Hindon, Uttar Pradesh, October 8
Almost baring his fangs, the IAF chief Air Chief Marshall PV Naik today made it known what were the capabilities and strength of the country’s air force.

“Yeh chhota mota, chunnu munnu air force nahi hai …. strength kafi hai. Lekhin isse zyada badhni chaiye (this is not a teeny-weeny air force. The strength we have now is enough. But it should grow in the future),” said Naik on the sidelines of the 77th anniversary celebration function of the IAF here.

The Air Chief said the IAF’s strength was going through the last downward curve and that it will only grow from here. “The fighter squadron strength was down to 32-33 at present. This would increase beginning 2014 and by 2022 we are likely to have around 42 squadrons,” he said.

The IAF infrastructure is all set to get a boost with new radars, aerostats and 126 medium multirole combat aircraft for which test trials are in progress. A few aerostats have been procured and deployed along the borders with Pakistan in the western sector, said Naik, adding that last year the IAF operational preparedness was at an all time high.

Earlier, in the morning, a spectacular air show saw the IAF flexing its military muscle with display of early warning and control system (AWACS). AWACS gives the IAF the capability to keep a close watch on enemy aircraft and missiles taking off from their bases. As many as 54 frontline fighter jets, including the Sukhois, Mirage-2000s, Jaguars, MiGs and Mi-17 and MI-35 helicopters were also part of the show.

The parade was witnessed by foreign diplomats, MPs and the IAF Marshal Arjan Singh among others. On the occasion, two IAF officers and two other airmen were honoured with gallantry medals for fighting terrorists during their three-day 26/11 Mumbai siege, apart from a fighter pilot who lost his life in the only ever Sukhoi fighter jet crash in India in April this year.

The IAF chief presented Bar to Vayu Sena Medal (VM) for gallantry to Wing Commander Amitabh Sharma, apart from VM for Gallantry to Wing Commander Deepak Kumar Vats, Warrant Officer Prem Singh Rajput and Junior Warrant Officer Jawed Hussain Siddiqi for their contribution in the Mumbai operations against terror. 

He also presented the VM for meritorious service to Wing Commander Pushpendra Singh Nara, a MiG-21 and Su-30MKI pilot, who was killed in the crash during an inspection flight over Jaisalmer in Rajasthan on April 30. The other pilot, Wing Commander M V Munje, had survived the crash.

Apart from the four, the IAF chief also presented two other VM for Gallantry to Wing Commanders Prashant Mohan and Harvinder Sandhu at the 77th Air Force Day parade here. Among the total 55 medals presented were 15 other VMs for meritorious service and 32 Vishist Seva Medals for distinguished service.

New Delhi, October 8
Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) president K Chandrasekhar Rao has described the recent Krishna river floods in Andhra Pradesh as a “man-made calamity” instead of nature’s fury.

Addressing newsmen here on Wednesday, he blamed the much publicised irrigation projects currently underway, conceived by former CM YS Rajasekhar Reddy who died in a helicopter crash last month, for the widespread devastation that caused immense loss of life and property.

He declared that he would write a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and meet UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi demanding a judicial inquiry into how these projects had played havoc with the lives and properties of thousands of people in the state.

Chandrasekhar Rao, a former ally of the UPA, said, “The real reason substantially lies in the most irresponsible, erratic, illegal and politically ill-motivated irrigation policies of the previous government unilaterally formulated and irresponsibly implemented under the garb of so-called “Jalayagnam”.

It is therefore a man-made calamity that could have been easily averted,” Rao said. He said, “The focal point of the entire tragedy is the Srisailam reservoir that was originally contemplated and constructed as a hydro-electric project.” 

New Delhi, October 8
Former BJP president M Venkaiah Naidu a known loyalist of senior BJP leader L.K. Advani seems to be buying time for his leader, under pressure from the RSS to quit early and pave way for younger leadership.

Naidu, who has often described himself jocularly as ‘Hanuman’ of Advani has told Karan Thapar in his Devil’s Advocate programme that “Before the party goes to the next general elections in 2014, it will have a new leader.”

He told Thapar that his party will not contest the next Lok Sabha elections under Advani’s leadership. He however, subtly indicated that there is no tearing hurry to replace him for now, when he said, “It would be logical for the party to get a new leadership at that juncture.”

Known to be a confidant of Advani Naidu said, “Advani is not going to contest the next general elections.”

By 2014 Advani will be 87 years old, elaborating on it Naidu said, “The change of guard will have to take place a couple of years before the polls,” keeping his date of retirement ambiguous and vague.

Naidu’s announcement comes in the wake of reports that Advani is under pressure to hand over the reins of power before the end of this year. But this announcement clearly indicated that neither he nor the party is in any hurry to meet the year-end deadline.

Only a day earlier Naidu had tried to fob off journalists who wanted to ask when would former Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje quit her post as leader of opposition in the Rajasthan assembly. More than two months ago the party asked her to resign from the post and come and help out the party at the national level here in Delhi. But she has not yet heeded to BJP diktat. Raje, like Naidu is also identified closely with Advani.

BJP insiders also did not put much premium over Naidu’s disclosure that Advani would retire before 2014 general elections. They felt that by stating that Advani would quit before the 2014 elections, Naidu has in fact bought time and respite for Advani.

However, sources indicated that the pressure from the RSS would increase after the Maharashtra and Haryana assembly elections, by which time preparations would be afoot to replace BJP president Rajnath Singh.

The RSS is contemplating putting some low-profile regional leader at the helm of BJP affairs in Delhi and steer the party in its directions through him. It is then that the Sangh hopes to secure full control over the BJP and wield sufficient clout to ensure Advani’s ouster in the coming New Year.

New Delhi, October 8
Beleaguered members of the 2010 Commonwealth Games organising committee can be expected to breathe a bit easier after delegates of participating countries led by Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) president Mike Fennell, who were taken on a guided tour of the various stadia and other sporting venues in the capital, were said to be “satisfied” with the preparations.

The delegates were split in two groups and taken on separate tours where the authorities concerned briefed them about the progress of work, the pace at which construction was proceeding and the prospective dates of completion.

The group’s first port of call was the Thyagaraj Nagar sports complex being constructed by the Delhi government and the delegates looked happy with the pace of work there. A slide show was also arranged there. Fennell took it easy and was seen napping along with a few other members of the delegation, and woke up only towards the end of the presentation.

Fennell has been critical of Delhi's preparation and had warned the Games were heading for a "partial failure" unless the organisers pulled up their socks.

The delegates also “appeared to be satisfied” with the progress of construction at other sporting venues.

CGF secretary-general Louise Martin described the Games Village coming up on the banks of the Yamuna river as "absolutely fantastic". "The athletes will enjoy it here", she wrote in the village’s guest book.

Most of the other Commonwealth delegates also appeared happy at the way the village was coming up. Craig Hunter, from England, was said to be “impressed” with Tower 9, where the delegates were shown a set of furnished apartments. "This is a wonderful Games Village", he observed.

New Delhi, October 8
After years of showing reluctance, India is finally willing to participate in the international assessment of learning achievements at the secondary level. The government also said today there was an urgent need to devise a minimum level of learning at the secondary school stage.

According to human resources development ministry officials, India’s first-ever international test participation will come in 2012 following recent studies on poor cognitive skills of secondary students in the country.

“We could participate in the international mathematics and science study international test in 2012. Gradually we can also think of being part of the Programme for International Students Assessment (PISA),” a senior official said.

The move comes close on the heels of an independent class 9 math learning achievement test commissioned by the World Bank in Rajasthan and Orissa. The test was conducted in view of complete absence of any national-level assessment of secondary students’ learning in India.

Whereas East Asia and Latin America have been regularly opting for international assessments (which they then use for policy shifts in education), India, to date, has stayed away from assessments.

For the Indian study, 36 publicly released test items from the Third International Mathematics & Science Study (TIMSS) were used as these allowed the comparison of Indian students with those in 51 other countries. The results ranked Indians at 43 in 51 countries. Students in Orissa and Rajasthan scored 392 points compared to the world average of 487 in 1999 and 467 in 2003.

“Less than 50 per cent of students could demonstrate the lowest international benchmark of some basic math knowledge. The scores of Indian students were just above those in South Africa and Botswana. However, we must remember the Indian sample was less representative than that from the other two countries,” Sam Carlson, lead education specialist at the World Bank told The Tribune.

Simply put, the study reveals grave facts - about 75 per cent of children aged 15 in Rajasthan and Orissa were unable to show basic math knowledge. Only 11 per cent children in Rajasthan and 17 per cent in Orissa could correctly identify the smallest number from a set of four.

The low scores of ninth graders are of special concern because the Indian students have done one more year of schooling than the eight graders from other countries that participated in TIMSS.

New Delhi, October 8
After Shashi Tharoor’s famous tweet on “cattle-class” travel, Congress President Sonia Gandhi-led austerity drive received another setback with some Air India pilots “complaining” to their CMD Arvind Jadhav on how ministers and MPs were booking economy class tickets but travelling by business class.

Interestingly though, by the end of the day the Indian Commercial Pilot’s Association (ICPA), which had supposedly written the “letter”, appeared to develop cold feet and denied dispatching any such complaint to the Air India CMD. “It was only a draft letter…I don’t know how it got leaked to the Press. No such letter has been sent. In fact we would not like to comment on it,” an ICPA member said, requesting anonymity.

According to a letter circulating in the media, the pilot’s union had complained to the management that senior ministers and MPs were reserving seats of economy class, but insisting to upgrade after boarding the aircraft or were forcibly occupying J class seats.

The pilots got nervous after the management, not desiring any further negative publicity after the just-ended strike fiasco, strictly asked the association to give specific cases instead of making generalised allegations.