Delhi, monday, december 14, 2015

www.thehindu.in Regd. DL(ND)-11/6110/2006-07-08 RNI No. TNENG/2012/49940 ISSN 0971 - 751X Vol. 5 No. 296 CITY EDITION 28 Pages Rs. 8.00 ●

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Printed at Chennai, Coimbatore, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Madurai, Noida, Visakhapatnam, Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Vijayawada, Mangaluru, Tiruchirapalli, Kolkata, Hubballi, Mohali, Allahabad, Malappuram and Mumbai

Dilip Kumar presented with Padma Vibhushan

Zero tolerance to terrorism, says Rajnath Singh

Artist Hema, her lawyer found dead in drain

Ted Cruz surges 10 points ahead of Trump in Iowa poll

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RESUMPTION OF TALKS

No secrecy, just precaution: Sharif Process needed time, so publicity was avoided, says Pakistan PM SUHASINI HAIDAR MARY (TURKMENISTAN): Rejecting

criticism over the sudden resumption of India-Pakistan talks, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said that there was no “secrecy” in his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and in the NSA talks in Bangkok. Speaking exclusively to The Hindu on the sidelines of the groundbreaking ceremony for the TAPI pipeline

EXCLUSIVE project in Turkmenistan, Mr. Sharif said the process needed “time and patience.” “I don’t think there is any secrecy around the process. If we didn’t announce anything in advance, it was by way of precaution,” he said, in his first comments on the

Vice-President Hamid Ansari (left), Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani and his Turkmenistan counterpart Gurbanguly Berdimohamedov launch the welding process of the TAPI gas pipeline project in Mary on Sunday. — PHOTO: AFP

talks since he and Mr. Modi met in Paris on November 30. Mr. Sharif’s comments come just ahead of External Afairs Minister Sushma Swaraj’s Parliament briefing on the outcome of the dia-

logue in the past two weeks. Both in Pakistan and in India, the principal Opposition parties have demanded transparency and questioned the need to have kept the Paris and Bangkok meetings a secret. Two days after

the NSA talks on December 6, Ms. Swaraj travelled to Islamabad, and after meeting Mr. Sharif and National Security Adviser Sartaj Aziz, announced the resumption of talks, now called the ‘comprehensive dialogue.’

Foreign Secretaries S. Jaishankar and Aizaz Chaudhry are expected to meet next in Delhi in January to formalise the timetable for Secretary-level talks on various issues. Recounting the turn of events after Mr. Modi and Mr. Sharif met on the sidelines of the COP21 climate change conference in Paris, Mr. Sharif called the meeting “very good and very successful.” “In that short time we were able to agree on the way forward, which led to the NSA meeting [in Bangkok]. And I think the Heart of Asia conference we held in Islamabad gave us the opportunity to take things ahead,” he said. To another question, Mr. Sharif said: “We have just restarted so it needs time, and you must have patience. Let us hope it goes smoothly.”

쐍 WE ARE ON THE RIGHT

TRACK: ANSARI | PAGE 12

Hurdles remain as time runs out for GST Bill

Paris pact will secure earth for future, says Obama as world leaders hail deal

VIKAS PATHAK

VARGHESE K GEORGE

NEW DELHI: As time runs out for

Within four weeks of its setting the tragic backdrop of a global partnership against terrorism, Paris united the world again, this time to fight the bigger threat of climate change, as world leaders hailed the new climate deal by 195 countries. U.S. President Barack Obama on Sunday called it a big step forward in securing the planet for future generations and said the agreement showed what was possible when nations stood together. “This agreement represents the best chance we’ve had to save the one planet we’ve got. I believe this moment can be a turning point for the world,” he said. “As a result of the climate agreement, we can be more confident the earth will be in better shape.” Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has only re-

the passage of the Goods and Services Tax Bill in the ongoing winter session of Parliament, Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Afairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told The Hindu on Sunday: “We hope Parliament works from Monday so that the stalled work begins.” Mr. Naqvi denied that any formal meeting was scheduled with the Congress to forge consensus. The Congress top brass met to chalk out the party’s strategy in the wake of the GST Bill logjam and the National Herald case. Hurdles to the early passage of the Bill include lack of consensus and the disruption of the proceedings in the RS by Congress members.

쐍 INFORMAL TALKS; FURTHER DISRUPTION LIKELY | PAGE 12

BRIEFLY OROP ISSUE Veterans to boycott R-Day celebrations

WASHINGTON:

Disaster response: time to stop making excuses Army help makes the difference between life and death JOSY JOSEPH & VIDYA KRISHNAN NEW DELHI/CHENNAI: When they were last heard, on the night of December 1, Lt. Col. Venkatesan and his wife Geetha were talking loudly to their daughter on the phone. The water level was rising rapidly across most parts of Chennai, and in no time, the nearby river gushed into Defence Colony, Nandambakkam, and engulfed their ground-floor house. While their neighbours moved to the upper floors or rooftops, the old couple were trapped. A neighbour’s eforts to alert the Army to their plight failed. Around the time when the two were drowning, Deepthi Velachamy had gone into labour. Eforts by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to evacuate her on a boat was deemed too risky, and she moved to the rooftop where a Cheetah helicopter of the Indian Air Force (IAF) hovered, and a soldier pulled her into it. The shaky visuals of the daring rescue have gone viral since. On December 4, she gave

birth to twins. Contrasting plight The contrasting plight of the elderly couple and the pregnant young woman captures what is increasingly a consistent feature of natural disasters across India: access to the Indian military rescue team is the only diference between life and death for those afected. There is no other organisation, at the Centre and State levels, that has the kind of logistics capabilities, trained manpower and wil-

lingness to wade into a disaster zone. Before the tiny window of opportunity for timely protest slips away, here is a question for all of us — not just flood-afected residents of Chennai; this is a question for those who ran out during the earthquake in New Delhi last week and those who dealt with Cyclone Phyan in Gujarat a few months ago: what next? The answer, better not be, nothing. Not this time. It has been drilled and etched in our collective brains that the first 72 hours of any disaster, we fend for ourselves. The state response, if at all it comes after that window, will be a welcome and unexpected relief. As was witnessed in Chennai, the Army is more likely to reach you before the local administration. Our Army has been reduced to a disaster relief team, and that is a problem. “Responding to natural disasters for immediate rescue and relief has now become a key function of all three arms of the military. I cannot see any change to it for a very long time to come,” said a senior military oicer involved in recent operations.

쐍 CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

EPFO savings to cross Rs.10-lakh-cr. mark VIKAS DHOOT

cently acknowledged the climate change threat, and Chinese President Xi Jinping, whose joint statement with Mr. Obama in November 2014 set the tone for the Paris deal, did not personally react to the agreement. Representatives of both countries welcomed it. “In Paris, there have been many revolutions over the centuries. Today, it is the most beautiful and the most

peaceful revolution that has oblige the entire global comjust been accomplished,” munity to act against climate French President Francois change. “Despite the fact that a great deal of work is still Hollande said. The agreement represents ahead, it is a sign of hope that “a huge step forward in secu- we will be able to preserve ring the future of the planet,” conditions for living for bilBritish Prime Minister David lions of people,” she said. Cameron said, adding that it DEAL MAY BIND INDIA ON showed what “unity, ambition and perseverance can EMISSION DATA; MONUMENTAL TRIUMPH, SAYS BAN | PAGE 13 do.” German Chancellor AngeHOPE ON CLIMATE & A LONG la Merkel said the deal would ROAD AHEAD | EDITORIAL

NEW DELHI: The retirement savings managed and overseen by the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) are set to cross the Rs.10 lakhcrore mark this month, making it the eleventh largest pension fund in the world. With savings of over 8.5

crore employees in the formal sector from 6.32 lakh establishments, the EPFO is already India’s second largest non-banking financial institution with only Life Insurance Corporation of India having a bigger kitty. “By December-end, the assets under EPFO’s regulation would cross Rs.10 lakh

crore,” Central PF Commissioner K.K. Jalan told The Hindu. “This include Rs. 7 lakh crore remitted to the PF department and managed by our fund managers and Rs. 3 lakh crore managed by the company-run self-managed PF trusts that we regulate.”

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Outrage over death of child during demolition STAFF REPORTER

NEW DELHI: Giving the

government 15 days to begin discussions to resolve the impasse over the issue of One Rank One Pension (OROP), ex-servicemen on Sunday announced that they would boycott Republic Day celebrations on January 26 unless the scheme was implemented in its rightful form.

쐍 NEWS | PAGE 12 MP’S PROPOSAL Eight seats for NRIs NEW DELHI: The Indian diaspora

in various countries abroad plays a large role in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s diplomatic outreach, and now BJP MP Poonam Mahajan is moving a Bill in the Lok Sabha seeking nomination of at least eight NRIs to the Lower House. NEWS | PAGE 12

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EDUCATIONPLUS — 4 Pages

METROPLUS

NEW DELHI: A demolition drive by the railways in Shakur Basti here on Saturday left a six-month-old child dead and thousands of people homeless on the coldest night of the season. Even as the railways defended themselves by saying that a slew of notices were issued to the slum dwellers in the last one year and the infant’s death was not a result of the drive, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who visited the site on Saturday, termed the act ‘inhuman’ and suspended three government oicials for not providing relief material to those afected. As the bulldozers closed in on his shanty on Saturday morning, 28-year-old Anwar found his daughter Roqaiyya “unconscious” under a bundle of clothes they had hurriedly packed. The railways claimed the 1,200 ‘temporary’ structures they had removed were fresh constructions, even as residents produced voter IDs to prove that they have been living there since the early 1990s.

쐍 SEE ALSO PAGE 4

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Seven-year-old girl sexually assaulted by juvenile Victim has undergone surgery, she is out of danger but critical STAFF REPORTER NEW DELHI: A seven-year-old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted by a minor, who is her neighbour in South Delhi’s Tigri on Friday evening. The victim underwent a surgery and her condition is stated to be critical. Even though the juvenile has been apprehended and the police maintained that he was the only accused in the case, the girl’s family said that there were at least three persons involved in the crime. According to the police, around 6.30 pm on Friday, a 16-year-old boy known to the girl called her to play with him at a park in Tigri’s JJ colony. It is alleged that the teenager sodomised the girl while gagging her mouth to prevent her from raising an alarm. “The girl fell unconscious due to the assault following which the boy fled the scene. A PCR call was received about an unconscious girl in the park and the local police was sent

to the spot. Also, the staff of police station of Neb Sarai, who were also patrolling in the area, saw the girl who was rushed to All India Institute of Medical Sciences,” a police officer said. The boy is student of Class IX while the girl studies in Class I. The victim’s sister, however, told The Hindu that there were not just one but three men spotted by their

neighbours who raised an alarm. Countering this, the officer said that the case was registered based on the girl’s statement. The incident drew sharp reactions from local MLA Prakash Jarwal and Congress leader Sharmishtha Mukherjee both of whom hit out at the police for failing to prevent such incidents. The girl underwent an operation

on Friday night. Her condition is stated to be out of danger but she remains critical. Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) Chief Swati Maliwal who met the victim’s family at AIIMS on Sunday alleged that the hospital denied the treatment of the girl for four hours. The hospital, however denied the allegations.

Will issue notice to AIIMS: DCW Chief NEW DELHI: The shocking rape

case evoked sharp criticism on Sunday, with DCW chief Swati Maliwal alleging that the victim was “denied” treatment for four hours at the AIIMS. “Shocked. AIIMS denied treatment to bleeding 7 year old rape victim for 4 hours. Wasn’t given even first aid. Will issue notice. Unacceptable,” she

alleged in a tweet. “Visited seven-year-old girl raped in Delhi. She is in so much pain. Had to undergo two hour surgery. What (a) shame. How many more Nirbhaya will Delhi have?” she said. Several attempts to reach AIIMS officials on the allegation proved futile. The incident comes days ahead of the third

anniversary of the gruesome December 16 gang-rape incident. The Aam Aadmi Party also reacted strongly and expressed concern over the issue while assuring that all measures are being taken to ensure the safety of women in the city. Meanwhile, the mother of the victim claimed the police was not showing the face of the accused. —PTI

Man commits suicide after raping eight-year-old STAFF REPORTER NEW DELHI: Fearing the prospect of facing the society after allegedly raping a child, a 62-yearold retired defence personnel committed suicide by jumping in front of a moving train in Nizamuddin, said the police. Anil Kumar allegedly took the step soon after sexually assaulting an eight-year-old girl at his residence in neighbouring Sunlight Colony. The accused and victim lived in the same four storey residential complex in the area. The girl purportedly told the police that she was returning home after tuition when Kumar pulled her into his room. After assaulting her, he left her at his home and left the house, unnoticed by

The accused and victim lived in the same four storey residential complex in the area anyone and his act undetected till his disappearance. The girl’s mother spotted her daughter crying and informed the neighbours. She was rushed to the hospital and a PCR call was made to inform the police. Police said the accused was not present when a police team reached his home. While the police were searching for him, another PCR call, around 6 p.m. was made in the area, which revealed that Kumar had indeed died. While he left no suicide note, the police connected

the link between the two incidents after talking to the brother of the deceased. The brother, it is learnt, told the police that he had received a call from Kumar who told him about being conscience-stricken having ruined the life of a little girl. The house in which Kumar lived belongs to the brother who lives in Nagpur. “Prima facie it appears, Kumar committed suicide as he might have been filled with remorse and guilt. We have registered a case and conducting the probe from all possible angles,” said a police oicer. Prior to his retirement, Kumar had served in one of the defence forces, which according to a police oicer, was “most likely the Indian Air Force.” He was unmarried.

Woman’s body found in drain

City loses more to theft than its annual budget

STAFF REPORTER

The stolen amount of Rs.44,055 crore is well clear of last year’s budget & higher than the Rs.41,129-crore budget for the ongoing fiscal

NEW DELHI: The partly disrobed

SHUBHOMOY SIKDAR

body of a 35-year-old woman was found in Southwest Delhi’s Dabri on Saturday. Police, who suspect the death to be a case of drug overdose, have rounded up a few foreign nationals suspected to be peddlers who supplied her the contraband. Sexual crime has been ruled out so far, said a police oicer. Earlier, after the recovery of the body from a drain, the police launched a probe during which it came to know that the woman was addicted to drugs. The victim, a mother of two, had left home on Saturday telling family members that she was going to meet some acquaintance. However, when she did not return, the family lodged a complaint with the police. The recovery of the body late in the night led police to launch a probe. A police source said that they now suspect that the woman would have consumed poison in excessive quantities proving to be fatal for her. “It is likely that the people she met to procure the drugs were the ones who feared getting arrested and dumped her body to avoid getting caught,” the source said adding that all angles were being probed.

NEW DELHI: Free registration or free run for thieves! Interpret it the way you want to but numbers reveal that the total estimated worth of property stolen in the State now exceeds its annual budget. Perhaps the first time ever in 2014, the total estimated worth of property alleged to have been stolen in over 10,000 reported cases of theft exceeded the budget amount for the financial year 2014-2015.

Not only the stolen amount of Rs.44,055 crore is well clear of last year’s budget i.e. Rs.36,776 crore presented during the President’s rule but is even higher than the Rs.41,129-crore budget for the ongoing fiscal. The above quoted figures have been sourced from the Delhi Government’s statistical handbook released recently. Going by the numbers of the previous years, this trend of theft amounts eclipsing the budget seems to be new. For instance, the total worth of

Property worth Rs.2,783 crore was recovered in 2014 compared to Rs.2,229 crore in 2013 stolen goods in 2011 was Rs.24,119 crore and the corresponding financial year was Rs.27,067 crore. This trend continued in 2012 when the budget amount shot up to Rs.30,970 crore but property lost to theft

fell to Rs.21,211 crore. The previous years also showed similar trends according to the handbook. The gap seemed to be somewhat closing in 2013 when the theft and budget amounts were Rs.34,594 crore and Rs.37,450 crore respectively. There was also a sharp jump in the number of theft cases registered in 2014 (1,02,958) as compared to the previous year (37,875). However, that the police fail to check theft or crack reported

Constable’s death raises questions SHUBHOMOY SIKDAR NEW DELHI: A constable’s death

— on patrolling duty at a stretch along Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s proposed route — in a suspected hit-and-run case has exposed gaps in the sanitising exercise the Delhi Police conduct prior to such movements. The accident took place under the jurisdiction of Delhi Cantonment area on Sunday morning. The fact that the errant driver could pass through a few more stretches and had not been identified till Sunday night, leaves behind a question: What if miscreants use a similar modus operandi for breaching VIP security? According to Joint Commissioner of Police (South Western Range) Deependra Pathak, since the exercise was conducted three hours before Mr. Abe’s departure, police had time to plug the gaps, if any. He added, the incident took place when preparations were on to ensure seamless movement for the PM's cavalcade proceed towards the Indira Gandhi International Airport.

cases is also reflected in the handbook which shows that the approximate value of property recovered went up marginally. Property worth Rs.2,783 crore was recovered in 2014 compared to Rs.2,229 crore in 2013. This 24 per cent jump in the rate of recovery has clearly failed to keep pace with the 171 per cent increase in the number of thefts in the city. Police oicers say the high estimated amount is mainly attributed to items including cash, jewellery, vehicles and smart phones.

DELHI TODAY Exhibition: "Pure Concept" a group show by top contemporary artists showcasing varied styles of printmaking at Shridharani Art Gallery, Triveni Kala Sangam, 205, Tansen Marg, Mandi House, 11 am - 7 pm Exhibition: "Hungarian Visions" an exhibition of photographs by Illés Tóth at Hungarian Information and Cultural Centre (HICC), 1-A, Janpath, 10 am - 4 pm Exhibition: "G. Reghu: The Ceramic Presence" a show of recent works of

G. Reghu at Art Heritage Gallery (Basement), Triveni Kala Sangam, 205, Tansen Marg, Mandi House, 11 am - 7 pm Talk: NASHIST - highlighting the contribution of composite culture called Ganga Jamuni Tehzeeb through works of artistes, writers and poets. Speakers: Danish Iqbal, Sohail Hashmi, KK Kohli and artistes of Impresario Asia at Habitat World, India Habitat Centre (IHC), 7 pm Talk: "The Socratic Mind and the Civ-

ic Task of Philosophy: Gadflies in the Public Space" by Dr. Ramin Jahanbegloo, Associate Professor NoorYork Chair in Islamic Studies York University Toronto-Canada at Conference Room - 1, Main Building, India International Centre (IIC), 6:30 pm Talk: Penguin Annual Lecture 2015: "The Joy of Writing" by Ruskin Bond at Habitat World, India Habitat Centre (IHC), 7 pm (Mail your listings for this column at [email protected])

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When their lives came crumbling down The slum dwellers had received several eviction notices before, this time too they hoped it would pass... but it didn’t SWETA GOSWAMI

‘Packing chaos claimed our daughter’s life’

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or the slum dwellers living along the Shakur Basti cement siding railway terminal, the eviction notice they received on the evening of December 11 was nothing but "just another day" in their lives. Like the previous times they heard of such notices, this time too they hoped it shall pass. However, the morning that followed unfolded a diferent story with the slum dwellers waking up to bulldozers, heavy police deployment and a death of a sixmonth old girl, Roqaiyya. Even as the rubble from Saturday’s intensive demolition drive by the Railways lay still on Sunday, the air was filled with activity. The already dusty atmosphere owing to the cement siding warehouse got worse by frequent moveTRAGEDY the ment of police vans, STRIKES ambulances and othgovernment cars Shakur Basti er each vehicle throwing a thick cloud of dust in the air. Men were seen tying up bamboo poles to make temporary rooms; their discussions rarely touching on how their tragedy has become a fresh battleground for yet another confrontation between “political parties” – the AAP government and the Centre. Women, on the other hand, were busy kneading dough and making piles of chapatis. Like all other things lying around, a wooden box-cum table and a mirror which were fastened to a Neem tree too were coated with an inch of dust. 52year old Ratan Thakur claims the tiny table is his only “workplace” – he is a barber. “Every male who lived in the slum used

Kejriwal had taken up the issue earlier C

hief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had written to Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu urging him to look into the issue of rehabilitation of JJ dwellers staying along the rail track on “priority” basis. In his letter to Mr. Prabhu dated December 1, Mr. Kejriwal assured that the Delhi government would extend “full” co-operation for providing flats constructed under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) for relocation of JJ dwellers. “I would like to impress upon you to get the matter regarding rehabilitation of JJ dwellers squatting in the safety zone (15 metres on either sides of rail track) examined on priority. In the letter, the Delhi CM also drew Prabhu’s attention towards an old communiqué between the two regarding new Delhi Slum Rehabilitation and Relocation Policy, 2015, which is currently under Union Ministry of Urban Development’s examination. “Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) will extend full co-operation for providing flats constructed under JNNURM for relocation of these dwellers,” the CM wrote. — Staf Reporter

‘It’s a man-made hell’

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elhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal described the situation at Shakurbasti as a “man-made hell”. Ms. Maliwal visited the site in west Delhi, took to Twitter to express her anger and said, “Visited man-made hell in Shakur Basti. 5,000 women and girls now homeless. Plastic sheet on head that is their home also snatched away.” In another tweet, she said “an 11-yearold girl got 9 stitches on head in stampede during demolition. Unable to give exam tomorrow [sic]” Ms. Maliwal stressed on the need for rehabilitation while carrying out such a drive. “There are so many other children who have got injured”. The panel is in the process of getting their statements but with no proper rehabilitation policy, it’s a mammoth task to provide shelter and safety to thousands rendered homeless after the drive. “These are poorest of the poor . We cannot drive away those who have been settled here for 20 years. It is nothing short of a criminal act,” Ms. Maliwal said. — Staf Reporter CM YK

LIFE CUT SHORT

Parents of Rokaiyya Khatoon, who died late on Saturday, at a jhuggi camp in Shakur Basti. PHOTO: SHANKER CHAKRAVARTY SWETA GOSWAMI NEW DELHI: It was around 9:30 am on Saturday when 28year-old Anwar found his six-month-old daughter, Roqaiyya “unconscious” under a bundle of clothes.

Families walk among the rubble of their homes, which were destroyed on Saturday. PHOTO: SHANKER CHAKRAVARTY

to come to me for a shave, a haircut or even a head massage. My saloon has been under this tree for the past 12 years and now nothing is left,” said Thakur. While the children played with the debris, running around dysfunctional tracks and stagnated water, an 11-year old girl, bandaged on the head, shivered in the cold as she lay inside a tent built by the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB). “People became too panicky.

Some were hurriedly gathering belongings of their families while others were running in horror. It was almost a stampede like situation and it is then that she fell and got 9 stitches,” said Kamal Singh who has been living in the stretch since three decades. By 5 pm, the arrangements of tents and toilets by the DUSIB could be seen in the front part of the slum cluster. Walking just a kilometre ahead, people could

be seen juggling with their broken shanties where the government tents and above all, toilets were far from sight. It is here, just behind the boundary wall of the Shakurbasti Railway Terminal that Shafina Khatun, mother of the deceased toddler, quietly wept. As the winter chill spiked, a group of men gathered around a fire and spoke of the “contrasts in the government’s actions.” Flashing their voter id cards or

Aadhar cards, they said, “Why were we given these ID/Address proofs if were are illegally living here? During elections, they (political parties) want us to vote and make our cards, only to later evict us?” Mohammad Irfan who works in the cement warehouse said his father came to this part of Shakurbasti in the year 1995. “We have been here for generations. I got my Voter ID card from this jhuggi in 2002,” said Irfan.

He along with his wife and brother-in-law were hurriedly packing their belongings before the bulldozers could raze the column of shanties along the boundary wall of Shakur Basti railway terminal, one of which was their home. As his daughter failed to respond to any stimulus, Anwar and his brother-inlaw, Mohammad Sarvar Alam, rushed her to Bhagwan Mahavir Hospital in Pitampura where the doctors said she was brought dead. Criticizing the police for not being sensitive towards their grief, Anwar said, “We took her to the hospital at around 9:40 am. By that time, somebody in the jhuggi had dialled 100. As we returned from the hospital after an hour, police was all around and they demanded that Roqaiyya be taken to Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital for ‘better treatment’. How

CM on warpath, no agency ready to accept blame MARIA AKRAM NEW DELHI: “These oicials are

not humans. They are animals,” was Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s reaction when he saw the remains of the thousands of flattened jhuggis in Shakurbasti station area on Saturday night. Referring to the Railways’ officials, who carried out the demolition drive to clear way for a railway terminal, Delhi Government opened another front with the Centre (Railway Ministry) for razing shanties when the temperature dropped drastically and without informing their departments. During the demolition drive, a six-month-old baby died. While the Railways claimed that the baby was dead before the earthmovers levelled the shanties, Delhi government had ordered a magisterial inquiry in the matter. Taking a jibe at the Railways

for their biasness towards the poor ‘encroachers’ while the rich are let of, Mr Kejriwal tweeted, “There are court orders to raze properties of some rich and politicians in Delhi. Those orders are never implemented [sic]” The CM and Home Minister, Satyender Jain, told the media that a case against the oicials will be registered. “There is no national emergency like situation. I am sure even after six months, Railways will not start work,” said Mr Jain. The government ordered its oicials to send relief material such as blankets and food to the afected people. However, in the night when the CM visited and he didn’t find any rehabilitation measures taken up, three oicials were suspended- two sub-district magistrates and one superintendent engineer. The Chief Minister , in a way

Slum dwellers warm themselves by a fire after their homes were demolished on Saturday. PHOTO: SHANKER CHAKRAVARTY

to punish the Railways’ oicials, said that they should pay up for the compensation to the family. “It will be deducted from the salaries of the oicers who have conducted these raids.” While the railways maintained that the encroachment was ‘fresh’, Mr Kejriwal said the people had been living

there since 1992-94. Sources said that Delhi government may move court seeking FIR against those who ordered to carry out demolition drive as Parliament had issued a Special Provision Act according to which no demolition can be carried out until government needs land urgently. “Even during Commonwealth Games, these jhuggis were not demolished. So what was the urgency about,” Mr Jain said. No role in demolition: DUSIB Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) on Sunday claimed to have no role in the slum demolition tragedy as they had no information of the demolition drive and added that no survey was done before carrying it out. “We had no information of this demolition. It was not carried out following rule of policy,” said VK Jain,

Parties politicise baby’s death AAP calls demolition drive an “inhuman action” by the Modi govt; Congress blames Kejriwal STAFF REPORTER NEW DELHI: The death of a toddler in a demolition drive in Shakur Basti gave political parties another chance for mudslinging, with the Aam Aadmi Party blaming the BJP-led Centre and the Congress pointing the finger at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The demolition of shanties by the Railways on Saturday was condemned by the AAP as an “inhuman action of the Modi Government of illegally demolishing 500 jhuggis”. The AAP added that that it held the Centre responsible for the death of the six-month-old girl and asked the Kejriwal Government to start criminal proceedings against the Railways oicials who planned the demolition. Citing Supreme Court orders against razing slums set up before 2006, AAP leader Kumar Vishwas said: “Even if the Railways claims that the jhuggis were established after 2006, they should have approached the Delhi Government to verify that fact. The Delhi Govern-

chief executive oicer, DUSIB. As per the policy, a survey before demolition is to be done and those who have the right of rehabilitation have to be rehabilitated. He further said that the shelter board has drafted its policy on slum rehabilitation and shared with the Railway Ministry. “The Railways had given Rs. 11 crore in 2003 for 4,400 slums, out of which 257 slums were relocated. There are more than 50,000 slums near railway tracks now and the people cannot be rehabilitated with just Rs 11 crore. We are ready to adjust Rs. 11 crore and its interest with whatever will be the cost of rehabilitation,” he added. Mr Jain told the media that proper arrangements have been made for the slum dwellers of Shakur Basti, who have been left homeless. “We are looking into their papers as well.”

can doctors, however big the hospital may be, treat a dead child?” It was just a pretext to get the postmortem done on my child, he added. While his wife, Shafina Khatun preferred to stay mum seated on a cot over the demolished rubble of what was once their home, Anwar looked distraught. “We were extremely tensed as the bulldozers inched closer. Policemen with lathis were pressurising us to make it quick. So, we got busy packing whatever we could manage. It is in the chaos that my child died. Had we got even five days’ time to make alternate arrangements, I would have been playing with Roqaiyya now,” said Anwar who works as a daily wage labour. Speaking of the visits by ministers and politicians, he said that Home Minister Satyendra Jain promised the family a compensation of Rs 1 lakh along with other assistance. “I just earn Rs 200-250 per day, the compensation is a good gesture. But, that wont bring my daughter back,” he added.

DDA postpones all demolitions AKANKSHA JAIN NEW DELHI: After news of how

DDAs recent demolition drive left many homeless in winter, the land agency on Sunday said all its demolition drives have been postponed to sometime after winters. “In view of the unfortunate incident during the demolition drive carried out by another agency and keeping in view the winter season, the DDA has decided to defer the demolition programs after the winter season. In this regard, DDA will seek clarification from National Green Tribunal,” the DDA said. The DDA asserted that it had carried out the Belagaon area demolition drive in pursuance of the orders of the NGT as per which no agriculture activity or construction is permitted in the Yamuna Flood Zone.

Railway oicials meet furious Kejirwal STAFF REPORTER

Slum dwellers had to fend for themselves on the coldest day of the season. PHOTO: SHANKER CHAKRAVARTY

ment agency – DUSIB – is the only one authorised to carry out the survey to ascertain the time frame.” The Delhi Congress in turn blamed the AAP Government for not acting earlier. After visiting the site twice, senior Congress leaders said the Chief

Minister only visited Shakur Basti at 1 a.m., while the demolition work was on for hours. The Congress also pressed into service party workers to help those left homeless after the drive by handing out warm clothes and food. Meanwhile, BJP leader R.P.

Singh said the Delhi Government should have made arrangements for the rehabilitation of those evicted through DUSIB. But he added that the “Railways should have waited for winter to get over before carrying out the drive.”

NEW DELHI: As a controversy broke out over its decision to carry out a demolition drive at a time when the city is braving chilly weather, the railways tried to defend itself on Sunday by saying that the slum dwellers of Shakur Basti were issued notices thrice this year and that the death of a toddler ‘has no connection with the drive’. On Sunday, Northern Railway General Manager A K Puthia and Mr. Arora met Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal to explain the reason behind the anti encroachment drive but it appears that a diference of opinion persisted between the two sides. In a statement, the railways said that 1,200 temporary structures were demolished that were 'fresh' constructions, despite the residents of the area saying that they have been living at the site for decades, with Voter IDs to buttress their claim. Railways said that the drive was carried out after giving due notice to the slum dwellers and earlier notices were issued on March 14 and September 30, 2015.

Slum dwellers hold up their 10-yeard-old voter ID cards that were made based on their Shakur Basti address. PHOTO: SHANKER CHAKRAVARTY

The statement also said that the child had passed away two hours before the drive had begun. Delhi Divisional Railway Manager Arun Arora also told reporters that the encroachments had become a risk for train operations because the slums were situated within the 15-metre of safety zone. The railways also said the National Green Tribunal had ordered that the tracks should be cleared of solid waste and garbage that was being dumped by the slum dwellers. ND-ND

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Hitting the brick wall in an unplanned city Officials admit that Engineering Departments, meant to crack down on illegal construction and check plans for safety, are a den of corruption DAMINI NATH

‘We have limited resources to act’

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ampant illegal construction and municipal oicials who either look the other way or, in some cases even make profit from it, have made building plans and completion certificates almost irrelevant for house owners and builders. Anyone who wants to construct or renovate a house in Delhi is supposed to have a permit or a sanction plan from the local municipal corporation, failing which the building can be demolished. But, with about 70 per cent of the city being unplanned, building plans remain a requirement on paper and eforts to make the system smoother and online don’t really make much diference. This financial year, till November 30, the East Delhi Municipal Corporation had sanctioned 541 building plans, of which 194 were online During CRADLE TO applications. the same period, the GRAVE EDMC issued only two completion certifiPart VIII cates, meaning that the rest of the new buildings in East Delhi this year have come up illegally. In 2014, the North Delhi Municipal Corporation had received 315 applications for building plans for both residential and commercial properties. It rejected 31 of those. However, senior oicials admitted that hardly any completion certificates had been issued in the past few years. The South Delhi Municipal Corporation has sanctioned 681 building plans and issued 497 completion certificates this financial year. Oicials admit that the Engineering Departments, which are meant to crack down on illegal construction, and issues certificates after checking plans for structural safety and adherence to Building ByeLaws, are a den of corruption. This was evident from a recent experience of a South Delhi businessman who waited for three months for a completion certificate for his five-storey house. “I had submitted copies of all the maps and other documents they wanted, but they kept calling me back with unnecessary flaws. They threatened to charge me Rs.80 lakh in compounding fees by claiming

Delhi records first single digit temperature of the season STAFF REPORTER NEW DELHI: Single degree temperatures are not common in the city in the first half of December but snowfall in the hills has managed to get the temperatures to dip drastically. The city woke up to a chilly morning with the minimum dipping to 6.8 degrees Celsius but unlike on Saturday, there was bright sunshine and no mist in the morning. There was some relief with regards to air quality as levels of deadly particulate matter, both fine PM2.5 and coarse PM10, saw a dip on Sunday due to icy-cold north-westerly winds that helped in dispersing pollutants. Air quality over the past week had remained very poor, with three or four monitoring stations reporting “severe” pollution warnings. But, on Sunday, the National Air Quality Index only showed a severe warning for Anand Vihar, where the PM2.5 level peaked at 441 micrograms per cubic metre, over seven times the standard of 60. Saturday saw the maximum temperature dip to 15.7 degrees, which was unusual for this time of the year and the night recorded the season’s first single degree temperature. Gurgaon was the coldest region of the NCR with the night temperature dipping to 3.4 degrees Celsius, informed the MeT Department. The maximum temperature on Sunday was 21 degrees Celsius. The forecast for Monday says there will be a clear sky with moderate fog in the morning. Temperatures are like to hover between 22 and 7 degrees Celsius. Dense fog is likely to set in only after December 17 and minimum temperatures are likely to stay in the single digits for the next four days.

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SDMC Standing Committee chairperson Radhey Shyam Sharma on the challenges of illegal construction and the road ahead DAMINI NATH

that the construction was not as per the plan,” he said. Eventually, sick of being harassed, he approached a middleman, who got the certificate four months after the initial application – but after a bribe of Rs.25 lakh was paid. “There is no point to have an online system because the work only happens through agents,” said the businessman. Experts say, laxity on the part of authorities could end up costing

Anyone who wants to construct or renovate a house is supposed to have a permit or a sanction plan Delhiites heavy in case of a natural disaster, like the earthquake that struck Nepal earlier this year. Prof. Mahesh Tandon, the President of the Indian Association of Structural Engineers, said that with

structural safety being ignored, Delhi was facing a disaster. “People are building three floors on walls too thin to take the weight. The municipal corporations should be following the National Building Code, even though it is recommendatory,” he said. Meanwhile, the corporations are trying to crack down on the graft by reducing the amount of personal interaction. “Any point of contact is a potential

source of discretion, so by making the services online we are not only simplifying the process for citizens, but reducing chances of corruption,” said a senior EDMC oicial. He also added that CCTV cameras and information boards with FAQs has been installed recently at the Citizen Service Bureaus of Zonal oices, where people come to submit applications, in order to make the system more transparent and user-friendly.

What are the challenges in improving the system for sanctioning building plans? There are no regulations at present for sanctioning building plans in unauthorised colonies and the matter falls within the purview of the Delhi Government. But, there are some procedural issues when it comes to stopping illegal construction in unauthorised and authorised colonies. We have limited resources to act against illegal constructions. Coupled with lack of police force and protests by locals, builders end up taking advantage of this. What has SDMC done to improve the process ? The most important step was to introduce the single window clearance. We have now provided a log-in to all the departments concerned. They can issue the NOC directly through our system, so the applicant need not run around. If all the documents are uploaded, the sanction plan is issued online within seven days and the architect can download the letter. We have also reduced the paperwork by combining a group of aidavits into one document. What has the SDMC planned for making the process easier? As to unauthorised colonies, we have sought suggestions from all departments and agencies concerned to combat illegal construction. For other colonies, we are in course of expanding our online modules for granting building plans for institutional plots and regularised colonies.

Toll boot operator shot at STAFF REPORTER NEW DELHI: A toll booth operator was shot at by three unidentified men who had come in a car to Outer Delhi’s Achaundi border in the early hours of Sunday. Police said they suspect personal enmity between the two sides as prima facie, robbery or refusal to pay toll did not seem to be the case. The victim Bhupendra works for a contractor whose services have been hired by the

Municipal authorities for toll collection. According to the police, the assailants were masked and entered into an argument with Bhupendra which later took a violent turn when they assaulted him with iron rods. “When Bhupendra’s colleagues tried to come to his rescue, they were assaulted as well. They then tried to run away but the attackers took out firearms and shot a few rounds. Two bullets hit Bhupendra on his feet,” said an oicer.

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A BOOST to public transport

Oicialdom in a gridlock An ‘impulsive’ decision by the Chief Minister has bureaucrats and the public fretting and fuming

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mbitious as it is, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government's proposed odd-even vehicle rationing scheme seems to have thrown almost every other aspect of governance out of gear, oicials claim. Several oicials from an assortment of government departments that included the environment, transport departments and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) admitted as much at the Delhi Secretariat earlier last week. Preparing for the third in a series of such meetings which were convened throughout the day to discuss proposals that could be made part of the scheme this Thursday, Oicials complained they weren't "doing anything else except paper work ever since the scheme was announced". According to them, their oicial duties, over the last fortnight, had consisted only "preparing presentations and attending lengthy meetings" with senior government functionaries and AAP cabinet ministers. Most of these meetings were, apparently, "repetitive" given the "lack of clarity" that the ministers themselves had on the scheme which is understood to have been announced "on an impulse" by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. ✪✪✪✪

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ith the Delhi government all set to go ahead with its plan to restrict the vehicles on roads on the basis of their even-odd numbers from

ficulty in reaching the court on the given date, another counsel said he will have to buy two cars to appear in his ongoing matters regularly. ✪✪✪✪

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the New Year's Day, lawyers in the Capital have sought exemption from the policy, saying they use their vehicles as a “moving oice” for carrying their case files, records and law books to the courts. It is not possible for lawyers to use public transport system, as they have to attend their cases at diferent times in various courts, tribunals and forums scattered in farflung areas of Delhi, said the Delhi High Court Bar Association president Rajiv Khosla in a communication to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal last week. A few lawyers appearing in the courts have started seeking the dates of next hearing on the basis of the day when they will be able to bring out their even or odd number registered cars on the city roads. The High Court's Division Bench headed by Chief Justice G. Rohini, which refused to pass any interim direction on the public interest litigations against the decision, received several such requests last week. While a lawyer explained her dif-

ast week, while the municipal corporations began their budget proceedings for 20162017, as usual there was a shroud of secrecy around the proposals. The oices of the Press and Information Departments saw last-minute changes as the speeches of the commissioners were printed. This time, however, the friendly competition ended up going to the next level, with oicers of the North and South Delhi corporations, which share the headquarters at Civic Centre, on the lookout for leaks. A senior oicial ended up going to the press by himself, without the usual battery of staf to help with final touches on the booklet, because he feared that proposals would be leaked to another corporation. With the BJP being in charge of the three municipalities, the budgets that will be finalised in the coming months will be quite similar. Even so, rumours about information being leaked swirled through the civic bodies till the Commissioners presented their budget. Contributions by Jatin Anand, Mohammed Iqbal and Damini Nath

Permits for 10,000 new autos as Delhi readies for odd-even scheme The AAP-government has also announced 6,000 new buses to be added to the existing fleet STAFF REPORTER NEW DELHI: In a move to strengthen the public transport in the Capital ahead of the implementation of the odd-even vehicle scheme, the Delhi government has decided to issue permits to 10,000 new autorickshaws by the end of December. The AAP-government has also announced 6,000 new buses to be added to the existing fleet to ensure hassle-free travel for commuters. As per Delhi’s Transport Department, there are, at present, nearly 80,000 autos plying in the city and the new addition will help commuters to travel with ease during the 15day trial period. “In view of the odd-even scheme, the government has expedited the process of issuing permits to 10,000 new autorickshaws and by the end of December, the transport department will issue the same,” a government oicial said. The Transport Department has set a range of permit conditions for the ply-

As per Delhi’s Transport Department, there are nearly 80,000 autos plying in the city at present .— FILE PHOTO

ing of autos which include fare meter fitted with Global Positioning System (GPS) among others. “As part of the government's plan to provide

last-mile connectivity to commuters in Delhi, 10,000 new permits will give a boost to public transport, which is being augmented ahead of the

odd-even formula,” the oicial added. On Friday, the government had announced that all autorickshaws and taxis will be

brought under one app, PoochO, facilitating commuters to book them through smartphones during the trial of odd—even scheme. Also, the government will issue a notification by next week, allowing autorickshaws to ply in double shifts. Owners will be authorised to give their autos on rent on a shift basis to drivers who have valid licences, the oicial said. Last year, in November 2014, the Delhi government had sought the Supreme Court's permission to add 2 lakh more autorickshaws to the existing fleet reasoning that absence of adequate and cheap mode of public transport in the Capital often results in three-wheeler drivers fleecing and misbehaving with people. Delhi has the lowest population-to-autorickshaw ratio among metros as there were only one lakh three-wheelers to meet the demands of 1.63 crore people. In comparison, Mumbai had a population of 1.84 crore with 2.46 lakh autorickshaws.

950 cartons of liquor seized in Ghaziabad GHAZIABAD: Joint teams of Indirapuram police and excise department has seized 950 cartoons of country—made foreign liquor smuggled from Haryana, police said today. Following a tip—of, the teams stopped a truck near UP Gate for checking and re-

covered 11,400 full bottles worth around 50 lakhs inside the truck, Deputy Superintendent of Police Atul Yadav said. Police have impounded the truck and arrested its driver Gulchain Singh, the oicer said.— PTI

Delhi woman gang-raped NEW DELHI/ MEERUT: A 31-year-old woman from Kashmere Gate was allegedly gang-raped by three men in a car at Pallavpuram, the police said on Sunday. The incident took place on Saturday and as the victim’s condition deteriorated the accused admitted her to a nursing home on Delhi-Haridwar road and fled. The victim, a married woman, told the police she

had come across - Nakul some six months ago. He would talk regularly with her. Later, he proposed a court marriage and asked her to accompany him to Dehradun for the purpose. She decided to go with him in his car. Two other youths also accompanied them and the woman alleged that she was gang-raped by the three.— PTI

DEATH

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LOST/FOUND I, Jithesh V, S/o Vishwanathan K, R/o121 Sarita Vihar New Delhi, have lost the following documents: Class 10 certificate (CBSE,1989), Class 12 certificate (CBSE,1991), MBBS Degree certificate(University of Kerala,1997), Registration certificate (TCMC). Finders pl call: 8826561010

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A struggle to save a Manipur man’s leg PETLEE PETER BENGALURU: It is now a race

against time for 30-year-old Songinmang Khongsai, whose leg was battered in a hit-and-run incident on November 9 on the Intermediate Ring Road, Domlur. The native of Manipur, the sole breadwinner for a family of six, including his ageing parents back home, has to raise money by Tuesday to save his right leg. Fondly called Mangcha by his friends, Songinmang’s pleas for help to meet his escalating medical expenses have spread all over social media. His friends and fellow Songinmang Khongsai (30) alias Mangcha, a victim of a hit-and natives have posted his plight -run case being treated at a hospital in Bengaluru. He was on crowd funding site severely injured in the right leg and has been operated upon four www.ketto.org to collect times. — PHOTO: PETLEE PETER funds in a desperate bid.

The Hindu met Mangcha and he recalled the horrific evening. “It was around 6.45 p.m. and I was heading to work on my motorcycle. As I came near Dell building, a car took a uturn knocking me down and sped away. I realised this excruciating pain in my right leg and I don’t know what happened next,” added Mangcha who worked as a bar assistant in Domlur. Some good samaritans rushed him to a few hospitals and he was finally admitted to the BMJH where doctors have performed four surgeries to salvage his badly crushed leg. “Mangcha is scheduled for a reconstructive flap surgery on Tuesday. His injury is severe with tissue and bone damage. We are desperately

trying to save the leg from possible amputation,” averred Deepak Shetty treating Mangcha at BMJH. Hailing from a village in Churachandpur district, Manipur, Mangcha came to Bengaluru few years ago to find work and support his struggling family. “My friends and I are running from pillar to post to raise funds to pay Mangcha’s medical bills which has crossed over Rs. 3.50 lakh already. We are determined to save his leg,” added Roland who has sold his motorcycle for money. Friends and well-wishers have ofered support by small donations and prayers to save Mangcha who will be going under the knife on Tuesday to salvage his right leg.

‘Beep’ song lands Tamil actor, composer in trouble SRUTHISAGAR YAMUNAN CHENNAI: The expletives in

the ‘Beep’ song that has landed Tamil actor R. Silambarasan (Simbu) and music composer R. Anirudh in trouble may have been “beeped out’ as the song title suggests. But it has caused an outrage as listeners feel it would not require a genius to recognise the words that condescends women. Though Mr. Anirudh has disowned the number in a statement and has said that it was neither his composition nor his lyrics, the song had gone viral on social media with both the personalities’ name. Film historians and experts feel the lyrics border on “obscenity” and it would be hard to find a precedent to even attempt a

words. The songs often take the character of blaming the woman for all the ills, especially in the aspect of failed love afairs. In the instant case, the use of beeped-out expletives along with the misogynistic idea of the song has shocked listeners. Sampath Kumar, former Tamil film actor Silambarasan BBC correspondent and professor at the Asian — PHOTO: B. JOTHI RAMALINGAM College of Journalism, who justification. While the use had done a 60-part series on of expletives could be a Tamil film music history necessity in portrayal of titled ‘Patondru Kanden’, certain aspects of the said that the diference lies society in cinematic in the aesthetics. narration, the context here While Vaali and is crucial. Kannadasan were able to Misogyny has been a couch problematic ideas in consistent aspect of Tamil lyrics of high literary value, lyrics with even greats like the current generation has Kannadasan, Vaali and hardly a few with the many others having penned language command needed highly awkward and to engage in that manner. sometimes chauvinistic “It is not that such lyrics

become all right when good language is used. Misogyny is unacceptable in any form. But in the current song, you could see brazenness in the obscenity used. I cannot recall another song with such crass lyrics as this one,” he said, adding that the All India Radio for long had a desk to censor songs with what they thought was obscene. Tamil film historian Vamanan said it was ironic that at a time when lyrics have lost relevance in Tamil film music, due to “cacophony of noise” characterised by the precedence to loud beats, some like the Beep song put focus back on it albeit in a negative fashion. “The idea today seems to be to write or compose songs for the sake of making it go viral on social

media. I call this the ‘viral’ infection,” he charged. Lyricist Thamarai, one of the few woman song writers in Tamil cinema, said that the question of where the writers of such obscene lyrics come from was important. The controversial ‘Beep’ song that has gone viral has posed some legal issues. While Mr. Anirudh disowned the song, a statement attributed to a lawyer of Mr. Silambarasan said the song, which was not the final version and meant for private listening, had been leaked to tarnish their image. Based on a complaint, the Coimbatore police have filed a case under Section IV of the Indecent Representation of Women Act and Section 67 of the IT Act.

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THE HINDU MONDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2015

RCE-Tirupati to focus on Eastern Ghats A.D. RANGARAJAN TIRUPATI: In a major boost to the sustainable development of the Eastern Ghats, with special focus on its fragile environment, the United Nations University has sanctioned a Regional Centre of Expertise (RCE) to Tirupati. The RCE-Tirupati will be part of the Foundation for Environmentally Sustainable Development with Focus on health, education, awareness and livelihoods, which will have Ramamurthi Rallapalli, formerly Vice-Chancellor of Sri Venkateswara University, as its Chairman. The project was cleared by Ubuntu Alliance of twelve agencies, including the UNESCO, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations University and the World Conservation Union (WCU). The region initially selected for operation is the stretch comprising Chittoor, Kadapa, Nellore and Prakasam districts. While the former two are strewn with mountains, valleys, forests, plaints with agricultural land, the coastal districts are known for farmland, wetlands, shrimp farms and islands, involving a total population of 13.2 million. In fact, out of the 127 RCEs spread across the globe, there are only five in India viz., the RCE-Srinagar, working on western Himalayas, the RCEGuwahati on Eastern Himalayas, the RCE-Chandigarh on wetland ecosystems, the RCETERI (Goa) on Youth empowerment and energy and the RCE-Kodagu on traditional knowledge and tribal communities of Western Ghats. The RCE-Tirupati will work on a mix of features like Eastern Ghats, coastal communities, marine ecosystem and biodiversity. “This RCE is special be-

LDF, UDF slam move to keep Chandy out of PM function GIRISH MENON THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Sree Na-

We will focus on ecotourism by providing livelihood for forest fringe dwellers, says RCE chairman Ramamurthi Rallapalli. — PHOTO: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

cause of the influx of 50,000 people a day to Tirupati, the rich cultural diversity comprising artisans and artists, the presence of tribal communities, marine biodiversity prone to storm surges and tidal waves, the Ramsar lake of Pulicat and the presence of Tsunami-hit region,” Prof. Ramamurthi told The Hindu. The RCE-Tirupati might in future cater to the extended region of central and northern Andhra Pradesh, besides Odisha. The centre aims at capacity building in target groups such as schools and colleges and creating awareness among the forest, tribal and coastal communities on the importance of bio-resources, their judicious use and conservation. The idea is also to achieve institutional convergence and participatory intervention for management of ecosystem and watersheds, besides promoting the culture of transformative education in institutions. “This apart, we will focus on ecotourism by providing livelihood for forest fringe dwellers and marine coastal communities, making development and management sustainable,” he added.

rayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam general secretary Vellapally Natesan came under attack from Left Democratic Front and United Democratic Front leaders for the decision to keep Chief Minister Oommen Chandy out of the Prime Minister’s function to unveil the statue of former Congress Chief Minister R. Sankar in Kollam on Tuesday. Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president V.M. Sudheeran said on Sunday he would hold a prayer meeting when the unveiling of the statue takes place in Kollam on Wednesday. He accused the Sangh Parivar, the BJP and Vellapally Natesan of trying to hijack the legacy of Sankar, whose was the State’s public property and a historical personality. Mr. Natesan was nothing but a ‘puppet’ in the hands of the BJP. He had lost the moral right to continue in oice of an organisation that had unblemished record of upholding social values. The CPI (M) said the move was part of the sinister agenda of the RSS. The decision of the SNDP general secretary to reduce the function to an RSS affair was akin to rebutting the values and tradition of the SNDP, the party State Secretariat said in a statement. The CPI State council said that the decision was not a justifiable act. “It is the outcome of the Congress and the Chief Minister’s soft approach towards Sangh Parivar forces that had led to such a situation,” it said here in a statement.

쐍 CONG. MAY RAISE INSULT

TO CHANDY IN HOUSE TODAY:

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Goof-up by J&K Tourism dept. SRINAGAR: In an embarrassment

to the Jammu and Kashmir government, the State Tourism department floated a tender for procuring oice equipment, asking the suppliers to deliver and install the items at “Quaid-e-Azam University in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad.” The terms and conditions of the tender notice, which was floated last month, seem to have been copied from a similar tender from Pakistan University without editing any details or even the contact number. The error has since been rectified but not before the screenshots of the same were circulated around. — PTI

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Floods fail to dampen Chennai music fest

Dilip Kumar gets Padma Vibhushan, turns emotional

It offers a livelihood to many small and accompanying artists during the ‘Margazhi’ season

MUMBAI: Ailing legendary actor

STRONG SPIRIT

B. KOLAPPAN AND DEEPA H. RAMAKRISHNAN CHENNAI: The 88-year-old Chennai December Music Festival, originally began as part of the Congress conference in 1927, has never faced a dilemma — even during tsunami in 2004 — about cancelling event as it did in 2015 in the wake of the flood. But the initial discordant notes trailed of and the music started flowing again. “We are not going to serve the cause by throwing solidarity with the victims and remaining silent. Initially there was a moral dilemma with the flush of emotions running high. After calmer and more reasoned thinking there is a consensus that artists and organisations make a contribution towards the cause. We must also take into consideration that the livelihood of a lot of artists depends on the December season,” said N. Murali, President of the Music Academy. Pointing out that never

The Music season has had always been the resilient spirit of Chennai. A file photo of audience at the Music Academy during a concert. — PHOTO: V. GANESAN once in the past the festival and accompanying artists on December 24 and the forwas stopped, he said the Mu- who will be moving one sabha mer Chief Minister MGR’s sic season had always been to another as part of their pro- death on December 24, 1987, did not prevent the music festhe resilient spirit of Chennai. fession,” he said. Historian V. Sriram wonMr. Sriram said neither the tival. Expressing the similar sendered why the season should World War II and the evacuabe cancelled when theatres tion of Chennai in 1942 and timent that calling of the concontinue to screen films and 1943 nor the Indo-Chinese certs would deprive many the sale of liquor in the TAS- war in 1962 stopped the festiv- musicians of their livelihood, MAC liquor shops continue al. The death of Rajaji on De- Y. Prabhu, general secretary unabated. “The season ofers cember 25, 1972, the death DK of the Sri Krishna Gana Saba livelihood to many small founder Periyar a year later ha, said sponsorship from

corporate houses for the event would be cut if there was no festival. “Many young musicians use the season to showcase their talents and get opportunities to perform abroad,” Mr. Prabhu said. Music lovers are also eagerly looking for the season. Priya Krishnan, a resident of Koyambedu said “whether it was tsunami or floods or even bomb blasts we have always bounced back. The show must go on. It will help heal wounds.” Caterers with mouth-watering dishes that have always been part of the music season were also confident that they would do well. But the flood has afected the hospitality sector. L. Manohar, a realtor, who manages short stay homes in R.A. Puram said he the bookings were not encouraging. “Usually second line artists and NRI rasikas would have begun coming in by this time. This year I have even had a few cancellations,” he said.

Dilip Kumar, known as the “tragedy king of Bollywood,” turned emotional on Sunday when he was presented with Padma Vibhushan by Home Minister Rajnath Singh at his residence in suburban Bandra. The 93-year-old veteran, who shot to fame with Naya Daur, Jugnu, Andaz and Devdas and went on to give sterling performances in over 60 Hindi films, was given the second-highest civilian award comprising a medal, certificate and shawl in the presence of the actor’s 71-year-old wife Saira Bano. Mr. Kumar, in a black suit, could barely open his eyes and was helped by Saira when the national honour was conferred on him. He felt happy and got emotional at the recognition, Ms. Saira said. After presenting the award, Mr. Singh said “The Prime Minister asked me to go and personally present him with the Padma Vibhushan Award in Mumbai. When Padma Vibhushan was presented in Delhi, Dilip ji couldn’t make it due to health concerns.” State Governor C. Vidyasa-

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh presenting the Padma Vibhushan award to Dilip Kumar at his residence in Mumbai on Sunday. Maharashtra Governor C. Vidyasagar Rao and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis are seen.-- PHOTO: PTI For him material things do not gar Rao, Chief Minister De- matter. He is a simple man, vendra Fadnavis and Mumbai down to earth.” BJP chief Ashish Shelar were Ms. Saira said: “I am very present. proud with the honour that When asked about Mr. Ku- the government has given mar’s reaction at receiving the him. I was emotional. I am the award, Ms. Saira later told re- proudest wife. Apart from the porters: “He has always been award people always love and quiet about himself. He is hap- respect him, that matters the py, he smiled and there were most. This is the tears in his eyes. He is an emo- biggest award,” she said. — PTI tional and sensitive person.

Now, Ayurveda roped in to make milk safe Kerala rubber farmers hit a trough MOHIT M. RAO BENGALURU: Can Ayurveda formulations help make milk safer? This is the experiment the Kolar Milk Union is dabbling in, and hopes to produce at least 25,000 litres of milk that has significantly lesser residue of antibiotics. Currently, farmers are stuck in a catch-22 situation: exotic species – such as Holstein Friesian (Hf) and Jersey cows — give superior milk yield compared to native species; however, they are more susceptible to illness and need to be administered with high amounts of antibiotics. While the global standards for antibiotic residue content is 0.2 milligram per millilitre, all milk in India is higher than this, says M.N. Balakrishnan Nair, Emeritus Professor at the city-based Trans Disciplinary University (TDU). In a recent study done by him in association with the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (TANUVAS), milk samples from Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil

Nadu were tested over three years. “While the Karnataka sample contains the least quantity of antibiotic residue, the con-

ISRO gears up for launch of PSLV C-29 G. RAVI KIRAN NELLORE: Space scientists of the

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) are all set to launch the PSLV C-29 rocket from the Sriharikota space centre in Nellore district here on December 16 at 6 p.m. To carry six satellites Through this launch, ISRO will be sending six satellites belonging to Singapore. Of these, the TeLEOS-1 will be the main satellite which weighs 400 kg and it is meant for remote sensing applications for commercial purposes. Oicials of the Satish Dha-

wan Space Centre (SDSC) at Sriharikota said that the countdown for the PSLV C-29 launch will begin on Monday. This is the 32nd flight for the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle. Lift-of mass The launch will be made from the first launch pad of Sriharikota centre with the rocket having a lift of mass of nearly 227.6 tonnes. This is a core-alone model with no usage of solid strap on motors. The rocket will put the main satellite into a circular orbit at a distance of 550 km from the Earth.

tent is still higher than the prescribed limits. This has longterm efects as this residue is consumed by humans and eventually, leads of microbes

being resistant to antibiotics,” he said. The solution proposed is a herbal mixture of aloe vera and turmeric, which can decrease antibiotic residue by over 49 per cent, said Mr. Nair. Seeking funding from Netherlands-based organisation Solidaridad, Rakesh Singh, Managing Director, KMF, said Kolar Milk Union will produce safe milk as part of a pilot project in a few months time. G.T. Gopal, Managing Director of Kolar Milk Union, said the proposal was awaiting approval from the Netherlands government. “Once it is done, we’ll train farmers on preventive measures using herbal medicines. Of course, we can’t stop antibiotics immediately. The serious illnesses cannot be cured using herbal medicine. But, we can reduce the extent of antibiotics in milk,” he said. The market for such products could be created, and milk with lesser antibiotics can be sold at a premium, he said. “This is the first step in going towards mass-creating organic milk,” said Mr. Gopal.

GIRISH MENON THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala’s search for a formula that would prevent further crash in the prices of its prime cash crop is unlikely to end soon. Chief Minister Oommen Chandy’s recent visit to New Delhi to lobby for a fair deal for rubber farmers, who constitute the core of the voter base of the United Democratic Front, has received only a half-hearted response, according to government sources. The Chief Minister’s petition to Union Minister for Commerce Nirmala Sitharaman has highlighted the record fall in rubber prices affecting an estimated 11 lakh cultivators, most of whom are small and marginal. Significantly, Mr. Chandy has made several out-of-the-box suggestions to tackle the rubber crisis. Mr. Chandy wanted quantitative restrictions on the import of low-priced TSR (technically specified rubber) or block rubber, with a ceiling of 20 per cent on imports. A ma-

STAFF REPORTER JAIPUR: Bharatiya Janata Party

president Amit Shah on Sunday lauded the Vasundhara Raje government for its achievements in the two-year period. “The [Raje] government truly characterises the BJP motto sabka saath sabka vikas,” Mr. Shah said addressing a programme organised to celebrate the State BJP government’s completion of two years in oice. Mr. Shah said Rajasthan was on the path of development, thanks to support from the Centre. Taking a dig at the previous Congress regime under Ashok Gehlot, Mr. Shah said, “The Congress here says that nothing was done by the BJP government

Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje with BJP president Amit Shah during the celebrations of completion of two years of her government, in Jaipur on Sunday.--PHOTO: ROHIT JAIN PARAS

[in Rajasthan] in the past two years … I agree with Gehlot ji. In the past two years there have been no corruption cases or scandals under the BJP rule in Rajasthan [unlike

the Congress regime].” “The way in which Rajasthan has implemented the schemes of the Central government is an example for the country,” Mr. Shah said.

Students taught in mother tongue perform better at primary school level

ASHOK KUMAR

Y. MALLIKARJUN

GURGAON: Congress Lok Sabha

HYDERABAD: In spite of facing odds, Telugu (mother tongue) medium students performed significantly better than their English medium counterparts at the primary level in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. In a study that analysed the potential link between medium of instruction and student performance at primary school level, Math scores were used as proxy for student achievement while taking into account various socio-economic factors. The sample size in the study comprised 915 children from 233 schools from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh (coastal districts and Rayalasema). Sree Kumar Nair, analyst at the Bharati Institute of Public Policy, Indian School of Business, who conducted the study, told The Hindu the ob-

CM YK

Kerala has suggested establishing proper testing facilities in designated ports to ensure that import of cheap quality rubber does not kill the domestic industry. — FILE PHOTO: VIPIN CHANDRAN

jority of Indian farmers produce RSS (ribbed smoked sheets) grade, while the imports are in the form of block rubber. Mr. Chandy lobbied for a maximum price of Rs. 150 for the benchmark grade of RSS 4 produced domestically. He wanted a major contribution to protect the rubber cultiva-

tor from the price stabilisation fund, from its corpus fund of over Rs. 1,000 crore. He wanted an increase in the subsidy for replanting from Rs. 25,000 per hectare to Rs.1 lakh a hectare. There is also the need to announce soft loans to the cultivators. The State has asked the Centre to revise the input-

output norms in the tyre industry from the present level of 40 per cent, on the basis of a proper study to be carried out based on the present usage of natural rubber in tyres and wanted norms revised to prevent misuse of the advanced license scheme for imports. Kerala has demanded stringent enforcement to prevent the misuse of the import for export scheme. The State has also suggested establishing proper testing facilities in designated ports to ensure that cheap quality rubber imports do not kill the robust domestic industry. Mr. Chandy took strong exception to the move to downsize the Rubber Board and the delay in appointing a fullfledged chairman, secretary, and production commissioner, all of which have been lying vacant for months.

Rajasthan was on the path of development: Shah Don’t get killed, slay the

Cancellation of invite leaves Cong MP peeved Member from Rohtak, Deepender Hooda, has termed the last-minute cancellation of his invitation to the “Bhoomi Pujan” ceremony of National Cancer Institute at Badhsa village here on Saturday an “act of political vendetta” and “negative politics”. The foundation stone for the project, the largest cancer institute in India, was laid by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at a function at Bahadurgarh in January last year during the United Progressive Alliance regime. Mr. Hooda said that though advertisements by AIIMS carried his name, the advertisements by the Haryana Government did not mention him.

Record fall in rubber prices is affecting an estimated 11 lakh cultivators

The study said Telugu medium students fared better despite facing many odds such as lack of proper infrastructure, lesser nutritional intake and teacher participation. — FILE PHOTO: V. GANESAN

jective was to understand whether medium of instruction afected the learning outcomes at primary level. It was found that it impacted the achievement levels of students. He said Math score was a good indicator as a proxy for

cognitive development. The analysis was done using Young Lives longitudinal data of primary school children in both the States. Observing that Telugu medium students fared better despite facing many odds

Hitting back at the Raje government, Mr. Gehlot told journalists later on Sunday that the Centre was silent over the alleged scams that had taken place under the Raje government, including the recent ‘mining allocation scam’. “May be the Raje model [of development] is fruitful for [Narendra] Modi, who is silent over the [alleged] scams in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh,” Mr. Gehlot said. Chief Minister Raje said, “It was a diicult task to revive Rajasthan from the financial diiculty that the precious [Congress] regime had put the State into. Rajasthan was going through great financial diiculty when the BJP came to power here.”

enemy: Parrikar tells Army PRAKASH KAMAT PANAJI: Defence Minister Ma-

nohar Parrikar on Sunday said that the new government’s advice to Army men was “not to get killed for the country but to kill the enemy of the country.” Addressing a huge crowd that gathered to mark his 60th birthday celebrations here, Mr. Parrikar said it was quite common in India to make an emotional appeal to the Army to sacrifice their lives for the nation. “I have told them (Army men), don’t get killed, you kill the enemy so that a befitting lesson is taught to the enemy who dares to invade India’s

borders,” the Defence Minister said, explaining the change in the motivational strategy for the Armed forces fighting insurgency on the border. “The change in approach has brought handsome results in the last over a year if you compare the figures of casualties on both sides of the border in the previous 10 years or so,” Mr. Parrikar said. Responding to speculations about his retirement, Mr. Parrikar said some people were “clearly hoping that he would retire”, reiterating that he had no such plans and would not do so without completing the “responsibilities” bestowed on him.

such as lack of proper infrastructure, lesser nutritional intake and teacher participation, he said English medium students came from a wealthier background and their parents were better educated than their Telugu medium counterparts. The results of the study were particularly important in the context of schemes such as mid-day meal programmes launched by the government. Improving the infrastructure, ensuring better teacher participation and taking care of the nutritional deficit would benefit the disadvantaged students by ensuring higher learning outcomes, Mr. Nair added. Based on the findings of the study, he concluded that introducing English as medium of instruction at earlier grades in the school might negatively afect learning outcomes. ND-ND

10 |

EDITORIAL

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU

MONDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2015

The Congress’s burden of history SUHAS PALSHIKAR

monday, december 14, 2015

Hope on climate & a long road ahead he Paris Agreement on climate change marks a milestone in preserving the earth’s environment and provides a floor on which to build ambition and action. It is the outcome of a long struggle by millions of citizens around the world, aided by the weight of scientific evidence linking severe, more frequent weather events such as cyclones and droughts to man-made greenhouse gas emissions. The 195 country-parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change — besides Palestine which joined in Paris — have acknowledged that global climate action can no longer be postponed. While their adoption of the Agreement has created history, the sum total of national pledges by 189 nations will be unable to stop climate change that is already happening. As the UNFCCC acknowledges, these pledges will not be able to keep temperature “well below 2 degrees C” compared to pre-industrial levels, leave alone the aspirational target of a 1.5° C limit. It is also important to remember that there is a long window before the promises on emissions cuts go into efect in 2020, a period during which developed nations would continue to emit large volumes of greenhouse gases. Given such a background and its responsibility as a legacy polluter, the richer half of the world, which secured the support of vulnerable and poor nations in Paris, must use the Agreement to liberally share its prosperity and technology. It would be perverse if the climate pact is viewed as a business opportunity to fuel a wave of growth for a few. The signal from Paris is clearly for a shift away from polluting fossil fuels such as coal and oil to renewable energy, and the adoption of smart policies and innovative technology. Like all other countries, India is now required to periodically report on its targets and performance under the Agreement, and update its Nationally Determined Contributions by 2020. This will need the active involvement of all States and wide consultations — more so for the 175 gigawatt renewables revolution, including 100 GW from solar, to meet the 2022 target. The Centre should consider enacting a strong climate change law that harmonises policies nationally, beginning with energy, buildings, transport, water, agriculture and urban development. The question of adaptation to climate change and addressing loss and damage looms large for India, given the regular cycles of crippling droughts, devastating flooding and lost livelihoods. There is not much to look forward to here in the Agreement, which speaks of raising finance with $100 billion a year base by 2020, an amount that is grossly inadequate for the scale of catastrophic events witnessed worldwide. The hope is that the Paris Agreement will, as a binding covenant, spur civil society to raise the pressure on leaders to improve upon it every year, adding clear commitments for the developed nations to cut their emissions in favour of the developing countries and raise financing significantly.

T

Memory and history are useful tools in politics if one employs them with care and skill. As the Congress party trudges along in its weakest ever moment today, how much can it rely on history? Of course, with over a hundred years of history behind it, the party would have to make up its mind as to what slice of history it wants to go back to. This is a historic juncture for members and leaders of the Congress because they might be creating a new future for the party or simply be consigning the party to the past. When recently, Congress president Sonia Gandhi retorted that “she was Indira’s daughter-in-law”, she was attempting to bring in both the memory and the history of the combativeness of Indira Gandhi and the outcomes of the churlish litigations the Janata regime brought against her. That reference to memory must have excited older Congress supporters momentarily. However, whether this stand would help the party survive its post-2014 crisis would still remain a big question. By invoking Indira Gandhi’s memory, Ms. Gandhi may have indicated a will to combat. But more than the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the party would have to combat itself for its survival. So, the key question is whether the Indira analogy would really help it rejuvenate. Perhaps, the Congress leadership does not realise that the history of the Indira phase is complex and deeply problematic. Problems with symbolism The Indira symbol is complex because along with many achievements of Indira Gandhi, both for the nation and for her party, her tenure is bound to remain controversial due to the national emergency of 1975. The Congress has mostly refused to engage with this bit of historical memory, almost as if it did not exist. Neither time nor political sagacity has been able to help the Congress evolve a response to this memory associated with Indira Gandhi. As a result, the party has often taken an ostrich-like position of not discussing the issue at all. In fact, Indira Gandhi herself — though weakly — accepted that mis-

CARTOONSCAPE

Setback for Venezuela’s socialists he socialists of Venezuela, first led by the late President Hugo Chávez and then by President Nicolás Maduro, have had a near-total hegemony over power for the past 17 years. But the results of the parliamentary elections held on December 6, in which the centre-right opposition secured a ‘supermajority’ with 112 seats out of the total 167, demonstrate that the socialist narrative which Chávez painstakingly built over the ruins of West-backed dictatorships and the failures of free-market capitalism has started losing its grip over the Venezuelan voters. Though an opposition victory was expected, their performance was better than even the most optimistic forecasts. With a two-thirds majority in the legislature, the opposition now has the strength to remove Supreme Court justices, pass laws and even draft a new Constitution, a move that could end Mr. Maduro’s presidential tenure. What has led to such a huge defeat of the socialists? The Venezuelan election comes close on the heels of the defeat of the leftist candidate, Daniel Scioli, in the Argentine presidential election. But it would be premature to see these two elections as part of a larger trend in South America of the resurgence of the Right. Rather, what the Argentine and Venezuelan stories tell is that the Left parties in these countries are paying a political price for the troubles in the economy. In Venezuela, the socialists draw legitimacy and support from the government’s pro-poor welfare policies. Chávez’s redistributive policies had lifted millions out of poverty and boosted real income, helping the ruling party establish itself among the vast majority of the country’s poor. But this programme, largely funded by oil revenues, came under enormous strain when crude prices tumbled — compared to $115 a barrel in June 2014, it is now less than $40 a barrel — in the global market. Chávez’s original plan was to diversify the economy. But he did not face any imminent economic threat as oil prices were relatively high during his tenure. Mr. Maduro’s administration, which blamed the opposition for the economic worries of the country, however, failed to devise an alternative plan to let the ‘Bolivarian revolution’ stay afloat. Other economic and structural problems, such as high inflation, shortage of essential goods and poor infrastructure made matters more diicult for him. More important, Mr. Maduro lacks the political sharpness and charisma of Chávez, who, despite his combative style of politics, remained a highly popular father figure of the nation during his term. He was also a unifying force within the Socialist Party where growing rifts are now challenging Mr. Maduro’s authority. The election result is a wake-up call for the socialists. It is undisputed that the system that Chávez built has benefited millions of Venezuelans. But Mr. Maduro and his team need to refocus their energy on strengthening it, rather than simply blaming the opposition for every challenge they face.

T

CM YK

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Paris climate deal The historic climate pact that was clinched in Paris puts India on board a global efort to achieve the global goal of “well below 2 degrees C” for temperature rise in order to tackle climate change (“Historic Paris climate pact puts world on green path”, Dec.13). How efective the Modi government will pace up work to achieve this by moving India to a low carbon pathway remains to be seen as it will call for concerted action by all governments irrespective of their political ailiation at the regional levels to make this ‘mission possible’. N. Visveswaran, Chennai

It is debatable whether the Paris Agreement can be termed a historic moment. The underlying paradigm of climate talks has always been developed and developing nations agreeing to disagree and ending with a please-all text that is hailed as a great step forward. If we cast aside the euphoria for a moment, it will become evident that despite some progress in areas like a commitment to transfer technology and funds from developed to developing nations, it leaves the onus of fighting climate change on the actions of individual nations, euphemistically called Nationally Determined Contributions. It strains at credulity to believe that polluters are going to publish an inventory of emissions, as the agreement proposes, because nobody likes to flaunt their dirty laundry. The developed nations are the historical polluters and they have got away without having to commit to significant cuts in their emissions. Their promise to fund development of clean technologies in developing nations is a sort of reparation for having caused climate change in the first place. The tragedy of climate

By invoking Indira’s memory, Sonia Gandhi may have indicated a will to combat. But perhaps, the Congress leadership does not realise that the history of that phase is complex and deeply problematic

She very systematically infused power — and authority — in her own family. Sanjay Gandhi was the unfortunate and tragic outcome of that obsession with keeping power within the family. After his untimely and accidental death, she “encouraged” her other son to take up a political role and responsibilities. Once the logic of family power was introduced, it became almost inescapable both for the party take; so it should not be diicult for the party cally potent identities of Indira Gandhi re- and for the family. While Sonia Gandhi desistto take a more open-minded stand on that lates to the slogan, “Garibi Hatao”. But she ed from taking up a political role immediately episode and rededicate itself to the basics of herself and her successors in particular have after 1991 and also did politically well in not democratic polity. But the party has desisted lived of that potential without necessarily becoming the Prime Minister, she is still a from that. So long as the party does not do exerting to remove poverty. The record of her prisoner of history both in a personal sense that, a resort to memory can pose problems own government had very little to claim on and in the sense that she is seen as keen on for it. The lesson is that memory comes with this front, and in the post-Indira period, the having Rahul at the helm of afairs. History its own baggage. image and behaviour of Congresspersons becomes an imprisonment in this sense. Moreover, will remembering Indira Gand- scarcely produced a pro-poor impression. So, While during all 15 years that the party govhi truly enthuse its cadres today? Three dec- this constitutes yet another tricky issue: erned in the last 25 years, and the government ades after her assassination, Indira Gandhi re- memory can become a measure you do not was led by persons outside the family, the parmains only a hazy and distant memory — meet. Then it comes back as a boomerang. In ty failed to take the next step of dismantling the halo of fate surrounding the family. Besides personalisation and probably to concentrate power in the family, Indira Besides personalisation and probably to help concentrate power in help Gandhi changed the nature of the Congress party’s inner dynamics. From the fairly federthe family, Indira Gandhi changed the nature of the Congress al party that it used to be, the Congress was party’s inner dynamics. From the fairly federal party that it used converted into a deeply centralised party to be, the Congress was converted into a deeply centralised party where regional leadership had to be completely dependent on central leadership. In where regional leadership had to be completely dependent fact, this aspect has been a major limitation of the Congress party in the last four decades. on central leadership. When Indira Gandhi reduced the stature of State-level leaders, she expected the national even for Congresspersons. The party has not fact, Narendra Modi efectively used this leadership to win elections for the party in ensured during all these years that the memo- strategy of throwing back that slogan at the the absence of local leadership and without organisational strength. Rajiv Gandhi paid ry would remain alive except through vacant Congress party. the price for this limitation when he lost elecsymbolism and liberal use of the name to tions both in 1989 and, posthumously, in 1991. adorn various establishments. Unless we as- Troubled history Apart from being a symbol and a memory On the other hand, when the towering leadersume that today’s Congress is mostly made up of elderly “workers” in their sixties, we chip, the invocation of Indira Gandhi also in- ship ceased to exist, the party did not have recannot expect ordinary Congresspersons to volves history. And this history has its own gional leaders to fill the vacuum and the 1990s have any real first-hand knowledge of the im- share of problems. First, Indira Gandhi per- thus saw the party go into disarray. In this age called “Indira Gandhi”. One is not sure sonalised all power — governmental power sense, the present decay of the Congress parwhat meaning an ordinary Congressperson and party power structures. So, the Congress ty owes much to the history called the “Indira today would attach to the symbol of Indira today, relying on Indira symbolism, can hard- years” and to the inability or unwillingness of Gandhi. So, here is another tricky lesson in- ly criticise the current personalisation of the party to redress that aspect of history. volving memory and history. For them to be power within the BJP. In fact, on this score, In- During the past decade and a half, the current tools of politics, they need to be kept contin- dira loyalists should find more similarities leadership of the party has acted in fits and uously alive and also need to be reinterpreted between her and the present Prime Minister starts, at times allowing State-level leaders to — only meaningful reproduction of memory than any other Prime Minister from the post- emerge and at times ensuring that they are tamed or ousted. can make memory a powerful tool, else it be- Indira times. But her personalisation of power had a recomes mere nostalgia. Then, one of the most powerful and politi- lated problematic dimension — the family. Coalition of extremes Above all, such was the influence of Indira Gandhi that her contingent move of building a winning social coalition became a historical burden for the Congress. In the early 1970s she sidelined peasant proprietary castes in most States because their political claims were becoming increasingly unmanageable and elites from those caste groups were also becoming too overbearing for her taste. This compulsion gave rise to the coalition of extremes (upper castes and the minorities, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes). However, this had a hugely problematic effect. The entire social bloc that later came to be politically constituted as the Other Backward Classes slipped out of the hands of the Congress, and the party never made any effort in the post-Indira years to bring these more numerous and politically assertive sections back to the Congress. It can only be suicidal to keep out more than a third of society. But such was the burden of Indira Gandhi’s legacy that the party never did any rethink on that front and continues to pay the price for it. History can be useful if one is willing to dissect it dispassionately and move beyond it. The Congress has mostly refused to engage with history in this manner. Therefore, invoking the history of Indira Gandhi may not be the best of strategy for reviving the Congress. (Suhas Palshikar is a professor in the Department of Politics and Public Administration, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune.)

Letters emailed to [email protected] must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.

change is that its victims, in particular the low-lying island nations, had nothing to with the greenhouse gases. V.N. Mukundarajan, Thiruvananthapuram

After the deluge Given the economic and collateral devastation caused by rains in Chennai and its adjoining districts, it could be a good idea for the Tamil Nadu government to approach the Netherlands. Just as India has made every attempt possible to get the Japanese to help with introducing bullet train technology, we could seek know-how and aid from the Dutch in tapping water defence and harnessing technology. The lowlying Netherlands has been fighting back water for more than 1,000 years, and, as records show, the country experiences flooding every five years but without much damage. The Netherlands is a land of waterways and a quarter is below sea level, with 60 per cent of its people in flood-risk areas. Its “Room for the River” (RR) projects spread across the country are worth studying. Sivakumar, Chennai

Headley turns approver It is a fact that David Coleman Headley has always been a wheelerdealer and has used this same tactic to strike a deal and turn approver (“U.S. bowed to Indian pressure”, Dec.12). The way the deal has been struck shows that there is no denying the fact that the U.S. has been very selective in dealing with India-centric terrorists on the one hand and West-centric ones on the other. The jarring truth is that post 26/11, the U.S. had been handling Headley and his accomplice, Tahawwur Hussain Rana, with kid gloves. Even though the many elaborate dossiers of information on

26/11 handed over by India to Pakistan have been unfairly dismissed by the latter on the pretext of a lack of adequate evidence, the information revealed by Headley should speed up the trial. Nalini Vijayaraghavan, Thiruvananthapuram

The U.S.’s role in heading of double-agent Headley’s arrest and conviction leaves little manoeuvring room for India to bring him to book. It may be worth mentioning that Headley’s career followed a chequered crime graph. Even if the Indian prosecution could prove the charges against him, they would hardly have any practical worth as long as Headley remains in his American cell. It is unlikely that Headley would reveal any real information about jihadi organisations/operators and their handlers in Pakistan. Making him a part of the Mumbai terror attack trial would be valuable to the extent that he would corroborate the evidence that Indian prosecutors have put together. J. Akshobhya, Mysuru

Salman walks free The verdict of the Bombay High Court acquitting Salman Khan of all charges in “the 2002 hit-and-run and drunk-and-drive case” has only raised more queries (Dec.11). Though the judgment may be sound in law based on the imperfect investigation which failed to establish the identity of the person at the wheel on the day of the incident, it has failed to live up to the dictum that “justice should appear to have been rendered”. It has only led to the reinforcement of public opinion that the arms of the judiciary can be easily twisted by people in power. The inevitable inference we draw from the

judgment is that a driverless car ran over the victims on the day of the accident. B. Gurumurthy, Madurai

The basic defect of criminal jurisprudence — one that we have to live with — is that it is more often a matter of the discretion of the judge than the inexorability of law. The moment we say beyond “reasonable” doubt, the decision becomes subjective. Judges can always find legal arguments to support their verdict, a task well aided by the submissions of the legal eagles of the defence. The discretion of the higher court prevails, although it may not be superior to that of the trial court. This is why the U.S. and some other jurisprudences leave the decision to the jury, which may not be workable in India. Having said that, to common perception, it does appear that in the Salman Khan case, the ends of justice have been relegated using select legal technicalities. A.N. Lakshmanan, Bengaluru

Are all equal before the law? In a case like that of Salman Khan’s, the prosecution plays a responsible role in taking it to its logical end. According to data compiled by the National Crime Bureau, only 45 per cent of cases involving serious crime are solved. The verdict once again raises questions about the prosecution and the negligence of the Mumbai police. Abdul Kalam Azad, Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh

The court’s decision is perhaps a clear indication that our jurisprudence makes a distinction between diferent classes of citizens.The rich and influential are able to bend things even when the crime is manslaughter. Perhaps we

need a jury rather than a judge to decide such cases which can curb the power of money, influence or political power. B. Radhakrishnan, Bengaluru

Donald Trump’s remarks The series of remarks by Republican front-runner Donald Trump (“Britain has a massive Muslim problem: Trump”, Dec.12 and Editorial, Dec.10), and which target a particular community, are unacceptable and must be condemned. He has misunderstood the real cause of terrorism by associating it with Muslims. That the U.S. which projects itself as being the champion of individual rights and secularism still allows such stereotypes about a particular religion to flourish is astonishing. Has Mr. Trump forgotten that much of the problems West Asia faces are on account of deeply flawed American policies? Gagan Pratap Singh, Noida

Discovery at fort The discovery of hundreds of cannon balls at the Portuguese-built St. Angelo Fort in Kannur (Dec.13) shows that there is an urgent need for a museum on the history of the Malabar region. The west coast of India has numerous unexplored spots that can reveal the rich culture and history of the area. It is a fact that discoveries are made periodically in this place but the finds are quietly shifted to some unknown survey camp or other and forgotten about. Last year, cannons were excavated from a spot in the region but after a few weeks of publicity, nothing more was heard. A museum of history will be of immense value to tourists, the public and students of history. Pradyu Thalikavu, Kannur, Kerala ND-ND

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU

MONDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2015

FROM THE READERS' EDITOR

From observer to participant

PERSPECTIVE

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The case against Salman Khan Why it is important to examine the actor’s acquittal after a trial court had found him guilty, and to revisit the testimony of the principal witness, PSO Ravindra Patil

A.S. PANNEERSELVAN

R.K.RAGHAVAN & D. SIVANANDHAN

Architect Louis Kahn’s statement —“the sun never knew how beautiful it was until it fell on the wall of a building”— took an expansive and comforting meaning for the citizens of Chennai after the deluge. The sun has been out in full splendour for a week now. My last column (“Reporting during a deluge”, December 7) was about a form of fusion between the citizenry and journalism that was taking place in Tamil Nadu where the breach of distance did not undermine the quality of information, but infused it with a sense of participation. It elicited an interesting response from one of the readers. “The spirit of the city and the fortitude of citizens are synonyms for failure of the state. It really indicates absence of government in providing timely rescue and rehabilitation during a calamity. Shouldn’t the newspaper focus on this dereliction of the state rather than talk about the fortitude of citizens, which is necessarily an act of survival,” he asked. Looking closely at The Hindu’s coverage of Chennai rains and its aftermath, it is very clear that the newspaper did cover the failure of the state machinery in detail. An article titled “A wrong call that sank Chennai” (December 10) had detailed data analysis that showed how the decision to conservatively hold storage, despite early warnings from various meteorological agencies about heavy rainfall in the oing in late November and early December, exacerbated the disaster that followed. The story, “We destroyed unique flood carriage systems: Expert” (December 9), established how Chennai’s current woes are the result of a “man-made disaster.” There was a field report, “Caste raises its ugly head in calamity” (December 10) that The idea behind the last explained how divisions between the Dalits and the Other Backward Class- two columns is not a selfes have afected flood relief initia- congratulatory mission tives. The list is endless. The focus of the newspaper was but an attempt to share not only on what was missing but also the complex thinking that on what was happening. This was where the citizenry comes to play a goes in the newsroom and big role. “The prohibitive cost of rebuilding one’s life” (December 13) the boardroom of a was a poignant marriage between in- newspaper during a crisis fo-graphics and reportage that brought out the diiculties in coping with this disaster. The newspaper realised that the need of the hour was to energise the citizenry in their eforts to minimise the hardship and find some solace. It blended its reportage as well as its activism to create an ambience of hope rather than breeding debilitating cynicism. The Hindu has launched India for Chennai (#IndiaforChennai), a national editorial campaign to collect funds and relief materials to help the city through this traumatic period. The Editor of The Hindu, Malini Parthasarathy, in her announcement, said, “The recent floods have left Chennai and its neighbouring districts devastated and debilitated. We have received numerous calls and messages from readers of The Hindu nationwide, eager to do their bit to mitigate the sufering of the afected people. #IndiaforChennai was born as a result of our readers’ desire to reach out to the city.” Readers were asked to send their contribution to The Hindu’s oices in two centres: Mumbai (The Hindu, Kasturi Buildings, Jamshedji Tata Road, Churchgate, Mumbai — 400020) and New Delhi (The Hindu, 3rd floor, Milap Bhawan, 8-A, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi — 110002). Cheques in the name of Shreyas, a charitable trust governed by The Hindu, can be sent to these oices. All contributions are exempt under Section 80G of the Income Tax Act. The request for the relief materials was a general appeal but a specific request. The newspaper explained, based on the reports from the field, that the thousands of people who have been rendered homeless in Chennai are seeking new clothes, footwear (chappals), towels, plastic mats, undergarments, candles, toothbrushes, mosquito coils, repellents, thin blankets, bed sheets, school bags, notebooks and stationery. The appeal also explicitly asked the readers not to send any consumables or second-hand goods. TwitterIndia is partnering with The Hindu to spread the message and to co-ordinate the logistics of this initiative. Dr. Parthasarathy added, “We will publish the names of donors contributing more than Rs. 2000 in our columns, and online.” Readers of The Hindu Group from Tamil Nadu, Bengaluru and Hyderabad have reached out to help over 1,20,000 families across Chennai and Cuddalore through the ‘Chennai Rising’ initiative. Nearly 16,000 boxes carrying approximately 75 tonnes of supplies have been sent in. Over 1,000 readers have also been volunteering to distribute these crucial supplies to those who have been afected, by using a door-to-door system to identify specific needs and channel help to people in the area, including remote locations. “The money collected by The Hindu Group would be used for three distinct purposes: grants to people who seek support, to partner NGOs working in the areas of health and education, and for rebuilding and rehabilitation. For instance, in the case of education, the focus is on school supplies, notebooks, stationery and uniforms,” said Rajiv Lochan, CEO and Managing Director of Kasturi and Sons Ltd, the publishing company of this newspaper. The idea behind the last two columns is not a self-congratulatory mission but an earnest attempt to share the complex thinking that goes in the newsroom and the boardroom of a newspaper during a crisis. The shift from being an observer on behalf of the readers to a direct participant in providing relief becomes not only acceptable, but an inevitable one.

Bollywood superstar Salman Khan’s diiculties began 13 years ago when he was involved in an accident resulting in the death of one person and injuries to four others sleeping on a pavement in Mumbai’s Bandra area. It was widely believed that at the time of the accident, Mr. Khan was himself behind the wheels of his Toyota Land Cruiser. There were two others in the car: Personal Security Oicer (PSO) Ravindra Patil of the Mumbai Police (since dead) and Mr. Khan’s friend Kamaal Khan, a singer. Immediately after the accident, Mr. Khan skulked away from the scene, without reporting the occurrence to the police or bothering to find out whether he had hit anybody. A First Information Report (FIR) was filed in the Bandra Police Station by the “There is everything to show that Salman Khan was at the wheels at the instant of the accident.” Picture shows the actor leaving PSO, in which he said that despite his ad- the Bombay High Court after his acquittal. — PHOTO: PTI vice, the actor was driving recklessly after consuming liquor. This should prima fa- 2002, and the Sessions trial began as late determined to pull Mr. Khan out of the The defence stand that the accident cie have been a case under Section 304 as December 2013.) mess. took place because of a tyre burst was dis(culpable homicide not amounting to There is everything to show that Mr. missed by the Trial Court. The Motor Vemurder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The PSO’s testimony Khan was at the wheels at the instant of hicles Inspector who examined the car But the complaint by the PSO was regisWe are not convinced of the correct- the accident. Since it happened in the noticed only a puncture on one of the left tered only under the mildest Section of ness of Mr. Khan’s acquittal after a trial early hours, there were no other witness- wheels, something which could not have 279 (rash and negligent driving, endan- court had squarely found him guilty. To be es except the other two occupants of the caused an accident. He did not refer to a gering life), coupled with Section 304-A specific, we are intrigued why the testi- car, Patil and Kamaal Khan, who, inciden- tyre burst at all. It is true that the investi(causing death by negligence) and Sec- mony of the principal witness — PSO Pa- tally, made himself scarce by fleeing to the gating oicer committed an error in not tion 338 (causing grievous hurt by act en- til — who filed the FIR within hours of the U.K. The High Court rightly came down sending the tyre in question for forensic dangering life or personal safety of oth- incident, did not carry enough weight heavily on the Mumbai Police for not examination to satisfy himself that there ers) of IPC and a few Motor Vehicle Act with the High Court. making serious eforts to get at Kamaal was no burst. This again, in our view, is provisions. The actor was thereafter reThe FIR is a sacrosanct document, es- Khan. not very material, because we are here leased on bail. Ten days later, he was again pecially when there is no abnormal delay Perhaps the most bizarre twist was the concerned with the reckless driving, arrested when the in filing it. Even when sudden arrival of one Ashok Singh, late proof of which alone, when accepted, The sudden arrival of one it is delayed, there are during the trial, stating that he in fact was clinches the case against Mr. Khan. IPC section was altered to 304-Part II rulings that if driving the vehicle in question at the time Mr. Khan’s acquittal is untenable. The Ashok Singh, late during judicial (culpable homicide the person filing it can of the accident and not Mr. Khan. This standard of proof required in such cases is the trial, stating that he explain reasons for was patently artificial, an introduction on not the same that we need to sustain a not amounting to murder by an act with conviction under 302 (homicide) or 304. was driving the vehicle the delay to the second thoughts. knowledge that it is court’s satisfaction, A conviction at least under 304-A would was patently artificial likely to cause death, the report retains its The initial hours have been well merited on the available but without any intention to cause death). value. There was no delay in this case. The High Court found a number of evidence. If the High Court believed that He was kept in judicial custody for 14 days, Second, the FIR need not necessarily be holes in the prosecution story that the ac- the police investigation was shoddy, it and subsequently released on bail. After a comprehensive document explaining all tor was drunk when the accident took could have directed a further investigathe investigation, a chargesheet was filed circumstances relating to the incident, as place. The investigator’s lapses in the mat- tion to remedy the flaws and fill in the under Section 304 . long as it gives basic facts that make out a ter cannot be condoned — including the missing details. This was, no doubt, not After the trial was deliberately pro- case. PSO Patil had deposed unequivocal- delayed production of Mr. Khan at a dis- obligatory. But, in the interests of the five longed for several years, during which Mr. ly, before the investigating oicer and the tant hospital although there was one close victims (including the family of one who Khan questioned the applicability of cul- Metropolitan Magistrate who conducted to the Bandra Police Station. We must, was killed in the accident), and in the pable homicide (a stand upheld by the the initial trial, about how Mr. Khan was however, remember here that Mr. Khan cause of justice, such an order by the High High Court and rejected later by the Su- guilty of rash and negligent driving. Un- himself disappeared from the scene for Court would definitely have enhanced its preme Court), the Sessions Court, to fortunately, Patil died before he could be many hours before he was subjected to a stature as an institution that cared for the which the file had been transferred from examined by the Sessions Court. blood test. This possibly explained why it poor citizen. This is particularly because the Metropolitan Magistrate, went ahead To dismiss his version of the incident as took long for the police to send him for the Mr. Khan has only been given the benefit with the proceedings. The court delivered inconsistent or unreliable seems grossly medical examination. However, in our of the doubt, and not a clean acquittal. its judgment this May imposing a sen- unfair to the prosecution, especially when view, whether Mr. Khan was drunk or not Anyhow, once the full judgment of the tence of five years rigorous imprisonment there is nothing to suggest that he was on that night is not very material, so long High Court is available, the court’s stand on Mr. Khan. On an appeal filed against motivated. We are told we can write a as he is proved to have driven rashly and on several issues could become clearer. this conviction by the actor, the Bombay whole book on how Patil, after his cate- negligently. Of course, unassailable evi(R.K.Raghavan is a former CBI High Court overturned the sentence last gorical statement to the police against Mr. dence that he was in fact driving under the Director. D. Sivanandhan is a former week and acquitted him of all the charges. Khan, was harassed within his own pro- influence of liquor would only have fur- Commissioner of Police, Mumbai, and a (The incident occurred in September fessional group and by outside elements ther fortified other evidence. former DGP, Maharashtra.)

[email protected]

FROM THE ARCHIVES (dated December 14, 1965)

U.S. space twins set up record The Gemini-7 astronauts; Frank Borman and James Lovell launched on December 4; set a new world endurance record at 18-27 G.M.T. (23-57 I.S.T.) yesterday [December 12]. They were then on their 120th revolution and had been in space for 190 hours and 56 minutes. This topped by one minute the previous record set last August by Gemini-5 astronauts Gordon Cooper and Charles Conrad. Gemini-7 entered its 132nd orbit at 13-24 GMT (18-53 IST) to-day. Flashing above Cape Kennedy at the moment of the abortive ignition of Gemiini-6 engines yesterday, astronauts Frank Borman and James Lovell reported that they saw the smoke from the engines.

AIR Music Festival The President, Dr. S. Radhakrishnan to-day [December 13, New Delhi] inaugurated the Eleventh Radio Sangeet Sammelan with a plea for the integration of the Hindustani and the Carnatic music. The President commended the role of the Sammelan — annual music festival of All India Radio — in this direction before select gathering, which included a sprinkling of foreign connoisseurs of Indian music. Dr. Radhakrishnan said that music had a prominent place in Indian culture. People must be made to understand that music was for the CM YK

development of the soul, a gymnasium for the development of the body. Dr. Radhakrishnan was welcomed by Mrs. Indira Gandhi, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, who stressed the importance of “people’s patronage” to musicians, who had in the past depended upon the help of Rajas and Maharajas. All India Radio, she said, sought to do this by establishing a rapport between the musicians and the people. The President’s inaugural address was followed by a one hour Shahnai recital by Bismillah Khan.

Giant telescope centre for Ooty Dr. H.J. Bhabha, Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, inaugurating here [Bombay] today [December 13], a symposium on cosmic rays, organised by the Cosmic Ray Committee of the Department of Atomic Energy, said that the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research would be setting up within two years at Ootacamund a giant cylindrical radio telescope measuring 1,700 feet-long and 100 feet in diameter. This instrument would have a collecting area about five times that of the Jodrell Bank in the United Kingdom. Dr. Bhabha said a number of large (40” and 48”) optical telescopes were coming into operation in India, and these, along with the radio telescope, would give considerable impetus to research in astronomy and astrophysics.

The trial is also about us The Salman Khan saga is about our social media selves, our perceptions, his fans, about trials that go on and on. What it isn’t about is justice and truth around its own, how actors and filmmakers who climb onto social media platforms and denounce other forms of wrongdoing by other people have only this to say about their Bhai (a doublefaced bit of colloquialism that denotes both brother and gangster) — that he’s a good person, and that this verdict is a sign that good things happen to good people. The Salman Khan trial is about movie audiences who know, in some corner of their minds, that the tickets they’re buying are for a film whose hero may have done something very villainous — and yet they buy those tickets, over Rs. 100 crore-worth of tickets (in the case of Dabangg), over Rs. 200 crore-worth of tickets (in the case of Kick), over Rs. 300 crore-worth of tickets (in the case of Bajrangi Bhaijaan). So the Salman Khan trial is about how we cease to care about things a civilised society expects us to care about, how we only care about entertainment, whether we’re getting our money’s worth. The Salman Khan trial is about Bhai’s fans, those fevercrazed people who camped outside his house waiting for a glimpse of their hero as he returned from court. By fans, I refer also to an adoring national media, for whom this was the biggest story of the day, maybe even the year, given their instant and committed response, something that wasn’t evident during the polls in Tripura or the floods in some State down south.

BARADWAJ RANGAN

The Salman Khan trial isn’t just about an actor who may or may not have done the things he’s been accused of, the things he’s now been acquitted of. (Whoever was driving that car has, by now, become as mysterious an entity as whoever fired the bullet that killed John F. Kennedy.) It’s about other things too, such as our all-consuming fascination for celebrity trials, and how we otherwise barely bother to read and react to the news item about the beggar down the road who was mowed down by a car driven by someone who isn’t in the movies we go to see, or in the test matches we watch on TV. The Salman Khan trial is about our social media selves, how we decide someone is guilty, as though we have all the facts, and as though those facts establish guilt beyond reasonable doubt. It’s about who can come up with the wittiest cracks about a very relieved man retuning home to his very worried family. The Salman Khan trial, then, is at least a little about schadenfreude. You have all this money, all these women, all this fame. Now let’s see you in a ratty little courtroom. Let’s see you sweat, as you realise your fate lies in the hands of a man who’s one of us. It’s about the perverse satisfaction of seeing someone so larger-than-life being cut down to size, a seventy-mm personality shrunk to the dimensions of a television screen, sharing airtime with commoners he has nothing in common with. Long-drawn trials The Salman Khan trial is about how these trials go on and on. A child who was born the year when the driver of the Toyota Land Cruiser caused the accident — then again, maybe the Land Cruiser drove itself — is today a teenager. That’s a lot of time, a lot of newsprint, a lot of airwaves devoted to whether or not a very rich man is going to end up in jail. And in that kind of time, things change. Salman Khan is no longer the womaniser of Saajan, the prankster of Andaz Apna Apna, the lover of Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya. He’s the innocent of Bajrangi Bhaijaan who, while trying

“The Salman Khan trial is about Bhai’s fans, those crazed people who camped outside his house waiting for a glimpse of their hero.” File photo shows people holding his posters outside his home in Mumbai. — PHOTO: AFP

to help a lost little girl return to her home in Pakistan, meets army patrollers at the border and asks them permission to enter the country — this man, we are constantly being told, would never do anything against the law. Heck, he’s so innocent, even sweet old Sooraj Barjatya, upholder of Indian values that Indians didn’t even know they were supposed to value, likes to work with him. The Salman Khan trial is about perceptions, about how Salman Khan is a good person, how he’s no longer the abuser of girlfriends, the stalker of exes, the beefed-up gym rat with severe anger

The Salman Khan trial is about Bollywood’s clannishness: how it closes ranks around its own management issues. It’s about how he’s helped and mentored practically everyone who’s a who’s who in Bollywood today, how the industry wouldn’t exist without him. The Salman Khan trial, consequently, is about Bollywood’s clannishness, how it closes ranks

It’s everything except... What the Salman Khan trial isn’t about is what it was really supposed to be about: justice, truth — all those things that say there’s no diference between the man who’s forced to sleep on a pavement and the man who lives in a house fifty stories above that pavement. From the 2002 charge of “culpable homicide not amounting to murder”, to the 2007 chemical analysis report suggesting that the actor was drunk at the time of the accident, to the 2015 verdict that he could not be convicted on the basis of evidence produced in the 2002 case — what a roller coaster it’s been, the story of how Salman Khan got out of it. But did Salman Khan really do it? That may be the one thing we haven’t been told by the Salman Khan trial. [email protected]

ND-ND

NEWS

12 | FROM PAGE ONE

Where is NDMA? As videos of our men in uniforms rappelling down to rescue the elderly and assist women and children went viral on social media, there was one question no one asked: where is India’s nodal agency to coordinate relief, rescue and rehabilitation eforts during national emergencies — the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). In August 1999, after the devastating ‘super cyclone’ in Odisha, which claimed almost 10,000 lives, left over 2 million homeless and disrupted the lives of 20 million residents, the Indian government set up a highpower committee to suggest “efective mitigating mechanisms” for natural disasters. Two years later, when an earthquake measuring 7.7 on the Richter scale struck Kutch on January 26, 2001, we still did not have a plan. The 2001 earthquake, which lasted two full minutes, killed 20,000, injured 1,67,000 and left over 6 lakh people homeless. Bhuj was devastated. As policy evolution goes, it took three more years for the Disaster Management Act of 2005 to set up the NDMA and the State and district disaster management authorities. By then, the Indian Ocean tsunami pounded over 2,200 km of

the coastline, killed over 15,000 people and rendered lakhs of people homeless. However, by 2005, the NDMA was up and running. And, as per the Act, the armed forces are supposed to be called upon to intervene only when a situation is beyond the capability of the civil administration. Sticking with the most recent examples from the Chennai floods, sample this for an idea of how our current disaster ‘mitigating mechanisms’ are nowhere near the vision of being ‘effective’. The NDMA website has not been updated since December 3. As of December 13, the website’s tab called ‘Rescue Operations in Chennai’ has nothing but two e-mail addresses. At the State level, the photos of 100 soldiers from Hyderabad, waiting for over 10 hours for instructions from the Tamil Nadu government as Chennai sank, was the lowest point of relief coordination, says a retired bureaucrat on the con-

dition of anonymity. “It is evident that bureaucrats don’t have the freedom to act. Even during natural disasters, they have to be given instructions because they are now used to that pattern of governance now. They expect ‘clearance’ for everything and a lot of time is wasted as oicers look up to the CM for every small decision,” he added. The State’s Relief Commissioner, Atulya Misra, did not respond to queries sent by The Hindu on December 9. “Local politicians were playing dirty because the State administration was missing in action. The political executive washed its hands of the matter the min-

ute the forces landed. It became the Army’s job to ensure that relief and rescue operations went smoothly. However, the State government did not want to lose political mileage,” another retired oicial said. Stoic society Experts maintain that mediocre disaster management in India has thrived on society’s tolerance. “It is time we stop accepting inexcusable answers like ‘emergency mechanisms did not work because of the emergency.’ All societies plan, prepare and execute at least 10 per cent of what they planned. What we do is equivalent to writing a final examination every few months without any preparation. We have all the books and resources we need. All systems are in place. But on paper,” said Kavita Narayan, a public health expert and disaster management specialist trained by the United States’ Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). By December 6, when the Indian Air Force ceased its relief operations, in just five days it had flown over 40 sorties, airlifted 30 NDRF teams and five Army columns, evacuated 700 stranded civilians to other parts of the country, and transported 281 tonnes of relief material. It had pressed into service transport aircraft, ranging from the massive C-17 Globemaster to the old Russian AN-32s. Over a dozen helicopters carried out the kind of operation that rescued Deepthi to the safety of a hospital. The Army, which was still on the ground, had over 70 teams with 57 mediumsized boats and 16 small boats in Tamil Nadu to aid the civil administration.. Disasters, natural or manmade, are part of our lives in megacities. In fact, as Chennai showed, how we live is accelerating climate change. Since we are the ones accelerating it, it is only the basic common sense to give some thought to preparedness.

EPFO savings set to cross Rs.10 lakh-crore mark this month Globally, pension funds are one of the largest pools of capital with a long-term horizon for investments. The 300 largest pension funds in the world together had over 15 trillion dollars under management in 2014, rising by 3 per cent from a year ago, according to a recent report by Towers Watson, a consulting firm. Overall, pension funds had nearly 35 trillion dollars of savings in 2014. The higher growth rate of the EPF corpus, compared with its peers in the developed world that is going through a prolonged economic slow-down, is likely to push it into the top 10 pension funds of the world in the coming years. During 2015-16, the EPF cofers are expected to receive Rs.1,15,000 crore of fresh accruals from employee contributions, 15 per cent

higher than it had originally estimated. The pace of inflows is expected to rise further if the economic recovery gathers pace, another oicial said. The EPFO would need to start looking at new investment avenues to deploy these funds, he said. After years of resistance, EPFO started investing in equities this year. It has already invested over Rs.

President asks parties to maintain harmony KOLKATA BUREAU

President Pranab Mukherjee has given clear messages to maintain “harmony” to both the ruling and the opposition party, while speaking from two diferent platforms here on Sunday. While in one of the programmes hosted and attended mainly by the leaders and supporters of the State Congress Mr. Mukherjee underscored the need to maintain discipline inside the Parliament, in another programme hosted by the Church of North India [CNI] he highlighted the importance to maintain “pluralistic ideals” of the country. In the Congress programme— hosted in memory of second Chief Minister of Bengal Bidhan Chandra Roy— the President said that continuous “disruption [inside the House] is not acceptKOLKATA:

CM YK

able.” “I always thought that democracy runs on three Ds dedication, debate and discussion. But now the key word is ‘disruption’ and it is not acceptable.” He said that “such continuous agitation may not produce any result.” Mr. Mukherjee also reminded the audience that “Jana Gana Mana Adhinayaka Jaya Hey' was declared national anthem by the first President of the country Dr Rajendra Prasad” in 1950. His comments came as the organisers played the national song– Vande Matram– soon after the President took to stage. The former State Congress president, Somendranath Mitra, who was the convener of the programme later apologised and said that the norm is to play “national anthem and not the song in presence of the President” which precisely the organisers did.

THE HINDU MONDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2015

INDIA-PAKISTAN TALKS

Time to stop making excuses “The question is no more whether the military should be involved in rescue and relief, but how do we improve coordination with the civil administration.” While everyone has been blaming the ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, the Tamil Nadu government’s lethargy is a result of years of cumulative illiteracy about disaster management. A failure on the part of the States and the Centre to develop a first line of responders to natural calamities has meant that the military has come to be the most reliable relief and rescue agency. Given their bases nationwide, the armed forces are able to respond in large numbers to an SOS.

NOIDA/DELHI

3,200 crore in the stock market. While the Union Finance Ministry has allowed nongovernment provident funds to invest up to 15 per cent of their fresh accretions into equities, the EPFO has decided to make a cautious start, allocating 5 per cent of its net inflows into stocks. Mr. Jalan said the pension fund was open to investing in the infrastructure sector, but was yet to find a suitable instrument to cover the risks infrastructure projects entailed. Last month, the EPFO altered the norms that prevented it from investing in debt rated lower than AAA, and it can now invest in the private sector debt rated AA+ by at least two credit rating agencies. However, infrastructure investments rarely secure such ratings.

Govt. has zero tolerance towards terror: Rajnath NATIONAL BUREAU NEW DELHI: The NDA govern-

ment adopted a zero tolerance policy towards terrorism, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said on Sunday as he paid homage to the 2001 Parliament attack victims. “Our government has adopted a zero tolerance policy against terrorism. We are committed to make India more secure,” he said in a message. Paying tributes to those who laid down their lives in the terror attack on Parliament 14 years ago, Mr. Singh said the nation would never forget their sacrifice. “I salute the valour exhibited by those brave security personnel. The nation will never forget their supreme sacrifice,” he said. On December 13, 2001, five gunmen stormed the Parliament complex and opened indiscriminate fire, killing nine persons.

We are on the right track: Ansari TAPI pipeline will help reopen trade route from India to Central Asia, says the Vice-President about the prospects for India-Pakistan ties. The Vice-President also MARY (TURKMENISTAN): The groundbreaking ceremony said the pipeline would allow of the TAPI (Turkmenistan- a reopening of the trade Afghanistan-Pakistan-India) route from India to Central project provided yet another Asia, which had “been sealed multilateral setting for a of by the British centuries meeting between the Indian ago.” Earlier, the Afghanistan and Pakistani leadership this week, as Pakistan Prime President said TAPI would Minister Nawa Sharif and In- become a “superhighway of dian Vice-President Hamid cooperation” between all the Ansari met along with Af- member-countries. Accordghanistan President Ashraf ing to an agreement between Ghani and Turkmenistan the four countries, a fibrePresident Gurbanguly Berdi- optic cable as well as elecmuhamedov to press a but- tricity transmission lines ton that forged the first piece would also be laid along the 1,735 km route of the pipeline. of the pipeline. Referring to concerns over Speaking to reporters on board his plane as he return- security for the pipeline, Mr. ed from the Turkmenistan Ansari had said “negative town of Mary where the gas forces” and “misguided elepipeline will originate, Mr. ments” must not be allowed Ansari said his meeting with to challenge the project. Mr. Sharif had been “very Bridging energy deficit cordial.” “We are on the right track, When completed, TAPI I think,” said Mr. Ansari, will supply crucial energy to SUHASINI HAIDAR

Poonam proposes eight seats for NRIs in Lok Sabha

bridge Pakistan’s energy deficit, as well as provide India between 15-25% of its natural gas needs. In addition, experts said the commercial partnership between the two countries, with India paying Pakistan transit fees, could give other projects like the pipeline from Iran (IPI) higher chances of success, as long as the security of the project was guaranteed. Meanwhile, a spat over a possible Taliban threat to the TAPI broke out between the Pakistan and Afghanistan governments, after Pakistan Defence Minister Khwaja Asif was quoted as saying that Pakistan could “reach out” to the Afghan Taliban to ensure the pipeline’s security. In response, the Afghan defence spokesperson said, “If Pakistan can ask Taliban not to attack TAPI, we would repeat our demands to help end the war in Afghanistan too.”

Vice-President Hamid Ansari,  Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani and his Turkmenistan counterpart Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow during the groundbreaking ceremony of the TAPI project at Mary in Turkmenistan on Sunday. — PHOTO: PTI

IB opposes PMO move to lift entry curbs on ‘blacklisted’ Sikhs

NISTULA HEBBAR VIJAITA SINGH NEW DELHI: The Indian diaspora

in various countries abroad plays a large role in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s diplomatic outreach, and now, BJP MP Poonam Mahajan is moving a private member’s Bill in the Lok Sabha seeking nomination of at least eight overseas Indians to the Lower House. “It is the centenary year of Mahatma Gandhi’s return to India from South Africa, I feel, there would be no better opportunity to mark the contributions of our overseas community than to allow representation to them in the Lok Sabha.” She cites the Constitutional provision for providing representation for the Anglo-Indian community through a nomination by the President of India as a means to do this. “Just as two members of the Anglo-Indian community are nominated and needn’t fight elections, to address issues regarding their representation, NRIs too can be nomi-

Poonam Mahajan cites the Constitutional provision for providing representation for the Anglo-Indian community.

nated through a Constitutional amendment,” she says. The move may require a recurring expenditure of Rs. 45 crore per year. Private member’s Bills reflect individual interests of the members and are rarely cleared by the House. In the tenure of the 16th Lok Sabha however, the Rajya Sabha managed to clear the transgender Bill sponsored by DMK MP Tiruchi Shiva, and it is pending in the Lok Sabha.

NEW DELHI: The Intelligence Bureau (IB) has opposed the PMO proposal relaxing visa restrictions on overseas Sikhs, whose names figure in a secret “blacklist”, maintained by the government, a senior government oicial said. A delegation of British Sikhs met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in London in November this year and raised the demand for removing the names of Sikh individuals from the list, which bars them from travelling to India. As per government records, there are 43 Sikh individuals, who are residents of U.K, Germany, Canada, whose names are included in this list. The IB has said there should be no blanket clearance of names included in the list and entry restrictions to India should be lifted only on a case by case basis. IB has also suggested that

As per government records, names of 43 Sikhs are included in the list.

the visiting Sikhs should be asked to “sign an oath of allegiance to the Constitution” before being allowed in the country. Extremism revived The revival of Sikh extremism has become a cause of concern for the intelligence agencies as well the government after a series of incidents of sacrilege of the Granth Sahib, the holy book of the Sikhs, was reported in Punjab over the past few months. The incidents led to communal tension in many

Congress firm on stalling Parliament MEHBOOB JEELANI NEW DELHI: Further disruption

in Parliament seems likely as the senior Congress leadership on Sunday decided to stick to its aggressive stance against the ruling BJP for the upcoming week. A group of leaders were in a huddle till late at 10 Janpath where they decided to launch an attack on External Afairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and question her in the House on the revival of talks with Pakistan. Sources privy to the meeting told The Hindu that the party would also like to raise the “disgracing” of Kerala Chief Minister Ommen Chandy, who was asked to stay away from a function where Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the chief guest. The leadership, however, was split on how to raise the series of issues that are so diverse and yet maintain a clean narrative in public. Since the leader of the Lok Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, was out of town, the party de-

GST Bill: informal talks on VIKAS PATHAK NEW DELHI: Though Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi has said no formal meeting has been scheduled with the Congress to forge consensus on the Goods and services Tax Bill, informal talks between the government and the Opposition have been under way. Uunion Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said on Saturday that the Congress’s demand

cided to meet again before the start of the session Monday. While stoking up its cry over the National Herald controversy, the party will be insistent on waiting for the government’s outreach on the contentious Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill. A senior Congress leader told The Hindu that Con-

for doing away with the one per cent additional State levy above the GST that the present Bill permits would require consultations with manufacturing States like Tamil Nadu and Gujarat that had wanted it. Asked whether this would not take more time than the present session would permit, as the manufacturing States might not come on board immediately, Mr. Naqvi told The Hindu: “Consultations with the States are anyway happening.” gress president Sonia Gandhi felt that the party wasn’t getting a fair space in media to explain its viewpoint on the National Herald controversy. Ms. Gandhi asked the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad, to urge the party leaders with legal expertise to be more accessible to press reporters and news channels

and rebut every allegation “point by point.” Earlier in the day, former Union Minister P. Chidambaram told CNN-IBN that the acquisition of Associated Journals Limited (AJL) had turned its assets “doubly secured today.” He also ruled out “illegality” in the transfer of shareholder rights from AJL to Young India, a nonprofit company in which Ms. Gandhi and her son and party vice president Rahul Gandhi own 38 percent shares. Justifying the shareholding rights of the Gandhis, Mr. Chidambaram said it was a “reflection of the Congress party structure.” “Congress party was lender, now it is a Congress party organisation which is a lender. It is the same. The lender is a nonprofit company. Much better,” he said. Since the signs of thaw are invisible from both sides — the Congress and the ruling BJP — a senior Congress leader said the passage of the GST Bill will be forestalled until the next session.

parts of the State. Though the State government blamed a “foreign-hand” for the violent incidents, the Ministry of Home Afairs (MHA) in a reply to Parliament last week said they did not have any such information. Sikh groups have submitted representations to Mr. Modi at various platforms; their eforts during his visit to the UK resulted in an assurance that the government would look into their demands. The PMO sent the proposal to the IB for its opinion. “With elections due in Punjab, we expect a resurrection of separatist movement in the State. If the restrictions on blacklisted individuals are lifted en masse then it could have a disastrous impact on internal security. There is a reason why those names are there,” said a senior government oicial. The blacklist is maintained by MHA and not available in the public domain.

Veterans to boycott R-Day celebrations DINAKAR PERI NEW DELHI: Giving the government 15 days to begin discussions to resolve the impasse over the issue of One Rank One Pension (OROP), ex-servicemen on Sunday announced that they would boycott Republic Day celebrations on January 26 unless the scheme was implemented in its rightful form. “We want OROP after removing the seven shortcomings. Till such time, we will continue with the agitation. We, however, would wait for 15 days for mediation and seven more days thereafter. Then we will take whatever action is available to us under the Constitution. We will boycott January 26 (celebrations) and also make a request to the marching contingent to not take part (in the parade),” said Maj Gen Satbir Singh (retd), Chairman of Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement while addressing a gathering of veterans during a ‘Sainik Akrosh’ rally at Jantar Mantar here.

Questions aplenty on Haryana panchayat poll law KRISHNADAS RAJAGOPAL NEW DELHI: The Supreme

Court judgment upholding the new Haryana panchayat law, which limits the voter’s freedom to choose his own candidate in a participatory democracy, ofers limited and unidimensional explanations to questions and issues raised by parties in court. The judgment by a Bench led by Justice J. Chelameswar does not explain why it considers the reasons for disqualification in Section 175 of the Haryana Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Act 2015,

which include the lack of minimum educational qualification, electricity bill arrears, agricultural loan arrears and absence of a functional toilet at home, reasonable. In fact, the entire verdict hinges on the argument that these disqualifications were introduced by the Harayana Legislative Assembly in its “wisdom”. The Hindu’s analysis of the records of the case shows that the questions posed, and issues raised, by the three women panchayat candidates, represented by advocate Kirti Singh and organisations such as the People’s Union for Civil Liberties through its

counsel, Sanjay Parekh, range from the purely constitutional to the commonsensical. Why do the same disqualifications not apply to the MLAs of the Haryana Assembly? Article 243-F (1)(a) mandates that the disqualifications for an MLA and a panchayat member should be the same under the Constitution and the Representation of the People Act, 1951. Does the Haryana law not create an anomalous situation that a person facing disqualification in panchayat elections can contest the elections for MP and MLA?

Is it not true that though the State legislature has the power to make laws under Article 243(1)(b), these laws cannot be contrary to the constitutional provisions or against the very foundation of democracy? The 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments introduced Panchayati Raj to focus on issues such as poverty, illiteracy, shelter, unemployment at the grassroots level. So should the representative at the panchayat level not be someone who is aware of these problems? India is a signatory to the United Nations

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Is the Haryana law not contrary to Article 25 of the Covenant that persons, otherwise eligible to stand for election, should not be excluded by discriminatory requirements such as education, residence, descent or political ailiation? Is the Haryana law not violative of the Supreme Court’s own judgment by Justice Krishna Iyer in Mohinder Singh Gill v. Chief Election Commissioner that the “little man’s right to rise to prime ministership or presidentship cannot be wished away”? ND-ND

NEWS

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THE HINDU

MONDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2015

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HISTORIC ACCORD

Paris deal may bind India on emissions data Transparency framework requires all countries to submit a national inventory by source G. ANANTHAKRISHNAN PARIS: The Paris Agreement on climate, adopted on Saturday by the member countries of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, creates an enhanced transparency framework that requires all countries to submit a national inventory of greenhouse gas emissions arising from human activity using standardised methodologies accepted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. External monitoring of the national pledge on climate action to “track progress made in implementing and achieving the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)”, a technical review of the emissions data submitted, and participation in a facilitative, multilateral consideration of progress are among the provisions in the Agreement, all of which are significant for India, since many activities involving carbon emissions involve policy made or implemented by the State governments, and not just the Centre.

Experts divided

COMMON CAUSE: Audience and delegates cheer after the adoption of a landmark agreement

at the plenary of the CoP21 Climate Conference in Paris on Saturday.— PHOTO: AFP

In the voluntary pledge — the Intended NDCs (INDCs) — submitted to the UNFCCC, India lists investments in agriculture, water resources, coastal regions, health and disaster management, besides major goals

such as reducing emissions intensity of the GDP by 33-35 per cent over 2005 levels by 2030. New initiatives are to be launched in areas such as cleaner thermal power generation, promoting renew-

able energy, reducing emissions from transport and waste, and creating climate resilient infrastructure. Although India’s INDC includes a caveat that the country will not be bound by any sector-specific mitigation,

and only aims at achieving better overall energy eiciency reflected in lower intensity, the measurements prescribed under the transparency framework clearly stipulate that the national inventory should be “by source.” The transparency framework under Article 13 of the Paris Agreement does provide “built-in flexibility”, which takes into account the diferent capacities of countries. As a fast-developing country with growing carbon emissions, the framework is expected to significantly apply to India. One of the provisions in the Paris Agreement that India was not comfortable with during the negotiations pertains to submission of an NDC every five years. The public Indian position throughout the talks was that it had submitted its INDC for the period between 2021 ad 2030. Article 4, however, mandates that each country should, in five-year cycles, prepare, communicate and maintain an NDC.

Diferentiation now forward-looking: U.S.

VIKAS VASUDEVA VARGHESE K. GEORGE NEW DELHI: The landmark

agreement in Paris has evoked a mixed response from environmentalists and experts here . “On the whole, the Paris agreement is weak and unambitious, as it does not include any meaningful targets for developed countries to reduce their emissions,” said Sunita Narain, directorgeneral of the Centre for Science and Environment. Lavanya Rajamani, Professor at the Centre for Policy Research, meanwhile, said: “Significantly for India, the Paris agreement firmly anchors the idea that developed and developing countries have diferent responsibilities and capabilities.”

WASHINGTON: Diferentiation in climate responsibility will now be a forward-looking concept, as opposed to the earlier backward-looking notion, a senior Obama administration oicial said hours after countries arrived at an agreement in Paris. The earlier notion of diferentiated responsibilities had accounted for the historical role of developed countries in high global carbon emissions, thought it could not be implemented. “It [the Paris agreement] revises the architecture of climate system with the means of diferentiation

that looks forward, not back. It provides for robust financial and technological support for the poor and developing countries with a strong participation of the private sector. This was a very big deal, a long time coming,” the oicial said, speaking on background. The oicial said President Barack Obama had resolved soon after the failed 2009 Copenhagen climate conference that progress had to be made on this front. “As a result, you saw a deliberate strategy unfold over the course of several years. What has been agreed in Paris fundamental-

Obama’s attempt will be to project the Agreement as his biggest achievement ly changes the dynamic of climate talks,” the oicial said. He said the President’s strategy had been to turn the debate domestically and internationally simultaneously. “Strong domestic action is the foundation of the U.S leadership across the globe to change the international dynamic,” he said. The oicial said that reaching out to China culminating in the U.S-China joint statement of November 2014

was the key milestone in the route to Paris. He said that building on the success with China, Mr. Obama could get India, Brazil and Mexico on board subsequently. “Strong accountability and transparency system for both developed and developing countries,” he said. While it is clear that Mr. Obama’s attempt will be to project the Paris agreement as the finest feather in his presidential cap, he is certain to face criticism from two opposite perspectives. One section believes that the agreement does too little to deal with climate challenges. The other section believes America would be conceding too much in terms of finances and emission cuts.

‘Gaps’ in Pak. probe into 26/11

A monumental triumph for earth: U.N. chief VARGHESE K GEORGE WASHINGTON: U.N. SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki-moon on Sunday called the Paris climate agreement a “monumental triumph” for the earth that will set the stage for achieving an end to poverty and development for all. “In the face of an unprecedented challenge, you have demonstrated unprecedented leadership,” he said of the deal involving 195 nations. China termed the pact as “a new beginning in international cooperation.” The pact was fair in splitting responsibility between developed and developing countries, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hong Lei said. China’s Special Representative on Climate Change Xie Zhenhua said: “The Paris Climate Conference is a crucial point in the global climate governance process. The outcome has a bearing with the undertaking of climate change of the human being and our future of sustainable development.” According to the Russian envoy at the climate talks, the accord marked a significant progress in tackling climate issues but the deal required a serious work on its implementation. “I want to confirm Russia’s determination to continue strengthening our actions to reduce the anthropogenic pressure on the environment in accordance with the agreement,” Alexander Bedritsky said. The World Bank welcomed the “historic” accord, saying it reflected aspiration and seriousness to preserve the planet for future generations.

VIJAITA SINGH NEW DELHI: During External Af-

fairs Minister Sushma Swaraj’s visit last week, Pakistan may have assured India that steps were being taken to expedite the early conclusion of the Mumbai attacks trial. But the investigation done by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has glaring gaps, a Union Home Ministry oicial has said. A government report says the FIA has not dealt with at least 22 key areas in the 26/11 case. The agency has filed a charge sheet against 27 accused. Seven of them have been in judicial custody and 20 declared proclaimed ofenders. One of the most important aspects flagged by India was that the role of the facilitators of the 10 Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists who launched the attacks have not been investigated. “The FIA needs to identify the facilitators who arranged the stay, training and movement of the 10 terrorists from Lahore to Karachi [from where they left Pakistan by sea to enter India],” a government oicial said. The oicial said the FIA had not investigated at least six new suspects — Nussar Javed, Abu Saeed, Saeed Engineer, Abu Anas, Abu Dujana and Abu Quhafa — whose

names cropped up during Indian investigations. India says the conspiracy to commit terrorist acts had been on from 2005 to 2008, whereas the FIA investigated just those during 2007-08. India had asked Pakistan to examine Faiza Outalha, the ex-wife of David Coleman Headley, a Pakistani of American origin and one of the key conspirators of the 26/11 attacks. India said if Outalha, a Moroccan citizen, was quizzed, it would have helped the FIA get evidence against Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed, who planned the attack, in consultation with LeT leader Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, and monitored the progress of training of the terrorists. A senior government oicial said that “recce of targets done by Headley and handled by ISI oicials Major Iqbal and Major Sameer was an important part of the conspiracy, which had not been investigated yet”. The oicial said the FIA investigated only the Karachi part of the conspiracy, when the conspiracy, training and motivation of the LeT module took place in Muzzafarabad, Muridke and Lahore. Further, setting up of a control room in Karachi, from where the 10 terrorists were guided during the attacks, had not been investigated.

Artist, lawyer found dead in Mumbai drain N-deal hinges on Abe’s political skills GAUTAM MENGLE MUMBAI: Two bodies found in a

sewage drain in Kandivali on Saturday evening were on Sunday identified as those of noted artist Hema Upadhyay and her lawyer Harish Bhambhani. The police have registered a complaint of murder and destruction of evidence against unknown persons, and are questioning her ex-husband Chintan Upadhyay, also a famous artist, as well as three or four locals, picked up on suspicion. Two rectangular cardboard boxes wrapped in plastic were seen floating in the drain by some residents, who called the police. The boxes were found to contain two bodies, one of a man and the other of a woman. “Based on separate missing person complaints filed at the Matunga and the Santacruz police stations, we identified the deceased as Hema Upadhyay and Harish Bhambhani.

There were no external injuries on the bodies. We are awaiting post-mortem reports to ascertain the exact cause of death,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police Vikram Deshmane, Zone XI. Sources said that Mr. Upadhyay, who was in Delhi, was contacted in the early hours of Sunday morning. He reached Mumbai later in the day and went to the Kandivali police station, and was being questioned until late evening. Some local criminals were also picked up on suspicion, said sources. The police said they checked the CCTV footage of Hema’s studio in Andheri (W) and saw her and Harish leaving together around 8 p.m. on Friday in his car. Police oicers who are part of the investigating team said that Harish left his Matunga residence on Friday evening, telling his family that he was going to meet a client. His daughter called him around

8.30 p.m. to ask him when he was coming home, and he told her that he was at an important meeting with a client and should not be disturbed. That was the last conversation he had with his family. When subsequent attempts to reach him failed, his daughter registered a missing person’s complaint with the Matunga police. Meanwhile, Hema left her Juhu residence on Friday evening, telling her servant that she was going out for some work. “Harish’s family reached Hema’s residence on Saturday morning seeking information on his whereabouts. Her servant told them that Hema herself was missing since Friday. They then registered a missing person’s complaint with the Santacruz police,” said a police oicer. Doctors who conducted a preliminary medical examination have told the police that death seems to have occurred around three to four hours be-

fore the bodies were found. Hema had filed for divorce from Mr. Upadhyay in 2010. Harish was representing her, while her husband was represented by advocate Niteen Pradhan. The couple were oicially divorced in 2014, said sources. The divorce battle was dotted with bitter allegations and counter allegations, with Hema filing an application in 2013 alleging that Mr. Upadhyay was trying to harass her by drawing obscene paintings on the walls of their Juhu residence. Hema and Chintan were at the time staying in the same house but in diferent rooms. “The matter ultimately went to the Supreme Court, and was dismissed on the grounds that Chintan’s bedroom was his personal space,” Mr. Pradhan told The Hindu, adding that Hema had filed an application seeking alimony, which was scheduled for hearing next year.

Colistin use against resistant infections up ROLI SRIVASTAVA MUMBAI: Five years after an an-

tibiotic-resistant superbug was traced to India, the market size of colistin — the last antibiotic that can work on resistant infections — has more than doubled in the country. Usage of the last-resort drug has shot up in hospitals — 91 lakh units (one unit is one injection vial), estimated at Rs. 80 crore, was sold in 2015, up from units valued at Rs. 30 crore three years ago. Vying for a share are over a dozen firms — three manufacturers and the rest marketers. In the critical-care segment, colistin, in the past five years, has emerged as the fastest-growing drug. With doctors prescribing higher dosages to contain resistant infections, companies are now launching the drug in higher strengths. Doctors said the highest strength formulation was the most consumed, accounting for 50 per cent of the total usage. CM YK

The drug was pulled out from a five-decade hibernation about six years ago to treat resistant infections. “Earlier, we used to give three doses of the mildest strength. Now we give as many of the highest strength,” said Abdul Ghafur, consultant, infectious diseases and clinical microbiology, Apollo Hospitals, Chennai.

Doctors working in the intensive care units have inadvertently mapped the rise of a drug that pharmaceutical companies were once not too keen to launch. “About six years ago, we had to convince a pharma major to introduce colistin. And then the market just shot up,” said J.V. Divatia, head of the department of anaes-

thesia, critical care and pain, Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai. A senior oicial with a pharma major tracking colistin consumption globally said consumption in India had been building up in the past three years. “And this consumption is limited to tertiary-care hospitals in metros,” he said. Both pharma companies and doctors are now looking at how to efectively administer this drug, and not compromise its eicacy on resistant infections, a step coming in a tad late, say observers. “If we had taken care in 2010, we wouldn’t have reached this stage now,” a senior microbiologist said. Experts note that the rise in colistin usage is almost identical to the sharp increase in the use of the third-generation antibiotic carbapenem between 2005 and 2010. Now, resistance to carbapenem is pegged at 5060 per cent, leading to the rise in colistin use.

KALLOL BHATTACHERJEE NEW DELHI: The civilian nuclear deal between India and Japan which has been under negotiation since 2010 finally might move beyond the “nullification clause” which had been the major condition that Japan refused to compromise on in the previous rounds of negotiations. However, complex legislative negotiation in Tokyo will determine how fast both sides can finalise the draft of the civilian nuclear energy treaty. Speaking to The Hindu, Yasuhisa Kawamura, Director General of Press and Public Diplomacy of the Ministry of Foreign Afairs of Japan said the latest round of negotiations has not imposed any restrictive measures on India.

Voluntary moratorium “Japan is satisfied by the fact that India has a voluntary moratorium on further nuclear testing. Earlier India separated its military and civilian nuclear programme and that apart we also appreciate India’s policy on reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel which provides further safeguards,” Mr Kawamura said. In view of the several steps that India has already taken in the field of nuclear safety and nuclear fuel reprocessing, Japan has not insisted on

‘Japanese Parliament has a lobby that is against civilian deals with nonmembers of NPT’

Experts feel Shinzo Abe will find it tough to justify discarding of “nullification clause” in Parliament.

any “nullification clause” during the latest round of negotiations, Mr Kawamura said. It is this relaxation of some of the past rigidity which paved the way for the MoU on the principles of negotiation exchanged during the latest visit by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to India. Japan had previously insisted on the “nullification clause” which would allow automatic freezing of IndiaJapan nuclear ties if New Delhi carried out any further nuclear tests. Nuclear experts and commentators are however, pointing out that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will find it tough to justify discarding of the “nullification clause” in the Japanese parliament.

Prof Anuradha Chenoy, Dean, School of International Studies, JNU, told The Hindu that the sidelining of the “nullification clause” is meant to save the nuclear deal but a lot will depend in the coming months on the political acumen of Mr. Abe and his cross-party networking in the Japanese parliament. “The good thing is that Prime Minister Abe is deeply influenced by India and seems personally committed to push the nuclear deal in the Japanese parliament but it is not easy as the Japanese parliament has a dedicated lobby which is opposed to nuclear negotiation or civilian deals with non-members of the NPT,” Prof. Chenoy said. ‘Abe facing pressure’ Arundhati Ghose, India’s former Permanent Representative to the Conference on Disarmament (CD) said the commercial pragmatism of the Japanese nuclear lobby will help in finalising the deal soon. “The specificity of

the Japan-India civil nuclear negotiation is its commercial aspect. Because of the commercial aspect, Mr. Abe is under pressure from Japanese nuclear energy giants like Toshiba and Hitachi, who own American nuclear energy firms like Westinghouse and GE. In brief, Mr Abe will have to free Japanese nuclear companies so that the American companies can benefit from energy deals with India, as without that, the India-U.S. nuclear deal remains unfulfilled too,” Ms Ghose explained. Japan is also perceived to be trailing behind France, China, Australia and Canada due to its rigid stance. Ms. Ghose pointed out that India’s nuclear deals with Australia and Canada did not attract so much attention as the one with Japan mainly due to the fact that the IndiaJapan nuclear deal, once sanctified by Japan’s parliament will change the western nuclear energy market. Finalisation of the deal will signal an irreversible change in the international civilian nuclear market of which India is poised to be a major consumer. But for now, it is for Mr Abe to convince the Japanese parliament that the time for civil nuclear deal between India and Japan has finally arrived.

AAP tries to make inroads into rural Punjab VIKAS VASUDEVA NEW DELHI: In an attempt to strengthen its base among the rural voters of Punjab ahead of the Assembly elections, just a little over a year away, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is seeking to cash in on the anger and discontent of farmers and workers against the ruling Akali Dal-BJP alliance. The AAP has constituted its farmer and labour wing (kisan and mazdoor) in an attempt to make inroads in rural Punjab and win over voters as the party plans to contest the coming polls in the State.

‘The Akalis and the Congress have failed to look after the farmers & the labour community’ The party fancies its chances considering that the Akali-led government is also facing a strong anti-incumbency sentiment after almost nine years in power. The party believes it could be the third major force in the State, after the Akali Dal-BJP front and the Congress by building a substantial vote bank, especially in the rural areas disenchanted with the ruling al-

liance as well as the Congress. The party recently announced its zone-wise organisational structure for its farmer and labour wing that would be actively working across the State. It announced Capt. Gurbinder Singh Kang as State president, while Ahbaab Singh Grewal was appointed general secretary for its farmer and labour wing. Karnveer Singh Tiwana has been appointed senior vice-president. Capt. Kang said: “The kisan and mazdoor wing will now be building the organisation at the Assembly and

booth levels. Sector coordinators will be announced in the next few days.” “The Akalis and the Congress have failed to look after the farmers and the labour community in the State and both groups have been reeling under their corrupt and ineicient governance. We will strongly take up their issues,” he said. The AAP, which has four Lok Sabha MPs from Punjab, will hold a State-wide agitation on December 15, demanding the resignation of State Agriculture Minister Tota Singh for his alleged involvement in the ‘pesticide scam.’ ND-ND

WORLD

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Oicials missed Tashfeen’s posts Malik had expressed on social media her views on violent jihad and her desire to be part of it

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU MONDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2015

17 women voted to public oice in Saudi Arabia RIYADH: Saudi Arabians voted 17

women into public oice in municipal elections in the conservative Islamic kingdom on Saturday, the first to allow female participation, a statealigned news site reported on Sunday. The election was the first in which women could vote and run as candidates, a landmark step in a country where women are barred from driving and are legally dependent on a male relative to approve almost all their major life decisions. Sabq.org, a news website affiliated with the autocratic monarchy’s Interior Ministry, reported that a total of 17 women had been elected in various parts of the country. Some results had been announced on the oicial Saudi Press Agency, including the victories of four women. However, the election was for only two thirds of seats in

MATT APUZZO, MICHAEL S. SCHMIDT AND JULIA PRESTON

T

ashfeen Malik, who with her husband carried out the massacre in San Bernardino, California, passed three background checks by U.S. immigration oicials as she moved to the United States from Pakistan. But none uncovered what Malik had made little efort to hide — that she talked openly on social media about her views on violent jihad. She said she supported it. And she said she wanted to be a part of it. U.S. law enforcement oicials said they recently discovered those old — and previously unreported — postings as they pieced together the lives of Malik and her husband, Syed Rizwan Farook, trying to understand how they pulled of the deadliest terrorist attack on American soil since Sept. 11, 2001. Had authorities found the posts years ago, they might have her out of the CALIFORNIA kept country. But immigraSHOCK tion oicials do not roureview social joining the dots tinely media as part of their background checks, and there is a debate inside the Department of Homeland Security over whether it is even appropriate to do so. The discovery of the old social media posts has exposed a significant — and perhaps inevitable — shortcoming in how foreigners are screened when they enter the United States, particularly as people everywhere disclose more about themselves online. Tens of millions of people are cleared each year to come to this country to work, visit or live. It is impossible to conduct an exhaustive investigation and scour the social media accounts of each of them, law enforcement oicials say. In the aftermath of terrorist attacks in San Bernardino and Paris, this screening process has been singled out as a major vulnerability in the nation’s defence against terrorism. Lawmakers from both parties have endorsed making it harder for people to enter the United States if they have recently been in Iraq or Syria. The Obama administration is trying to determine whether those background checks can be expanded without causing major delays in the popular program. In an attempt to ensure they did not miss threats from men and women who entered the country the

India Corner inaugurated in Jafna library

Tashfeen Malik and Syed Rizwan Farook. Had authorities found the social media posts years ago, they might have kept her out of the country. — PHOTO: NYT

same way Malik did, immigration oicials are also reviewing all of about 90,000 K-1 visas issued in the past two years and are considering a moratorium on new ones while they determine whether changes should be made. In an era when technology has given intelligence agencies seemingly limitless ability to collect information on people, it may seem surprising that a Facebook or Twitter post could go unnoticed in a background screening. But the screenings are an example of the trade-ofs security oicials make as they try to mitigate the threat of terrorism while keeping borders open for business and travel. Malik faced three extensive national security and criminal background screenings. She also had two in-person interviews, federal oicials said, the first by a consular oicer in Pakistan, and the second by an immigration oicer in the United States when she applied for her green card. All those reviews came back clear, and the FBI has said it had no incriminating information about Malik or Farook in its databases. The State Department and the Department of Homeland Security have said they followed all policies and procedures. — New York Times News Service

Ex-Gitmo detainee denounces extremism LONDON: The last British

resident held at Guantanamo Bay has denounced extremism in his first interview since being released in October. Shaker Aamer told The Mail on Sunday that extremists “can get the hell out” if they are that angry with Britain. He sharply criticised recent attacks, such as the 2013 stabbing of a British soldier and the recent knife attack at an east London subway station now being investigated by the police counter terror unit. “How can you give yourself the right to be living here in this country, and living with the people and acting like you are a

Ted Cruz ahead of Trump among Republican hopefuls WASHINGTON: Texas U.S. Senator Ted Cruz has solidified his lead among Republican presidential contenders in the politically crucial state of Iowa, a new poll showed. The Des Moines Register/ Bloomberg Politics poll, out late Saturday, shows the conservative Cruz with 31 per cent support, 10 points ahead of bombastic billionaire Donald Trump, who has 21 per cent. Mr. Trump, who has a solid lead in national polls among Republicans, quickly tweeted about another survey. Jennifer Jackson of the Des Moines Register said in a video on the paper’s website: “It’s Cruzmentum. Ted Cruz is crushing it in Iowa.” The poll follows a December 7 Monmouth University survey showing Mr. Cruz for the first time leading the field among voters who intend to

Ted Cruz was leading the field among voters who intend to take part in the February 1 Iowa caucuses. — PHOTO: REUTERS

take part in the February 1 Iowa caucuses, the first real measure of voter support in the 2016 presidential campaign. The telephone poll of 400 Republican voters was taken Monday through Thursday, and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.9 per cent. The poll was taken as Mr.

BEIJING: In the future, China will shut down a factory before it even pollutes — or so it hopes, as it deploys big data in the fight against bad air. In Beijing’s environmental bureau, a team of engineers tend to giant mainframe computers that keep a watchful eye on the city’s pollution. Using everything from factories’ infrared profiles to social media posts, the machines can call up three-day pollution forecasts with resolution of up to one kilometre squared and detect trends up to 10 days out.

COLOMBO: Three projects, in-

CM YK

municipal councils that have no lawmaking or national powers, and follows men-only polls in 2005 and 2011. Under King Abdullah, who died in January and who announced in 2011 that women would be able to vote in this election, steps were taken for women to have a bigger public

SOME NORMALCY: Libyan students play in the courtyard of the al-Bashayer school in the eastern coastal city of Benghazi on Sunday, as they come back to school for the first time since August 2014 when Islamist-backed militias seized Tripoli, prompting the internationally recognised government to take refuge in the far east of the country. — PHOTO: AFP

Drones, satellites, sensors The computer program, developed by IBM, is one of several high-tech measures, ranging from drones and satellites to remote sensors, that China is deploying to deal with its chronic pollution. It seeks to solve an incongruous reality: In a country where security cameras are ubiquitous and Communist authorities operate a vast public surveillance system,

A leading voice on Southeast Asia associate at London’s School of Oriental and African Studies who studied under Mr. Anderson at Cornell. Born to Anglo-Irish parents in 1936 in Kunming, China, Benedict Richard O’Gorman Anderson grew up in California and was educated at Cambridge and Cornell, where he studied Southeast Asian politics. But while retaining an active interest in Indonesia, Mr. Anderson’s enforced absence from that country encouraged him to turn his energies elsewhere, with

JAKARTA: Benedict Anderson, a

Cornell University scholar who became one of the most influential voices in the fields of nationalism and Southeast Asian studies, died Sunday in Indonesia. He was 79. Mr. Anderson died in his sleep during a visit to the city of Malang, Indonesian media reported. His death was confirmed on the Facebook page of Thai historian Charnvit Kasetsiri, his close friend and colleague. The cause of death was not immediately known. A modern concept

Mr. Anderson is best known for his 1983 book Imagined Communities — Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism, whose controversial thesis is that nationalism is largely a modern concept rooted in language and literacy. “Many readers of Imagined Communities did not know that his knowledge of Southeast Asian languages gave him insights into Indonesian, Thai, and Philippine political culture and history,” said Prof. Craig J. Reynolds of Australian National University. Mr. Anderson’s influence was

BENEDICT ANDERSON (1936-2015) not limited to the sphere of theory, as he engaged with the contentious issues of the day with a rigorous analysis and dry wit that inspired his students. “Throughout his life, he inspired successive generations of students to brush history against the grain by similarly marshalling every ounce of their intellectual creativity and courage to look at history and politics in totally new and greatly more profound ways,” said Steve Heder, a research

Trump called on Monday for barring Muslims from entering the United States. Onetime presumed frontrunner Jeb Bush — son of one President and brother to another — has a measly six per cent support, while all the other candidates have less than three per cent support. — AFP

Surveillance, an anti-pollution weapon

Back to school in Libya

T. RAMAKRISHNAN

cluding the creation of India Corner at the Jafna Public Library and the establishment of an English language laboratory, were recently commissioned in the Northern Province. Supported by the Indian government, the projects included the construction of a four-storeyed 200-bed ward complex at the District Hospital in Vavuniya at a cost of Rs. 187 million. In the next phase, the government planned to ensure the procurement and supply of medical equipment, costing SLR 100 million. The India Corner, set up in partnership with the Jafna Municipal Council, would offer access to a variety of resources such as books, DVDs and periodicals. It would have books procured from India, mainly in Tamil language, on Indian ancient and contemporary history, philosophy, cultural heritage and literature including the one focusing on children besides Tamil art and culture. The English language laboratory in Kopay, Jafna, was ninth in the series, marking the total coverage of all nine provinces with one such facility. This was sequel to a memorandum of understanding signed by the governments of India and Sri Lanka four years ago. Costing SLR 84 million, the project was fully funded by the former. Thirty-one computer units and other related equipment, software and teaching aids were provided to each laboratory, apart from training five master trainers in each place. Participating in the inauguration of the laboratory, C.V. Wigneswaran, Chief Minister of the Northern Province, said the facility would improve the English language skills of students of the Province who were deprived of opportunities to learn English earlier due to the civil war. India’s High Commissioner Y.K. Sinha, who was in the Northern Province on Thursday and Friday, said 40,700 houses out of the proposed 50,000 houses under the Indian Housing Project were completed till now.

normal person, and then you just walk in the street and try to kill people?” he was quoted as saying. Aamer, 48, arrived in Britain in October after spending nearly 14 years as a prisoner at the U.S. facility in Cuba. The U.S. Defense Department has said he shared an apartment in the late 1990s with Zacarias Moussaoui, who was convicted of taking part in the Sept. 11 conspiracy. Aamer has denied the allegations and he was never charged. He was freed after a task force appointed by President Barack Obama conducted a “comprehensive review” of his case. — AP

Saudi activist Ghada Ghazzawi tapes a selfie video on Saturday, marking a historical day for Saudi women. — PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

role, sending more of them to university and encouraging female employment. However, while women’s sufrage has in many other countries been a transformative moment in the quest for gender equality, its impact in Saudi Arabia is likely to be more limited due to a wider lack of democracy and continued social conservatism. Huda al-Jeraisy, who as the daughter of a former head of the chamber of commerce in the conservative central part of the kingdom was seen by some Saudis as imparting an oicial stamp of approval on women’s candidature, won a seat in Riyadh. In Qassim, traditionally the most conservative part of the country, two women were elected but their names were not immediately released. Another was elected in al-Babtain district. — Reuters

Thailand becoming another specialisation by the mid-1970s. He learned enough Thai to coauthor a 1985 collection and study of translated modern Thai short stories. Mr. Anderson’s most influential work on Thailand was his 1977 essay “Withdrawal Symptoms,” which analysed the social forces behind a 1976 counterrevolution in Thailand just three years after a student-led revolt toppled a military dictatorship. “His

Best-known for his book Imagined Communities that scripted the origins of nationalism scholarship and commitment to progressive political change meant that he was an icon for scholars in the region and for all those who have studied the region,” said Kevin Hewison, a professor of politics and international studies at Australia’s Murdoch University. Thailand is currently under military rule after another coup last year. Mr. Anderson later turned his attention to the Philippines, learning Spanish so he could study colonial-era documents which led to his last major book, 2005’s Under Three Flags — Anarchism and the Anti-Colonial Imagination. In a blog posting, Verso Books said Mr. Anderson had been working recently on finalizing his memoir, A Life Beyond Boundaries, which is scheduled for publication next year. — AP

formation to predict and preempt its future sources. China has found itself in a double bind in the face of a relentless assault from bad air that put the capital on its firstever air quality red alert this month.

Women wear masks as they walk along a street on a polluted day in Beijing. — PHOTO: AP

accurate information about pollution remains scarce — even to oicials. As a result, Beijing and its neighbouring provinces “can’t coordinate joint defence and joint control” of their anti-smog eforts, leaving rogue companies to “secretly discharge and secretly

Pak. terror strike kills 24

dump”, said Chen Long, chief executive oicer of Encanwell, which develops air quality monitoring and early warning systems. The company is trying to achieve total pollution awareness: the ability to know, with perfect accuracy, where haze comes from and use that in-

Afghan forces fight to hold Helmand

PARACHINAR: A blast killed 24

people and injured 70 in the northwestern Pakistani city of Parachinar on Sunday, oicials said, and a banned Sunni Islamist group claimed responsibility for the attack. “This is revenge for the killing of Muslims by the Syrian President and Iran,” said Ali bin Sufyan, spokesman for Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ), an Islamist group whose sectarian ideology is closely aligned with Islamic State. He was speaking to Reuters by phone. Earlier this week, Reuters reported that a Shia unit of Pakistani fighters known as the Zeinabiyoun were joining the war against Islamic State in Syria. Many come from Parachinar, which has a large Shia population, unusual in Sunnimajority Pakistan. The explicit linkage of the Pakistan bombing to the war in Syria will alarm Pakistani oicials, who are keen to play down reports that Islamic State is seeking to establish a foothold in their country. — Reuters

Improving prediction Choking pollution descended on Beijing twice in the past two weeks, and the country's meteorological bureau expects it may come twice more before the month is out. Improving prediction capabilities through increased monitoring is a key part of the plan to trade in the country’s anti-pollution sledgehammer for a scalpel. In July, leadership in Beijing vowed to establish a national network for detecting pollution that will incorporate multiple technologies on land, in the air and space. So far, the IBM software has achieved only 75 per cent accuracy for its 10-day forecasts, developers say. — AFP

LASHKAR GAH: Afghan forces are battling to hold Marjah district centre in the volatile southern province of Helmand that Taliban insurgents have cut off as part of a monthslong campaign in which they have taken three districts and

threatened the regional capital. Helmand police chief Abdul Rahman Sarjang said on Sunday security forces were holding on in the Governor’s compound and police and army headquarters but that surrounding areas were all in the hands of the insurgents. Helmand, an arid, semi-desert region and major centre of opium cultivation, has long been one of the Taliban’s heartlands. — Reuters

23 killed in Russia hospital fire MOSCOW: Twenty-three psychiatric patients, most of them elderly, died when a fire ripped through their care facility in southern Russia Saturday night, in the latest tragedy to hit mental health hospitals in the country. “The bodies of 21 people have been found, two more died in hospitals,” said the emergencies ministry on Sunday, adding that a further 23 people were hospitalised.

Seventy patients and four nurses were in the Soviet-era ward when the fire broke out shortly before midnight (2100 GMT) Saturday at the hospital in the village of Alfyorovka, in the southern Voronezh region. Igor Kobzev, chief of the Voronezh regional branch of the emergencies ministry, said that “the epicentre of the fire was located in a place where bedridden patients were.” — AFP

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BUSINESS

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THE HINDU MONDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2015

Combined valuation of top 5 companies decline

Govt. may fix minimum import price for steel products

Routesms to invest Rs. 30 cr for expansion

The combined market valuation of top five Sensex companies — RIL, HDFC Bank, ITC, CIL and ONGC plummeted by Rs.47,445.38 crore last week in line with an overall weak broader market. — PTI

Ministries of Commerce and Steel are close to finalising the minimum import price of about 30-35 steel products, which is likely to be announced this week. — PTI

Mobile messaging service provider, Routesms, is looking to invest up to Rs.30 crore in the next six months to expand to 10 new countries. It offers transactional and bulk short messaging service solutions— PTI

U.S. civil society groups back India’s stand at WTO

Traders, industrialists lobby for early rollout of GST

Ministers from 162 member countries of the WTO will gather in the Kenyan capital from December 15 to 18

YUTHIKA BHARGAVA

tries for food security purposes. India has also sought a drastic reduction of 'trade distorting' farm subsidies of the developed countries.

ARUN S NEW DELHI: India’s demand that

the World Trade Organization take steps, on a priority basis, to safeguard the interests of poor farmers as well as the food security programmes in developing countries has received support within the U.S. Several prominent U.S.based civil society organisations including World Food Program USA, Oxfam America and ActionAid USA have asked Washington to agree to support the developing countries' demands on food security and poor farmer issues. Ministers from 162 member countries of the WTO will gather at the Kenyan capital during December 15-18 for negotiations meant for a deal to open up global trade. The developed world, including the US, is learnt to be keen on introducing 'new' issues (such as e-commerce, global value chains, labour, competition and environ-

The entrance of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Headquarters in Geneva. India is one of the leading developing countries wanting the Nairobi meet to take up on priority negotiations on an effective Special Safeguard Mechanism- FILE PHOTO: AFP

ment) of their interest during the Nairobi meet, instead of taking forward the ongoing Doha Round negotiations, which has a ‘development’ agenda. India is one of the leading

developing countries wanting the Nairobi meet to take up on priority negotiations on an effective Special Safeguard Mechanism (or SSM, a trade remedy allowing developing countries to temporarily in-

crease duties to counter sudden import surges or price falls of farm items, thereby protecting poor farmers), and a permanent solution to the issue of public food stockholding in developing coun-

Functional SSM In a recent letter to the United States Trade Representative (USTR) Michael Froman, these US-based NGOs urged him to ensure that the U.S. supports a 'functional' SSM, without making that support dependent on other concessions on market access. They pointed out that import surges of farm products are a documented reality under the current rules and not a prospective risk should further market access be granted. They, therefore, wanted the US to support developing country eforts to confront volatility in international markets for agricultural goods. These civil society groups also included Action Against Hunger, Bread for the World,

India rejects rich world’s attempt to create divisions ARUN S NEW DELHI: India will oppose

the developed world’s attempts to ask developing countries with relatively higher growth to commit to greater and faster market access during next week’s WTO talks. The world’s rich countries, including the U.S., have put forth an argument of a 'diferentiated' treatment, where higher growth countries such as India and China can be categorised diferently from the other developing countries, with an aim to create divisions among the developing world, sources familiar with the talks said.

The WTO mandates special and diferential treatment (S&DT) to developing countries, which among other things, accords longer time periods for implementing WTO agreements and commitments in addition to provisions safeguarding their trade interests. However, the developed countries do not want China and India to get the S&DT benefits due to their higher growth rates when compared to the rest of the developing world. WTO does not define what constitutes a 'developing' or 'developed' country, and allows its members to apply the

principle of 'self-election' to decide for themselves if they have to be categorised as a 'developing' country. Other members can question a member on its decision to term itself as a 'developing' country to take advantage of the S&DT benefits. The WTO, however, recognises least developed countries as designated by the United Nations. India will cite its low GDP per capita ($1596 versus $7594 of China and $54,630 of the US) and high levels of poverty (a quarter of the India population, or about 300 million people -- which is close to the entire population of the US, who

still live on around $1 a day) to defeat attempts to categorise it diferently from other developing countries, the sources said. Another item that is high on India's WTO agenda is to ensure that the developed countries substantially reduce their trade distorting subsidies, they said. Commerce Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, and Commerce Secretary, Rita Teaotia, had, during their recent media briefings, said that India cannot be treated diferently from other developing countries as there are many areas within the country with very low growth rates and high poverty levels.

This fact will be reinforced at the Nairobi meet, the sources said. The developed world, in return for contributions to make the ongoing Doha Round negotiations of the WTO successful, wants major emerging markets such as India and China to make additional contributions and significantly higher commitments. The Doha Round talks, which began in 2001, has missed several deadlines owing to persisting diferences between the developed and the developing world on market opening commitments.

Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, Mercy Corps, American Jewish World Service and Church World Service. They urged the US to agree to a developing country group proposal on a permanent solution to the issue of food stocks programmes to support food security. “No country should be prevented from supporting programmes to ensure local food production to feed their people, something that is likely to become even more critical in an era of climate change,” according to a letter written by them to the USTR. In line with India's demands, they asked the US to agree to the revision of the baseline figures on public spending on agriculture so that they reflect current prices and are suiciently flexible to cope with difering levels of inflation. Countries that now provide more support to their farmers than in the past (although still at dramatically lower levels per capita than in the US) should not be prevented from doing so by outdated rules that reference no longer relevant data. Monetisation of food aid These civil society groups also asked Washington to agree to the modest disciplines proposed by the EU and others on the US practice of monetising international food aid, which, they said, has a high risk of disrupting local markets for small-scale producers. They urged the US to support a transparent and inclusive multilateral process to resolve these pressing issues, adding that calling on countries to simply abandon multilateralism and accede to other mega-regional or plurilateral agreements that do not reflect their interests is no solution.

NEW DELHI: India’s trade bodies

have come on a common platform with industry lobby groups to campaign for an early rollout of the Good and Services Tax (GST). Trade lobbies, including CII, FICCI, Assocham, PHD Chambers, and traders body, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), have for the first time issued a joint appeal to the political fraternity “to give safe passage to the Constitution Amendment (122nd) Bill,” pertaining to GST in Parliament.“The industry is in favour of GST,” said Sumit Mazumder, President of industry chamber, Confederation of Indian Industry. “It will be good for the industry and all businesses will benefit. It will unify India into one country instead of a fragmented one with every state having its own tax rate… It will dramatically improve ease of doing business in India.” Seminar As a part of the campaign, a seminar on GST will be held in the national capital next week, which will be addressed by Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley, and Chief Economist Advisor, Arvind Subramanian. Similar conferences are likely to be held in other States as well. The campaign is targeted at creating awareness and sensitising the business community and political parties about the benefits of and the need for one of the biggest tax reforms in India, accord-

ing to a joint statement. “The joint campaign is derived from the idea of reaching out to political parties and trade and industry to apprise them of the advantages and benefits of GST that could accrue if implemented early,” according to the CAIT. Praveen Khandelwal, the Secretary General at CAIT said GST was “a ray of hope to get rid of the complex taxation system since it will integrate various central and state-level taxes.” An earlier attempt by India Inc in May to persuade parliamentarians to pass the GST Bill during the Monsoon Session went in vain. The industry, through an online petition had urged “all political parties to have a collaborative and consultative process in the Parliament and allow the Parliament to function, to debate and legislate.” The initiative has since then received support of over 63,000 people, including top industrialists. The government and industry is keen that the bill is approved in the ongoing winter session of Parliament so as to meet the rollout date of April 1, 2016. The bill was cleared by Lok Sabha in May and now is stuck in Rajya Sabha, where the ruling NDA is in a minority. Any constitutional amendment bill needs to be approved by a two-third majority in both Houses of Parliament and ratified by half the state legislative assemblies before it takes efect.

The industry is in favour of GST. It will be good for the industry and all businesses will benefit Sumit Mazumder, President, CII

IOC to invest Rs.1.75 lakh cr to expand NEW DELHI: Indian Oil Corporoation (IOC), India’s largest oil firm, will invest Rs.1.75 lakh crore over the next seven years on expanding refinery capacity, building petrochemical plants and laying pipelines, a company oicial said. The plan includes spending Rs.34,555 crore in the 15 million tonnes a year Paradip oil refinery in Odisha that has recently started producing fuel. Besides, the refinery expansion projects planned include raising Panipat refinery capacity to 20.2 million tonnes from 15 million tonnes currently at a cost of Rs.15,000 crore and raising capacity at Koyali, Mathura and Barauni units by 2020, the oicial said. Paradip has started producing fuel and helped IOC regain the top refinery slot in the country, the oicial said. Prior to Paradip, its eight refineries had a cumulative capacity of 54.2 million tonnes of crude oil. Paradip

The refinery expansion projects planned include raising Panipat refinery capacity to 20.2 million tonnes from the present 15 million tonnes at a cost of Rs.15,000 crore

helped IOC overtake Reliance Industries, which has twin refineries at Jamnagar in Gujarat with a capacity of 62 million tonnes. Essar Oil is the only other private refiner having a 20 million tonnes a year unit at Vadinar in Gujarat. The oicial said IOC is looking at raising capacity of its 13.7 million tonnes a year

Koyali refinery in Gujarat by 4.3 million tonnes and hiking capacity of Mathura refinery in Uttar Pradesh by three million tonnes to 11 million tonnes in two stages, first to 9.2 million tonnes and then to 11 million tonnes. A small capacity addition of 0.5 million tonnes is also planned at 7.5 million tonnes Haldia refinery in West Ben-

gal. Also Barauni refinery in Bihar will be expanded from 6 million tonnes to 7 million tons in first phase and than to 9 million tonnes in second, he said. “We are also setting up a 7,00,000 tonnes per annum polypropylene (PP) plant at a cost of Rs.3,150 crore at Paradip. The plant is to be built by 2017-18,” the oicial said. IOC will use propylene from cracked LPG and ethylene from refinery of-gas to produce plastic that is used in making furniture, disposable cups and trays, printed packaging material, plain and transparent films, currency notes, food packets and pressure-sensitive tapes. The oicial said the company was also looking at setting up a 5 million tonnes a year LNG import terminal at Ennore in Tamil Nadu. The new expansion planned will cater to fuel needs of north and western India, he added. — PTI

CIL output rise will cut Farida group to start coal imports: Government manufacturing in WB NEW DELHI: Coal imports will continue to decline this fiscal due to ‘unprecedented increase’ in output of the fossil fuel by State-owned Coal India Ltd. (CIL) “Imports will continue to come down (in the ongoing fiscal),” Coal Secretary Anil Swarup told PTI. The drop in imports can be attributed to “unprecedented increase in coal production by CIL”, he added. Mr. Swarup had earlier said in a tweet that coal imports in November dropped to 11.6 million tonnes (MT) against 22.6 MT in the same month of last year.

Record production “Consequent to a record production by Coal India, import of coal comes down for fifth successive month. Down by 8.9 per cent during AprilNovember,” Mr. Swarup tweeted. “Coal imports come down from 136.6 million tonnes in April-November (2014) to 119.9 (MT) in 2015. In value terms, down from Rs.68,822 CM YK

Coal imports come down from 136.6 million tonnes in April-Nov. (2014) to 119.9 (MT) in 2015 crore to Rs.54,607 crore,” he said in another tweet. CIL’s production increased by 8.8 per cent during the April-November period of the current fiscal 2015-16 on a year-on-year basis. Production was up by almost 26 MT during April-November 2015 compared to the same period previous fiscal, a company oicial said. CIL produced 321.38 MT of coal during April-November, 2015-16 as against 295.40 MT in the year ago period. The State-owned firm, which accounts for over 80 per cent of the domestic coal production, is eying to 1 billion tonnes production by 2020. India had imported 212.103 million tonnes of coal worth over Rs.1 lakh crore last fiscal. — PTI

N. ANAND CHENNAI: Farida group, one of

the country’s largest exporters of footwear, will start manufacturing shoes at a new factory in West Bengal. The unit set up at an investment of Rs.5 crore is located outside Kalyani and will make 3,000 pairs a day. Talking to The Hindu, Farida group Chairman M. Rafeeque Ahmed said: “We decided to set foot in West Bengal as good quality raw material is available close to our factory. The building is ready and we will start imparting training from January end. Thereafter, operations will begin by April.” Mr. Ahmed also said they recently acquired a tannery in West Bengal with a capacity to produce 8,00,000 sq.ft. of leather. It would start feeding the shoe factory. The footwear plant would contribute about Rs.15 crore to Rs.20 crore per annum to the company’s sales. The Rs.1,300 crore Farida group has eight plants in Ta-

mil Nadu, with two in Chennai and the rest in Ambur. The plants make 25,000 pairs of shoes a day, of which 95 per cent are exported. The company makes leather footwear for 10 leading international brands in more than 40 countries globally. Ethiopia plant Having established a tannery in Ethiopia about 18months ago, the group is also planning to set up a footwear factory in the country, as it comes under least developed countries and ofers favourable tarif for exports. “The tarif to the U.S. is zero duty and to China is 50 per cent. We can take advantage of diferential tarif,” he said. Mr. Ahmed said as footwear manufacturing was becoming more expensive in China, shoe manufacturers had started focusing on Africa. “Over the next five to ten years, Ethiopia would turn into a footwear hub. By that time, we would also have established a strong foothold there,” Mr. Ahmed said. ND-ND

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THE HINDU MONDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2015

Leading technology trends for 2016

global round-up

Algorithms will harness your data in order to assess your predicted success at work PEERZADA ABRAR

ow more than ever, emerging technology breakthroughs are outpacing the evolution of public policies and discussions regarding ethics, says the Webbmedia Group’s 2016 Trend Report. As human beings, our evolutionary response to complicated technologies we don’t understand is either to ignore them or to fear the worst, it says. As a result, 2015 was a year marked by poor decisions made by several companies and governmental agencies, many of which advocated for short-sighted policy. Businesses didn’t work hard enough to secure their data. News organisations published lots of incendiary pieces about job-killing robots and artificial intelligence powered supercomputers which might eradicate our species. Retailers made deals for our medical data. Researchers figured out how to edit and re-implant DNA. Facebook ran experiments on our news feeds. “Technology can be simultaneously exciting, bewildering, thrilling, confounding and terrifying in the present,” says the Webbmedia Group’s report. As we approach 2016, it Peerzada Abrar is a good time to look at technologies that will influence consumer behaviour, society, organisations and also give rise to startups to disrupt the market. Here are few of the emerging technology trends collated by Webbmedia Group's 2016 Trend Report.

Drones Drones are now available in an array of sizes and form factors, from lightweight planes and copters to tiny machines no bigger than a humming bird. Soon, they’ll include powerful sense and the ability to fly on their own. In 2016, drones will be programmed to navigate along the path of GPS waypoints and they will make decisions mid-air about the best path to take. This includes when to avoid objects like building, trees, mountains and other drones. As sense and avoid technology become more refined in unmanned vehicles, we will see lots of new applications. Drones will make deliveries, they’ll inspect towers, and they will be used to issue parking tickets. Micro drones will autonomously navigate through tiny spaces to investigate collapsed buildings or areas with hazardous materials. A military drone could be programmed to find and hit a human target and report back to base, all on its own.

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Bots Software applications that run automated tasks are called bots. 2016 will bring a host of creative bots that will supercharge our productivity, keep us company, and possibly make us fall in love. Microsoft’s experimental Mandarinlanguage bot, Xiaolce, is akin to Samantha in the movie Her. She lives inside a smartphone and has intimate conversations with her users, because the program is able to remember details from previous conversations. She also mines the Chinese internet for human conversations in order to synthesize chat sessions. We’ll see advanced bots manipulating social media and stocks simultaneously. The intelligence community might deploy bots for surveillance and for digital diplomacy. Algorithmic personality detection Did you know that some life insurance underwriters are attempting to assess your personality –– via your magazine and website subscriptions, the photos you post to social media, and more –– in order to determine how risky an in-

As we approach 2016, it is a good time to look at technologies that will influence consumer behaviour, society, organisations and also give rise to startups to disrupt the market.

vestment you are? Some lenders have used personality algorithms to predict your future financial transactions. Algorithms will harness your data in order to assess your predicted success at work, how likely you are to bounce around jobs and more. Algorithms for design Algorithms are coming to runways soon. Startup KnitYak uses elementary cellular automata to create one-of-a-kind scarves out of merino wool. Designs are based on a perpetually-changing algorithm. Similar techniques are being used to create unique fabrics and 3D-printed clothing, shoes and jeans that fit. Within the coming year, robotic 3D printing company MX3D will use tech firm Autodesk’s design system Dreamcatcher to design, print, troubleshoot and install a working bridge. Deep learning Artificially intelligent computers are now capable of deep learning using human brain-like neural networks. Facebook is using this technology to automatically generate face prints –– which is like a fingerprint, but using our photos instead. Scientists at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology developed a deep neural network that can automatically identify people’s faces using infrared cameras –– law enforcement will soon be able to see as clearly in total darkness as they can in the bright daylight. Cognitive computing Cognitive computing systems use natural language processing and artificial intelligence in order to understand our intentions. IBM’s supercomputer Watson is

Our devices aren’t just talking to each other anymore. They’re talking to one another learning how to read and interpret medical images –– a job that was previously reserved for highlytrained radiologists. Watson is also being trained as a cancer expert, which will eventually advise community physicians and nurse practitioners. Working together with Watson, your local pharmacist may begin to ofer you holistic advice and interventions. Personality analytics Emerging predictive analytics tools wrangle your data, behaviour and preferences in order to map your personality –– and predict how you’re likely to react in just about any situation. The U.S.based startup Crystal culls thousands of public data sources to help you learn about someone’s personality before calling or emailing them. It even ofers a kind of spell check for sentiment, autocorrecting phrases and making recommendations so that the message resonates better with your intended recipient. Glitches Expect to hear more about ‘glitches’ in 2016. They’re problems that don’t have an immediate, obvious cause but nonetheless can cause frustrating problems. In 2013, technical glitches caused a three-hour stop at the Nasdaq. Last year, a glitch caused 5,000 United flights to be grounded for two hours. Technical glitches halted trading at the New York Stock

Exchange recently. Glitches cause temporary outages –– and big headaches –– for streaming providers such as Dish’s Sling TV, which interrupted service during the premiere of Walking Dead spinof Fear the Walking Dead. Glitches at Netflix have caused outages and strange mashup summaries for diferent films. In many cases, glitches have to do with degraded network connectivity or a miscalculation of the bandwidth needed. But a lot of times, glitches have to do with newer technologies. Right to eavesdrop on and be eavesdropped upon As we connect more and more devices to the Internet of Things –– fitness trackers, mobile phones, cars, cofee makers –– those devices are having extended interactions with each other and the companies who make them. Our devices aren’t just talking to each other anymore. They’re talking to one another, learning about us, and starting to talk about us. Increasingly, consumers are being left out of the conversation, unable to listen in and make sense of how their data is exchanging hands. A debate over consumer rights will heat up in 2016: should consumers be given the right to eavesdrop on what their own devices are saying?

Expect to hear more about ‘glitches’ in 2016. They’re problems that don’t have an immediate, obvious cause

Virtual reality In 2016, virtual reality headsets will finally hit the mass market. Virtual reality is a computer simulated environment. It can stimulate sensations of being physically present in the scenes a user is viewing. The year 2016 will be an important year for the virtual reality community. There will be enough opportunities for consumers to use them outside the gaming world, like in films, documentaries, military training and even financial services. Robots Softbank’s humanoid robot Pepper went on sale in Japan last June and sold out immediately. It can function as an automated oice receptionist or a home assistant for the elderly. In 2016, Taiwan’s Asustek plans to release a humanoid robot of its own.

Paris ofers emissions pricing clues Big business mainly wanted one thing from the climate accord in Paris: a price on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Companies from oil giant BP to Unilever want a globally agreed way of pricing emissions of CO2 - the gas most widely blamed for global warming - to create an incentive for power plants and factories to shift to cleaner forms of energy. The agreement included a reference to what some analysts think could eventually build a bridge to a global CO2 emissions trading mechanism. The binding part of the deal allows countries to use “internationally transferred mitigation outcomes,” which could allow nations to offset their own CO2 emissions by buying credits from other nations. — Reuters

Dow, DuPont in $130 b megamerger Chemical titans DuPont and Dow Chemical Co agreed to combine in an all-stock merger valued at $130 billion in a first step toward breaking up into three separate businesses, a move that pleased activist investors and could trigger more consolidation. The “deal of three centuries,” as Wells Fargo analyst Frank Mitsch dubbed it, combines two of the biggest and oldest U.S. chemical producers and will generate cost and tax savings. The deal will face intense regulatory scrutiny especially over combining their agricultural businesses, which sell seeds and crop protection chemicals, including insecticides and pesticides. — Reuters

Internet of X Israeli startup Consumer Physics wants to put molecular spectroscopy into smartphones so that you can extract information out of your food and pills. This would enable you to scan a piece of chicken in order to search the fat and calories on your plate. Their research also applies to medicine where it can recognise prescription and over the counter drugs in order to spot counterfeits. Genomic editing We will see a number of companies competing in 2016 to develop gene-editing therapies. But it does not warrant meaningful planning. We probably shouldn’t be working towards a day when a baby’s eye colour or athletic ability can be edited into her embryonic DNA.

FDI IN DEFENCE

Goldman tops record M&A year As iconic brands are snapped up and corporations merged and swallowed in a record-breaking whirl of deals, there has been one constant: Goldman Sachs Group Inc.The Wall Street firm is once again top dog in the global M&A rankings, having advised on transactions worth close to $1.7 trillion this year, more than the annual economic output of Australia, including $130 billion tie-up between DuPont and Dow Chemical. Goldman's No. 1 status comes despite the bank having lost several veteran bankers this year, including Gordon Dyal, its former M&A chief and Jack Levy, one of four global cochairmen of M&A, and reflects the enduring success of its partnership model. — Reuters

A cannon yet to fire — not a single big ticket proposal India is still reliant on importing military equipment to fulfil its short-term needs Developed countries have recognised that defence production involves a series of global collaborations

Where does India stand on defence manufacturing and how have the government’s recent moves on easing FDI norms and ease of doing business helped the sector? The reality on the ground, according to several senior analysts is that little has come in by way of tangible large investments and for now India is still reliant on importing military equipment to fulfil its short term needs.

Why is this still the case? Following on the heels of its heavy defeat in the Bihar elections, the NDA government moved quickly to Foreign firms are unwilling to transfer high-end technology unless the cap is ease FDI regulations for several key increased to a level above 50 per cent (and perhaps significantly more), sectors including defence. The gov- because it simply doesn't make business sense.

Jayant Sriram

ernment allowed foreign investment up to 49 per cent under the automatic route, from the earlier government approval route. It also stipulated that investments exceeding 49 per cent would now be cleared by the Foreign Investment Promotion Board rather than going through the more circuitous route of the Cabinet Committee on Security. Yet, more than a year after the NDA government first announced that it would increase the FDI cap in the defence sector to 49 per cent, from 26 per cent, there is still a reluctance on the part of most global majors to come in with a significant project. Part of this problem is linked to an ongoing debate about whether 49 per cent is actually enough given that the limit is designed to ensure that control of the venture remains with the Indian companies. CM YK

From an industry perspective it's long been the opinion of several analysts that unless the FDI cap is increased to at least 74 percent things are unlikely to move on the ground. Most other developed countries have recognised the fact that defence production necessarily involves a series of international collaborations. However, as India gradually opens up the sector there remains a lingering sense of mistrust among Indian companies who don't want to lose control of the venture. Conversely, foreign firms are unwilling to transfer highend technology unless the cap is increased to a level above 50 per cent (and perhaps significantly more), because it simply doesn't make business sense.

But is the debate about investment caps merely a superficial one that covers up some deeper issues with policy planning in defence? Amit Cowshish, a former financial advisor to the Ministry of Defence,

explained that in reality there has always been a provision to raise the cap over 49 per cent if it involved a significant transfer of high-tech technology. In September this year, a U.S. oicial noted that when there was 'industry anxiety over control of technology' then the FDI limit would be increased on a case-to-case basis. Yet despite this clause there has not been a single big ticket proposal for investment. Figures tabled in parliament in March showed that the government has got just six FDI proposals worth a paltry Rs 96 crore ($15.3 million) in the defence production sector, with only two of them being for 49 percent. This was for a period of seven months and the situation hasn't really improved since. In the meantime, India's defence expenditure is expected to accelerate heavily over the next three decades, with the country expected to spend another $120 billion on arms acquisition over the next 10 years. Given such a large domestic need, why have Indian companies contin-

ued to be such poor suppliers and why are foreign companies still unwilling to invest given the potentially huge market. “Design and Development projects usually entail a long gestation period and there is an inherent risk of failure,” Mr. Cowshish observed. “Therefore no one would run the risk of making heavy investments in such projects unless there is a guarantee of orders coming in and clarity on the exact nature of the domestic market,” he said. There is therefore a catch 22 situation where local manufacturers like Bharat Forge, L&T and Tata require high-end technology to scale up manufacturing but there is no clarity from the MoD on what exactly its requirements are. “On the MoD website there is a document called the Technology Prospectus and Capability Roadmap but the targets mentioned here are vague with no idea even of what the requirements are over the next five or even fifteen years,” Mr. Cowshish pointed out. “And it is diicult to make out a business case from this document.” Another senior industry analysts points out that India has a history of dragging its feet on defence deals. Added to this is the fact now that the Make in India campaign sends out mixed signals with regards to foreign investment. “There is a hesitation on the part of foreign companies because they don't know where they are going to fit in. It's clear that the MoD will now prioritise Indian manufacturing,” he explained. The central gov-

ernment is now cognizant of the fact that the majority of technology, at least for the short term, has to come in the form of of-the-shelf purchases like the Rafale deal. In the long term, the plan may be to have Indian companies scale up to the level of a Lockheed or a Boeing.

But can this be done without properly addressing the issue of creating an ecosystem for the same? According to Rear Admiral (Retd.) Vijai S Chaudhari, Additional Director of the Centre for Joint Warfare Studies, a few policy correctives to improve the ease of doing business are imperative. “To start with if a company is going to spend so much money on a project there is not even now the guarantee of export even to a benign country. It will be dealt with on a case to case basis,” he explained. The other major stumbling block is India's Defence Procurement Policy (DPP) that keeps getting updated every few years. “There was a proposal sometime back to allow someone who has signed under the old policy to migrate easily to the new one but that was rejected,” Mr. Chaudhari said. The reason the DPP goes through periodic revisions, he said, is that India has always remained cautious about big bang reforms in the sector and so change is always piecemeal. This FDI phobia, he pointed out, has to change. “The final nail on the coin is that there is a clause in the DPP which says that in case of a foreign collaboration the department will nominate the production agency,” Mr. Chaudhari said. “This would stack the odds very much in favour of a PSU. The better alternative would be to let a potential bidder reach his own agreement with a private agency.”

Uber wins legal spats across U.S. State legislators in Ohio and Florida are moving ahead with regulations governing Uber and other ride services that would designate all drivers as independent contractors, bolstering a critical but much-disputed aspect of Uber's business model. The states would join North Carolina, Arkansas, and Indiana in requiring the contractor designation as part of new laws governing so-called transportation network companies, a Reuters review of state legislation showed. Uber has built its business on the contractor model, arguing that its smartphone app simply connects riders and drivers, who own their cars and pay their own expenses. — Reuters

Twitter eyes oline users for ads Twitter Inc is testing a feature to show advertisements to people who read tweets without logging in, as it tries to make good on its long-time ambition to monetize non-active users. The feature will help the company cash in on an additional half a billion people each month. The promoted tweets and videos will be available on Twitter's desktop website, particularly on people's profile pages and “tweet detail” pages that highlight specific tweets. — Reuters ND-ND

SPORT

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU

MONDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2015

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TV Schedule

Gilberto Silva retires

New World mark

IPTL: Star Sports 4 & Star Sports HD4, 5.30 p.m. Pro Wrestling League: Sony Six & Six HD, 7 p.m. Serie A: Sony Six & Six HD, 1 a.m. (Tuesday) EPL: Star Sports 1 & Star Sports HD1, 1.20 a.m. (Tuesday)

Former Arsenal midfielder and 2002 World Cup winner Gilberto Silva of Brazil has called it a day. He captained the Selecao to victory at the 2006 Copa America and was a member of Arsenal’s 2003-04 ‘Invincibles’ team

Olympic champion Matt Grevers of USA clocked a short-course world record of 48.92sec to win the 100m backstroke on Saturday at the USA versus Europe Duel in Indianapolis. It broke the 48.94sec set by American Nick Thoman in 2009 in the era of now-banned high-tech bodysuits

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Kiwis have Lankans on the mat CRICKET / McCullum equals world record for number of sixes hit in Tests DUNEDIN: Tim Southee took two wickets as New Zealand tightened the screws on Sri Lanka on the fourth day of the first Test on Sunday, but rain threatened to derail its victory hopes. New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum set the stage for a tantalising conclusion at Dunedin’s University Oval with a sporting declaration that offered Sri Lanka more than five sessions to reach a 405-run target. But the tourists’ response was disrupted by three stoppages as southerly squalls swept across the ground. Further showers are forecast for the final day. At stumps on day four, with an hour’s play lost because of the weather, Sri Lanka was 109 for three, requiring a further 296 runs to pull of an epic victory. Sri Lanka’s highest fourth-innings chase is 352 for nine against South Africa in 2006 and the highest by any side in New Zealand is 348 for five by the West Indies in 1969. McCullum declared New Zealand’s second innings at 267 for three to go with the 137-run first innings advantage. Sri Lankan openers Dimuth Karunaratne and Kusal Mendis set about building a foundation reaching 54 in the 27th over when New Zealand struck twice. Southee had Karunaratne caught behind for 29 and 10 runs later debutant Udara Jayasundera fell to Neil Wagner for 3. Mendis, in only his second Test, persevered for 150 deliveries and benefited from dropped catches on 13 and 25 before he was caught behind of Southee for 46 with the score on 109. Before his replacement Angelo Mathews could reach the crease a hail storm brought play to a halt for the third and final time. The dismissal of Mendis gave wicketkeeper BJ Watling a

FINALLY... After a nerve-wracking wait on 99, Tom Latham notched up his third Test century.

NEW DELHI: A coach cannot

select. Can a selector coach? Well, the BCCI found itself in a tricky spot and found the easy way out. It sacked the selector, who by vocation is a coach. Sunita Sharma, a coach employed by the Sports Authority of India (SAI), suddenly found herself eased out of the National women’s selection committee. The reason? She was not an international. How the Board picked her in the first place as a National selector is intriguing indeed. Sunita, a medium-pacer, is a veteran in women’s cricket. She is a pioneer of sorts as she conducted coaching camps for under-15 boys apart from women at the National Stadium here. Test stumper Deep Dasgupta is her student. She has been involved with cricket for more than two decades as a coach and must have been pleasantly surprised when she was

‘Rohit should stay in the Test squad’ SHREEDUTTA CHIDANANDA BENGALURU: John Wright believes

that Rohit Sharma deserves to remain in the Indian Test team, irrespective of his existing record in the format. Wright, who is in the city in his role as a talent scout for Mumbai Indians, coached the IPL side for two years, when he worked with the batsman. “The thing about playing Test cricket is you want to feel at home in the team; you don’t want to be judged every time you go to the wicket, because you can’t express yourself properly,” he said at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Sunday, as he watched Jharkhand take on Kerala in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. “Particularly in India, that’s a big thing. Sometimes players like Rohit — because they’re so brilliant in the way that they play, because of their shot-making ability — take more risks. “I’m sure there’s a place for Rohit Sharma among the top six batsmen in India in any form of the game. “Sometimes you’ve got to stick with players. I hope he succeeds at Test cricket be-

Wright. — PHOTO: K. MURALI KUMAR cause he’s a match-winner.” Lauds Dhoni Wright, who coached India for five years, was impressed with Virat Kohli’s performance as Test captain. Although he would not be drawn on the ‘one captain for all formats’ debate, the New Zealander’s regard for M.S. Dhoni was obvious. “If I put my Mumbai Indians hat on, when Dhoni walks to the wicket, it’s a wicket you want to get,” he said. “It’s fantastic that Dhoni is playing domestic cricket. It’s a great signal for a start. Here’s someone who’s won World Cups, taken his country to No.1

in the Test rankings and he’s out playing for Jharkhand in a oneday competition and that says everything. He appears to be very motivated.” Wright had no complaints over the pitches India rolled out for its recent home Test series against South Africa. “From what I understand, one of the wickets turned quite a lot but the rest weren’t too bad,” he said. “I know from my time here that if you went to South Africa, you wouldn’t get wickets that turned. And if you come to India you’ve got to expect that you’re going to get a rigorous examination with the turning ball. “It’s not impossible for overseas teams to win here but it’s pretty diicult. History has proved that. When a visiting team arrives, the first question you ask as an Indian coach is: ‘Do they have a quality spinner that can make life as diicult for us as we can for them?’ “Obviously, India were much stronger in that department. The challenge will be when India goes back to South Africa —I imagine they’re going to get wickets with a bit of grass on (laughs). It’s just part and parcel of the game.”

— PHOTO: AFP

New Zealand record ninth catch for the Test. With seven wickets left he has a chance to reach the world record of 11 jointly held by England’s Jack Russell and South African AB de Villiers. After New Zealand resumed the day at 171 for one, McCullum called an end to the innings after he belted his second six to equal the world record for the number of sixes hit in Tests. It took his total to 100, joining Australia’s Adam Gilchrist as the most prolific boundary busters in Test history. McCullum was 17 not out when he declared, with the 23year-old opener Tom Latham unbeaten on 109, having notched up his third Test century. Kane Williamson, who reached his half century with the

Board takes the easy way out VIJAY LOKAPALLY

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included in the National selection panel along with Shanta Rangaswamy (chairman), Lopamudra Banerjee, Anjali Pendharkar and Hemlata Kala. Now she has been replaced by Shashi Gupta, representing Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) after having played for Railways and Punjab. It dawned on the Board late that Sunita had not played international cricket. The qualifying criterion to become a National women selector is an international cap. The same does not apply in the men’s category. So, after a brief stint as a selector, Sunita is back to her preferred area — coaching. It may be mentioned here that Sunita is a Dronacharya awardee, the highest honour bestowed by the Government on a coach. The Board, perhaps, may find a job that suits her but for now by its yardstick, she can’t select even if she has the eye to pick talent.

second ball of the morning, was out for 71. It was the 20th time he has passed 50 in all forms of international cricket this year including eight times in Tests. Latham ofered two chances which were not taken and had a

nerve-wracking wait on 99 when Sri Lanka challenged a rejected lbw appeal. Several replays proved inconclusive and the Sri Lankans were helped by the ball-tracker technology not working. — AFP

SCOREBOARD New Zealand — 1st innings: 431. Sri Lanka — 1st innings: 294. New Zealand — 2nd innings: M.

Guptill b Herath 46, T. Latham (not out) 109, K. Williamson b Chameera 71, R. Taylor b Herath 15, B. McCullum (not out) 17, Extras (b-3, lb-1, nb-5): 9; Total (for three wkts. decl. in 65.4 overs) 267. Fall of wickets: 1-79, 2-220, 3247. Sri Lanka bowling: Lakmal 13-040-0, Mathews 4-1-4-0, Chameera 140-61-1, Pradeep 13-1-52-0, Herath

Anand draws with Caruana; two share lead Viswanathan Anand brought an end to his run of three consecutive defeats after he drew with Fabiano Caruana of USA in the eight and penultimate round of the London Chess Classic here. After a roller-coaster ride that involved a victory and three losses in the last four games, Anand drew after a tense battle. Anish Giri of Holland joined overnight leader Maxime Vachier-Lagrave at the top with five points after defeating American counterpart Hikaru Nakamura. Yet again, there was just one decisive game as despite pushing hard world champion Magnus Carlsen was not able to break through the defences of Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria. “I couldn’t see that I was losing if I took the exchange, but I didn’t really feel like trying it,” said Anand, who spurned the ofer but what he went for, in his own words, “was not so much fun either”. Eighth round results: Fabiano Caruana (USA, 4) drew with V. Anand (Ind, 3); Anish Giri (Ned, 5) bt Hikaru Nakamura (USA, 3.5); Veselin Topalov (Bul, 2) drew with Magnus Carlsen (Nor, 4.5); Levon Aronian (Arm, 4.5) drew with Alexander Grischuk (Rus, 4.5); Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (Fra, 5) drew with Michael Adams (Eng, 4). — PTI

LONDON:

11.4-1-62-2, Siriwardana 8-0-32-0, Jayasundera 2-0-12-0. Sri Lanka — 2nd innings: D. Karunaratne c Watling b Southee 29, K. Mendis c Watling b Southee 46, U. Jayasundera c Watling b Wagner 3, D. Chandimal (not out) 31, Extras 0; Total (for three wkts. in 50.1 overs) 109. Fall of wickets: 1-54, 2-64, 3-109. New Zealand bowling: Boult 7-218-0 Southee 10.1-3-16-2, Bracewell 12-5-21-0, Santner 12-2-26-0, Wagner 9-2-28-1

TABLE TENNIS

Sharath out of C’wealth meet SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT CHENNAI: Sharath Kamal, India’s

top paddler and flag-bearer of the Indian team for more than a decade, will miss the Commonwealth table tennis championship, to be held at Surat from December 16 to 21, after getting injured in a freak car accident in Germany last week. Sharath was returning from a club match in Grunwetterbasch to Dusseldorf with his club-mate Patrick Franziska on December 7 (Monday) when the accident happened. “Francisza was driving and I was sitting next to him when

the right wheel burst and the car collided against the railings. I sufered minor injuries at the side and back region. “There is a blood clot too. I was to reach Gandhinagar for the National camp on December 8. For a few days I could not even sit comfortably. “This is the first (oicial tournament) I will not be representing India,” Sharath told The Hindu, on Sunday, from Dusseldorf. “It (Sharath’s absence) will definitely have a psychological impact on the team,” said G. Sathaiyan, who is attending the National probables camp. Sathiyan said this is proba-

bly the first time that India would be playing a big tournament without Sharath, but said the team has good experience in Soumyajit Ghosh, A. Amalraj and Harmeet Desai. “We will have to absorb the pressure,” he said. India’s coach Bhawani Mukherjee said it was a big setback to India’s chances in Surat. “He was a mentor to all the young players. Whether it was on the table or of it, he has always been supportive of the younger ones,” he said. “It is unfortunate and a very big setback,” said the Table Tennis Federation of India’s secretary Dhanraj Choudhary.

Girinath slams unbeaten 83 VIJAYAWADA: Three half centu-

ries — U.M.S. Girinath (83 n.o.), Gnaneswar (74), and D.G.J. Chaitanya (60) — helped Andhra post 252 for four in 79 overs against Chhattisgarh in their Cooch Behar under-19 Group ‘B’ match at Ongole on Sunday. Both Karthik Raman and Girinath took five wickets apiece. At Theni, Kanan Trivedi's unbeaten knock for 107 studded with eight fours and five sixes put Gujarat in a strong position against Tamil Nadu. In reply to Gujarat’s first innings score of 321, Tamil Nadu was bowled out for 136, conceding a lead of 185. The scores: At Ongole: Chhattisgarh 309 in 99 overs (Girinath Reddy five for 64, I. Karthik Raman five for 95) vs. Andhra 252 for four in 79 overs (U.M.S. Girinath 83 n.o., Gnaneswar 74, D.G.J. Chaitanya 60). At Theni: Gujarat 321 in 133.4 overs (Karan Trivedi 107 n.o., Raj Majethia 43, Kathan Patel 35, Manan Hingrajia 27, R.S. Jagannath Srinivas three for 25, S. Swaminathan three for 78) vs Tamil Nadu 136 in 61.3 overs (K. Vishal Vaidya 63, Mañan Hingrajia four for 45, Kathan Patel three for 26).

Pranjala-Tamara duo enters final NEW DELHI: Asian junior cham-

pion Y. Pranjala and Tamara Zidansek of Slovenia made the girls’ doubles final with a 6-4, 2-6, 10-7 victory over Sofia Kenin and Ingrid Neel of the United States in the Orange Bowl ITF grade-A junior tennis tournament in Florida.

Indian TT squad CHENNAI: A 10-member Indian

squad will take part in the Avadh 20th Commonwealth table tennis championship to be held at Surat from December 16 to 21. The squad: Men: A. Amalraj, Soumyajit Ghosh, G. Sathiyan, Harmeet Desai, and Devesh Karia. Women: Manika Batra, Mouma Das, Ankita Das, K. Shamini, and Divya Deshpande.

SHOOTING

BADMINTON

Vijay Kumar pips Gurpreet to win gold

Pornpawee corners glory

KAMESH SRINIVASAN

MUMBAI: At the launch of the Tata

NEW DELHI: Olympic silver medal-

list Vijay Kumar, with a score of 588, pipped Gurpreet Singh by two points to win the centre fire pistol gold in the 59th National shooting championship at the Dr. Karni Singh Range, Tughlakabad, on Sunday. Vijay finished strongly by shooting 296 in the rapid fire section of the centre fire pistol event, after having shot 292 in the precision stage. Gurpreet Singh, the rapid fire specialist who has won an Olympic quota place in air pistol, had shot gold in the 25-metre standard pistol earlier. He had missed a medal in rapid fire pistol after having fared well in the qualification stage. Pemba Tamang, who won the rapid fire pistol gold in a dramatic climax after having qualified in the sixth place with a modest 565, beat Harpreet Singh 49-48 in the shoot-of to take the bronze in centre fire pistol after being tied on 582. Grewal wins third gold In the junior section, Achal Pratap Singh Grewal won his third gold after having clinched the top spot in air pistol and standard pistol. Meanwhile, Chain Singh and Swapnil Kusale led the field with

Vijay Kumar. — FILE PHOTO 1166 points in the men’s rifle 3-position event. The 26-year-old had 393 in kneeling, 397 in prone and 376 in standing positions. The prone gold medallist Swapnil had 388, 394 and 384 in kneeling, prone and standing positions respectively. Olympian Sanjeev Rajput (1165), Satyendra Singh (1164), N.P. Parida (1162) and Deepak Kumar (1155) were the others in the lead, with more shooters including Gagan Narang scheduled to take aim, before the final on Tuesday. The results: Men: 25m centre fire pistol: 1. Vijay Kumar 588; 2. Gurpreet Singh 586; 3. Pemba Tamang 582 (49); 4. Harpreet Singh 582 (48). Juniors: 1. Achal Pratap Singh Grewal 562; 2. Shivam Shukla 558; 3. Rushiraj Atul Barot 557.

G. VISWANATH Open International Challenge, India’s badminton legend Prakash Padukone announced that the Badminton World Federation’s category-5 event will see the future stars of the world. And Thailand’s 17-year- old Pornpawee Chochuwong could make Padukone’s forecast come true. Keen to make a mark in the seniors section, she recovered after losing the first game to outwit the 24-year- old Malaysian top seed Jing Yi Tee in a 40 minute tussle and win the women’s singles title here on Sunday. While sparks flew with the Thai girl matching her experienced opponent stroke for stroke, Sameer Verma scored a straight-game victory over Sourabh Verma — elder to him by two years — in a lacklustre men’s singles final. Both Pornpawee and Sameer are likely to improve their positions in the world rankings that will be announced on Monday. Ready to smile even at being deceived or on missing a sitter, Pornpawee played well in patches right through the final. She won the big points dribbling at the net, with cross court drops and also deploying the half smash. Jing won some points with airborne smashes from the

BRILLIANT: Pornpawee Chochuwong of Thailand outwitted Jing Yi

Tee of Malaysia in the women's final. — PHOTO: PRASHANT NAKWE back court. Pornpawee, the No. 2 seed, lost the opening game 16-21, but was relentless in the second game. Jing appeared upset at a line call and was not her usual confident self after that, hitting smashes to the net or returning beyond the service line. Both won a number of points making mistakes, but in the end and especially after the crossover in the third game, Pornpawee leading 11-10, took charge of the match. It was her second win over Jing, the previous one in the Australian Badminton Open at Sydney in April 2013. Sameer Verma’s usual airborne

smashes from the back court and directed towards the sidelines did not work all the time, yet he managed to subdue his elder brotherin 26 minutes. The results (finals): Men: Sameer Verma bt Sourabh Verma 21-11, 21-18. Doubles: Wannawat Ampunsuwan & Tinn Isriyanate (Tha) bt Akshay Dewalkar & Pranaav Jerry Chopra 21-14, 21-9. Women: Pornpawee Chochuwong (Tha) bt Jing Yi Tee (Mas) 16-21, 21-11, 21-15. Doubles: Chaladchalam Chayanit & Phataimas Muenwong (Tha) bt K. Maneesha & N. Sikki Reddy 21-11, 15-21, 21-13. Mixed doubles: Satwiksairaj Ranikireddy/K.Maneesha bt Arun Vishnu/Aparna Balan 21-13, 21-16.

On dusty tracks, the rock-star has his groove back G. VISWANATH

R

FLYING HIGH: Ravindra Jadeja's stock has soared this season, thanks to his prolific wicket-taking in

the Ranji Trophy and complementing Ashwin in the Tests against South Africa. — PHOTO: AFP CM YK

avindra Jadeja’s wickettaking spree in Saurashtra’s Ranji Trophy matches at home (Rajkot) against Tripura, Jharkhand and Hyderabad, two months ago, was the talking point then. Known to bowl with dexterity and plenty of cunning, the left-arm spinner removed 37 batsmen, with six successive five-fors, in a matter of 21 days. It stood out starkly, although it must be said that the authorities had ordered the groundstaf to keep the surface dry. Usually, the surfaces that are prepared for first class matches in October are supposed to be fresh and behave in the conventional pattern of helping the seam bowlers, encouraging the batsmen to bring out their strokes and thereafter giving the spinners leeway so the match ends some time on the

“Ravi (Jadeja) mostly relies on line and length. He also spins the ball. He makes the batsmen play all the time; that’s his good quality. But I would like him to work hard on flighting the ball and bring in more variations, like Bishan (Bedi) and Master Vinoobai used to do. He bowls at a lower trajectory. He excels on turning tracks. He should vary his flight and bring the batsman out of his crease. Otherwise he’s a complete left-arm spinner. India has got one after many, many years. 

— Salim Durani fourth day. But Rajkot has been unique to Indian cricket’s premier first class competition; spinners hit pay dirt from the first session. The match referees gave scores of ‘0’ and ‘1’ for two matches this season, but the Indian selectors were mighty pleased and recalled Jadeja for the South Africa series. His versatile batting and brilliant fielding gave him the edge over fellow left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha, the obvious choice for various home series between

2010 and 2013; Ojha, who has 113 wickets in 24 Tests, had been sidelined when his action came under scrutiny. The high point of Jadeja’s fledgling career was the mean part (24 wickets) he played in India’s 4-0 win over Australia in the 2013 home series. He was dropped, however, after the England trip in 2014 and didn’t make the tours of Australia, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. But the signs were clear that he would stage a comeback, after a gap of 14 months, thanks to his

Ranji exploits. And he made it count, taking 23 wickets at 10.83 against the South Africans to complement Ashwin’s 31. One can connect Jadeja to the erstwhile princely state of Jamnagar (previously known as Nawanagar), which gave India Vinoo ‘Master’ Mankad and where the natural Salim Durani is settled now. Jadeja came through the junior ranks from 2002 when he played a national u-14 tournament. He figured in two ICC under-19 World Cups — in 2006 (India lost to Pakistan in the final) and 2008 (as part of Virat Kohli’s champion team). Jadeja’s big moment came in June 2013, when he was declared the Man-of-the-Match in the final of the ICC Champions Trophy in England. In a match reduced to 20 overs, he made 33 not out and took two for 24. In 2008, Jadeja was a bright spark in the Rajasthan Royals

team, catching the attention of captain Shane Warne with his bold hits, clever bowling and exceptional fielding. Within a few weeks, Warne predicted that Jadeja would be the rock star of Indian cricket! Carried away, perhaps by the lavish praise, Jadeja made moves to leave the Royals in an unethical manner for which he was banned for one IPL season before M.S. Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings took charge of him. Jadeja has the ability to mow down opponents on an underprepared and dry pitch. He has 68 wickets from 16 Test matches and some of the South Africans he dismissed recently were Faf du Plessis (4 times), A.B. de Villiers and Hashim Amla (both three times). Come 2016, Jadeja will have plenty of home Tests to consolidate his place. The rustic cricketer has staged a fine comeback. ND-ND

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NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU MONDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2015

Chasing a record

New ideas and excitement

Younis attacks Waqar

We go with the challenge to win a third consecutive European Championships. It would be extraordinary because no one has achieved it before. We will try, but we know there are other excellent teams. — Vicente del Bosque, Spanish coach after the Euro 2016 draw

It’s the first time that I’ve had someone within my team who has actually played on tour against the players that I’ve played against. I think Ivan can bring something very exciting to my team, (including) motivation. — Roger Federer, on Croatian Ivan Ljubicic replacing Stefan Edberg as coach

There shouldn’t be an atmosphere of fear in the dressing room. Players need to be given confidence and respect if that is missing from a coach how can you expect results. — Younis Khan, Pakistan’s veteran batsman being critical of head coach Waqar

쑺

쑺

Younis for the recent slide

Gunners shoot their way to the top LONDON: Arsenal enjoyed an

easy 2-0 victory at Aston Villa on Sunday to soar to the summit of the Premier League and leave its hapless opponent rooted at rock bottom. A landmark 50th Premier League goal from Olivier Giroud, a penalty converted four days after his Champions League hat-trick against Olympiakos, swiftly brought more gloom to Villa Park after eight minutes. Ozil’s 13th assist Mesut Ozil then produced his 13th assist of the season to allow Aaron Ramsey to slot home a second goal in the 38th minute and enable Arsenal move on to 33 points, one clear of Manchester City and Leicester City. Leicester has the chance to regain the leadership when it entertains Chelsea on Monday. Villa improved in the second half as Arsenal took its foot of the gas but manager Remi Garde, who as a player was once signed by Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, could only hear the grumbles of discontent as his side went a club-record 15th league game without a win. The defeat left Villa stranded at the foot of the table on six points from 16 games, six adrift of 19th-placed Sunderland. Newcastle climbs up At White Hart Lane, Newcastle climbed out of the relegation zone by inflicting Tottenham’s first Premier League loss since the opening day of the season, coming from behind to clinch a

SUBLIME MOVE, SUBLIME FINISH: Mesut Ozil and Aaron Ramsey (left) combined perfectly to bring up Arsenal’s second goal against Aston Villa. — PHOTO: REUTERS

2-1 victory in the third minute of stoppage time. Ayoze Perez beat Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris at his near post after fellow substitute Aleksandar Mitrovic had cancelled out Eric Dier’s first-half headed opener for Tottenham. December started with Steve McClaren’s job appearing in jeopardy but the Newcastle coach has now masterminded victories over Liverpool and Tottenham in the space of a week. Newcastle is now even above

EUROPEAN LEAGUES

Struggling Augsburg shocks Schalke

Manchester United’s woeful week took another calamitous turn as little Bournemouth beat it 2-1, earning a second fairytale win in a week against another of the giants of English football. The pressure will be multiplied further upon United man-

defending champion Chelsea, which sank to 16th place ahead of its game at Leicester on Monday. Tottenham remained fifth as it missed a chance to dislodge Manchester United from fourth place.

It was a perfect week for us. We spent a lot of energy away in the Champions League on Wednesday, but found the resources to win again here today (Sunday), in another away match — Arsene Wenger

Milan held In Serie A, AC Milan was held to a frustrating 1-1 draw at home to bottom side Verona on Sunday, as the Rossoneri dropped points against a team in the relegation zone for the second week running. Milan grabbed a 52nd-minute lead at the San Siro through Colombia striker Carlos Bacca but Verona, which is still without a win this season, levelled with a Luca Toni penalty that followed the dismissal of Dutch midfielder Nigel de Jong just

five minutes later. Following last week’s goalless draw at Carpi, Sinisa Mihajlovic’s side has won just one of its last five matches and lies in seventh place, 11 points adrift of city rival and leader Inter Milan. The results: Bundesliga: On Sunday: Augsburg 2 (Jeong-Ho Hong 34, Caiuby 90) bt Schalke 1 (Kolasinac 70). On Saturday: Bayer Leverkusen 5 (Kiessling 30, 66, Hernandez 63, 75, 76) bt Borussia Monchengladbach 0. La Liga: On Sunday: Rayo Vallecano 1 (Javi Guerra 6) lost to Malaga 2 (Charles 59, Cop 87); Eibar 1 (Enrich 44) drew with Valencia 1 (Junca 85og). On Saturday: Celta Vigo 1 (Aspas 42) bt Espanyol 0, Levante 1 (Simao Mate 66) lost to Granada 2 (Penaranda 50, 88), Sevilla 2 (Gameiro 75-pen, 80) bt Sporting Gijon 0, Las Palmas 1 (Willian Jose (90+3) bt Real Betis 0. Serie A: On Sunday: Chievo 1 (Birsa 76) bt Atalanta 0; Empoli 3 (Maccarone 46, 61, Saponara 51) bt Carpi 0; AC Milan 1 (Bacca 52) drew with Verona 1 (Toni 57-pen). On Saturday: Genoa 0 lost to Bologna 1 (Rossettini 90+1), Palermo 4 (Goldaniga 5, Vazquez 17, Trajkovski 60, Gilardino 86) bt Frosinone 1 (Sammarco 24), Udinese 0 lost to Inter Milan 4 (Icardi 23, 84, Jovetic 31, Brozovic 87). — Agencies

League newcomers who have an annual turnover 40 times smaller than United’s. Last Saturday the team had breached the Stamford Bridge fortress of champion Chelsea, winning 1-0. The results: On Sunday: Aston Villa 0 lost to Arsenal 2 (Giroud 8-pen, Ramsey 38); Liverpool 2 (Henderson 21, Origi 90+6) drew with West Brom 2 (Dawson 30, Olsson 73); Tottenham 1 (Dier 39) lost to Newcastle 2 (Mitrovic 74, Perez 90+3). On Saturday: Bournemouth 2 (Stanislas 2, King 54) bt Manchester United 1 (Fellaini 24). — Agencies

WRESTLING

First win for Royals LUDHIANA: CDR Punjab Royals

outclassed Uttar Pradesh Warriors 36-20 to record its first win in the Pro Wrestling League (PWL) at the Guru Nanak Indoor Stadium here on Sunday. The results (weight categories blocked: Men's 57kg and Women's 48kg): CDR Punjab Royals bt UP Warriors 36-20 (Men’s 65kg: Rajneesh bt Ganzorig Mandakhnaran 8-7.

Women’s 69kg: Vasilisa Marzaliuk bt Alina Stadinik Makhinia 2-1; Men’s 74kg: Parveen Rana bt Purevjav Unurbat 4-4; Men’s 125kg: Jargalsaikhan Chuluunbat bt Joginder Kumar 10-0. Women’s 58kg: Geeta Phogat bt

Sarita 3-2; Women’s 53kg: Priyanka Phogat lost to Babita Kumari 4-6; Mausam Khatri bt Satyavrat Kadian 5-0).

Momota, Okuhara make it Japan’s day

Racism: tougher measures needed

A. JOSEPH ANTONY DUBAI: The Land of the Rising Sun should have basked in glory after the MetLife BWF World Superseries finals at the swanky Hamadan Sports Complex on Sunday. Nozomi Okuhara first stunned Wang Yihan 22-20, 21-18 for the women’s singles crown. Not much later, her compatriot Kento Momota crushed Viktor Axelsen 21-15, 21-12. “I had a strategy and I executed it,” was all the new men’s champion would say in his moment of triumph. He was however honest to admit that he got lucky on a few points. Axelson attributed his defeat to expending too much energy the evening before against world no. 1 Chen Long. “I was not playing well enough,” said the towering Dane, seen by many to become the next big thing in badminton. “I was playing more on Momota’s terms,” he rued.

LONDON: An anti-racism BERLIN: South Korea’s Hong Jeong-Ho netted and Brazilian winger Caiuby hit a late winner as struggling Augsburg shocked Schalke 2-1 on Sunday to stay above the Bundesliga relegation places. Host Augsburg took the lead when Dominik Kohr’s strike from outside the area cannoned of Hong’s boot at a right angle, taking a wicked deflection, to wrong-foot Schalke goalkeeper Ralf Faehrmann on 34 minutes. It was centre-back Hong’s first Bundesliga goal in his third season with Augsburg. Schalke hit back when Sead Kolasinac slotted home on 70 minutes after Eric Choupo-Moting’s shot was saved.

ager Louis van Gaal following a midweek Champions League exit after goals from Junior Stanislas and former Old Traford player Josh King consigned it to a famous defeat. It meant unbridled joy for Bournemouth, the Premier

campaigner has called on the England and Wales Cricket Board to get tougher on abuse after Somerset bowler Craig Overton was only given a two-match ban for allegedly telling a Pakistan-born opponent to go back to his country. Overton was found guilty of a level-one breach, the lowest of four ECB directives, for comments he was heard making to Sussex spinner Ashar Zaidi in an English county championship match at Hove in September. Overton denied saying the words, but Kick It Out chairman Lord Herman Ouseley believes the punishment by the Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC), an independent arm of the ECB, does not fit the ofence. “My personal view would be that it seems quite outrageous; that the punishment does not fit the ofence. “It’s not only serious abuse and misconduct, it is clearly racially ofensive,” he said. — AFP

‘Need to train harder’ “Today was not satisfying but I am proud of my performances in the year. I need to dig deeper and train harder in January and February,” Axelsen added. The 21-year-old’s coach Lars Uhre said, “Viktor didn’t get going. His legs were not moving fast enough.” Peter Gade watched the final.

“Viktor was impatient, his solutions to the setbacks bad. He should have stayed calm,” the badminton legend opined. He however cautioned the big names, saying the gap between the Longs and the Axelsens was shrinking especially in the run-up to the Olympics. Axelsen, a former world junior champion, was mostly at

the wrong end on his returns, his jump smashes crashing into the net and his diagonal flicks straying into the tramlines time and again. Even the slugfests that Axelsen usually dominates didn’t go his way as Momota virtually had him at his mercy.

If Okuhara had been the picture of persistence, prising five victories on the trot, she was the personification of politeness in her hour of glory. The calm countenance gave way to tears of joy but soon she was up from the floor, bowing to oi-

ON FIRE: Nozomi Okuhara didn’t drop a set through the tournament while winning the women’s

singles title. — PHOTO: WARREN LITTLE / GETTY IMAGES

cials and the crowd with respect. “I am grateful to the spectators who supported me so much,” said the 20-year-old, who didn’t drop a set through the tournament. “I went into the game to give of my best without thinking of winning or losing,” said the shuttler who had taken a year’s sabbatical for knee surgery. When Wang Yihan inched ahead to the finish of both games, the native of Nagano prefecture in Japan never gave up. “I stayed calm due to the confidence got from beating the big players in the last few days.” When quizzed again about her five foot frame, Okuhara said she modified her game in accordance with the opponent’s game and not size. “I didn’t play badly until the last stages of both games,” said Yihan. The results (all finals): Men: Singles: Kento Momota bt Viktor Axelsen 21-15, 21-12. Doubles: Yong Dae Lee & Yeon Seong Yoo bt Haifeng Fu & Nan Zhang 16-21, 21-10, 21-12. Women: Singles: Nozomi Okuhara bt Wang Yihan 22-20, 21-18. Doubles: Ying Luo & Yu Luo bt Christinna Pedersen & Kamilla Rytter Juhl 14-21, 21-9, 14-4 (retd.). Mixed doubles: Chris & Gabrielle Adcock bt Hyun Sung Ko & Ha Na Kim 21-14, 21-17.

VARIETY THE HINDU CROSSWORD 11574 1 6

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Buzzer

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hermetic walls put up in a hurry (5,8) 13 Fresh changes to vote in vain (10) 16 Expanding annexe to include independent study (8) 17 Liver is tender when cooked (8) 19 No good in a manner fit for king? Indeed (6) 21 God! Tooth's second to fall off (5) 23 Titanic is grand in colour (4)

(6) 22 Cat moving around in haunted building by itself (10) 23 Man without work to be optimistic (4) 24 Whine from wheel turning north from west (6) 25 Rebel enraged about cause ultimately (8) Down

22

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Across

11 A job agreement (10) 12 Pretentious chap, one 6 Chennai's suburb backward poster (2-2-2) declared a favourite (8) 14 Monster of fable (7) 9 Studied about a tragic 15 Hashed over funny tweets king associated with New constantly (6-4,5) Testament (6) 10 Primates moving saint to 18 Many I had repulsed with a composition (7) the end in a church 20 Choice of course lectures recess (4) CM YK

1 One way of looking at term in theorem of probability? (4) 2 Pipe up finally with whatever insight (8) 3 A warm ocean current represented on-line (2,4) 4 Popularity of moms and dads going up with a boom (4,6) 5 Extra ends in one court set as per schedule (2,6) 7 A mountain ghat essentially (5) 8 Death row to get

Solution to puzzle 11573 M

M M

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M O D U S O P E R A N D I

U N O R C A R N D N O T R E S A D OM I I T

D E R A R R E L U E H A D A F F N I E E D B I R D L E T O N E N E R C I C I D E N H M T E AM MA S O U E T E R F O R A T S A L L R I G

S C O F F E R T O O M U C H

T F D I G L U R V E O I F E R I G G H T T

L

S Y

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FAITH

SU | DO | KU

Characteristic traits A disciple of Parasara Bhattar once asked him what the characteristic traits of a Sri Vaishnava were. Bhattar asked him to seek the answer from Anantazhvan, said Akkarakkani Srinidhi, in a discourse. Everyday many people would eat at Anantazhvan’s house, and Anantazhvan seated Bhattar’s disciple in the first batch of visitors. After ten days, Anantazhvan kept the man waiting, until two batches had eaten. After a few days, Anantazhvan ofered him very little food, and that too was ofered after everyone else had eaten. Anantazhvan then said to Bhattar’s disciple: “The day you arrived, you said you had a doubt. What is it?” The man put his question to Anantazhvan. Anantazhvan replied: “A Sri Vaishnava is like a stork, a hen and like salt! A true Vaishnava is like you!” A stork waits patiently, until it can grab a juicy fish. It lets all other fish pass by. Likewise, Sri Vaishnavas ignore all worldly things and only pay attention to that which pertains to the Lord. A hen runs through garbage, in the hope of finding a grain to eat. Just as the hen discards the rubbish and only eats the grain, so does a Vaishnava discard that which is useless. In other words, he discards that which does not pertain to the Lord. He is interested only in the acquisition of gnana, which to him is like the hen’s grain. Salt makes a dish tasty. It is added to every dish, and yet you can’t pinpoint the salt in the dish. It remains hidden, imparting its flavour. So also, the true Vaishnava does not advertise himself. Finally, a true Vaishnava is like Bhattar’s disciple, who has visited Anantazhvan, for it is immaterial to him whether he is served food first or last, or not at all.

A mind game and a puzzle that you solve with reasoning and logic. Fill in the grid with digits in such a manner that every row, every column and every 3x3 box accommodates the digits 1 to 9, without repeating any. The solution to yesterday’s puzzle is at left. ND-ND

SPORT

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU

MONDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2015

Kedar Jadhav’s big-hitting flattens Tripura Faiz Fazal and Milind Kumar deliver for Delhi and Vidarbha VIJAY LOKAPALLY NEW DELHI: Kedar Jadhav’s centu-

ry and match-winning knocks by Faiz Fazal and Milind Kumar stood out in the Delhi leg of the Vijay Hazare one-day league here on Sunday. Jadhav smashed a 90-ball 131 with 17 fours and three sixes as Maharashtra flattened Tripura by 111 runs at the Palam ‘A' ground. Milind Kumar struck an unbeaten 62 as Delhi overcame Odisha by five wickets at the Ferozeshah Kotla. For Fazal, it was an extension of his match-winning show against Delhi as he crafted a superb 89 of 117 balls with 12 fours to finish the job in style against Baroda as Vidarbha romped home by seven wickets. On a two-paced pitch, Milind performed a brilliant task. “I told myself not to repeat the mistakes of the last match when I did not concentrate on carrying the side past the winning mark.” “I had to give respect to the ball and it was easy once I decided to play the ball on merit. Having Gautam (Gambhir) in the middle was a huge help because he constantly guides you. I liked the pressure because it got the best out of me,” said Milind, who has prospered this season since the captain has given him peoper opportunities to prove himself. “We were 20-25 runs short. If only we had not dropped Gautam early on it would have been a close finish,” noted Odisha coach Debasis Mohanty. Inspiring stand Milind and Gambhir added 41 inspiring runs for the fourth wicket. What followed swung the match away from Odisha as

앫 At Bengaluru: Kerala vs. J & K; Karnataka vs. Gujarat; Haryana vs. Jharkhand 앫 At New Delhi: Odisha vs. Baroda, Maharashtra vs. Andhra, Delhi vs. Tripura 앫 At Hyderabad: Rajasthan vs.

Hyderabad, Assam vs. Punjab, Services vs. Tamil Nadu

앫 At Rajkot: Uttar Pradesh vs.

Madhya Pradesh, Saurashtra vs. Himachal Pradesh

Rahane to play in Hazare Trophy MUMBAI: In-form batsman Ajin-

kya Rahane will play for Mumbai in its last three matches of the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy at Hyderabad. Mumbai’s remaining matches will be against Services (Dec. 15), Team Rajasthan (Dec. 17) and Hyderabad (Dec. 18). — Special Correspondent

VIJAY HAZARE SCORES RACING At Bengaluru

Kerala 236 for eight in 50 overs (Sachin Baby 61, V.A. Jagadeesh 60, Padmanabhan Prasanth 34 n.o., Rahul Shukla three for 47) lost to Jharkhand 240 for five in 47 overs (Saurabh Tiwary 87 n.o., Kaushal Singh 48, Anand Singh 27). J&K 75 in 22 overs (Harshal Patel five for 21, Amit Mishra three for four) lost to Haryana 76 for no loss in 11 overs (Harshal Patel 54 n.o.). Railways 259 for five in 50 overs (Arindam Ghosh 96 n.o., Mahesh Rawat 60, Saurabh Wakaikar 31, Karn Sharma 26) lost to Gujarat 260 for six in 49.4 overs (Axar Patel 75, Rujul Bhatt 72, Priyank Panchal 37, Parthiv Patel 33). At Rajkot

Goa 214 in 43.2 overs (Swapnil Asnodkar 68, Saurabh Bandekar 68) lost to Madhya Pradesh 215 for three in 42.2 overs (Naman Ojha 47, Jalaj Saxena 69, Harpreet Singh 74 n.o.). At Hyderabad

Tamil Nadu 226 in 45.3 overs (Dinesh Karthik 69, B. Aparajith 39, M. Vijay 35, Brainder Singh Sran three for 37, Siddharth Kaul four for 17) lost to Punjab 230 for four in 44.5 overs (Jiwanjot Singh 85, Gurkeerat Mann 41, Mayank Siddana 67 not out). Hyderabad 224 for seven in 50 overs (G.H. Vihari 35, B. Sandeep 41, P. Kanishkk Naidu 45 not out, C.V. Milind 42 not out, Azharuddin Bloch three for 34) lost to Services 225 for five in 48.5 overs (Mumtaz Qadir 68, Rajat Paliwal 64). Mumbai 198 in 49.5 overs (Shreyas Iyer 49, Surya Kumar Yadav 42) bt Assam 102 in 35 overs (Amit Verma 33, Dhawal Kulkarni four for 19, Abhishek Nayar three for 37, Sagar Trivedi three for 29).

It’s England vs. Doroteo HYDERABAD: England and Doroteo may fight it out in the Juvenile Million (1,100m), the main event of the races to be held here on Monday (Dec. 14). 1 CLASSIC STYLE PLATE (Div. II), (1,200m), 3-y-o & over, rated upto 75 (Cat. II), 12-40 p.m.: 1. Vallee Secrete (8) P. Trevor 62, 2. King Of Pop (2) Deep Shanker 59, 3. Tinsel Town (5) G. Naresh 56, 4. Gayle Force (9) N. Rawal 54, 5. Arudra (10) K. Mukesh Kumar 53.5, 6. Wine N Dine (6) Aneel 53.5, 7. Kohinoor Punch (7) Kunal Bunde 52.5, 8. Mount Titlis (3) Kiran Naidu 52, 9. Catherine (4) Ajeeth Kumar 51.5 and 10. Stolen Date (1) Deepak Singh 51. 1. Vallee Secrete, 2. King Of Pop, 3. Arudra 2 CLASSIC STYLE PLATE (Div. III), (1,200m), 3-y-o & over, rated upto 75 (Cat. II), 1-10: 1. Shatakshi (8) Ravinder Singh 60, 2. Vijay Sakhi (9) Kuldeep Singh 57, 3. Marquise (7) G. Naresh 56, 4. Mighty Swing (1) Deep Shanker 55, 5. Sketch Of Beauty (3) K. Mukesh Kumar 54, 6. Aston Doulton (4) Sai Kumar 53.5, 7. Azazil (2) A. S. Pawar 52.5, 8. Proud Image (6) N. Rawal 52.5 and 9. Princess Hina (5) Ajeeth Kumar 52. 1. Sketch Of Beauty, 2. Princess Hina, 3. Azazil 3 PALAMPET CUP (2,200m), 3-y-o & over, rated upto 50 (Cat. III), 1-40: 1. Strengthandbeauty (3) P. Trevor 60.5, 2. South Lake (7) C. S. Vikrant 59, 3. Cash For Rank (6) Ajit Singh 56.5, 4. Pinky (1) Sai Kumar 56.5, 5. Gunner (4) A. S. Pawar 56, 6. Kiss N Chase (5) S. S. Tanwar 53.5 and 7. City Tex (2) Akshay Kumar 50. 1. Cash For Rank, 2. City Tex, 3. Strengthandbeauty

4 JUVENILE MILLION (1,100m), maiden 2-y-o only (Terms), 2-10: 1. Doroteo (7) P. Trevor 55, 2. Dragonstone (3) K. Sai Kiran 55, 3. England (2) O’Donoghue 55, 4. Magical Skill (4) Aneel 55, 5. Mahathi (8) Sai Kumar 55, 6. Montana Sky (5) Akshay Kumar 55, 7. Good Taste (6) Ravinder Singh 53.5, 8. Rose Eternal (1) Kuldeep Singh 53.5 and 9. Proserpine (-) (-) 53.5. 1. England, 2. Doroteo, 3. Montana Sky 5 STARRY SCENE PLATE (1,400m), 5-y-o & over, rated upto 50 (Cat. III), 2-45: 1. Exclusive Lady (5) Ajit Singh 60, 2. Sterling Finish (7) A. Imran Khan 60, 3. Spirited (8) G. Naresh 59.5, 4. Chocolate Soldier (3) R. B. Shinde 59, 5. Gold Flash (9) N. Rawal 59, 6. Classic Emerald (1) Kiran Naidu 58.5, 7. Flamboyant Star (2) Deep Shanker 58, 8. Symbol Of Honour (6) K. Mukesh Kumar 57.5 and 9. Grand Canyon (4) A. K. Pawar 51. 1. Exclusive Lady, 2. Spirited, 3. Sterling Finish 6 CROWN TREASURE PLATE (Div. I), (1,400m), 5-y-o & over, rated upto 75 (Cat. II), 3-15: 1. Prince Of Arabia (8) C. S. Vikrant 61, 2. Sarvagnya (6) K. Mukesh Kumar 60.5, 3. Rio Rojo (7) Sai Kumur 59, 4. Noble Citizen (2) Deep Shanker 58, 5. Field Commander (5) Harinder Singh 53, 6. Deal Maker (9) Aneel 52.5, 7. Par Excellence (3) Chary 52, 8. Rock Heights (1) Akshay Kumar 52 and 9. Yet Again (4) G. Naresh 50.5. 1. Sarvagnya, 2. Par Excellence, 3. Rock Heights 7 CLASSIC STYLE PLATE (Div. I), (1,200m), 3-y-o & over, rated upto 75 (Cat. II), 3-45: 1. Fruit Roll Up (10) A. Imran Khan 62.5, 2. Sprint Legend (6) Md. Sameerud-

din 59.5, 3. Advocate General (4) A. S. Pawar 56, 4. Military Cross (5) K. Mukesh Kumar 55, 5. Eternal Gift (9) A M Tograllu 54.5, 6. Delta Force (7) B. Dileep 53.5, 7. Crown Royal (1) M. F. Ali Khan 53.5, 8. Green Striker (2) Ajeeth Kumar 52, 9. City Of Destiny (3) K. Sai Kiran 51.5 and 10. True Friend (8) Sai Kumar 51.5. 1. Sprint Legend, 2. Advocate General, 3. City Of Destiny 8 CH. SATYANARAYANA RAO OF ITKYAL MEMORIAL CUP (1,600m), 3-y-o & over (Cat. I), 4-15: 1. Aventus (4) Md. Sameeruddin 66.5, 2. Supreme Fairy (7) Ajit Singh 66.5, 3. Ashok Chakra (3) G. Naresh 63.5, 4. Greek Star (11) A. S. Pawar 59.5, 5. Santa Monica (10) Kiran Naidu 55, 6. Azaiba (2) K. Mukesh Kumar 53.5, 7. Always Together (5) Ajeeth Kumar 51.5, 8. Sherman Oaks (8) Akshay Kumar 51.5, 9. Vista (9) K. Sai Kiran 51, 10. Ocean Side (12) A. K. Pawar 50.5, 11. Lips Locking (1) Sai Kumar 50 and 12. Vijays Grandeour (6) S. S. Tanwar 50. 1. Aventus, 2. Greek Star, 3. Supreme Fairy 9 CROWN TREASURE PLATE (Div. II), (1,400m), 5-y-o & over, rated upto 75 (Cat. II), 4-50: 1. Military Belle (3) K. Mukesh Kumar 60.5, 2. Jerrell (7) A. Imran Khan 59, 3. Rajkumar (5) A. S. Pawar 56, 4. Racing Tycoon (2) Ravinder Singh 54.5, 5. Big Boss (6) C. S. Vikrant 54, 6. Sonic (8) Sai Kiran 52.5, 7. Rocking Racer (4) Kunal Bunde 51.5 and 8. Fenway Court (1) A. K. Pawar 50. 1. Jerrell, 2. Sonic, 3. Fenway Court Day’s best: Sketch Of Beauty Double: Vallee Secrete - Cash For Rank Jkt: 5, 6, 7, 8 & 9; Tr (i): 1, 2 & 3; (ii): 4, 5 & 6; (iii): 7, 8 & 9; Tla: all races.

COMING GOOD: Milind Kumar struck an unbeaten 62 as Delhi overcame Odisha at the Ferozeshah Kotla on Sunday. — PHOTO: SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR

Milind and Vaibhav Rawal put on 72 for the fifth. Rawal (40 of 48 balls with four 4s) fell close to the target but Milind hung in to ensure there were no further alarms. The left-handed Fazal continued his excellent form as Vidarbha won its second match in succession. His 83 had buried Delhi and the 89 on Sunday stopped Baroda in its tracks. Left-arm seamer Ravikumar Thakur snapped four Baroda batsmen and Vidarbha cruised to the target of 174 with plenty

to spare as S. Badrinath chipped in with an unbeaten 47 (83 balls 5x4). The Maharashtra-Tripura contest proved a mismatch. Jadhav played shots all-round and Tripura surrendered to the of-breaks of Swapnil Gugale, who claimed four wickets. Maharashtra is leading the table with eight points from two matches followed by Vidarbha (8/3), Delhi (8/3), Baroda (4/3), Andhra (4/2), Odisha (4/3) and Tripura (0/2). The scores: At Kotla: Odisha 225 for nine in 50

overs (Natraj Behera 50, Biplab Samantray 47, Govinda Poddar 30, Manan Sharma three for 47) lost to Delhi 228 for five in 46.3 overs (Gautam Gambhir 67, Milind Kumar 62 n.o.). At Palam ‘A' : Maharashtra 294 in 49.4 overs (Kedar Jadhav 131, Harshad Khadiwale 32, Vishant More 31, Rajesh Banik four for 40) bt Tripura 183 in 49.5 overs (Sanjay Majumder 52 n.o., Swapnil Gugale four for 21). At Palam B' : Baroda 173 in 46 overs (Ambati Rayudu 40, Yusuf Pathan 32, Ravikumar Thakur four for 27) lost to Vidarbha 174 for three in 42 overs (Faiz Fazal 89, S. Badrinath 47 n.o.).

MOTOR RALLY Vijay Hazare matches on Monday

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Lohitt Urs wins FIA Asia Cup title SPORTS REPORTER BENGALURU: Lohitt Urs (co-driv-

er Srikanth Gowda) won the title in the FIA Asia Cup category and emerged the national champion at the conclusion of the Cofee Day India Rally at Chikkamagaluru on Sunday. Lohitt, driving a Mitsubishi Evo VIII, finished on a high despite encountering set-up problems on Saturday. Gaurav Gill (co-driver Musa Sherif), meanwhile, took the overall crown. Team Yokohama’s pair of Rahul Kanthraj (co-driver Vivek Bhatt) won the IRC 2000 class and also sealed the championship in their category; so did Karna Kadur (co-driver Vivek Ponnusamy) in the IRC 1600 category. Provisional classification (winners only):

FIA Asia Cup: Lohitt Urs & Srikanth Gowda (Pvt, Evo VIII) 1 (02:14:11.2s). IRC overall: Gaurav Gill & Musa Sherif (Mahindra Adventure, XUV 500) (02:06:18.6s). IRC 2000: Rahul Kantharaj & Vivek Y Bhatt (Team Yokohama, Cedia)

(02:11:16.0s). IRC 1600: Karna Kadur & Vivek

Ponnusamy (Team Yokohama, VW Polo) (02:07:29.3s). FMSCI Cup 1600: Druva Chandrasekhar & Jeevarathinam (Pvt, Honda City V-Tec) (02:10:45.5s).

Vijay Vidhata triumphs HYDERABAD: Vijay Vidhata (Kuldeep Singh up), owned by M/s.Vijay Racing & Farms Pvt Ltd, rep. by M/s.Vijay Kumar Gupta & Susheel Kumar Gupta & Mr.Ahmed Alam Khan and trained by Laxman S won the Ghulam Ahmed Memorial Cup, the main event of the races held here on Sunday 1. CHAITANYA RATHAM PLATE (1,200m), Cat II, maiden 2-y-o: Without Makeup (I. Chisty) 1, Surprise Party (DeepShanker) 2, Magnum (Ch K Chary) 3, Symbol Of Star’s (K Mukesh) 4. 2-3/4, 3/4, 1/2. 1m 14.53s. Rs 11 (w), 5 and 9 (p), SHP: Rs 14, FP: Rs 21, Q: Rs 12, Tanala: Rs 58. Favourite: Without Makeup. Owner: Mrs Junaid Ali Khan. Trainer: M Srinivas Reddy. 2. TRIBUTE PLATE (Div. II) (1,400m), Cat III, 3-y-o rated upto 25: Zensational (AM Tograllu) 1, Walloper (Ajit Singh) 2, Professor (A S Pawar) 3, Kaadambini (Deepak S) 4. 2, hd, 5-1/4. 1m 30.50s. Rs 10 (w), 5, 13 and 23 (p), SHP: Rs 34, FP: Rs 96, Q: Rs 79, Tanala: Rs 951. Favourite: Zensational. Owners: Mr Subodh Kumar Ananthula & Lt col A R Raju. Trainer: Arjun Anne.

MUMBAI: Myrtlewood ridden by P.S.Chouhan won the Eat India Company Indian 1000 Guineas (Gr. I), the stellar attraction of the races held here on Sunday. The winner is owned by Mr. & Mrs. Mehernosh H.Deboo. Pesi Shrof trains the winner.

1. YAWAR RASHID TROPHY

2. SETH RAMNATH DAGA

Mahindra XUV 500 after winning the IRC overall crown at Chikkamagaluru on Sunday. — PHOTO: PTI

Singh) 1, Winjoy (A Joshi) 2, That’s My Darling (Akshay Kumar) 3, Machine Gun (A S Pawar) 4. 2-1/2, 2, 3. 1m 41.07s. Rs 21 (w), 7 and 60 (p), SHP: Rs 105, FP: Rs 1155, Q: Rs 708, Tanala: Rs 1765. Favourite: That’s My Darling. Owners: M/s Vijay Racing and Farms Pvt Ltd rep. by Mr Vijay Kumar Gupta and Mr Susheel Kumar Gupta, Mr Ahmed Alam Khan & Mr Mohd.Alam Khan. Trainer: Deshmukh.

4. ANDHRA SUB AREA CUP (2,400m), 3-y-o, rated upto 75: Red Rambble (Tanwar) 1, Junior (Aneel) 2, Tiger (I. Chisty) 3, Vijays Victory (Deep Shanker) 4. 1, 2-1/2, dist. 2m 35.78s. Rs 24 (w), 8 and 8 (p), SHP: Rs 13, FP: Rs 70, Q: Rs 33, Tanala: Rs 125. Favourite: Tiger. Owners: Dr Pratap C Reddy, Mr K Ramcharan Tej & Mrs Upasana Kamineni. Trainer: Laxman S. 5. ZOOM ZOOM PLATE (Div. I) (1,200m), Cat. III, 3-y-o & over rated upto 50: Market Leader (A S Pawar) 1, Masti (Ajit Singh) 2, Symbol Of Pride

(K Mukesh) 3, Exclusive Monarchy (Sai Kiran) 4. Hd, 1-3/4, 1-1/4. 1m 14.34s. Rs 22 (w), 10, 7 and 8 (p), SHP: Rs 19, FP: Rs 145, Q: Rs 68, Tanala: Rs 388. Favourite: Market Leader. Owners: M/s.Rakesh R Jhunjhunwala & Ashok Kumar Gupta. Trainer: M.Srinivas Reddy 6. SOLITAIRE PLATE (1,600m), Cat.III, 4-y-o, rated upto 50: Lightning Streak (Sai Kiran) 1, Buckshee (G. Naresh) 2, Yet Another (A M Tograllu) 3, Fresco (Deepak S) 4. 3-1/2, dist, nk. 1m 41.75s. Rs 9 (w), 5, 7 and 8 (p), SHP: Rs 19, FP: Rs 25, Q: Rs 17, Tanala: Rs 88. Favourite: Lightning Streak. Owners: M/ s.Chitturi Krishna Kannaiah,Thimmaraja Yelamarthi & G Raghunandan Chary. Trainer: M.Satyanarayana. 7. ZOOM ZOOM PLATE (Div. II) (1,200m), Cat. III, 3-y-o & over rated upto 50: Aakash Vani (K Mukesh) 1, The Blue 61 (Sameeruddin) 2, Time Is Luck (Ajit Singh) 3, Blaze Of Glory (P Ajeeth) 4. Hd, 2-3/4, 3. 1m 14.65s. Rs 10 (w), 5, 7 and 7 (p), SHP: Rs 19, FP: Rs 24, Q: Rs 11, Tanala: Rs 55. Favourite: Aakash Vani. Owners: M/s. K T Raidu, Premanand Sugandhi & Rammohan Belde.

Trainer: Anupam Sharma.

8. GHULAM AHMED MEMORIAL CUP (1,400m, Cat. I, 3-y-o (Terms): Vijay Vidhata (Kuldeep S) 1, Always Bullish (Deepak S) 2, Happy Guy (B Dileep) 3, Machiavellianism (Ajit Singh) 4. 1-1/2, 1-1/2, 1-3/4. 1m 25.16s. Rs 8 (w), 6, 12 and 16 (p), SHP: Rs 41, FP: Rs 53, Q: Rs 45, Tanala Rs 357. Favourite: Vijay Vidhata. Owners: M/ s.Vijay Racing & Farms Pvt Ltd rep. by M/s.Vijay Kumar Gupta & Susheel Kumar Gupta & Mr.Ahmed Alam Khan. Trainer: Laxman

9. TRIBUTE PLATE (Div. I) (1,400m), Cat. III: Sea Change (Kiran Naidu) 1, Upon A Star (Naresh) 2, Gun Stream (Ajit Singh) 3, True Haven (M F Ali Khan) 4. Sh, 3/4, 4-1/4. 1m 31.47s. Rs 21 (w) 9, 8 and 5 (p), SHP: Rs 19, FP: Rs 72, Q: Rs 28, Tanala Rs 175. Favourite: Gun Stream. Owner: Dr. Suresh Chintamaneni. Trainer: N Rao. Treble: (i): Rs 295 (121 tkts), (ii): Rs 618 (44 tkts), (iii): Rs 109 (554 tkts). Consolation: Rs 140 (923 tkts), Jackpot: Rs 1967 (154 tkts).

Myrtlewood wins Indian 1000 Guineas (1,400m), Maiden, 2-y-o only: Arak (P.S.Chouhan) 1, Star Comrade (Sandesh) 2, Imitation Game (Suraj Narredu) 3 and Warlock (Dashrath) 4. 3, 1-1/2, 63/4. 1m 25.34s. Rs. 43 (w), 16 and 12 (p). SHP: Rs. 38, FP: Rs. 41, Q: Rs. 17, Tanala: Rs. 145 and Rs. 83. Favourite: Star Comrade. Owners: Mr.& Mrs. Vijay B.Shirke & Mr. & Mrs. K.N.Dhunjibhoy rep. Five Stars Shipping Co Pvt Ltd. Trainer: B.Prakash.

YOU BEAUTY!!! Gaurav Gill and co-driver Musa Sherif thank the

3. GAJASIMHA RAO MEMORIAL CUP (1,600m), Cat II, 3-y-o (Terms): Vijay Vaishnavee (Ajit

TROPHY (1,4000m), Cl. I, rated 80 and upwards: Apache (Trevor) 1, Congressional (Zervan) 2, Classic Moment (Sandesh) 3 and Simply Sweet (Dashrath) 4. 1-1/2, 1, Sh. 1m 22.28s. Rs. 15 (w), 11 and 14 (p). SHP: Rs. 31, FP: Rs. 35, Q: Rs. 15, Tanala: Rs. 41 and Rs. 15. Favourite: Apache. Owners: M/s. Kishore M.Dingra, Mohan Chattaram & G.Shewakramani. Trainer: P.Shrof.

3. G2 GOLD CUP DIV.I (1,200m), Cl. IV, rated 20 to 46: Denny Crane (Akshay) 1, Excelonce (Sandesh) 2, The Magician (Zervan) 3 and Grande Vitesse (C.Alford) 4. 1-1/2, 1/2, 1-3/4. 1m 11.01s. Rs. 17 (w), 12, 15 and 55 (p). SHP: Rs. 41, FP: Rs. 30, Q: Rs. 33, Tanala: Rs. 582 and Rs. 284. Favourite: Denny Crane. Owners: Mr. & Mrs. Mehernosh H.Deboo & Mr. Rakesh R.Jhunjhunwala. Trainer: P.Shrof. 4.

FAIZ

JASDANWALLA

TROPHY (1,000m), Maiden, 2-y-o only: Fabio (S.J.Sunil) 1, Flashy Wings (Bhawani) 2, Voulez Vous (P.S.Chouhan) 3 and Caielin (Dashrath) 4. Nk, Sh, 1-1/2. 1m 0.38s. Rs. 69 (w), 16, 110 and 13 (p). SHP: Rs. 359, FP: Rs. 2,059, Q: Rs. 1,251, Tanala: Rs. 6,844 and Rs. 1,173. Favourite: Star Councillor. Owners: M/s. Deepak Suryavanshi Rajiv S.Ghule, Peter C.D’Souza, Ashok Jain & Zaheer Lalkaka. Trainer: Sanjay Kolse. 5. MAHARASHTRA GUJARAT & GOA AREA TROPHY (2,000m), Cl. IV, rated 20 to 46: Joss (Dashrath) 1, Lavender Blue (Suraj Narredu) 2, Oreius (C.Alford) 3 and Uncle Scrooge (Trevor) 4. 1-3/4, 3-3/4, 3/4. 2m 2.86s. Rs. 36 (w), 14, 14 and 18 (p). SHP: Rs. 42, FP: Rs. 127, Q: Rs. 36, Tanala: Rs.

247 and Rs. 137. Favourite: Lavender Blue. Owners: M/s. Vivek S. Jain, Rohit J.Patel, Geofrey B.Nagpal & Farrokh Khambata. Trainer: Zadmal Singh.

6. THE HINDU TROPHY (1,200m), Maiden, 3-y-o only: The Champ (Trevor) 1, Pearl Secret (Sandesh) 2, Godsent (Suraj Narredu) 3 and Sensex (Srinath) 4. 1/2, 5, 7. 1m 10.32s. Rs. 15 (w), 10, 12 and 16 (p). SHP: Rs. 23, FP: Rs.18, Q: Rs. 11, Tanala: Rs. 47 and Rs. 29. Favourite: The Champ. Owners: M/s. Kishore M.Dingra & Sultan Singh.

7.

M.N.NAZIR

TROPHY

(1,400m), Cl. III, rated 40 to 66: Fast Lady (Suraj Narredu) 1, Shania (S.J.Sunil) 2, Remembrance Of You (Trevor) 3 and Lancelot (Agarwal) 4. Not run: Bon Vivant. 1/2, 2, 3-1/2. 1m 23.58s. Rs. 48 (w), 15, 26 and 11 (p). SHP: Rs. 67, FP: Rs. 686, Q: Rs. 161, Tanala: Rs. 621 and Rs. 154. Favourite: Iridescence. Owners: Dr. Y.K.Hamied, Mr. Atul N.Amersey rep. So Blest Trading Co Pvt Ltd & Mr. Kamil Hamied. Trainer: Imtiaz Sait.

8. EAT INDIA COMPANY INDIAN 1000 GUINEAS (Gr. I) (1,600m), Indian Fillies 3-y-o only:

MYRTLEWOOD (MULTIDIMENSIONAL – ADAMILE) (P.S.CHOUHAN) 1,

STAR FORMATION (CHINA VISIT – PREVALANCE) (DASHRATH) 2, JEANNINE (REBUTTAL – RIDAWANA) (SRINATH) 3 and SOLANGE (TEOFILO – SHADOW ROLL) (SURAJ NARREDU) 4. 4-1/4, 1, 1-1/4. 1m 35.13s. Rs. 43 (w), 17, 25 and 44 (p). SHP: Rs. 84, FP: Rs. 478, Q: Rs. 193, Tanala: Rs. 8,865 and Rs. 2,533. Favourite: Eternal Flame. Owners: Mr. & Mrs. Mehernosh H.Deboo. Trainer: P.Shrof.

9. G2 GOLD CUP DIV.II (1,200m), Cl. IV, rated 20 to 46: Sidhhi (Trevor) 1, Ice Afair (Nadeem) 2, Name Of The Game (Sandesh) 3 and Blackbean (C.S.Jodha) 4. 4-1/2, 1-1/4, 1-34. 1m 11.87s. Rs. 24 (w), 13, 18 and 12 (p). SHP: Rs. 54, FP: Rs. 201, Q: Rs. 36, Tanala: Rs. 214 and Rs. 61. Favourite: Siddhi. Owner: Mr.Rajesh Monga. Trainer: S.K.Sunderji. Jackpot: (i) 70 per cent: Rs. 7,155 (25 tkts), 30 per cent: Rs. 360 (213 tkts). (ii) 70 per cent: Rs. 2, 245 (295 tkts), 30 per cent: Rs. 487 (583 tkts). Treble : (i) Rs. 360 (20 tkts), (ii) Rs. 382 (43 tkts), (iii) Rs. 591 (45 tkts). Super Jackpot : 70 per cent: Rs. 34, 559 (11 tkts),30 per cent: Rs. 4,937 (33 tkts).

INDIAN SUPER LEAGUE

Healthy respect amidst rivalry NANDAKUMAR MARAR PUNE: The deep respect amidst ri-

valry Marco Materazzi and Antonio Habas have for each other comes through after a bruising battle on Sunday night in the ISL 2015 first leg semifinal at Balewadi stadium. Both teams indulged in ruthless physical play, following instructions. The intent was to disrupt rivals’ rhythm and ball-players on both ends bore the brunt, till Bruno Pelissari switched on skill with a direct free-kick goal and Jeje Lalpekhlua, Stiven Mendoza combined to remind fans of artistry. Chennaiyin FC is preparing for a tougher time ahead when the two sides clash again at Atletico de Kolkata’s home base, Salt Lake stadium. “They are a physical team. I expect a physical game in the next one. My players can adapt to any situation and if they have to play physical, they will,” said Materazzi. Three goals up, the Italian World Cupper does not believe a place in the final is sealed yet, as long as ATK has a brooding, plotting Spaniard in charge, ready to turn the tables on unsuspecting rivals. “I am not in the final yet. I know his potential and the kind of coach he is, you can expect (them to give) everything. In Kolkata, 6070,000 people supporting them. I wish I could chill. I don’t think you can do that and you have to wait till the last minute.” When realisation sunk in that his team had been outplayed the ATK coach admitted: “We weCM YK

ren’t as hungry as Chennai. They played well and were more aggressive than us.” He is ready for a fight to the finish in the return leg on December 16. ATK has a track record in ISL so far to match his words. FC Goa was outwitted in penalties last season in a knockout semifinal, Kerala Blasters was nudged aside in the final by a team which played mean football, though a successful one. “We have 90 minutes more. We conceded three goals here (in Pune). Maybe we can score three in Kolkata,” said the Spaniard, one match away from his second ISL final in two years. Materazzi remembered ISL 2014 semifinals. Kerala Blasters won the first leg 3-0 at home, lost the return leg at Chennai (1-3) yet sneaked into the final on aggregate (4-3). The Italian was proud of his players’ approach. “What I am proud of is that we started as a group, the same players are playing towards the end of the adventure. Rafael Augusto and Ganesh Dhanpal (injured) are not here, but I am really proud of my team.” Elano Blumer and Mehrajuddin Wadoo return to the squad after serving suspension. Habas is already in fightback mood to think of advantages for his opponents in Kolkata when the two first-choice players return. “I am not thinking about Chennai. I am thinking of my team,” came his booming reply, in response to a query about catching up with Chennaiyin next time he crosses swords with Materazzi. ND-ND

20 |

LIFE

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU MONDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2015

How violence affects children’s mental health

‘Hiatus was a unanimous decision’

Why you meekly log back into Facebook

Children who live in societies witnessing violence may have high levels of behavioural and emotional problems, according to a US study based on the mental health of children in Juarez, Mexico.

Boy band ‘One Direction’ will be going on a two-year hiatus in March next year and say it is an “unanimous” decision. The British group say they all just need a break from their busy routine.

Researchers from Cornell University have found four key reasons why people make the pledge not to log in to Facebook but ultimately could not resist the allure of Facebook’s social network.

Vast desert sun farm to help light up Morocco OUARZAZATE, (MOROCCO): On the

edge of the Sahara desert, engineers make final checks to a sea of metal mirrors turned towards the sun, preparing for the launch of Morocco’s first solar power plant. The ambitious project is part of the North African country’s goal of boosting its clean energy output with what it says will eventually be the world’s largest solar power production facility. Morocco has scarce oil and gas reserves, and is the biggest importer of energy in the West Asia and North Africa. The plant is part of a vision to move beyond this heavy dependency and raise renewable energy production to 42 percent of its total power needs by 2020. About 20 kilometres outside Ouarzazate, half a million U-shaped mirrors — called “parabolic troughs” — stretch out in 800 rows, slowly following the sun as it moves across the sky. Humongous in size Spread over an area equivalent to more than 600 football pitches, they store thermal energy from the sun’s rays and use it to activate steam turbines that produce electricity. King Mohamed VI launched construction of the plant, called Noor 1, in 2013, at a cost of 600 million euros ($660 million) and involving roughly 1,000 workers. Its start of operations by the end of this month was set to coincide with the conclusion of high-stakes COP21 global climate talks in Paris. “Construction work has finished,” said Obaid Amran, a board member of Morocco’s solar power agency. — AFP

PORTRAIT OF WAR

STAR TREK

A commander’s brushstrokes for peace A

Big B, Farhan record duet for Wazir

Painting was a passion for Ahmed even as he fought in the Bangladesh Liberation War SHIV SAHAY SINGH KOLKATA: At the age of 22, as a platoon commander fighting in the Bangladesh Liberation War, Shahabuddin Ahmed held an exhibition in the forest with portraits of Sheikh Mujibur Rehman and scenes of other muktiyodhas (freedom fighters), on bamboos and trees under torchlights. Forty-four years later, after gaining worldwide recognition for his works, a solo exhibition of the celebrated artist titled ‘Shanti’ was inaugurated by President Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday in Kolkata. The exhibition will be held from December 15 to January 16 at the Ganges Art Gallery in the city. “For over a year, I deliberated on the theme and decided on ‘Shanti.’ Now I feel this is most appropriate,” Mr. Ahmed told The Hindu.

India’s support needed Reflecting on the theme, the artist says there is a lot of disturbance in Bangladesh and the situation is “exactly like 1971” and support of friends like India is required.

ctors Amitabh Bachchan and Farhan Akhtar went behind the mic together to record a duet track about unusual friendships, for their film Wazir. The 73-year-old shared some of his photographs on his blog, and he can be seen behind the mic. He captioned the photograph: “Song recording for ‘Wazir’”. The song, which will reportedly feature in the end credits of the film, is titled Atrangi yaari. In some more promotional images, the two actors can be seen having fun while recording the track. Farhan is also seen holding a guitar while singing. The movie has been produced by Vidhu Vinod Chopra and directed by Bejoy Nambiar. — IANS

Swift trying to patent ‘1989’ (From left) ‘Exhilaration’ and ‘Bangabandhu’, two of Bangladeshi painter Shahabuddin Ahmed’s works that will be on display in Kolkata. Ahmed gifted President Pranab Mukherjee his portrait during the inauguration of the exhibition on Saturday. — PHOTOS: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT& PTI

It is in this situation of turmoil, he drew inspiration from Bangabandhu (Mujib), Gandhi and Tagore, who never wanted bloodshed. Apart from the paintings of Bangabandhu, Gandhi and Tagore, the exhibition has over 30 of his works including Liberte, War Cry, Bijoy, Platoon, Freedom, Wounded, and Exhilaration heavily in-

fluenced by his experiences of the liberation war. Mr. Ahmed admits that though war has guided him he doesn’t “paint war and war is in no way my creed. What I want to depict is human suffering in diferent postures.” Profound work In the words of well-known art critic from France, Gerard

Xuriguers, Mr. Ahmed “does nothing more than exhale what he holds buried deepest.” Full of anecdotes on the Liberation War and his years of struggle in Paris till 1980, Mr. Ahmed, who still holds a Bangladeshi passport, says Paris allowed him to do whatever he wanted to and he is deeply hurt by the recent attacks on Paris.

“Not only in Europe but in the entire world, Paris was the place where the rights of people, humanity were given utmost importance. There you now have an emergency situation. It is all finished,” says the artist who was honoured with Chevalier de L’order des Arts des Letters (Knight in the order of Art & Literature) Paris in 2014.

I’m comfortable with both Ranveer, Ranbir, says Deepika veer is diferent from prolease of Tamasha, in which moting Tamasha with Ranshe romanced former beau bir, Deepika said during a Ranbir Kapoor, Deepika Pa- session at Agenda Aaj Tak: dukone is all geared up for “Many told me,’You have the release of her next film two releases back to back Bajirao Mastani, co-starring with not even a month’s gap, Ranveer Singh. The actress you’ll be exhausted’ Just like says she is comfortable you can see, he (Ranveer) doesn’t let me talk much, working with both actors. Asked how promoting which is good. He himself Bajirao Mastani with Ran- starts on his own tone.” NEW DELHI: Fresh from the re-

“On other hand, Ranbir speaks very less. At that time, it becomes my job to make up (for him). But during Bajirao Mastani promotions, he (Ranveer) makes up for me.” ‘I’m very adaptable’ “I’m comfortable with both of them. It depends on the situation. I’m very

adaptable,” Deepika added. Set to release on December 18, Bajirao Mastani, directed by filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali, also stars Priyanka Chopra. Talking about the film, Ranveer said: “Basically every Bhansali film is tagged as an emotional drama. But in Bajirao Mastani, people will get to see everything

from emotional drama to action, romance, comedy and songs.” While Deepika doesn’t have any other project lined up immediately after Bajirao Mastani, Ranveer will next be seen in filmmaker Aditya Chopra’s Befikre. The film will also star actress Vaani Kapoor. IANS

Twitter warns users of cyber attacks by states

Keeping alive the hope

Shehab, a 23-year-old Syrian, playing the guitar amidst the rubble of buildings in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo on Friday. Shehab started learning the guitar, the only musical instrument he was able to find in war-torn Aleppo, with the help of online tutorials and videos. He believes that music holds the key to hope. — PHOTO: AFP

NEW YORK: After Facebook and Google, now Twitter has alerted its users to falling a victim of a state-sponsored cyberattack, a media report said here. “The social network recently alerted some users that they ‘may have been targeted’ by government attackers trying to get email addresses, network connections and phone numbers,” The Verge reported on Saturday. At least 11 Twitter users, who are working as mass surveillance researchers, security professionals, and (one) privacy organisation, on Friday received notifications that their accounts might have been targeted by statesponsored attackers. Twitter noted in its notification letter that it believes only email addresses, IP addresses, and phone numbers would have been exposed. Recently, both Facebook and Google issued similar emergency alerts. Facebook launched alerts in October and immediately recognised attacks on U.S. State Department employees. — IANS

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inger Taylor Swift has apparently filed trademark applications for five phrases, including Swiftmas, Blank Space, And I’ll Write Your Name, A Girl Named Girl and 1989. While 1989 is the title of 25-year-old singer’s latest album, A Girl Named Girl is the title of a novel the singer wrote when she was 14 which remains unpublished. The patent will debar people from using the phrases in performances, on clothing, merchandise, stationery, and in books and publications freely. For 1989, the trademark will apply only to the year presented in “stylized form”, which looks like the one on Swift’s album cover. Back in February, the Bad Blood hit-maker sought patents for some other phrases. — PTI

How Quentin wrote Hateful Eight

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irector Quentin Tarantino is all geared up for the release of his next venture Hateful Eight, but the director says the film was originally planned as a sequel to his last film Django Unchained. The 52-year-old film-maker explained that he initially planned to write a Django sequel, but his writing eventually turned to a new story called Hateful Eight. “I hadn’t written a novel before and I thought I would just try my hand at writing a Django paperback. At the time it was called Django in White Hell. Instead of Major Warren, it was Django,” Tarantino said. Both the Western films also have similarities like a black male lead and Civil War era set up. “Hateful Eight” revolves eight central characters as they attempt to go to Red Rock. — PTI

Rafa leaves Deepika star-struck

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ctor Deepika Padukone was star-struck after meeting Rafael Nadal in New Delhi, and thanked the Spanish tennis legend for giving her “memories” to cherish for a lifetime. She was in the national capital to promote her forthcoming film Bajirao Mastani. Nadal was here for the International Premier Tennis League. Thanking Nadal, she tweeted: “Thank you Rafa for some wonderful memories... @RafaelNadal,” Deepika tweeted along with a photograph which showed the two striking a happy pose. Nadal, who played Roger Federer here on Saturday, was also smitten by the “incredible” Bollywood star. He tweeted: “Con la increible @DeepikaPadukone en #Delhi :) With the incredible Deepika Padukone in #Delhi! #Bollywood”. — IANS

Film on Hemingway raises hope for Hollywood in Cuba Documentary, which premiered at Festival of New Latin American Cinema in Havana, about American author’s life in Cuba makes history as first US production filmed there since 1960 trade embargo only a few months after he was forced to leave his besk the people of Cuba to- loved Cuba due to the revoluday about Ernest He- tion that he took his own life. It is fitting, therefore, that a mingway and many will shake their heads. “Big drinker” film documenting Hemingcomes up a lot. “Very diicult way’s final troubled few years on the island this week made man,” say others. But most will then break in- history in Cuba. Papa, which to a reverential smile. “But he premiered at this year’s Feswas also brave,” says one Ha- tival of New Latin American vana bartender, to nods of ap- Cinema in Havana, was the proval. “He loved Cuba when first American production to it was dangerous to do so. He be shot on the island in over stood up for our country. We 50 years, since the trade embargo was imposed in 1960. see him as one of us.” Its debut at this year’s fesThe American novelist’s relationship with this Carib- tival has been taken by many bean island is well-docu- as symbolic of the opening up mented. He lived there for 30 between the U.S. and Cuba, years, writing some of his following the renewal of dipmost famous works in his Fin- lomatic relations in Decemca VigIa home and spending ber last year. At the Havana premiere, an his evenings drinking at La Bodeguita in Havana. It was oicial from the American

HANNAH ELLIS-PETERSEN

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embassy said he expected many more Hollywood productions to follow in Papa’s footsteps. Many have also argued that if more Hollywood productions come to Cuba, giving the island an increased international visibility, artists and intellectuals will be emboldened to speak out against cultural oppression and censorship — which can lead to imprisonment or exile. The U.S. trade embargo on Cuba remains in place but the director of Papa, Bob Yari, said he hoped other productions would follow suit and prove the embargo was both “outdated and redundant”. “I absolutely believe this will be a pivotal film,” said Yari. “What we’ve done here will hopefully trigger more

filmmaker co-operations and more filmmaking in Cuba from the US side, as well as raise an awareness that this embargo really should be dropped, because it’s the Cuban people who are sufering. And I think it is perfect that it was a film about a man who was beloved by both Americans and Cubans that finally breached that barrier.” The script was written by and based on the experiences of journalist Denne Bart Petitclerc, who befriended Hemingway (Adrian Sparks) and his fourth wife, Mary (Joely Richardson), after writing the author an impassioned letter. Yari said he felt it would be “inauthentic” to film it anywhere else. “This was a story so rooted in Cuba and the places of Cu-

ba, and the look of Havana is very diicult to duplicate,” he said. That view was echoed by Sparks, who said making the film in the settings Hemingway had lived, worked and drunk had helped make Papa a depiction of the author like no other. “It made me aware of how much Cubans adore Hemingway. I’d be walking down the street and people would shout out ‘Papa’ because that’s how everyone on the island knew him. He felt loved here, and I really felt that just by being here, it was palpable — and it made me really understand why he lived here for 30 years. It had a very profound impact on the film.” — © Guardian Newspapers Limited, 2015

(Above) A mural featuring American author Ernest Hemingway shaking hands with Fidel Castro in a parking lot in Havana, Cuba. Hemingway, the subject of film documenting his final troubled few years, lived on the island nation with his fourth wife Mary (top right). His most celebrated novel, The Old Man and the Sea, was also shot there and featured actor Spencer Tracy (bottom right), — PHOTOS: AP& THE HINDU ARCHIVES ND-ND

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Delhi Monday, December 14, 2015

INITIATIVE

PERSONALITY

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Admit two

“Kambaqht Manto”

“The Art Of Peace”

A play which is based on two stories by Saadat Hasan Manto will be stage. Directed by Tarun Dang. December 15, Alliance Francaise, K.K. Birla Marg, Lodi Estate, 7 p.m. Ticket: Rs.200.

Montreal’s Mahatma Gandhi International Foundation and ICCR presents works by young artists and Suraj Sadan. Dec. 15 to 21, Art Gallery, ICCR, Azad Bhavan, IP Estate, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

“Ragas On Saxophone” An Indian classical concert by Phil Scarff on saxophone and Bhushan Parchure on tabla. December 15, Habitat World, India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road, 7 p.m.

“Mohabbat” Music and dance programme paying tribute to the victims of the Paris attacks. Featuring Titi Robin (guitar and buzuq), Murad Ali Khan (sarangi), among others. Dec. 16, Habitat World, IHC, Lodhi Road, 7 p.m.

“The I Within” A group exhibition curated by Monica Jain presents works of artists including Sanjay Bhattacharyya and Kanchan Chander among others. Till January 31, Art Centrix Space, Vasant Kunj, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

ESCAPE

KATHA FOCUSES ON TRANSLATION FOR BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF INDIA’S DIVERSITY P3

NAYANTARA SAHGAL ON CELEBRATING INDIAN TRADITION OF PLURALISM P2

anoj Bajpayee is one of those actors who don’t seek attention once the end credits start rolling on the screen. He loves to merge in the crowd once the director declares pack up. “It is this attitude that helps me shoot anywhere in the country. People think that I am one among them. When I am shooting there is no crowd trouble. It helps me plays different shades of common man,” says Manoj The latest variant is the role inspired by Professor Ramchandra Siras in Aligarh. A professor of Marathi in Aligarh Muslim University, Siras was hounded for his sexual orientation and eventually died in mysterious circumstances. The posters reflect an uncanny resemblance between the actor and the character. “Whenever I play a common man, I try to copy the mental state rather than the physical being of the person. If you get a hang of the mental state, physical characteristics follow. When I read about Siras, I thought the purity of this man should come out and reach audience. There are still people in this world who are untouched by the vices of this world. They want to remain like that and want the world not to disturb them.” The immediate society of Siras, however, thought otherwise. “We should not talk about society as a monolith because it is a composition of different kinds of people. There is a set of people who believe in hearsay and then there are those who first experience and then make up their minds. The unfortunate thing is that the society has the former in majority. We live in a society where there is an opinion about homosexuals. I come from a village but my upbringing is such that I don’t judge people. I think I imbibed it from my father. He never judged anybody around

TO PULAU UBIN AND NOTICE ITS DIFFERENCES WITH SINGAPORE P4

Life inside the closet As “Aligarh” makes news, Manoj Bajpayee tells us how he expressed the mental state of a lonely character ANUJ KUMAR

ON THE EDGE Manoj Bajpayee

him. I think this is one trait that you should pass on to your kids. This film’s biggest success is that whatever is your opinion about homosexuality you won’t come out of theatre without getting impressed by Siras.” Manoj says when you let characters like Siras dwell inside you they leave you as a better human being. “Siras made me a better person. I respect my father. I have met and worked with many big

The fact that I am not gay has nothing to do with me playing a homosexual character

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names but still nobody has been able to replace my father’s stature in my life but Siras is ahead of him. My father never shouted at us and never expected anything from us or anybody. Siras is simpler than him. He says, ‘you leave me at my state. I am happy with my poetry, my Lata Mangeshkar songs and those two glasses of whiskey that I drink every night.’ Manoj has played many a complex character but the simplicity of Siras was difficult to explore within. “I am not such a lonely person as Siras was. He wanted to remain lonely with his pain and grief, with his songs and poetry. Earlier I used to develop characters through workshops. Now after so much experience I grapple alone. In this case I created an atmosphere of Marathi literature around me. For 20 days I sur-

rounded myself with Marathi books. It is not that I learnt Marathi during this period. My process is very personal. I used to call a Marathi teacher. He would sit with me and read out a page of Marathi literature. He used to read out Marathi poems and I listened. Then I used to read a few paragraphs in my broken Marathi. More than tonality, I wanted to understand his atmosphere,” he relates. This is one part, the other is his sexuality. “My personal belief is sexual preference is not built by the character. The fact that I am not gay has nothing to do with me playing a homosexual character. It has to do with your upbringing, your journeys and your inner turmoil. His conflict was what he wanted to be, the society didn’t allow him to be and thereby the character undergoes a change. I could find

that resonance inside me. I wanted to become an actor but for a long time I could not tell it in my society because my society used to look at such youngsters in a certain way. It generated lot anger inside me. In case of Siras it came through his loneliness.” Manoj believes we all have different kinds of devils and gods residing within us. “You just have to press the right buttons to find them and nobody has this felicity more than an actor. He finds that part inside him, enlarges it and brings it to the screen.” There are concerns about the film as it depicts a city and a campus but Manoj feels is should be seen as the story of a man who is asking for the right to live his life the way he wants to. Over the years Manoj has perfected the art of coming out of such characters as well.

Short and sweet Meanwhile, Manoj is exploring the short film format. Recently, he did one with Raveena Tandon and has just wrapped up Tandav with Devashish Makhija. Makhija has been an assistant of Anurag Kashyap and Manoj likes to call him as his find. “The film focuses on stress. The good thing about short films is that they can be easily watched on smart phones which every youngster has these days. It gives me the opportunity to prepare a new audience for my next film.” “Shool left the maximum scars. It took me years to come out of it. I became excited, angry. I had begun to believe that nobody is more honest than me in this world. It troubled me a lot.” For years he also waited for acceptance in different genres. “Yes, but now I am in a happy space. Directors know that ye kuchh bhi karta hai. They give me space to be myself and if you give me freedom I can give you many things.” Up next is Duranto, a story set in Odisha where he is playing the coach of a young marathoner. The film is inspired by the life of Budhia Singh, the boy who took the media by storm with his achievements on the track. Manoj is playing the coach Biranchi Das, with whom Budhia shared a volatile relationship. “It is a story of passion where the society again plays a part. The strange thing is that the film is ready and still there is no corporate house to back it. I am the only known name associated with it. I could back such projects because I never allowed my needs to grow. I knew the kinds of cinema I do, it doesn’t allow the freedom to splurge.”

‘It is our ‘The Diary of AnneFrank’’ 2015 marks the 25th year of exile of Kashmiri Pandits but nobody seems to remember them, feel Commonwealth Short Story Prize winning author Siddhartha Gigoo and columnist Varad Sharma SHAILAJA TRIPATHI

Feeling the need to record their personal stories of displacement, authors Siddhartha Gigoo and Varad Sharma have collated stories of Kashimiri Pandits in “A Long Dream of Home (The Persecution, Exodus and Exile of Kashmiri Pandits)”. Published by Bloomsbury India, the book has hit the bookstores. In an e-mail interview Gigoo and Sharma respond to questions about the anthology. Edited excerpts: Of late, do you think, there has been an increasing urge among Kashmiris to record their personal stories? SG: Youngsters from Kashmir have started writing. It is because of what Kashmiris have gone through in the past two and a half decades. Social unrest and political turmoil necessitate expression. Stories about the impact of political upheaval on human lives are unravelling now. Your book is also about recollections. But why are we revisiting those memories now? SG: The book captures a lived experience of an ethnic minority which has been living in exile for quarter of a century. It is the first-ever book of memoirs of Kashmiri Pandits. It tells who we are, how we lived in Kashmir till 1990, what we went through there, how we lived and suffered in camps in exile, and CM YK

what we lost. The book contains accounts of people who lost their loved ones, and were forced to flee their homes. Almost everyone in India is talking about the Syrian refugee crisis. What about us? Displaced in our own country in 1990, and still not being able to return to our homeland. The Jews have a tradition of constantly talking about the history of their persecution. This is how they keep their history and past alive. When they fled Egypt, they carried with them books.

Conflict regions give vent to deeply personal stories of various kinds – political narratives or personal memoirs Varad Sharma

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It is a book our descendants will read to know about their history. This book is our “The Diary of Anne Frank”. This year marks our 25th year in exile. How did you collect these stories? SG: I went to the camps in Jammu, and met several displaced Pandits there. I talked to teenagers who were born in the camps. Their parents have shielded them from the horrors of their past. Understandably so! When Varad and I explained the idea of the book of memoirs to them, they started narrating their tales. Nobody had forgotten anything. They recounted events, anecdotes and personal experiences. The book contains about 30 memoirs. What was the mood of the people you spoke to? SG: Anger, frustration, sadness, a sense of loss, disillusionment. Imagine what it is to be targeted by militants. Imagine what it is to be thrown out of your home. Imagine what it is to live in a camp for a quarter of a century. Imagine what it is to dream of home every single day, knowing that it may not come true in your lifetime. Tell us about the tone of the book VS: It contains personal stories of the displaced Kashmiri Pandits whose voice has been unheard and demands have been unheeded. Conflict regions give vent to deeply personal stories of various

DOCUMENTING PAIN Siddhartha Gigoo PHOTO: SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR

kinds – political narratives or personal memoirs. Both Pandits and Muslims have suffered due to conflict. Muslims are more into recording their stories than Pandits. We, as editors, have tried to compile and bring out everything about our exodus and exile. This book is of immense significance to those who want to know the truth of the Kashmiri Pandit exodus and exile. Is there any solution to the Kashmir issue? VS: There are two dimensions to the Kashmir imbroglio - internal (with the

stakeholders of J&K state) and external (with Pakistan). I am not sure when the dispute with Pakistan, rather Pakistan’s illegal occupation of some part of J&K and the exporting of terrorism to India, will be resolved. However, the internal dimension of the J&K problem can be resolved if there is political will. Those responsible for the mess in the state must be prosecuted and brought to book. For resolving any problem, justice is the first step. Truth and Reconciliation Commission can be an option. ND-ND

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METROPLUS

Launchpad

Festive collection Monte Carlo presents its collection for this season offering a plethora of option in through its new range of warm clothes. These include Nehru jackets in vivid and vibrant colours in bottle green, tan, marsala and grey colours apart from sweaters, pullovers, blazers and coats. For women there are shawls, cardigans, shrugs and kurtis.

VARIETY

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU Monday, December 14, 2015

‘We need to speak out’

Sign of times

Nayantara Sahgal emphasises the Indian tradition of celebrating pluralism

An interesting exhibition of autographs was on show in Delhi recently

MOHAMMAD ASIM SIDDIQUI

CHANDRIKA C

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Much before selfie-seekers were born there were autograph hunters. They belong to all age groups and unlike their digital counterparts, their lives almost depend on the number of celebrity autographs they have in the kitty. Recently, the second national philography exhibition, “AUTOGRAPHEX-2015”, celebrated this diminishing tribe. Organised by the Autograph Collectors Club of India (ACCI) at AIFACS. With 25 collectors’ collection of autographs on show, the exhibition showcased more than 1000 autographs. From famous politicians and eminent scientists to painters, authors and Bollywood celebrities, everybody’s sign was stamped for posterity. Praful Thakkar, who has been collecting autographs for half-a-century, said, “The attraction towards glamour and honour was my inspiration.” He explained how philately (collection of stamps), numismatics (collection of coins) and philography (collection of autographs) are all inter-connected and doing so helps one acquire recognition and changes an individual’s personality. “Instead of giving cars or property to our

itting in the lounge of Aligarh Muslim University University’s Guest house with a small group of academics and listening to them patiently, she is a picture of warmth and simplicity. There are no airs or quirks about her that you generally associate with important people visiting small towns. In fact, she could be mistaken for a professor of English passing words of wisdom to new recruits. It must be very brave on her part to travel all the way from Chandigarh to Aligarh in a car. But certainly there is more to Nayantara Sahgal than meets the eye. In between the conversation her phone rings and she has a brief chat with some Kiran. It turns out that she was talking to Sahitya Akademi award winning writer Kiran Nagarkar whom she described ‘the finest writer in English’. She dwells a bit on Nagarkar’s reinterpretation of some of the stories of Mahabharata in his “Bedtime Story” and his bilingual distinction in English and Marathi. Sahgal’s bilingualism, at least in her conversation, is also evident as the conversation keeps breaking into Hindi and she is never at a loss for words in Hindi. The conversation inevitably turns to her Mamu (Jawaharlal Nehru) and Nana (Motilal Nehru) and she recalls her memory of Anand Bhavan and Swaraj Bhawan in Allahabad. She recalls that she always saw her Mamu working, sometimes very late at night and ‘understands’ that she was seeing him in very troubled times when he could not have afforded much time for her. But she has a very distinct memory of Nehru crying inconsolably at Gandhiji’s death. Nehru’s realisation that ‘He, the Prime

REFLECTING ON THE TIMES Nayantara Sahgal

Minister of India of all persons, could not save Gandhiji, weighed heavily on his mind. Then Sahgal painfully recalls the present efforts to celebrate the Nathuram Godse Jayanti. And Nehru? Well the efforts don’t stop at his demonisation, ‘they would even wipe him out of history if they could.’ On being informed that her Sahitya Akademi award winning novel “Rich Like Us” is a prescribed text for BA (Hons.) course at Aligarh Muslim University, she appears pleased. But she quickly adds that maybe her novel “Mistaken Identity” qualifies better, or is more relevant in today’s context, because it also addresses Hindu-Muslim question. In fact, her works are also the subject of a research at Aligarh Muslim University. She advances a

quick reflection on her memoirs too. They were written when she was very young, and she is sure, that now her memoirs would acquire a different shape. It may be recalled that her memoir “Prison and Chocolate Cake” — offering a perspective on the Nehru family and the freedom struggle — came out as early as 1954. In Aligarh to deliver the sixth K.P. Singh Memorial lecture, she talked about issues ranging from the growing intolerance in the country to Indian tradition of celebrating pluralism. In her more formal address in the morning, meaningfully titled ‘The Unmaking of India’ and attended by students and teachers of the University, Sahgal was scathing in her criticism of forces hell bent on destroying the multicultu-

ral nature of Indian civilisation. The unmaking of India, she argued, is being pushed through change of textbooks, rewriting of history and science, appointment of people of a certain ideology as heads of educational and cultural institutions, and violent attacks on the freedom of expression. She described Hindutva a political invention which has nothing to do with Hinduism just as Muslim fundamentalism is not a part of Islam. Both Hindu and Muslim extremists had no role in India’s freedom struggle. India has proved to the world that a deeply religious country can be secular. She put it unequivocally that the writers’ protest is spontaneous. “We don’t read each other, we don’t meet each other, no one consulted anyone else.” On a slightly

children, we must give a hobby to them which helps them to maintain mental and physical equilibrium,” said the Limca Book of Records holder, who calls his house Houseum. Advocate Santosh Kumar Lahoti, founder of the Autograph Club which is registered under The West Bengal Registration Act said philography is a hobby that doesn’t cost anything to the celebrity or the collector. Gopal Das Agarwal, who is also an hotelier, said, “The art is a frozen moment of time.” His collection includes autographs of Mahatma Gandhi, Subhash Chandra Bose, Jawaharlal Nehru, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, Rabindranath Tagore, Lal Bahadur Shastri, M.S. Subbulakshmi, Kapil Dev, Albert Einstein, Fidel Castro, Pele, Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan. Jazzy Joe, a musician and DJ started philography in 1992. He has a collection of 200 autographs that include Raj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar, Saira Bano, Pankaj Udhas, Gulzar, Jagjit Singh and Usha Uthup. He said, “Autograph is simply an extension of your personality. It tells how flamboyant or shy a person is.” Amarjeet Singh, an organiser of the event, has been collecting autographs for three years. His collection includes Pele, Dalai Lama and Tenzing Norgey. “I am conserving something today which is going to be the history tomorrow. There are times when we have to exchange 100 autographs for one autograph,” he informed.

lighter note she said that writers are not looking for publicity: “They look for publishers not publicity.” She was proud of the fact that “writers from 150 countries have given us support” and what began as writers’ protest was joined by artists, scientists, filmmakers and historians. Sahgal appeared very clear as to what should be done to carry forward this movement. ‘We need to speak out not only when our own rights are violated but also when others are victims. One thing we cannot do is to remain silent.’ She turned to Faiz Ahmad Faiz’s famous words to press home her point: Bol,ke lab azaad hai tere: Bol, zabaan ab tak teri hai, Tera sutwan jism hai tera — Bol, ke jaan ab teri hai. (The writer teaches EnA collection of Gulzar's autographs glish at AMU.)

Woollen socks With the idea of keeping feet warm Bonjour has introduced its winter collection of socks for men and women which are a blend of wool and lycra not only keeping feet warm but are also very soft and comfortable. The collection comes in argyles, polka dots, stripes along with some motif designs. The women socks are available at Rs.100 onward whereas the men socks are priced between Rs.210-230 per pair.

Of battles long ago With the passing away of Lt. Col. CEC Francis of Maratha Light Infantry, one will miss his stories of valour

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Jewellery SLG has unveiled its rubydiamond Christmas collection. With the ruby in different shades of red colour and crystal clear diamonds as the attraction of the collection the range includes earrings, rings and neck-pieces.

Christmas gift Thalgo has launched a gift box especially for the men on the go. Containing the essentials for daily routine it has a descomen, a cleanser scrub, wakeshower gel and an after shave balm to soothe razor burn and heal cuts. Priced at Rs.2625. CM YK

Boy gets bold

Down Memory Lane

hose commemorated during this year-end memorial services included (as usual) many war veterans. Lt Col. CEC The jawans of Maratha Light Infantry Regiment in action. Francis of Delhi was probably among the latest. PHOTO: THE HINDU ARCHIVES The Colonel’s father, Alan Francis had fought in tea, the men started next morning to inspect our World War I’s famous improving their defences. C Coy position. I showed battle of Kut-al-Amara Slit trenches, weapon pits him about 40 blood-stained against the Turks as a and crawl trenches had chappals lying outside the soldier of the 2nd been dug and a bunker in perimeter. The attacking Dorsetshire Regiment. He the 7 platoon area. When I force was mainly composed in turn joined the Britishwent to the forward of Pathan tribesmen, along Indian Army during World position to get a look one with elements of the Azad War II as an infantry MSAI rocket was fired by Kashmir Battalion. The officer. The family claimed the enemy which hit the bodies of the two found descent from Sir Francis, tree behind me missing my dead were lying in the Gent, who was knighted by head narrowly where I was minefield nearby, one with Kind Richard II of England, standing. This was the his head blown off. The some of whose descendents signal for the enemy to vultures started hovering settled down in India attack the right wing and around after the firing centuries later. after this all hell broke stopped. One of them was A fair slim, soft-spoken loose. The enemy started of big build, dressed in a man, belying his age of 90 firing with rifles and light khaki shirt and shorts. The Col Francis came to church machine guns. Two Pathan vultures never touched his every Sunday in Mayapuri soldiers charged up the body and one of our officers with his son and daughter. slope of 7 Platoon towards said he must be a holy man. He took off his cap and our MMG post and were Our casualties were few but occupied a seat at the rear. shot dead at point blank the enemy had suffered After Mass he left just as range. Since there were no heavy losses, seeing the quietly as he had come. His mines and it was a dark number of dead bodies wife had died some years night, it was difficult to stop lying outside our barbed earlier and he was the one the enemy from charging wired fence in grotesque who not only looked after our positions, except with positions. The enemy the house but also did the small arms and bayonets, usually attacked on Fridays cooking. In 2010 the which the men did to good considering them to be Colonel, formerly of the effect. I fired Very Light auspicious for success. But Maratha Light Infantry, flares to locate the enemy as this Friday showed, their published his memoirs of and then inspected the two faith was misplaced.” service in World War II in enemy dead as the moon Col Francis usually spoke Burma and the Far East had risen now and one about his wartime (where Allied troops fought could see better than in the experiences while Japanese forces) and later darkness. They were redreturning from church. He in the Kashmir and bearded Pathans in tribal would sit down on a park Nagaland operations. This dress with white turbans. bench to recount the is what he has to say about The battle continued till Assam, Burma and the battle of Jhangar in midnight when the firing Singapore operations, in Jammu and Kashmir in started decreasing in particular the battle of March 1948 in which he intensity. Ruwaya (Burma) in 1945 was wounded. “The Brigade Comdr., and the action in Arakan. “After a short rest and Brig M Usman, came the He also spoke about his

service in the 2nd Battalion of the Maratha Parachute Regiment. By the time he finished, it was well past the lunch hour. Looking at his watch he would hail a rickshaw to go to his sprawling bungalow in Rajouri Garden. Now after his death it has been sold and his unstable son and daughter, Kenneth and Sharon, live in a flat with a lady caretaker while the Colonel rests in the World War II Brar Square cemetery in the same grave as his wife Caroline. This cemetery actually contains the graves of those killed during the war in East Africa and on whom T.S. Eliot wrote a moving poetic tribute. During Queen Eligabeth II’s last visit to Delhi a special service was held here to mark the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II. The pastor who conducted the service was the late Father Ian Weatherall, himself a war veteran before he became a priest. The bodies of the dead were too many and too distant to be buried in this far-off cemetery, so only memorial stones with their identity number inscribed on them were erected. It’s on Remembrance Day in the second week of November that the main religious service is held and Col Francis was among those who attended it regularly, mentally raising the war cry of the Maratha Light Infantry, “Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj ki Jai!”

R. V. Smith The author is a veteran chronicler of Delhi

Sharman Joshi is not averse to taking on new roles and trying different genres as long as the story satisfies him ATIF KHAN

You don’t expect Sharman Joshi in a ‘bold’ film. Remember the last time he tried to do something audacious he ended up with multiple fractures in 3 Idiots. With good actors, characters get stuck. With Sharman it happened twice. Soon after 3 Idiots, he was offered Ferrari Ki Sawaari, where again his genteel charm worked. The net result was even when he had to make bad choices it had to be either Super Nani or Toh Baat Pakki. Finally, he broke free from this good boy image with erotic thriller Hate Story 3 in which he plays a rich businessman tycoon who is often seen in bed and bathroom under shower! Happy over the fact that the film is doing good business, the actor talks about his entry into thrillers and on his choice of roles. There is a change in your screen image I do not want myself to be type cast. I want to explore every genre as I want the script to make my image than anything else. I think more than anything image is built on work. So I try to develop my role and character according to the need of the film and do not fall back on what I have done in my previous films. Despite negative reviews the opening business of “Hate Story 3” has been good I believe that the film’s storyline has been liked by the people. At the end of the day what really matters to me is that I should be able to meet the expectations of my fans which I think Hate Story 3 has since they are liking the

TIME TO THRILL Sharman Joshi

story. I give complete credit to director Vishal Pandya, who had complete faith in the story and the film. Do you think that vendetta and revenge formula always sells in Bollywood, more so if it is packaged with sleazy scenes? I do not look or go for any formula. What attracts me to accept a role in the film is the story. I cannot comment on what formula works in Bollywood but my choice of characters depends on the excitement it gives me. Personally, I want to try each and every genre of film. I support the erotic genre that is the reason I decided to explore it. You can build interest in a film through bold scenes for a limited period after the release but what makes it sustain and sell

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I support the erotic genre that is the reason I decided to explore it

thereafter is the story. Audience acceptance for you seems to be high when you are in a supporting role or part of an ensemble… I take roles irrespective of their length. As for solo roles, in 2012, Ferrarri Ki Sawari was loved by the audience. Also audience don’t necessarily go for stars. They like supporting actors as well. I agree that some the films did not work out for me but I think there are ups and downs in every person’s life. I will continue to back the story of the film even if the length of role is small. That is what makes me an actor. On getting recognition in the industry… I think superstars are not born superstars but they achieve that status by winning the hearts of audience. Behind every success in industry, there is hard work hidden behind it. So I believe to get recognition, an actor has to work hard and then only you can get recognition even if you hail from a family which has a film background or have surname backing you. ND-ND

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METROPLUS

Briefly

SPECTRUM

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU Monday, December 14, 2015

Bridging the gap

Ghost stories Actor Prosenjit Chatterjee launched a series of spine chilling ghost stories written by RJ Praveen. The book “Ek Kahani Aisi Bhi” is based on the show by the same name on 93.5 RED FM. The book has focused on spookiest ghost cases and on paranormal activities. Overwhelmed by the thrilling response to the radio show RJ Praveen penned the stories.

Musical all the way Akashvani hosted its second show ‘A Musical Legacy’ showcasing classical jugalbandi. The Public Service Broadcaster’s National Channel hosted four members from the famous Banaras gharana – vocal artists Pandit Rajan, Sajan Mishra, Ritesh Mishra and Rajnish Mishra who performed at the India Habitat Centre. The father and son duos hit the high note of their musical prowess and left the audience spellbound when they played Raag Nayki Kanhada and Raag Adana.

Digital education An event on Digital Literacy was held in NCR. Inaugurating the event, Abhishek Mishra, Minister for Vocational Education and Skill Development, UP, shared his ideas on the subject. The Minister stressed the need to educate as many people as possible with basic digital skills. He said these skills need to be imparted in the most populous State in a cost effective way. In a panel discussion KJS Anand, Executive Director of IMS Noida said that the energy of the youth had to be tapped as he had observed in the Silicon Valley hub and other places of international excellence.

Etching a social dialogue

A new initiative by Katha focuses on how translation of literary works can help in understanding India’s diversity

Artist Sangeeta Sharma Pathak brings to fore latent human emotions ATIF KHAN

S. RAVI

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he world would not have known about Gitanjali had Tagore not translated his poems in English. Similarly the works of U.R. Ananthamurthy or Mahasweta Devi would not have reached north and south respectively if they were not translated extensively. The works carried with them the issues and their socio-political context that these authors touched up. However, there are many more Mahasweta’s waiting to be discovered because they have been labelled regional, because there is no good translator available to take their work to national and global level. An important initiative in this direction has been recently launched by Katha, an NGO working in the field of literature and education, with the Indira Gandhi National Open University which aims at “Translating India understanding diversity”. Seeking to bring the Indian languages, including English, and its speakers closer, it intends to achieve this by focussing on translation and translation studies. Geeta Dharamrajan, Katha’s founder-director comments: “We see translations as an important counter-divisive tool for nation building.” Elaborating on the programme poet-author, Sukrita Paul Kumar explains: “We have not engaged with understanding of the cultural diversity of India and one of the ways to do so is build bridges between one language and another. And what better or rather what other thing is there than translation.” Even though there are some translation centres and occasional pa-

UNLOCKING MYRIAD CULTURES Participants at the Katha initiative

pers written on the subject, she feels, the engagement is not at the required level. “This is precisely why our literature has not reached out to the world and even ourselves.” She adds that not merely translation but its organisation in a systematic manner, development as a skill, training and honing are essential. Under the initiative, Katha has started interacting with students, teachers and academia of different colleges, departments and universities to pool in resources and infrastructure. The objective of the collaboration is to generate quality consciousness in translation, create an educated readership for translated works, host meetings, debates and workshops on the subject, pool resources, acquire translation skills in media such as dubbing, subtitling, advertising etc, hone bilingualism, explore the area of oral traditions and folklore, curriculum development and make translator more visible thereby emphasising his role in building cultural bridges. “Priority is not translation

but the bigger picture encompassing the act of translation and building a movement towards it,” avers Sukrita. These multiple aims for translations and its studies are to be achieved through sharpening skills of reviewing texts, designing courses on editing, collaborative translations, critiquing texts, exploring use of technology as a tool and setting up centres in different universities among others. Dr. Babli Moitra Saraf, Principal, Indraprastha College, which houses a

translation studies centre, feels the project will unlock a plethora of texts, narratives, stories, poems and non-literature texts, like paintings and handicrafts, emanating from our heterogeneous country for students and readers. The project commenced with an orientation session at IGNOU with participants from the universities of Delhi, Jamia Millia Islamia, Jawaharlal Nehru and Ambedkar University also joining with the objective of briefing them about the Katha initiative and eliciting their views. “We were

A vital component of ‘Being Indian’ is to realise the divergence in our culture and literature is the best tool for it

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deluged by the enthusiasm and the suggestions for activity which came forth,” says Sukrita. Along side this, a students meet drew enthusiastic participation providing the movement with much needed volunteers who were designated as saathis. The initial ardour of people was followed by repeated effort on their part too. In a meeting when it was found that those attending spoke 32 languages, they were asked to translate a short story from their language to either Hindi or English which was then edited in another workshop. “This was really liked by them and we had a number of interesting stories to read from those languages,” shares Sukriti. Happy with the momentum, Sukrita hopes the programme will go a long way in bringing about a sense of oneness among us. “A vital component of ‘Being Indian’ is to realise the divergence in our culture and literature is the best tool for it. While giving you a firm footing and rooting, it provides a window to other cultures.”

For the special ones

Human origin

Tamana winter carnival showcased skills of differentlyabled persons

NGC brings an revealing film on Homo naledi

Winter carnival is an ideal time to relax and enjoy life. But rarely one spares a thought for differently-abled persons on such occasions when there is revelry all rounds and spirits are generally high. To bring about social integration of physically challenged, the Tamana winter carnival was held at the Brit-

A scene from the carnival

ish High Commissioner’s residence recently. The special needs students as well as students from various educational institutions presented a cultural programme which

conveyed implicitly to each visitor, the carnival was conceptualised to keep children from all strata of society entertained throughout the show. Visitors had a leisure time shopping and dining with their near and dear ones. The carnival showcased myriad products developed by special needs individuals with the aim to provide a viable market for them. The products included latest line footwear, jewellery as well as included dancing, singing and home decor. merriment. There was a speApart from these products, cial keyboard performance by there were a range of daily use ten-year-old kid, Vansh from products created by a number Lotus Valley Noida. of non government organisaApart from the message tions from across the country.

The National Geographic Channel will telecast a documentary “Dawn Of Humanity” today at 9 p.m. which sheds light on the origins and diversity of human genus, the new species, Homo naledi which appears to have intentionally deposited bodies of its dead in a remote cave chamber, a behaviour which was thought to be limited to human previously. In an almost inaccessible chamber deep in a South African cave, the documentary uncovers an unprecedented

Master the game Inter-college fest Apeejay School of Management (ASM) and Apeejay Institute of Mass Communication (AIMC) jointly organised the annual inter-college management and cultural festival ‘Synergy 2015’ recently. This fest provides a platform to students to explore and showcase their intellectual and artistic talent. The fest was open to all colleges of the NCR in various categories. The key attractions of the function were various sports like slow biking, table tennis, volley ball and three leg race. CM YK

There are little instances where we are made to think of little things in life which are present somewhere but are not visible. In Visible Invisible 2, a solo exhibition of graphics, artist Sangeeta Sharma Pathak has put forward a social dialogue between these invisible human elements at Rabindra Bhavan, Lalit Kala Akademy. When one entered the gallery, a recollection of all those elements which are somewhere in our subconscious mind but remain invisible due to hectic pace of life came rushing to the mind. In Gossips II, which the artist has created on silk screen through serigraphy, she has tried to remember those days in which people had time for each other but with the advent of social media the human touch has been replaced by the inane chats over messenger. “Serigraphy used to be the tool for creating an image on paper by pressing ink but because of the proliferation of new media, it is somehow forgotten and many artists have lost their livelihood with the rise of offset printing,” said Sangeeta lamenting on the declining economic side of art. Using other artistic techniques like lithography, she has tried to draw facial emotions through a series of works interestingly titled as Tension and Faces among others. “I do not travel to observe people’s emotions but I recollect those which

S.M.UMAIR

It is rough, macho and its new design makes TUV 300, the latest offering from the stables of Mahindra, look like a perfect car. But to find out if its characteristics match its seamless drive one took it around the city, on highways and even on bumpy track. To start with, the car’s new and refreshing design draws awe from some while others dismiss it by calling it “boxlike”. Both the former and the latter groups of people have their share of reasons. The manufacturer claims

to have drawn inspiration from the design of a battle tank. From the outside it does look squarish and a bit compact but it does not gives you a hint of curves. In fact, it is TUV 300’s blandness that makes it score on design. With its bold front five-slat grille with chrome inserts, the car’s front is the highlight. Again, coming back to the squarely game the fog lamps also do their part to respect the geometry. Overall, the front with a big grille, chrome and squares give this one a tough stance.

A JUMBO OF A CAR TUV 300 PHOTO: PAUL NORONHA

So, you climb up a bit and enter the cabin of the car. As you insert the keys in the well-lit ignition-hole the car welcomes you each time with a bit of an introductory note. “Welcome to your tough and stylish TUV 300”. A reminder for your safety, to wear seat belt and you are

set to roll. The cabin from the inside does take you back in time by a few years. As you see the old orange light on the central console, a small screen and the info cluster all quite not like 2015 and its ways. There is no touch screen and there is no sleekness. But all that

doesn’t really put you off. For each time you are reminded of its toughness. And each time you enjoy the Indianness and its raw brute power coming from the 1500cc two-stage turbocharger engine. The car has arm rest on the front seats and is quite spacious in the second row.

have left imprints in my mind over a period of time. Pure emotion is what inspires me,” said the artist on her process. In a print titled Faces III, an etching done through zinc plate on soft ground, she has made a print of two elderly persons facing each other. “In busy city life, the aged persons feel lonely as their children are only concerned about their career,” observed Sangeeta. Her latest work titled Prayer, a coloured etching, she has etched the image of four persons praying not to the God but to people for vote. They are dressed differently but have similar characteristics. One asked the artist if she has been inspired by recent political events, she said only the faces of politicians change with the change of government. “Essentially they remain the same.” (The exhibition will remain on show till 15th December from 11 a.m to 7 p.m. at Rabindra Bhawan, Lalit Kal Akademy.)

display how we left the ape world and crossed into ours. Lee Rogers Berger a paleoanthropologist, physical anthropologist and archeologist and is best known for his discovery of Homo naledi. In 2013, guided by a pair of local cavers, Berger discovered ancient fossils just outside Johannesburg, deep inside the Rising Star cave, through a passage so dangerously narrow that he had to recruit small cavers to access them. trove (over 1500 bones till This year in an almost innow) with the potential to accessible chamber deep in a rewrite the story of human South African cave, Berger origins. The documentary uncovers an unprecedented answers intriguing questions trove with the potential to of what makes us human and rewrite the story of our where do we come from and origins.

However, it becomes a bit cramped up in the third. Overall, there is enough leg room and elbow space. And, for the head room I doubt if there is any other car offering this much of it. All in all the use of plastic and the comfort of seats, even if not of premium quality, are not disappointing. There is storage space for both front and rear passengers to store bottles, mobiles and charge their cell phones. As far as my driving experience of the T8 model of the car, which generates around 84 BHP at 3750 revolutions per minute, the answer is it delivers much of what it says. It accelerates fast that pretty much makes you feel like you dominate the game on road.

TUV 300, the rugged SUV from Mahindra, has grand outward appearance and moves fast but it does not score well as far interiors are concerned

The works on display

A pleasure giving machine as long as you are not caught in a jam.

And, so you can sail in a comfortable and easy manner. In fact much of this car takes from its other sibling Thar. With new features, the new version has an added advantage. For example, this one comes with an option of switching on the eco drive mode and eco AC. Put that on, and you feel the difference in the drivability of the car. It no longer runs wild and amok. It rather holds on to the ground and drifts past in a steady and stable manner. With an average fuel efficiency of around 14.5 km/l, it is not wrong to say, that the best is yet to come from Mahindra. Well, the TUV 300 is a pleasure giving machine as long as you are not caught in a jam. For, a long queue and a long traffic signal with ambling around in the first gear would entail some effort. To conclude, I would say with the given price range of Rs. 6.90 lakh and onwards, the TUV 300 does seem to be quite a nice fit with the given offerings. All you need to find is what exactly you want from it. ND-ND

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METROPLUS

ESCAPE

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU Monday, December 14, 2015

Tales from a boomerang-shaped island JOSEPH ANDREWS rents a bike and rides around Pulau Ubin, noting the stark differences between this village and its popular cousin Singapore

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hey call it the Singapore of the 1960s — the last ‘kampung’ (village) of Singapore. Pulau Ubin is a big, boomerang-shaped island lying to the north-east of the main island of Singapore. It is just a short bumboat ride from the Changi Point Ferry Terminal. Each bumboat is authorised to carry only 12 passengers, and there are no scheduled departure timings. The thickly wooded shores of Pulau Ubin gradually become clear, and you soon alight at the rather crude jetty. The Ubin town is nothing but a row of antique houses, standing on either side of a narrow lane. Judging by the nature of the shops, it appears that the main business in the place is bike rentals. There are a couple of tiny restaurants as well. A few small taxi vans with the unique ‘PU’ registration wait eagerly to take tourists around the island. There is no dearth of activities here. One can climb up the narrow trail to the summit of the Puaka Hill — the highest point on the island. Panoramic views of most of the island can be had from this vantage point, apart from the distant views of the Singapore and Malaysian shores. Directly below the viewpoint lies the large, deep Ubin quarry, which is now filled with water, providing a very picturesque sight, together with its thickly wooded shores. The name ‘Pulau Ubin’ in Malay means ‘Granite Island’, and a number of granite quarries lie scattered around various parts of the island. For the more adventurous, there is the Ketam Mountain bike park on the western part of the island, presenting narrow biking trails with various degrees of difficulty for the bikers. Within the park lies the curious ‘German Girl’s Shrine’, a small yellow Chinese temple. The story

(Clockwise from top left) The mangroves, lotus pond, House No. 1 and the Chinese temple

goes that the daughter of a German coffee plantation owner fell to her death from a cliff, while fleeing from the British soldiers. The Chinese labourers, who found her body, performed her last rites, and enshrined her ashes in this small temple. This shrine is said to be popular among the betting enthusiasts of Singapore, who think that the spirit of the German girl would bring them luck. A good part of the island is covered with mangrove swamps, and our paths go over a number of quaint wooden bridges, which offer pleasant views of the mangrove ecosystem. The rest of the island is mostly covered with lush tropical forests, and biking along the

forest trails, with their share of ups and downs, is very refreshing. It is not uncommon to sight wild animals on these paths, and I was able to see a family of wild boar, at close quarters. There are a couple of temples in Pulau Ubin for the spiritually-oriented. The Lotus Temple has a big, golden statue of Buddha overlooking a small pond. The Fo Shan Ting Da Bo Gong temple, closer to the town, sits by the side of a small hill. Authentic religious performances are held on the island by the residents of Pulau Ubin, during special occasions like the Hungry Ghost Festival. The single-biggest attraction of Pulau Ubin is

the Chek Jawa wetlands, lying on the south-eastern edge of the island. It is considered to be a unique location, where seven different inter-dependant ecosystems exist together in

The name ‘Pulau Ubin’ in Malay means ‘Granite Island’, and a number of granite quarries lie scattered around various parts of the island

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one small area — mangroves, coastal hill forest, rocky shore, sandbars, sandy shore, sea grass lagoon, and coral rubble area. Chek Jawa is reached by a rather strenuous pedalling of about five to six km from the main jetty; the lesser fit can hire taxis to reach there. There are two walks available to witness the ecosystem — the mangrove boardwalk and the coastal walk. The former allows you to have a close view of the inland and coastal mangrove ecosystem, while the latter offers a magnificent view of the unique coast. There is the 21-metre Jejawi Tower, which accords a panoramic view over the whole area. Located just behind the Chek Jawa information kiosk

is another exceptional landmark of Pulau Ubin — House No. 1, Pulau Ubin.  It is a strikingly beautiful Tudorstyle mansion, facing the sea. It was built in the 1930s as a holiday resort by Langdon Williams, who was the Chief

Surveyor in the region. The building has been painstakingly restored, and now functions as the Chek Jawa Visitor Centre. It is supposed to house the only working fireplace in the whole of Singapore.

Pulau Ubin had, at one point of time, supported about 1,000 people, through granite mining, and its plantations of rubber, coffee, and spices. The mining has long since stopped, and Nature has overrun the plantations, leaving less than 100 people living on the island. There is no electricity and piped water supply on the island, and you encounter quite a few docile dogs on the roads. Life is totally unhurried here, and this stark contrast with the efficient, systematic Singapore is where Pulau Ubin’s charm lies. Pulau Ubin is a great place to spend a full day at a languid pace, and the best way to do it is on a bike, preferably on your own — like I did.

The magical charm of the calm Braving prowling leopards and growling bulls, APARNA KARTHIKEYAN takes a walk between two lesser-known villages in Himachal Pradesh A leopard had wandered down the same path just three days ago. “Where did it go?” I ask Devendar Thakur, who walks me from Patengli to Shilru, villages about a half-hour’s drive from Shimla. He points to the deep valley to our right. “Aren’t leopards nocturnal?” I ask hopefully, but Devendar has gone ahead, to see if any of the bulls his aunt just warned us about are on the run. And I hear their low, menacing bull-growls, as I follow him, shivering, under a bright Himachali sun. The 1.5-km path I’m struggling down — red-faced and ragged-breathed — is the same one that Devendar’s wife takes everyday, to their fields. Only, she sprints up and down in 20 minutes, with a basket, heavy with the day’s harvest, strapped on her slender back. “Himachali women are very hard-working,” Devendar had told me earlier, in his wooden, Pahari-styled house (built on stilts, with room for cattle below the living quarters). He said it affectionately — halflooking at his wife — the beautiful Urmil. It is a genuine acknowledgement of the women’s contribution, one that previous generations of men might, perhaps, have taken for granted. The women, Devendar says, are typically up at 5.30 in the morning, and they work till late evening. They cook three meals, clean the house, the cattle shed, then go to the field, and in between, when they have free time, they cut grass for winter fodder. I smile at the irony of ‘freetime’, because his mother, Subhadra, is painting the kitchen, with rubber-gloved hands. And Urmil, after bringing us tea, has gone on to her chores — she mucks out the shed, takes the cows to water, and gathers hay to feed them. And I hear in the still mountain-village, the clinking of her glass bangles. The sun is white and warm by the time we set out to the fields — steps cut into the CM YK

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF Rural Himachal Pradesh

steep hillsides. Winter will soon frost the fields, and work will begin, in earnest, in spring. Until a few years ago, Devendar too worked the family’s land. The men’s job is to plough, sow and harvest. And the women’s is to give them a hand in everything. “We use Pahari bulls to plough. They have good stamina,” Devendar tells me, standing 20 feet away from four handsome bulls, grazing on the hillside. It is these bulls his aunt had warned us about, when we had visited her briefly. Devendar’s grandmother, who lived with her, invited us upstairs, and offered us water, tea, lunch — I am overwhelmed with Himachali hospitality all morning. His grandmother then sent us off fondly, and their golden Pahari dog, fiercely. Luckily, it was all bark and no bite. While Pahari dogs are

popular – they’re fine hunters and guards – the indigenous cattle (poor milkers) don’t find much favour with people, Devendar tells me, as we walk down another shingly slope. The path is treacherous, my feet skittering on stones, but Devendar manages to brake his step easily and chat in Pahari (a hill dialect that’s somewhat like Hindi) with aunts and cousins working on the hills. The women, I learn, usually pack a lunch of rice or roti with vegetables, and go to the fields. But I never see anybody rest or eat; they are all bent, one hand scything, and another gathering, grass for winter. It was a bad case of spondylitis that made Devendar switch professions. He’s now in the tourism line and drives a cab, with ‘Tour de Himalayas’. He points to the pucca road we’re now walking on, that

connects the villages to town. “This is new. Until 10 years ago, men used to carry everything on their backs — apples, vegetables, milk cans — to the market.” And he points up a vertiginous and lung-busting ‘shortcut’ up the hill to town. But with tourism and roads and some creature comforts, ‘outside influence’ has also walked in, uninvited. It erodes the local culture, says a very concerned Devendar. “We’re simple people, not money-minded. I’m worried we will lose our language (Pahari), our way of living.” We reach Shilru, as we speak, unmolested by leopards. They usually eat dogs or sheep, not people, Devendar smiles, when I enquire politely about the leopards’ diets. Shilru is a textbook Himachali village. It has terraced fields, green with cabbages and cauliflower;

there are apple trees, although shorn of fruit; and everywhere I turn there are hills and valleys, and women, in bright salwar-kameez and scarves, cutting grass, washing clothes, raking dung, drying corn, fetching up baby calves to their anxious mothers. The men work on fields, and inside greenhouses, growing

carnations to send to Delhi. It is a new business; one that Amar Singh (Devendar’s uncle) — whose greenhouses are red and pink with flower — hopes will be more profitable than tomato fields. Chewing milky peas, freshly plucked from the field, Devendar tells me that while tourism is wonderful in the jobs it

creates, it also pushes up land prices, out of the reach of the farmer. “After that big hotel came,” he points to a semifinished building on the hillside, “land prices here have doubled!” And yet, it’s all he and his family want to do — farm and remain in his village. “I don’t

like city life,” he tells me firmly, as he drives me back to town. Except, city life is taking baby steps into the valley and its winding paths. Only one thing perhaps remains the way it was, since his grandmother’s time: and that’s how hard the Pahari women work. ND-ND

THE HINDU | MONDAY | DECEMBER 14, 2015

Science & Technology

Initiative

Goalpost

Indian Institute of Science develops solar hybrid desalination system.

Students stood tall amid rising waters, saved many lives and, in the process, learnt valuable lessons.

Practical work and presentations helped her realise her research potential at SHU, writes Aathira.

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The new wave of liberal arts Untill a few years ago, mixing the humanities and the sciences was practically unheard of. Now, the tide is slowly turning. MEGHA AGGARWAL Students cience, engineering, must medicine, comcarefully merce, arts... for a long, long time, highconsider the er education in India different implied degrees in relatively rigid disciplines. The idea of a majors course where a student could study biology and classical offered by literature as part of the same universities. curriculum seemed absurd.

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However, a bunch of universities across the country are challenging this notion with their courses in liberal arts. What is liberal arts? It is a multidisciplinary course that includes an eclectic mix of subjects from different disciplines such as the humanities, science and commerce. It allows students to study an array of subjects before choosing one they wish to major in. Sanskriti Singh, a first-year student of liberal arts at the O.P. Jindal Global University, reveals, “Some of the subjects in my first semester are history, ancient Indian literature, sociology, mathematics, philosophy and communication skills. For me, the best part is learning subjects I might not have voluntarily selected, for example philosophy and math, but I’ve learnt so much [because of this.” Education and career counsellor Viral Doshi emphasises that the multidisciplinary approach of a liberal arts programme and the interactive manner in which classes are conducted, develop in students a spirit of inquiry, critical thinking and analysis as well as verbal and written communication skills. In-class discussions, field trips, presentations, movies and hands-on assignments are some of the ways in which students are exposed to multiple facets of an issue and encouraged to ex-

One can choose between public and private universities. plore. Mohini Gupta, a Young India Fellow from Ashoka University, recalls, “As a graduate in English literature, I thought I had learnt enough Shakespeare. However, during the postgraduate fellowship I saw his works from a new perspective and gained insights that I hadn’t thought of during my undergraduate years.”

GROUND REALITIES Liberal arts is most commonly offered as a three-year undergraduate degree in India. However, some universities do offer an optional fourth year. Students need to enquire about the course duration and fourth-year options with individual universities. The admission process to such programmes often includes a personal interview

PHOTO: ZEESHAN KHAN

and entrance exam in addition to the careful consideration of academic and extra-curricular records and an admission essay. Also, a course in liberal arts will not typically lead to a degree in liberal arts. Instead, students will graduate in the subject they major in, for example a B.A. in history or a B.Sc. in mathematics. Hence, students should carefully consider the different majors offered by universities. It is also important to note that while some universities may have a dedicated school for liberal arts, others may not. Instead, the curricula will be built into the courses they offer. Although a liberal arts curriculum is popularly offered by private universities in India, it is also available at a number of public universi-

ties. Students should research both options. The fee at private universities ranges from Rs 4 lakh to Rs 8 lakh per annum, but many private players also offer attractive scholarships.

CAREER PROSPECTS Despite its merits, Doshi admits that career prospects are a concern, especially among parents. “In the traditional Indian mindset, liberal arts does not offer the same security as a course in engineering or medicine. However, this way of thinking is slowly changing. Some of the biggest names in Indian industry such as Anand Mahindra have come out in support of liberal arts and a number of universities offering this curriculum are backed by reputed industry names.” Fields such as consulting,

Mind power Distraction dissipates energy. Learn how to tap the mind’s potential and tackle challenges. RAVI VALLURI

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achel (name changed) did not turn up for a birthday party hosted by my daughter. The occasion was to celebrate and unwind. Unfortunately, Rachel had performed below par in a preparatory examination and was mentally distraught. Personal space had been lost and innocence sacrificed at the altar of competition. While the brain is an organ that serves as the centre of the nervous system, the mind is the faculty of consciousness and

thoughts. It is an individual’s intellect, memory or the attention span and will, whose potential needs to be enhanced. It is pre-board time, to be followed by the final examination and then the frenzy to seek admission in a top rung college. Unless students have been regular in their scholastic pursuits, last-minute mental wrestling will lead them to an abyss. There is no substitute for regular, hard work and only a trained and smart mind can take up the challenge.

EXAM FEVER During

examination

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Students at a yoga camp.

PHOTO: VIJAYA BHASKAR

time, children suddenly suffer from physical and psychosomatic maladies especially when the trend is to excel at any cost. A raging debate is taking place on tolerance, while the stakeholders have become intolerant to students without understanding their mind power. Parents begin planning the careers of their offspring as bureaucrats, doctors, engineers, academics without appreciating the ability and in-

terest of the child. I am reminded of the film Vicky Donor where an infertility specialist is in search of a versatile sperm which can produce either a Dhoni or an Aishwarya. Parents and teachers should identify the proclivity and interests of children from a young age and accordingly guide them to join the correct stream. That is smart parenting and teaching. A child learns through visual, auditory and the ki-

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banking, media, advertising, public relations, research, teaching, civil services and the social sector offer promising prospects for liberal arts graduates. Entrepreneurship is also a great possibility.

GROWING POPULARITY Awareness and affluence

Places to Study Ashoka University, Sonipat, Haryana ● OP Jindal Global University, Sonipat, Haryana ● Flame University, Pune ● Shiv Nadar University, Greater Noida, U.P. ● Azim Premji University, Bengaluru ● Symbiosis, Pune ● St Xavier’s College, Mumbai ●

naesthetic medium. Do teachers and parents impart such techniques scientifically? The mind, if trained properly, can improve concentration, faculty of recall, speed reading and memory which produces desired goal results. Speed reading is paramount as it helps in absorbing facts, numbers and data with felicity and focuses on concepts without losing basic information. The teacher should educate a child to look everything afresh, trigger such a thought process to be creative, recall fast, master new languages and skills.

REMEDIAL MEASURES A student needs to be challenged or else he will get bored and drift. Only through proper counselling can anxiety be reduced and cobwebs be eliminated. Detox and de-stressing are equally important in enhancing mind power.

are merited as the major reasons behind a wave of emerging education options in India and liberal arts courses are no exception. From 2005 to 2015, the number of universities offering this programme has grown exponentially, as has the number of applicants. Traditionally, the U.S. was the first port of call for liberal arts aspirants. However, the appearance of quality education institutions offering the curricula on local shores at much lower cost is drawing attention and many students are opting to stay back. Many also feel that unlike overseas, the career prospects in India after graduation are better. C. Raj Kumar, vice chancellor at the O.P. Jindal Global University, observes, “Historically, Indian universities such as Nalanda and Shantiniketan also encouraged a broad-ranging education aimed at holistic development. However, over time our education system has evolved in a manner which takes away the opportunity for students to discover their interests and passion. The new wave of liberal arts education in India addresses this key need among today’s increasingly knowledgeable students who have high expectations from their academic life.”

This can be achieved through a proper diet, rest, exercise and proper relaxation. Few students are aware that alternate nostril breathing helps in infusing fresh energy. Mind power is dissipated the most through distraction. This can be arrested through the process of visualisation (remember names, places, dates and colours so that information seeps into the subconscious mind), conditioning memory (adding landmarks, events and incidents in daily lives ) to enhance recall and the usage of electronic gadgets like computers, smartphones and calculators to provide intelligent information. The idea is to stretch without straining. The mind should be kept fresh like the dew on petals. Finally as Zig Ziglar writes, “If you are not willing to learn, no one can help you. If you are determined to learn, no one can stop you.”

» SCHOLARSHIP ALERT Gandhi Fellowship 2016-18 It is a full-time, two-year residential leadership programme for young people to engage with social issues in a real manner and devote their energies to bring about change. Fellows interact and work with teachers, community members and education officials to achieve the goal of creating model schools. Eligibility: Youth under 25 years of age, who are achievers in academics and/or extra-curricular activities. Final-year undergraduate or postgraduate students and young working professionals. Application: Online Prizes and rewards: Rs. 14,000 per month, phone allowance, accommodation for 2 years. Also, an opportunity for fellowship graduates to receive mentorship and startup funding support up to Rs. 20 lakh. Deadline: December 31. Website: http://www.b4s.in/plus/ GF570

INSPIRE Scholarship (SHE) Managed by the Department of Science and Technology, it aims at encouraging talented youth to undertake higher education in science intensive programmes. Both scholarships and mentorship are provided. Eligibility: Students who topped in Class XII from State or Central Board; students admitted to IISER, NISER, DAE-CBS at the university of Mumbai or are KVPY, NTSE, Olympiad Medallists and JBNSTS scholars, opting to undertake a course in natural sciences leading to B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees; students who have secured ranks in

» WHAT’S NEW ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING AT PURDUE Purdue University, U.S., has announced new master's and doctoral degree programmes in environmental and ecological engineering [EEE]. The programme is designed to educate engineers to apply their technical understanding of systems engineering, biology and chemistry to develop strategies to protect human and environmental health.

ECONOMICS AND MANAGEMENT PROGRAMMES Indian School of Business and Finance (ISBF), an affiliate centre of the University of London (U.L.), with academic direction from the

IIT-JEE (within 10,000), AIEEE (top 20,000) and those clearing CBSE-Medical to study natural sciences. Application: Online Prizes and rewards: Total 10,000 scholarships of Rs. 60,000 in cash and Rs. 20,000 as summer attachment per year per scholar along with mentorship every year. Deadline: December 15 Website: http://www.b4s.in/plus/ ISF374

Cultural Talent Search Scholarship Scheme 2016-17 It aims at supporting and encouraging exceptionally talented and outstanding students in cultural activities. Art forms: Indian Classical Music (Hindustani / Carnatic Music – Vocal and Instrumental); Light Music (Rabindra Sangeet/ Nazrul Geeti/Qawwali/ Ghazal and so on); Classical Dances and Music (Bharatnatyam, Kathak, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Manipuri, Mohiniattam, Odissi and Sattriya); Theatre (Drama, Mime); Folk / Traditional and Indigenous Art Forms; Visual Arts (Painting, Sculpture, Traditional Craft forms). Eligibility: Students between 10 and 14 years of age with minimum three years of training in the arts field. Application: By post Prizes and rewards: Total 620 scholarships renewed every two years. Reward: Rs. 300-400 per month till 20 years of age along with Rs. 9,000 per year to guru/institution. Deadline: December 31 Website: http://www.b4s.in/plus/ CTS906 Courtesy: www.buddy4study.com

London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), invites students to apply for its three-year full-time undergraduate honours degree programmes in B.Sc. Economics; B.Sc. Economics and Finance; B.Sc. Economics and Management and B.Sc. Business and Management. First application deadline: December 21. To apply online, visit www.applytoisbf.com. You can download the application form from www.isbf.edu.in — undergraduate section. You can fill the form and send it via email at [email protected] or print the completed form and courier it to ISBF. The application fee of Rs. 2,000 can be paid by demand draft/bank transfer/online. (Demand draft in favour of “Teamwork Education Foundation”, payable at New Delhi.)

» WRITE TO US The Hindu Education Plus invites Indian students in foreign universities to share their experience about the campus, quality of education, city life, and adapting to changes abroad. The article should not be more than 500 words. Send three different pictures of you (one solo, two on the campus) of minimum 2MB size to [email protected]

Newcastle University scholarship

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he School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE), Newcastle University, is offering a scholarship award of £3,000. Students need to meet the conditions of the offer for a place on one of the courses in the School of EEE and choosing this course as their UCAS first choice. The continuation of the scholarship in the subsequent years will be conditional on achieving satisfactory performance, that is, not less than a 60 per cent average in the previous year.

The overseas scholarship will be used each year to reduce the university fees which are payable on registration. This scholarship is not available to those applicants applying for the foundation year or who are fully sponsored by a company or government. Admission for September 2016 is now open and aspirants can apply to Newcastle courses via UCAS. For more information, contact Preety Bansal, County Manager India, Newcastle University, U.K. Email: [email protected] ND-X

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SNAPSHOTS

IISc develops solar hybrid desalination system MOHIT M. RAO

TB STRAINS IN ETHIOPIA

» Europeans may have introduced a new wave of disease spread by more virulent TB strains in Ethiopia, which is a hotspot of TB disease, ranked third among African countries.

BLOCKING CHIKUNGUNYA VIRUS

» Two previously

identified human monoclonal antibodies prevent CHIKV from both entering and exiting cells, and potently inhibit chikungunya virus.

“W

ater, water, every where, Nor any drop to drink,” cries out the sailor in Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s classic ‘The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.’ The desperation is not entirely unknown in Peninsular India, where, even with seas surrounding the land on three sides, water often eludes parched tongues. With desalination — that involves converting saline sea water to potable water — being out of reach currently for the shallow pockets of the government, researchers of Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have hit upon the idea of utilising copious solar energy in the South to reduce the costs of the process. Ravinder Kumar and Umanand L., from the Department of Electronic Systems Engineering at IISc, have developed a solar hybrid desalination system that works for saline and brackish water. The process described in the International Journal of Low Carbon Technologies shows that at its peak (around 27 degree C) could the system can purify nearly 6.5 litres of saline water per sq.m. of the instrument in six hours of use (tested

F

» The evolution of the striking, winglike pectoral fins of rays and skates relied on repurposed genes, says a new study, shedding light on diversification of appendages.

The system met the major objectives: low lfespan cost and performance between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.). The stepped solar-still, comprising of semi-circular pipe sections welded

or the first time, scientists have successfully grown vocal cord tissue in the lab that can produce sound when transplanted into animals. But most importantly, the bioengineered structure was not rejected for as long as three months when transplanted into mice with human immune system. The bioengineered vocal cord tissue was transplanted onto one side of larynges that had been removed from cadaver dogs. The dogs thus had one native tissue and one bioengineered tissue. When air was blown through the dogs’ voice box, the bioengineered tissue vibrated much like the native one on the opposite side. The produced sound by the natural and bioengineered tissue was “indistinguishable.” “This tissue engineering approach has the potential to restore voice function in

» QUESTION CORNER RIGOR MORTIS

patients with otherwise untreatable VF [vocal fold] mucosal disease,” the authors of a paper published recently in the journal Science Translational Medicine write. The Editor’s summary also underlines the importance of the study. “These data suggests feasibility for transplant and survival in the larynx as well as for function, ultimately giving patients back their voices,” it notes. The ability to effectively communicate is impaired in people with vocal fold tissue damage or loss. The advantage of using a bioengineered tissue is that it can be customised to size so that it fits the size of the vocal fold of the recipient — adult (male or female) or child. Transplantation of vocal cord from a cadaver has either failed or has been ineffective. “Certain congenital problems or scaring or tissue loss following surgery to remove invasive cancer can cause major damage to the vocal fold

was further pumped in and out using photovoltaic cells as a source of energy — making the instrument self-reliant. Mr. Kumar believed the system met the major objectives of desalination system: to reduce life span cost, while meeting performance requirements. “This system shows promise that the problem of clean drinking water can be solved in any coastal area where seawater and sunlight are available freely,” he said.  

THIS WEEK’S QUESTION How do deaf people think? What language do they use for it? Arya Mohan

Readers may send their questions/answers to [email protected]

lab. The vocal cord tissue in turn was taken from a cadaver and four patients who had their larynxes removed but did not have cancer. Two types of cells that make up the mucosae — connective fibroblasts and epithelial cells — were isolated from the tissue and then applied to a 3-D collaged scaffold used for growing the cells. In about two weeks, the cells grew together to form a tissue that “felt like vocal-cord tissue.” The tissue had the same physical characteristics as a normal tissue except for one thing — the fiber structure. According to Dr. Welham, the reason for that is not difficult to know — the human vocal cord continues to develop till the age of 13 years. “It seems like the engineered vocal cord tissue may be like cornea tissue in that it is immunoprivileged, meaning that it doesn’t set off a host immune reaction,” he said in the release.

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he recent heavy record rainfall over Chennai was due to above normal sea surface temperatures in the Bay of Bengal, presence of monsoon trough close to Chennai, prevailing easterly waves and strong easterly winds. The 2015 El Nino phenomenon weakened Southwest monsoon winds which in turn led to less churning and upwelling in the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea and resulted in higher sea surface temperatures (SSTs) due to less mixing of cold waters with warm surface waters. This had a warming effect in Bay of Bengal. During the postNW monsoon withdrawal period (later part of October and November) a monsoon trough prevailed around 13 degree N latitude (latitude of Chennai) over peninsular India and Bay of Bengal. The monsoon trough is a large area of low pressure that can move in any direction and carry convective winds with it. The high SSTs moistened the boundary layer (the lowest layer of the atmosphere in touch with the ocean surface) by evaporation. This moist air was lifted high up in the atmosphere by easterly waves emanating some distance from the coast at Chennai. Easterly waves are an atmospheric phenomenon wherein the wind moves in a wave like motion with the distance from crest to crest being as much as 2,000 km (with a forward and rear sections of 1,000 km each) and the period about two to three days. “Therefore it can be believed that the phenomenon

Sea surface temperatures were above normal. — PHOTO: S.R. RAGHUNATHAN

Extreme events are increasing due to global warming might have persisted for 3-4 days with spatial scales of approximately 500-1,000 km,” said Dr. J.R. Kulkarni, Team Expert, World Meteorological Organization, Ex-Adviser, IITM, Pune, to this Correspondent. The upward motion of the winds in the wave is called divergence and the downward, convergence. The divergence lifted moisture-bearing air with it and carried it high up into the atmosphere as rain bearing clouds, and the easterly winds drove these clouds towards Chennai where they precipitated as rain. The continuous formation of clouds over Bay of Bengal, their transformation into deep convective clouds, their movement towards land and to Chennai city provided continuous heavy rainfall over land and the Chennai area. These clouds provided

very heavy rainfall of the order of 150 mm/hour. If the rainfall is more than 100 mm/hour, then it is termed as a cloud burst. Studies have shown that Southwest and Northeast monsoons have negative correlation. Northeast monsoon during the 2009 El Nino year was stronger than normal. Rainfall in 2009 Northeast monsoon was 12 per cent more than long term normal (IMD Departmental website Chennai). This year’s high Northeast monsoon rainfall performance is consistent with earlier findings of negative correlation between the two monsoons in the El Nino years. The higher than normal sea surface temperatures are the real fuel of such deep convection. Climatologically these anomalies weaken in the December and hence heavy rainfall activity may weaken. “Radar data are required to check movement of clouds, their transformation into deep convective clouds, and their spatial and temporal scales. Modeling studies are required for examining various linkages in the proposed mechanism,” said Dr. Kulkarni. “Extreme weather events are indeed increasing due to global warming. This is because a warmer climate can hold more moisture in the atmosphere, leading to heavier rainfall when it does occur. However, it’s difficult to say for certain that a particular extreme event — like the Chennai floods — is attributable to anthropogenic climate change,” says Dr. Roxy Mathew Koll of The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune.

Magnetism around a black hole SHUBASHREE DESIKAN

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he term “black hole” conjures up images of a stellar object from which nothing can escape. This is only true of small black holes, and supermassive black holes, which are millions of times as massive as the Sun can actually beam out energy from matter falling into it in the form of intense radiation. Further, if the black hole is spinning, the radiation can beam into galaxies that are millions of light years away and shape them. Now, a team of researchers from the Harvard-Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics has discovered magnetic fields on the event horizon — which is the surface surrounding the black hole from beyond which light cannot escape — of such a supermassive black hole, which they have published in

» SPEAKING OF SCIENCE

K.SRINIVASAN, Chennai

In rigor mortis the muscles become stiff and rigid due to lack of energy production in the body after death. During life there is constant production of energy (ATP) in the body which is required for the routine activities of the muscle i.e. contraction and relaxation. The muscle bundles in the body contain two important types of protein filaments, actin and myosin. In living state on nervous stimulation, hydrolysis of ATP occurs liberating energy which causes contraction of muscles with the formation of actomyosin complexes. The muscles relax due to dissociation of actomyosin complexes. Hence for the regular muscular activity of a human being energy (ATP) is required. After death ATP production stops, the actomyosin complexes are not dissociated and hence the muscles lose their elasticity resulting in stiffening due to formation of viscid actomyosin complexes. Rigor mortis occurs both in voluntary and involuntary muscles. The actomyosin complex is broken down and the muscle becomes soft again due to decomposition late after death. It has some relevance in determining the time since death. The muscles are flaccid immediately after death for about 3 to 6 hours before stiffening is detected; depending on the environmental temperature and other factors. There are a multitude of external and internal factors like age, nature of death, muscular state and atmospheric conditions that have remarkable interplay in the onset, duration of rigor mortis and the way rigor passes off from the corpse. Usually rigor mortis establishes throughout the body in 12 hours, stays in the body for another12 hours and disappears in the next 12 hours. DR.R.SUDHA & DR.K.A.R.REDDY, Osmania medical college, Hyderabad

mucosa and can cause substantial voice loss that's very challenging to treat with our current methods,” Dr. Nathan Welham from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in Madison and one of the authors of the paper said during a press briefing. Our vocal cords are two strong but flexible bands of muscle that are covered in a delicate tissue called mucosae. The flexible bands of muscle vibrate against each other up to a thousand times per second when we force air over them when we speak. “Our vocal cords are made up of special tissue that has to be flexible enough to vibrate, yet strong enough to bang together hundreds of times per second. It's an exquisite system and a hard thing to replicate,” Dr. Welham said in a release. The cells needed to create the vocal cord were taken from human vocal cord tissue and bioengineered in the

K.S. RAJGOPAL

the journal Science. It had been discovered some time ago that a supermassive black hole exists at the centre of our galaxy — the Milky Way. This black hole is now known as Sagittarius A-star. Astronomers detected the magnetic field using the powerful Event Horizon Telescope, which is a global array of radio telescopes that link together to function as one giant unit. Geared for very high detail observations, the Event Horizon Telescope will have a resolution of 15 arcseconds. This is equivalent to being able to see a golf ball on the moon, according to a release from the Centre for Astrophysics. High resolution is needed as black holes are really compact objects. Sagittarius A-star, for instance, is about four million times as massive as the sun, yet its event horizon is only 8 mil-

lion miles across. Being located 25,000 light years away, this would measure only 10 microarc seconds across. The interesting thing is that the intense gravity of Sagittarius A-Star warps light and magnifies its event horizon so that it appears larger — about 50 arcseconds, which can be easily resolved by the Event Horizon Telescope. As Sagittarius A-star spins away furiously, matter encircles it in the form of an accretion disc. The team found magnetic fields in some regions near the black hole which are highly disorderly, in the form of loops and whorls, like spaghetti, whereas in other regions it is more orderly, presumably the places where jets of radiation are emitted. The magnetic fields were also seen to fluctuate at time scales of about 15 minutes.

It is epigenetics that makes us different

What causes rigor mortis to occur in a recently dead body?

CM YK

progressively one next to the other so as to maintain a constant slope was fabricated to serve as the water channel basin. Vacuum jackets were provided to minimize thermal losses. The instrument could hold between 3 and 4 litres for treatment. During the experimentation, solar intensity was observed at 718.76 Watt per sq.m. With the set-up ensuring pressure was high within, saline water saw evaporation at temperatures lesser than 100 degree C. Water

Lab-grown vocal cord tissue R. PRASAD

HOW RAYS, SKATES GOT THEIR WINGS

Despite being surrounded by seas on three sides, water shortage is not entirely unknown in Peninsular India. — PHOTO: S. RAMESHKURUP

Chennai floods due to climate change?

O

ne of the misused words in contemporary Indian political and social scenes is “DNA”. The acronym DNA stands for deoxyribonucleic acid, which is the molecule of our genes, the material each one of us is born with, inherited from our parents. In everyday parlance, it has become fashionable to use it to characterize the whole personality of the individual. One worthy recently boasted that “tolerance is in India’s DNA”, while a worthier one described the people of an entire state (10 crores of them) as backward and underdeveloped because of their DNA. Expectedly, this statement was roundly criticized as an unfair description of a helpless lot. It is time we remind them, and ourselves why the use of the acronym DNA in these contexts is incorrect. All of us Indians, indeed all of us humans on this planet, have arisen from primates such as chimpanzees, bonobos and gorillas. That we have evolved from them, and they from ‘lower’ and earlier mammals, is established when we study

and compare the sequence of the alphabets that go make the entire DNA chain of the set of the genes (the entire collection in the whole body is referred to as the genome), that we are born with. Indepth study of the genome of humans, and comparing it with those of the primates offers a fundamentally biological way of constructing our family tree and who our ancestors have been. What is striking when such a comparison and analysis was done during the last decade and a half is (a) that we share over 98 per cent of our genomic DNA with chimps, and (b) even more strikingly, all humans on earth, regardless of community, race, color and continent, share 99.9 per cent of DNA. What this teaches us is that biologically, genetically, DNA-wise, all humans are the same! Community, caste, creed, and other ways in which we divide ourselves are thus sociological constructs, and not biological. Evolutionary biology, which our DNA reads out for us, makes no distinction at all be-

All of us humans on this planet, have arisen from primates such as chimpanzees, bonobos and gorillas. — PHOTO: AFP tween any of us. The oftenparroted Sanskrit phrase Vasudaiva Kutumbakam (the world is a single family) is literally proven by the results of the Human Genome Project. Yet, despite this we find even identical twins (born of a single zygote) differ in their personality and their habits. How does this happen, despite the fact that they are endowed with identical DNA or genes? As early as in 1940, the British scientist Charles Waddington, studying the development of wings in fruit flies, noted such differences and suggested that during development of the body (from the single fertilized egg cell), the expression of genes can change, leading to changes in the “phenotype”

during development of the body. We now call this epigenetics (“on top of genetics”). A classic study of how epigenetics leads to differences between 80 identical human twins was by a group of scientists from Europe, UK and U.S. (M. F. Fraga et al. PNAS 102, 10604, 2005). They found that despite sharing the same genotype, identical twins are not identical; several types of phenotypic differences were seen. Many twins differed in the shape and size of bodies. Some were susceptible to diseases while their twins were not. When the scientists isolated the DNA from the subjects and compared their sequences, they found differences in the overall content with time.

DNA is made of a sequence of 4 basic alphabets termed A, G, C and T. Differences were seen particularly in the alphabet C. Several of the C residues were chemically modified, with methyl groups added to them. In addition, changes were also seen in the protein histone, which helps the DNA chain to pack neatly into the nucleus of the cells. That C-methylation and histone modification are hallmarks of epigenetic modification of the DNA chain was suggested as early as 1975. How they occur and what factors are responsible for them has been summarized by Jaenisch and Bird (Nature Genetics Supplement 33, 245, March 2003, also free on the web). Such changes can occur due to environmental factors such as heat, high altitudes, humidity and others. Likewise, diet (or the food we eat) can alter the DNA methylation profile, thus altering the phenotype of the baby (as was shown in mice where the coat color of the body was different from the mother’s. Also, as an organism ages, its epigenetic profile changes, leading to visible changes in the appearance, metabolism, vulnerability to diseases and

other features. Importantly, when the mother is ready to conceive, and her egg cell forms, just about all the epigenetic changes she acquired (methylation, histone modification etc) are erased and her genome becomes modificationfree. Likewise, when the father’s sperm cells are made, his genome too is cleared. Thus the child does not inherit the epigenetic changes, only the bare DNAs of the parents’ genomes. The child acquires its own epigenetic changes depending on the environment, diet, living conditions and such other factors. Thus, people in poorer environments, inadequate nutrition, and economic deprivation tend to have epigenetic features different from those who are better fed, live in better environment and are well to do. They are not cursed by the DNA they are born with. The difference is not in their DNA, but how it is epigenetically modified. If we can improve their living conditions through economic and political means, there need be no “bimaru” people or states at all. D. BALASUBRAMANIAN [email protected] ND-X

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THE HINDU | MONDAY | DECEMBER 14, 2015 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When their spirits soared

» BON APPETIT SARTHAK SARASWAT

Students stood tall amid the rising waters, saved many lives and, in the process, learnt valuable lessons. SHUBASHREE DESIKAN

» INITIATIVE

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he most intense in a period of 114 years, the Northeast monsoon this year has wreaked havoc in parts of Tamil Nadu including Chennai. The devastation to life and property has shocked people, yet there has been a widespread appreciation of the way common people got into relief and rescue operations. In this, the part played by students has been remarkable. The first time, for many of them, the whole thing was an eye-opening experience. Athindra, studying at SASTRA University and his friends from school, Vishvesh and Sudarshan, worked to help people in the waterlogged areas of Chennai. Taking catamarans to offer biscuits and mosquito repellents near Maduravoyal and Alapakkam, they found that in some roads, there was deep water on one side of the road which made it really difficult to navigate. They were unable to access the waterlogged side and help the children there. Athindra recalls, “The situation is better now, but it was really difficult to distribute relief material because people came and asked for supplies again and again. It was impossible to know who had not been given stuff before. Also, there was not much help from authorities.”

OVERCOMING ODDS The Taramani substation and Kallukottai areas were visited by Subramanian, from St Joseph’s college, Chennai. He waded through knee-deep water to reach the marooned people. “They were alright, but needed milk and milk powder, especially for the toddlers. Sewage had mixed with the water and many babies and children had rashes on their hands and feet,” he said, explaining the condition.

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uzzles are ideal for improving observation skills, concentration and vocabulary. As exams approach, you might get bored of sitting and revising a subject over a long stretch of time. Here are some apps that can help you freshen up your mind while retaining your focus.

WORD SEARCH This is a game where you have to find a set of words from a jumbled puzzle. The app has 22,000 puzzles in 37 languages divided into three sizes and three difficulty levels. There’s a timer that shows how long you have taken to solve the puzzle. If your get stuck, there is an option that provides you with a hint. The scrambled world could be placed horizontally, vertically, diagonally or backwards. You can also unlock 14 achievements from Google Play games, check the Leaderboard to find out who has the highest score and participate in challenges online.

WORDBRAIN

Sorting and packing relief material is an important job in itself. (Right) Volunteers on a rescue mission. PHOTO: B.VELANKANNI/SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT Subramanian had already had a shot of tetanus toxoid a few months earlier, so he took a course of four Doxy tablets to prevent infections while getting into the relief operations. “In Sanjay Nagar and Thandai nagar, the water came up to the chest level. We provided the locals with rafts and they also took supplies from us and distributed them,” he said. Some of the NGOs were able to organise themselves, thanks to prior experience. AID India, managed to rope in many students, too. Manasa, from VIT, Chennai, helped in sorting the collected material for distribution. “We packed 100 sacks with 20 packets each of necessary items, such as clothes for men, women and children; shampoo, toothbrushes and paste; blankets… about a 1,000 packets of rice…” she said. Manasa highlighted the importance of packing material in such a way that while distributing, the volunteers would face no problems. “We packed clothes

A central agency coordinating the work of all NGOs would have helped avoid duplication. suited for different age groups… sarees, chudidars and trousers… and also sanitary napkins,” she said. She also understood the importance of team work while volunteering. “Everyone listened to everyone else, there were no arguments and people really co-operated,” she said. Being friends on Facebook with Balaji Sampath, of AID India, she came to know about this camp and joined in the efforts. Vignesh, in the final year of engineering at Sairam Engineering College, is happy about the neat organisation

and efficient distribution of the items. “Yesterday (that is, December 7) we reached 24 locations. We employed 3-4 trucks and took supplies to areas such as Vyasarpadi. Today, we are running 10 trucks and will work up to 9 p.m. or 10 p.m. We receive requests and then organise what we have to distribute to whom,” he said. Sneha, studying economics at Stella Maris College, joined the operations with Subramanian. She observed that women were reluctant to come and receive the sanitary napkins, though they were in need of these. “We had to pack these in black bags for distribution among women. We also packed ointments, ear drops and medicine,” she said.

BUVANAGIRI With so much of the effort focussed on Chennai and suburbs, some students did volunteer to travel beyond. Aswin Narayan, who has just taken the C.A. (Inter) exams, travelled in a truck to

Buvanagiri, which is close to Chidambaram in Cuddalore district. Amidst a lot of flooding and rain, he and a few others managed to reach Buvanagiri in the night. But en route, they were stopped by people who wanted the food and other rations. “We were even chased by people on motorbikes, and children would step in front of the truck and try to stall us. But we had been warned about this already. The trucks that had come this way earlier had been stopped thus and they had dissipated the supplies amid people who had already been served. Therefore the people at Buvanagiri had been left without food for three days. Since we knew this, we reassured those who waylaid us that more supplies would come this way and resolutely made our way to the location,” said Aswin. It was about 10.30 in the night when they finally reached the location. There was a flood warning, moreover, and the volunteers had all left. The handful of people on the truck had to first store the supplies in a room and then take it from there to distribute it to the people who were in dire need. The enthusiasm to help was strong among younger

students, too. Harshita, who is in the tenth standard, was there at the Kotturpuram relief camp, busily packing and sorting material for distribution.

LESSONS LEARNT All the volunteers observed the need for better organisation of relief efforts. Aswin said, “I learnt two important things. One is that if there is a central agency to co-ordinate the relief efforts, duplication at some centres and neglect of others could be avoided. The government is the only agency that could play this role. Secondly, all the volunteering has Chennai and suburbs as the focus. There have been other areas in the State where people have been stranded for days without supplies and food. It is important to focus on these.” When the cities were flooding, it was very reassuring that students got into the relief operations and actively engaged with the efforts instead of merely watching. Among these some volunteers ventured well beyond their city to reach out and help people in places such as Cuddalore district, and their actions were valuable indeed.

“All Levels Are Solvable!” says the description of the app. This is because unless you solve the puzzles in the correct order, you will not be able to clear them. Though it’s easy in the beginning, it gets tougher as you progress. An interesting feature of the app is that it shows you the size of your brain. There are 35 levels of increasing difficulty named after an organism to which a specific brain size has been assigned. Starting with the ant, whose brain size is 20, you progresses to spider, snail, crab, student, teacher, astronaut, scientist, alien and other organisms, and end at unicorn, whose brain size is 5600. As you finish a level, your brain size increases. You can also create your own puzzle to which the app assigns a unique code. You can share this code on social media with your friends who can try solving your puzzle.

MIND GAMES This is a great app for exercising your grey cells. It sets the difficulty level based on your age group. There are two options available — Training Centre and Games List. In the training centre, you can select a game and start playing. In the games list, you are provided with a bunch of games such as Attention training, Math operations, Memory racer, Mirror images, Unscramble, Anticipation, Word memory, Face memory, Speed trivia and many more that focus on developing different mental skills.

‘It is in bad taste’

Nurturing catalysts of change

Is the new ad campaign by a soft drink giant mocking student protests?

KATHAKALI NANDI

KATHAKALI NANDI

» CAMPUS VOICES

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he new television commercial of Pepsi has met with criticism, with many accusing the soft drink giant of mocking the ongoing student protest movements. The commercial (with the tagline ‘Pepsi thi, pi gaya’ or ‘It was Pepsi, I drank it’) shows a protesting student guzzling a bottle of Pepsi while the student leader emphatically tells the media that they have started a fast unto death against the college authorities. Students say it bears an uncanny resemblance to FTII students who were on a hunger strike to protest against the appointment of Gajendra Chauhan as the institute director. Delhi students share their views on the commercial.

Elora Chakraborty, M.A, Jawaharlal Nehru University I find the new advertisement extremely disturbing as it seems to take a dig at not only the FTII protest which has been going on for more than 100 days, but also the ongoing protest regarding the MHRD’s decision to scrap

the non-NET fellowship. This advertisement is a sheer mockery of students’ fights for their basic rights. India does not have a student-friendly environment and this has been proved by the number of protests that are taking place. The advertisement shows poor taste and bad marketing strategy for selling the cold drink.

Gautam Bisht, M.Phil, Ambedkar University I found the advertisement funny. Although many people were offended by it, I found it intelligent and the FTII campaign did not come to my mind until people started associating the advertisement to it. Often, mass movements do not take into account the difference of opinions and this is what the commercial highlights. The fact that Pepsi chose to make their commercial on student movements only shows how the issue had become so elevated that even the commercial market had to take notice and make an advertisement based on it.

Aditi Das, M.Phil, Delhi University It is an extremely juvenile attempt at making a mockery of student protests in In-

» WASSUP CTET The CBSE has invited online application till December 28 on www.ctet.nic.in for the Central teacher Eligibility Test (CTET) to be held on February 21, 2016 across the country. CTET is a qualifying test for appointing teachers in primary and upper primary sections in Kendriya Vidyalayas, Navodaya Vidyalayas, Central Tibetan Schools, etc. CM YK

dia, be it the FTII or the UGC. A brand known for its creative advertisement campaigns is expected to do better than “Pepsi thi, pi gaya”. The commercial is a mere reflection of the consumerist mindset of the people on top of the economic hierarchy, not to mention its severe lack of creativity and imagination. The student community in India, which seriously engages with the troubling socio-political situation of the country, is neither naive nor will they let these corporate forces win.

Praveen Verma, PhD, Delhi University The advertisement is highly insensitive to student politics, their issues and struggles. Student politics are getting reshaped in the time of capitalist reforms in education, which is forcing the government to cut the education budget. Multinational corporations such as Pepsi are big players in this game of privatisation of education which eventually takes away education from the crores of the underprivileged to the rich few.

There will be two papers for the test. Paper I will be for a person applying to teach Classes I to V and paper II will be for teachers for Classes VI to VIII. A person who wants to teach at both levels will have to appear in both the tests. Duration of the test is two and a half hours for each paper. All questions in CTET will be multiple choice in objective nature. Paper I covers questions from Child Development and Pedagogy, Language, Mathematics and Environmental Studies.

India has an incredible capital of human resource which makes it a viable option for startups.

» INTERVIEW The University of Sheffield’s Management School features in the top one per cent of global business schools. It believes in providing a hands-on experience to the students before allowing them to take on the real business world. During his visit to India, Vasilios Theoharakis, MBA director and reader in marketing and entrepreneurship at the School, spoke about the course and what sets the university apart from other management schools. How is the student demographics at the university? We have a good balance. For us, it’s important to have diversity. We have students from different backgrounds and cultures. One of the elements that students gain from the MBA is networking, the ability to work with people from other cultures and work with different skills. Therefore, it is important for us to maintain this diversity. Overall, at the management school, we currently have students from about 35 nationalities. Business studies is one of the top subjects that Indian students enrol for in the U.K. With so many universities offering the course in the country, why should a student choose Sheffield University? Our MBA programme is very practical and close to the industry. Several companies come to our students, present their problems and ask the students to come up with real answers. Entrepreneurial spirit is one of the important elements for us. We look at candidates who are interested in making a difference, not only for startups, but also for existing companies. We help students imbibe an entrepreneurial spirit by developing the modules that expose them to the ways of presenting their ideas to the real investors. As part of students’ MBA

Total marks 150. Paper II covers questions from Child Development and Pedagogy, Language, Mathematics and Science/Social Studies. Those scoring 60 per cent or more in the test will be considered as having passed. The CTET qualifying certificate would be valid for seven years. Detailed eligibility criteria are given in the website. Test fee for paper I or II is Rs. 600, and for both papers, the fee is Rs. 1,000. The fee for SC/ST and the differently-abled is Rs.

Vasilios Theoharakis project, they need to act as consultants. They consult real businesses, listen to the problems of a specific company and provide solutions. It is also important to train students to ask the right questions in order to become consultants and give sound advice. There are very few MBA courses that integrate management consultancy and make it their requirement or have a management inquiry course that helps students ask the right questions. We bring in practice to every module through applied group work. We emphasise leadership because people need to be able to work in teams and inspire people. Just as medical schools do not let medical students operate without hands-on practice, we think that MBA students require hands-on training and coaching in the industry before they venture out. We help our students develop a global approach so that they can add value to the global market. We interview every candidate we take in to make sure that he/she has the spirit of wanting to be a catalyst of change. Sheffield as a city is also beautiful, safe, culturally diverse and only two hours’ train journey from London. Sheffield University’s management school has an employability hub

300 and Rs. 500, respectively. The fee can be remitted through the challan or by debit/credit card. Instructions for submitting online application is given at the website www.ctet.nic.in. The Admit card can be downloaded from January 25, 2016 onwards. The test centres will include Ernakulam, Kozhikode, Thiruvananthapuram, Kavarati, Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Panaji, Bengaluru, Mangaluru, Hyderabad, Puducherry, Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata. Visit

which acts as an interface between students and employers. Can you elaborate on that? Right from the beginning of the course, we want to ensure that it is a personalised and individualised experience. The employability hub steps in to advise the students and help them take the next step. Because of our industry links, we invite speakers from a specific industry/company if a student so asks. All these elements help create employability for students as they get to know the executives and create direct employment opportunities. The employability hub is one of the key organisations that creates industry links and prepares the student. It is there from the beginning of the programme and students are expected to seek its help from the first day itself. We take quick action when students express an interest to the employability hub. We ask them to list their expectations from the MBA course and let the employability hub know about it. Some of its sessions are mandatory. Providing placement services is one of the things it does. How viable is the Indian market for startups? The Indian market is extremely vibrant. Indians have the assets of scientific knowledge and skills and the comfort of communicating with other cultures. English is one of the international languages of businesses and Indian students have

www.ctet.nic.in for details.

MPhil, PhD in Clinical Psychology The Central Institute of Psychiatry (CIP), Ranchi, under the Government of India, has invited online applications till December 22 for admission to the following courses commencing in May 2016. ● MPhil in Cinical Psychology – 2 years. Total seats 12. Qualification – MA/MSc in Psychology regular course with minimum 55 per cent marks (50 per cent for

SC/ST & OBC) in aggregate. ● PhD in Clinical Psychology – 2 years, 4 seats. Qualification – M.Phil (Medical and Social Psychology/ clinical Psychology). ● MPhil in Psychiatric Social Work – 2 years, 12 seats. Qualification - MA in sociology / MSW regular course with minimum 55 per cent marks (50 per cent for SC/ST & OBC) in aggregate. ● Diploma in Psychiatric Nursing, one year, 18 seats, qualification - A Grade Certificate or

the advantage as they are extremely comfortable of communicating in it. India has an incredible capital of human resource which makes it an extremely viable option for startups. The recent change in the U.K.’s post-study work visa scheme has reduced the time given to students to hunt for jobs in the country after completing the course. Studies suggest that the changes have led to a decrease in the number of enrolments by Indian students. Has Sheffield University been affected by the visa scheme changes? Possibly it has, but we see a clear and steady interest in the management school from India. I think it has got to do a lot with the ranking of our MBA programmes. Out of several hundreds of applications, we take in a maximum of 30 students every year in the MBA course. The demand for our programme is so high that we have not felt any decrease in the demand of students, although overall there may have been a decline in the number of enrolment in the U.K. The weapon for students to combat the new visa scheme is to find a management programme that will give them maximum industry exposure and employability skills. Students should look for a programme that has frequent industry interaction which creates the opportunities to demonstrate their skills. What are the qualities you look for in a student? We look for students who are passionate about what they do. We look for a whole personality and not someone who has excelled in only academics or only in one dimension. The application process allows them to present their holistic personality and make a case for themselves. We look for someone who is interested in working in groups and becoming a catalyst of change. Diploma in General Nursing and Midwifery and having two years experience as staff nurse. Those selected for the MPhil, PhD courses will get a monthly scholarship of Rs. 8,000, and for the Diploma course Rs. 2,500 per month. Application forms and other details can be obtained from the CIP website www.cipranchi.nic.in or http://online.cip.edu.in. The last date for joining the courses is March 31, 2016. GOPAKUMAR KARAKONAM ND-X

NOIDA/DELHI

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It’s your own view that counts Why plagiarise? Is it that you do not give your opinions and abilities enough credit? What you write represents your effort, and that’s what makes it important.

USHA RAMAN

» BACKPACKER’S GUIDE

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e’re all wading in a sea of information. We get drawn this way and that, and find it difficult not to get submerged in what seems to be a never-ending deluge of words. One of the consequences of having so much material out there is that we often feel nothing new can be said. The other related consequence is that we simply draw on this huge pile of readymade texts when we are asked to write something ourselves. In previous columns, I’ve talked about plagiarism and the temptation to just reproduce past work and pass it off as our own when we are asked to write an assignment. But it might be worthwhile to look at this issue again in a slightly different way. A few weeks ago, I found myself getting increasingly depressed as I read one paper after another that indicated that some students had done just this. In some cases, the source from which the material had been drawn could be found at the very top of the list on a Google search of the topic. In others, it was a (sort of) clever copypaste of sentences and paragraphs patched together from several sites. In yet others, the evidence was a mixture of amateur writing interspersed with paragraphs that were polished to a high gloss, carrying vocabulary and phrases that only a seasoned writer would use. But in each case, it wasn’t difficult for me to separate the original from the copied text. All of this would probably sound

Both the content and process in an assignment are important. very familiar to you, no matter which part of the teaching-learning spectrum you occupy. If you’re a student, you could be saying, “Well, everyone does it, what’s the big deal?” If you’re a teacher, you would be leaning back in your seat and thinking, “Yes, I know what you’re saying. How do we deal with it?” I don’t have a definite answer, but what I do know is we need to tackle the problem head on, both as learners and as teachers/facilitators. Some of my colleagues have responded to the plagiarism bogey by only giving in-class writing assignments, where students have no

PHOTO: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

access to a computer or the Internet. While that might be possible in many courses, it doesn’t hold for a wide range of subjects and tasks. What about projects that combine field work and background research? Or creative and reflective writing? Or assignments that require synthesis and analysis of a wide range of material? And how does it play out in the workplace, where a task is not just a test to be graded? A possible way to address this is to go to what I see as the root of the problem. What is it that makes students want to plagiarise? The easy availability of information is only

one part of it. The bigger issue, in my view, is that we do not give ourselves and our opinions/abilities enough credit. We think we have nothing much to say, and that the teacher is not interested in what we have to say but in the assignment meeting the set criteria. Maybe we also have certain ideas about how assignments are evaluated — that the content of the assignment is more important than the process by which it is done. Unfortunately, this is a view that is encouraged by our education system, by and large. I’m not about to imagine that we can undo that in the space of one

article, but I do think we can begin by giving some importance to our own thoughts and ideas, and our own way of saying things. And by convincing ourselves that others (the teachers, in this case) are also interested in seeing something that truly comes from the student. No matter how raw, basic or common you think your views are, they are your views. What you write represents your effort and that’s what makes it important, particularly in a learning context. The teacher does not want to grade something that an expert wrote! When I went back to the classroom after that spell of depression, I asked the group to think about what made them submit plagiarised assignments. Did they (a) think they wouldn't be found out; (b) think I wouldn't care if I found out; or (c) not care if they were found out? I didn't really get an answer, but here’s something for us to think about. If you’ve found something on the Internet and have used it without acknowledgment in an assignment, the chances are very high that your teacher can find it too. Most teachers do care about both the content and process in an assignment and they grade accordingly — so yes, they do care. And I’m really hoping the third option doesn’t hold. The author teaches at the University of Hyderabad and edits Teacher Plus magazine. Email: [email protected]

» GLOBAL BUZZ News from around the world. CONTROVERSIAL COMMENT A U.S. college president has come under criticism for asking his students to arm themselves to “end those muslims.” Referring to the recent shootings in San Bernardino, California, Jerry Falwell Jr., president of Liberty University, U.S., said, “It just blows my mind when I see the president of the United States say that the answer to circumstances like that is more gun control.” In a video that has gone viral on the Internet, he is seen saying, “Let’s teach them a lesson if they ever show up here.” According to reports, Hillary Clinton has criticised Falwell Jr.’s statements and said that rhetoric such as this will only “aid and comfort” ISIS.

NEW APPRENTICESHIPS In an attempt to increase the number of trainees in the public sector, the U.K. government has ordered that public sector institutions such as hospitals, police forces and government departments take in 200,000 Britain's PM David new apprenticeships. Making Cameron. the announcement recently, PHOTO: REUTERS U.K.’s Prime Minister David Cameron said that the government is progressing towards its commitment of taking on 3 million apprenticeships by 2020. According to reports, the country has about 75 per cent of apprentices in the private sector, 16 per cent in the public sector and 9 per cent in the voluntary sector.

MERGERS GALORE A wave of mergers has swept over European universities, according to a report by the European University Association. Almost 100 mergers have happened in the last 15 years, with 14 mergers taking place in 2014, reveals the report. The reason behind the move has been attributed to several factors such as improving the quality of research and innovation, an attempt to increase the competitiveness and climb up world university rankings and so on. COMPILED BY SARTHAK SARASWAT

CLOUD COMPUTING, IN THE STEEL CITY Academic writing, practical work and presentations helped her realise her research potential at SHU, writes AATHIRA. plied to Sheffield Hallam Univer- is home to two lovely universities. quoting experts in my academic Less emphasis is laid on exams and » GOALPOST sity’s M.Sc. in Web and Cloud Sheffield Hallam University is a writing or reproducing definitions more on academic writing, group

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he drive to pursue a career in cloud computing, the technology buzzword in 2012, was planted in me by a senior IT professional while I was working at IBM. My background in IT and business management made him suggest this career shift. I was disappointed by the lack of cloud computing courses on offer in India. Moving abroad was a difficult choice for me as my husband’s career was also at stake. With inputs from an international educational advisor and weighing the pros and cons of Aathira receiving her certificate of scholarship. the global choices available, I ap- PHOTO: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

» KNOW YOUR ENGLISH S. UPENDRAN What is the meaning and origin of ‘cool one’s heels’? (J. Maitabi, Bangalore) The idiom is frequently used in informal contexts to mean to make someone wait. When you make someone ‘cool his heels’, you delay meeting the person; sometimes, deliberately. The person may get irritated or angry and you wait for him to cool down. The train was late, so we spent the time cooling our heels in the waiting room. If you don’t behave, you’ll find yourself cooling your heels in your room. The ‘heels’ in the expression refers to those of horses. When a horse runs fast or for a long time, the hooves heat up; the feet begin to cool when the animal is rested. With the passage of time, the expression began to be used with people who are in a hurry, but are made to wait for someone or something. Is it okay to say ‘We plan to fill up all vacancies’? (K.S. Ramani, Vellore) Government officials in India sometimes talk about the need to ‘fill up vacancies’ that exist in their department. In this context, ‘vacancy’ refers to an unoccupied position. It is possible to ‘fill up a bottle’ and ‘fill up a suitcase’ with something — one does not, however, fill up a vacancy. Native speakers of English talk about the need to ‘fill’ a vacancy and not ‘fill up’ one. The vacancies in the Physics Department have been filled. What is the difference between ‘run out of time’ and ‘race against time’? (R. Vinod, Indore) The two expressions have slightly different meanings. When you say that you have CM YK

‘run out of time’, you are suggesting that you have no time left; you have used up all the time that was given to you. For example, during exams, we sometimes fail to answer all questions because we have simply run out of time. When you ‘race against time’, you do things very quickly because you have to do many things in a short period of time. In other words, you rush in order to complete something before the given deadline. Answering all questions in an exam is often a race against time. It was a race against time, but we managed to catch the early morning flight. We couldn’t see half the things we wanted to because we ran out of time. Is there a word for someone who loves to be photographed? (T. Ravi, Secunderabad) There are lots of people who love to have their pictures taken; they readily volunteer to stand in front of the camera while someone clicks away. Thanks to the advances in technology, this individual can now take plenty of pictures of himself — selfies. In everyday conversation, a person who loves standing in front of the camera is sometimes referred to as ‘camera hog’ or ‘lens hog’. In informal contexts, the word ‘hog’ is used to refer to a greedy individual. In the case of a camera hog, he is greedy to be in front of the camera. A person who doesn’t like being photographed is said to be ‘camera shy’. **** “Photography is a tough life: you can be taken, framed, exposed, shot, captured and hung all in the same day” — Unknown Email: [email protected]

Computing. I was lucky enough to get my offer letter in person from the university delegates who were on an official visit to the country. I was also awarded a scholarship based on my past academic and professional achievements.

FIRST IMPRESSION The university has a wonderful induction week and an active international student service team. I was immediately made to feel at home by the staff, both teaching and nonteaching and the student volunteers. Sheffield, also known as the steel city with its contribution to industrial revolution in the 19th century,

in textbooks without proper referencing, not knowing that I was inadvertently committing an unforgivable mistake — plagiarism. This was the first major hurdle I had to encounter, but thanks to the university’s foresight, the first module in our master’s degree introduced us to the British way of academic writing. The master’s degree, unlike in India, is not one where you get taught everything to earn a degree; instead students are introduced to topics and are actively encouraged to conduct desk research, group PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE activities, presentations and so on While I was in India, I had been to improve the subject knowledge.

modern university which was formed following the higher education reforms after World War II, but the campus boasts a proud history dating back to 1836. The University of Sheffield is a Russell group University which is more than a century old. The clubs, pubs and other entertainment venues in the city host one of the country’s best fresher’s weeks for the students. Actively participating in the events organised by the university helped me meet students from across the world and make friends.

assessments, practical work and presentations that contribute to the awarding of the degree. The master’s courses have a dissertation or project work which provides a platform for research and development. I realised my research potential during my dissertation and decided to enrol for PhD in the university. The writer pursued M.Sc. Web and Cloud Computing at Sheffield Hallam University, U.K. She is now she is studying for a PhD at the university.

‘Competition does not improve quality’ Economist Prabhat Patnaik cautions against the ‘commoditisation’ of education, while explaining his take on the concept of private varsities. G. MAHADEVAN

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he Kerala State Higher Education Council had, recently, recommended to the Government, the setting up of private universities in Kerala. Education Minister P. K. Abdu Rabb has repeatedly expressed his personal opposition to the idea of private universities. Against this backdrop noted economist and educationist Prabhat Patnaik gives his take on the concept of private universities in an email interview with The Hindu EducationPlus. Excerpts… Do you feel that educationally and socially the time is ripe to set up private universities in Kerala? One has to distinguish between two kinds of private educational institutions: those that are set up for philanthropic reasons and those that are set up as business. The former have been with us for a long time and I see nothing wrong with them. The latter entail a commoditisation of education, which I am totally opposed to, for at least four reasons. First, since their aim is profit-making, they typically charge exorbitant fees, which exclude the poor. Commoditisation of education therefore per-

petuates the existing social divide and is therefore fundamentally anti-democratic. Second, since education becomes an investment item even for the students, an investment that has to be recouped, there is a pressure to introduce courses and alter the curriculum in accordance with market demand, which means that the social role of education, its role in nation-building, in inculcating humane values, in sustaining the foundational ethics that underlie our Constitution, get progressively abandoned to the detriment of our society. Third, since a commodity is a finished product, a capsule as it were, that is imbibed, commoditisation necessarily prevents the asking of questions, encourages mediocrity, and destroys creativity. Fourth, it also converts the products of the education system into commodities, whose sole concern is the amount of exchange value (money) they can command on the market. It makes them into purely material-seeking individuals and even takes away from them the thrill of engaging with the grandeur of ideas. I am therefore opposed to private universities (as distinct from institutions imparting particular skills or crafts),

which are run as business, whether in Kerala or in India as a whole. Private capital has always played a crucial role in the educational scenario of Kerala; both in the school education sector and in higher education. Are not private varsities just a logical extension of this decadesold phenomenon? The operation of private capital in school education, a historical legacy in Kerala, needs to be controlled, which is what the previous government had tried to do. This historical fact cannot be used as an argument for expanding the sphere of that operation to higher education as well. Education, whether school education or higher education, must be primarily the responsibility of the government, though philanthropic institutions can supplement that effort. Sometimes, of course, profit-making institutions pass themselves off as philanthropic on the grounds that their profits are ploughed back into the institution itself, but this does not stand scrutiny. After all, firms that plough back profits into their businesses are not counted as philanthropic! To read the full interview, visit http:// bit.ly/1SRW9Pq ND-X