Noida, March 6
A call centre executive, Ashish Dhar, aged 30, today committed suicide at his house in Sector 12 here.

A software engineer, he had been working as an executive with HCL Technologies BPO Ltd.

He committed suicide by hanging himself from the ceiling fan at his house today,
the police said.

He went to sleep in the afternoon. His mother knocked at his bedroom door at around 4 pm but there was no response.

Ashish’s father BL Dhar forced open the door. They were shocked to find their son hanging from the ceiling fan.

An unidentified person informed the police about the incident. When police attempted to seize the body, office bearers of residents welfare association (RWA) stopped the police.

Later, they let the police carry the body for post-mortem examination. No suicide note was found.

Superintendent of police (city) RK Gautam said that prima facie it seemed a case of suicide. — IANS

New Delhi, March 6
The Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) will hold a rally at Ramlila Maidan in the Capital on March 9.

Congress general secretary and in-charge of Delhi affairs Ashok Gehlot announced this today at the DPCC’s executive body meeting.

Saying that the UPA government had presented a revolutionary Budget, Gehlot said that it had given a hope to farmers. He asked party workers to prepare for the upcoming assembly elections in the Capital.

DPCC president JP Agarwal said that the Budget would provide relief to over four crore farmers.

New Delhi, March 6
The Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Centre would hold an international conference on colo rectal cancer on March 8.

Pathologists, radiation and medical oncologists and onco surgeons from various cancer centres and hospitals in Switzerland, UK and USA are expected to take part in the conference at India Habitat Centre along with experts from India.

Deputy chairman of Planning Commission Dr Montek Singh Ahluwalia would be the chief guest.

Dr Kapil Kumar, organising secretary of the conference told TNS here that speakers would provide an insight into various aspects of colo rectal cancer including its data, imaging, colonoscopy and screening, status of PET scan in colo rectal cancer, surgical options, laparoscopy and robotics, surgery for liver metastasis, adjuvant chemo therapy in colo rectal cancer.

Dr Kumar said that colo rectal cancer accounts for three per cent of the total cancer burden in India.

The disease burden posed by colo rectal cancer is more in Europe, Korea, UK and USA. He said that 160 to 170 patients suffering from colo rectal cancer come to RGCI every year for treatment. Most of them are men above the age of 50.

He said that there had been a rise in the number of cases of colo rectal cancer in the last ten years due to change in lifestyles, low fibre diet and high consumtion of beef and red meat.

Prominent among those attending the conference are — Dr Herand Abcarian and Dr Leela Prasad from Chicago, Dr S. Strong from Ohio, Dr Ooi Boon Swee from the Singapore General Hospital and Dr Florin Sirzen from Switzerland.

Also attending the conference are experts from Post-graduate Institute of Medical Education, Chandigarh, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, the Dharamshila Cancer Hospital, the Indraprastha Apollo Cancer Centre, Delhi, Artemis, Gurgaon, Sanjay Gandhi PGI, Lucknow, the Oswal Cancer Hospital, Ludhiana; the Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai and Rohtak Medical College.

The transformer, cable etc were confiscated. A case of power theft was registered at Kasna police station against Vikas Bhatti.

New Delhi, March 6
Residents of the National Capital Territory of Delhi today celebrated the Mahashivratri festival. Policemen were deployed outside temples to prevent any untoward incident. Mobile patrolling was also intensified.

Devotees thronged Shivalayas (Shiv temples) to offer obeisance to Lord Shiva. Women, dressed in their traditional best, carried a mixture of milk and water to bathe the Shivlings. Unmarried girls also observed the fast.

Special congregations were organised in various areas to mark the occasion. Some celebrated the festival by consuming ‘bhang’, a mild intoxicant that is said to be Lord Shiva’s favourite.

New Delhi, March 6
Twelve monuments in the national Capital have become untraceable in wake of unrestrained onslaughts of urbanisation, a culture ministry official said today.

These monuments have disappeared because of rapid urbanisation, construction of multi-storeyed buildings and implementation of various development projects.

Delhi tops the list with 12 lost monuments, followed by Uttar Pradesh (8), Uttaranchal and Jammu and Kashmir (3 each), Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat (2 each) and Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Karnataka (1 each).

Some of the lost monuments in Delhi include, Moti Gate built by Shershah, the Alipur cemetery, Shamnsi Pond, tomb of Captain MC Barnett, Nicholson statue, its platform and surrounding gardens outside Kashmiri Gate in North Delhi and three domes near Nizamuddin railway station.

New Delhi, March 6
Neelam Krishnamurthy, Neelam Katara, Indu Jalali, Sabrina Lall...They are all women who have been moved by personal tragedy to step into India’s courts day after day to bring culprits to book, inspiring in the process hundreds of thousands who had lost faith in the system.

So what does International Women’s Day March 8 mean to them? Krishnamurthy, convener of the Association of Victims of Uphaar Tragedy (AVUT), who lost two of her children in the Uphaar fire tragedy that claimed 59 innocent lives in 1997, believes it is about determination.

“Women’s Day is not about someone taking a prize in the auditorium amidst a small crowd, it’s about their empowerment at the grassroots,” Krishnamurthy told IANS.

She said women’s empowerment starts from home where a father gives equal rights to his daughter, a husband gives due respect to his wife and a brother gives equal liberty to his sister.

“Strong determination is the only way out if women want to make their presence felt in a male-dominated society,” Krishnamurthy said.

She has been at the forefront of the Uphaar case, which last year saw a lower court convicting business tycoon brothers Sushil and Gopal Ansal along with 10 others. But nothing has been able to fill the vacuum created by the death of her children.

“People say life moves on, but only those who go through pain know that it never does. I feel as if I have been served a living death sentence all these years, fighting for justice,” said Krishnamurthy.

“All my friends and relatives wanted me to adopt a child, but I could never do it. They didn’t understand my pain. That is when I realised that no one can help you and you have to deal with your grief on your own,” Krishnamurthy said.

Indu Jalali, who fought for justice for her friend Priyadarshini Mattoo under the banner of ‘Justice for Priyadarshini’, said, “In the beginning we were not taken seriously by anyone and instead everyone discouraged us. But our determination helped us in sailing through the tides of sorrow and pain.”

Priyadarshini was brutally raped and murdered on January 23, 1996, in broad daylight in a South Delhi locality by her senior at the Law Faculty, Delhi University, Santosh Kumar Singh, the son of a senior police officer. He was given the death sentence by the Delhi High Court in October 2006.

“No one supported us but with time and the help of people belonging to various sections of society, justice was achieved,” said Jalali.

“Women need to get rid of taboos prevailing in our society and come out strongly against injustice to them. Until they make themselves heard, no one will help them,” she said.

The resolute face of Sabrina Lall was one splashed in the media time and again as she fought for justice for her sister Jessica who was shot dead by Manu Sharma, the son of a powerful and wealthy politician, in April 1999.

Even as her parents died during the course of trial, Sabrina carried on her fight, inspiring the nation to back her with all its might. In 2006, the Delhi High Court sentenced Manu Sharma to life imprisonment and two other accomplices and co-accused to four years in jail.

Neelam Katara, the mother of Nitish Katara, is another such woman. Nitish was kidnapped and killed allegedly by ex-Rajya Sabha MP D.P. Yadav’s son Vikas and his cousin Vishal Yadav in February 2002. The case is still pending in a trial court.

As she waits for justice, Neelam Katara said, “The system needs to be more sensitive towards women, especially in cases of rape and molestation where the protection of their identity is more important.

“Education of women needs to be strengthened and only then will they be able to take important decisions of their life themselves.” 
— IANS

New Delhi, March 6
Women are not the only ones going under the knife for that perfect cleavage. Indian men too are opting for breast correction procedures to flaunt firmer chests.

According to Anup Dhir, a senior consultant at the department of cosmetic surgery in the Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, male breast correction surgeries started three years ago and are increasing at the rate of 50 per cent every year.

“Nobody spoke of such surgeries, especially in the context of men, three to four years ago. But they have become a rage nowadays,” Dhir told IANS.

The notion of an ideal male cleavage is a perfectly sized breast along with being clean and hairless.

Dhir observes that common men are awe-struck with the way male celebrities flaunt their bodies.

“Men today are highly influenced by fashion trends set by handsome, young celebrities on television. So they have developed an urge to imitate them in every way and this is just one of the ways.”

Samir Parikh, chief of the mental health and behavioural science department, Max Healthcare, agreed, “Media projections of looks, consumer marketing of good looks and peer pressure all encourage youths to be vulnerable to meet the ever changing fashion trends in our society.”

Another doctor, Devansh Sharma, cosmetic and plastic surgeon at Max Healthcare, said, “We get almost 50 to 60 patients every year and the numbers are increasing gradually.”

The common chest-related surgeries and treatments include reduction mammoplasty to reduce breast size, pectoral implants to correct flat looks and laser hair reduction for a clean chest.

“Reduction mammoplasty costs between Rs 50,000 and Rs 75,000 whereas pectoral implants can vary between Rs 90,000 and Rs 95,000,” said Dhir.

The cost of an ideal six sittings for laser hair reduction treatment for the chest can cost up to Rs 30,000, said Seema Goel, director of Berkowits Clinic, which provides the service.

Regarding the popularity of laser hair removal, Goel said, “Laser hair removal has gained immense demand over the years and, interestingly, men form 50 per cent of our total clientele.

“Twenty-five per cent of these men, who maybe young or middle-aged, wish to go in for chest hair removal in particular. Also, this trend is mostly observed in aspiring models and actors.”

However, model-turned-actor Milind Soman told IANS, “Modelling industry does not demand a clean chest. It entirely depends on the comfort level of a model. I can walk the ramp with equal confidence unshaved.” — IANS

According to registry officials those who do not avail of the concession in next 24 days will have to wait for a couple of months.

New Delhi, March 6
The sponsor of Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week (WIFW), the ITC group, has joined hands with two new fashion institutes to hone budding talents and offer them jobs.

“It is very important to nurture young designers as today’s aspirants are creative experts of tomorrow,” Atul Chand, vice-president (marketing) of ITC’s lifestyle retailing, said

Chand said that the country’s fashion industry is maturing and with every passing year it is becoming more responsive towards budding talents, welcoming them with open arms.

“We have joined hands with Pearl Academy of Fashion and National Institute of Design (NID) to nourish and recognise future designers,” he added.

The group launched a talent hunt contest — The Debut late last year but only students of National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) were allowed to take part in it. The contest is a rigorous three-round process. —IANS

New Delhi, March 6
Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) in collaboration with the ministry of women and child development had organised a programme titled, ‘Garvita’, to celebrate International Women’s Day on the University campus yesterday.

Union minister for women and child development Renuka Chaudhry was the chief guest.

Over 400 students participated in the progamme that included competitions like – quiz, slogan writing, songs and dances depicting female foeticide, sati, sexual harassment and an era of women empowerment.

Renuka Chaudhry said, “A girl is not a liability but an asset. We must be proud that we are born as females.” The minister condemned the dowry system.

DU vice-chancellor said, “I am happy that DUSU has celebrated the day with the ministry and is contributing towards the betterment of girls.”

Amrita Bahri, president, DUSU and one of the organisers commented, “A girl symbolises purity, honesty, sacrifices and love. We should respect the creator of human beings.”

New Delhi, March 6
Delhi Friends Round Table - 146 is organising a fund-raising exhibition, Shiksha 2008 — In Pursuit of Education from March 7 to March 11 at Shrine Gallery in Friends Colony here.

Delhi Friends Round Table - 146 is part of Round Table India. Round Table India works for the education of underprivileged children. It collects funds for creating education infrastructure.

“Our project ‘Freedom through Education’ aims at educating one million children by 2008. Round Table India is an organisation of non-political and non-sectarian men between 18 to 40 years. The unique feature of this organisation is that it always remains young, as tablers retire when they turn 40, giving way to younger people,” a spokesperson explained.

Shiksha 2008 is a multidimensional show, showcasing top artists of the country, encouraging upcoming talents and getting nearer to the goal of ‘Freedom through Education’.

Curated by Aruna Bhowmick, Shiksha 2008 comes with a motley collection of works with a pan-Indian sweep, comprising artists from across the country. Their age groups and seniority vary, making it a comprehensive show, representative of the current veins of the Indian Contemporary Art.

Traditionally, Indian art was practiced for invoking gods, marking seasons, or used as ritual and adornment. While artists creating commissioned works received the patronage of India’s numerous royal houses, sustaining the communities’ folk arts were largely ritualistic. The men folk created toys, artifacts, jewellery and utility items to sell and make a living.

With the decline of royal houses, patronage of finer arts too dwindled. And, soon came a time, when art turned into an insipid craft in a sheer run for survival. In the early 20th century, the British set up art schools with a view to revive Indian arts.

Delhi Friends Round Table’s fund-raiser venture Shiksha 2008 comes forth with nearly 200 works by over 100 artists. Handpicked for quality and visual appeal, each work of the collection exudes character.

Meera Devi Dayal’s acrylic on canvas For Hire is a telling work, where a child who should be pursuing education is shown pushing a cart loaded with bricks. This comes like the mascot work wielding the values of Shiksha.

New Delhi, March 6
Ansal Institute of Technology (AIT), Gurgaon in collaboration with Hewlett-Packard University Relations, India organised a two-day workshop on teaching engineering and research on AIT campus.

The workshop aimed to provide training to engineering faculty.

Generally, the faculty is hired on the basis of academic qualifications and excellence in research. They rarely undergo any training to teach budding engineers. Taking the transition from engineering to teaching easy, they often underestimate the profession.

Veena Kumar, director, programme in American language studies, State University of New Jersey, USA conducted the workshop. Prof Sudhir Mehta, vice-president (academic affairs), North Dakota State University, USA, spoke on how teaching could be made more effective in the changing scenario.

Inputs were provided on how learning takes place and how students could achieve competency to become world-class engineers. Inputs were also provided on effective lecture delivery techniques. Speakers emphasised on personal presentation and delivering impressive lectures.

“It would take some time for us to know exactly which files have been burnt. Some computers and furniture have perished in the fire,” an official said.

New Delhi, March 6
The Sarai Rohilla police today arrested Abid from Shiv Mandir near bus stop in Dayabasti on charges of robbery. A knife has been recovered from him.

Abid, 22, is a resident of Laxmi Nagar here. According to DCP/North, sub-inspector Rajesh Malhotra and head constable Rawat arrested Abid on a tip off.

Abid confessed to have committed a robbery of Rs 15,000 at knifepoint on March 4 in the Shakarpur police station area.