Milestone of India - Finance Minister of Asia award for Pranab.

NEW DELHI: Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has won this year's ‘Finance Minister of the Year for Asia' award. This award is based on nominations from public and private sector economists, analysts, bankers, investors and other experts.

This award unequivocally signals the confidence the Minister has inspired in key stakeholders, by virtue of his fuel price reforms, fiscal transparency and inclusive growth strategies, an official statement said here on Monday.

The award is from ‘Emerging Markets', the daily newspaper of record for the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

It may be recalled that Mr. Mukherjee was rated one of the best Finance Minister in the world in 1984 as well, the statement said.

Milestone of India - Part of Navarathri Celebration in India.

PATHANAMTHITTA: Tamil Brahmins in Pathanamthitta have prepared Bomma kolu, an artistic display of dolls, at their houses as part of the Navarathri festival.

Dolls (‘bomma') are arranged on a ladder-like structure by women and children and bhajans and ‘arati' are performed in the evening during the nine-day Navarathri festival. The dolls will be taken out on the tenth day, Vijayadasami day, marking the culmination of the festival, according to Muralikrishnan, secretary of Tamil Brahmana Samoohom at Peringara, near Thiruvalla.

The dolls are mainly of Hindu gods and goddesses, and form a major component of the Navarathri celebrations of Tamil Brahmins.

Bomma kolu is prepared by women and children in the household.

Members of the nearly 20 Tamil Brahmin households in Thiruvalla assemble at the Samooha Madhom hall at Peringara for bhajans, Mr. Muralikrishnan said.

Milestone of India - Arthunkal church declared basilica. (ALAPPUZHA - Kerala)

ALAPPUZHA: The 16th Century St. Andrews Forane Church at Arthunkal will now on be a basilica, the first in the Alappuzha diocese of the Catholic Church and the seventh overall in the State.

Vatican's Ambassador to India, Archbishop Salvatore Pennachio, led a special mass that began at 3 p.m. at the popular pilgrim centre to elevate the church to its new status.

A specially selected 101-strong choir sang hymns to mark the occasion.

Archbishop M. Susapakiam, Archbishop Francis Kallarackal, Bishop Peter M. Chenaparambil, Bishop Stephen Athipozhiyil, Basilica Rector Stephen Pazhambassery and others were present.

A public meeting that was inaugurated by Archbishop Susapakiam followed the mass.

Milestone of India - Navaratri Brahmotsavams - ‘Kalpa Vriksha Vahanam' and ‘Sarva Bhoopala' Vahanam or Lord Balaji.

Tirumala: Splendour marked the procession of ‘Kalpa Vriksha Vahanam' at the hill temple of Lord Venkateswara on the fourth day on Monday as part of the nine-day annual Navaratri Brahmotsavams.The processional deities of Lord Malayappa flanked by his two divine consorts on either side mounted atop the golden ‘Kalpa Vriksha Vahanam' was taken around the Mada streets.

Thousands of devotees witnessed the divine festival. Immense importance is attached to the divine procession. According to mythology it is widely believed that all the prayers which the devotees make to the Lord while He is riding the ‘Kalpa Vriksha Vahanam' will be fulfilled.

After the completion of the daily religious formalities the Lord was again taken out in a procession on ‘Sarva Bhoopala' Vahanam in the night.

TIRUPATI: It was a display of rare dancing skill by Poletti Rangamani's troupe on the four Mada streets of Tirumala enthralling thousands of devotees who had gathered to witness the procession of the Lord Venkateswara and His consorts as part of the on-going Navaratri Brahmotsavams.

Poletti Rangamani made drawings of Hamsa (swan) and Simha (lion) on the floor as she danced in front of the procession even as it moved around the Mada streets.

Deft movements

As the team leader rendered the song, the dancer moved her feet deftly on a 10x10 feet square area on which rangoli powder was spread evenly.

Even as she danced, she brought out the figurines of choice within ten minutes with her perfect feet movement, bemusing the devotees who watched the feat with awe.

The 17th Century art form was displayed by the team comprising other artistes such as S. V. Sridevi, Srikant and M. Pavani. “This is a rare dancing skill whose performance is almost extinct now,” the guru of the team said.

A host of cultural troupes comprising nearly 1,000 artistes were participating daily in the almost a mile long procession of the Lord around the Mada streets.

The bhajan teams which dance their way down the road ahead of the temple procession represent various folk art forms such as Chekka Bhajan, Kolatam and Bhagavata Bhajans. Procession.

OM NAMO VENKATESAYA !

Milestone of India - ‘Sravanam' latest feather in TTD cap.

TIRUMALA: For ‘aeons', the Tirumala town is known as one of the premier religious centres in the country, but only a few are aware that the Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanam ( TTD ) has been rendering a ‘yeoman' service for the poor, particularly the deprived sections of society.

The TTD management's ‘resolve' in serving society is reflected in the fact that it has been spending several crores of rupees every year on Education and Health.

If one takes a quick review at the social commitments of the TTD, one will be surprised to learn that besides running and funding several schools, colleges and universities, the TTD also plays a pivotal role in running leading medical institutions like Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences (SVIMS), a deemed university, and Balaji Institute of Research and Rehabilitation for the Disabled (BIRRD).

The latest feather in its cap is the ‘Sravanam' project which is aimed at providing assistance to infants and children below five years with hearing impairment. The project, which had only 15 children and two teachers during its inception in the year 2006, has over 165 children as inmates today and 25 well-trained teachers to take care of them.

Under the project, the TTD provides everything free which includes hearing equipments, food and training to the children. Parents, particularly mothers, are also allowed to stay with their children during the treatment period.

TTD Executive Officer I.Y.R. Krishna Rao says that the main intention behind the project is to remove despair from the minds of both — the parents and children — and extend moral support to them in leading a normal life.

Neo-natal screening

To strengthen the project, the TTD has launched a neo-natal screening program at its maternity hospital in Tirupati to detect disability, if any, at the time of birth and counsel the parents for an early treatment. The project also has a tie-up with the reputed Bala Vidyalaya of Chennai – the pioneer in the teaching to hearing impaired.

Besides these, the TTD has the rare distinction of running a home for poor with over 130 destitutes as inmates among whom 80 are women. The TTD also runs a leprosy home (Karunadhamam ) with 200 beds in Tirupati town besides running deaf and dumb schools at Warangal, Bhimavaram and Tirupati.

The management bears all the expenses, including accommodation, food and medicines. The noteworthy factor is that the TTD also bears the cost of performing the last rites and funeral expenses of the destitutes at its poor home.

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED YOU can ALSO contribute to the above mentioned Projects

and get the BLESSINGS OF LORD BALAJAI AT TIRUMALA.

Milestone of India - Commonwealth Games - Poonia leads a sweep of discus medals .

NEW DELHI: India's long wait for an athletics gold at the Commonwealth Games is over. Fiftytwo years after the great Milkha Singh gave the country its first triumph in Cardiff, Krishna Poonia brought its second gold, in the women's discus, at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Monday evening.

With Harwant Kaur and Seema Antil taking the silver and bronze, India celebrated its first sweep of all the medals in Commonwealth Games history.

“It's fantastic…what could be better than this,” said the 28-year-old Haryana-born Railway star, Poonia, who was the Doha Asian Games bronze medallist. She was fifth at the last Games in Melbourne.

“I dedicate this to all Indians. With this I think we have wiped out everything bad that had happened before the Games.”

Milkha Singh, who won his gold in the 440 yards event at the 1958 Games, was overjoyed too.

“It's a big thing for India,” said the 75-year-old. “Now that we have won this gold, it should inspire our athletes in a big way.”

But while the country celebrated Poonia's gold, there was disappointment with the young Tintu Luka finishing without a medal, and in the sixth spot, in the women's 800m.

Milestone of India - Vidya Pillai won the Australian Open snooker championship.

CHENNAI: Vidya Pillai won the Australian Open snooker championship defeated Remona Belmond of New Zealand four frames to three (13-78, 1-71, 66-32, 62-12, 23-55, 50-40, 50-40) in a closely fought final.

The Chennai-based Vidya, a member of TNBSA, had beaten Jessica Woods of Australia 4-0 in the semifinal.

Chitra Magimairaj, who had lost to Belmond in the semifinal, bagged the bronze medal.