Milestone in The Power of Helping the Needy in Ahmedabad (Gujarat - India.)

Beggar shows he too can be a giver.

AHMEDABAD: A beggar on Saturday showed that it does not take deep pockets but a large heart to help the needy. Khimjibhai Prajapati, a 64-year-old beggar in Mehsana, donated clothes to 11 poor hearing- and speech-impaired girls of the Shrimati Kesarbai Kilachand School for Deaf.

While rich philanthropists are known to donate for a cause, it is perhaps for the first time that a beggar has shared his savings with those in need. Khimjibhai presented a rare sight as he limped into the school on his crutches, wearing tattered and unwashed clothes. He placed the brand-new clothes in the hands of 11 eager girls. Khimjibhai bought these clothes from a saving of Rs 3,000.

Khimjibhai has been begging outside the Simandhar Swami Jain Temple and Hanuman Temple in Mehsana for the past decade. He also lives around these temples.

"I just need two meals a day and some money to send back to my wife in Rajkot who is sick with ulcers and lung infection," said Khimjibhai. "Otherwise, whatever I earn, I use it to buy food for the poor and hungry people. I have wished to do something for these girls for a long time and I am happy that I donated clothes to them."

One of Khimjibhai's beneficiaries was Swati Bhagwandas, an orphan, who has been staying at the residential school for years. The 18-year-old's eyes shone to express gratitude and happiness.

Khimjibhai used to run a tea-stall in Rajkot but escalating prices and shrinking profit margins wreaked huge losses, leaving him on the streets.

His faith in God brought him to Mehsana where he took shelter outside the Jain temple. Whether rich or poor, one should always try to help the needy," said Khimjibhai who helped an orphan girl get married sometime back.

HOPE WE ALL PLEDGE TO HELP ONE ANOTHER IRRESPETIVE OF ANY RELIGION.

Milestone in Multi-Sport Artificial Turf Ground in Navi Mumbai. (Maharashtra - India.)

Vashi school sets up India's First Multi-Sport Artificial Turf Ground in

Navi Mumbai. (Maharashtra - India.)

NAVI MUMBAI: A modest SSC school from Vashi here has done a Multi - Sport Artificial Turf Ground which can be used for hockey as well as football.

In fact, GreenFields BV, the Dutch manufacturer of the artificial turf, says this is the first such ground in India.

The 103m by 65m field which costs Rs 3 cr with floodlights is the jewel in the crown for Fr Agnel Multipurpose high school which has a Rs 7-cr sports complex with a swimming pool, basketball court, shooting range and skating rink.

``The ground is a blessing for Mumbai. Hats off to the school,'' said M M Somaya, former India hockey captain. Synthetic grass enables players to practice in the four months of monsoon too and it also reduces the chances of injury. Another hockey great, Dhanraj Pillai, who advised the school, felt that ``a great beginning has been made''.

Hailing it as a ``big step'', former India footballer Henry Menezes said this would go a long way in imparting basic .

All three former sportsmen said this was the first time they were hearing of a dual use artificial turf ground in India.

Fr Agnel high school has not only encouraged sports but over the past 25 years it has also set up its own training facilities with corporate funding. Several of its students such as Lekha Kamath, Jyotsna Pansare and Shrinjini Sahay have broken records at the the national inter-school swimming championships. These students excel in academics as well. Over the past three years, Fr Agnel's students have outscored the board toppers with the 25 marks given for playing in state-level tournaments.

``As of now, we are looking at the artificial turf ground only from the training point of view and children from other schools too are welcome. However, if we get the opportunity, we may use it to host tournaments," said Fr Saturnino Almeida, former principal and now managing director of Fr Agnel's Technical Complex.

Milestone in Hindu - Muslim Unity in Hubli (Karnataka.) (South India - India.)

Muslim family donates cow to a temple.

HUBLI: At a time when there is hue and cry over the imposition of ban on cow slaughter in the state, a Muslim family in Dharwad district has donated a cow to a temple.

Mehaboobsaab Peersaab Pinjar, a field assistant at Hebballi Agricultural Research Institute of University Agricultural Sciences here, is silently spreading a message of communal harmony.

In spite of being a Muslim, he worships Lord Basavanna by visiting Basava Temple every Monday. He doesn't go to work without seeking the blessings of Lord Basavanna.

His family has been worshipping Lord Basavanna for many years, a practice that was passed on by his father. When Mehaboobsaab got the job offer, he decide to be a vegetarian - a way of showing his devotion to Lord Basavanna.

As far as providing good education to his children is concerned, his dreams have come true. His eldest son, after completing MSc (marketing), is getting a job in Syndicate Bank. His youngest son is a BSc graduate. His daughter secured a government job at women and child welfare development department after pursuing BSc (home science).

Believing that all his dreams are fulfilled with the blessings of Lord Basavanna, he decided to donate a cow to Nageshwar Temple at Vanashiri village near Hubli.

He donated the cow in the presence of religious leaders on Monday. He also contributed for the construction of a prayer hall for his community.

Speaking to 'The Times of India', Mehaboobsaab said: "I was able to overcome many hurdles in my life, and most of my desires were fulfilled after worshipping Lord Basavanna. I have also got enough support from my family and my community members, who never interfered with my practices. I pray 2-3 times at home and in mosque regularly. I don't want to hurt the feelings of any community, but I want to see communal harmony in society."

Basavaraj Tegginhalli, who is working with Mehaboobsaab, feels proud that his friend spreads the message of communal harmony.

Milestone in providing Cooked Meals at New Delhi at Rs. 15 per Plate. (India.)

NEW DELHI: A Jan Ahaar Yojana for providing cooked meals at Rs. 15 per plate was launched by Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit here on Tuesday.

Seven centres would be operated by seven non-government organisations in different parts of the Capital and they would serve both lunch and dinner at the fixed rate. Each meal would have about 1,000 calories.

The Chief Minister said the objective was to provide nutritious food to the poor and those working in factories, shops and other establishments. “They now need not take food from roadside eateries prepared in an untidy atmosphere,'' she said.

The Jan Ahaar Centres will be located on Asaf Ali Road, Lal Park Dev Nagar, Chabi Ganj Kashmere Gate, Azadpur Fruits Mandi, Azadpur Sabzi Mandi, S P Mukerjee Marg and Priyadarshini Colony Yamuna Bazar.

The scheme will be implemented in association with NGOs Bharat Ratna Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar Dalit Uthan Shiksha Samiti, Waruda, Rewards, Stri Shakti, Bal Vikas Evam Pryavaran Sanrankshan Sanstha and Jan Chetna Jagriti Evam Shaikshanik Vikas Manch. The government claimed that the NGOs had ample experience in the field.

The Government said a weekly menu had been chalked out by the Nutrition Council of India and an expert from St. Stephen's Hospital.

They have also prepared daily menu for both the meals which would include puri, chapatis, dam aloo, seasonal vegetables, sambhar, rajma, karhi, rice and halwa.

The inaugural function was attended among others by Delhi Social Welfare Minister Mangat Ram Singhal, Health Minister Kiran Walia, Chief Secretary Rakesh Mehta and Social Welfare Secretary Manoj Parida.

Milestone of Indian born Archbishop receiving Pallium from Pope Benedict XVI. (Kerala - South India - India.)

KOCHI: Archbishop Francis Kallarakkal of Varappuzha received the Pallium from Pope Benedict XVI at a function at the St. Peter's Basilica in Rome on Tuesday in the presence of thousands of Catholics.

The Pallium is bestowed to indicate the powers extended to the Archbishop by the Holy See.

A press note said that there were a total of 37 bishops, from all over the world, who received the Pallium from the Pope.

Milestone of US President Barack Obama's gesture to a Telugu Boy. (Andhra Pradesh.) (South India - India.)

HYDERABAD: A nine-year-old Telugu boy, Anirudh Ram Vegiraju recently bagged an award for academic excellence for the year 2009-10, from the United States President Barack Obama. While he was born in America, his parents hail from Andhra Pradesh and he is the grandson of senior journalist Nadimpalli Seetharama Raju.

The boy studies in Class V in French Town School in Connecticut State of the US. Apart from being good at academics, his poems were also published in the ‘American Library of Poetry'.

Among other such awards, he also got one at a children's science exhibition for his project that involved generation of power from oranges.

Lord Rama devotee

According to Mr. Seetharama Raju, Anirudh is a great devotee of Lord Rama His mother Aruna, who is an American, is a housewife, while father Vegiraju Suryanarayana Raju is a software engineer hailing from Visakhapatnam.

Interestingly, his younger sister Tanvika, who is seven years old is following in her brother's footsteps and has received a Connecticut State award in American National Language Arts.

Milestone of India's Self-reliance in Ship Building on par with the world.

To protect shores:Andhra Pradesh Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan addressing officers and men at the commissioning of INS Cankarso and INS Kondul in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday.

Navy launches two water jet-propelled fast attack craft

VISAKHAPATNAM: Andhra Pradesh Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan launched two water jet-propelled fast attack craft, INS Cankarso and INS Kondul, at the naval jetty here on Tuesday.

Induction of the two vessels into the Navy showed India's self-reliance and that its quality in shipbuilding was on a par with the world's best, he said. With coastal security attaining new dimensions, the two ships with speed and capability would meet the requirements of protecting the shores, he said.

It was a rare occasion that two ships were launched simultaneously, said Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Eastern Naval Command Anup Singh. He said India was among the very few which had a builder's navy — which could design and build warships. The two new ships arrived just in time to fill the void in the Navy's efforts to seamlessly patrol the western coast, the ENC chief said.

Earlier, K.C. Sekhar, chairman and managing director of Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), which built the ships, said both vessels were more than 90 per cent indigenous and built in two-and-a-half years. They were the fifth and sixth among a package of 10 fast attack craft, and the rest would be delivered by December.

Commanding Officers of INS Cankarso and INS Kondul Arun Bahuguna and Shashidhar R. Patil read out the commissioning warrants. This was followed by the hoisting of the naval ensign on board the two ships and breaking of the commissioning pennant.

INS Cankarso and INS Kondul, named after two islands off Goa and in Nicobar, have a displacement of 325 tons each and reach a speed of 35 knots. Each has a complement of four offices and 45 sailors. Both will be based in Goa.Flag Officer of Goa Naval Area Sudhir Pillai was present.

Milestone - First Open Jail for Women at Pune - Maharashtra. (West India - India.)

PUNE: The first open jail for women in Maharashtra was started at Yerawada central prison on Monday, six months after the state prisons department announced its intention of starting such a project.

The department's deputy inspector general Sobha Ohatker (administration) performed a puja at 10.30 am in the presence of 38 women convicts and jail officials.

Ohatker briefed the inmates on the advantages of an open jail, a comparatively new concept in the country.

Special inspector general of police Uddhav Kamble had put forth the proposal for such a jail and home minister R R Patil had inaugurated the jail on March 14. The women of the open jail will be made to do agricultural work on 17 acres of land adjoining the prison.

According to Yerawada prison superintendent S V Khatavkar, a committee headed by Kamble, the deputy inspector-general and superintendents of the concerned districts have selected the inmates of the jail. They are all serving life sentences for murder.

"Woman who had completed five years of their sentence were considered by the committee on the basis of their good conduct," said Khatavkar. "The women will do farming from 8.30 am to 2.30 pm from Monday to Saturday. They will be given a salary of Rs 17 a day.

Earlier, the women used to make incense sticks, candles, chilli powder, clothes and other products.

There are already three open jails in the state for men, one each at Aurangabad, Morshi and Paithan.

In a regular jail, women prisoners get only seven days' parole or furlough, irrespective of the duration of their sentence. However, in an open jail, those serving life sentences will get a month's furlough, those with sentences varying from five to 15 years will get 20 days' furlough and others will get 15 days.

Milestone - India gains entry into Elite Global Body ‘Financial Action Task Force’.

NEW DELHI: India has finally become a member of the elite global body Financial Action Task Force, which would allow the country to gain easy access to real-time exchange of information on money laundering and terror financing. “We have become a member of the FATF,” said a finance ministry official.

The FATF is an inter-governmental body set up by the G-7 for creating global policies and framework to combat money laundering and terror financing. Membership of this body is very select and was limited to only 33 countries and two organisations. India has become the 34th member country.

The membership makes the country a more attractive destination for foreign investments and allows easier market access for India’s financial institutions in the industrialised world, besides providing information on money laundering and terror financing.

The membership of this elite body is granted only after a very stringent evaluation process by the officials of the FATF. Assessment of India preparedness for the membership of this body, founded in 1989, began in December 2009. Prime minister Manmohan Singh had also given directions that India needed to gain membership of this body and had urged for necessary steps to meet FATF’s requirements. FATF has 49 action points for member countries to act upon.

India amended the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in line with the FATF recommendations. Overseas payment gateways such as Visa and Master, money changers and money transfer service providers were brought under the ambit of PMLA.

Insider trading and market manipulation, human trafficking, smuggling of migrants, piracy and environmental crimes, over-invoicing and under-invoicing under customs were also made offences under the PMLA, inviting stricter punishment.

However, membership to the body comes with its own challenges. “Becoming a member also brings its own gamut of challenges. These include effective and efficient KYC implementation, coordinated intelligence between various institutions and agencies, etc. We have cleared the evaluation but the road map to success has to be written and walked upon now,” said Navita Srikant, an expert on anti-money laundering laws.

The membership of FATF is very limited and another expansion in unlikely anytime soon. The recent expansions include Argentina, Brazil and Mexico joining in 2000, Russia and South Africa in 2003, and China in 2006. India and Korea have observer status in the body but are members of the Asia-Pacific Group, a FATF-style regional body. India became an observer in 2007.

Milestone in India's Mobile Subscribers mark in May. TRAI.

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai).

NEW DELHI: The number of mobile subscribers in the country crossed 617 million in May, with an addition of 16.3 million new connections, according to official data released Monday.

According to data released by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), the wireless user base grew 2.7 percent to 617.53 million in May from 601.22 million in the previous month.

With this the total telephone subscriber base touched 653.92 million.

"Wireline subscriber base declined from 36.83 million in April, 2010 to 36.39 million at the end of May, 2010," said a TRAI statement.

BSNL and MTNL, the two state-run operators hold 84.32 percent of the wireline market share. The growth in the wireless category was led by Bharti Airtel, which added 3 million users to take its subscriber base to 133.6 million users.

A close second came Reliance Communications, which added 2.8 million new subscribers while Vodafone added 2.59 million connections.

Tata Teleservices added 2.32 million users in May 2010, Idea Cellular (1.43 million ) and Aircel, 1.60 million new users.

According to the data, the broadband subscriber base grew 2.67 percent from 9 million in April to 9.24 million in May 2010.

Milestone - India ranked 13th in Housing Sector Price Rise List.

NEW DELHI: Buoyed by the recovery in the global housing market, India ranked 13th across the globe in terms of price rise in the residential sector for the year ending March, said property consultancy firm Knight Frank. The list was topped by neighbouring China, it added.

Of the 47 countries surveyed, more than half (53 per cent) had witnessed price increases in the residential property segment. "Growth has been driven by a confluence of factors: low interest rates, first-time buyer concessions, strong population growth and a lagging supply response.

However, with interest rates now rising, the government withdrawing stimulus and the supply response picking up, we expect house price growth to slow over the next six to nine months," Knight Frank Head of Residential Research Liam Bailey said. India, in the 13th position, recorded a growth of 8.4 per cent in the year ended March 2010 over the year-ago period while China bagged the first position with a growth of 68 per cent.

"A recovery in the global housing market is undoubtedly underway. In Q1 2009, 33 per cent of the countries recorded positive annual growth.

In Q1 2010, this figure was closer to 53 per cent but still some way off the figure of 90 per cent recorded in Q1 2006," Bailey added. China is followed by Hong Kong (30.6 per cent), Singapore (24.3 per cent), Australia (20 per cent) and Israel (15.9 per cent) on the list.

The report said that the Asia-Pacific region saw the strongest growth, with prices increasing by 17.8 per cent on an average. The top four countries in the list were from the Asia- Pacific region, with China, Hong Kong and Singapore recording an annual growth in excess of 24 per cent.

The countries that occupied the bottom rungs, with the annual price falling by more than 30 per cent, were Lithuania Ukraine and Estonia.

Milestone of State-run BHEL's Electricity Power Generation in FY10.

State-run power equipment manufacturer BHEL said that its power sets have generated 490 billion units electricity in 2009-10, an all-time in the company's history.

The company-built thermal, hydro, gas and nuclear sets produced a record 490 billion units of electricity in financial year 2009-10, a company statement said.

BHEL-manufactured thermal sets achieved a Plant Load Factor (PLF) or efficiency of 78.4 per cent.

BHEL-made 200-500 MW thermal sets operated at PLF of 82.1 per cent.

The company has already established the capability to deliver 15,000 MW of power equipment per annum and further augmentation to 20,000 MW per annum is proceeding apace.

Milestone in India - Canada Civil Nuclear deal.

TORONTO: India and Canada on Monday signed a civil nuclear cooperation agreement and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh described it as “breaking new ground in the history of our cooperation in this sector.”

Driving home the point about India's new status, he said: “It reflects the change in international realities.”

India and Canada have had a long but rocky relationship on nuclear cooperation after the nuclear test at Pokhran in 1974.

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper also welcomed the agreement.

Both countries resolved to ratify the accord and complete all remaining steps soon. This is the next step before Canada starts selling nuclear reactors to India. Canada said the “agreement will provide access for Canada's nuclear industry to India's expanding nuclear market.”

Dr. Singh said both nations also agreed to try and take the bilateral trade up to $15 billion in the next five years, up from the current level of around $5 billion. A comprehensive economic cooperation agreement is being envisaged and the initial work on it was on.

The Prime Ministers favoured the early signing of the foreign investment promotion and protection agreement to facilitate its ratification and implementation. Other areas in which they agreed to increase cooperation are earth sciences and mining, transportation, natural resources, infrastructure, agriculture and agri-food cooperation and higher education.

Milestone - India joins Multinational Telescope Project.

India has joined the Thirty Metre Telescope (TMT) project, the next generation astronomical observatory that will be located on Mauna Kea, Hawaii.

This was announced by Minister of State for Science and Technology Prithviraj Chauhan in California on Friday.

The observatory is scheduled to begin operations in 2018.

Observer status

India has been granted observer status on the TMT Board. This is the first step to becoming a full partner in TMT, which will mean participating in the development and scientific use of what will be the world's most advanced and capable astronomical observatory, according to the press release by the TMT project team.

“In about a year's time,” said Ajit Kembhavi, Director, Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA), Pune, “we expect this observer status to be converted into full partnership in the project.”

The proposal to join the TMT project was initiated by three Indian institutes engaged in astronomy: the IUCAA, the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bangalore, and the Aryabhata Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES), Nainital. “The government had regarded our proposal as a reasonable one and hence the decision,” Professor Kembhavi added.

“The government and people of India recognise the importance of embarking on world class, international science collaboration,” said Science and Technology Secretary T. Ramasami, who had accompanied the Minister to sign the agreement.

Originally, there were three international telescope projects to choose from for Indian participation: the 42-m European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT) of the European Southern Observatory (ESO), the 24.5 m Grand Magellan Telescope (GMT) and the TMT of the United States. The E-ELT, in fact, has offered observation time on the existing ESO telescopes before it comes into operation.

Indian scientists will have access to the existing telescopes operated by Caltech, the nodal institution for TMT. The TMT project is an international partnership among Caltech, the University of California and the Association of Canadian Universities for Research in Astronomy.

The National Astronomical Observatory (NAO) of Japan joined TMT as a collaborating institution in 2008. The National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences joined TMT with the observer status in November 2009.

The TMT was proposed by American scientists after the enormous success of the first new technology telescope, the twin 10 m Keck Telescope, on Mauna Kea. The TMT's primary mirror builds on the technological and operational heritage of Keck.

Spatial resolution

Like existing ground-based observatories, TMT will be capable of observations with a spatial resolution limited by the natural turbulence of the earth's atmosphere. The TMT will be able to observe objects nine times fainter than Keck in an equal amount of time. However, it will be the first ground-based telescope with Adaptive Optics (AO) as an integral system element. AO denotes systems designed to sense atmosphere turbulence in real time, correct the optical beam of the telescope to remove its effect and enable true diffraction-limiting image on the ground. For any astronomical observations, this is equivalent to observing at a fraction of the cost of a space-based observatory like the Hubble Space Telescope (HST).

According to the arrangement, Indian scientists will get a percentage of the observational time proportional to the percentage of the total project cost that the Indian government would be willing to bear. The next steps in the Indian decision-making process would involve an in-principle decision of the Union Cabinet on the extent of contribution and a decision on the mode of financing the pledged amount. Though the final project cost is not yet clear, it is likely to be in the region of $1 billion. The project has, as of now, completed its $77 m design development phase with$50 m from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and $22 m from Canada. The project has now entered its early construction phase, thanks to an additional $200 m pledge from the Foundation. Caltech and University of California have agreed to raise matching funds of $50 m bringing the current construction investment to $300 m. Canadian partners propose to supply the enclosure, the telescope structure and the first light adaptive optics.

Milestone in Independent Telelecom Infrastructure Company in Private Setor. (India.)

The World's largest Independent Telecom Infrastructure Company in India.

RCom, GTL Infrastructure in Rs.50,000-crore deal.

MUMBAI: The Reliance Communications (RCom) and its subsidiary, Reliance Infratel, have entered into a Rs.50,000-crore ($11 billion) deal with GTL Infrastructure to create the world's largest independent telecom infrastructure company that will be neither owned nor controlled by a telecom operator.

Under the deal, which has the in-principle approval of the Board of Directors of all the three companies, the tower assets of Reliance Infratel will be merged with GTL Infrastructure.

According to a statement from the Reliance Communications, the company will continue to own Reliance Infratel's 200,000-km fibre optic network and related assets, India's largest optic fibre network.

The quantum of cash infusion into the RCom and the share swap ratios for the RCom and Reliance Infratel minority shareholders will be finalised in due course with the help of independent valuers and advisors.

The transaction, subject to necessary approvals and customary due diligence, is expected to be closed in the next six months.

The deal is likely to result in substantial unlocking of value, through cash infusion into the RCom: it may substantially reduce its consolidated gross debt and improve leverage ratios, contributing to enhanced financial flexibility and the receipt of free listed shares of the merged entity by more than 2 million shareholders of the RCom and the minority shareholders of the Reliance Infratel.

On completion of the deal, the merged entity will have more than 80,000 towers and 1,25,000 tenancies from more than 10 telecom operators, including the Reliance Communications, Aircel, Etisalat DB Telecom, MTS, Uninor Telecom, Videocon Mobile, Tata Teleservices, Vodafone and S Tel.

The merged entity will also have a firm option of 75,000 more tenancies from leading players.
The interests of the RCom as the largest tenant of the merged entity would be adequately protected through contractual arrangements, the statement said.

Milestone for India in Indonesia Badminton Open Super Series.

Jakarta: Ace Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal continued her rampaging form as she completed a spectacular hat-trick of titles by clinching the Indonesia Open Super Series with a three-game triumph over Japan's Sayaka Sato here on Sunday.

Unbeaten for the past three weeks, the top-seeded defending champion defeated her unseeded, but resolute rival 21-19, 13-21, 21-11 in a rollercoaster encounter that lasted 45 minutes.

This was Saina's third successive title, having won the Indian Open Grand Prix at home and the Singapore Open Super Series tournament last week. This is also the 20-year-old World No. 3's third Super Series title overall.

In a see-saw battle, the 19-year-old Sato matched the defending champion shot for shot for most part of the opening game but was undone by her own mistakes at crucial junctures.

The first game that lasted 14 minutes had both the players tied 11-11 at one stage and though Saina remained ahead for most part after that, a gritty Sato did have her share of chances.

Leading 20-18, Saina could have finished it off on her own serve but she handed Sato a chance by hitting the shuttle wide. But Sato could not capitalise and smacked a forehand into the net to give Saina the opening game.

A jubilant Saina let out a huge scream after winning the title, which also made her richer by $18,750.
“The rankings keep going up and down depending on the wins and losses.

“It's a really good time for me because I am playing well, winning tournaments. But I have a lot more to prove.

“The number one spot is not too far,” she said.

Asked whether she expected the unbeaten run, Saina said, “I never expected to win three tournaments in a row and this has helped my confidence.

“It's a memorable victory for me. I really enjoyed every day of being here,” she said. — PTI

Milestone in Tirumala Tirupati Temple. (Andhra Pradesh - India.)

Milestone in Tirumala Tirupati Temple Deposits 1,075 KG of gold with SBI.

TIRUPATI: The Tirupati Temple in Andhra Pradesh has for the first time deposited 1,075 kilograms of gold with the State Bank of India (SBI).

The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) is an independent trust, which manages temples in Tirupati.

TTD officials said they were extremely happy about taking the step for wanting to convert idle gold into a source of income.

"This is a great occasion. This is a win-win situation for both SBI and as far as TTD is concerned, this is the best part of it. When the proposal came and we were looking into it, some one or two other counterproposals came which made the SBI to up its interest rates also," said D. K. Adikesavulu, TTD Board Chairman.

"Right from the beginning, we thought that this is a good proposal to go with it because they have this transportation, and all this. The SBI has been able to take on them. The temple officials would take this proposal forward for the silver stored in the temple as well," he added.

"We have been able to conclude, which I think, is one of the single largest transaction in gold banking ever taken place in the country," said Om Prakash Bhatt, Chairman, SBI.

Bhatt added that so far, a maximum of 100 kilograms of gold had been deposited in the bank by six temples.

The interest rate offered by SBI is one percent for three years, 1.25 percent for four years and 1.5 percent for five years.

The Tirupati temple trust is considered the richest in India.

Milestone of India's PSU Bank IDBI opens First Overseas branch in Dubai.

MUMBAI: IDBI Bank has opened its first overseas branch at the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), which will provide corporate banking services, including financial advisory and syndication of credit.

The branch was inaugurated by Union Minister of State for Finance Namo Narain Meena in the presence of IDBI Bank's Deputy Managing Director B P Singh and other dignitaries, a press release issued here said today.

The endeavour is to meet the corporate financing needs of not only its vast Indian clientele but also clients in the Middle-East.

Through its DIFC branch, IDBI Bank aims to foster trade and cross-border capital flows between India and the Middle-East region, the release added.

IDBI Bank's DMD B P Singh said, "Our branch at the DIFC seeks to integrate the business interest of the Indian and UAE business communities. Dubai and DIFC provide us with the ideal strategic base to launch our international operations because of its conducive business environment, supportive regulatory framework and excellent infrastructure."

The DIFC branch would also serve as IDBI Bank's nodal point for raising foreign currency resources from the US and European markets in addition to the Asian markets, he said.

IDBI is one of the India's leading project and infrastructure finance provider. It is the second largest syndicator of loans in India and fourth-largest in the Asia-Pacific (ex-Japan) region.

Milestone of PSU Bank - Andhra Bank tie up with UAE Exchange Centre for Speedy Remittance.

MUMBAI: Public sector lender, Andhra Bank, today said it has tied-up with the UAE Exchange Centre of Kuwait, to launch a special scheme for its customers for speedy remittances.

Using this service, Non-Resident Indians can now remit money from any of the UAE Exchange Centre in Kuwait and the money would be credited to account holders of 1,560 Andhra Bank branches the next day, a press release said here.

The beneficiaries in India will also get an SMS alert for the money credited in their account, if the account holders has provided his mobile number, it said.

The scheme was launched during a meeting of High Networth Individuals organised by the Andhra Bank in Kuwait, the release said.

A similar arrangement is in place with the UAE Exchange Centre of Abu Dhabi through which remittances worth Rs 17-crore per month are being remitted, the Bank said.

Milestone - Indian Air Force honour for Sachin Tendulkar.

NEW DELHI: Not really new to awards and honours, Sachin Tendulkar will be conferred Indian Air Force's honorary rank of Group Captain and the star cricketer said he is proud to be associated with the "dynamic" IAF.

"Under the provision of grant of honorary rank by Armed Forces to eminent personalities acknowledging their contribution towards the nation, the President and the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of India is pleased to confer Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar the honorary rank of Group Captain of the Indian Air Force," the IAF said in a statement.

"In recognition of Sachin's glorious achievements as a cricketer and sports icon par excellence, IAF had mooted a proposal to confer the honorary rank of Group Captain.

"Besides the recognition, his association with the IAF will motivate the younger generation to join the Air Force to serve the country," the statement added.

Elated with the honour, Tendulkar said he was proud to be part of IAF family.

"It is indeed a great honour that I have been considered for honorary Group Captain in the IAF. As an Indian I am proud to be associated with the dynamic force and I shall do my very best to be brand ambassador for the force," Tendulkar said in a statement from London.

"Modalities for the event are being worked out. I'm looking forward to familiarising myself with the IAF and I once again salute IAF for the great honour bestowed on me," added the cricketer.

In 2008, India's World Cup winning captain Kapil Dev had received the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel of the Territorial Army.

Milestone - Andhra Professor's Book makes it to Guinness for Longest Title. (South India - India.)

HYDERABAD: An assistant professor from Mahabubnagar district of Andhra Pradesh has set a new Guinness World Record with the title of his book running into a record '1,086 words with 5,633 characters'.

Vangeepuram Sreenathachary, assistant professor (English) at Palamuru University in Mahabubnagar district, wrote the book about the origin and etymology of 108 Idioms, Proverbs, Phrases and Words of English in a cartoon frame with the longest title in 1,086 words and 5,633 characters.

This title has now broken the record of Essam Mashaly's (Egypt) longest title (of his book), of '301 words and 1,518 characters'.

The Guinness authorities confirmed the new record last month and officially declared the same this month and a certificate for the achievement has been issued by the Guinness World Records, London, according to Sreenathachary.

"The 125-page book was released last year on September 27," Sreenathachary said.

By setting this new record, Sreenathachary said he has also become the first assistant professor among assistant and associate professors in India, who entered into the Guinness World Record holders list in the relevant subject.

Milestone in Disinvestment - The government may divest up to 10 per cent in Shipping Corporation of India.

NEW DELHI: The government may divest up to 10 per cent of its stake in Shipping Corporation of India.

"The government in their list has included Shipping Corporation (SCI) for disinvestment in this fiscal. It is likely to happen. Disinvestment could be up to 10 per cent," SCI chairman and managing director S Hajara said here on the sidelines a SCOPE conference today.

The government currently holds 80.12 per cent in SCI, while over 10 per cent is held by LIC. The remaining 3.15 per cent is already with the public.

Asked if the company could issue fresh equity, he said, "we don't know. Discussions are on...there could be some possibility but no decision has been taken as yet."

Shipping secretary K Mohandas had said last month that the government was looking at various proposals for SCI, including a follow-on-public offer.

Hajara said a part of the disinvestment proceeds will be utilised for further acquisition. Asked how much SCI plans to raise from divestment, Hajara said it will depend on the market condition.

SCI scrips today closed at Rs 165.50 per share, up 0.88 per cent from on the Bombay Stock Exchange.

SCI at present owns 76 ships of 5.1 million DWT (deadweight tonnage) and has interests in all segments of shipping trade. In addition, it mans and manages 60 vessels of 0.2 million tonnes DWT. DWT is the total weight of the ship including the cargo, crew, fuel etc.

SCI selloff is part of the government's plans to raise up to Rs 40,000 crore this fiscal through disinvestment. Besides SCI, the government is looking at divesting its stake in three shipping-related companies--Cochin Shipyard and Dredging Corp of India.

The government had raised about Rs 25,000 crore last fiscal by divesting its stakes in NHPC, Oil India, NTPC, Rural Electrification Corp.

Milestone in Sikh - Muslim Unity.

First 'official' gurdwara in Dubai.

Coming up at a cost of $20 million, the Guru Nanak Darbar at Jebel Ali, Dubai, will be the first official Sikh gurdwara in the entire Gulf, catering to religious needs of a 50,000-strong Sikh community. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Makhtoum, vice-president and prime minister of UAE and ruler of Dubai, who granted permission for building the gurdwara, has given 25,400 sq ft land free.

Surender Singh Kandhari, businessman and Captain of Emirates Golf Club in Dubai, had approached authorities with his dream project and though it took him some time to convince them about the concepts of sangat and langar, while even translating excerpts from the Guru Grant Sahib, it was approved.

"Sikhs don’t worship idols like in Islam and once authorities were convinced that setting up a gurdwara was not anti-Islamic, things quickly started falling in place. My dream is to make Guru Nanak Durbar the best, second only to the Golden Temple in Amritsar," adds Kandhari.

With a 1,25,000 sq ft built-up area, the shrine has three basements, a ground floor and terrace floor. The langar hall can serve more than 600 people at a time. There is a 54-m water body, inspired by the sarovar at the Golden Temple, and a cascade. The main prayer hall, on the top with Palki Sahib, has a 7.2 m-high ceiling and an 18-m diametre dome roof. The function hall can accommodate up to 900 people. "We are seeking funds from Sikhs all over the world," says Kandhari.

Dubai-based architect firm Holford Associates has designed the gurdwara and it is supported by Richard Adams from UK, who was involved with the Shri Guru Singh Sabha Gurdwara on Havelock Road in Southall, London.

Milestone in India's Biggest Defence Order.

Indian Government cleared Rs 15,000/- Crore for Sukhoi deal.

NEW DELHI: The Cabinet Committee on Security earlier this month quietly cleared one of the biggest defence orders of recent times.

The almost Rs 15,000 crore order for an additional 42 Sukhoi-30 MKI fighters would add up the total number of these modern Russian fighters for Indian Air Force to 272.

When the entire Sukhoi-30 MKIs, including the 42, are delivered to IAF by around 2018, it would become the single largest type of fighters in service, marking a huge technological transition from the dominance of MIG-21 fighters today.

A senior official said the CCS cleared the new order in the first week of June.

By the time HAL begins manufacture of the 42 aircraft sometime in 2014, each of them would cost in the range of Rs 350 crore, according to present day projections.

The new order for Sukhoi-30 MKIs comes even as attention is fully on the tender floated by the Air Force for $10 billion worth 126 MMRCA (medium multi role combat aircraft). But by the time the MMRCA enters the service, it would be the Sukhoi-30 MKI that would actually be the dominant fighter of the Air Force. And the combined contract value of SU-30 MKIs would be more than double that of the MMRCA.

The initial contract was for 50 fighters, at $1.46 billion. Over the years, the numbers kept increasing. In 2000, the government contracted the licenced production of 140 of these highly advanced fighters by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. Then another 40 were added to the contract.

The present order for 42 fighters was originally supposed to be 40, but two more were added to the order book to make up for the two crashed fighters. A senior official said that HAL is expected to complete all the SU-30 MKI orders by 2016-17 period.

HAL has been steadily stepping up its Sukhoi-30 MKI delivery schedules. While last year it delivered 23 of these fighters, this year it is expected to produce 28. HAL has already supplied 74 of these fighters.

Milestone in Indian Government's support to IDBI.

MUMBAI: The government’s stake in IDBI is expected to go up to 65% by the end of the second quarter to September 2010, following a Rs 3,110-crore capital infusion into the bank. The government, which currently holds a 52.67% stake in the bank, will infuse the capital through a preferential allotment.

Officials from IDBI said that the bank would make a preferential allotment of shares to the government like any company does to its promoters.

“The allotment will be in line with the prevailing share price and the process may be completed by the second quarter of this year,” said IDBI officials. The proposal to infuse capital will require shareholders approval and is part of the agenda in the forthcoming annual general meeting, which will be held on July 22.

Last week, the government had said that it would infuse Rs 6,211-crore capital into PSU banks, including Rs 3,110 crore in IDBI Bank, Rs 590 crore in Bank of Maharashtra, Rs 2016 crore in Central Bank of India, Rs 375 crore in UCO Bank and Rs 111 crore in Union Bank of India.

Increased government equity stake will help these banks raise money from the capital market through a follow-on public offer. As of now, no PSU bank can dilute government stake below 51%. So far, this has made it difficult for IDBI to raise money from the capital market, as government stake was close to 52%.

Secondly, any fresh capital infusion will also increase IDBI’s tier-I capital to over 8%. The bank’s tier-I capital, which comprises equity and reserves, was at 6.23% as on March 10. A higher tier-I capital will enable bank to lend more and also enable them to raise more money in the form of tier-II capital (subordinated debt). There is restriction on the amount that a bank can raise as tier-II capital. A bank’s tier-II can’t be more than half of its tier-I capital.

IDBI had posted a net profit of Rs 1,031 crore for the year ended March 10, compared to Rs 858 crore in March ’09. The shares of the bank closed at Rs 117.75 against the previous day’s close of Rs 118.50.

The capital infusion by the government will also aid IDBI Bank on its expansion. The bank, whose operations are largely domestic, has plans to expand its international presence. Earlier this month, IDBI opened its first overseas branch at the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC).

The branch will provide a full range of corporate banking services, including financial advisory and syndication of credit. Speaking at the launch, BP Singh, deputy managing director, IDBI Bank, said that apart from being a hub for the bank’s regional operations, the DIFC branch will also serve as IDBI Bank’s nodal point for raising foreign currency resources from the US and European markets in addition to Asian markets.

Milestone in Services Tax - New Delhi.

NEW DELHI: Starting next month, there will be no service tax on construction of some low-cost housing, power distribution, foreign travelers in transit, those flying to and from the Northeast, services within ports and airports, and certain tournaments and championships.

"The notification shall come into force on July 1," the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) today said in several notifications related to separate areas issued to enforce the provisions of the Finance Act 2010.

Low-cost housing under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission and the Rajiv Awas Yojana have been exempted from service tax beginning July 1. The government also exempted certain services that are provided within ports and airports from tax.

"Repair of ships or boats or vessels belonging to the Government of India, including the Navy or the Coast Guard or the Customs, but does not include government owned public sector undertakings," the CBEC said as to the services exempted from tax.

Other services within ports and airports that have been exempted from tax are supply of water, supply of electricity, medical treatment, formal education, fire service agencies and pollution control services.

The Finance Ministry exempted the taxable services provided to any person by another person authorised to distribute power under the Electricity Act 2003 for power distribution. Besides, tax exemption has been allowed to tournaments and championships organised by certain bodies such as national sports federations or federations affiliated to it, School Games Federation of India, Association of Indian Universities and Paraolympic Committee of India, among others.

The government also exempted foreign travelers from service tax if they are in transit to a different country without passing the immigration and customs area.

People employed or engaged by the aircraft operators in any capacity on board the aircraft have also been exempted.

Further, those flying to and from the Northeastern states, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura and Baghdogra (in West Bengal), have also been exempted from service tax.

However, the finance ministry has postponed the exemption of service tax in relation to transport of specified goods by railroads. The exemption, which was earlier delayed to July 1 from April 1, has now further been delayed till January, 2011.

Milestone of Kerala Tourism Development Corporation for Non-Resident's Keralites (NRKs). (South India - India.)

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Tourism Development Corporation has worked out special packages for Non-Resident Keralites (NRKs) for family tours to various destinations in the state while on home visit.

Under the prime package called "Dicover Kerala", the visitors could travel all around the state in eight to ten days. Also, there would be five-to-seven-day scheme covering either the southern parts of the state or northern districts,a KTDC release said.

The southern package would be known as "Dakshinayanam" and the northern package "Uthrarayanam."

The scheme would include major tourism spots like Kovalam, Kumarakom, Thekkady and Munnar where the visitors could stay in Deluxe and Economy hotels of KTDC.

Arrangements for their visits to wildlife sanctuaries, places of worship and other spots of interest would be made to make the scheme all the more beneficial to the customers, a KTDC release said today.

The package would also be linked with ayurvedic spa and house-boat cruises.

Milestone in NGO's Planting of Trees in Thane. (Maharashtra - India.)

THANE (Maharashtra): One crore seeds of various trees will be planted during a three-day drive along a 350 km stretch of National Highway No.3 (Agra-Mumbai) between Maharashtra's Thane and Dhule districts, an NGO said Sunday.

Thane-based Hariyali's "Maha Beejaropan Abhiyan" is intended at increasing the green cover in the rural parts of the state, the NGO's chief Punam Sangavi said Sunday.

Starting June 25 from Thane, the drive will go through Shahapur, Kasara, Igatpuri, Nashik, Chandwad, and Malegaon to end in Dhule, he said, adding it would witness the participation of around 10,000 people including local students.

Singavi also mentioned how the NGO has involved the Varkaris (devotees who walk to the holy town of Pandharpur to worship Vithoba, a form of Lord Krishna) in the seed planting drive since a few years.

"We spoke to the head of the Varkari community and told them it would really help even if one devotee plants 10 seeds every day. They agreed and we have been providing them with the seeds since then," he said.

Milestone in Central Education Loan Scheme. for Students.

New Delhi: The Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry has finalised the modalities for implementation of a new subsidised Central education loan scheme for students of economically weaker sections.

The scheme is effective from the academic year 2009-10.

Full interest subsidy will be provided during the period of moratorium on loans for students whose parental income from all sources is less than Rs.4.5 lakh a year.

The loans will be disbursed by scheduled banks under the Educational Loan Scheme of the Indian Banks' Association (IBA) for those pursuing courses in professional/technical streams from recognised institutions in the country.

The modalities have been finalised in consultation with the IBA.

The proof of income is to be certified by authorities to be designated by the State governments. The Ministry has written to Chief Secretaries of States/Union Territories to intimate the designated authority/authorities (at the district/sub-district/block levels).

All scheduled member-banks of the IBA have been advised to implement the scheme. Canara Bank is the nodal bank for the IBA member-banks for claiming reimbursement of interests credited to student accounts.

Eligible students can approach the respective bank branch from where they are availing the loan and complete the formalities so that the individual accounts could be credited with the interest due on the loan from the academic year 2009-10 onwards.

Milestone of India's performance at Asia Cup at Dambulla - Srilanka.

DAMBULLA, Sri Lanka: India’s pace battery led by Ashish Nehra demolished Sri Lanka to help their team win the Asia Cup with a comfortable 81-run win on Thursday.

Dinesh Karthik top-scored with 66 as India made 268-6 after electing to bat in the day-night final, before the defending champions and hosts were shot out for 187.

India, who last won the region’s premier one-day prize during the 1994-95 season, denied Sri Lanka a hat-trick of titles.

Nehra claimed four wickets, including two in one over, as Sri Lanka were reduced to 51-5 by the 16th over before being bundled out in the 45th over.

India never looked back after hard-hitting opener Tillakaratne Dilshan was dismissed off the fifth delivery, holing out to mid-on off seamer Praveen Kumar.

Kumar bowled an unchanged opening spell of nine overs in which he conceded just 29 runs.

Fellow seamer Zaheer Khan bowled Upul Tharanga, before Nehra wrecked havoc by having Mahela Jayawardene and Angelo Mathews caught behind in the 14th over. Nehra also removed Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara for 17, but Thilina Kandamby (31) and Chamara Kapugedara (55 not out) delayed the end.

Nehra’s 4-40 was supported by Zaheer’s 2-36 and left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja’s 2-29.

“It is good to win back the Asia Cup after 15 years,” said beaming Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

“The team has put in a lot of effort in fitness and skills and it showed today. I was happy with the 268 we got, but the key was to get Dilshan out in the first over.

”Sangakkara conceded the hosts were “outplayed” by India.

“We played well throughout the tournament but the final is a one-off game and you need to be at your best to win. We were not on the mark today and were outplayed by India,” the Sri Lankan captain said.

Karthik put on 62 for the second wicket with Virat Kohli (28) and 46 for the third with Dhoni (38).

Rohit Sharma propped up with the middle-order with a fluent 41, before Jadeja boosted the score with an unbeaten 25.

Kandamby, who had failed to take a wicket with his leg-spin in 32 previous one-dayers, stunned India’s top order with the dismissals of Karthik and Dhoni.

Sling-arm fast bowler Lasith Malinga finished with 2-57, while Nuwan Kulasekara claimed 1-44.

India 268 for 6 in (50 Overs) and Srilanka 187 All Out in (44.4 Overs).

Milestone in Indo - EU Security Ties.

India and the European Union exchanged notes for a closer security partnership in intelligence sharing and anti-piracy operations during EU High Representative for foreign affairs and security policy Catherine Ashton's two-day interaction with top Indian policy makers here.

To impart a strategic dimension to the partnership, Ms. Ashton termed counter-terrorism a ‘significant feature of EU-India security cooperation' with both sides discussing the progress made on cooperation between the European Police Office and India.

In discussions with National Security Advisor Shiv Shankar Menon, Ms. Ashton touched upon the possibility of India joining the ‘fusion centres' in which all the relevant organisations and agencies interact. The EU official felt exchange of intelligence and face-to-face meeting with officials had become more important in the light of US President Barak Obama's intention of reducing forces in Afghanistan from next year. She cited the example of the September 11, 2001 attacks when most of the information necessary to forestall the attack was available in the security, intelligence and law enforcement systems but was not properly put together.

In anti-piracy operations, a working relationship has been established between the EU Naval Force and India to facilitate the programming of patrols and escorts. During her meetings with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and External Affairs Minister S M Krishna, the EU official appreciated India's rebuilding and capacity enhancement efforts in Afghanistan and said it mirrored what the EU was attempting to do.

“We would also like to deepen the dialogue we have with India on regional issues, including on Afghanistan, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. We recognise the efforts made to have channels of communication open between India and Pakistan,'' she added.

With Minister for Overseas Affairs Vyalar Ravi, Ms. Ashton discussed the migration of Indians to the EU and the prospects of a labour mobility pact which will set out the areas of cooperation in labour market expansion, employment facilitation, orderly migration, exchange of information and cooperation in introducing best practices.

Milestone in Madras High Court History.- (Tamilnadu). (South India - India.)

The World Classical Tamil Conference began with a bang in Coimbatore on 23rd June, 2010 (Wednesday).

At the same time, the Madras High Court Bench here provided one more reason for Tamil enthusiasts to rejoice.
For the first time, a lawyer was permitted to argue a criminal case entirely in Tamil for nearly 55 minutes! Pon. Muthuramalingam, a former Minister and lawyer, argued the criminal appeal, filed by two convicts in a 2007 murder case, before a Division Bench comprising Justice M. Chockalingam and Justice M. Duraiswamy. The judges recorded their appreciation of the counsel's effort. They acquitted both the convicts of all charges for want of evidence.

The lawyer began his arguments by addressing the court as “Matchimaiporundhiya Neethimandrathin Neethibadhigalukku En Siramthaazhntha Vanakkangal (my humble salutations to the judges of this honourable court)” and went on to thank the Chief Minister, Union Minister [M.K. Alagiri], judges and advocates who supported the use of Tamil in the High Court. He used only a few English words such as ‘dollar chain,' ‘bracelet,' ‘plastic' and ‘abrupt' during the course of his arguments. But for these, he came out with exact translations of many English words in criminal jurisprudence. He used the expressions, ‘saandru porul' to refer to material objects recovered by the police and ‘aalugai' for jurisdiction and so on.

At the end of the arguments, Mr. Justice Chockalingam jocularly told counsel in Tamil: “I think you have put forth all important points. If you continue to argue for some more time, the lawyers who are now agitating for the implementation of Tamil might start thinking the other way round.”

Milestone for Tamil - The First World Classical Tamil Conference in Coimbatore (Tamilnadu). (South India - India.)

The inaugural of the World Classical Tamil Conference in Coimbatore

on Wednesday by the Hon'ble President Ms. Pratibha Patil in the presence of

The Chief Minister, Mr M. Karunanidhi and

The Governor, Mr Surjit Singh Barnala are in the picture.

The President, Ms Pratibha Patil, has expressed confidence that as a living language, Tamil would evolve to meet the needs of a changing world, even as it drew strength from its ancient roots.

The enterprising spirit of Tamils and their creativity were instrumental in their success and would continue to bring them success, she said.

Inaugurating the first World Classical Tamil Conference at Coimbatore on Wednesday, she said the conferment of Classical Language status on Tamil in 2004 was “a recognition of not only the antiquity and the richness of the language but also of its role as a carrier of great culture containing inspiring messages.”

Appreciating the Tamil people for having “greatly enriched the composite heritage of India” and enhancing the cultural richness of the world, she said the Tamil ethos based on “pluralism, tolerance and a humanistic approach” had contributed in a variety of ways to the progress of the country. It also helped shape India's identity as a country rich in art and music, architecture and literature. She paid compliments to Tamil language, which, “with its vibrancy and richness, has made India a proud multilingual society.”

The President said the Tamils were dynamic and enterprising and much before the days of the ‘Silk Route', Tamil merchants from the Indian coast to the Persian Gulf and the Tamilians around the first century BC discovered and harnessed trade winds. Ms Patil said respect for each other's religion had long been part of Tamil cultural tradition and the existence of a huge body of work on different beliefs was an example of “different faiths co-existing and enriching each other through their interaction”. For peace and harmony, we also need a world that “does not discriminate and that does not tolerate inequality”. Tamil Nadu has also been leading in social reform, fighting social biases and working to achieve a society where people from all sections would be treated with equal respect, she said.

The President said as the country progressed economically it has sought to follow an inclusive growth paradigm benefiting all sections of society, particularly rural areas. Tamil language was among the oldest living languages of the world with its extraordinary volume of literature and grammar. Tamil literary personalities made signal contribution to the country's Independence movement. The poems of Subramania Bharati evoked in the minds of the people of India deep feelings of patriotism during the freedom struggle.

Spurring research

Ms Patil said the next generation of Tamils “must anchor as well as equip themselves with knowledge of Tamil culture, literature and values”. The establishment of the Central Institute of Classical Tamil in Chennai was important in this context, she added.

The Chief Minister, Mr M.Karunanidhi, who presided, said the World Classical Tamil Conference was the first such conference being held after Tamil language was conferred the status of a classical language. He hoped the conference, keeping in mind future needs, would find ways to promote Tamil computing, to encourage research in literature, translation, history, etc.

The Tamil Nadu Governor, Mr Surjit Singh Barnala, said Tamil has the privilege of being an official language in Sri Lanka and Singapore and is spoken in more than 55 countries globally. There were many similarities in the messages of Tiruvalluvar and those conveyed by Lord Mahavir, Guru Nanakji, Saint Kabir and others, he said, and hoped the conference would pave the way for promotion of Tamil studies and research at a global level.

Prof George Hart from the US, Dr V.C. Kulandai Swamy, Vice-President, International Association of Tamil Research, and Prof K. Sivathamby from Sri Lanka, offered felicitations.

The President presented the “Kalaignar M. Karunanidhi Classical Tamil Award” to Prof Asko Parpola.

The Finance Minister, Prof K. Anbazhagan, read the citation. The Deputy Chief Minister, Mr M.K. Stalin, welcomed and the Chief Secretary, Mr K.S. Sripathi, proposed a vote of thanks.