Charlie Chaplin is to be brought to life as a cartoon character via an Indian-French collaboration that will see the legendary British comedian featured in an animated television series.
DQ Entertainment, an animation and special effects firm based in the southern city of Hyderabad, is to reproduce the entertainer`s slapstick in 3D and computer-generated images for television.
The eight-million-euro (11.5-million-dollar) project is a joint venture with French media groups Method Animation and MK2, the companies said at a news conference in Mumbai Friday.
A total of 104 six-minute episodes without dialogue will be made, inspired by sketches and gags culled from 70 short films made by Chaplin involving his iconic bowler-hatted vagabond character with a toothbrush moustache and cane.
But there will also be original content, Method president Aton Soumache told reporters.
DQ chairman and chief executive Tapaas Chakravarti said the project, for which the firms have been given approval from the Chaplin estate, would be "better than Mr Bean" -- British comic Rowan Atkinson`s accident-prone buffoon.
"(Mr Bean) has delighted everyone for a number of years... It`s very, very clear that to tickle people`s funny bones you don`t really have to talk all the time and silent movies can work. Chaplin did it for so many years," he added.
"We are absolutely sure that we have to get Chaplin back for 21st century kids and parents."
The animated shorts -- aimed at children aged six and above -- are set to hit screens from early next year, Chakravarti said.
Soumache said pre-sale interest from international broadcasters had been high and that funding was "almost done".
Interested parties include companies in France, Germany, Britain, Switzerland and Scandinavia, India and Australia, he said, without revealing names.
"We`re raising from Europe almost 60 to 70 percent of the budget. We`re raising the rest on video and a few other international deals," he added.
Revenue from the first cycle is expected to be in the region of 45 million dollars, he said.
London-born Chaplin, who died in 1977, is recognised as one of the most influential and recognisable comic actors and directors of the silent film period.
His most famous works include "The Kid" (1921), "The Gold Rush" (1925), "City Lights" (1931), "Modern Times" (1936) and "The Great Dictator" (1940).
Soumache said last November that their baggy-trousered Chaplin character "won`t be a realistic portrayal but more like a puppet in an offbeat universe".
"We`ll put him in modern situations but at the same keeping his poetic, child-like view of the world with a retro feel," he added.
DQ Entertainment has worked with a number of high-profile studios and production houses, including Nickelodeon, The Disney Group, Cartoon Network and a host of international broadcasters.
The Indian firm has a 20 percent stake in Method and has previously worked with them on computer-animated adaptations of French children`s classics "Le Petit Prince" (The Little Prince) and "Le Petit Nicolas" (Little Nicolas).
MK2 is one of France`s biggest independent film companies and owns the international rights to the Chaplin films, which it has restored and reissued on DVD and in cinemas.
Animation and special effects have become a growth market in India, as the domestic film industry, including Bollywood, turns to more modern production methods.
The trend has led to the creation of a number of specialist companies, who are being increasingly used by Hollywood and other foreign studios because of their lower costs.
India`s animation and special effects industry is expected to be worth 23.3 billion rupees this year and is expected to grow to 39.4 billion rupees by 2013, consultants KPMG said last year.
The animation sector is projected to grow by 21.9 percent in the five years to 2013, it added in a report on the media and entertainment industry for the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Charlie Chaplin to be animated star
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Poor quality condoms irk sex workers!
The government will look into the concerns raised by sex workers of the red-light area here regarding the health problems resulting from "poor quality" of free condoms supplied to them.
Sex workers in the national capital`s infamous Garstin Bastion (GB) Road have alleged that free condoms provided to them by different NGOs supplied by the Government are causing itching and other similar problems.
These male contraceptives are distributed free of cost through non-government organisations and NACO to prevent sex-workers from being infected by sexually transmitted diseases, including AIDS.
The sex workers have told PTI that they are planning to take the matter to the Government and will hold demonstration if the issue was not resolved to their satisfaction.
"Condoms given to us are really of very bad quality. We do not feel like using them. Irritation and other infections are some of common side effects," said Sunita, a sex worker.
When contacted, Joint Secretary at National AIDS Control Organisation Aradhana Johri said the department has not received any complaint regarding the health problems resulting
from the use of condom.
"But as you have brought the issue to our notice, we will direct the concerned officials to immediately look into the matter and submit their report," Johri said.
Johri also said that all the free condoms distributed meet the standards.
Kanta, another worker and owner of a brothel in the area said, "Condoms even get ruptured and make us susceptible to various sexually transmitted diseases like AIDS."
Radhika, a worker at a brothel said, "It is really irritating to use these condoms. There is always a danger of the condoms getting burst. We prefer to use a good quality product and bear the expenditure on our own."
There are about 116 brothels at the GB road in which about 5,000 women from across the country and some from neighbouring countries work.
NACO distributes about 220 crore free condoms annually across the country with the help of state AIDS control societies and voluntary groups to curb the spread of HIV.
"It is true that sex workers are given bad quality condoms. I have also written to Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and apprised him of the problem. Government has assured us to look into the issue but we will again press the issue," said Khairati Lal Bhola, President, Bhartiya Patita Uddhar Sabha, an NGO working for the upliftment of the sex workers.
Indian Council of Medical Research scientist S Mokkapati said, "Condoms without quality result in various STD including
HIV AIDS and generate other psychological problems."
Friday, November 20, 2009
Terrific toilet training
Nanku Ram’s nine-year old son Digham rarely misses school because of illness. And Uttara Bai's family has been free of chronic diarrhoea for a year, which is no rare feat for Purkela, a village of around 2000 people that boasted of just a handful of toilets three years ago.
They are not alone.
Lundra Block Medical Officer Dr Durga Prasad Shandilya told Hindustan Times that the water-borne and skin disease cases have halved in the tribal Sarguja district of Chhattisgarh.
UNICEF got independent research body Synovate to track disease prevalence in Lundra as part of a study. Synovate findings were no different from the health department data: there is a 50 per cent reduction in cases of dysentery, diarrhoea, malaria and skin diseases in Sarguja district. The reason: Tribals in Purkela village in Lundra block, about 400 km from Raipur, have adopted hygienic practices with a vengeance. For the first time ever, villagers such as Nanku and Uttara own a house with its very own toilet, which is no mean achievement in India where 60 per cent homes do not have a toilet.
Owning a house with a toilet has become a status symbol with many carrying boards at the door that read ‘Shauchalaya yukt makaan’(A house with a toilet).
This is the result of a unique programme called Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC), which is run in partnership between different government departments such as education, panchayat, tribal welfare and women and child development. Apart from the emphasis on personal hygiene, the programme helps villagers maintain household hygiene, cleanliness near drinking water sources like hand-pumps or tube-wells, and manage waste.
The roads leading to villages of Purkela, Mahora or Jarhadih in Lundra block of Sarguja have been turned defecation-free zones, with village panchayats constituting a Toka-Taki Samiti (Intercepting Committee) to reprimand and then fine those who break the rules.
H for hygiene and health
Shritika Nagesh (28), who had lost her ten-month-old daughter to dysentery in 2005, had become a nervous wreck worrying about her six-year-old daughter Prabha's frequent illnesses. “Since we installed a toilet and I started insisting on frequent hand washing, Prabha has transformed from a sickly to a healthy girl. She now rarely misses school,” said the Jarhadih housewife.
Better health also transforms into higher literacy, especially among girls. “Ever since the school got separate toilets for boys and girls, the girls, whose parents were earlier hesitant to send them to schools, are regularly attending classes,” said Bodham Ram, school headmaster at Jarhadih village.
Hygiene has been made part of the school curriculum. Students are taught personal grooming and asked to regularly cut their nails, groom their hair, wash their hands, maintain dental hygiene and wear clean clothes.
“Students are given a hygiene education kit and evaluated each day on a ten-point on their appearance,” said Sodhuram, Jarhadih village panchayat secretary. “My teachers say personal grooming will reduce the threat of illness, said Pushpi (11). Agrees Mikhu (9), a Class 3 student of middle school in Mahora village, a Nirmal Gram Puraskar recipient: “Personal hygiene has become a part of my life and I cannot imagine myself unclean.”
“Installing toilets in schools and hygiene education have been instrumental in persuading parents to follow healthy sanitary practices at home,” said Baisram Dhakad, district programme coordinator in TSC.
“With water being provided through forced lift hand pumps, even anganwadi centres (child care centres) have come up with baby-friendly sanitation units. There, sharp fall in infections among children has pushed up attendance at schools,” Lundra's education officer D.K. Gupta told HT.
How it started
Getting villagers used to defecating in the country clean up their act wasn’t easy. “The initial resistance to the sanitation campaign was overcome once we convinced them about the benefits,” S.P. Singh, a campaign manager in Ambikapur, told HT. Incidents of villagers being bitten by snakes, poisonous insects or attacked by bears or elephants while defecating helped in convincing them, as did public messages through song and film shows.
Even elected representatives are now tying to get votes on the cleanliness bandwagon. “Impressed with diseases brought under control and behavioural change of people, the elected representatives have begun reaching out to officials seeking inclusion of their blocks for executing sanitation programme,” said Bhim Singh of public health engineering department in Sarguja.
So successful is the campaign that 40 gram panchayats in Lundra won the President’s Nirmal Gram Puraskar for 2008, and 22 have been selected for the award this year.”
“Now there is competition among rural panchayats to ensure their villages is the cleanest,” said Lundra MLA Ramdev Ram.
Six women in the Forbes India rich list
Labels: India, rich list, WOMENAs many as six women, including OP Jindal group chairperson Savitri Jindal and Biocon's Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, have made it to the Forbes' list of 100 richest Indians this year.
Jindal has retained the tag of being the richest lady in India with a net worth of $12 billion, according to the annual India Rich List compiled by business magazine Forbes. Jindal is ranked seventh in the list, which is topped by RIL's Mukesh Ambani with a fortune of $32 billion.
Jindal, who has been the chairperson of the O P Jindal Group since her husband Om Prakash's death in 2005, saw her wealth growing by $9 billion since November 2008, when Forbes had last published its annual India rich list.
Jindal is followed by Bennett, Coleman & Co's Chairperson Indu Jain, who is ranked 19th with a net worth of $2.4 billion. Jain continued to witness a spurt in her fortune with wealth kitty rising by $600 million since November 2008.
Anu Aga of Thermax group and Biocon's Shaw has been ranked 55th and 73rd with a net worth of $935 million and 730 million respectively.
Referring to Shaw as "pharma tycoon", Forbes said, "India's richest self-made woman, whose Biocon is developing the world's first oral insulin."
Besides, Shobhana Bhartia of the Hindustan Times and Vidya Murkumbi of Shree Renuka Sugars have also also made it to the Forbes list this year.
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Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Mumbai gets India’s first Ice Bar
Going to a bar in Mumbai no longer has to be about getting bitten by mosquitoes or perspiring. Now you can sit in a room made of ice, drink from an ice glass at an ice bar, decorated with ice carvings on an ice chair.
India’s first permanent bar made of ice, 21 Fahrenheit, has opened up in Oshiwara, just yards from the Mega Mall. The bar is kept at minus 6 degrees Celsius all year round.
Guests are given a navy blue furry Parka coat, insulated moon boots and gloves to wear before entering. A bartender in a similar coat serves guests, while house and hip-hop music plays.
21 Fahrenheit was created by three Indian partners, Vaibhav Tandel, Aalok Purohit, and Harshan Dharmadas.
All three previously managed the Chill Out Ice Bar in Dubai, which was opened in 2007, by the Sharaf Group. They have now quit and started their own hospitality business, Hyacinth Lifestyle, in Mumbai.
Vaibhav Tandel, CEO, Hyacinth Lifestyle, is a Mumbaikar, who had moved to Dubai five years ago.
He used the expertise he gained there to build the bar here, leading the team of seven Indian staff who spent 20 days building the lounge bar, after renting, what had been a vacant space.
It was due to open several weeks ago but kept getting delayed because the coats and boots, tailor-made in India, had not arrived.
Cosy environment
The 820 square foot bar holds 45 people. “We only expect people to stay inside for 30 minutes. The bartenders also rotate. Ice bars have to be small so people feel cosy inside them. Huge ice bars have failed so far,” Tandel admits. “Often ice bars open for three or four months and then they close down because it’s just a gimmick. It’s very important to make sure that doesn’t happen. But we will change the interiors every three to six months. The whole beauty of ice is that you can do that. And our service will be second to none. We want people to remember it.”
Ice bars already exist in other countries, but apart from serving drinks, this bar is unique because it also serves hot food — and some of the food is served flambéed.
The bar is lit up with red and blue lights giving it a jazzy vibe. And far from being just an ice bar, there’s also a general bar outside, and above it, there’s a swish modern pan Asian restaurant, which seats 46 people.
The restaurant has a live kitchen serving Japanese, Sichuan Chinese and Lucknowi cuisine, with smart wooden tables and chairs.
“The idea is to give people somewhere to spend the whole evening so they don’t just spend 30 minutes in the ice bar and leave,” Tandal adds, who expects the ice bar to be an instant hit with the college crowd and tourists.
“We chose this area because it is central to the western suburbs of Bandra, Kandivali, Juhu, Malad and Goregaon, where you get the corporate and college crowds. In any case it will be a destination bar,” he adds.
Tandel admits ice bars can lead to soaring electricity bills, but says the system he has chosen is “energy efficient”. He adds, “In case there is a power cut, we have a backup generator and besides, it takes three to four days for the ice to melt.”
Monday, October 26, 2009
How to bear a super child!
At a time when parents are leaving no stone unturned to give best education to their children to make them achievers, an institute has come up in Gandhinagar that promises to give couples "super child" by birth.
The 'Super Child University', established by 'Vishwa Kalyan Sanstha' claims to achieve this task on the basis of ancient Indian wisdom and modern science.
"In today's world, education is given to children after they are born. But, in Super Child University, newly married couple are given training to get super child soon after their marriage," Prahlad Patel, founder of the organisation said.
Young couples are coming to the institute established by Patel in the hope to get super child by birth.
"I firmly believe that a child with extraordinary qualities can be brought to the world by a couple who wishes for it. I have made a deep study of the old Indian literature like Charaksahita, Shrushutsahita, Astang Hriday and other Ayurved books. I have also studied latest genetic science and after that established this institute," Patel said.
"We have started developing a state-of-the-art Genome Development and Research Centre (GDRC) at our institute. Research in the GDRC would be done with a goal of delivering super child to the young couples," Patel said.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Washing hands can save 400 children everyday
Diarrhoea kills nearly 1,000 children below the age of five everyday in India, but washing hands with soap and water can save the lives of at least 400 of these kids, a UN agency said on Thursday on the occasion of Global Handwashing Day.
"In India, diarrhoea is a major killer with about 1,000 children below 5 years dying every day due to diarrhoea alone. Handwashing with soap can reduce diarrhoeal deaths in children by 40 percent and is one of the most inexpensive ways to prevent diarrhoeal disease," the Unicef said.
The agency said that proper handling and safe storage of water reduces incidences of diarrhoea by nearly half.
"Toilet use can reduce presence of diarrhoea causing agents but toilet usage in India is still very low. In 2006, toilet usage in India was 28 percent but this is showing an upward trend because of the government of India's flagship programme - Total Sanitation Campaign. Nirmal Gram Purashkar has led to more than 18,020 Panchayats being declared free of open defecation," Unicef said.
"Yet, despite its life-saving potential, handwashing with soap is seldom practised and is not always easy to promote," the agency added.
The UN agency said every one can make a difference in the "Clean hands save lives" campaign. Each year, diarrhoeal diseases and acute respiratory infections are responsible for the deaths of more than 3.5 million children under the age of five.
The second annual Global Handwashing Day, being celebrated Thursday, puts the spotlight on the importance of washing hands with soap and water as one of the most effective and affordable health interventions.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
India surprise: Sex and the City
‘I am a virgin, help me! Virginity is not dignity; it’s just a lack of opportunity.’
Young men are strutting about with T-shirts like these — and it’s Lucknow, for God’s sake.
The city of tehzeeb (culture) and coyness, the city of Charbagh railway station, nawab-era minarets, kite contests and qawwalis.
But it is also the fast-changing city where young boys and girls hold hands at swank malls or, without concern, sport apparel that gestures towards possibilities and imaginations that, until recently, were taboo.
Look beyond Lucknow: That T-shirt is a slice of not just a changing city, but a nation going through social churn.
A national survey conducted by Hindustan Times and CNN-IBN on changing social mores points to a society coming to terms with its own coming of age.
Some 63 per cent of respondents — two out of every three people interviewed — felt that evidence of virginity in a bride-to-be was not a big issue any more. One in three — about 33 per cent — felt pre-marital sex was not taboo.
Gynaecologist Dr Renu Makkar sees evidence of this at her Lucknow clinic every day.
She estimates that almost 80 per cent of the unmarried women she examines are sexually active, which marks a significant change from about 10 years ago.
“Earlier, young women took offence when asked if they were sexually active,” she says, “But now they are far more open, aware of the contraceptives available, and regular when it comes to checkups and consultations.”
Makkar also says she is no longer asked to conduct virginity tests.
No one should even dare ask Ankita Sharma, a 24 year-old who helps out with the family business.
“I would ask a prospective groom or his parents to get lost if anyone ever even mentioned a virginity test,” she says, lounging with her friends in the food court of a Lucknow mall. “I would not marry anyone to whom virginity is an issue.”
For some, like IT professional Shekhar Pant (28), virginity is not even a mark of morality any more. “Besides, what is the point of marrying a girl who is a virgin but not suitable?” he says. “I would rather look for a suitable girl.”
Lucknow is changing, but so is the rest of the country.
“The definition of morality has changed in the present context,” says Amit Mishra, a 35-year-old senior manager with Reliance Retail, hundreds of kilometres to the east, in Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand.
Young couples are also increasingly drawing distinctions between emotional and physical intimacy.
“Sex before marriage is acceptable if it is out of love, and not merely for fun,” says Nidhi Tiwary (22), a public relations manager with a legal firm.
For Lucknow social workers Aarti (30) and Vishwajeet Kumar (36), the past was never an issue. “For us, emotional intimacy is more important. We think that emotional intimacy should precede physical intimacy,” says Aarti. “We have never bothered to talk about virginity, even after marriage.”
However, the transition from a conservative, morality-obsessed society to one that acknowledges the gaps between theory and practice is neither smooth, nor is it complete.
“Virginity is still a concern,” says Dr S.K. Jain, a sexologist who divides his time between clinics in Delhi and Ranchi.
Jain says he often counsels men who, after their wedding night, are concerned about their wives’ sexual past. “We counsel the men that the hymen may be ruptured for reasons other than sex.”
Sujay Bannerjee of Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, believes in a more pragmatic ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ approach.
After a torrid, two-year affair with a woman in Kolkata, the soft-spoken 32-year-old is looking for someone he can spend the rest of his life with.
“I’m not going to ask her if she is a virgin,” he says, with only a trace of irony.
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Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Athlete turns Sex worker to feed family
From being lauded on the podium to landing in jail as a call girl in Chhattisgarh, this is a tale of how India treats its non-cricketing sportspersons.
Driven by poverty, a former national-level athlete took to prostitution and was on Saturday arrested from Raipur’s posh Devendra Nagar locality.
Nisha Shetti, 26, who represented Assam in athletics at the National Games in 1998, was forced into the flesh trade by unemployment and her husband’s death in 2007.
She is believed to have told the police that she took to the trade to fend for herself and her five-year-old daughter. A court in Raipur later granted her bail on a surety of Rs 10,000, but since she did not have the money, Shetti remains in jail.
All that local sports administrators are doing is expressing sympathy. “The least we can do is to secure bail for her,” said Mohammed Akram, secretary, Chhattisgarh Volleyball Association. But that hasn’t happened.
Six years ago, Nisha won a high-jump silver medal at a national-level athletics meet in Pune. That was the year she fell in love with and married Sunil Shetti, who represented Assam in football, against her family’s wishes.
A senior policeman, who has seen Nisha’s interrogation report, told HT on condition of anonymity that soon after their daughter’s birth in 2004, Sunil began suffering from depression and developed a drinking habit after being repeatedly overlooked for government jobs.
In February 2007, Sunil died of kidney failure. Nisha, a homemaker then, was shattered. “We were wrong to nurture hopes of getting a government job on the sports quota,” she told the court.
Desperate for a job, she moved to Mumbai about a year ago in search of one, only to land in a prostitution racket.
According to the Raipur police, Nisha and the two other women had agreed to spend a week with three businessmen in return for Rs 50,000. The police have also arrested the businessmen.
“All talk of reservations for women in Parliament and empowerment is useless if we can’t ensure jobs for talented women athletes,” said Indian Olympic Association joint secretary Basheer Ahmed Khan.
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Monday, August 3, 2009
Late with sending rakhi? Just Log on...
If you haven't had time to buy something for your sister even though the festival of Rakhi is just two days away, don't worry. Just go online. And this applies equally for women looking for something for their brothers!
"I have had horrible experiences with these courier people. Once I sent a rakhi to my brother in Pune and they mistakenly dispatched it first to Patna and then it took them at least a month to dispatch it to my brother's residence and that too in a torn condition," said Ratna Shrivastav, a software professional in Delhi's satellite township of Noida.
"After this incident, I dread sending him a rakhi via post. All I do now is go to online shopping portals. They sometimes come up with interesting rakhis and pooja thalis," she added.
Raksha Bandhan celebrates the ties of love and protection between brothers and sisters and coincides with the full moon in the month of Shravan according to the Indian calendar. Rakhi is the thread symbolising this bond and is tied by a sister on her brother. In turn, the brother gifts something to the sister.
Online shopping portals have become a rage in the last few years.
According to Sundeep Malhotra, CEO, HomeShop18, an online shopping portal, education and employment opportunities have created a physical distance between brothers and sisters.
"Our aim is to bridge this distance and ensure that all brothers and sisters receive their gifts regardless of where they are in the country at the time. These portals are very convenient as people now don't have to worry about what to buy, where to buy and timely delivery of gifts," Malhotra told IANS.
HomeShop18 offers a variety of gifting options for rakhi such as silver and pearl rakhis. This collection of rakhis can either be bought separately or they come in a variety of combos with chocolates and MP3 players. Attractive thalis with sweets are also available.
Another advantage of these online portals is that they are available 24x7.
"Online portals are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week throughout the year and hence are hugely convenient. Consumers can order products round the clock, review other product options and take an informed decision without having to move from place to place," explained Mukesh Bansal, CEO of myntra.com.
"Convenience and ease of shopping are the cornerstones of e-commerce. The concept of buying gifts and rakhis online is gaining momentum in India by the day," he added.
There are various shopping portals like dilsebol.com, pringoo.com, and picsquare.com where you can send customised T-shirts, mugs, calendars, key chains, teddy bears, greeting cards and bags to your sister.
Picsquare shopping portal also offers the "photo rakhi" in which you can customise your rakhi by having a picture of your brother in it.
After all shipping charges a photo rakhi will cost you around Rs.200.
Currently, myntra.com is offering the designer label Satya Paul range that has stoles, clutch bags and scarves to gift to sisters and wallets, belts, ties and cuff links to gift to brothers. This range is priced between Rs.795 and Rs.2,995.
The shopping portals take two-three days to deliver the gifts anywhere in the country.
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Monday, July 27, 2009
Indian cookbook wins prestigious Award in Paris
India has joined the elite club of 10 best cookbook publishing countries across the world by winning an award and a special mention at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards in Paris for two culinary works.
While The Emperor’s Table by Salma Hussain won the Best in the World Book for Culinary History, Pure and Simple Homemade Indian Vegetarian Cuisine by Vidhu Mittal received an honourable mention in the Best Easy Recipes In the World category this month, a statement issued by Roli Books (P) Ltd said Monday.
Both books were published by Delhi-based Roli Books.
Books from 102 countries were submitted this year for the gourmand awards. While 29 countries competed in the best culinary history book category, 54 were in the race for the best easy recipes in the world.
“The Emperor’s Table: The Art of Mughal Cuisine traces the history of the Mughal emperors - vis-a-vis - their fondness for food and contribution to the growth of recipes. It also takes a peek at the personal likes and dislikes of the Mughal emperors and how it has shaped the food habits in India.
The book showcases the splendour of the Mughal table through miniature paintings. Persian scholar and food connoisseur Salma Hussain works for the ITC Welcome Group as a food consultant.
“Pure and Simple: Homemade Indian Vegetarian Cuisine by Vidhu Mittal compiles over 100 classic and contemporary vegetarian recipes. It also includes information on spices, vegetables and kitchen tools. Mittal is a culinary expert based in Bangalore.
The award was founded by Edouard Cointreau in 1995.
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Sunday, July 26, 2009
India launches first Nuclear submarine INS Arihant
Marking a quantum leap in India's shipbuilding capabilities, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday launched the country's first indigenously designed and built nuclear-powered attack submarine in Visakhapatnam.http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/images/akla4_300px.j
July 26 is annually commemorated as Kargil Victory Day to mark the Indian Army's success against Pakistani intruders who had occupied the area in Jammu and Kashmir in 1999.
The submarine will be commissioned in the Indian Navy as INS Arihant, which translates as "destroyer of enemies", after extensive outfitting and sea trial. It is the first of three such vessels to be built in the country. Hitherto, submarines have been built here under licence from their foreign designers.
Earlier this year, Antony had lifted the cloak from India's secret submarine project, saying: "Things (the project) are in http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/images/victor3_400px.jpgthe final stage. Some years back, there were some bottlenecks in terms of supply of parts. It is over now. We will announce it (the vessel's launch) whenever it is ready."
The construction of the advanced technology vessel (ATV), as the project is designated, is in line with India's nuclear doctrine enunciated in 1999 that calls for its nuclear forces to be effective, enduring, diverse, flexible, and responsive to the requirements in accordance with the concept of credible minimum deterrence. The doctrine calls for high survivability against surprise attacks and for rapid punitive response.
A nuclear submarine, which can remain submerged for prolonged periods of time and is virtually undetectable underwater, therefore, meets all these criteria and offers an invaluable launch platform for nuclear weapons, the doctrine says.
It is the world's most powerful deterrent force -- a stealthy undersea platform with enormous nuclear firepower. For a country like India with a no-first use policy, it is vital because it prevents a potential adversary from launching a crippling first-strike to knock out all nuclear weapons, the doctrine says.
The Indian Navy will also get a Russian-built Akula class nuclear submarine, to be commissioned as INS Chakra, by the year-end. Currently undergoing sea-trials, the delivery date for the Russian submarine was pushed back following an accident on board. The navy will use the submarine to train its crew in handling nuclear-powered vessels.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Tips For Nervous Bridegroom
Your big day is looming and still there are so many things that need to be done. As you watch your jittery bride and her anxious parents labor to put together your wedding you just smile as you get to sit back and enjoy the ride. Or do you? Most grooms have a million things to do themselves. Take a deep breath because I'm going to give you, the nervous bridegroom some fabulous tips on making this a wedding you will never forget.
Besides just deciding on what tux to wear, both bride and groom of course decide on wedding theme, colors and food, and wedding favors, gifts for siblings and family members not to mention what guests to invite. But let's look at some little things that are just as important. Gifts for groomsmen is a good place to start.
Of course you want to invite your special buds to celebrate this day with you, heck you probably have known them longer than your blushing bride to be. You went through school with them, football try outs and college. A zillion memories are tied up with those guys. You want to give them something special, something unique. Let's look at some great gift ideas.
First on our list is a brushed, silver pocket watch that can be monogramed. This need not be expensive but it's an elegant gift they can use everyday for many years to come. Moving right along you might be interested in a chic business card case, smartly designed, it can be personalized with initials and in today's busy working society it's a fashionable yet necessary addition for any businessman. Perhaps he is the kind of guy who likes getting up early on Saturday mornings and putting a few balls around on the golf course. For this cool cat you might surprise him with a striking crystal golf club that can be used as an elegant paper weight. Whatever you decide on be sure to take into account wether your friend is in to sports or an up and coming business man. One important tip to remember is what gift would you enjoy receiving?
As far as choosing gifts for your parents and inlaws, this can be done quiet simply, ask your lovely bride to be to help with the selection. Most brides have well honed shopping skills and will feel flattered you asked for their help.
Now for the most special gift of all, a present for your lovely bride. Let's give her credit guys, she stole your heart, kept you sleepless, and even caused you to happily give up watching Monday night football with your buds, at least for awhile. Now, as you tromp around the malls window shopping and even going so far as to timidly ask help from some matronly, sales woman, remember, your bride is number one in your life, the woman you chose for all time and whom you want to grow old with. Only the best for her!
One fabulous gift she might like is a lusterous pearl necklace. Pearls add a lovely glow to the skin and can be worn on many different occasions and functions. If she is a girl who likes bling, and you would know best what her favorite jewel is, choose an exqusite gem stone and have it set as a pendant in a necklace. She will treasure it most of all because it came from YOU! Perhaps she likes crystal or antiques, the tip here guys is make it unique and personal, a gift she will treasure for all your years together.
Now one last tip, relax, be good to yourself, indulge, go some place special with your friends and siblings, have a massage, go fishing. The key here is have fun! Do something for you, to help take the edge off, after all you don't get married everyday.
Rekha to launch Shilpa Shetty's Spa
Labels: Bollywood, India, rekha, shilpa sethi
Shilpa Shetty will soon fulfil her childhood dream of owning a spa and she has convinced yesteryears actress Rekha to launch her medispa Iosis as she feels that the senior star is synonymous with timeless beauty.
"I had to think of who was going to do the grand launch and couldn't come up with a better name than the diva herself - someone who is synonymous with timeless beauty and wellness. So I approached (the one and only) Rekhaji," Shilpa posted on her blog shilpashettylive.com
"I've always looked up to her as an actor, role model for constant reinvention. We share a very special bond and have always been in touch with each other. I think it's the South Indian connection. When I asked her to grace the occasion, she agreed and I was ecstatic," she further added.
The 34-year-old will be opening her flagship store in partnership with entrepreneur Kiran Bawa, well-known in beauty and wellness industry. The first of these stores will open in Mumbai's Khar area.
Explaining about the spa, Shilpa said: "Being part of an industry where beauty is a pre-requisite, I learnt from my own mistakes and this experience gave me the opportunity to reinvent myself. When people ask me how I did it, their questions will be answered through Iosis."
"I hope that Iosis medispa works as a catalyst in bettering people's lives at an affordable cost. Kiran and I share one common vision - Wellness India. We are both on the threshold of a new beginning and hope people enjoy the services that are provided here because they've been put together with a lot of love and thought," she added.
The medispa will be a fusion of four - styling, spa, salon and skin treatments. Every treatment will be under the supervision of trained professionals.
Klik disini untuk melanjutkan »»
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Gujarat's own portal for eclipse
The Gujarat government launched a website dedicated to the total solar eclipse of July 22, an official here said.
The state government launched the website solareclipsesurat.in jointly with the Surat Municipal Corporation and the Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The website explains why the total solar eclipse should be viewed in Surat and the safety precautions that should be taken while viewing the solar eclipse. Also, it informs about the events on July 22 in Surat, the official added.
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Sunday, July 19, 2009
Sachin Pays tribute to Mentor Achrekar
Batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar on Saturday paid rich tributes to his mentor cricket coach Ramakant Achrekar and said he could attain such heights because of the 'sir'.
Tendulkar, Vinod Kambli, Praveen Amre and Sameer Dighe along with Achrekar were felicitated at a function here as 'Guru-Shishya' (mentor and his protege) by a local arts and cultural academy, was presided by BCCI President Shashank Manohar.
Tendulkar recalled an incident when his coach told him to play for 'B' team of his School. Instead of batting, he preferred sitting in the gallery and cheering his schoolmates.
In the evening, when he came across Achrekar, he was asked how many runs he had scored. Taken aback, Tendulkar told him that he was clapping and cheering up. Then came a slap which shattered his myth. His lunch box fell on the ground and he realised what mistake he had commited, he said.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Shewta Tiwari's Bra and Chaddis Spice up National TV
Itni itni Bra aur itni itni Chaddiyan. BRA AUR CHADDIYAN pehenke dance karaa hai issney, ” Screams Palak on National television, apparently Palak is giving this gyan on our favorite desh ki bahu Shewta Tiwari.
This totally unwarranted attack on Shewta came from fellow contestant Palak of the MTV Roadies fame on the reality show, Iss Jungle Se Mujhe Bachcao.
Totally unplugged from civilization and in the midst of Malaysian jungles the contestants resort to backbiting. Palak, it seems has taken a strong dislike to Shewta Tiwari and pulled out dirty ‘DATA’ on Shewta Tiwari on National TV.
Palak who was earlier reported to be upset on not being able to wear revealing clothes took a dig at ‘Desh ki Bahu’ Shweta Tiwari. Palak was caught gossiping with fellow contestant Fiza, that Shweta Tiwari who is doing ‘nakhras’ in wearing revealing clothes is actually a hypocrite as Shweta has worn much lesser in her Bhojpuri Films. To quote Palak directly
“Abhi desh ki bahu ban rahi hai yahan par. Kyonki log Bhojpuri movies is not on a National level
Bhojpuri movies mein kya ussne kapdey pehne hain Girr jayegi dekhke. Itni itni Bra aur itni itni Chaddiyan. BRA AUR CHADDIYAN pehenke dance karaa hai issney. Poora DATA nikal jaayegaa”
(She is pretending to act like a shy bride; behaving all classy and sober here. Cause people don’t watch Bhojpuri films; those films don’t have a national audience. Oh What clothes she is wearing there You will fall down in shock.
She is wearing these itsy-bitsy bras and panties. BRA AND PANTIES and dancing in them. Her whole DATA will be exposed)
Looks like Palak is still suffering MTV Roadies hangover, as she leaves no stone unturned to bring down her opponent by pulling out the dirtiest trick in the book. Our homegrown trash TV princess Palak is giving the original trash talker Rakhi Sawant a run for her money.
Good for you girl looks like before packing up for Malaysia somebody did their homework on dirt digging thoroughly.
Female Militant arrested in J&K
Labels: Female Militant, India, kashmir
In more worrying news for the security apparatus here, Indian forces have arrested a female allegedly working for the banned terror outfit, Hizbul Mujahideen.
The woman over ground worker (OGW), identified as Shakeela, was arrested from Doda district. Shakeela was allegedly involved in a relationship with the two ultras, who were gunned down by forces in village Dhara Chaka in Prem Nagar area of the district on Friday.
Meanwhile, Shakeela who was injured in the encounter was admitted to a hospital
Shakeela's arrest comes in the backdrop of a caution by Army Chief Gen Deepak Kapoor, who warned that terror outfits were training women militants in Pakistan.
The woman over ground worker (OGW), identified as Shakeela, was arrested from Doda district. Shakeela was allegedly involved in a relationship with the two ultras, who were gunned down by forces in village Dhara Chaka in Prem Nagar area of the district on Friday.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Gambhir Becomes No 1 Test batsman
Gautam Gambhir became the number one batsman, replacing Pakistani run-machine Mohammad Yousuf in the latest ICC Test Player rankings issued on Wednesday.
Incidentally, Gambhir reached the top when the ODI batting chart is also led by an Indian, Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
Yousuf, who had returned to the batting table last week in number one position after his century in the first Test at Galle, flopped in the second Test to drop to fifth position. Accordingly, Gambhir became the sixth India batsman to lead the batting table in this version of the game.
The 27-year-old left-handed opener is the first Indian batsman after former captain Rahul Dravid to top the batting chart. Dravid had briefly become the number-one batsman after hitting centuries in each innings (110 and 135) of the Kolkata Test against Pakistan in March 2005. Dravid had first achieved the top batting ranking in January 1999 and has been number-one for 36 Tests between 1999 and 2005.
The other India batsmen to have achieved number-one positions in their careers are Gundappa Viswanath (seven matches in 1975), Sunil Gavaskar (46 matches between 1978-80) and Dilip Vengsarkar (17 matches between 1987-88).
Pakistan captain Younis Khan was able to retain his second position in the Test batting rankings but fell nine points behind Gambhir who, without hitting a ball, has gone ahead of both the Pakistan batsmen for the first time in his 25-Test career in which he has scored 2,271 runs at an average of over 54.
Gambhir`s 847 points is relatively low for a number-one position in modern times as usually a batsman nearer to the 900-point mark goes to the top, which reflects that he has benefited from some of the other top batsman being off their peaks.
With only 10 points separating Gambhir from third-placed Kumar Sangakkara of Sri Lanka, the top order is expected to change again, of course depending how the Pakistan and Sri Lanka captains perform in the third and final Test which starts in Colombo from July 20.
The only big movers in the latest rankings are Pakistan opener Fawad Alam, who has entered the table in 52nd position after his 168 on his Test debut, and Bangladesh`s Tamim Iqbal whose century in the second innings has helped him rocket 22 places to 62nd spot.
There is also a change at the top of the bowlers` chart for the first time in more than three years with Muttiah Muralitharan handing over the baton to South Africa fast bowler Dale Steyn.
Steyn had briefly joined Muralitharan in number-one position after the second Test against India in Ahmedabad in April 2008. However, Steyn had failed to go top of the table on his own after a disappointing third Test in Kanpur.
For Muralitharan, it is the first time that he has dropped to second position since February 2006. This is because he missed both the Tests of the ongoing series due to injury and a player loses one per cent of his ratings for every match he misses. Klik disini untuk melanjutkan »»
Sania returns to Practice in fiancee Sohrab's company
Labels: India, sania, tennis
Barely a few days after her engagement, tennis ace Sania Mirza has returned to the courts, but this time in the company of her fiancee Sohrab Mirza.
Sania for the first time turned out for practice at the L B Stadium here on Monday alongwith her childhood friend Sohrab with whom she got engaged on July 10 before departing for US on July 16.
"We have tried to spend as much time as possible. This is where (stadium) I am most of the time, so he (Sohrab Mirza) decided to join me and he is also getting interested in tennis," Sania told reporters last night.
"He can also enjoy watching me practice and enjoy watching me play. He is a lot into other kind of sports but he follows my career whenever I am playing," she added. Asked whether her life had changed after the engagement, Sania said on the personal front it had but not on the professional level.
"Not really. Lot of personal things have changed but when it comes to tennis, I guess it is good to have someone other than my mom and dad who is so close to me to come and support me throughout. It's a good feeling," she said.
Sania also expressed optimism of an improved showing in the upcoming US Open.
"I have five-six weeks before the US Open starts, so it is not that I am thinking about the US Open itself. I have always done well in hardcourts. I hope I can stay healthy throughout the seven weeks and, may be, try and peak during the US Open," she said.
The 22-year-old Hyderabadi gained one position in the latest WTA singles ranking and is placed at the 85 spot. Sania, however, lost one rung in the doubles rankings to be placed 42nd.
