayurvedic village and a polysilicon mining project near Kurnool. Together, the group would be investing about Rs 13,000 crore in the state over a period of next three years. Birla said the proposed Sports University would be set up within 100 km of Hyderabad over about 450 acres. Ayurvedic Village, Birla roup's second project, will also be near Hyderabad. Having an investment of Rs 700 crore, it will be part of Birla Wellness, a public company. "We will manufacture ayurvedic formulations, provide ayurvedic treatment and conduct research development," Birla said. "It will facilitate retail services also and experts from Kerala, who are engaged with Birla Wellness, would be its partners." In the other project announced by Yash Birla, the group will invest Rs 10,300 crore in a polysilicon mining project near Kurnool. It will cater to the needs of the biggest solar power wafer manufacturing facility in Maharashtra. All the three projects would be funded with a debt equity ratio of 4:1 and the equity component would consist of internal accruals, public issue, private equity and Venture capital funding. other projects The Yash Birla Group has also signed MoUs for setting up two more projects - an ayurvedic village and a polysilicon mining project near Kurnool. Together, the group would be investing about Rs 13,000 crore in the state over a period of next three years.
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22 crore Aakash tablets required in future: Govt
New Delhi, January 15 "Initially, we bought one lakh Aakash tablets but we need 22 crore more tablets in the coming years as per the Ministry of Human Resource," Additional Secretary, HRD Ministry, NK Sinha said.
— PTI
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5 hurt in BSF helicopter crash in Raipur Raipur, January 15 The injured have been taken to the hospital where Tiwari’s condition is stated to be critical. Kabra said the helicopter was damaged in the crash and work is on to remove it from the runway. A team of senior police officers of the state has rushed to the site and the cause behind the mishap is being ascertained, he said. — PTI
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India’s first woman photojourno Homai Vyarawala dead
The 2011 Padma Vibhushan winner fell from her bed three days ago and was admitted at a private hospital, doctors said. Her husband Maneckshaw Vyarawala predeceased her. She is survived by her ailing daughter-in-law, who stays in Jamshedpur. Born on December 9, 1913 to a Parsi family, Vyarawala grew up in Mumbai and moved to Delhi in 1942 where she photographed events leading to Independence. Her work that spanned four decades included both the euphoria of the Independence as well as the disillusionment with undelivered promises in the new nation state. She was the only professional woman photojournalist between 1939 and 1970, as she survived the male-dominated field, making her presence more significant because of the codes of this profession that largely exclude women even today. — PTI
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When Prithviraj Chavan took over as the Maharashtra Chief Minister over a year ago, it was generally believed that he would find it difficult to function in view of his strained relations with Maratha strongman and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, whose party, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), is a partner in the state government. But as it happens, Chavan has found Pawar to be quite cooperative. On the contrary, he has had more problems from his own party leaders, particularly, former Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and former minister Gurudas Kamat who have never reconciled to Chavan’s elevation as the CM. In fact, it was these two sulking leaders who went all-out to sabotage the Congress-NCP partnership for the coming civic elections in their ongoing efforts to show Chavan in poor light. The alliance was eventually stitched up only after the Congress leadership in Delhi was alerted when Pawar set a deadline for finalising the seat-sharing arrangement.
Although former Uttarakhand Chief Minister ND Tiwari is acknowledged as the Congress party’s tallest leader in the hill state, he had a tough time getting an election ticket for his nephew Manish Tiwari from the Gadarpur constituency. Tiwari ran into a wall of opposition from a section of Congress leaders in Delhi who were rooting for greenhorn Shilpi Arora. They eventually relented when they realised that it would not be prudent to alienate Tiwari, who could play spoilsport for the Congress in the coming Assembly elections. But Shilpi Arora obviously has strong backers in the party. Unable to field her in the elections, they have accommodated her as the working president of the state unit’s publicity committee.
Vadodara, January 15