HYDERABAD LIFESTYLE

Lose Weight Fast as you can!

2009-03-12T11:24:00.001+05:30

By M H Ahssan

The quickest way to lose weight may not always be the most obvious way in the fray. Sure you can lose weight in a number of ways. You could go on one of those fad diets that you keep hearing about celebrities using to drop weight. The ones where you get to eat no fats and only nibble on salads all day long. Or one where you eliminate all carbohydrates from your food and just eat some proteins. Or you could even go on a "no cooking" diet where you have to eat all the vegetables and fruits fresh and raw.

If all these seasonal diets are going to help you at all, they will not do it in this lifetime. They are just going to help you lose some weight for the time that you are on the diet and you will gain all that weight and more back on as soon as you eat regular food again.

The quickest way to lose weight may not be the healthiest way to lose weight. The quickest way to lose weight may cause your body to act like a "Yo-Yo" with it putting on and dropping pounds as a matter of routine. This is not, as you can imagine, exactly the healthiest thing for your body. Sure you will drop pounds fast, but it will not be because you are burning fat. It will be because you are losing water from the body. And it will cause you to lose muscle tone as well. I for one do not believe that you should opt to lose weight in this haphazard manner.

It is far better to go about your weight loss in a more organized manner. Don't expect to work miracles instantly. It took some time for you to get to your current weight and it will take you some time to come down to your ideal weight. Don't get distracted by gadgets and products that offer to give you instant weight loss. You will be handing away your money to anyone who has a decent sales pitch. There are enough people out there who will have no qualms doing just that, so do your home work before you make a purchase. Remember that to lose weight you need to have a plan.

Here is a three week plan that works. Try it out for yourself and see if it makes any difference to you. In the first week monitor what your calorie intake and calorie burning is. Write it all down. In the second week decrease your calorie intake and increase your calorie burning causing a difference of 500 calories per day. In the third week make adjustments to your schedule so that you can burn extra calories and lose more weight faster.

Fats that make your heart happy

2009-03-06T10:05:00.001+05:30

Dr.Anjali Kapoor

Fats and cholesterol are always the prime accused in the case of heart trouble and the first things to be pushed out of the diet when on a weight loss regime. But, do fats deserve all the bad publicity?

Not all fats are bad for your health. The right sort can help your heart keep pumping, make your joints supple, and improve the texture of your skin. Fats and oils are made up of fatty acids and it is these that make a difference to your health. If you go on a low-fat diet or consume calories from the wrong foods, your body may not get enough good fats, which are needed to build healthy cells. This can cause poor organ function.

The good fats
Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA): Oils extracted from olives, groundnuts, sesame seeds, rapeseed, canola and flaxseed contain MUFAs, which protect the cardiovascular system. MUFA also helps reduce low density lipoprotein (LDL, a type of cholesterol) in your body, promoting heart health. Olive oil is the richest source of MUFA.

Essential fatty acids (EFA): As the name suggests, these are necessary for normal growth and development. There are two types: omega-3 and omega-6. These are not manufactured by the body so the only way to acquire them is through diet.

Among the omega-3 fatty acids, the most important ones are a-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). These stimulate blood circulation by increasing the breakdown of fibrin (a compound involved in clot formation) and help reduce blood pressure. Omega-3 fatty acids also reduce the risk of heart attack and atherosclerosis by significantly reducing blood triglyceride levels. Omega-3s are also known to to have anti-inflammatory properties and help in conditions like arthritis, varicose veins and depression.

Primary omega-6 fatty acids constitute linoleic acid. But a high consumption these fatty acids is know to increase the risk of heart disease. The ratio of not more than 4:1 of omega-6 to omega-3 acids in your diet is considered beneficial to health.

Indian diets are packed with an abundant supply of omega-6, from cereals, grains, vegetables and dals, so it’s important to make sure you’re getting enough foods with omega-3 fatty acids in them to maintain the ratio.

Eat foods like fish, walnuts, soybeans, almonds, leafy vegetables and flaxseed, which are rich in omega-3. Avoid adding vegetable oil while cooking, since it is rich in omega-6 and disrupts the ratio.

Tips to balancing your diet
Have two tablespoons of alsi-seed (flaxseeds) powder daily. Alsi is rich in ALA, and helps increase high density lipoprotein (HDL, good cholesterol) in your body. Alsi powder can be added to salads or can be had as a chutney.

To increase the amount of EPA and DHA in your diet, eat cold water oily fish like salmon, bangda, sardines, and surmai, 2-3 times a week (grilled or steamed).

Include evening primrose oil and fish oil supplements in your diet.

Reduce your intake of processed food, margarine and vegetable oils like corn and sunflower, as they are high in omega-6.

Reduce your saturated fat intake by avoiding red meat, high fat dairy products like whole milk and butter, and deep fried food.

Use oils extracted from olives, mustard and canola.

Eat more omega-3 rich foods like walnuts, almonds, soybeans, leafy vegetables, sea-food, etc.

The human body is very resilient but improper eating eventually exacts a toll. So make sure you make the right choices.

Milk can prevent Alzheimer’s, says study

2009-03-02T11:02:00.000+05:30

By Rajini Mathews

Want to stave off dementia? Drink just two glasses of milk daily, for a new study has suggested that it can help protect against memory loss and Alzheimer’s disease in old age.

An international team, led by Oxford University, has found that milk is actually one of the best sources of a key vitamin, B12, that is said to reduce the neurological damage to the brain which can lead to forms of dementia. Moreover, the study has revealed that elderly patients with low levels of the vitamin B12 suffer twice as much shrinkage of the brain as those with higher levels of the substance in their bodies. According to lead researcher Prof David Smith, downing just two glasses of milk everyday would be enough to “increase levels of vitamin B12” to an adequate level and increasing the intake of B12 in the elderly could slow cognitive decline.

“Our study shows that consuming around half a litre of milk or more per day, and it can be skimmed milk, could take someone who has marginal levels of B12 into the safe range. But drinking just two glasses a day can protect against having low levels,” ‘The Daily Telegraph’ quoted Smith as saying. Vitamin B12 is found mainly in meat, fish and dairy products.

But, the study, published in the ‘American Journal of Clinical Nutrition’ has revealed that while meat contain some of the highest levels of the vitamin, it’s poorly absorbed by the body when eaten.

Instead Prof Smith, together with colleagues at Oslo University and Bergen University in Norway, found the highest levels of vitamin B12 absorbed by the body came from milk, despite having lower B12 concentrations than meat.

Around 55% of the vitamin in milk entered the blood stream; fish provided the second highest source of the vitamin, followed by other dairy products, they found in their study.

How Happy Are You?

2009-02-17T15:32:00.001+05:30

By M H Ahssan

Have you ever wondered what makes people happy? Why do millionaires often seem wretched when slum-dwellers in Kolkata profess to be content? Here’s what modern science can teach you about turning that frown upside down

It does not look like a picture of the pursuit of happiness. In the photograph, social psychologist Robert Biswas-Diener is sitting on the ground somewhere in Kenya, his back straight, hands in his lap, the fingers of one wrapped fiercely around the opposite wrist. His short-sleeved shirt is half off. A Maasai warrior sits facing him, calmly poking a red-hot stick into Biswas-Diener’s exposed pectoral muscle. Which he did again and again.

“They’re a culture of bravery,” says Biswas-Diener, who travels the world to study happiness. “They do all these rituals of burning and sacrifice as a show of pain tolerance. I went to see a male circumcision on a 15-year-old, and it’s pretty horrific. But the kid held completely still, almost as if he was asleep. The Maasai really do prize this capital of courage. They didn’t necessarily have a lot of respect for my project. So I said, ‘Sure, I’d be willing to have this ritual burning.’ ”

Biswas-Diener’s reaction was to clench his jaw as the burning stick seared his flesh, allowing one eyebrow to jut wildly skyward. The Maasai warriors submitted in turn to that odd instrument of torture, the attitudinal survey. It turned out that they were happy, despite having little or no formal education, few possessions other than their cattle, and nothing but spears to fend off hungry lions.

What makes people happy? Why do millionaires often seem wretched, whereas slum-dwellers in Kolkata profess to be content? Why do we find satisfaction in activities that are painful in the actual experience, like running a marathon, or being branded in a tribal ritual? If real happiness lies in our relationships with family and friends, as research suggests, how do we cultivate these relationships—and not let these people drive us nuts?

Over the past few decades, a small army of scientists has been working to tease out the elusive nature of happiness. The results of their work can at times seem dauntingly complex, as when two economists offer this formula for happiness: r = h[u(y, s, z, t)] + e. At other times, it can seem blissfully simple, as when the same two authors conclude, “The more sex, the happier the person.”

The good news about happiness is that it seems to be a skill that we can acquire and develop. Studies indicate that even severely depressed individuals can increase their sense of well-being. Moreover, some of the most effective techniques are relatively simple and cost nothing.

Let’s start with a list. I sat up all night making mine, and it was infinitely more gratifying than the more familiar 1 am pastime of making “to-do” lists. It was a list of things that, at one time or another, have made me happy. When I was a kid, for instance, I loved to circle a berry tree in our backyard while still my pajamas, stuffing my face till my hands and feet and lips were purple with crushed berries. Sounds dumb? But the truth is that my list was full of trivial stuff: driving my first car with one arm out the window and Hey Jude playing loud on the radio; walking to my flat in Dublin carrying a pint of milk with the cream rising to the top and a loaf of brown bread still warm from the oven; sitting on a porch with a gin and tonic, looking out at the bay, while my daughter played nearby on a swing. Nothing you would put on your list of “99 Things to Do before I Die”.

But maybe it’s not about big things, after all. We often stake our happiness on things that we know, deep down, will quickly leave us feeling empty—acquiring the next big promotion, the slick new car, the hot date. We act as if all hangs on, say, our team winning this Saturday’s big match. But Saturday afternoon comes and goes, says Harvard researcher Daniel T Gilbert, PhD, and all the emotions stirred up by the game get “pushed, pulled, dampened, exacerbated, and otherwise altered by post-game pizza, late-night parties and next-day hangovers”.

In one experiment, Gilbert and other researchers asked participants how bad they would feel if they failed to win the big date. B-a-a-ad, they thought. But when they actually lost, they generally shrugged it off.

So the researchers upped the ante. They asked participants what quantity of a mood-enhancing drug they would want to ingest to make themselves feel better if they lost. A ton, they predicted. But on losing, they actually opted for a much smaller imaginary dose. We have, says Gilbert, a kind of “psychological immune system” for explaining away bad news.

This is, of course, a good thing. It enables us to find our way back to our familiar emotional baseline, even after a devastating event, such as the loss of a parent. Curiously, Gilbert suggests that we may also benefit from our inability to predict what will make us happy. Exaggerating the impact of future events may help us drum up the energy for Saturday’s game. It may explain what Gilbert refers to as “our willingness to marry despite the responsibilities and constraints… or to raise children despite the pooping and howling”.

On the other hand, it may also help sustain the illusion that we could be happy if we were just a little richer, say, or a little more physically attractive. Research has repeatedly shown that increasing your income, or even winning the lottery, is unlikely to make you much happier, once you get beyond the basic minimum.

The psychological immune system is also good at explaining away even extraordinarily good events, so that they quickly seem ordinary “and perhaps even a little dull”, Gilbert says. Thus, people who pin their hopes on the next big thing often end up on what researchers call “the hedonic treadmill”, chasing goals that, once attained, don’t seem to matter much.
People also fool themselves about what made them happy in the past. In one experiment, test subjects’ memories of their vacations were much happier than their feelings during the actual holidays. This flawed memory made them more willing to repeat the vacation experience. The “peak/end rule,” put forth by Princeton psychologist Daniel Kahneman, PhD, provides a possible explanation. Kahneman points out that there are 20,000 or so three-second “moments” in the average waking day. Keeping track of them all is just too damned hard. So, as a sort of shortcut, people’s memories of an event are disproportionately influenced, according to Kahneman, by the peak moment and the ending.

Scientists are beginning to understand the mechanisms that make happiness possible—and they’re figuring out how to tinker with them. The peak/end rule, for instance, has practical implications: we’re far more likely to feel happy about some past experience, and far more willing to go back for more, if the experience ended on a positive note. The moral is simple: whatever you’re doing, if you want to do it again with the same people anytime soon, send ’em away smiling.

At the University of Wisconsin in Madison, a volunteer slides his head into the doughnut-hole opening of a magnetic resonance imaging machine, which pings and squeals, constructing a picture of his brain in 30 slices. The MRI is recording the life of the patient’s mind, measuring activity in areas of his brain at any given moment. This gives neuroscientists a way to measure something as intangible as happiness. It also helps explain why things often look gloomier than they are.

Being negative is natural. We evolved to accentuate the negative, to notice the one dumb thing that goes wrong rather than the five or 10 things that go right. For instance, when researchers show people a paper on which is printed a grid full of smiling faces and one angry face, the test subjects instantly zero in on the angry face. Reverse the pattern and it takes them much longer to pick out the solitary smile.

Why be negative? Because focussing on what can go wrong helps us deal with danger. An angry face grabs our attention more than a smile does because it represents a threat. Psychologists say “negativity bias” was built into our minds evolution, because early humans who wandered up to the local watering hole a little too casually tended to be eaten by predators. Staying alive to enjoy your moment of happiness meant having a quick eye for the unhappy possibilities.

On the other hand, if we spent all our time being skittish, we’d never leave our beds. We’d never go to work. Or if we did, we’d shut the door and hide under our desks to avoid all the problems, a behaviour not unknown among new managers. So evolution has also equipped our brains with the opposite tendency, a “positivity offset”, simultaneously encouraging us to approach rather than to withdraw, and thus enabling us to ask somebody out on a date, or apply for a big job, or elbow our way to the bar.

Every human being has an emotional set point, an individual tendency to approach or withdraw, according to University of Wisconsin neuroscientist Richard Davidson, PhD, and the MRI is a way to index it. Activity in the left side of the prefrontal cortex is associated with a whole package of approach behaviours, including the way we point, move towards an object, handle it, and then give it a name. The right side of the prefrontal cortex, on the other hand, specialises in withdrawal behaviours, particularly detecting threats and backing away from them.

So what does all this have to do with happiness? Davidson has found that people with a distinctly higher level of activity on the left side of the prefrontal cortex rarely experience troubling moods, and tend to recover from them quickly. At the other extreme, people with a significantly higher level of activity on the right side of the brain are the most likely to have clinical depression or an anxiety disorder over the course of their lives.

But Davidson’s most interesting finding is that people can shift their emotional set points. In a study at a Wisconsin company called Promega, volunteers undertook a regimen of traditional meditation techniques (sitting quietly, breathing deeply, becoming calm and mindful). After eight weeks, MRI tests showed that they experienced a 10 to 15 per cent shift in the ratio of brain activity, away from the right side, bastion of negativity and withdrawal, and over to the positive-thinking left side. The subjects themselves could feel the change.

“I don’t react as much if my buttons are being pushed,” says Promega employee Michael Slater. “Instead of reacting, I ask why this is bugging me, and then I choose what to do about it. It maybe takes half a second. It’s not a big internal dialogue.” Davidson suggests that becoming more positive is an important step: “This culture is obsessed with certain practices, such as going to the gym to achieve demonstrable effects on the body. But there is every evidence that if we care for the mind in the same way we care for the body, positive emotions like generosity, happiness, and compassion can be trained up. They are skills, not fixed characteristics.”

If being negative is natural, why tamper with it now? “We’re no longer living in a hunter-gatherer society,” says University of Pennsylvania psychologist Tayyab Rashid, PhD. “We have basic security.” For the students who go to him suffering from depression, the negatives have piled up and become an impediment. They talk about how screwed up they are, how their mothers were very controlling, how their fathers were never at home, how the world is falling apart. “I listen,” says Rashid. But he also asks them to write a 300-word true story, with a beginning, middle and end, about an instance in which they exhibited strength. “They’re resistant at first.” Another paper. Just what a college student needs. Couldn’t we cut to the Prozac?

Instead of meditation—or medication— Rashid employs a repertoire of exercises developed by researchers in the thriving specialty known as positive psychology. For instance, in the “blessings” exercise, patients take time each night to write down three good things that happened that day. “The brain is wired to be negative. So we don’t remember the good things as well,” says Rashid. Writing them down helps change that.

Next, Rashid has his patients write a letter of thanks to someone who has played an important part in their lives. Then they arrange to visit with their benefactor and read the letter aloud. The face-to-face experience of saying “thank you” is life changing for some people, Rashid says. The “very raw expression of goodwill” tends to open up channels of communication and strengthen relationships. In experiments by psychologist Robert Emmons, PhD, at the University of California at Davis, these techniques helped test subjects boost their optimism, vitality, alertness and other building blocks of happiness.

If expressing deep gratitude seems a little too raw, particularly for emotionally inhibited Western males, Rashid says he understands: he grew up in Pakistan, as the youngest of five children. When their father’s business collapsed, one of the older brothers went to work as a labourer, putting in 20-hour days, six days a week. No one in the family had ever gone beyond high school, but the elder brother sent Rashid to private school and then to an American university. When Rashid eventually earned his doctorate, the brother came to the US for graduation. Rashid had his letter of gratitude ready—and could not read it aloud. “He would have been embarrassed,” Rashid says. “But I gave him the letter, and he responded with lots of tears and hugs. The expression was there. But no spoken words. And it cemented our relationship.”

These exercises are all aimed at spurring people to savour their own lives before it’s too late. It is the Warren Zevon lesson, articulated when the songwriter and performer was dying of cancer. Asked what his condition had taught him, Zevon replied, “How much you’re supposed to enjoy every sandwich.”

We are most likely to achieve happiness, it seems, when it is completely off the agenda. It shows up when we become so totally absorbed in an activity that time hardly seems to exist, and everything flows in the moment. “The surgeon can’t afford to feel happy during a demanding operation, or a musician while playing a challenging score,” writes Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, the psychologist who first proposed the concept of “flow”. “Only after the task is completed do we have the leisure to look back on what has happened, and then we are flooded with gratitude for the excellence of that experience— then, in retrospect, we are happy.”

The key to happiness, Csikszentmihalyi suggests, is figuring out what gives you that feeling of flow. For me, it happens when I’m writing, or rowing a boat. For you? Eating Thai food or revising a bank statement are all legitimate contenders. But wait. We naturally think of happiness mainly in terms of pleasures. And yet some of these things sound suspiciously like work. In fact, some researchers suggest that flow— and happiness—often occurs when we set difficult goals for ourselves and go about achieving them—even at a cost of much pain.

Carnegie Mellon University economist George Loewenstein, PhD, describes mountaineering as “long periods of stultifying boredom punctuated by brief periods of terror”. So, what’s the appeal? Loewenstein writes that it’s almost impossible to fake it when you’re climbing a mountain. In addition to the potential for living in the moment, this makes it “an ideal venue for self-signalling”, he says. He suggests that a sense of well-being depends on the need not just to build a good name and impress other people, but also “to impress oneself”. Science underrates the importance of such motives, says Loewenstein, because it hasn’t yet figured out how to measure them.

Our happiness depends finally on other people and on the strength of our connections to them. When Biswas-Diener found that the Maasai in Kenya and slum-dwellers in Kolkata were relatively happy, one key factor was that they had a strong sense of their place in a social network. Homeless people in California, lacking such a network, were deeply unhappy.

When Biswas-Diener’s father, the psychologist and happiness researcher Ed Diener, examined the traits of the happiest people in his studies, he also found that, without exception, they had strong social relationships. A person does not need a vast circle of friends, or many party invites, to be happy. It may just be the people you play carrom with. But everybody needs somebody. When I look at my little happiness list, these connections are everywhere: I see myself climbing into my mother’s arms when I was three; I see my little daughter riding out for the first time on her bike; I see the time my sons appeared together in their high-school production of a famous musical; I see us all lying around on a beach, our noses buried in books; I see my English teacher from first year in college, rumoured to be a death-camp survivor, walking on a city street. “Hello,” I said, “How are you?” And I can still feel the way she beamed at me, lifting her chin to indicate the sky. “The sun is shining!” she explained. Then she passed contagiously by, and I’m not sure why, 30-odd years later, her happiness still makes me so happy.

But this is perhaps too high-minded a note to end on. So bear in mind this final piece of useful advice about one of the most important ways we connect with other people: when in doubt about what will make your significant other happy, have sex with her. In a study, researchers asked 900 working women in Texas to log their activities of the previous day and rank them according to happiness. They rated sex as the activity that produced the most happiness. (The least happy part of the day was commuting to work.) Oh, what the heck, do it twice. Send her off on that commute with a big fat grin.

From the world of happiness research, this is perhaps the ultimate take-home.

Do you have office A.D.D.?

2009-02-17T15:30:00.001+05:30

By M H Ahssan

Mail inbox cluttered with last year’s spam. Juggling three phones at once. Getting frazzled looking at the number of messages that need a reply. If that’s your usual day, you may be heading for, or have already caught, that deadly workplace disease: attention deficit disorder.

Rahul Ahuja, a Delhi-based jeweller, told his girlfriend to meet him for lunch, only to discover, after she was already at the restaurant, that he had a meeting with some outstation clients, and they, too, had already reached the meeting place. Not a good day for Ahuja, but hardly an unusual day. Things slipping out of his mind moments after he fi led them in his brain had become a common occurrence...

Pradeep Mitra hasn’t cleaned his offi ce e-mail inbox in a long while. Not since early 2007, maybe. The message overload means that any new mail he tries to send refuses to make the trip. A fl ustered Pradeep has to quickly identify some useless (he hopes so) mail from his inbox and create a tiny opening for his new mail to zoom off. “Why,” his colleagues ask Pradeep, “don’t you clean the inbox out?” Um, because so many of them still need to be read and replied to....

These men have a condition that Dr Edward Hallowell, MD, would label as the upshot of 21st Century Information Overload. Dr Hallowell is one of the world’s most eminent experts in attention defi cit disorder and the symptoms displayed by Rahul and Pradeep are familiar to him: diffi culty in focussing, inability to complete a project, irritability, anxiety.

In many men, these symptoms can be explained away as a bad day at work. But in many others, they are a clinical condition.

EXCESS BAGGAGE
Very short attention spans have been traditionally associated with children. Until the mid ’80s, physicians and psychologists believed that A.D.D. was outgrown by the time a child hit adolescence. Surprise, surprise! It is now accepted by the medical community that childhood A.D.D. can continue well into adulthood.

The biggest prey group consists of young professional men, not equipped with the multitasking skills that evolution has given women. Two of the biggest tools of multitasking—the cell phone and e-mail—are also two of the biggest enemies of concentration. These fi rst came to India just over a decade ago, changing the way we work. And in the past few years, these have been the channels through which an avalanche of information has swamped users.

Every mobile phone interruption from a tele-caller peddling some scheme, some PR person selling a product, every e-mail message popping up on the corner of your computer screen is a hindrance to your concentration. Because, much as the modern young professional loves to believe that he is an effi cient juggler at work, study after study shows that the grey matter is not equipped to handle two complex tasks at once—at least not without slowing you down or screwing you up. That’s why, studies say, driving while talking on the cell phone is like driving after two drinks.

In a 2006 study published in Neuron, fMRI technology was used to show that an actual neural bottleneck occurs in the frontal lobes when you attempt to do two tasks at once. And when you are interrupted doing something, your brain can’t go back seamlessly to the job it was doing before the interruption. A study at Microsoft last year looked at how long it took people to return to a task when they were interrupted by an e-mail or a phone call. The average: an astonishing 15 minutes. The study authors found that people, once interrupted, take the opportunity to do other things, like check more e-mail.

PRIMED FOR IT
In some people, A.D.D. is inbuilt. They had very short attention spans as children. When they grew up, responsibilities increased, but their concentration did not get any better. This led to unfi nished jobs, rising stress and panic attacks, all of which coalesce into a psychological disorder. Dr (Prof.) Manju Mehta, clinical psychology, AIIMS, explains, “Often X Sharma in Class IV, who was unable to sit still in the classroom, becomes Mr X Sharma, who at age 30, is unable to sit through business presentations.” Dr Mehta describes the signs of A.D.D.: “His eyes dart around, his fi ngers drum continuously, his legs kick under the table, he stretches, sometimes even scratches and, of course, doesn’t grasp a word the presenter is saying...”

There is no question that A.D.D. can disrupt lives and reduce productivity. “It can be mild, moderate or severe and the symptoms vary from person to person—but they have some combination of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsiveness,” explains Dr Mehta. “For most people with A.D.D., their lives are fi lled with an overwhelming chaos—piles of stuff, never-ending tasks and out-of-control clutter. They are constantly behind schedule and frazzled.”

People teetering at the edge of an abyss will often fall into it, and this happens with A.D.D. sufferers, too. Dr Mehta warns, “In adults, the impulsive behaviour becomes more common; it is more dangerous, as this can lead to substance abuse and other risky behaviour.”

“Then there are some people who, along with a very, very short attention span, display hyperactivity,” says Dr Sandeep Vohra, senior consultant psychiatrist, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, New Delhi. This is A.D.H.D., the nasty big brother of A.D.D.. “To a person with A.D.H.D., it feels as if everything is happening all at once. This creates a sense of inner turmoil, even panic.”

It’s like being super-charged all the time, but not in a good way. This is Dr Vohra’s picture of what goes in an A.D.H.D. sufferer’s mind: “You get one idea and you have to act on it. Then you get another idea, so you go for that. But a third idea interrupts just then… and pretty soon people are calling you disorganised, irresponsible and impulsive. But you know that you are trying really hard—yet not getting anywhere!”

E-MAIL ADDICTION
As Dr Ashima Puri, consultant psychologist, Aashlok Hospital, New Delhi, explains, like a wildly swinging camera lens, the A.D.D. sufferer’s constantly gyrating mind prevents him from focussing on the things that matter.

Why, for example, do you need to check every mail that pops up on your screen, even though you can see from the subject line that it’s nothing important. But most of you will, compulsively, drop the task you are doing, read the new mail, maybe follow a link, and then another and get caught up in what Dr Hallowell calls “screensucking”. He calls it a turbo-charged version of a natural human trait: procrastination.

What keeps you coming back to your inbox is the prospect of a thrill: information about a new project; great news about something; positive feedback from a colleague or the boss. This constant thrill-chasing keeps you, however, from fi nishing the less exciting but more important tasks. And when the task pileup begins to look scary, you fi nd escape in even more thrill-seeking in your inbox.

THE ROAD AHEAD
Offi ce A.D.D. can be controlled by training your mind and forcing yourself to stick to a new work fl ow plan until the habit becomes second nature. Clinical A.D.D., like any other clinical condition, needs diagnosis and treatment. “The diagnosis can be liberating, particularly for people who have been stuck with labels like ‘lazy’, ‘stubborn’, ‘wilful’, ‘disruptive’, ‘impossible’, ‘tyrannical’, ‘brain-damaged’, ‘stupid’ or just plain ‘bad’,” writes Dr Hallowell in his book Delivered from Distraction.

It’s not unusual for A.D.D. sufferers to taste success in an enterprise if they manage to focus their energies, say experts; but A.D.D. prevents them from becoming well-adjusted individuals. In the case of Chennaibased entrepreneur K Shashi, while his medical equipment business was smooth sailing, his relationships kept running into stormy weather. He could never settle in a relationship, let alone marry. This led to seeking psychological counselling. “The doctor put a name to my troubles. It’s been such a weight off my chest,” says Shashi, who is now on medication. “Now I know how to handle my situation.”

That’s the thing about this disorder. It takes a lot of adapting to get on in life living with A.D.D. “But,” stresses Dr Mehta, “it certainly can be done, and be done very well.”

Kitchen crimes

2009-02-17T15:27:00.000+05:30

By M H Ahssan

FOOD FELONY#1 Going non-stick
You could come unstuck if you use non-stick. "Heating nonstick pans releases harmful particles of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)," says New Delhi based nutritionist Dr Sonia Kakar. These fumes can cause 'polymer fume fever,' a little known severe flu-like condition.

Break free: Use stainless steel. Tests showed Teflon takes five minutes to reach 360°C, at which PTFE is released. So cook on medium heat, with a window open. The risk is low in routine cooking, but that doesn't mean you can't lower it further. "Poaching or using spray oil is an effective method, since there is another medium that's absorbing the heat of the flame," says Dr Kakar.

FOOD FELONY#2 Boiling vegetables
To guarantee your vit-hit, prepare with care. "Vitamin C is a very labile vitamin. It is sensitive to light and heat. So it is not a good idea to cut fruits and salads hours before consumption," says Dr Niti Desai, consultant dietician, Cumballa Hill Hospital. Studies by Warwick University found boiling broccoli for 10 minutes reduced its immunity-boosting glucosinolates by 80 per cent.

Break free: Boiling is for potatoes only. Ideally steam other vegetables, ensuring the water's piping hot to minimise cooking time. "Our way of cooking veggies is that we usually overcook-with resultant loss of vitamins," adds Dr Desai. The Warwick study found reducing broccoli cooking time to just five minutes meant only a 10 per cent loss of glucosinolates. Remember that crunchy veggies are nutrient-dense and that outer skins harbour vitamins. Stir frying locks nutrients in as it uses intense heat for less time.

FOOD FELONY#3 Soaring temperatures
Studies in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found cooking meat and cheese on high heat ups the amount of advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) in your meal. "It's time we paid attention to these toxins," says Dr Helen Vlassara, the Mt Sinai School of Medicine in New York. "They accumulate in the body, leading to inflammation which, over time, causes organ damage and disease." AGEs, in fact, have been linked to diabetes, Alzheimer's, arthritis and heart disease.

Break free: AGEs occur when sugar, protein and fat are exposed to high heat without water. Cook at lower temperatures, and stew or poach rather than dry-fry. A steamed meal has one fifth the AGEs of a fried one. And marinating meat in acidic liquids such as vinegar, lemon juice or tomato sauce also cuts AGEs.

FOOD FELONY#4 Nuking garlic
It may keep vampires away but if you manhandle garlic, you'll zap its anti-cancer properties. Penn State University research discovered that heating garlic for just one minute after crushing destroyed its only proven anti-cancer compound, allyl sulphur. Heating right after crushing deactivates the enzyme and blocks the anticancer effects.

Break free: Leave crushed bulbs to stand for 15 minutes before cooking to give the allyl sulphur time to stabilise. Another effective method is to leave it in water for 10 minutes before cooking. This also helps the allyl sulphur stabilise so it won't leach out. Better still, roast the clove whole to protect the enzyme. "You could also crush the garlic raw in salad or buttermilk or have a chilli-garlic chutney," says Dr Desai.

FOOD FELONY#5 Playing with plastic
Storing fatty foods like meat, dairy or last night's korma in plastic containers means dodgy chemicals can leak into them. "It's a myth that plastics don't break down," says Dr Kakar. "Plastic is dicey. Chemicals can get into food from plastic whether it's heated or not." Re-heating is a double offence. Microwave heating means more chemicals escape.

Break free: "Use heat-resistant glass, ceramics and steel whenever possible for cooking and storage. Too much of plastic should not be used to thaw or heat food," says Dr Kakar. It's better not to use plastic dishware in the microwave or place hot food in it. Plastics are good to freeze food, but then heat it in glass containers. And what of cling film? Well, reduce contamination risk by ensuring it doesn't touch the food.

FOOD FELONY#6 Overcooking overload
University of California research found raw food is easier to digest, and overcooked food can trigger an immune response. "The higher the temperature food is cooked at, the harder it is to absorb and the longer it stays in your gut," says Dr Desai.

Break free: The more food you eat raw, the better. Steam, boil or chew rather than baking or roasting, and cut down on overprocessed foods, which your body has a hard time digesting. "Tandoori or barbequed food is a no-no," says Dr Desai.

FOOD FELONY#7 Being heavy with metal
Baking or wrapping acidic food in aluminium foil can be risky-the metal can leach into food, but heating certainly speeds the process. Scientists from Ondokuz Mayis University in Turkey found baking meat in foil increases its aluminium content by 378 per cent. And the more acidic the food, the more it corrodes aluminium. "Acidic foods have lower pH. This means they have a tendency to react with the metal," says Dr Kakar. Tomatoes are particularly prone to dissolving aluminium. As for that open can-once it is opened, the tin starts to corrode. And though no long-term health problems have been linked with consuming tin, it can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, wind, abdominal cramps and bloating.

Break free: "Don't cook soft fruit, tomatoes or cabbage in aluminium pans," warns Dr Kakar. Also try not to bake your meat in aluminium foil.

The Anatomy of Ecstasy

2009-02-17T15:08:00.003+05:30

By M H Ahssan

Creating an explosive sexual reaction means taking the right elements for you and her. Get it right and you'll prolong your relationship and your life.

The A-spot Anal
Take advantage of her nerves: sensation from both the vagina and the anus go to the brain through the pelvic nerve. "So it's not surprising that when activated non-genitally, it can also generate orgasm," says Dr Rajan Bhonsle, consultant in sexual medicine and counsellor. Thus rectal stimulation can feel good because her nervous system thinks the pleasure is coming from the vagina. The way to make this work for you both is to gently stimulate both at the same time. But make sure you ask first because a lot of women are squeamish.

The E-spot Eyes
Research in the journal Sexual Rehabilitation of the Spinal-Cord-Injured Patient found that some women can experience orgasm and sexual pleasure from imagery alone, without any form of touching. Use it to your advantage by assuming a face-to-face position, with you on top and her getting a good view of your manly physique enveloping her. Doggy style is out, then. But her imagining it is not.

The B-spot Breasts
Use the science of breasts to speed along her orgasm. Sensory activity from the breasts causes production and secretion of oxytocin, the same hormone as caused by vaginal or clitoral stimulation, says Dr Bhonsle who is also head of department of sexual medicine at Seth GS Medical College, Mumbai. This then travels to the area of the brain that monitors the genitals. Use slow, rhythmic stimulation of her nipples and the lower portion of her breasts to increase her responsiveness before you move south.

The M-spot Mouth
"Orgasms can be elicited from any body part," says Dr Bhonsle. "But because of their high nerve density, a woman's lips have been found to have a direct effect on her genital organs." So kiss her at different levels of pressure and rhythm during sex- don't just roll on top of her lips-first as a signal that you're bored with watching TV and angling to get down to it. That's a turn-off.

The K-spot Knees
Experiments conducted by the authors of The Science Of Orgasm discovered an orgasm-like response from the stimulation of a woman's knee. A vibrator applied to this body-part caused an increase in muscle-tension leading toward the top of her legs, which resulted in climax. Exploit the orgasmic potential of running your hands up and down her legs before and during sex, paying particular attention to the area between the very top of her thighs and the crook of her knee.

The G-spot G-spot
After the clitoris, this should be your orgasmic fail-safe. Research in the journal Annals Of Sex Research describes how using fingers to stimulate the front wall inside the vagina with the woman lying on her back enabled 100 per cent of those tested to achieve orgasm. Follow the technique of the examiners and rub the "internal region nearest the clitoris" using a 'come-here' motion (shape like a fish-hook) with one or more fingers.

The C-spot Clitoris
You know where this is, right? In a report published in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 94 per cent of women studied had experienced orgasm from direct clitoral simulation. The clitoris was said to be 'the most densely innervated part of the human body' and clitoral orgasms were found to feel acutely localised around the genitals. All those nerve endings mean you need to start slow. "Follow her body's motion so you build up your rhythm as she gets closer to her big moment," says Dr Sudhakar Krishnamurti, andrologist and microsurgeon, director of Andromeda Andrology Center, Hyderabad.

Jumpstart your sex lifeHere's your most definitive guide to win her heart, body and soul...

Compliment her: And keep doing it. It'll make her feel noticed, special and appreciated, and closer to you. "The more connected she feels, the more sexually inspired she'll feel," says Dr Minnu Bhonsle, a psychologist at Heart To Heart Counselling Centre, Mumbai. Compliment what she feels good about and cares about—her hair, shoes, work triumphs—but be genuine. A confident sex partner is an adventurous sex partner.

Use fragrance for foreplay: Spray a touch of the cologne she loves on the sheets. A study by Indiana University found that women who fantasised while smelling a men's cologne were more aroused than when smelling a neutral odour or women's cologne. If you don't have a scent, shop for one with her. That's foreplay for her, too.

Talk in public: In a park with people all around, whisper your fantasies to each other, sparing no detail. You'll create sexual tension, but there's no possibility of sex then and there. "It's just plain sexy to start something that can't be finished right then," says Helen Fisher, PhD, a US-based anthropologist and the author of Why We Love.

Go wild: Add a distinct but manageable touch of danger to the day. It will stimulate dopamine in her brain, which may trigger her sex drive, says Dr Rohit Jaiman, consultant psychiatrist at Fortis, New Delhi. Pick the right trip-a guided white-water excursion, for instance-and learn all about both the risks and the precautions you'll take. She'll see you as the cause of the excitement, as well as the source of security.

Explore new regions: You've heard about her nipples and vagina? Good. Now spend some time on the back of her neck. It's a brave new world of nerve endings, so gentle caressing and kissing helps. The base of her spine is sensation central, as well. Sex becomes about discovery, not seeking some destination. "Goal-oriented sex is not that sexy, so you need to try new erogenous zones," says Mumbai-based sexologist and counsellor Dr Prakash Kothari.

Watch porn with the sound off... So the two of you can provide the dialogue. You'll learn how to talk erotically, so it's very educational. But it's also fun, you're both in vested in it, and it can help reveal fantasies, says Ava Cadell, PhD, a sex therapist and the author of Love around the House.

...or see a chick flick: Maybe porn isn't her thing. But Hrithik, Imran Khan or George Clooney might be, and for her, these guys are porn. She'll be fantasising about a man who's sweet and will treat her well. And when he kisses the female lead, you kiss your lady at the same time. Show her that reality-her life-can be better.

Craft fantasies: One lazy afternoon, get some wine and divide 10 playing cards amongst yourselves. Write down five sexual fantasies while the wine loosens your inhibitions. Then head out to dinner and over more wine, pull out the cards and discuss. You'll feel filthy discussing this stuff in hushed voices in public, which is the point. Make three piles-'Yes', 'Maybe' and 'Never'. Once a month (she feels sexiest before she ovulates), pull a winner. Any necessary planning heightens the anticipation.

Invite her to ditch her underwear during dinner: The naked secret you now share will linger through dessert, says Dr Samir Parikh, chief of department of mental health and behavioural sciences at Max Healthcare, New Delhi.

Visit the bookstore: The books on erotica will fuel your imaginations. Make some purchases, then read them to each other. You'll discover new interests that, amazingly, never came up. Then, enact a scene.

Try something new during penetration: Rather than in-and-out, try rotation. It'll make for a different kind of clitoral stimulation, says Dr Rajan Bhonsle, consultant in sexual medicine and counsellor. Less thrusting will help you last much longer too.

Leave home: Plan a trip without the kids, because Mom and Dad must also be husband and wife. Take lots of pictures; in a few months, go through them slowly, and recall all the great stuff.

Ask for directions: The clitoris has two sides. So ask, "Do you like it on the left or the right?" Either she knows and will appreciate your sensitivity or she doesn't, and now you've given her a new path to happiness. Plus, she'll be more comfortable giving you feedback.

Feed her black licorice: Black licorice has been shown to speed up her genital blood flow by 40 per cent. Or eat one of these sex enhancers yourself.

Sex enhancers to try today
If you need a dose to further stiffen your resolve in the bedroom, here's the lowdown on prominent potency products.

Viagra
The claim: Developed to combat angina, Viagra dilates blood vessels with the effect, among other things, of increasing blood flow to the penis.
The science: According to researchers at Auburn University, Viagra can help treat the unmanly droop caused by everything from depression to diabetes.

Ginkgo Biloba
The claim: The leaves of this tree are said to be an anti-depressant and increasing sexual response.
The science: It relaxes the muscle controlling blood flow to the penis. One study found that it improved libido and orgasm in 76 per cent of cases tested.

Yohimbine
The claim: Bark from this tree has been said to enhance your erection quality.
The science: According to the Archives of Sexual Behavior, a dose of 15-30gm per day can produce 'positive effects'.

Tribulus Terrestris
The claim: This plant extract is reputed to help you grow every (and that!) muscle in your body, by increasing your testosterone production.
The science: The results are dubious. Online drug watchdog supplementwatch. com notes the active ingredient hasn't even been identified. It's been observed to stimulate 'mounting' in animals.

Ginseng
The claim: A stress-reliever, ginseng has been found to perk up more than just your mood.
The science: This increases the flow of erection-facilitating nitric oxide. A study found ginseng had a positive effect on 60 per cent of men suffering the droop.

Arginmax
The claim: This is a herbal supplement pitched at the Viagra buyer that promises 'great sex and good health for men and women'.
The science: A study published in the Hawaii Medical Journal found an 89 per cent increase in ability to maintain erection in men who participated in the study.

Cardamom
The claim: Spices are said to fire up libido. A strong aphrodisiac, it is popular in India and was used by queen Cleopatra to deodorise her rooms.
The science: Cardamom is high in cineole, a central nervous system stimulant. It can increase blood flow in areas where it is applied. It can be mixed with honey.

Chillies
The claim: One of the 'love foods', it has been known to have anti-inflammatory, circulatory and relaxant properties.
The science: These are rich in capsaicin, a chemical that stimulates nerve endings and raises pulse. They also release endorphins that give the body a heady feeling.

Asthma could start in the womb, says study

2009-02-17T13:10:00.001+05:30

By Sarah Williams

Children born in heavy traffic areas could be at greater risk of developing asthma due to genetic changes brought on by pollution and acquired in the womb, researchers said.

The new study conducted by researchers from the University of Cincinnati (UC) and Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health is published in the journal PLoS ONE.

The researchers studied umbilical cord blood from New York City children, and discovered evidence of a possible new biomarker — an epigenetic alteration in the gene ACSL3 — associated with prenatal exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). They pointed out that such chemical compounds are created as byproducts of incomplete combustion from carbon-containing fuels, resulting in high levels in heavy-traffic areas. Past studies have linked exposure to PAHs to diseases like cancer and childhood asthma.

The researchers said that their latest finding provides a potential clue for predicting environmentally related asthma in children, particularly those born to mothers who live in high-traffic areas while pregnant.

The team claim that theirs is the first study to examine the effects of prenatal ambient air pollutant exposure on epigenetic changes — which may disrupt the normal functioning of genes by affecting their expression but do not cause structural changes or mutations in the genes-linked to asthma.

Working in collaboration with researchers from Columbia’s Mailman School of Public Health, the team studied the relationship between prenatal PAH exposure and childhood asthma, hypothesizing that transplacental exposure to PAHs could “reprogram” foetal genes and lead to airway inflammation or asthma during childhood.

“Our data support the concept that environmental exposures can interact with genes during key developmental periods to trigger disease onset later in life, and that tissues are being reprogrammed to become abnormal later,” says Shuk-mei Ho, senior author of the paper, chair of UC’s Department of Environmental Health and the director of the Center for Environmental Genetics. The researchers used biological specimens from the CCCEH birth cohort of mothers and children living in Northern Manhattan and the South Bronx, and analysed umbilical cord white blood cell samples from 56 children for epigenetic alterations related to prenatal PAH exposure.

Telangana Cuisine, the best 'highway' food

2009-02-10T12:06:00.005+05:30

By M H Ahssan

If you're on the highway from Hyderabad to Mumbai, you just have to pull over for the best experience in Telangana cuisine. HNN reports.

If you regularly take a road trip from Hyderabad to Mumbai, and are looking for meal stops just before you drive off onto the highway, the long haul bus drivers normally dictate terms. The first stop usually is Madhura. A small biryani joint in Ameerpet, it is very popular with those planning to eat a few miles down the road. Further down at Sangareddy there are the dhabas that allow the buses to drive in, and while the driver is tanking up with tea you the passenger can gorge on everything that a dhaba offers. But if you hold on to your horses for just a few more kilometres and reach Zaheerabad, you can experience the delicacies of India's only organic millet restaurant.

Cafe Ethnic with its warm welcoming exteriors and cosy, rustic interiors is an eating experience that's different from most and tastier, healthier and more nutritious than any other.

The restaurant rustles up a variety of dishes using home grown Telangana recipes that feature everything from foxtail millet to finger millet, little millet to pearl millet and jowar and sorghum.

If it's breakfast time, start with the millet porridge. A taida (ragi) preparation, this is wholesome and delicious to the point of a definite second helping. The crushed jaggery base and the topping of freshly chopped cashew and ground nuts give it a sweet, crunchy smoothness. The cardamom and fennel seeds give it a fresh flavour. You graduate to the South Indian staple, the idlivada combo. But here too, there is a difference. Full of proteins, minerals and iron (between 100 and 500% more than rice) the vadas are made from a dough that blends in soaked blackgram dal and finely chopped coconut, ginger, coriander and green chillies.

The idlis feel a bit coarser than the softer city variants but eaten with the groundnut or ginger chutney, you realise that healthy appetites deserve more than just soft steamed rice patties. The next step is almost predictable but surprises you with the texture to taste. The variety of millet dosas on offer are amazing. Part of their korra krackers range, the dosas which are made from fermented dough that also allows pride of place to blackgram dal, bengalgram dal and fenugreek seeds fill you in the most wondrous way. The beauty of this cuisine is that you feel full but never heavy. You feel your hunger being satiated and your batteries being recharged, but never get pushed to the realm of overfed drowsiness.

If you still feel the need to fuel up for the long haul, don't miss the khichdi. This is either a foxtail or little millet preparation, complete with chopped onions, chillies and greens. The green gram blend and the mustard, cumin seeds, curry leaf and ginger-garlic seasoning make it wholesome and you can also decide to pack it for a filling snack a couple of hundred miles down the road. While the breakfast menu includes other favourites like millet upma, bajjis and puris, and of course, tea and coffee, it's the lunch fare that brings to the fore the planks of taste, health and nutrition that Cafe Ethnic stands solidly on.

Mealtimes at this cafe are delicious thalis or a platter of rotis depending on your choice. The jonna (jowar, sorghum) rotis with masala, paalak and onion as well as the kulchas are authentic in feel and flavour.

The other fast moving items here are traditional crunchies like murukulu and appalu and sweets like paysham, laddus, puddings, badusha, noone polelu and malida. Packed and taken away, they are great companions on the highway.

The cafe is a strict no-smoking zone and while fresh fruit juices and chilled mineral water are available, aerated soft drinks are not encouraged.

The pricing is extremely reasonable and a couple can have a full meal for less than Rs 100.

The normal fare on highways and in dhabas is the oily, fried stuff which tastes great but leaves us with after burn complications. Cafe Ethnic is kinder and allows you to relish its uniqueness without side effects. While it is definitely a highway recommendation, its distance from Hyderabad (just under 2 hours by car) makes it a great option for a Sunday afternoon picnic spot or even an early afterparty destination.

Dr. Zakir Naik - Defame And Destroy

2009-02-09T11:58:00.002+05:30

By Jamshed Iqbal

One comes across several interesting comments from the people who have been defending Mr. Zakir Naik on Indian Muslims Blog. Most of my brothers and sisters are impressed by his “immense knowledge” without knowing that his kind of knowledge (database or retention) has nothing to do with religion at all. In other words the knowledge he and his fans boast of is irreligious in its very essence, for any true religion is an ever-flowing fountain of “wisdom” not “knowledge”.

However, Mr. Naik is not an only man basking under this false impression but, it is pity that most of our so-called Muslim scholars are making the profits of same deceptive notion. And it is about this “subtle subversion” that Muslim world or Muslim identity has suffered a great deal. Therefore in this article, I would talk about a whole range of “scholars” of this nature and use the name of Mr. Naik as an “all-purpose unit” to bring my point home.

A wise man may have some knowledge but “it does not necessitate that every knowledgeable man is wise”. For knowledge comes with analysis but wisdom with synthesis. Analysis demands scattering the whole into parts and pieces, on the contrary, synthesis demands uniting and reassembling the parts, once again, into a whole.

Men of knowledge without wisdom are far more harmful for human family than mad men. For knowledge without wisdom lacks comprehensiveness of vision, feelings, beauty and empathy. Therefore it is not beneficial at all, and in religious terms, it is irreligious! How?

A man of knowledge studies the composition of the atom from a disinterested desire for knowledge, and incidentally places it in the hands of powerful lunatics as the means of destroying the human race.

In such ways the pursuit of knowledge may become harmful unless it is combined with wisdom; and wisdom in the sense of comprehensive vision is not necessarily present in specialists in the pursuit of any kind of knowledge.

The point is “so-called men of knowledge lack comprehensive vision that is necessary to make them wise”. Ask, for example, a man of science to define human being! If he is sociologist he will tell you that, “man is a social animal for he cannot live without society”. Ask the same question to a physicist and he would brief you about “material composition of a human being” and reduce it to material hump. Raise this question before a chemist and get ready to listen that “man is nothing but product or composition of different chemicals”. A chemist would also open your eyes by telling that “man is a chemical animal and his emotions and character is mainly controlled by chemical balance or imbalance”. Go to a biologist to listen, “human being is an organism composed of different organs”. See a human being have been dissected into piece and lost! Even if all of these definitions cannot include what makes a human being a human being!

Definitions, I mean to say, are the foundations of analytical thinking and they always fail to spot the core—the essence. For example, in above definition of human person, what makes human person a human person is nowhere, as no definition could be holistic! Moreover, in definition, metaphor or simile, as logic demands, is not allowed to make analytical thinking free from feelings but religious wisdom or morality is absurd or impossible without feelings! There is no room for aesthetics (beauty) in analysis and morality or wisdom gushes from these two springs as well!
I think Islam is very clear about this point as:

“Allah is beautiful and loves beauty”. Allah (The Supreme Reality) is truth and truth cannot be revealed unto those whose whole effort is demystification and dissection!

Has analysis anything to do with “love”? Isn’t beauty a mystery so beyond the logic (Allah Him/Herself)? Have analytical sciences, from so-called Enlightenment Age onwards, not been trying to demystify the mysterious phenomenon of existence or being? Was it not an organized effort to obliterate God from human consciousness? Has sciences (knowledge not wisdom) not been consciously trying to omit suggestiveness from natural phenomena to make it dull and ugly!

There have a tendency among Quranic scholars—the tendency to count! For example word (or Ism-e-Zat) Allah has been used so many times in Quran. Mr. Zakir Naik, and others of course, can safely claim 10 GB memory containing these types of calculations. But, so far as I know, no one has told that how many similes and metaphors are used in Quran. How many attributes of Allah (the beneficent the merciful) reflect rationality and others feelings or emotions?

Mr. Zakir Naik could not deny that Prophet Mohammad’s (May peace by upon him) holy life is an evergreen epic of compassion and empathy—the gift “to feel” with others! Remember once my Lord was running for milking the sheep to feed a crying cat when West was not familiar with “animal rights”! Was it analysis or feeling—feeling with and for the whole creation?

Islam is known to be the highest point of Abrahamic tradition and Prophet Abraham dived into the fire! A rationalist or an analyst (or a man of knowledge) would never think that fire could behave otherwise!

In short the whole range of knowledge mounted up by sciences is of analytical nature, and therefore today, world is rich with knowledge but poor in wisdom. For if it were rich in wisdom we would have been living in paradise! The main problem with our age is that our age far surpasses all previous ages in knowledge (rotted data) but there is a correlative “famine” of wisdom. Since wisdom includes not only intellect but also feelings, and this world is mostly steered by those whose knowledge is wide but feelings are too narrow! Therefore they have made it a hell of hatred!

One of my brothers, Mr. Wasif, wrote about Zakir Naik’s comments about Sufi saints. According to him Zakir Naik says:
“Sufism is an alien plant in the soil of Islam”

These are actually the words of Allama Mohammad Iqbal (1877-1938) who, no doubt, was an extraordinarily profound and inspiring poet—but as a philosopher, he used to wear several hats of intellect like Herbert Spencer in Western philosophical tradition. Actually, as I think, his poetry and thought begins in trivial metaphors, pretty metaphors, then culminates into “grace metaphors” and finally goes on to profoundest thinking that we have. Mr. Zakir Naik should note that in his profundity—Iqbal himself is a Sufi! For example:

Ik Danish-e-burhani, ik Danish-e-ruhani
Hai Danish-e-burhani hairat ki frawani
(One the one hand there is an argumentative/logical wisdom, and, on the other hand spiritual wisdom! But argumentative/logical wisdom is nothing but surplus of wonder…….)

Qadhe khirad froze keh Frang dad mara
Hama aftab lekin asar-e-sahar na darid
(The shining wine cup of rationality offered by the West is the full Sun but powerless/impotent to bring into being lime light of the morning)

Iqbal used to call himself a disciple (mureed hindi) of Jalal-ud-Din Rumi—the great Persian Sufi poet! Therefore, he was highly impressed by Persian influence on Islamic culture, community and thought. For example, in his famous chapter, The Muslim Community, in The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam, Iqbal writes:
“The conquest of Persia gave to the Musalmans what the conquest of Greece gave to the Romans. But for Persian, our culture would have been absolutely one sided”.

It is doubtless that Mr. Zakir Naik is advocating and pushing exclusively soulless, fanatical and chauvinistic Saudi (Wahhabi) version of Islam that has become a disgusting scar on the face of highly inclusive Islamic teachings! It is duty of Wahabism to wage war against teachings of great Sufi saints who kept the divinely prophet-consciousness alive not by preaching the truth but living like truth! Naik’s grudge towards Hussain (may Allah be pleased with him) is a clear sign that he is an agent of un-Islamic Saudi state employed to save her from Hussain who exposes and challenges Yazid of every age!

Wahhabism is troubled by Sufism for it is a message of inclusiveness and tolerance! Wahhabism wages war against it for it is a message of freedom and core of Islam that is, in its essence anti- hierarchy and anti-establishment! Wahhabism is afraid of Sufism for it shows a beautiful face of Islam but Saudi’s allies (especially United States) are funding her to prove it ugly and dangerous for peaceful coexistence!
Mr. Zakir Naik and all his friends are stakeholders in the highly lucrative and hideous business of a great conspiracy “Defame & Destroy”. For it is duty of Wahhabism to promote blameful and reproachably bigoted religiosity for facilitating its funders to wipe Muslims from the face of the earth by declaring them potentially dangerous creatures!

May Allah save my innocent brothers and sisters in Islam from felling a prey to a vicious alliance! May Allah help us to show our non-Muslim brothers and sisters that Wahhabism is not the real face of Islam! Islam is one of the most inclusive religions wherein “ink of a scholar is holier than blood of a martyr” and “killing one human person is killing humanity”! Islam—that is a religion of heart, love, empathy and compassion!
Amen!

Scarface: The face of the Muslim youth?

2009-02-09T11:55:00.002+05:30

By Prof.Abdul Rehman Al Attass

"They came in search of the American Dream. One of them found it on the sun-washed avenues of Miami… wealth, power and passion beyond his wildest dreams. He was Tony Montana. The world would remember him by another name… Scarface".

This is the blurb for the infamous feature film 'Scarface'. The 'they' refers to the Cuban immigrants in America in the 70's. The film evolves around one particular immigrant Tony Montana who works his way up the criminal hierarchy to become 'Scarface', one of the most vicious and ruthless gangsters in cinematic history.

From cocaine to beautiful women, Scarface fulfils his every desire. In the process he amasses incredible wealth and then loses it all in a foolhardy blaze of glory. But his blasé attitude is not vilified rather it is the subject of adulation: he steals, murders and tortures his enemies and anyone who dares to oppose him.

Scarface sums it up perfectly himself. "In this country, you gotta make the money first. Then when you get the money, you get the power. Then when you get the power, then you get the women".

His complete contempt for life is glorified in the film, and many of the modern rappers and gangster wannabes hail Tony Montana as their prime influence.

Unfortunately, this admiration of the Scarface type gangster is not limited to the rap stars. The Muslim youth in inner city areas have begun to adopt the Scarface mentality. From the 'Lisson Green posse' in Edgware Road to the 'Shadwell Massive' in East London, a worrying number of Muslim youth are being gripped by gangster culture. Youth associate themselves with gangs for respect and find solace and security in their fellow gangsters. The gang mentality extends to protecting their patch from rival gangs. Turf wars are conducted on estates and woe betide anyone who attempts to infringe on another gangs territory. Knives and bicycle chains are the weapons of choice yet more sophisticated gangs conduct their reign of terror with handguns.

When one of the gangs is shown 'disrespect' the others rally around and make an example of the poor fool who dared to cross them. This is done to reinforce their credibility and ensure word does not get out that they have become soft.

The gangs are formed along nationalistic lines, for example in Edgware Road the Moroccan youth have long lasting 'beef' with the Bengali youth. More often than not, the fighting revolves around girls and drugs. Violent crime is commonplace as they rival each other to be the ultimate 'hustler', 'player' and 'pimp'. Muslim parents are helpless spectators as the youth begin to formulate a lifestyle alien to the Islamic values that they attempted to instil within them. Instead, respect is granted to the likes of Jay-Z and Tupac Shakur, after all they live the 'thug life'.

But the problem does not purely revolve around gangs of Muslim youth who just beat each other up. These gangs need a source of income to support their lifestyle. And hence they will turn to whatever is easy and also compatible with the 'thug life', namely drugs. Tower Hamlets is an area of London reported to have the highest concentration of Muslims in the UK. The local MP Oona King has dubbed Tower Hamlets as the 'heroin capital' of the country.

Up North the problem of Muslim youth in gangs is self-evident. Furious turf wars between rival drug gangs in Keighley on the outskirts of Bradford have left many dead in the space of a few months. Keighley is an area where the majority of the Asian community are Muslim of Pakistani origin. One of the victims was 24-year-old Qadir Ahmed, who was beaten and stabbed to death in the street after his killers' shunted his car off the road.

The effect of the gangster mentality is all too evident in these youth. As one Muslim youth in Bradford interviewed by the Guardian stated with respect to a rival gang member who had a gleaming new Mercedes. 'He does the same thing as me. That's what I want. But you need to spend time out here in these streets. That man's taken it to the next level'. These words worryingly seem to echo those uttered by Tony Montana about power and money and betray a certain mentality.

Then of course there is the curious phenomenon of the 'wannabe' amongst Muslim youth. The 'wannabe' is by no means a gangster in the true sense of the word. The 'wannabe' has probably never stepped foot outside the leafy suburbs of Surrey and has more in common with Ali G than Tony Montana. However he spends time and money attempting to convince his contemporaries that he is 'street'. This will involve having the latest Ja Rule CD, spitting the 'illest lyrics' and talking about who he 'sparked up'.

The 'wannabe' sees the designer clothes and flash souped up Ford Fiestas as something to admire and emulate. Of course very few of these youth will ever possess wealth and power to the same extent as Tony Montana, however the desire is there. Violent computer games like 'Grand Theft Auto' is probably the closest the 'wannabe' will ever get to being like a gangster.

The youth will tell you 'it's all about respect', but in reality they are repeating the rhetoric heard in the rap music and seen on the screens. There is no respect in the life of a gangster. There is only selfishness and contempt for society. Forget the myth of the 'ethical gangster' such as Don Corleone from the Godfather. Dismiss from your mind the notion that these youth are like a modern day Robin Hood, stealing from the rich to give to the poor. Instead to achieve true gangster status you have to be willing to 'smoke anybody, anytime'. There is no place for morals or ethics. So if you're a gangster and your Muslim brother 'disrespects' you then there is no consideration paid to anything except the law of the street. And this law dictates that he should be made an example of, made to weep in front of others. It should become known that he is weak and you are strong. You should break his dignity and spread the word that you are not to be messed with.

These gangsters are blessed with the bodies of men but behave like schoolchildren. The gangster will bully those weaker than him and where he cannot win a fight himself, he will recruit his mates.

Why this mess?

It's no coincidence that the gangster mentality is endemic in inner city areas of the Western world. Many point to the 'violent' lyrics in rap music, especially in the light of the recent gang killings in Birmingham. However if we scratch beneath the surface it is evident that the gangster image emanates from Western Capitalism’s incorrect view about the way man should behave.

The reality is that the idea of individualism and the 'me, myself and I' mentality is responsible for the behaviour of these Muslim youth. And it is undoubted that this concept stems from the Capitalist creed, which places sensual pleasure above all other values. But there are certain key ideas stemming from this concept of individualism that need to be understood in order to understand the mentality of the 'gangster'.

Firstly there is the value of pride and the ego, which accompany the lifestyle of a gangster. No one should be able to put you down if you are a gangster. After all, you're the 'baddest' and the most ruthless. These values do not breed stability in society rather they create an atmosphere of fear.

Islam, painting a different picture for the youth.

Islam is undoubtedly a deen regulating all aspects of man’s life, including man’s relationship with others. Islam defines what makes a true man and the correct way to live life. And Islam has attracted people from all sorts of backgrounds instead of limiting itself to an area or a council estate like these petty gangs.

If we look to how some of the Sahabah embraced Islam, one particular story catches the eye, that of Abu Dhar al-Ghifaary. One morning he went and found the Prophet(saw)sitting alone. He approached him and said,

نَعِمْتَ صباحاً يا أخا العرب. فأجابَ الرسولُ : وعليكَ السلامُ يا أخاه. قال أبو ذرٍّ: أَنْشِدني مما تقولُ. فأجاب الرسول : ما هو بشعرٍ فأنشُدك، ولكنه قرآنٌ كريمٌ. قال أبو ذرًّ: إقرأ عليَّ.

"O my Arab brother, good morning". Thereupon the Prophet(saw)replied, "And may peace be upon you, my brother". Abu Dhar then said, "Sing to me some of what you are saying". The Prophet (saw) answered, "It isn't a poem to be sung, but a Holy Qur'an" Abu Dhar said, "Then recite for me".

The Prophet (saw) recited to him while he listened. It was not long until Abu Dhar shouted,

فقرأ عليه رسول الله ، و أبو ذر يصغي. ولم يمض من الوقت غير القليل حتى هتف أبو ذر: أشهد ألا إله إلا الله و أشهد أن محمداً رسول الله. وسأله النبي : ممن أنت يا أخا العرب؟ فأجابه: من غفار. وتألقت ابتسامة واسعة على فم الرسول ، واكتسى وجهه بالدهشة والعجب.

"I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger". The Prophet (saw) asked him, "Where are you from, my Arab brother?" Abu Dhar answered, "From Ghifaar". A broad smile appeared on the Prophet's lips (saw) and his face was filled with wonder and astonishment.

Abu Dhar was also smiling, for he knew well that the reason behind the Prophet's astonishment was because the man who had just embraced Islam in front of him was from Ghifaar. Ghifaar was a tribe with a notorious reputation for highway robbery. Its people were famous for theft and were known as allies of darkness and night. Narrating this account himself, Abu Dhar said:

جعل النبي يرفع بصره ويصوبه تعجباً، لما كان من غفار، ثم قال: إن الله يهدي من يشاء. أجل ، إن الله يهدي من يشاء

"The Prophet (saw) lifted his eyes out of astonishment, due to Ghifaar's reputation". Then he said, "Allah guides whom He wills, Indeed, Allah guides whom He wills".

Hence Ghifaar were a tribe of 'gangsters' the equivalent of the modern day hustlers. Abu Dhar went back and convinced his entire tribe of Islam yet before he did this he displayed the courage to go and declare his Islam openly in front of the Quraish. It was the first public pronouncement declaring Islam and challenging the arrogance of the Quraish. What was even more amazing is that Abu Dhar was a man with no relative, reputation or protection in Makkah.

As a result he was beaten severely by the polytheists. However not to be intimidated, Abu Dhar returned the next day and encountered two women circling around two idols (Usaaf and Naaliah) and calling upon them. He stood in front of them rudely disgracing their idols. The women shouted loudly, and men hastened to beat Abu Dhar senseless.

Abu Dhar was a gangster, from a particular tribe of hoodlums. Yet Islam transformed his personality and he exhibited bravery that the modern day gangster cannot even begin to fathom. Imagine going into an area where you have no protection and challenging the local gang, with your ideas and thoughts to the extent that you are beaten senseless, yet you return the next day for more. This is the meaning of being a true man in Islam, the one who enjoins the good and forbids the evil and in the process fears the rebuke of no one.

The Prophet (saw) said of Abu Dhar.

ما أقلت الغبراء، ولا أظلت الخضراء أصدق لهجةً من أبي ذز

'The earth never carried above it, nor did the sky ever shade under it a more truthful tongue than Abu Dhar's'.

Muslim youth should aspire to be like these great men who went before us. The men who demonstrated for Allah's sake what bravery and courage really is. They were men who did not fear anyone except Allah (swt) and men who had the most outstanding personality, such that the Ummah will remember them long after the memory of Scarface and his emulators fades.

The Modern Youth Lifestyle

2009-02-09T11:54:00.000+05:30

By NEWSCOP

One of the basic features of the modem lifestyle is, of course, the impact of the mass media. One cannot overemphasize the significance of the role of the media upon the creation of the world view of the youth and, in fact almost everyone else in modern society today.

The impact of the modern world upon young Muslims, whether they happen to live within the Islamic world or have come to the West to study, comes most of all through what can be called the modern lifestyle. Much more than modern philosophies and theologies or ideologies, the modern lifestyle, which needless to say, reflects a particular philosophy on its own level, affects Muslim youth directly and immediately with an impact which can be seen in almost all major urban centres of the Islamic world as well as among many Muslims studying or living in the West. This infatuation of the young with the modern lifestyle, which has its origin more in America than Europe, is in fact not limited to the Islamic world. Rather, it is a world-wide phenomenon and reflects the attraction of many youth, on whatever continent they happen to be living today, for what appears to be complete individualistic freedom from tradition and principles which have been handed down over numerous generations.

Today, one sees an intense attraction among the young throughout the world for the so-called pop music whether it be rock, heavy metal or other forms and for the wearing of such typically modern dresses as blue jeans which reflect the idea of freedom from constraint and of mobility and of the individual declaration of independence from social norms. There is also the attraction for fast cars and forms of entertainment which involve speed and daring as seen in Westem-made movies and other forms of mass entertainment. Most of the youth are travelling fast without knowing where to go. This fascination or even mesmerization with the everyday modern lifestyle emanating from the West, which is world-wide, is shared by large numbers of young Muslims, especially those bombarded by television and other forms of mass media transmitting the cultural values of the modern or so called post-modern world. Of course, one of the most important characteristics of the new lifestyle is rebellion against what youth consider to be tradition, as customs and habits and all that has been transmitted to them from older generations. This has created what is called the 'generation gap' which has not existed until now in this way in the Islamic world.

To this must be added the fact that to an even greater extent, many children are brought up in a home in which one of the parents is absent and the other parent, not being able to fulfil the authority of both parents, often times relinquished that responsibility which parents had in traditional families to transmit ethical values and provide in all cultures in one form or another, but today its commercialization and overemphasis have brought its significance out of proportion and made it into almost a substitute for certain types of religious activity. The sports champion along with heroes of pop art and especially pop music, constitutes the new cultural hero in a society given to the worship of the body and the senses.

One of the basic features of the modern lifestyle is, of course, the impact of the mass media. One cannot overemphasize the significance of the role of the media upon the creation of the world view of the youth and, in fact, almost everyone else in modern society today.

The modern lifestyle is also characterized to a large extent by an earnest search for meaning. It is the loss of the meaning of life for many of the young that leads them either down the road of immediate sensual gratification through sexuality or the use of drugs and in some cases to violence and crime or to the quest for new philosophies, cultures and even religions. This phenomenon of the search for the rediscovery of the meaning of life had had both a positive and a negative aspect. Its positive aspect is that many spiritually sensitive and intellectually alert young people in the West have become, for the first time, open to the spiritual message of other cultures and religions and there is much more receptivity to other spiritual worlds among them.

As for its negative aspect, it is that much of this openness turns to shallow emulation of often times inauthentic forms of Eastern religions and cultures to the detriment of what still remains of the once authentic Christian and Jewish traditions in the West and also the sudden appearance upon the scene of , what are called new religions. If the modern world marks opposition to tradition and religion as traditionally understood, these new forces represent in many instances the setting up of a counter tradition and counter religion and the dissolution of the traditional world view. Therefore, in a sense, they go hand in hand with the nihilism, relativism and deconstructionalism which can be seen in so many fields, especially in the philosophical and literary domains.

A young Muslim cannot understand the modern world and cannot continue to live as a Muslim in the modern world without understanding in depth, not only the various aspects of the modern lifestyle in its ever changing kaleidoscopic nature, but also the impact that this lifestyle has, often unconsciously, upon Muslims who may not be fully prepared to respond to the challenges which it poses for themselves as individuals and mot of all for them as Muslims who have dedicated themselves to Allah and have surrendered themselves to the Divine Will. Needless to say, it is this Will which has the last say because Allah's Will is always triumphant.

Not Living a Muslim Lifestyle?

2009-02-09T11:35:00.002+05:30

By Samiya Anwar & M H Ahssan

There is more to a Muslim lifestyle, though, than glossy photographs in a magazine, no matter how attractive they appear. A Muslim lifestyle is altogether different from the ways of life of many of the people we live with. It is maybe because so many Muslims are living the kind of lives which are not really Muslim lifestyles, that the rest of the world so misunderstands Islam. Take, for example, the real case of the restaurant in North London. The sign over the door read, "Fully Licensed Halal Restaurant." In other words, the halal restaurant was licensed to serve alcohol! What sort of message does that give to non-Muslims?

Let us be quite clear. Islam is perfect and has nothing at all to be ashamed of. Nothing. Muslims, however, are not perfect at all. We all make lots of mistakes and we often settle for second best in the way we live our lives. Peer pressure is very strong and it is easy to give in to pressure from friends and others, who are urging us to relax the code of behaviour we learned at home or in the mosque. Very subtle advertising on the television or in the press shows us ways of dressing, for example, or styles of music that are not acceptable in Islam. Not going along with the crowd can make us feel left out and alone.

There are other behaviours, though, which go beyond this trend of fashions and music. Settling for that sort of lifestyle runs the risk of putting us outside the bounds of Islam. Every Muslim knows that drinking alcohol is haram. We all know, though, that some Muslims do drink, and some even drink alcohol to excess. Even worse, the trend of taking mind altering drugs, which is also haram, has become acceptable in some circles as just one of those things you do when you are growing up. Just as alcohol can lead to a lowering of our own self-control and, in its turn, lead us on to do other things that we know to be wrong, "mild" drugs can lead us on to more addictive drugs and to a lifestyle in which we need money to finance such an expensive habit.

In life, all people crave happiness and fulfilment. Some people will go to great lengths to achieve it. The great message of Islam is that true happiness can only be found in Allah. When we see football hooligans on television or read the alarmingly high levels of suicide or alcoholism or drug addiction in many countries of the Western, "developed" world, we see the results of people craving happiness where it cannot be found. Temporary "highs" will not answer the deepest needs of our hearts.

In the same way, relationships in Islam are governed by ways of behaviour. We have ways of being introduced to members of the opposite sex, for example. We have codes of behaviour for when boys and girls, men and women, are together. We have rules of courtship and ways of preparing for marriage. All of these are not just cultural baggage, as some would want us to believe. They exist for a very real reason. Casual sexual relationships may be quite common in some, non-Muslim societies, but Muslims have this code of behaviour to prevent such relationships. And it is not just to prevent freedom that we have such rules. Casual relationships do not bring happiness. Sexual activity before marriage, with one or many partners, of the same or the opposite sex, leaves people feeling used and taken advantage of. Films and soap operas may present such behaviour to us as normal, but it is not normal to behave in such a way, because using other people as sexual objects is to deny why they exist at all. It is to cheapen ourselves and to settle for second best in life.

Settling for second best is the worst trap we can fall into. Loving relationships are what we all hope to find in life. We all hope to find that special person we can one day settle down with and who will make us feel whole. That person will complete us and will complete our religion. Out of that union will come children, in sha' Allah. Settling for the kind of casual relationships we see on TV as normal, is not what Muslims want. It is not what you would want for your sister or your mother, is it? Islam has the highest respect for women. It also has the greatest respect for human beings and their bodies. Settling for second best and giving in to desires are not what will answer the deepest needs of our hearts.

Almighty Allah has given us, as Muslims, a way of life that does bring that happiness we crave. Islam teaches us that we must control bodily desires, like the desires for food and for drink and for sexual gratification, in order to become better people. Just remember, for example, how good it feels in Ramadan to fast for the sake of Allah and to deny our bodies the right to rule over us. Muslims are human beings like anyone else. They did not drop out of the sky. Sometimes it is really difficult to live a chaste and decent life, especially when all those around us are just doing whatever they want and behaving with no limits to stop them. Islam, though, is there to help us as much as to make rules to govern us. Islam brings the real happiness we are all after, if we will allow it to.

The consequences of living a non-Muslim lifestyle can be seen in any Western country. They can be seen in marriage breakdown and divorce figures. They can be seen in the number of unwanted pregnancies or in the high levels of crime and violence that exist in many of the world's big cities. They can be seen by the way people are discarded when they are no longer of any use. Islam, on the other hand, presents us with a different way of looking at life. It shows us that people are created by Almighty Allah and that they exist to serve Him and to find true happiness in doing so. Care for children and the elderly, respect for parents and for the place of women in society, all of these are what Islam holds up as being of importance.

“We are the world” is the voice of today’s young minds. They are comfortable with every thing of today and welcome the changes open heartedly. Religion is absolutely no bar. It is not that only a Christian or American drinks or night out often and not the other religions youth. Gone are those days when we hear any such news. Now, it is same with everyone. More to join this genre is the Muslims. Yes. In the present day of globalization and westernization, where everything is getting influenced and adapted, Muslims are no at the back. They are more of Muslims in every crime and hoax we find around us these days.

Now, more than ever, the youth is often regarded as the source of society's challenges and deficits. Who is responsible for all these parents, teachers or they themselves who are away from the true knowledge of the world? The underage drinking, drugs, sexual preferences and violence is what we find in the youth today

The decency and simple life of Prophet, the messenger of Allah is out of the brains and what is left is the new western culture. There are less of prayers (Ibadat) more of music in the houses. We are not addicted to reading The Holy Quran but hooked to the new gadgets. The Muslims are undoubtedly changed from years and welcome every change for the sake of entertainment and pleasure. It is all about making life’s simple and easy they say. But no they are heading life towards a baffled world where they are left muddle up.

I have seen many young men and women walk down parks and green lanes with earphones and portable music systems or cell phones, completely shutting out from the world. They don’t care of anyone or everyone. The lifestyle they portrays is only night outs, lounging in the pubs, tapping feet to the rocking music in discs, showing off 8 GB I-pods; N-Series mobiles, the latest bike, Levis jeans and Woodland shoes are the common lifestyle of the urban youth today. All these ’cool stuffs’ are essentials, if they don’t have it, then it will affect their “so called image” in college campus or their common hang-outs. This is the youth of today-unorganized with limited outlook and lack of aim in life.

The youth has forgotten that praying five times is a good exercise than any other weight loosing machines. A simple morning walk is better and outdoor games are much more vigilant than video games available in mobile phones and computers. No doubt, they are useful to us but Possessions and acquisitions may seem marvelous. But after a while, you do not own them, they own you.

Youth is getting a raw deal from the media, its entertainment industries and fashion designers who are said to be responsible to have created an image containing a more negative look for our youth occupying sexuality, violence, coarser language and revealing clothing. It is this which makes young minds turn to terrorist and cheat themselves in the name of religion. Is this true or another typecast question or anything else?

It won’t be anonymous to say that today the life has become a puzzle to many who doesn’t understand what is right and what is incorrect. They just move with the money. . It is not long ago India had several terror attacks and it is the youth behind every threat. It is only because they are confused. They don’t follow their heart but do what is wanted by others. “Anything for money” is the new slogan of every person.

We see these days youngsters running for IT jobs in spite of market being down, pink slips on rise. Everyone is ready to crush their minds for American labor. They are ready to miss the “good night sleep” of 5-6 days in a week and have snaps in the day but do their jobs honestly. There is a negative perception of this vibrant segment of our society, the American Muslim youth who work for American or abroad return or holding American Visas have to cope with threat of terrorism. Muslim youth often find themselves in unfriendly environments within their own communities, where activities and programs are not relevant to their needs, where their opinion doesn't count. They have to face the stereotype questions and where their voice is seldom heard.

What's wrong with today's youth is that the parent's are more interested in being their kids "friend" then being a parent. And this leaves them with more of freedom irrationally to do things they wish and every wrong becomes good as they feel of it being wanted. Wants are always unlimited. There is no limit to them. But it is important to fulfill the needs not wants. Today parents have no control over kids but kids do control them otherwise.

The recent beaten up girl by people in Mangalore pubs is no good to hear such a harsh humiliation from India. The women is said to be garment of men who is treated in inhuman way for catching up in pubs. Who is to blame here? Gals says they are above 18 and independent to hang out with guys and party at pub or whatever. Society has become more violent than it was, and young people are pushed towards adulthood faster than they were. This is Americanism not Indiana’s or Islam. The Muslims of today has left behind the religious books and teachings of Prophets and live life wishfully which is becoming more perplexed than ever. It is only we the youth responsible for all. Unless the Muslim youth realize that they are moving in a wrong direction, nothing can be done. There is a need to take initiative by every parent, every teacher to nurture best of religion and humanism in the mind of children so that they inherit the best of values which can only help us to see a better and change tomorrow in the coming years.

Feature: Delicious Street Food

2009-01-09T13:48:00.001+05:30

By Golden Reejsinghani

Food sold in these great metropolitans streets has gained more popularity then some of the swanky restaurants doting the city because the street food is not only irresistibly delicious but also affordable.

Whole Mumbai is dotted with people making food in the make shift stalls dotting the streets. On reaching hill road bandra your olfactory senses take control of your legs and lead you inexorably towards the aromatic aromas coming from the Elko arcade the famous shopping arcade of Bandra.Here you can taste the mind blowing Pani puri which is famous for its tangy taste which just explodes in your mouth with all its glory?

Other eats available here are dahi wadas, ragda patties, samosas, Pani Puri with tikhi mithi chutneys and tikis which you can wash down with cold and namkeen lassi. Or spiced sugar cane juice iced to perfection.

A little ahead is the Dahipuri wala who sells out of this world Dahi puri combined with sweet and sour chutneys and garnished with coriander leaves. There are also piping hot medu wadas, dosas and idlis sold here.

These stalls not only get page 3 people visiting the shopping arcades but people from all walks of life come to eat here. From lowly to the richest, from ordinary people to the businessmen to the filmstars.For everyone this is a Mecca of fine eating. From here you can walk up to linking road Bandra a road running close to M.M.K College is full of yummy street food. Here you get fantastic sandwiches. Which are dear to every young collegians heart? Every college student is seen converging on the stalls either munching sandwiches or piping hot vada pavs served with fiery hot chutney which can bring tears to your eyes and fire to your mouth.

From here you can go down to Bade Miyan behind Taj Mahal hotel whose kebabs are famous throughout Mumbai all the glitterati of Mumbai park their cars outside the stall and savor scrumptious kebabs and baida roti.

Bade Miyan is famous because of its kebabs. Like him Noor Mohammadi in Bhendi Bazaar is famous for the ‘ Naali Nihari’.Naali Nihari is a thick spicy soup which is made from Buffallo marrow cooked in a variety of spices and loads of ghee. It is served in the mornings with naans.People start their day in Bhendi Bazaar with Naali Nihari and Naan.

If you are a die hard egeterian then you should make a trip to church gate station here, you can savor a vast variety of omelet’s which are served here piping hot with pav or bread these will make your day once you have eaten them.

If you are the one who loves ice creams then you should head to the chow patty beach here you can get a variety of tasty ice creams available in many tasty concoctions like the berry,kachha kery, cream butter scotch etc.You ask for the flavor and you get it here

If you want hearty food then head to Sion Koliwada which can be termed as mini Punjab you get here delicious and enticingly flavored koliwada fish, prawn fry and tandoori chicken denizens from all over Mumbai flock here to get a taste of Punjab.

But the paradise of street food lovers is the Khau Galli at Kalbadevi.You get everything to eat here right from piping hot kachoris accompanied with sweet and spicy hot chutney to sizzling samosas chili hot pakodas to crunchy pattice,delicious dosas with sambar to steaming soft idlis with coconut chutney. Spiced Papads,tangy bhelpuris and many other chaats savories and sweets are available here prepared just in front of you and served to you with spicy chutneys and sauces and what is more you get all these delicacies at affordable rates.

You can wash these down with a number of flavored sherbets, juices, smoothies and ice creams. Mumbai is chockfull of street food every locality has developed its own khau galli specific to the character of population living there Street food is not only dirt cheap but also very hygienic.

These days the owners of food stalls have become very hygiene conscious because they know if they play hanky panky with the people they will loose their business besides unlike restaurants they serve freshest and best food.

They do not keep the food for the next day to serve in the buffet which mostly consists of dishes made on the previous day. I can write reams about this food but because I wanted to keep this precise I have written about the best and outstanding buys.

Obesity is Dangerous to Children

2009-01-09T10:40:00.001+05:30

By Ayesha Jabeen

These children often suffer from low self-esteem. As a result these children are isolated and develop severe depression.

Childhood obesity is growing to become one of the most chronic diseases of childhood. It is not the only disease in itself but gives rise to various other serious diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea, cardiovascular diseases and orthopedic complications. It leads to morbid consequences in adulthood increasing the risk of premature death. Obese children are likely to suffer considerable psychological effects as well as social stigma and discrimination.

A child suffering from obesity has problems in mobility. Their lives are very painful because of the excess weight that they carry around constantly and hence unable to lead a normal life. People always ridicule them because of their weight problems. Some of them have great difficulty making friends and relating to the other children in their schools thus hampering their social growth. These children often suffer from low self-esteem. As a result these children are isolated and develop severe depression.

Certain factors are targeted as major contributors of childhood obesity. These include:

• Dietary patterns
• Lack of physical activity
• Heredity and family

Dietary patterns
Dietary patterns play a large role here, wrong eating habits, consuming more calories than required and burning less, eating lots of junk food and ignoring healthy food, untimely eating of meals, are all the factors contributing to obesity. In today’s world it becomes extremely essential that children are trained and equipped with healthy eating habits. Today’s society considers eating unhealthy food as a style of sophisticated life. With the advent of fast food and rush of the hour most parents have forgotten their responsibility of instilling good food habits in their children. It is never advisable for children to skip their three times healthy meals particularly breakfast which is the most important meal of the day. They should be provided with nutritious cereals and porridge at their breakfast time.

As much as possible they should not be given snacks between meals. It is a bad idea when parents reward their kids with food. Never let your child build up a habit of binging on food like fried snacks in his leisure or as a means of entertainment. While preparing meals for children ensure you cook it in a healthy way considering their likes and dislikes. Fried foods, sweets and desserts should be allowed in moderation. Teach your kids to develop a habit of eating fruits and vegetables regularly. Avoid processed foods as far as possible limiting them to once a while only when absolutely required. Do not bribe children with chocolates and sweets and do not make it a daily habit for them.

Today, it is estimated that a larger chunk of money is spent on food outside home, at restaurants, cafeterias, sporting events, parties, etc. people are prone to consume more calories when they eat out when compared to eating at home.

Beverages such as carbonated soft drinks and juice boxes also greatly contribute to the childhood obesity. A bottle of cola contains approximately 400 calories. The consumption of cola by children has increased by 300 percent in last 20 years. Scientific studies have documented a 60 percent increased risk of obesity for every regular soft drink consumed per day. Box drinks, juice, fruit drinks and sports drinks all add on to a significant problem. These beverages contain a higher amount of calories and research shows that 20 percent of children who are currently overweight are due to excessive caloric intake from beverages.

Lack of physical activity
Sedentary life style is making children lazy. They sit glued to computers and television for long hours in their free time. Parents and teachers at school should encourage children in taking up physical activities. They should play outdoors instead of sitting in one place being a couch potato. Report says only 50 percent of children participate in regular physical activities, 25% of them do not take part in any of the exercises. On an average a child spends two hours watching television and 26% of children spend at least four hours on television.

Heredity and family
It is known that genes play an important role in causing obesity. Children of overweight parents are more likely to be obese, if it is hereditary then it is not curable but the excess weight can be controlled to a certain extent through weight management program and taking the help of a dietitian.

The world statistics show that there are more than 5 million obese children in the world. The world statistics on obesity in children have become noteworthy enough that the World Health Organization (WHO) has become actively involved in researching and finding ways to treat and prevent the condition. A task force called the International Obesity Task Force has been formed to study the propositions of these world statistics on obesity in children around the world, to determine the best methods for controlling this issue. 300 million people worldwide are considered obese, and 750 million are overweight as per findings from this organization.

It is disappointing to learn that parents, teachers and health professionals are not taking enough efforts when it comes to the health and well being of our kids. The statistics in child obesity show that this condition has reached alarming rates, and doesn’t show any signs of receding . As much as 20% of the children and teens are considered obese. Each day is seeing increased number of kids who are at risk for diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure. The child obesity statistics show that if parents, schools, government and health care professionals do not act quickly, the coming generations may see even more obese and unhealthy children. It is utterly vital that we take preventive measures today to see healthier generations tomorrow.

Today’s parents are very busy working out, partying and socializing as a result of which children are being neglected. It is not their fault if they are obese we are leading them towards it. As parents it is our bound responsibility to take time out for our children to cook healthy meals for them at home and adopt a healthy life style.

Child obesity is not a problem without solution there are numerous healthy recommendations that can be sought by health professionals. Parents should lead their children by example rather than forcing guidance onto them as kids learn by imitation and follow the actions of their elders. It is our duty to teach children healthy ways of eating and educating them about nutritional values, diet and exercise so that they can lead a healthier and happier life.

Corporate Wear Gets Designer Touch

2009-01-06T13:39:00.000+05:30

More fashionable and ‘multitasking’ office wear is what the young executives are preferring nowadays, says Aditi Hindwan

High heels, uber-cool trousers and waistcoat — that is how 28-year-old chartered accountant Ananya Ghosh dresses to work everyday. And she is not alone. Both her male and female colleagues make sure that what they wear to office is in tune with the latest trend in corporate circuit.

Going to office was never so fashionable before. With more and more international fashion players stepping into the Indian market, corporate wear too is getting attention that was missing so far. “I make sure I look my best when I go to work, because in today’s world, people judge you by what you wear. Moreover, I want to look good for myself and with so many brands in the market, I have a wider choice now,” says Ghosh.

With long working hours and strenuous deadlines to meet, executives end up spending most of their time at work. So what they wear to work is what they wear most of the time and as such office wear becomes essential part of their wardrobe. “For six days a week and almost 12 hours a day, I am clad in office wear. So the statement I want to make through my dress has to be through the office wear only,” says Amit Anand, a banker.

Such outlook of the corporates has led apparel brands to evolve themselves accordingly. Says R Satayajit, COO, Allen Solly, “The Indian woman is high on fashion and likes to make sure that she looks good at her workplace and otherwise. When we started corporate wear for women in 2002, they liked to stick to the conventional skirts and blazers. Over the years, their demands regarding corporate wear have increased manifold.”

Executives also look for the clothes that can ‘multitask’. “If I plan to go for coffee after work, I want to ensure that I don’t look out of place. My dressing to work should be stylish enough to ensure that I can carry it post work plans with élan,” says Vikram Cheema, an investment banker. Adds Ghosh, “Weekends are the only time we get to be home with family, so most plans with friends for dinner or coffee happen only after work. The office wear thus become quite important as we get no time to change. The good bit is that today’s style of corporate dressing allows me to look stylish even at work.”

What about the price factor? Is corporate wear offered by the apparel majors affordable to the office executives? Says Satyajit, “Our brand caters to those who want to look stylish at work. Corporate executives take home exorbitant salaries, and with changing times, they want to spend a relevant part of it on how they look.”

Besides clothing, there is a whole lot of accessories that go with the corporate wear to help achieve that perfect look. “Accessories are big hit with the young corporate consumer. We have come up with a range of beads and bracelets for young women which they can wear to work. A string of pearls is a hit with most western wear formals. Bracelets and earrings too in pearls look classy and timeless at work,” says Anil Moolchandani, CMD, Archie’s India Limited. Such is the craze of accessories that other accessory brands too have come up with a special range for corporates. “The accessories for the smart, corporate women do not have to be overtly feminine and should be free of clutter besides being enough to add a dash of colour to the clothes,” says Sukanya Dutta Roy, country manager Swarovski India. “So we offer sleek and splendid pendants, pierced earrings, elegant hair clips, sparkling bracelets, lovely rings and stunning brooches, in range of colours and styles,” she adds.

Men too are high on accessories. “Ties can break or make your look for the day. And while at work I make sure that my tie matches with my handkerchief,” says Cheema. Designer Puneet Nanda of Satya Paul says “Although the corporate customer is still conservative when it comes to ties, we offer them a range in all shapes.”

Shoes complete the corporate attire. Both women and men look for high comfort and style when they choose their shoes. “For work it’s not very practical to wear high-heeled shoes, that’s why I like shoes which look good and are high on comfort level,” says Ghosh. “Brands too cater to the needs of the customer perfectly,” says Lokesh Mishra of Woodland. “Women prefer wedge heels at work as they are comfortable and men like to stick to basic colours of black, brown or tan.”

IN THE LAP OF LUXURY, BY INVITATION ONLY

2009-01-03T14:47:00.000+05:30

By Namita Sharma

High-End Jewellery To Choicest Poison, Luxury Brands Bask In Indian Sun

Time to roll out the red carpet for the Porsche and the Prada, and you can even throw in a twinkling tiara for good measure. Consumption of luxury retail goods in 2009 is not going to take a knock, not by a long shot.

The new year is set to see top-end Italian, French and Australian retailers scurrying to set foot in the market, and marquee malls will vie for marquee brands. For a section of the cognoscenti, who would sniff at mingling with bargain-hunters at some luxe mall, special, private screenings are being organised to herald in the new year.

On show, among some of the ultrahuge gemstones, will be a single, stonestudded ring. Price tag: upwards of $200,000. A bracelet, which recorded brisk sales during Diwali, will have 20 such stones. And these items are literally flying off-the-shelf.

Did somebody say recession? For high net worth individuals (HNWIs), who own private jets and indulge in luxury vacations, there is no cutback on their spend. With net financial assets of at least $1 million, excluding their primary residence and consumables, HNWIs are shopping away like nothing has changed.

“This one segment that has never felt the need to cut back,” says Nirmal Zaveri of Trendsmith, a luxury retail jeweller. “Compared to their net worth, these expenses are nothing, a trifle actually. And thanks to such sales, our Diwali has been extremely good. The new year promises to be even better.”

Figures back this trend. India led the world in HNWI population growth in 2007, rocketing by 22.7% and exceeding gains of 20.5% in 2006, according to the Asia-Pacific Wealth Report by Merrill Lynch and Capgemini, which reported that India had 123,000 millionaires in 2007 and showed the fastest pace of expansion. Though the new round of statistics are yet to come in for 2008, indications are that the figures would add up to a new total.

Luxury brands are growing at a healthy clip of 30% annually, and it is not jewellery alone that is showing the way. Apparel, watches and even perfumes are hitting a high note.

As Anjani Kasliwal, GM (luxury brands) at Brandhouse Retail says: “The year 2008 has been pretty good for us. The effects of the slowdown are yet to show.” Asked to comment on the luxury brand sale phenomenon going on in Bangalore and in some areas of Delhi, she maintains: “Internationally, brands are g o i n g on an early s a l e, b u t t h e re isn’t as much distress as is being made out. We expect 2009 to go largely smooth as we see the sentiment going up again.”

Adds Charu Sachdev, CEO of TSG, which brings in brands like Stella Mc-Cartney, Lanvin, Jean Paul Gaultier and Moschino: “This year we opened four stores in Bangalore’s UB City and opened our first Kitsch store in Delhi. Although our Moschino store at the Taj in Mumbai was shut due to the terror attacks, we’re back on our feet. Customers have been very supportive.”

Trendsmith’s Zaveri says: “There are no discounts on offer here. There is no correction on these expensive pieces. It takes time to collect most of our pieces and we do not offer discounts. Most of our buyers are not looking for value, they are looking for something exclusive.”

Interestingly, luxury brands in India have also found new customers in an increasingly wealthy middle-class, the growing ranks of working women and a youthful population that is not afraid to splurge or quaff their daily dramof single malt. Notes Mahesh Madhavan, CEO at Bacardi Martini: “The spirits industry has been growing at a steady 7.2%. Within this segment, single malt whiskey has been growing at double digit g row t h , though on a small base.”

The imported spirits market is estimated to be about 1.1 million cases, of which 79% is whiskey. Within this, single malt comprises 30,000-35,000 cases, which has grown from 25,000 cases recorded in 2007. Post September, sales have not been impacted for single malt whiskey.

Need to Know About 'Spondylitis'

2009-01-02T14:52:00.003+05:30

By Ayesha Jabeen

Spondylitis (also called ankylosing spondylitis) is a type of arthritis that affects the spine or backbone. Spondylitis may cause back pain and stiffness. The bones of the spine, called vertebrae, may grow or fuse together resulting in a rigid spine. These changes may be mild or severe. Severe disease may lead to poor posture and deformities. Early diagnosis and treatment helps control pain and stiffness, and may reduce or prevent significant deformity.

Who is affected by spondylitis?
Spondylitis affects about three hundred thousand Americans or 0.2% of the adult population. Although it can occur at any age, spondylitis most often affects men in their 20s and 30s. It is less common and generally milder in women. It is more common in Caucasians than in African Americans.

What are the signs and symptoms of spondylitis?
The most common early signs of spondylitis are constant pain and stiffness in the low back, buttocks and hips that continue for more than three months. Spondylitis often starts around the sacroiliac joints where the sacrum (the lowest major part of the spine) joins the ilium of the pelvic bone. Spondylitis can cause an overgrowth of the bones, which may lead to abnormal joining of parts that are normally separate. This is called bony "fusion."

Fusion affecting bones of the neck, back or hips may impair a person's ability to perform routine activities. Fusion of the ribs to the spine or breastbone may limit a person's ability to expand his or her chest when taking a deep breath.

Spondylitis may also affect some of the ligaments and tendons that attach to bones. Tendonitis (inflammation of the tendon) may cause pain and stiffness in the area behind or beneath the heel, such as the Achilles tendon at the back of the ankle.

Spondylitis is a systemic disease, which means symptoms may not be limited to the joints. Patients may also have a fever, fatigue and loss of appetite. Eye inflammation (redness) occurs in about one-fourth of patients with spondylitis. In rare cases, lung and heart problems may also develop.

What causes spondylitis?
Although the cause of spondylitis is unknown, there is a strong genetic or family link. Most, but not all, patients with spondylitis carry a gene called HLA-B27. Although people carrying this gene are at increased risk of developing spondylitis, the majority (over 75%) will never develop the disease.

How is spondylitis diagnosed?
The diagnosis of spondylitis is based on several factors, including:

- Presence of signs and symptoms as noted previously
- Findings on physical examination and X-rays
- How is spondylitis treated?

There is no cure for spondylitis, but discomfort can be reduced and function can often be improved. The goals of treatment are to:

- Reduce pain and stiffness
- Maintain a good posture
- Prevent deformity
- Preserve one's ability to perform normal activities

When properly treated, people with spondylitis may lead fairly normal lives. Under ideal circumstances, a team approach to treat spondylitis is desirable. Members of the treatment team typically include the patient, doctor, physical therapist and occupational therapist.

Physical and occupational therapy
Early intervention with physical and occupational therapy is important to maintain function and minimize deformity. The patient should try to maintain normal posture.

Patients with spondylitis are encouraged to sleep on a hard mattress with their back straight. Placing large pillows under the head is discouraged, since it may promote neck fusion in flexion. Similarly, propping the legs up on pillows should be avoided as it may lead to hip and/or knee fusion in a bent position. When sitting, chairs, tables and other work surfaces should be designed to avoid slumping or stooping. Armchairs are preferred over chairs without arms.

Since patients with spondylitis could easily hurt their rigid necks or backs, special care should be taken to avoid sudden impact, such as jumping, or falling.

Exercise
A program of daily exercise will help reduce stiffness, strengthen the muscles around the joints, and prevent or minimize the risk of disability. Deep breathing exercises may help keep the chest cage flexible. Swimming is an excellent form of exercise for patients with spondylitis.

Medications
While a cure for spondylitis is not available, certain drugs help provide relief from pain and stiffness and allow patients to perform their exercises with minimal discomfort. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the most commonly used drugs for spondylitis treatment. NSAIDs are not related to cortisone (a steroid), although both work by reducing inflammation. A variety of NSAIDs are currently available, and the choice of a particular drug should be discussed with the treating doctor.

In severe cases, other medications may be added to the treatment regimen.

Other treatments
Patients experiencing eye inflammation (red eye) should be evaluated and treated by an ophthalmologist (eye doctor).

Patients are urged to not smoke or chew tobacco products because of the increased risk of lung problems and reduced chest cage expansion. Certainly, all of the other reasons why doctors discourage smoking also apply to spondylitis patients. Artificial joint replacement surgery may be a treatment option for certain patients with advanced joint disease affecting the hips or knees.

Patients are encouraged to discuss coping strategies, work-related issues, sexuality and other important concerns with their health care team.

Background Information
Spondylitis is an inflammation of a vertebra which is characterized by stiffness of the spine or neck and sometimes both, making movement painful, it can also affect hands and feet. Inflammation is either caused by some infection or medical diseases such as arthritis. There are various forms of spondylitis like ankylosing, rheumatoid, traumatic and few other. ankylosing spondylitis is the most common type of spondylitis, it is a type of arthritis that affects the spine or backbone.

The bones of the spine, called vertebrae, may grow or fuse together resulting in a rigid spine. These changes may be mild or severe. Severe disease may lead to poor posture and deformities. Early diagnosis and treatment helps control pain and stiffness, and may reduce or prevent significant deformity.

Some of the symptoms related to the disease are stiffness in the neck, fatigue, slight fever, limited expansion of the chest, stiffness and limited motion of low back, joint pain and swelling in shoulders, ankles and knees. Symptoms may come and go anytime, the course of the disease is unpredictable.

Specific cause of the disease is unknown but certain genes are known to play an important role in causing ankylosing spondylitis. Most frequently the disease begins between ages 20 and 40 but may begin before age 10 and rarely occurs after 40 years of age. It affects more men than women and is mostly genetic.

There is no direct test to diagnose AS. A clinical examination and X-ray studies of the spine, which show characteristic spinal changes and sacroiliitis, are the major diagnostic tools. Options for more accurate and much earlier diagnosis are tomography and magnetic resonance imaging of the sacroiliac joints. The Schober's test is a useful clinical measure of flexion of the lumbar spine performed during examination.

There exists no particular cure for AS, treatments and medications are available only to reduce symptoms and pain. Physical therapy and exercise, along with medication, are the most important part of therapy for ankylosing spondylitis. Physiotherapy and physical exercises are to be preceded by medical treatment in order to reduce the inflammation and pain.

Exercise will help in reducing pain and stiffness, care needs to be taken not to exercise in an active inflammatory state, this will make the pain worse. Maintaining good posture reduces the likelihood of a fused or curved spine which occurs in a significant percentage of diagnosed persons, as speculated by medical professionals and health experts .

Good posture techniques will also help alleviate some of the complications of AS. Most often, it is a rheumatologist who will outline a treatment plan, but other professional may also be able to help. Alternative treatments are massage, using a TNS unit or electrical stimulators, applying heat/cold all aide in pain relief. Maintaining a healthy body weight and balanced diet can also aide in treatment.

There are three major types of medications used to treat ankylosing spondylitis.

Anti inflammatory drugs include aspirin, ibuprofen, indomethacin, naproxen and COX-2 inhibitors, they reduce inflammation, and consequently pain. These drugs tend to respond to the pain and inflammation,

Opioid analgesics have also been proven to be very effective in alleviating chronic pain commonly experienced by those suffering from AS, especially in low dose time-release formulations. While NSAIDs should generally be tried first, the use of opioid analgesics either apart from or together with NSAIDs, these should not be dismissed for fear of addiction, as studies have shown that patients who properly take opioid analgesics for pain rarely suffer from addiction on using such opioid therapy for pain relief purposes.

DMARDs such as sulfasalazine, cyclosporin, methotrexate, and corticosteroids, are used to reduce the immune system response through immunosuppression.

The recent trend in the medical drug treatment of ankylosing spondylitis include:

- Pamidronate infusions once every month. This is a slow acting medicine and requires once monthly admission to the hospital where the medicine is given as intravenous infusions. The success rate is moderate.

- Anti-TNF agents (infliximab abd etanercept) – this is a very expensive but effective medicine. The permanent spinal structure damage cannot be reversed but at least can prevent active inflammation of the disease. These are also effective in controlling the eye inflammation associated with this disease. The main drawbacks are firstly, these medicines are so expensive that only a few can buy it in India. Secondly, there is a small chance that dormant tuberculosis may become active in some patients. Surgery is performed if pain or joint damage is severe.

The latest breakthrough in this disease has been the discovery of a technique known as genome-wide association scanning, researchers led by Professors Lon Cardon, Matthew Brown and Paul Wordsworth from the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics at the University of Oxford, and Dr Panos Deloukas from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Cambridge, have analysed DNA samples from 1000 patients with ankylosing spondylitis and a further 1500 people unaffected by the disease in search of genetic mutations which, if present, increase a person's risk of developing the disease. The researchers have identified two genes, ARTS1 and IL23R, which increase the risk of developing the disease.

The IL23R gene plays a role in the immune response to infection, providing instructions for making a receptor present on the surface of several types of immune system cells. The receptor is involved in triggering certain chemical signals inside the cell that promote inflammation and help coordinate the immune system's response to infection. It is already recognised as playing a role in a number of autoimmune diseases, such as Crohn's disease and psoriasis. Ankylosing spondylitis, Crohn's disease and psoriasis were known to often occur together, and this genetic finding goes a long way to explain why Professor Brown believes that the unexpected involvement of IL23R in ankylosing spondylitis provides a major step towards being able to treat the disease.

"We already know that IL23R is involved in Crohn’s disease, but no one had ever thought it was involved in ankylosing spondylitis," says Professor Brown. "A treatment for Crohn's disease that inhibits the activity of this gene is already undergoing human trials. This looks very promising as a potential treatment for ankylosing spondylitis."

The disease cannot be prevented whereas awareness about the disease may help in early detection, arresting further deterioration.

New Mantra: Sex on Leave

2008-12-27T11:47:00.002+05:30

By M H Ahssan

Stress and hectic lifestyle can impact one’s libido. If ‘Honey, I have a headache!’ has become your man’s line of late, read on HNN mantras to cope.

Most women take sexual rejection very personally, especially if their sense of selfworth is linked to love and acceptance from their partner. When a sexual advance by a woman is turned down by her man, she views herself as being an inadequate lover, spouse and even a person. She believes that her ‘lovability’ is defined by the affection she receives or does not receive from her partner.

MELTDOWN IN BED
The current trend of sexless marriages, due to lowered self-esteem of men facing a financial crisis and resultant stress, is leading to varied reactions among women. Some working women who are aware of the global crisis, show greater empathy and do not blame their partner for the financial situation, or the subsequent lack of interest in sex. Instead, they assume the role of a sounding board, and also attempt to motivate them to be optimistic and deal with the crisis ‘together’.

On the other hand, some women add to their husbands’ woes by being confrontational, demanding, aggressive and blaming them for the loss of both, ‘money and sex’ and launch a direct attack on their partner’s manhood. This only makes matters worse. The woman, who has shoved a guilt-trip down her husband’s throat, can be rest assured that the financial crises may end, but her sex life will never improve.

Women need to understand that ‘sex is not between the legs but between the ears’, and therefore also understand that a healthy and relaxed mind is important for mutually satisfying physical intimacy.

SELF-WORTH FACTOR
Some women get confused and anxious with the sudden withdrawal of sex, get depressed and might suspect that their husband is having an extra-marital affair or satisfying his sexual urges in other ways.

In some cases, over-consumption of alcohol can be a problem, especially with regular drinkers who try to deal with stress via alcohol. This takes a huge toll on the relationship and might end up whining about problems and doesn’t wish to address the crisis in a logical manner.

In such a condition, marriage counselling helps. Also, stress counselling helps the man deal with the financial and sexual lull in life.

A man can be taught to reach out and be sensitive to his wife’s needs, and the woman can be educated to not make it all about herself, be ‘emotionally available’ and not use the husband’s vulnerability against him ever. The couple must remember that this is a temporary but crucial phase.

Moreover, the ‘emotional intimacy’ during this crisis can strengthen their relationship, and there can be some surprising moments of physical intimacy, emerging from such emotional bonding.

COPING WITH IT
A wife could use these troubled times to build the emotional intimacy and companionship with her husband and engage him in small joys in an unpressurising manner, such as sharing the child’s achievement in school. She could engage in non-sexual touching like offering a back rub or head massage to bond with him. She shouldn’t mind her husband wanting to spend time with his colleagues who enlighten him on ways to deal with the problem, not make any unreasonable demands. Tell him that both of you will get through it ‘together’, and that you believe in his abilities. Ensure that he doesn’t blame himself. Assure him that everyone is in the same boat. Help him accept uncertainties and forgive himself for human errors, if any. She can help de-stigmatise seeking professional help. If he is depressed, accompany him to a counsellor. She could identify what brings him joy. Small things such as cooking his favourite meal, inviting his best friend over for dinner can help him. At times, when he is relaxed, she could take the lead, touch him sensually, with no pressure to perform, and see if he wants to take it forward. The woman, of course, has her own emotional and physical needs. She could channelise her libido in work and children, or sublimate her sexual urges in creative pursuits. If she is spiritually inclined, then prayer and meditation can give her comfort. She could also engage in self-pleasuring from time to time to deal with her own heightened sexual urges.

No Recession Impact: Beauty Business Continues to Flourish

2008-12-27T11:38:00.002+05:30

By Sheena Shafia

When it comes to beauty care, consumers are not shying away from loosening their purse strings. The spectre of slowdown does not seem to have touched this sector, with beauty services and products said to be clocking healthy growths.

This year, the Indian arm of leading global beauty care company, L’Oreal, is expected to report a growth of 30%, in line with last year’s growth. Said Dinesh Dayal, COO, L’Oreal India: “The beauty care industry is largely unaffected by any kind of slowdown in GDP, because people do not change their daily and weekly buying habits.’’

L’Oreal India uses multiple channels to market its range of beauty care products including colour cosmetics, grooming and personal care products. The company’s turnover has reached Rs 600 crore, with its Garnier range of products penetrating the small-town market, adding to the company’s largely urban-driven growth.

Competing hair colour brands from Godrej Consumer Products Ltd (GCPL)—Color Soft and Renew —too have witnessed ‘satisfactory’ growth, according to the company’s executive director & president, HK Press. According to industry estimates, the hair colour market is said to have grown by 27% in November 2008, compared to November 2007.

“It’s, what they call, the ‘lipstick effect’. The grooming industry grows despite other sectors facing a slowdown. In these times, people indulge in spending more on their grooming habits than maybe, on a car or a durable,’’ said Press. Among other cosmetics brands, Eraser and Lissome Cosmetics have clocked growths of 52% and 36%, respectively, during April-November 2008.

Service care brands in beauty care industry are also said to be unaffected by the slowdown. Take, for instance, Kaya, a service brand from Marico. It is witnessing a double-digit growth in the current quarter vis-a-vis last year.

According to Rakesh Pandey, CEO, Kaya Ltd: “In the last two months of the current quarter, we have seen greater business coming from existing customer base. There has been about 7-8% increase in repeat customers over last year.’’ Growth for Kaya is said to be uniform across the country.

In line with its expansion plans, Kaya has opened five new outlets in the last month.

Feel Indian, Be Indian

2008-12-27T11:31:00.001+05:30

By M H Ahssan

Only Indian citizens can play for the country, says the government

The central government’s sports ministry has proposed a policy that will no longer allow Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) and Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs) to represent India in sporting events, as they are technically ‘foreign citizens’. The argument proffered is that allowing sportspersons of Indian origin to wear Indian colours even after they acquire the citizenship of another country would be tantamount to depriving Indian citizens of the opportunity to play for their country. The decision will leave currently registered players in the lurch, as their future would be uncertain. It will have serious implications for India’s tennis team, as Prakash Amritraj, Sunitha Rao and the Uberoi sisters, Shikha and Neha, will all become ineligible to play for it.

These columns have consistently promoted the idea of an elective identity that will help us do away with restrictions that curb talent and aspirations. The government, too, has gone to the extent of setting up a ministry of overseas Indian affairs to felicitate and honour members of the Indian diaspora. The ministry organises the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas event every year that is a huge draw for people of Indian origin from all over the world. When we value their services and make so much effort to appreciate what they do, why the stepmotherly treatment when it comes to their wishing to represent the country of their origin?

According to official estimates released in 2001, more than 20 million Indians live overseas in addition to the six millionplus who retain their Indian citizenship though they live abroad. Indian sportspersons who have had the benefit of getting trained by foreign experts and who feel strongly enough for their country of origin to wear its colours in competition should be allowed to do so. Chances are they would walk that extra mile to prove their cultural allegiance and so work harder to tot up the number of Indians on the winners’ list. The sports ministry should make its criteria as flexible as possible and leave it to councils that govern events like the Olympics or the Asian Games to take decisions on the eligibility of participants.

Only citizens should represent India
The sports ministry is mulling a proposal to disallow PIOs and OCIs from representing India at international sporting events as competitors. The proposal has been met with outrage, perhaps owing to the fact that India’s ability to compete in anything but cricket would be severely reduced if such a rule were applied. Several athletes representing India in the international sporting arena are actually PIOs or OCIs. But that is not enough reason to keep letting non-Indians represent India.

Why, in international sport, do sportspeople have to identify themselves as Indian or American or British, even in non-team sports? Because success in sport is a tribute to one’s country, its facilities and its culture. To cheat on that account is to demean the sport, too. And identifying one as belonging to a nation one might never have seen, let alone trained in is cheating. It’s also unfair to the nation that the sportsperson is a citizen of. Having made use of their home country’s facilities to hone their skills, why do athletes want to pledge allegiance to India? It is as dishonest as Maria Sharapova playing tennis for Russia. She is more American than Russian, having learnt all her tricks in Florida.

We have no need for borrowed heroes in this country. If a billion-plus people cannot produce world-beaters in sports, then we must learn to live with it. The honour of representing the country shouldn’t be given to someone who can’t even be bothered to hold an Indian passport.If an athlete is willing to become an Indian citizen, by all means, they should represent the country. Indeed, the nation will be proud to be represented by them. But they can’t play on both sides. There is more to being Indian than just the colour of one’s skin. If a second or third generation sporting genius feels truly Indian, she can initiate citizenship proceedings. Otherwise, they’re just making a mockery of the idea of nationhood. To represent India at a sporting event is a matter of great prestige and that honour should be given to those who are Indian in every way.

Old Age Blues: With A Little Help

2008-12-27T11:29:00.000+05:30

By Dipankar Gupta

The old need not be at the mercy of their families

Ageing Bollywood stars can be spotted from a mile. Their hair and shoes are always polished jet black. Their face is faintly recognisable, the feet shuffling, but the mop on top is luxuriantly dyed. Years of on-screen make-up have convinced them that what you get is what they see. We may ridicule this thought, but life often imitates artists, if not art.

After a bunch of grey hairs, and years of denial, the elderly in India have realised that it does not pay to sag with age. Nor should they will their sons their worldly possessions while they are still around. While till now they planned their retirement lives on their own, they have at last some state support. On February 28, 2008, the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Bill was passed by the Parliament with ease. Now spoilt sons, fattened by inheritance, can go to jail for three months for neglecting their parents. The existing Code of Criminal Procedure (1973) took too long to implement, and where was all that time?

The myth of the joint family was kept alive for generations out of sheer wishful thinking. This was an ideal many of us aspired to, but most found it too demanding. It worked as long as the property was run by the patriarch and could not be alienated from the family. This was usually the case with land and commercial establishments. When the joint family held it was either for economic considerations, or because sons were more worthless than their fathers. It is surprising how many idle kids thrive under the family roof.

It is a locked-on certainty that nobody wants to die in the trenches. A nest’s egg, a rocking chair, and a long look at the sunset are what old age dreams are made of. But now times are changing. The unit of earning is no longer the family. Sons work in different occupations, get paid differently, and have different lifestyles and goals. Incidentally, this is not just an urban phenomenon. There are many poor cottages in rural India where old couples are left to their own devices. Their sons are in Mumbai, Surat, Panipat, or in some other distant address.

It might have looked gracious once to let your boys have their share while you were still around. But as boys will be boys, they might just as easily take you down in the name of taking over. But so many parents still insist on making the same mistake. Like film stars of yesteryear, they too keep wondering
where all that adulation has gone? Screaming fans and doting sons can be equally fickle, but neither stars nor parents are ever prepared to fully accept this fact. One minute it is roses, roses all the way, and in the next they are dreaming of flowers on your bier.

But actors don’t give up as easily as parents tend to do. Years of grease paint must have seeped into their blood. They put on a brave face, slick their hair and get on with the show as best as they can. The elderly too must learn not to switch off once prime time is over. Instead of brooding over how the brood went wrong; or searching the family album for childhood telltale signs, it is wise to think of the future. Who knows, perhaps the best is yet to come. And when it does, the greedy brat pack in the kitchen won’t find a crumb to pick off the floor.

Even parliamentarians, who can be notoriously insensitive, have recognised with near unanimity, that the joint family is more or less a thing of the past. The abovementioned Bill makes this rueful admission in the preamble itself. The law-makers have also taken into account that mothers are treated worst of all. They have no assets of any kind. At least, the father’s career may have given him some special advisory skills, but the mother was always in the kitchen. Once poetry was written on her fetching dependence; but today it is just an irritation. Neither the slogan of the joint family, nor avowals of mother love, has stood the test of time.

Smart parenting is when we see the writing on the wall before we do the writing on the will. It is just as well that the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Bill also takes note of providing old-age homes and better medical care for the aged. In India, 80 per cent of all medical expenditure is out of one’s pocket. We occupy the first place in the world with this shameful statistic. In every other country the state contributes a greater share in health-care costs. This is why this Bill must pay attention to medical support, else it will be as toothless as the people it hopes to protect.

For now it is a good beginning. The thought that greedy sons can be put away for three months must cheer old parents, and scare their brats. But true deliverance for the aged can only come with state support for old-age homes and medical care. Till then family tussles will continue, though this Bill will delay the knockout punch. But for long-term support the elderly need the state to be in their corner, and with more than just the towel to throw in.

Mumbai’s Tycoons Enjoy a Good Life in Super Luxury Yachts

2008-12-26T16:29:00.002+05:30

By Swati Sharma

Anil Ambani placing an order for a Rs 200- crore super luxury yacht for his wife Tina has brought the spotlight back on the latest obsession of Mumbai’s rich and the famous. The irony is that none of the owners of these new symbols of uber luxury knows how to drive these yachts, and they’ve no parking space in India, for the country is yet to get a marina for private boats.

The race to own luxury yachts was kick- started by liquor baron Vijay Mallya in 1998, when he moored the 50- metre yacht Kalizma , earlier owned by Hollywood star Richard Burton, outside Gateway of India in Mumbai.

He now owns the 95- metre Empress of India , which, according to PowerAndMotorYacht. com, is powered by three 10,000- horsepower engines. He bought the supersleek yacht from a Qatari sheikh for what the website estimates to be Rs 575 crore. It first made headlines when Mallya hosted the entire F1 top brass led by Bernie Ecclestone for a party off the coast of Monaco.

The double- deck ‘ flybridge’ boat reportedly houses Mallya’s personal art collection, which includes a Renoir, a Chagall and a very large Husain. Each room offers extensive sea views and bathrooms have gold furnishings. The private deck has a jacuzzi that opens out into the sea.

Gautam Singhania of the Raymond textile chain got over 200 shipwrights to handcraft the Ashena , a 153- foot, tri- deck power yacht with a Burmese teak hull. It took five years to be built. But within two years of it officially becoming Singhania’s floating party zone in 2006, it is reportedly up for sale.

Luxury yacht companies are already scenting an opportunity.

Their enthusiasm was evident at this year’s Mumbai International Boat Show, where more than 120 international brands ( from Ferretti, the Ferrari of the yachting world, to Fairline and Sorenstam Ventures) vied for the attention of people like Jimmy Mistry, a collector of super bikes and big cars, who has acquired a super high- speed Sea Ray 175 Sport. Industrialist Rahul Bajaj also owns one of the beauties that fly on the waves.

Anju Dutta of Marine Solutions, the company that represents Ferretti in India, says India may be at the base of the curve for the yacht market, but it promises to grow in the same way as luxury car models. “ Oldfashioned business tycoons did not believe in flaunting their wealth, but that is no longer true of the present generation,” says Dutta. “ They believe in showing off and not everyone can afford a luxury yacht, so owning one gives them membership of an exclusive club.” Dutta’s company has sold 80 yachts in the past seven years, but they are not anywhere as expensive as the super luxury boat that Mallya owns. The Ferrettis are in the range of Rs 5.5 crore to Rs 90 crore, but the cost can touch the sky if the fittings and embellishments are as lavish as those favoured by Mallya.

Ferretti’s Indian owners include Sunny Dewan Wadhawan, managing director of the real estate development firm, HDIL, who snapped up one for Rs 57 crore.

Godrej Group CEO Adi Godrej has a Ferretti 592, a flybridge yacht that can house up to 60 people and is fitted with the ultra- expensive Frau leather.

THE PRIVILEGE of owning the country’s first Ferretti belongs to Vinod Mittal, younger brother of steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal, who acquired the yacht in 2001, the year Marine Solutions set shop in Mumbai.

UK- based Lakshmi Mittal owns the 262- metre Amevi , which is moored near his Mediterranean home. India, Norway, Gibraltar and Spain were among the stops Amevi made last summer. Mittal reportedly paid Rs 1,000 crore for the vessel, which includes a pool, gym and movie theatre.

Not everyone, though, is impressed by the way the market is growing. Shakeel Kudrolli of Aquasail Distribution Co., feels the market will have to move out of its obsession with luxury yachts. “ It’s a fad the market can’t sustain as India does not have a marina, nor does it have workshops for repairs and maintenance,” says Kudrolli.

These considerations aren’t stopping India’s richest from scouting for luxury yachts, for they can always dock their boats off Dubai or Monaco.

Digitising Healthcare

2008-12-19T21:28:00.002+05:30

The in-house HIS of Mumbai's Tata Memorial Hospital is harnessing the benefits of digitisation by delivering quality cancer care. Sonal Shukla tells you how.

Information is Power—this motto holds true for Mumbai-based 560-bed Tata Memorial Hospital (TMH), a reputed name in oncology. It is truly one of the first 'digital' hospitals in India as its IT story goes back to 1985 when India was not even aware of the 'alien' world of computers. Impressively, when digitisation was itself new to the healthcare industry, TMH embarked on a pioneering path to use IT for its information management with the ND550 Supermini computer and 40 dumb terminals across the hospital-wide network and thus conceptualised its own indigenous HIS. In 1997, this small indigenous project soared with an initiative to undertake a systematic review of the existing operational systems for patient care management and hospital administration in the hospital. In the process, the hospital went on to have well-integrated Electronic Medical Record (EMR) and Electronic Financial Record (EFR) systems in place. Today, the hospital is in the process of taking this initiative one step further by web enabling the entire system and fostering the concept of e-health.

Driving need
As one of the leading cancer research institutes in India, TMH has a need to retrieve patient information in a very structured manner. "The reason we created our HIS in 1985 was to computerise normal transactions in the system and retrieve them at a later stage. We were abstracting information like registration, demographic and clinical details from the patient files and putting it on the system. However, this information collection was not on a real-time basis and this HIS outlived its utility by 1996," relates Dr Narayan HKV, Medical Superintendent. The hospital felt the need for a more robust and responding integrated enterprise system that could link with all the systems in the hospital. The requirement for digitisation in the hospital was in terms of structured workflow, enhanced patient care and satisfaction, improved management tools, effective, economic, timely and manageable data processing and improved exchange of information between care givers, patients and statutory authorities. "We wanted to establish a platform and protocol for transmitting and sharing information," Dr Narayan explains.

In this context, a review was conducted with active participation of the hospital management. The scope of the review included patient care services, materials management (purchase and stores, dispensary) and financial management. "The review yielded valuable insights into inherent lacunae which kept us short of contemporary manage-ment practices. The hospital management decided to incorporate a number of recommendations into this system re-engineering process with a tight coupling to a computerised system, resulting in EMR and EFR," reveals Dr A Mahajan, Assistant Medical Superintendent. The Hospital moved into client server architecture.

Step by Step
Since 1997, the hospital has developed a variety of modules specific to an area of operations. The hospital separately implemented modules like Patient Administration System, Diagnostic Information System, PACS, Operation Theatre Module, Clinical Information System (CIS), Radiation Oncology Information System (RIOS), Medical Oncology Information System (MOIS), ICU and Inpatient Module as a part of EMR. As a part of EFR, the hospital is in the process of implementing modules like Financial Management System, Payroll system, HRD and Personal System, Stores Module, Purchase Module, Dispensary Module and Facilities Management Systems. "The integration of the EMR and EFR will enforce all the business rules of the institution and facilitate meaningful management information for timely and purposeful decision making," claims Dr Narayan.

IT@Tata
Patient Admission System: Implemented in 1999, it is said to be the pivotal system in EMR. The implementation of this system has catered for patient care activities such as registrations, appointments and travel concessions, wait listing, admissions, transfers and discharges. This system has provided key demographic and patient status information to other modules that were installed one after the other in the Hospital. "Management information such as trends in registration, waitlists, bed occupancy, lead-time analysis for treatment and re-admission rates are important outputs of this system," Dr Mahajan reveals.

Diagnostic Information System: Implemented during 2001-02, it has enabled the hospital to put in place diagnostic services like radio-diagnosis consisting of conventional radiography, CT, MR, mammography and ultrasound, bio-imaging unit consisting of PET-CT, pathology including surgical pathology, cytology, haemato-oncology, transfusion medicine including blood banking, diagnostic endoscopy and cardiology including ECG. With this implementation, in addition to placing the diagnostic reports on the clinician's desktop as soon as the investigations are reported, the turnaround time has been considerably reduced. "The problem of misplaced reports has almost been eliminated. MIS reports, both operational and executive, are a positive fallout of the system," says Dr Mahajan. On the other hand, the interfacing of analytical equipment like biomedical analysers and cell counters with the diagnostic information system has reduced the lead-time of reporting and has eliminated transcription errors.

Picture Archival & Communication System (PACS): Implementation of PACS was quite a challenge and that is why the hospital approached it in a phased manner. "First we started distributing the images on the hospital network as we had to change the views of clinicians who were used to seeing hard copies, and this was a total culture change for them," Dr Narayan recalls. An initiative was taken where the hospital first started archiving the images on the PACS system. This developed the capacity of archiving. The next step was to distribute the archived images over the web. Without curbing the clinicians' instincts of looking at the hard copy, the hospital made available the web based images. "We told the clinicians that they could not only look at the hard copy but could also go to the web and see the images. This is how the acceptability slowly came in," Dr Narayan explains.

Simultaneously, the hospital initiated soft copy reporting where all the radiologists were provided with workstations capable of post processing the images. Reporting on diagnostic workstations has enabled the hospital to move towards a filmless environment. In the last year, an advanced voice to text system has been installed in the hospital.

Operation Theatre Module: It has been functioning since 2003 with features like scheduling of procedures, pre-anaesthesia evaluation, pre-operative check lists, surgical procedure details, anaesthesia details and post-operative check list. "The OT module was among the first modules to be implemented in the hospital as OT itself is a single event for the patients. In addition, traditionally the surgery team is the most difficult team to convince in any hospital, as it is the busiest team. Therefore we wanted compliance from them first," says Dr Mahajan.

The implementation of this module streamlined the OT area in the hospital with real-time data capture of the information now possible and being available across the hospital. Today, the future refinement in the OT module is coming from the clinicians themselves as they want more information in a structured manner.

USP
Dr Narayan avers the system is integrated and not a collection of stand-alone systems. "One system should complement the other system and not work at cross purposes. If the stand-alone systems are not properly integrated, they will under-perform. Across the world there are very good stand-alone systems, but there is a need for a a totally integrated enterprise system which can address every aspect of hospital functionl," he opines.

The hospital has avoided this. The back-end server in the hospital is a single database. It is also said to be a completely customised system whereby every stakeholder knows his role and what he has to do. On the other hand, in bought systems, users have to learn about the systems and how to use them. "We took a conscious decision in 1998-99 since we didn't have a system which could really suit us; so the only alternative was to do it the hard way. We have customised this software in such a way that we are improving our existing work practices and incorporating them into this software," says Dr Narayan. The hospital has guarded itself from system failures with back-to-back servers and data replicators.

Vendor Selection
The HIS is developed by the Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL), which is a sister organisation under the Department of Atomic Energy. ECIL provided the software programmes and has been continuously upgrading them. "We tell them what we require and how it must be structured. They do the coding and programming and domain logic are sourced from us," Dr Narayan says.

The hospital was opposed to vendors who propose a ready-made product which is a collage of different requirements. "They start off with a generic product and then try to fit in the requirements. We wanted a software vendor who could develop a software and maintain it as per our requirement. With ECIL, we found a worthy partner and our association has been reassuring," says Dr Narayan.

Challenges in the Path
The route to implementation of different modules has not been easy for the hospital. As Dr Mahajan puts it, "It was more difficult when we started in 1999 because people were new to the concept of real-time data entry and departments were very reluctant to share the data with each other."

The other major challenge was to get acceptance among the users. "The department of pathology was most concerned that the reports would get lost. It took a long time for them to be convinced and till recently they were maintaining a duplicate copy in the department." remembers Dr Narayan.

Systems had to be developed that could have acceptability for a broad spectrum of employees of the hospital at all levels. "We had to sell the concept of why we were implementing the different systems and what are the benefits to each of the stakeholders. We had to motivate people to use this system and bring in some sort of acceptability. It was and is a painstaking process," Dr Narayan admits.

Future plans
In the near future, the hospital aims to have web-enabled systems in place. This will include services like patient registration, appointments, admission wait list follow-up, cyber consultation, e-health initiative, investigations/ product requisitioning, access to EMR and tendering for materials managment. The application for web enabling has been completed and will be implemented in the near future. "Cancer is a disease which needs follow-up for the rest of the patient's life. Moreover, patients have a close association with us with more than 80 per cent of them coming from outside Mumbai. Web enabling will enable them to access their records online, download and archive them, which is not only more convenient but will also save them time and money. Similarly, doctors can access the patients' records from any location," Dr Mahajan points out.

The hospital is also mulling over the concept of e-health which combines aspects of medical informatics, public health and business with reference to health services and information delivered usually through the internet.

Haldi May Cure Alzheimer’s

2008-12-19T13:42:00.000+05:30

By Shireen Razzak

Researchers Believe Curcumin In Haldi Can Minimise Effects

India’s very own ‘haldi’ is now giving scientists hope of an Alzheimer’s cure. Researchers at the University of Southampton are investigating whether curcumin found in turmeric — that gives curries the yellow colour — could benefit people with Alzheimer’s.

Researchers believe curcumin could greatly minimise the effects of Alzheimer’s and will examine whether curcumin-containing drugs could counte ract some of the brain changes that are characteristic of the disease.

Dr Amrit Mudher, lead researcher from the University of Southampton, said, “Indian communities that regularly eat curcumin have a surprisingly low incidence of Alzheimer’s, but we do not know why. Part of our research will investigate how curcumin may help protect the brain and prevent the disease.”

In healthy people, proteins in the brain’s nerve cells help them to communicate with each other. In Alzheimer’s sufferers, these tau proteins become abnormal and disrupt the cell’s ability to communicate with each other and the nerve cells eventually die.

The team at Southampton will use fruit flies, genetically modified to have nerve cells that contain malfunctioning tau proteins similar to those found in people with Alzheimer’s.

Dr Susanne Sorensen, head of research at the British Alzheimer’s Society, said, “Unless we act now, one million people will develop dementia in the next 10 years. A cheap, accessible and safe treatment could transform the quality of life of thousands of people with the disease.”

An ancient spice used for centuries by practitioners of ayurvedic medicine in India to treat inflammatory disorders, curcumin is marketed widely in the western world as a dietary supplement for the treatment and prevention of both rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis.

Informative: How to Improve Your Cibil Score?

2008-12-02T13:11:00.001+05:30

By HNN - Business Bureau

More and more banks are becoming a part of the CIBIL network and soon your CIBIL score will decide your credit taking ability. So please be careful about how much credit you take and how you repay it.

Credit information Bureau (India) Limited (CIBIL)
CIBIL- was incorporated in 2000.The relationship between CIBIL and the Banks is that of close interdependence. Banks provide Cibil the information of its customers who have taken credit and there payments behavior and track record. CIBIL on the basis of information collated from all Banks, helps its member Banks to make faster credit decisions when they acquire new customers as they will be able to check his previous credit history.

The CIBIL Credit Score System: It will be on a scale ranging from 100 to 999. Cibil collates data from its member Banks and creates a track of all loans, Credit taken by an individual and impart him a score based on his behavior of repayments of Emi’ s and Credit card from member Banks. Lower the CIBIL credit score lower the chances of getting money on credit. Say if your credit score is close to 100, then this implies, outright refusal of credit, requirement of additional security / guarantee, higher down payment, shorter duration and higher interest rates. If you have a very high CIBIL credit score, say 800, this implies, lower interest rates, waiver of processing fees and faster disbursement of funds.

So then, how can I improve my CIBIL Credit Score?
• Pay all your EMIs on Loans in time. And when you have more than one loan running it gets difficult to repay them or keep a track. So, it’s very important to make regular & timely re-payments of your loan to maintain your credit level.
• Never fail to pay the Minimum Payment required by your Credit Card. What is advisable is making full payments on your credit card every time. Credit Card is categorized as revolving credit and it helps in building a good credit history if payments are regular.
• Always make a budget for yourself & ensure your monthly income permits you to take a loan.
• Do not apply for loans or credit cards if not required. As this would mean more credit exposure. This could affect your credit score. Instead of applying for another loan, try checking for a top-up loan option on your existing loan. This will make your debt burden easier to manage.
• Use some of your savings to repay some of your debt. Always plough back extra income to reduce your debts. This will increase your credit score level.
• A cheque bounce on your credit card or on a loan also affects your credit rating.
• Avoid going in for settlements, although you make payments only for your purchases in a settlement it does bring down your score level. And never get into a write off case. This means not paying for your dues at all.

Now that you are aware of the CIBIL scoring system, please work on maintaining your score. Ensure that you are always in control of your finances. However, even if your credit score is low don’t be disheartened. The credit system always gives scope for improvement. You can start improving your credit score by simply paying of your debt and not opting for more until your score improves.

College Teens make Fashion Scene

2008-12-02T12:26:00.000+05:30

By Golden Reejsinghani

Teen Fashions today cover everything from happening apparel to bizarre visible bra straps, loose drawstring pants, three fourth length trousers, and pierced eye brows, plenty of rings, bangles and glamorized chapels to dazzling colors. Vibrant rose, flaming orange, bright purple and solid blue. The colors are stunning with glitter and shine. No longer are the girls attired in loose flowing Kutras reaching up to their feet, they now display tight fitting Kutras which are worn three inches above the knees and even the saris are worn much above the ankles. The ankles are adorned with multi – colored and stylish anklets. But what stunned me was that everyone was into exposing some or the other portion of his or her body.

Kashish was wearing a stylish sari, “why are you wearing the sari high above the ankles”? “ this is an Indian-western fusion”, and this I said looking at the attire of her boy friend “ this too is the same”. He was wearing a denim pant with subtle intricate work done on the tapered ends of his pants. What ever any one might say they were looking real cool in these clothes.

What I learnt that day was that today’s youngsters were proud of their bodies and they wore clothes not only to show off their bodies but also to please themselves and not others. “I like to show off my midriff therefore I am wearing this dress, even my boyfriend likes to show off his mid riff. My boy friend loves to wear designer underwear on see through pants”, said Nita shah of Xavier’s college. “You know something said her friend Muskan, “I am getting married next month and I have asked my designer to make my wedding dress in such a manner so that some exposure of my body is seen, but I have made it clear to him that it should not appear obscene.

“If a person has the body then why shouldn’t we show it off” reasoned Karen who studies in Jai hind college “one should have the personality to carry it off. Am I not looking stunning in this dress”, she said pirating before me in her low cleavage short mini dress.

Not only girls but even guys are into real fashions, Rahul had a short t- shirt exposing his waxed naval and every young chic ooh! And aahed over it. Rahul’s friend Dean sported a loose pair of trousers cut off at the calves with criss- cross shaved head. “You look best in what you wear depending on how you carry it”, said Sabina khan.

Sabina’s friend Sara was wearing gaudy colored loose pajamas or casual pants. “I live in these clothes, especially the loose pajamas; they are so very cool and comfortable”. And the pajamas or casual pants as they are called are popular in every teen’s closet. A pair of loose draw string pant is far more comfortable then pair of tight pants or trousers and therefore the teens are all opting for it in a big, big way.

At Jai hind College I found a young chic wearing an off shoulder dress with the bra straps showing. “Shouldn’t they be concealed under the dress”? , I asked Raima “ No , peek a boo straps are totally in fashion and the straps come in all kinds of colors , even fabrics from transparent to detachable to colors matching your dress”.

Not only the dress scene is bizarre but even the accessories are stunning. Body piercing is the in thing and most collegians are having eye brows, noses, ears, navels, and even their tongues pierced. Raja Singh of National College Bandra wears long shirts, with two ear rings and plenty of rings adorning all his fingers the rings could be of any metal steel, gold, silver or even bronze depending on your pocket. His friend Dilip also wore chokers and rings on all his fingers and even thick bangles; he claimed he just loved any and all types of accessories. In footwear college girls are opting for slippers. Big and bulky shoes are out and slippers are in especially the OSHO sandals.

What was very interesting was that nobody showed off their skins even though they had well toned bodies and the makeup was the barest minimum which gave them a clean scrubbed look most of them only wore a little mascara, kaajal and lip balm. The collegians today have come into their own, they are very confident about their looks and sport fashions which they feel looks good on them, they are individualistic and very, very cool about it.

Where Hitler meets Thackeray

2007-08-20T12:29:00.000+05:30

By V Sudarshan

A cople of years ago stand up comedian Albert Brooks made a film he called ‘Looking for humor in the Muslim world.’ It was almost entirely shot in India. In the film Albert Brooks, playing himself - a Jewish stand up comedian - is sent on a fact-finding mission, based on the premise that even though George Bush has a great sense of humour, his administration had difficulty understanding very many groups of people: Chinese, Africans, but mainly the Muslims. The American president wanted to develop a secret weapon that would work on the sense of humour in the Muslim world. But what made them laugh? It was a mystery to Bush. It is for Brooks to find out what makes Muslims laugh and he has to produce a 500-page report based on the findings. Brooks wonders: Why India, a Hindu country? The man heading the committee that sends him on the mission responds: ‘‘There are 150 million Muslims there. Is that enough for you? Anyway we’ll consider the job half done if you can tell us what makes the Hindus laugh.’’

Funnily enough, the truth manages to elude the comedian. But Albert Brooks would have got much closer to the truth had he stopped over in Mumbai and met the Shiv Sena chieftain Bal Thackeray, who started out life as a cartoonist but has got to that stage in life where others draw cartoons of him and caricature him in novels where Thackeray is transformed into characters with nicknames like Mainduck, which means frog in Hindi. Salman Rushdie did it in Moor’s Last Sigh, and his book got banned, which is not a bad thing for sales. But sometimes it doesn’t even take a book to stir his followers. The weekly magazine Outlook was targeted by Sainiks last Tuesday for featuring the Sena chieftain under the categorisation of ‘villains’ in an issue that took stock of India at sixty. It was the third time that copies of the magazine were being burnt by Shiv Sainiks.

About ten men burst into the weekly’s Mumbai office broke, among other things, a fax machine, a photocopier and burnt copies of the magazine. It is a Shiv Sena ritual and a way of getting their point of view through as well as an accomplishment, like climbing Everest and sticking a flag there. Outlook got a taste of it in its very first issue in October 1995 when the cover story suggested the majority of the people of the Srinagar valley wanted independence.

Shiv Sena found the article, based on a survey, offensive and anti-national. So they burned copies of the magazine. The second time the magazine was burnt by Shiv Sainiks, there was a debate on what triggered it off: the cartoon, a gentle caricature, drawn by a Muslim cartoonist, Irfan Hussain, who later was to die, stabbed over two dozen times, in mysterious circumstances, or the biting article, which recorded the chieftain’s slide from ‘terror to tamasha’.

This time the offending article was not a lengthy one full of anecdotes to illustrate the point or anything like that. It was just a little snippet, barely a hundred words. It was accompanied by a small caricature of the chieftain where Bal Thackeray wielded a paint brush dressed up as Hitler with a painted toothbrush moustache staring out of an empty photo-frame.The xenophobic German who sent Jews to their death in thousands holds a strange fascination for Bal Thackeray. He is on record as having told the Navakal: ‘‘Yes, I am a dictator. It is a Hitler that is needed in India today.’’ He was once asked in a television programme whether he wanted to be Hitler of Bombay? ‘‘Do not underestimate me,’’ he is reported to have retorted. ‘‘I am (the Hitler) of the whole of Maharashtra and want to be of whole of India.’’ The Hitler question was put to him twelve years ago in September 1996 by the Outlook magazine as well during an interview. ‘‘Once you’d expressed admiration for certain facets of Hitler.’’ ‘Comparison was inevitable,’ the interviewer prompted.

Thackaray said: ‘‘I have not sent anybody to the gas chamber. If I’d been like that, you wouldn’t have dared to come and interview me.’’Thackeray may not have sent thousands of people to the gas chamber to die, but here is an observation Justice Sri Krishna makes in his report which goes back to January 8, 1993, when a reporter Yuvraj Mohite was taken to Matoshri, Bal Thackeray’s residence, during the thick of the Mumbai riots and Mohite makes notes as he listens to the Shiv Sena chieftain: ‘‘From the conversation which could be heard by Mohite, which he has reproduced in extenso in his affidavit, it was clear that Thackeray was directing the Shiv Sainiks, shakha pramukhs and other activists of Shiv Sena to attack the Muslims, to ensure that they give tit-for-tat and ensure that ’’not a single landya would survive to give oral evidence‘‘.(Landya is a derogatory expression).

This is in effect what the magazine highlighted as having contributed to his being featured in its altogether too modest list in the rogues’ gallery - his Hitler fascination, his hatred for Muslims, his reducing of democratic politics to a ‘poor caricature.’ Thackeray did not even head the list; he made an appearance way down after Nathuram Ghodse and Sanjay Gandhi, jostling for space between Dawood Ibrahim and Mohammed Azharuddin.Coming back to Brooks, if he had met Thackeray, he would not have missed the humour lurking in the Shiv Sena supremo proudly letting it be known to the Mumbai chatterati that Michael Jackson used the toilet in Matoshri and Shiv Sena organised a chaddi morcha outside Dilip Kumar’s house for his support to Deepa Mehta’s film Fire. Think of it, a bunch of guys in their underwear, followers of a man who admires Hitler and Whacko Jacko (Would you let your kid sleep over in Neverland?) protesting outside the house of an Indian film icon who received the Nishan-e-Pakistan because he supports a film with a lesbian scene in it. He would also have squeezed some improvisational humour out of the fact that Bal Thackeray is on record as declaring he is ‘not against patriotic Muslims like Mohammed Azharuddin’ and both should land up in a weekly magazine’s random list of ‘villains’, side by side, like two peas in a pod.

The funny thing about drawing up villains’ lists is that somebody’s villain is always some one else’s hero. It is a humourless task, but it has its moments.The simple thing for Brooks to have done would have been to get Bush down to Iraq - unescorted - to find out what makes Muslims laugh. That would have been funny. But picture this: Albert Brooks (a Jew) interviewing Bal Thackeray, a self-confessed Hitler admirer on what makes him laugh? If you can picture that, you can picture Albert Brooks in say Iran, or better yet, in Saudi Arabia doing research on the elusive funny bone. In the film, when Brooks finally turns in his report, he falls 494 pages short. How many pages would he have got had he met Bal Thackeray?

Read the 123 fine print and rest easy

2007-08-20T12:27:00.000+05:30

By V P Malik

Given the widely divergent strategic goals and policies followed by India and the US in the past, particularly on nuclear non-proliferation, the Indo-US Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement was never going to be as simple as one, two, three! The US, since the mid-sixties, has actively sought to deny proliferation of nuclear weapons/technology outside the P5 countries.

It was the principal promoter of the Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT). President Clinton revised the US nuclear strategy and doctrine for a more active role when new threshold states including India started emerging. The Defense Counter-proliferation Initiative of 1993 included eight functional areas: intelligence, counterforce capabilities, surveillance, inspections, passive defence, active defence, export control and counter terrorism.

President George Bush upgraded it to a ‘forward policy’ in 2002 by including pre-emptive or preventive use of force in handling proliferation and ‘taking anticipatory actions to defend’.For much of the Cold War period, India’s bilateral relations with the US had remained rancorous partly due to different perceptions of the world order but mostly due to US support to Pakistan. Some of those doubts continue to persist. When India blasted its way out of nuclear ambiguity on May 11,1998, causing a major setback to non-proliferation, the US reaction was immediate and severe.

Given this, the tight-rope walking involved in negotiating this deal can well be imagined, especially after Dr Manmohan Singh committed in Parliament that India’s strategic autonomy shall not be compromised in any way, and the US Congress passed the Hyde Act in December 2006. It is evident that the 22-page ‘The 123 Agreement’, named after Section 123 of the US Atomic Energy Act, 1954, worked out after two years of tough negotiations cannot and will not meet every aspiration of the two parties in perpetuity. But I believe that, despite some doubts in a toothcomb analysis, India’s strategic autonomy has not been compromised. One, the Agreement does not impinge on India’s military strategic programmes. Two, it does not deny us the right to carry out nuclear tests.

The tests will no doubt cost us a lot, but that ought to be weighed against (a) our ability to build strategic reserves, (b) the strategic circumstance requiring further tests, and (c) our determination in worldwide sanctions imposed after the Shakti nuclear tests in May 1998.Given India’s new stature, any sanctions even if imposed would be less effective. Three, the right to re-process the spent fuel is not denied. Again, there is some conditionality of ‘arrangements and procedures’. But even if there is a delay or denial in such ‘arrangements and procedures’, no one can walk away with the spent fuel from India without the government’s consent. Four, the Agreement does not grant or promise dual use technologies to India.

But such inputs cannot be stopped once other governments and multinational companies, after NSG approval, begin investing in India’s nuclear power generation plants. Overall, the shadow of the Hyde Act notwithstanding, the 123 Agreement concedes more to India than what many had expected. Given the nature of our polity, the debate on the 123 Agreement can be expected to carry on even after all pending steps are taken to make it operational. But the real difficulties in its implementation may arise in a crisis situation on which India and the US do not see eye to eye, or if there is a souring of bilateral relations.

What matters then is not so much the fine print, but the political will to look after national interests. There are many political leaders and parties who believe that by signing the 123 Agreement, India would become a US camp follower. This is not necessarily the case. In the present world order, a nation of India’s standing can and should play a non-aligned, independent role and cooperate or compete with other nations, depending upon its national interests. However this too depends largely on political will.

MUMBAI SLUM SCAM - MILLIONS WILL BECOME HOMELESS

2007-07-01T23:39:00.000+05:30

Half of Mumbai’s more than 15 million people live in slums. Most Mumbaikars consider the slums worthless but to others they are priceless real estate. Dharavi, Asia’s biggest slum, is next to the emerging corporate hub, the Bandra-Kurla complex. Land in the complex costs as much Rs 30,000 per sq m, and 535-acre Dharavi is worth Rs 6,500 crore. Dharavi is every property developer’s dream and they are achieving it in the name of slum rehabilitation.

S S Tinaikara, a retired IAS officer, was asked by the state to investigate slum rehabilitation schemes and his verdict was this: “all slum rehabilitation plans are meant to encourage corruption.” HNN team went undercover in Dharavi and rented a room. The objective was to meet the slum mafia and prove that the slum rehabilitation scheme is a scam and slum dwellers rarely get flats built for them.

The most prized piece of paper in a slum is a ration card, for owning it makes a person eligible for one of the 100,000 free flats to be built in Dharavi. And the mafia can get you a card for you. “The ration officers have piles of old, clear ration cards. They have touts who get customers for these ration cards. It doesn't matter if you are a Pakistani, Nepali, Bangladeshi, anybody can buy a ration card proving residence from any date.

You just have to pay the right amount of money,” says social worker N R Paul. People who can prove that they are residents of a slum on or before 1995 are eligible for flats under the Slum Rehabilitation Scheme. The slum mafia, for Rs 15,000, got HNN a ration card dated before 1995. Mafia rehabilitation scheme: When they couldn’t block the slum rehabilitation scheme, the mafia, corrupt builders, politicians and bureaucrats converted it converted into a massive scam.

The scam is simple: build and allot flats to people who are dead or are fictitious. Builders then sell the flats at market rates, instead of handing them over free of cost to slum dwellers. Of the 65,000 flats for slum rehabilitation, it is estimated that builders have earned Rs 5,000 crore through the scam. The scheme rewards builders for building slum rehabilitation flats by allotting them to develop a portion of the original slum. Dharavi’s slums for instance, would earn a builder as much Rs 40,000 per square foot.

Tinaikar’s report ripped apart the scheme. It alleged that crores were spent on building Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) Office, but the authority’s meetings were held at the Housing Minister's residence Tinaikar said there was no credible process to distinguish a squatter or an encroacher from a slum dweller. Which left slum dwellers entirely at the builder's mercy. “Every page of the report is stinking with the fraud but everyone from the present government to the Opposition is involved so everyone is quiet,” alleges Tinaikar. Tinaikar’s allegations have merit. The next part of HNN investigation was meeting property developers and politicians allegedly involved in the scam.

A property broker told HNN on hidden camera he had “sold 40 percent of slum rehabilitation flats and there has never been a problem.” The slums were not sold to slum dwellers though. Between 1995 and 2000, Mumbai's Slum Rehabilitation Authority was to build 4 million low-cost houses of 225 square feet each, for the city's seven million slum dwellers. Everyone living in a Mumbai slum before 1995 was eligible for a free home. Barely 65,000 flats are ready today and even fewer have reached slum dwellers. Slum dwellers who protested the fraud were harassed and beaten up. Chandrashekhar Prabhu, a former board member of the SRA, admits the scheme is a huge scam. “Pay off slum dwellers and then create fake identities. Everyone is paid off and documents are forged—stamp paper, land records, consent letters. People who have never given consent are shown as having given consent,” says Prabhu. SRA flats by law cannot be sold for 10 years after allotment but in reality they are up for sale.

Here is what real estate agent Raj, “a SRA specialist”, told HNN in Goregaon. HNN: “We have been told that it is very difficult to get SRA flats?” Raj: “Who told you? We have sold 40 percent of the flats here and there's never been a problem, how can there be a problem with you. Can you show me any flat where there has been an issue? Ask anyone around here.” HNN: “How does this happen? What is the process?” Raj: “There is an allotment letter that is given (to slum dwellers). The letter will be given to you. You can get an affidavit done on this basis of that letter. Then you can get a ration card made.” The present target set for slum rehabilitation is 40 lakh homes. If that target is met, the profits that builders would make from illegal sales would be Rs 33 lakh crore—more than 400 times Mumbai's annual civic budget. To learn more about the scam, HNN approached a politician as newspaper reporters. Waqar Khan is reportedly on the new list of board members of the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority. On hidden camera, he said this: “The money is going everywhere from the CM to Baba Siddique (of the Congress). Do you know what a big racket you are talking about? I can't go into all that. I'll have to work with all the MHADA people… names and projects just disappear from MHADA lists,” said Khan. Posing as builders, the HNN team met a group of slum dwellers who paid money to builders and their architects.

They said the builders had assured them that they would bribe SRA officials to push their project through. Bulldozers in Mumbai on Saturday started removing slums on roads and footpaths --- the second such campaign in two years. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has got clear instructions from Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh to clear the encroachments from all main roads and footpaths immediately.

The government tried a similar campaign two years ago, but was forced to stop when Congress chief Sonia Gandhi intervened on behalf of slum dwellers. Over 8,000 slums were cleared in Ambhojwadi in Malad in December 2004, but they reappeared in just a few weeks. The BMC learnt a lesson from that and will follow a ‘go-slow-and-steady’ mantra during the new campaign. "People demonstrated at the Churchgate Azad Maidan two years ago and the BMC had to stop. But this time the BMC will demolish encroachments in a planned manner and it won't fail," said Congress Corporator Aslam Shaikh. The BMC won't bulldoze big plots for the time being; the priority will be to clear roads encroached upon by slums. But after its failure at Ambhojwadi, the BMC will have to figure out how to do that. "Its an ongoing process. We will keep going back and will keep a check on them. It is the ward officer's responsibility (to keep roads clear). If they fail, they will be suspended," said Municipal Commissioner Johny Joseph. The demolition is supposed to make footpaths and main roads free, but it's only a matter of time before the bulldozers begin their clean up act clearing big plots like Ambhojwadi, which have been completely encroached.

The Maximum City is bursting at the seams and along with the average Mumbaikar, the high-end customer is also facing the heat in his quest for an upmarket flat in a swanky area. In fact a recent report by HR body ECA International suggests that Mumbai is the seventh most expensive city in the world for an expat manager looking for top class housing. The study compared rental prices for unfurnished three bedroom apartments in prime locations and found that Hong Kong is the costliest at a huge $8600 per month, Tokyo is second at $7360 and Mumbai takes the seventh spot at $5500 per month. "When compared with other cities with practically no FSI, Mumbai has FSI of around 1.3 which is restrictive. Also the urban land ceiling act has not been repealed which is blocking land further. All of these restrictions are pushing up prices further,” says Deputy MD, Cushman & Wakefield Sanjay Dutt. Other experts also blame the rising rupee and say at least a part of the upsurge in prices on the Indian currency which has moved up by 10 percent in the last year is responsible for the surge in prices. So in a dollar denominated survey, Mumbai has jumped a few ranks.

"The rising rupee is also an important factor. Mumbai has been at lower rank when rupee was at 48 (compared to the dollar),” says Chairman-Knight Frank Pranay Vakil. The state government's long announced plans of repealing the urban land ceiling act have so far come to nought and unless the act is scrapped chances of land opening up for development will remain slim. The words clean and slum don't go together, do they? But a small revolution set in the slums of Mumbai is changing that perception. So, if you associated slums with dirty cramped spaces, your opinion will soon change. Slums in Mumbai are doing some serious garbage management and getting a facelift. At Hanumannagar slum area in the eastern suburbs, garbage carts from one house to the other every morning to collect garbage. Vanita, a slum dweller tells she is doing now what she wouldn't have bothered doing a year ago—dumping dry and wet garbage separately. And her neighbours too are following her, thanks to a garbage disposal system that's turned their lives around.

“Our area is a lot cleaner than before,” says Vinita. Another slum dweller says, “Our standard of living has improved.” With support from NGOs, people living in the slum areas of Mumbai have adopted vermin composting to process the garbage locally. “Dumping garbage in a pit helps reduce cost of transport. It also avoids the pollution at landfill sites,” said Rishi Aggarwal, Program Director, NGO United Way. Wet garbage collected from homes is sprayed with microorganisms or EM solution, which helps in processing of the biodegradable garbage. A bed of sugarcane waste and cow dung is prepared and earthworms are added to speedup the processing. The garbage is transferred and covered with a layer of sand and a month later you get fine odorless manure rich in nutrients. Perfect for plants in the backyard. According to the municipal corporation slums contribute over 35% of the city's total waste. So far only a handful of the many slums in Mumbai have adopted this technique. It's a small step in the right direction giving way to cleaner living spaces and shining faces.

And unless this happens, there is very little that can cool the overheated rental market for upmarket properties. Its tough-as-iron commerce and enterprise have spawned mini-industrialists winning global contracts. Three sunny days after the last pre-monsoon shower, Sanaullah Compound is still mucky. That’s partly because the road was never really constructed, and partly because the marshy past of Dharavi’s geography resurfaces every monsoon. Oblivious to that and to the din of a driver revving unsuccessfully to get his vehicle’s rear wheel out of the muck, Aqil Ahmed scrubs away at a 4-ft plastic barrel, threadbare industrial gloves telling the tale of how caustic his soda mix is. Ahmed is a supplier of recycled drums—from huge sorbitol containers to metal barrels of anonymous chemicals, he washes the residue off, fits it with a pipe if you like, or a metal clasp around the rim for a neat old-goods storage drum.

A few hundred metres away, in 13th Compound, deals are struck for recycled cardboard goods, touched up television sets, refrigerators and computer monitors. From deeper inside 13th Compound come the sounds of tin cans being beaten into shape and the rattle of machines. There are about 150 units here—Mumbai’s biggest recycling industry. Not far away, young men turn squares of cardboard into packaging boxes, women string beads industriously, row upon row of bare-chested tailors hunch over whirring sewing machines, fried snacks are packed and sealed. At 2 pm, the humidity plastering their ganjis to their backs, the smells of sweat and gutkha mingling, Dharavi is at work, as if possessed—by a djinn of industry perhaps. Or perhaps they’re racing to keep up with the change.

For, the 144-hectare sprawl that will soon see global developers tearing down the shanties to make way for highrise apartments and offices will see no more “routine, government type of designs” in the words of IAS officer Iqbal Singh Chahal, the bureaucrat on special duty for the Rs 9,300-crore Dharavi Redevelopment Project. He says the new college buildings must look like IIM Ahmedabad; for the tailoring and leather industry that Dharavi is known for, the Government is talking to apex institutes like the National Institute of Design, the Central Leather Research Institute, the Footwear Design Council, the Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council, all to be invited to set up centres of excellence here, to give Dharavi’s famed industry and enterprise new direction and growth. The planners are applying what project management consultant Mukesh Mehta calls his ‘HIKES’ formula—Health, Income generating opportunity, Knowledge economy, Education and Socio-cultural growth—to create an “upwardly mobile class of slumdwellers, a new middle class” that enjoys better amenities than the middle classes ever did.

Actually, Round One of Dharavi’s big gentrification is over. Chivda, chakli and papad manufacturers are almost impossible to count, an army of food moguls inspired by the Ghasitaram factory housed in one corner of the slum. There are still doctors’ clinics with dubious degrees offering miracle cures for venereal disease, but there are also path-labs, computer classes, coaching classes for students and beauty salons. Even the jewellery shops in the Tamil quarters wear smart new signboards and banners displaying branded gold and diamond pieces. There are still sweatshops in every alleyway, but in the seven-storey commercial complex along the main road, right opposite the leather goods stores, at least a couple of hundred jeans and T-shirts manufacturers have set up shop. With recycling units, tanneries and metal smelting all set to go, Round Two could see the service industry take root in the country’s biggest slum—BPO, KPO units, office space, world class retail units, that’s what the planners say is in store for Dharavi’s commercial space. Still, not all of Dharavi’s industrialists are convinced. “I have a 3,000 sq ft home,” says Ramkrishna Keni, a self-styled leader of the fisherfolk Kolis, believed to be the original residents of Mumbai and among the first to take up residence at Dharavi. A matchbox home on the sixth or seventh floor is no good for his refrigerator, television set, washing machine, cupboard and cot.

“What about my fishing nets and implements?” he asks. Keni promised those gathered at a recent protest meeting that local developers could be persuaded to give Dharavi’s residents “400 sq ft each, why 225?” Officials point out calmly that Koliwada is not even in the project area. Chahal details the new industrial policy for Dharavi. Hazardous units will have to go, as will polluting units. That doesn’t render these residents ineligible for rehabilitation, assure officials; they must simply pick a non-polluting enterprise. Set to go: tanneries and scrap recycling. “Acchha,” says Aqil Ali when told of the plan, “So where will all of Mumbai’s juna purana samaan (waste) go?” His masters at this 20-year-old recycling unit taught him his most fundamental business theory well: Look for a demand, then supply it. “I’m going nowhere madam,” he says. “Come back whenever.”

After Chloe Ripoffs, what next? Not long ago, Dharavi’s leather entrepreneurs were garrulous; displaying Fendi, Chloe and Valentino catalogues whose designs were meticulously reproduced in their sweatshops. “For export only,” one owner of a series of leather goods manufacturing and retail units had said, showing pieces that would never make it to the display windows of the 100-odd retail stores lined up in Dharavi. After all, retailers from Dubai and other cities in the Middle East with significant tourist footfalls regularly place orders here for calf leather and buck leather articles that boast a quality and finish almost akin to the big brands. Every other leather manufacturer in Dharavi has an export licence, plus receipts showing tax payments running into lakhs. This enterprise is almost completely legit, design duplications apart. Now, the Central Leather Research Institute has been approached to set up a branch in the new Dharavi, to tap the rich potential and give it direction.

Dharavi’s own brands can make a mark, say planners. Still, though business is brisk like always, there is a now sudden disquiet under the harsh glare of global camera crews, an unwillingness to talk. “What about rents?” asks S Bagade, one store owner. Many leather goods factories here are located in rented properties, some in sub-let properties. “Will everybody be able to afford the new rents?” The Kumbharwada Question: “Community kiln? And how exactly will that work?” asks Dhansukh Parmar, president of the Prajapati Samaj Association in Kumbharwada, a colony of potters living in spacious homes along a winding lane and a warren of bylanes just off Dharavi’s main 60 Feet Road (the other is the 90 Feet Road).

It’s an odd question, since the 300-odd families who live in Kumbharwada exemplify community living so well, complete with their own balwadi and a rationing office that trades in cotton waste to fire the kilns, all of which are used by several families, often together. “The 225 sq ft space is just not enough,” Parmar says. “What about our drying yards, stacking space and ditches to store mud?” Mostly from Saurashtra and Kutch, the Prajapatis are a potter community, named after who they say is the Lord of Progeny or the Maker. With business slow except in the festival season which floods them with orders for kulhads, dahi haandis and diyas, many families are not full-time potters any longer. And those not engaged in pottery will simply get 225 sq ft of residential space, officials of the Slum Rehabilitation Authority have clarified, fuelling more discontent among the kumbhars. “Entire families, including college-going daughters, help out when there are large orders,” says Nanji Devalia, a community member who contested the recent corporation elections unsuccessfully. His key promise had been to reform the redevelopment plan for the potters.

More details can be browsed from http://www.hyderabadnews.net/newsnow3/dharavi-scam.htm

NAXALITES & ALQAEDA CO-OP MOVEMENT

2007-06-12T19:43:00.000+05:30

By M H AHSAN

In India today there are many Maoist parties and organizations that either predate the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) or emerged from factions when the CPI-ML split after the death of Charu Majumdar. Three of them, the CPI-ML (People's War), CPI-ML (Party Unity), and the Maoist Communist Center (MCC), are currently engaged in armed struggle. An inter-connected "Naxalite belt" stretches across central India, comprising Bihar, MP, Orissa, AP, Maharashtra and parts of Tamil Nadu. Those parts which were connected to the neighbouring states came under the influence of Naxalism. Click here to read more on this story......

CASTE WARS OR SOCIAL HARMONY?

2007-06-12T19:40:00.000+05:30

By M H AHSAN

Is India on the verge of a major social and political change? Two contradictory events - one raising the spectre of caste wars and the other of caste reconciliation - have introduced dramatic new possibilities to the Indian scene. There is little doubt that the recent confrontation in Rajasthan between the Gujjars and Meenas - the first a backward caste community and the other a scheduled tribe - has induced second thoughts about the policy of reservations based on castes, which the political class has been pursuing merrily for a decade and a half. Click here to read more.....

A STORY OF A 'STAR FARMER' - amitabh bachchan

2007-06-12T19:37:00.000+05:30

By M H AHSAN

In his latest filmi avatar Amitabh Bachchan is a 64-year-old chef out to woo a woman half his age. In real life, meanwhile, he and son Abhishek have been struggling to prove they are 'farmers' who own agricultural land in Uttar Pradesh, in Daulatpur village. And where, pray, is Daulatpur? A 40-kilometre dusty ride from Barabanki town brings one to the 1.25 hectare plot the Bachchans have staked their claim to. Far away from any national or state highway, Daulatpur's only link with the outside world is a partially metalled road. But suddenly, TV cameras are buzzing here—after all, the first family of Bollywood is saying it owns land there. To read more on this story click here.....

INTERVIEW WITH THE FATHER OF THE TALIBAN - MAULANA SAMI UL-HAQ

2007-06-12T19:24:00.000+05:30

Maulana Sami ul-Haq is the director and chancellor of one of Pakistan's famous madrassas, Darul uloom Haqqania, Akora Khattak in North West Frontier Province. He has served in this post since the death of his father, Maulana Abdul ul-Haq, the founder of the madrassa, in 1988. Darul uloom Haqqania is where many of the top Taliban leaders, including its fugitive chief, Mullah Omar, attended. It is widely believed that the madrassa was the launching pad for the Taliban movement in the early 1990s, which is why Sami ul-Haq is also called the "Father of the Taliban". Besides running his madrassa, Maulana Sami has a long political history as a religious politician. He was among the founders of Pakistan's Muttahida Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal coalition of six Islamic religious parties.

Imtiaz Ali: During the Russian invasion [1980s], the students from your madrassa were traveling to Afghanistan to fight, after which most of them were eventually inducted as governors and administrators in the Taliban government. Is the same thing continuing today? Are you still sending people to Afghanistan for jihad?
Maulana Sami ul-Haq: No, there were not only Taliban who took part in jihad. This is an incorrect assumption, which needs correction. After the Russian invasion of Afghanistan, people from all walks of life went to Afghanistan for jihad. Students from colleges and universities went more than madrassa students.

The complete excerpts of this interview please clik here to read more....

IS CYBER VOYEURISM CHEATING?

2007-06-11T20:02:00.000+05:30

By M H AHSAN

No two people in the world can agree on every issue all the time. This simple truth applies to married couples too. Even the so-called ideal couples have their differences. Of course they don't pick up a fight every time they have an argument - most of them try to respect (or tolerate) each other's contradictory views. That's life! But then there are things that can be difficult to digest even if one tries their best to be accommodating.

Varsha has been going through a crisis in her life right now. Lets read on... She has been married to Hemanth for more than eighteen years. Their son is now in college, and both husband and wife are healthy and quite good looking. Of course the advancing age does take its toll on the human body. Varsha has put on a little extra weight and Hemanth is suffering from what is called borderline diabetes.

Apart from this, everything seemed normal, until the day Hemanth came across a porn site on his personal computer. The family had owned a desktop computer for the last seven years. The previous year Hemanth had gifted his son with a laptop, and the PC got relegated to a corner of the couple's bedroom. While Varsha didn't much care for it, Hemanth enjoyed surfing whenever he found the time.

Then one day, Hemanth, by sheer accident hit on a porn site. Once the initial shock wore off, he couldn't resist spending some time on that tantalising site, and so the addiction began. Hemanth's old and the innocent PC spat out lots of explicit but tempting stuff that day. The man was spellbound. Varsha happened to walk in, saw what her husband was watching, and laughed aloud. She shook her head, murmured something like 'boys will be boys' and went to sleep. By morning she had almost forgotten about it, but evidently, Hemanth had not.

That evening, after finishing dinner, while Varsha watched her favourite TV show, Hemanth was once again in front of his PC, touring the virtual world of forbidden pleasures. This time however, Varsha was not amused. "I don't like this and I definitely hope you are not getting addicted to this stuff," she grumbled. Hemanth turned off his PC but switched it on after a few days to visit other more explicit sites.

This time, he tried to hide it from his wife, but Varsha was quick to catch up. She protested rather forcefully this time. Of course she didn't know what to say when Hemanth questioned her, "What is wrong if once in a while I entertain myself just watching this stuff? It is not that I am cheating on you." Now for something more personal from their lives. Although Hemanth and Varsha are happily married and care deeply for each other, their present sex life is not what it used to be. Of course most marriages reach this phase after a certain period. While love for each other may remain, and the physical relation continues, the physical attraction tends to fade. Varsha and Hemanth have reached this stage of their marital life.

Other factors like Hemanth's age and diabetes somewhat affected his performance in bed while Varsha, due to other reasons lost interest in her sex life. Weeks pass, without any physical intimacy. And even when it happens, both are aware of the absence of the spark that existed. Now this is not to say that Hemanth must have turned to virtual sex out of frustration, but when he tumbled into this new world, he did feel a new kind of excitement entering his routine life. Coincidently during those days he came across an article written by a well-known psychiatrist and sexologist in a reputed newspaper. Acccording to the doctor, reading or watching erotic material could help in enhancing the couple's sex life.

Armed with the expert's opinion, Hemanth tried to convince, or rather convert his wife. Once he even tried to make Varsha watch something kinky on the net. Varsha saw a little but didn't enjoy it. For her, it was voyeurism at its worst. And she was positively repulsed when Hemanth one night tried to do something new in bed. What was innovative for Hemanth was dirty for Varsha. Naturally, each side had lots to complain about. Months have passed, but they still complain on this issue. Hemanth avoids visiting those sites when Varsha is around, but when she is not watching; he finds the urge irresistible.

Varsha knows this. It is her firm belief that, porn sites are for perverts only and sexual experiments should not cross certain limits even between husband and wife. She also feels that by drooling over those super sexy women's images, Hemanth is passing a subtle message that he no longer finds his wife desirable.

Why, she never looks at naked males on the net, cause she loves her husband. Once when Varsha was very upset, she told her family physician about this. The lady doctor just laughed and advised her to be cool about it. According to her, sooner or later, this phase in Hemanth's life would pass, and he would lose interest in those silicone net beauties and their sexual acrobats. Varsha is not very sure about this. She thinks this kind of interest is addictive and it would only make matters worse between them.

India and Saudi Arabia move beyond oil

2006-01-29T15:01:00.000+05:30

By Siddharth Srivastava

Oil was expected to feature prominently in this week's visit of King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia to India. But terror and geostrategy figured as much, signifying that Riyadh and New Delhi have worked out common grounds that have taken more than a decade to iron out. The importance that India attached to the visit - the first by a Saudi king since 1955 - was reflected by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who broke protocol to receive the monarch at the airport when he arrived late in the evening. King Abdullah, who headed a 250-member delegation, was also the chief guest at the Republic Day parade in New Delhi on Thursday, an occasion when India's military might is on display, as much as its cultural, social and economic diversity. Apart from looking at India and China (prior to his India sojourn the king visited Beijing) as a rich market to sell its oil, and thus reduce its dependence on the United States, Riyadh has been trying to engage New Delhi in other spheres. One reflection is that it has moved beyond the traditional definition of looking at India through the Pakistan prism. There have been efforts to dehyphenate the Islamabad-New Delhi link, with Saudi Arabia expressing support to Indian efforts in Kashmir, including the institution of a permanent border along the Line of Control (that separates Indian and Pakistan Kashmir), which is opposed by Islamabad. Islamabad was further rattled when prior to his New Delhi visit, the king agreed to support India's claim for observer status at the Organization of Islamic Conferences. As per OIC rules, no country that has an ongoing dispute with a member nation (Kashmir in the case of India and Pakistan) can be given observer status. Analysts say that such moves by Saudi Arabia are also calculated to prompt a decisive tilt by New Delhi away from Iran, which is a big competitor in the energy market. Officials accompanying King Abdullah said that Riyadh was uncomfortable with Tehran's nuclear-development program, a stand that goes down well with New Delhi, which has been facing domestic political pressure because of its siding with Western powers on the issue. Observers also say that New Delhi pushing ties with Riyadh is a result of a well thought out process at a time when New Delhi's relations with Iran are pegged to the way Washington perceives Tehran. India has enjoyed traditional ties with Iran and Iraq for a long time to meet its energy requirements. However, in the context of Tehran's aggressive anti-Western tirades and independent nuclear program, and the problems in Iraq, India has been looking to extend its influence beyond the Persian Gulf to the Saudi peninsula. Riyadh is also uncomfortable with India's growing relationship with Israel that has extended beyond defense ties. As part of the engagement between New Delhi and Jerusalem, Israel's national security adviser is scheduled to arrive in New Delhi next month. The visit has been delayed by the ill health of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. In this context, one more highlight of the visit of King Abdullah was the subject of terror, which is of serious concern to both countries. A memorandum of understanding on combating crime was signed between the two countries during the visit. The agreement broadly covers terrorism, transnational crime and subversive underworld operations and deals with methods of combating the menace. "We have declared a war against terror and we will continue our struggle against terrorism until it gets over," a spokesperson quoted King Abdullah as saying. "It might be a long-term struggle, but the battle will continue unless this scourge is eliminated," the Saudi monarch told Singh. A meeting with Defense Minister Pranab Mukherjee also provided perhaps the first opportunity for the heads of Indian intelligence agencies to interact with their Saudi counterparts. In the past, Indian security agencies have detailed several instances of arrested terrorists having visited Saudi Arabia, including some of the masterminds behind the recent attacks in New Delhi and Bangalore, who have been arrested. Officials in New Delhi believe Saudi Arabia is the meeting point of Indian and Pakistani-backed terrorists who plot their strikes in Indian Kashmir and elsewhere. Security officials believe the militants visit Saudi Arabia under the pretext of the hajj as the country is home to Mecca and Medina, the holiest shrines of the 150 million Indian Muslims. New Delhi also wants Riyadh to keep an eye on the sizable funds that are transferred to India, a big portion of which is suspected to be routed to fundamentalist institutions. Of equal importance to India is the Saudi shift from promoting radical and jihadi Islamists that saw the birth of the likes of Osama bin Laden and culminated in the September 11, 2001, attacks being perpetrated by Saudi fundamentalists. The intricate web developed by Saudi intelligence to wage jihad against the erstwhile Soviet Union in the early 1980s and Afghanistan has been well documented. However, there is a realization that such efforts have eaten away the innards of Saudi society. Terrorism has since turned on Riyadh with the country as much a victim of the monster it helped create. The Saudi decision to take on Islamic radicals and support the US against those who promote terror is critical for India. The agreement on terror, however, stopped short of a legal understanding that is considered to be a precursor to signing an extradition treaty. New Delhi has been pushing for a comprehensive agreement with Riyadh as it is because of such an arrangement with the United Arab Emirates that India has managed to plug holes in the underworld dragnet that perpetrates crimes in the country, including terror attacks. The perception of India as a "responsible" nation in Europe has also led to the extradition of dreaded gangster Abu Salem from Portugal. This has opened several leads to the operations of mobsters and terror attacks in the past. There is no doubt, though, that the bedrock of India and Saudi relations is business. Agreements were signed during the visit to strengthen the institutional and legal framework of doing business, with bilateral trade expected to cross US$7 billion by 2010. Public and private companies signed six pacts for cooperation in energy, financial services and the health-care sector. According to reports, Oil and Natural Gas Corp, India's state-owned energy giant, is planning to rope in Saudi Aramco, the world's largest oil producer, as its equity partner for the 7.5-million-tonne-per-annum Kakinada refinery project in Andhra Pradesh. Reliance, a private energy firm, is reported to have decided to invest in an $8 billion refinery and petrochemicals project in Saudi Arabia. India is Saudi Arabia's fourth-largest oil export destination.

Indian swami takes the fizz out of Coke

2006-01-29T14:59:00.000+05:30

By Siddharth Srivastava

Swami Ramdev may not be known to the West yet, but he is giving the jitters to many multinationals operating in India, where his enterprise, which revolves around yoga, is valued at more than US$50 million and is said to have touched 100 million people. The swami is open in his derision of cola drinks, packaged and fast food, and pharmaceutical companies selling allopathic drugs, even as he seeks to generate health consciousness through spiritual and simple breathing exercises (called pranayam) claimed to be particularly useful in dealing with lifestyle diseases (such as diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiac problems, arthritis, cholesterol, overweight, kidney disorders, cancer) and aging. His take on cola giants Pepsi and Coca-Cola is that such carbonated drinks should be used to clean toilets, not consumed. The swami's mantra is that most diseases can be controlled by proper breathing and diet (essential tenets of yoga) and Ayurvedic medicines, although regular drugs are essential to cure some diseases and during emergencies. He has even spoken out against french fries. Such is the impact of Ramdev, who appears on television to reach his dedicated followers, that yoga classes have mushroomed across India alongside new-age avatars such as cyber-cafes, gymnasiums, coffee shops and glitzy retail outlets of foreign brands such as Nokia, Nike and Reebok. It is said that Ramdev has revolutionized the way of life of Indians and drawn them away from junk food, non-vegetarianism and has made millions, including youngsters, wake up early in the morning to listen to his sermons on TV. Indian advertising guru Alyque Padamsee has said the advertising mantra of the yogi rivals David Ogilvy's. Ramdev's live pranayam sessions (he holds more than 150 a year) could put any rock star to shame, filling up the biggest stadiums. The swami has an earthy narrative style that connects with people, even as he coaxes them to continue with their deep inhalations while he talks. During his shivirs (live gatherings), many exult on camera the benefits of his exercises, though some yoga practitioners have criticized Ramdev for being simplistic. Nobody, however, doubts that Ramdev is India's first tele-guru and has been called the Amitabh Bachchan (Bollywood's mega-star) of spiritual TV. Ramdev's sermons sit on top of a slew of similar shows on exclusive channels such as Aashtha (with Ramdev as the mascot), Zee Jagran, Quran TV, God TV (beamed from Israel) and Sanskar that have gained remarkable popularity in the recent past, with advertising revenues crossing $2 million. Surprisingly, television ratings show that people in the 15-35-years age group make up more than 35% of the viewers, even as these channels have begun peppering discourses with movies, music, discussions and comedies to retain the eyeballs and compete with youth-oriented programming on MTV and Channel V. Not much is known about the guru, except that he originates from the state of Haryana and has lived in Haridwar, a holy city on the banks of the River Ganges, for the past decade while learning his art. Pictures show him to be a man probably in his late 30s or early 40s. The swami's Divya Yog ashram at Haridwar has a huge herbarium and a drug-manufacturing unit (for Ayurveda medicines) backed by a team of doctors. A new factory is being built close by. The swami's dream project is a 120-hectare Ayurvedic ashram near Delhi, which Ramdev has said will rival the World Health Organization. Revenues are generated through brisk sale of medicines, registration fees for his live sessions, books, video discs, television and of course donations, especially from non-resident Indians, from across the world. Recently, an unseemly spat ensued between a prominent leftist-party leader, Brinda Karat, and the swami. Karat, angered by allegations of labor-law violations at a drug-manufacturing unit run by the guru, said some of the medicines being manufactured by Ramdev used human or animal body parts. Ramdev lashed out at Karat, accusing her of "championing multinational drug companies to undermine comparatively cheaper Ayurvedic medicines". Though many multinational marketing and sales executives privately relished the controversy, Karat had to beat a hasty retreat when politicians across the spectrum, including her own party, spoke in favor of Ramdev. The Bharatiya Janata Party sought to give the incident a swadeshi (indigenous) versus videshi (foreign hue) slant. Union minister and Bihar political satrap Laloo Yadav said: "If herbal medicines help, it hardly matters if they contain bones, whether human or demon.'' Karat finally had to sing the virtues of Ayurveda and yoga publicly. Indeed, it is to the credit of Ramdev that he has not only managed to teach the virtues of yoga to so many, but also turned it into a selling proposition. "He is a fitness guru with an Indian twist. He uses the Indian religious language to sell the idea of fitness to [the] masses," Santosh Desai, president of ad firm McCann Ericson, said in a recent interview with Economic Times. Yoga is already a $30-billion-a-year business in the United States, with Western followers familiar with the meditation techniques of Deepak Chopra, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar of the Art of Living, and Bhagwan Rajneesh, who appealed to his audience through a modern interpretation of Buddhist philosophy. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and Sri Satya Sai Baba also have large, loyal followings, but the numbers do not compare to Ramdev's. It is said of Ramdev that he has moved beyond the abstract ministrations of the mind propounded by the above mentioned to actual physical exercises that are seen to provide succor to increasingly stressful lives associated with the advent of consumerist lifestyles and the proverbial rat race in India. It is estimated that close to 20 million Americans practice yoga, with most fitness clubs offering instruction. Retailers such as Wal-Mart and REI stock up on yoga accessories, including video discs, apparel, mats and other equipment. The average yoga practitioner's annual expenditure for enlightenment turns out to be $1,500. It was indeed ironic that the benefits of yoga, which owes its origin to India traditions that are 4,000 years old, has been so successfully packaged in the West and not in India. That is, until the unlikely Ramdev brand emerged.

Congress Seeks Key Role for Rahul

2006-01-29T14:48:00.000+05:30

A top Congress party official said yesterday that party leaders wanted Rahul Gandhi, the son of Sonia Gandhi, to play a meaningful role in the party.

AICC General Secretary Ambika Soni was answering questions at a media briefing on the proceedings of a Congress Working Committee meeting on the first day of the 82nd Congress plenary here.

“After the party’s conclave in Delhi, Congress leaders wanted Rahul Gandhi to join the organization in a meaningful manner so that more youth can be inspired to join the party to strengthen it,” Soni said.

However, she would not say whether any formal demand was made by any member at the CWC meeting yesterday to induct Rahul into the CWC. “I am not empowered to talk about what transpired at the extended CWC. I am neither denying it nor confirming it,” she said. Soni said the CWC meeting discussed the draft resolutions on political affairs, economic affairs, agriculture, employment and poverty alleviation and international relations and security for nearly four and a half hours.

She said all the 47 CWC members, except A.B.A. Ghani Khan Chowdhary, attended the meeting along with other members of the extended body.
Congress Committee, delegates and over 7,000 state Congress delegates had come to participate in the plenary. Besides, up to 6,000 Congress workers from northern states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan had come to Hyderabad.
“They are neither AICC nor state delegates but ordinary party workers. We are in touch with security officers to let them into the AICC session. But the security agencies have not given clearance so far,” she added.
After the CWC meeting, Defense Minister Pranab Mukherjee made a presentation to the plenary on the programs of the United Progressive Alliance government. However, neither Prime Minister Manmohan Singh nor Congress President Sonia were present at this presentation.
Soon after the plenary, Sonia is likely to meet Janata Dal (Secular) leader and former prime minister H.D. Deve Gowda to discuss the Karnataka crisis. At her news briefing, Soni, however, maintained that the Karnataka issue did not come up at the extended Congress Working Committee meeting yesterday.
She rejected suggestions that the party was a silent spectator to the imminent fall of the Congress-JD(S) coalition government in Karnataka. “This is not a matter of watching it silently. The man in charge of Congress affairs in Karnataka, A.K. Anthony, and CWC member Ahmed Patel are reviewing the developments in Karnataka. No political party can concede its defeat in such issues. There is every possibility of JD(S) president and Congress president having a meeting to discuss the matter in a few days. There is every possibility that H.D. Deve Gowda will prevail upon his (rebellious) party men. Chief Minister Dharam Singh is confident of surviving the trust vote on Jan. 27,” she said.
She conceded that the crisis in Karnataka had shown the fragility of coalitions. “Coalition governments are formed on the basis of common minimum programs. Sometimes, there are hiccups in coalitions. Such incidents (like the one in Karnataka) occur. But then Congress has been successfully running coalition governments in states such as Maharashtra, Meghalaya and Jammu and Kashmir. There has been a peaceful change of guard in Jammu and Kashmir after three years. The coalition government in that state is a good example of coalitions working well,” she observed.
She said Congress had stuck to its principled stand in Karnataka that there should be no truck with communal forces. “Not a single Congress MLA has deviated from that stand. Deve Gowda has also said that there is no question of his having a truck with communal forces,” she added.
The beleaguered Dharam Singh was conspicuous by his absence at the extended CWC meeting. “I have not seen Dharam Singh here. I don’t know whether he will come here tomorrow or not. His presence is needed there,” she quipped. Soni said Congress would make every effort to see that the coalition governments led by it in the states complete their tenures. “Coalitions, after all, are managed by all coalition partners. The UPA is successfully running a coalition government at the center on the basis of a common minimum program,” she added.

KBC - 2 : The great brain Robbery

2005-08-01T10:49:00.000+05:30

By M H AHSAN

Fifteen questions. Four lifelines. Twenty million bucks. And just one mid-sized column in this newspaper that can help you win it all. So read this piece as if your lifelines depended on it. For starters, ask yourself one key question — why watch someone else struggling to answer what Maharashtra’s capital is when you can do it yourself?

Here are some no-sweat tips on how to crack KBC-2 without having to work hard, cram up on useless information, or trying to morph into a genius overnight. Offer some spirited answers: So what if you are not allowed to carry a cell to the hot seat? Take the world’s oldest mobile, wireless equipment that evolved before technology cut its blueteeth — the Ouija Board.

Summon the spirits to give you all the answers. Do the Quick Gun Murugun Act: The ‘‘Fastest Finger First’’ will determine whether you are in the hot seat or are left in the cold. So wherever you see a button — be it a neighbour’s calling bell, your bike horn or the buttons in a lift — press, press, press… Practice makes perfect.

Tap the network: What’s common to entrance exam question papers, transcripts of phone calls to the underworld, defence secrets and KBC’s 15 questions? They can all be leaked. When you’re not waiting for a call from KBC2, look out for shadily parked cars, sleazy hotels, petrol bunks… You’ll find the answers — and the questions. Who finds a friend finds a treasure: Contrary to what you might think, the ‘‘phone a friend’’ lifeline does not include party line or dating services. So make up with all your once-upon-a-time friends. Keep them in good humour — or the laugh will be on you.

Big B meets Queen B: Guys, it’s time to switch from stag parties to drag parties, because Mrs Doubtfire has a better chance of making it to KBC-2 than you do. Yup, the sequel has a 20 per cent quota for women. Just keep your skirt on and don’t let the pressure get to you. Exercising the 50:50 option: Why get intelligent when you can get smart? Try convincing the Big B to let you in on the answers and go 50:50 on the loot. But remember that unlike the Godfather, Sarkar does not believe in offers that one finds hard to refuse.

Get cheap and best: In this world of skyrocketing costs, the only thing that can get cheap is you. So make all your calls to KBC-2 from your workplace or a friend’s mobile. Because, at six bucks a call, you are more likely to land in hot water than in the hot seat. Preach what you can’t practice: No call? No sweat! Open a KBC-3 (Kaun Banega Crorepathi Coaching Classes) for KBC-2. They say there’s a sucker born every minute.

You’ll get 15 lakhs of them every day. Two crores? You’ll probably make much more. Okay, some of these are pretty drastic measures, we accept. But then, you’ve got to do things you’ve never done to be someone you’ve never been — a crorepati. Even if that includes referring to a flat screen monitor in front of you as computer-ji.

'MAKING NEWS FOR PAGE THREE'

2005-07-25T11:29:00.000+05:30

HNN Bureau
Many corporates are making news on 'page three' as its hotting up for the news. Recently, a media company conducted a ramp show for its employees in their office premises in Hyderabad, according to grapevine, the show went on its peak to catch the glamour. Many of their participants make efforts to appear on PAGE THREE.

When the efforts gone haywire as one of the organizer, event head makes waves on pat with top-ranked DJs and VJs. Many applauded the efforts of 'Kashif' as his moves, commentary makes the viewers to hoot. Many shouted, many mismerised and, many gone mad on his looks, style and efforts on presentation. Organizers of this show are very novice, and the judges are tembled with their attire and style.

Participants who shows as team were normal, and the solo-performers makes waves and clinece the prize as well. The coprporate show, which makes others to follow and makes the employees stress-less with their tidious work, week-long.

Experts opined this type of anti-stress programs has to be organized in every company for the sake of health maintenance of their employees and entertainment too.

OUTSOURCING: ARE MAGAZINES NEXT?

2005-07-11T15:51:00.000+05:30

By M H AHSAN

"We move medical writing offshore. And for that, I apologize to all the freelance medical writers I have worked with in the past (and paid handsomely!) because now my company can do what they do, but for half the price," writes Lombardo, whose post-Whittle positions have included editor-in-chief at WebMD. "I won't be speaking at the American Medical Writers Association meetings anytime soon because I don't own a Kevlar vest."

Another American entrepreneur, Ted Fong, sends out letters to small publishers soliciting clients for his Manila-based company, Boma, offering "design, layout, content development and advertising telesales," at a price that's half of what it typically costs to have the work done in the U.S.

Meanwhile, Office Tiger, a New York-based publishing services company that does most of its work in Chennai, India, is building a design studio in India and bringing over a designer from the U.S. to run it. The firm hopes to attract more U.S. magazine clients for its full range of production work. "I think where publishers would most likely use us as a starting point would be design execution, where we are working with designs that have been established," says Michelle Breault, senior vice president of content and prepress services. She expects more publishers to turn to the firm for original work "as we migrate to that broader design capability."

It's an increasingly familiar picture: the transfer of work that was once done by full-time employees in the U.S. to overseas contractors for a fraction of the price. It's a fait accompli in customer service, direct marketing and information technology. Now, it's the magazine business's turn. Editorial, design, production and advertising functions are all being performed cheaper - and some contractors and publishers claim better - overseas.

The move abroad is just beginning, but experts believe the shift overseas is inevitable. For publishers that have already slashed staff, reduced editorial pages and shifted work onto freelancers in place of full-time staff, this represents the next frontier in cost-cutting. "I think the opportunity is that one can inherently make a new magazine start-up less expensive," says Atul Vashista, CEO of outsourcing consultancy firm NeoIT. "One can reduce the production costs of putting a magazine out."

Clearly, magazine production presents many of the same conditions that provided the offshore opportunity for other industries. Publishers are already accustomed to telecommuting sales reps, near-virtual editorial staff, outsourced art direction and design, outsourced Web programming, outsourced circulation fulfillment, etc. That can put magazine jobs into the great pool of the potentially offshored. According to a report published by the University of California, Berkeley last fall, as many as 14 million jobs could be shifted outside the U.S. by 2015. None of the research focused exclusively on the magazine business, but the report made clear just how vulnerable jobs in the industries that have the following characteristics are: "The lack of face-to-face customer service, work processes that enable telecommuting and Internet work, high wage differentials between countries, a high information content, low social networking requirements and low set-up costs."

That list applies to a number of jobs in an industry that is increasingly migrating online - especially for a freelance copy editor or proofreader working out of his home for editors he's never met. Copy editors and graphic designers are among the employees listed as being at moderate risk of losing their jobs to overseas competitors by job counseling Website careerplanner.com. "I was using a copywriter to write a couple of pages for me and I found she was farming some of it out," says Michael Robinson, founder and owner of careerplanner.com. "Her proofreader was local, but there was no reason she couldn't send it to India."

Threat or Opportunity?The current face of magazine offshoring can be glimpsed in the moist puppy dog eyes staring out from the cover of the latest issue of Fido Friendly Magazine, a quarterly for people who travel with their dogs. The magazine's co-founder and editor-in-chief, Nick Sveslovsky, who started the publication with his mother in 2001, answered a solicitation from Boma last year. He says that since the magazine was created, "I had been doing the design and production all myself, and we just didn't have the resources financially to outsource to someone in the U.S. where the prices are ridiculous." Sveslovsky estimates that by using Boma he pays about half what it would cost him to have the work done stateside. He sends Boma the raw material - including a photo of the next issue's "cover dog" - and designers in the Philippines do the rest. The arrangement frees him up to concentrate on editorial and increasing the magazine's frequency. "With Boma, it'll happen a lot sooner than I would have thought, hopefully pretty soon," Sveslovsky says.

The same offer from Boma evoked a far different reaction when it arrived on the desk of Samuel Pennington, publisher of Maine Antique Digest. "I live in a small town and have employees who have been with me 25 years and longer," he says. "I just couldn't see downsizing." With employee pay and benefits making up more than one-third of his costs, he acknowledges that he probably could save money by outsourcing. But he considers such thinking shortsighted. "If everything is overseas, who's going to be able to buy anything?" asks Pennington, rhetorically. "Henry Ford shocked everyone by paying his employees a living wage, but he did it because he wanted people to be able to buy his cars."

Fido Friendly and Maine Antique Digest are typical of the publications Boma is targeting to build its magazine business (until now the company's main focus had been on preparing marketing materials), in that they have circulations under 40,000 and serve a strong niche market. "Right now we go after the smaller magazines because they're the ones who have the biggest needs and are the most cost-conscious," says Fong, who mailed a solicitation to 350 U.S. publishers in January and is preparing to send another.

Boma charges $50 per page for layout and design, a price that includes sending the pages electronically to clients three times for proofing. Fong can afford to keep the price low because he typically pays his employees a fraction of what they would earn for comparable work in the U.S. - about $12,000 a year on average for a job that might pay $60,000 in the states. So far, with only three magazine clients, Boma is tiny, but Fong says he's in discussions with others and has turned down some interested publishers whom he didn't consider financially viable. He also has begun offering advertising services to magazines, including design and telephone sales.
With Fido Friendly, he's using call centers to qualify leads by contacting hotels to find out details, such as whether they allow pets and what kind of accommodation they offer. From there, it's up to the two full-time telephone sales people Fong employs to close the deal. He admits his sales staff is on a learning curve, but claims he can dramatically cut the costs of bringing in advertising. "The kind of customers we're going after are not going to hire sales people and send them out on calls," says Fong. "The way of the future is to close business over the phone, especially for ads that are less than $4,000 or $5,000 a page."

Offshore Company Has Designs on U.S. MagsIf U.S. magazine workers only had to contend with Boma, there wouldn't be much to worry about. But there are bigger players moving into this field. Office Tiger, for example, has a staff of 1,650 in India, and offices in New York and London. It was founded in 1999 to provide research, analysis and production services for law firms and investment banks, among other companies. Tiger quickly moved into the production of annual reports and prospectuses. From there, it's not much of a leap to provide the same type of support for magazines and, in fact, the company has started to do so on a limited basis, says co-CEO and co-founder Joe Sigelman.

With its new design studio, the company will be able to perform many of the functions traditionally done in-house or outsourced to a domestic company, says Breault. That includes high-end creative work. She adds that the company expects to gain a publisher's confidence by starting out providing routine design and production work, which magazines have plenty of. "If you look at creating a directory, for example, what you do is very much take a style and develop scripts to lay that out and what you're doing is really merging data to a predefined layout," she says.

Boma and OfficeTiger reflect a pattern among companies building up a business in offshore magazine work. They have established themselves in other fields - marketing, advertising and financial analysis - that require skills that are transferable to magazine publishing, such as writing, researching, copyediting, layout and design. By the time these companies begin courting magazine publishers, they have not only built up a track record demonstrating those core skills, they have already set up their facilities and technology and their sales and customer services staff. Their ability to transfer their success from related fields into magazine publishing will likely encourage competitors to make the same jump.

But how much of it really translates to magazine work? Can a copy editor in India understand the nuances of style well enough to make the words flow smoothly in, say, a magazine for wine connoisseurs in California? Can a graphic designer in the Philippines create a pleasing look for an American hotel chain's custom publication? And what about the intangibles - the trust and communication that only comes from face-to-face contact.

"Most of the time, even among bigger accounts that we've gone after, you're really dealing with someone in a very personal one-on-one relationship," says Rob Sugar, president of Aurus Design in Silver Spring, Md. "So it matters to them that you're not that far away." Aurus designs and produces custom publications for organizations including the American Bus Association and the American Film Institute.

He says it would be logistically possible to perform the functions Aurus does offshore (he has clients in other states that he rarely sees in person), but he doubts overseas workers would have the right cultural sensibility for the job. "Knowing [a client] in a more intimate way is something that's very important. I think there's no substitute for understanding what their needs are."
Boma's employees in the Philippines ran into a cultural barrier when they began producing Fido Friendly. The concept of traveling with dogs was alien to the designers. Fong, who was born and raised in California, says it's his job to explain such cultural differences to his staff.

Journal Work Migrating OverseasProfessional journals such as Molecular Cancer Research (from the American Association of Cancer Research) and the APG Bulletin) from the American Association of Petroleum Geologists) are already flocking to offshore vendors. Just ask Inera, a Massachusetts company that sells editorial and production software to publishers. "We have one competitor and it's not another software product. It's outsourcing," says Ken Carson, Inera's vice president. In the last year and a half, the company has lost several big potential deals because publishers found that instead of investing in software, they could outsource work to India or the Philippines and still save up to 80 percent off what it would cost to do the work in-house. Outmatched on price, Inera tries to compete on quality, appealing to publishers who insist on the control of keeping the work in-house, says Carson.

One of the companies giving Inera competition is SPI Publisher Services, which does prepress services such as layout and copyediting, as well as file conversion from print to electronic format for professional and scholarly journals in Manila. SPI's revenues have been growing 50 percent a year for the past two years and are on track to hit $15 million this year.

"The economy being what it is, the attractiveness of offshore vendors is growing," says Frank Stumpf, president and COO of the company, which has its U.S. headquarters in Ashland, Va. He maintains that offshore doesn't just mean cheaper; it can also mean better because overseas companies can afford to put more workers on a project to get a job done faster and with greater attention to detail. So far, the company has not expanded from journals to consumer or trade magazines, but Stumpf says SPI is eyeing such publications for future growth. "I think there's more and more opportunity," he says. "Copyediting is one of the more labor intensive parts of the magazine business, so it's a highly likely thing for people to consider moving offshore."
But Barbara Wallraff, a language columnist for the Atlantic Monthly and editor of the Copy Editor Newsletter, says copyediting is too sophisticated a function to be farmed out to someone in another country. "If it's quality that the companies care about for the great majority of copyediting applications, offshoring wouldn't be the way to go," she says. "So we need to do a good job of explaining why good, solid domestic editing does have value."

Wallraff may be right - certainly a top literary/current events magazine like The Atlantic is unlikely to trust the nuance of language of top writers to unseen contractors. But many magazines are looking for something far simpler: clear, error-free copy. For example, Dowden Health Media, a custom publisher of medical information for both professional and consumer audiences, says it is happy to hire doctors in India to fact check its consumer publications.
The doctors check the stories against the medical literature to make sure the articles are scientifically accurate. "There's an extra level of scrutiny, putting an extra brain on the case for each article," says Mark Dowden, senior vice president and publisher. "It's not so much a matter of keeping absolute errors from going through, as it is providing extra editorial input that can be used in final editing to confirm that everything in the article is just so from a scientific viewpoint." Dowden declined to say how much he pays for the service, but said it's less than what it would cost to hire a freelance fact checker, let alone an M.D., in the U.S.

Those doctors come by way of MD Writers, the company started by Lombardo. Lombardo says he has six Indian physicians under contract who write, research, copyedit and fact check material for consumer and professional audiences. MD Writers supplies content for Websites, ghost writes articles for peer-reviewed journals and prepares material for continuing education courses.

For one client, a Website for physicians, the doctors under contract with MD Writers review the professional journals each week and write summaries of their findings. Lombardo, who says the company has six clients including Dowden (but declined to name the others), says the only thing medical journalists do that the doctors he works with don't is call sources to report on a story.
To find doctors who could write, he advertised on two Websites: Monsterindia.com and Timesofindia.com. He got 120 responses. Doctors typically make $1,200 to $2,000 a month in India, so the moonlighting offers an attractive way to supplement their income, says Lombardo. He gave the applicants writing tests. "I thought it would take me 100 tests to find four good writers," he says. "After 70 tests I stopped. I had a pool of 15 writers."Granted, the Indian doctors wrote with a British accent, but Lombardo says it took him only three months to train them to write American-style copy. And he did it all by e-mail from his office in Atlanta. Lombardo has never been to India.

SPG PLANS INTERNATIONAL OUTSOURCING FORUM IN AMESTERDAM

2005-07-11T15:49:00.000+05:30

By M H AHSAN

The Indian arm of UK-based publishing company SPG Media endorsed a thumping success of a three-day European Outsourcing forum for European and Indian companies in Dubai. European Outsourcing Forum India (EOFI 2005) the industry's first invitation-only, interpersonal event geared towards ensuring that European business understands how outsourcing in India can enable them to reduce operating costs and increase competitive advantage and customer satisfaction.

Around 45 European companies from banking, insurance, retail, supply chain management and telecom sectors with a turnover of $500 million participated in the forum. Around 15 Indian ITeS and BPO companies used the platform to generate business.

With the continued growth of any new industry comes a variety of new challenges, successes, failures, positive & negative reactions all combining to create new challenges for sustained growth. The International Outsourcing Forum is structured to assist the industry in completing these new challenges by discussing, developing and implementing structure within the industries associations, institutes, key players, leading vendor, consultancy and research companies. SPG plans to launch the International Outsourcing Forum in Amsterdam, next year, to bring Asian ITeS, BPO companies in touch with global companies looking to outsource work to low-cost locations.

An outsourcing forum will be useful to a number of companies in India who wished to penetrate into Europe, where language may be a problem. For Europeans too, coming to India is a difficult proposition. A common meeting ground will benefit both buyers and suppliers in fields such as applications development, bill processing, data warehousing, HR services, IT development, IT services management, records management, and secretarial services.

It is the right time for mid-sized Indian outsourcing companies to shift focus from a declining US market to the EU market. Europe accounts for around 30 per cent of the global IT services market. IT services spending in Western Europe is expected to grow at a CAGR of 11 per cent in the medium term. Unless there is a shift in focus, Indian companies are likely to lose a fair amount of the business opportunity to rivals in Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia.

Last year, SPG Media held a similar event called the European Financial Services Outsourcing Forum in Mumbai, targeting the financial sector. Dubai Forum's scope was broader and, apart from companies in the financial services sector, included companies in the retail, telecom, airlines, logistics and supply management sectors.

Outsourcing is becoming increasingly strategic as it moves further away from commodity outsourcing of simple, non-core activities towards a powerful management tool to transform businesses' technology infrastructure, business operating model/processes and financial statements. SPG India is also launching Packaging & Conversion Europe (PACE) Forum out of India for Indian & Asian suppliers to meet European buyers. PACE has already attracted over 25 key decision makers from top multinationals. This forum will be held in February 2006 in Rome.

The company organises around 12 forums a year, mostly in Europe. They include the European banking forum, the Leaf Forum for architects and another one for the broadcasting industry.

SHOULD GOOGLE PURCHASE THE BAIDU.COM IN CHINA?

2005-07-11T15:48:00.000+05:30

By M H AHSAN

Google Inc, the world’s most powerful search engine will realise its dream of getting a direct and deeper access to the Chinese internet market. The web services provider has got the licence to operate in China, the world’s second largest internet market, only after the US. Google is planning to launch its China office by this year-end.

Google has also started operations on www.google.com.cn. Although it has been operating a Chinese language search engine from September 2000, it had previously been forced to run its China business from Hong Kong, thus limiting its operations to marketing advertising services via its search engine to Mainland Chinese companies.

The US-based Google has already bought an undisclosed stake in Chinese No. 1 search engine, Baidu.com. The deal brought Google much closer to the Chinese internet surfers who number almost 9.4 million. The figure is expected to touch 134 million by the end of 2005.
Google also brings with it the prediction of a tough competition against American rivals like Yahoo Inc, which has 22.7% share in Chinese market against Google’s 21.2%, and MSN. Baidu.com is the Chinese favourite with 36.3% share. Armed with the licence and stake, Google hopes to tap the rapidly growing market in China. At the same time, it faces challenges in the form of censorship and stringent regulations in the Communist-run country. Information related to politics, moral subjects and pornography are blocked in China and a few years ago Google was blacked out for unknown reasons.

Though ruled out by Baidu.com, a complete takeover of the Chinese company by the Californian giant is doing the rounds. This will set revolutionary changes in the market as well as web-based policies of China. Google’s direct presence can also establish a positive bearing on the English-speaking abilities of Chinese, who fare very badly in this area. Its varied range and technological supremacy will offer comprehensive coverage of Chinese sites, setting new standards in access to information in the otherwise media-conservative China.

Google also plans to make inroads into the Chinese domain and culture by making use of Baidu.com as its representative since Baidu has a superior understanding of them. Baidu.com is also preparing to get listed on NASDAQ and some other Chinese search engines are planning a technological revamp.

All these developments indirectly owing to the entry of Google and Yahoo are changing China’s internet habits and market besides giving hints about more flexible government policies. China is already making a name for itself in software sector and exposure to Western search engines will tremendously improve Chinese’s skills. Its businesses can also be marketed worldwide thus competing with India that has English-language advantage.

On the flip side, there is a strong feeling that the American intrusion would affect changes in the conservative and orthodox culture of the country, which is already witnessing a change in the general lifestyle.

RIGHT ATTITUDE FOR INTERVIEWS

2005-07-11T15:45:00.000+05:30

By M H Ahsan

The most confusing thing for an applicant while going for an interview is whether his interviewer wants him or her to have the right attitude or essential skills for the job. Most employers and professionals believe that the quality rather than quantity of degrees is more desirable in an interviewee. It is the right attitude and optimism, which takes one aspirant far ahead than others. You as a contender might be over qualified for the job that you are applying to but unless you have the confidence you could lose the job even to a less able candidate. Many things have to be kept in mind while preparing for and giving an interview including those mentioned below.

Time of arrival
You should neither arrive too late or too early to an interview. Coming early by one hour or more would send the wrong signal that you are too free for this particular job and are more than eager to join it. Even 30 minutes early would be a bit too much. The ideal time is to reach the place approximately 10 minutes before the interview. If you come at your listed time you might miss on some important announcements that are made at the last minute or you might just panic being in a new environment. So you should be well planned and decide before hand how do you intend to go keeping in mind the traffic and other possibilities. You must by any chance reach the office at least 5 minutes before the interview but the best time is 10 minutes early.

Treatment to the receptionist
You might think that the receptionist is just to attend to your concerns and queries but you are wrong. She is not even there to comfort you. She is an important person in the office and surprisingly has a say in the selection of candidates and thus you should be at your best even in front of her. She should not realize your nervousness and tension as could report it to the officials later on. A receptionist is one who sees you unaware and thus notices your true personality and ideology. So must be extra cautious in front of her as she might prove instrumental in your acquiring of a particular job.

Reason to work for the company
When the company officials ask you why you want the job then you never ought to say that the short distance to the office suits you or that you need the money that you would get as salary. You must never show them that you need their services but try to inculcate the habit of saying that you would like to help the firm or organization by applying your skills and dedication to your job and thus raising their status because the company wants to hire you for their own benefit and not to help you financial or oblige you by giving you the job. They need your services and not provide you facilities. Hence you must show eagerness to help them so that they hire you.

Talking about current boss
While you are being interviewed you might be asked to say something or to give your view point on your current boss as the interviewers try to steal information about your personality in this way. By being negative and complaining you could render negative information about yourself, which could hamper your application. You should convert your sour experiences into learning and positive ones and try to say minimum as you might be cross-questioned which may land you in trouble. You should always try to say best about your current boss and mention his good traits. No matter how strained relationships you might be having with your boss those should never come into acquaintance with your interviewer. Saying badly about others delivers negative about us too.

Reason you left your last job
The reasons you provide to the interviewers for your leaving the current job ought to depict your positive and move ahead in life attitude. Problem with colleagues or other members of organization would give a hint that you are uncooperative and not adjusting no matter what the truth is. You must never blame anybody but say that it is because that you believe in growing that you think that a change in job could help you. Too much expectation as a reason to leave the job sounds as if you run away from responsibilities and are a coward. So you should mention that change in life is only a means to grow and that you would like to work with such a prosperous and growing company like them and also help them with your hard working abilities, unmatched skills and experience.

The questions you should ask When given the opportunity to ask questions you should not give into the flow and ask about benefits and vacation time including salary. You should be neutral and ask general questions. But neither should you say that you have researched too well and need not ask anything as they might cross question you and saying this might also show lack of concern nor should you say that they explained the things too well and you do not need any further assistance. The best possible answer could be to prepare certain logical and business type questions which show your knowledge as well as interest. You should ask these questions only if asked to and not demand an answer. Asking relevant questions is very important. You must prepare these questions beforehand as thinking of a question there and then might make you nervous and lead you to ask irrelevant or unnecessary questions.

Thus while preparing or appearing for an interview you should always be extra cautious as to never concentrate on your degrees but on your ability to reach the pinnacle and your attitude. All the employers are looking for are good able candidates who are willing to work hard and take their company ahead. So you must concentrate on your attitude and not your aptitude.

CONCERN ON THE ENTANGLEMENT OVER THE BAGLIHAR HYDROPOWER PROJECT

2005-07-11T15:44:00.000+05:30

By Priya Venkatesh

Entanglement over the Baglihar hydropower project in Kashmir continues as the careens of the nations involved stand differentiated. The situation over the so- called controversial design of the dam has become topsy-turvy and has brought in such ramifications of having a neutral civil Swiss engineer, Raymond Lafitte to sort out the issue!

Despite World Bank negotiations over the disputes that prevailed between India and Pakistan on the utilization of water from the existing facilities way back in 1960 via the Indus Water treaty, its hapless that both nations have again run into a dead lock.

PROVISIONS OF THE INDUS WATER TREATY, 1960
Way back at the time of independence, the boundary line between India and Pakistan was laid right at the Indus River basin. The contraventions that arose over the utilization of water for irrigation from the existing facilities at the Indus river by both the countries climaxed in the signing of the Indus Water Treaty at Karchi on 19th September 1960 by the then President of Pakistan Field Marshal Mohammad Ayub Khan and the then Prime Minister of India Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru in the presence of Mr.W.A.B.Ill of the World Bank.

The treaty was put into effect from 01 April, 1960.Usage of water from the eastern rivers of the Indus (The Sutlej, The Beas, The Ravi) were apportioned to India and of the western rivers of the Indus (The Chenab, The Jhelum and the Indus) were apportioned on a larger scale to Pakistan allowing a restricted usage of water by India in the latter.

BAGLIHAR HYDROPOWER PROJECT – DESCRIPTION AND PURPOSE
In continuation to this, India started off with a double-phase 900MW hydropower project (phase 1 providing a potential of 450MW) in the Chenab River in Kashmir at the southern Doda district in Chandrakot in 1999-2000. The vantages of hydropower are inexplicable. It not only serves as a renewable resource free from pollution but also sustains minimal running costs in the long run.

This project was enquired by the Central Water Commission and a report was prepared by the latter on the same in the year 1984.It also states that the geological investigations were done in 1962-1978 by the geological survey of India and in 1987, The project was reported to have been transferred to NHPC. After almost a decade of dormancy, the construction of the mega hydropower project started in 2000.

Being the only power project of the state, it promises to provide unrestrained electricity to the region which has been incessantly suffering from daylong power cuts.

This project on successful completion anticipates bringing about harmonious developmental strategies with respect to the supply of electricity to the whole of Kashmir and redeems a prosperous socio-economic environment in the otherwise impoverished city of Doda.

LOCATION AND FEATURES OF THE HYDROPOWER PROJECT
As per the data presented by the two small rivers, The Chandra and The Bhaga rising from the South-East and North-West of Baralacha pass at a height of 4,891 meters merge together at a place called Tandi at a height of 2,286 meters and becomes the ChaderBagha river.

This in turn passes through the Chamba district (as the Pangi valley) in HP and enters the Podar valley of Kashmir.

In Kashmir, the Chenab River drops another approx.2000 meters and flows into Pakistan near Akhnur.

India sees this drop in elevation of the Chenab River in Kashmir as a tremendous potential for Hydropower generation. This urged India and led to the idea of the implementation of the gigantic Baglihar Hydropower project.

FRI Reservoir level: 840m
MDDDI Reservoir level: 838m
Average reservoir level: 839m
Submergence area at the full reservoir level: 12994.17 Kanals
Power generation: 450MW

Plans for the Rehabilitation and resettlement of those affected by the construction of this project are in the pipeline.

WORK-FORCE INVOVLVED IN THE PROJECT
As per the reports of the “Daily Times”,

· the project is said to involve 7000 workers including skilled labor and engineers.
· The talks between the Project chief Engineer Ghulam Hassan Rather and Mufti Muhammed Syed during his visit to the site in early may 2005, communicates that the civil works were being executed by contractors Jaiprakash Associates of the Jay Pee group while electric works were being implemented by a German Consortium Voith Siemens & VA Tech. Another German company, Lahmeyer International is supervising the work on behalf of the Kashmir government

PROJECT DESIGN –THE HEART OF CONTROVERSY
The controversy over this started at the design of the Baglihar dam in the Chenab River. The president General Pervez Musharaff approved a plan to coerce India to redesign the project on November 21, 2004 stating that it was a clear violation of the dictates of the Indus Water Treaty, 1960. He made it clear that the intervention of the International court of justice would be sorted to if in case the controversy heightens in spite of political and diplomatic efforts undertaken by both the governments concerned.

Pakistan raised its opposition to the construction of the gate-like structures present in the design stating that it would divert water to India, which otherwise is destined for Pakistan. It also emphasizes the fact that the successful implementation of this project would deprive Pakistan of 6000-7000 cusecs of water per day. It also emphasized in reducing the planned height of the dam(470 feet) for which the Indian authorities allege that the 450MW capacity would come down to a mere 50MW.

India upholds to state that the construction would in no way disrupt the water flow of the river or the canals of Pakistan. India alleges that the problem of augmentation of sludge is overcome only by abnormal flushing which in turn is unfeasible but for the presence of gated spillways.

With reference to this, talks were held between India and Pakistan in July, August and October 2003.But the repercussion was just a stalemate. Formal notices were issued by Pakistan to resolve the issue with the intervention of neutral experts twice in July and October 2003.The deadlines for India’s response were set up at December 31, 2003.

As per the postulation of the Indian government, a 3-day talk between the Indian and Pakistani authorities was convened at the Permanent Commission of Indus Water (PCIW) in January 2004.

The political and diplomatic efforts to resolve the issue broke down even when the stakes to do so at the bi-lateral government level were quiet high. Talks continued again in January 2005 but ended up in vain. The issue still remained a blind alley.

Arbitration by the World Bank was sought for by the Pakistani authorities in early 2005.As a consequence, The World Bank appointed Raymond Lafitte, a Swiss national civil Engineer cum Professor to sort out the longstanding issue on May 10,2005.Professor Raymond Lafitte is with the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne. He was a former expert on dam safety with the Swiss government.

Lafitte held confluences with the delegates from India and Pakistan on the assorted issues over the disputed project in Paris, in the wake of June 2005.

A NOTE ON THE TIMEFRAME AND VALUE OF THE PROJECT
The highly controversial Baglihar hydropower project is expected to race towards its completion by June 2006. The Union minister after his recent visit to the site in mid-June 2005 is reported to have said that the project would be completed and dedicated to the nation by June next year.

As per the versions of many leading dailies, out of the estimated overall cost of erection of about 4000-crore, a sum of 2700-crores has already been used up and almost 71% of civil works and 81% of electro-mechanical work of Phase-1 has been completed till date.

WHAT’S ON THE RUN AND WORK AHEAD
As the backwash of the World Bank arbitration towards reaching a consensus in this issue, Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi, the then Union minister for Water resources confabulated the site of construction on June 17, 2005 to produce a detailed report on the same.

Inspection by the Pakistani delegates and by Lafitte is in the pipeline in the next few months.

It is believed that by resorting to World Bank arbitration, a Pandora’s box has been opened up. Will there be a resolution to this controversy in the nearest future? Much awaited is an accord in this issue between the nations concerned in the nearest future!

Will the World Bank take the quickest measure to resolve the issue? Will a consensus be reached between the two nations still remains an unanswered question!

POSSIBLE ENTAILMENTS OF ARBITRATION
Arbitration on its march ahead may end up with the renegotiation or revocation of the Treaty with the consent of both the nations concerned. Sequel of the treaty and operation within the scope of the Indus Water treaty is a must for the increasingly agriculture dependent Pakistani side. With the declining water storage at the Terbela and Mangla of Pakistan, revocation of the treaty would emphatically not auspicate the Pakistani side positively.

Further delay in sorting out the issue will have bad reflection on the Indians for two reasons. The first being the finance involved in this project that have taken up huge tolls of money and second being the unrestrained supply of electricity that would be available to Kashmir on successful implementation. Arbitration if prolonged will also strain both the nations financially.

Considering the nook and corner of this complex dispute, the candid facts with respect to the issue has to be pondered upon

· Abrogation of the treaty would never have a positive reflection to the Pakistanis and continuance of the arbitration will have negative contemplations on the Indians

· Political tension and administrative friction at the government level has to be swept aside. The functional side of the issue has to be brought under discussion. Negotiations should be concluded within the shortest stint of time and an accord has to become a reality on operational basis.

· Cognitive upbeat decisions must be taken at the functional level scraping out the political differences thus paving way to renegotiations of the Indus Water Treaty.

Whatever be the resolution to this indefinitely unsolved issue, let us hope that it should surface within the shortest possible stint of time and it should be to the fullest benefit of both the countries involved.

THE MAJESTIC TAJ MAHAL

2005-07-11T15:39:00.000+05:30

By M H AHSAN

A flawless architectural creation
For centuries, the Taj Mahal has inspired poets, painters and musicians to try and capture its elusive magic in word, colour and son. Since the 17th century, travellers have crossed continents to come and see this ultimate memorial to love, and few have been unmoved by its incomparable beauty.

Taj Mahal stands in the city of Agra, in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, on the banks of the Yamuna river. It was built in the memory of the beautiful Arjumand Bano Begum, who won the heart of a Mughal prince. She was married at 21 to Emperor Jahangir's third son Prince Khurram and stayed loyally by his side through good times and bad: in the luxurious royal palaces of Agra as well as the transient tents of war camps.A memorial to his belovedIn AD 1628, Khurram became king after a bloody battle of succession; he took the name Shahjahan or King of the World and showered his beloved begum with the highest titles. She became Mumtaz Mahal, the Exalted of the Palace and Mumtaz-ul-Zamani, the Exalted of the Age. But Mumtaz Mahal was not destined to be queen for long.

In 1631, Shahjahan went on an expedition to the South and, as always, Mumtaz Mahal accompanied him. But she died in childbirth at Burhanpur. She had borne Shahjahan fourteen children, of whom four sons and three daughters survived. When Mumtaz Mahal died, she was just 39 years old. Shahjahan was inconsolable and contemporary chronicles tell of the royal court mourning for two years. There was no music, no feasting, and no celebration of any kind.
Shahjahan, who was a passionate builder, now decided to erect a memorial marble that the world would never forget. The site selected for the tomb was a garden by the Yamuna river, unshadowed by any other structure. The garden had been laid by Raja Man Singh of Amber and now belonged to his grandson, Raja Jai Singh. By a royal firman, Shahjahan gave Jai Singh four havelis in exchange for the garden. The site was also chosen because it was located on a bend in the river, and so could be seen from Shahjahan's personal palace in Agra Fort, further upstream.
A labour of love
Work on the mausoleum began in 1633 and 20,000 workers laboured for 17 years to build it. The most skilled architects, inlay craftsmen, calligraphers, stone-carvers and masons came from all across India and lands as distant as Persia and Turkey. The master mason was from Baghdad, an expert in building the double dome from Persia, and an inlay specialist from Delhi.
The tomb was completed in AD 1650. But, Shahjahan was deposed by his son Aurangzeb in 1658 and imprisioned in the Agra Fort. He spent his last years in the Mussalman Burj looking downstream at the Taj where his beloved Mumtaz Mahal lay. Sixteen years later he, too, was laid to rest beside her.

The bejewelled Palace
Shahjahan's two biggest passions were architecture and jewellery and both are reflected in the Taj Mahal. He visualised a building in marble and then had it decorated with semi-precious stones inlaid with the delicacy of handcrafted jewellery. Marble in purest white was brought from Makrana in Rajasthan, yellow marble and rockspar from the banks of the Narmada river, lack marble from Charkoh and red sandstone from Sikri. For the intricate pietra dura the finest gems were collected - crystal and jade from China, lapis lazuli and sapphires from Sri Lanka, jasper from Punja, carnelian from Baghdad and turquoise from Tibet.

Yemen sent agates, the corals came from Arabia, the garnets from Bundelkhand, onyx and amethyst from Persia. Mumtaz Mahal's final resting-place was ornamented like a queen's jewel-box.

The Complex
You enter the Taj complex through an arcaded forecourt where some of Shahjahan's other queens lie buried. The forecourt also has the Jilau Kana, a bazaar with cloisters leading to the main entrance of the tomb. The imposing gateway is made of red sandstone highlighted with marble and has octagonal kiosks on top. The gateway is an imposing 30 metres high and a fitting entrance to the Taj Mahal. The soaring arch is inscribed with a beautiful design of inlaid flowers and calligraphy.

As you enter the dark octagonal chamber under the gateway, the light streaming in from the opposite doorway draws you towards it. Here, framed by the arch of the doorway, the Taj Mahal reveals itself to the viewer with dramatic power. It stands at the end of a long walkway, framed by landscaped gardens and an ever-changing sky, its snowy marble glittering in the sunlight.
Taj Mahal stands at one side of a garden laid in the tradition charbagh style, with its square lawns bisected by pathways, water channels and rows of fountains. Halfway down the path there is a square pool, its limpid waters reflecting the marble tomb. Unlike other tombs, Taj Mahal stands at one end of the garden instead the centre. This was done deliberately, to leave its vista uncluttered by any other building.

The Main Building
The tomb stands on a marble plinth six-metres high. The four minarets at each corner beautifully frame the tomb. The plinth stands on a high standstone platform and at the far ends of this base are two identical sandstone structures, a mosque to the west and its jawab, or echo, to the east. This was the mehman khana or guesthouse. Thus, the main building is not just of great size but beautifully proportioned and balanced in design.

The octagonal central hall has four smaller octagonal halls round it and is decorated with magnificent inlay and dado panels done in high relief. The bulbous, perfectly-balanced double dome rises to a height of 45 metres and the four chhattris flanking and balancing the high drum give it added height. Taj Mahal rises 75 metres high and is, in fact, taller than the Qutb Minar.
An ornate marble screen, carved so fine that it almost has the texture of lace surrounds the cenotaphs in the central hall. However, as was the tradition during Mughal times, the actual graves lie in an underground crypt directly below the cenotaphs.

Intricacy in design
What is most amazing about the Taj Mahal is the fine detailing. The coloured inlay is never allowed to overwhelm the design, as carvings done in relief sensitively balance it. The ornate pietra dura and relief carvings are of floral, calligraphic and geometric designs. However, flowers remain the main decorative element as the tomb depicts a paradise garden. The skill of the inlay worker is so fine that it is impossible to find the joints, even when as many as 40 tiny pieces of semi-precious stones have been used in the petals of a single flower. Some of the best calligraphy of Koranic verses can be seen around the entrance arches and on the two headstones.

The colours of the Taj
Taj Mahal changes its moods with the seasons and the different times of the day. At dawn, the marble has a delicate bloom in shell pink, by noon it glitters majestically white, turning to a soft pearly grey at dusk. On full-moon away against the star-spangled sky. Monsoon clouds give it a moody blue tint and it appears and disappears like a mirage in the drifting mists of winter.

It can be solid and earthbound, fragile and ethereal, white, amber, grey and gold. The many faces of Taj Mahal display the seductive power of architecture at its best.

Zarqawi: Everywhere and nowhere

2005-07-07T10:45:00.000+05:30

By M H Ahsan

A remarkable proportion of the violence taking place in Iraq is regularly credited to the Jordanian Ahmad al-Khalayleh, better known as Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, and his al-Qaeda-linked organization in Iraq. Sometimes it seems no car bomb goes off, no ambush occurs that isn't claimed in his name or attributed to him by the Bush administration. Bush and his top officials have, in fact, made good use of him, lifting his reputed feats of terrorism to epic, even mythic, proportions (much aided by various mainstream media outlets). Given that the invasion and occupation of Iraq have now been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt to be based on administration lies and manipulations, I begun to wonder if the vaunted Zarqawi even existed.

In Amman, random interviews with Jordanians only generated more questions and no answers about Zarqawi. As it happens, though, the Jordanian capital is just a short cab ride from Zarqa, the city Zarqawi is said to be from. So I decided to slake my curiosity about him by traveling there and nosing around his old neighborhood. "Zarqawi, I don't even know if he exists," said a scruffy taxi driver in Amman, and his was a typical comment. "He's like [Osama] bin Laden, we don't even know if he exists; but if he does, I support that he fights the US occupation of Iraq."

Chatting with a man sipping tea in a small stall in downtown Amman, I asked what he thought of Zarqawi. He was convinced that Zarqawi was perfectly real, but the idea that he was responsible for such a wide range of attacks in Iraq had to be "nonsense". "The Americans are using him for their propaganda," he insisted. "Think about it - with all of their power and intelligence capabilities - they cannot find one man?" Like so many others in neighboring Jordan, he, too, offered verbal support for the armed resistance in Iraq, adding, "Besides, it is any person's right to defend himself if his country is invaded.

The American occupation of Iraq has destabilized the entire region." The Bush administration has regularly claimed that Zarqawi was in - and then had just barely escaped from - whatever city or area they were next intent on attacking or cordoning off or launching a campaign against. Last year, he and his organization were reputed to be headquartered in Fallujah, prior to the American assault that flattened the city. At one point, American officials even alleged that he was commanding the defense of Fallujah from elsewhere by telephone. Yet he also allegedly slipped out of Fallujah, either just before or just after the beginning of the assault, depending on which media outlet or military press release you read.

He has since turned up, according to American intelligence reports and the US press, in Ramadi, Baghdad, Samarra and Mosul among other places, along with side trips to Jordan, Iran, Pakistan and/or Syria. His closest "lieutenants" have been captured by the busload, according to American military reports, and yet he always seems to have a bottomless supply of them. In May, a news report on the BBC even called Zarqawi "the leader of the insurgency in Iraq", though more sober analysts of the chaotic Iraqi situation say his group, Jama'at al-Tawhid wal Jihad, while probably modest in size and reach, is linked to a global network of jihadis. However, finding any figures as to the exact size of the group remains an elusive task. Former US secretary of state Colin Powell offered photos before the United Nations in February, 2003 of Zarqawi's "headquarters" in Kurdish-controlled northern Iraq, also claiming that Zarqawi had links to al-Qaeda.

The collection of small huts was bombed to the ground by US forces in March of that year, prompting one news source to claim that Zarqawi had been killed. Yet seemingly contradicting Powell's claims for Zarqawi's importance was a statement made in October, 2004 by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, who conceded that Zarqawi's ties to al-Qaeda may have been far more ambiguous, that he may have been more of a rival than a lieutenant to bin Laden. "Someone could legitimately say he's not al-Qaeda," added Rumsfeld. The eternal netherworld of Zarqawi For anyone trying to assess the Zarqawi phenomenon from neighboring Jordan, complicating matters are the contradictory statements Jordanians regularly offer up about almost any aspect of Zarqawi's life, history, present activities, or even his very existence. "I've met him here in Jordan," claimed Abdulla Hamiz, a 29 year-old merchant in Amman, "Two years ago." However, Hajam Yousef, shining shoes under a date palm in central Amman, insists, "He doesn't exist except in the minds of American policy-makers."

In fact, what little is actually known about Zarqawi sounds like the biography of a troubled but normal man from the industrial section of Zarqa. Thirty-eight years old now, according to the BBC, Zarqawi reportedly grew up a rebellious child who ran with the wrong crowd. He liked to play soccer in the streets as a young boy and dropped out of school when he was 17. According to some reports, his friends claimed that in his teens he started drinking heavily, getting tattoos, and picking fights he could not win. According to Jordanian intelligence reports provided to the Associated Press in Amman, Zarqawi was jailed in the 1980s for sexual assault, though no additional details are available.

By the time he was 20 he evidently began looking for direction, and ended up making his way to Afghanistan in the last years of the jihadi war against the Soviets in that country. While some media outlets, such as the New York Times, claim that he did not actually fight in Afghanistan, there are people in Jordan who believe he did. He is reported to have returned to Jordan in 1992, where he was arrested after Jordanian authorities found weapons in his home.

On his release in 1999, he left once again for Pakistan. When his Pakistani visa expired, expecting to be arrested as a suspect in a terror plot if he returned to Jordan, he entered Afghanistan instead. After supposedly running a weapons camp there, he was next sighted by Jordanian authorities crossing back into Jordan from Syria in September of 2002. Some time between then and May 11, 2004, when he was reported to have beheaded the kidnapped American, Nick Berg, in Baghdad, Zarqawi entered Iraq.

Many news outlets have reported that his goal in Iraq is to generate a sectarian civil war between the Sunni and Shi'ites. In September, 2004, the BBC, among others, reported, "US officials suspect that Zarqawi ... is holed up with followers in the rebellious Iraqi city of Fallujah," though their sources, as is true of more or less all sources in every report on Zarqawi, were nebulous. During the second siege of Fallujah, last November, Newsweek reported that "some US officials say that Zarqawi may actually be directing or instigating events in the town by telephone from elsewhere in Iraq". Though they, too, cited no specific sources and provided no evidence for this, Newsweek then summed Zarqawi's importance up in this way: "His crucial role in the deteriorating security situation in Iraq, however, cannot be underestimated." Meanwhile, the BBC was reporting that his "network is considered the main source of kidnappings, bomb attacks and assassination attempts in Iraq" - another statement made without much, if any, solid evidence. In the end, the vast mass of reportage on Zarqawi amounts to countless statements based on anonymous sources hardly less shadowy - to ordinary readers - than him.

He exists, then, in a kind of eternal netherworld of reportage, rumor and attribution. It could almost be said that never has a figure been more regularly written about based on less hard information. While we have a rough outline of who he is, where he is from, and where he went until he entered Iraq, evidence that might stand up in a court of law is consistently absent. The question that remains to be answered in this glaring void of hard information is: who benefits from the ongoing tales of the mysterious Zarqawi? The search for Zarqawi's past My own little journey only seemed to repeat this larger phenomenon on a more modest scale.

It was the sort of story where, from beginning to end, no one I met ever seemed willing to offer his or her real name (or certainly let a real name be used in an article). From second one, Zarqawi and an urge for anonymity were tightly - and perhaps appropriately - bound together. Abdulla (not his real name, of course), the man who agreed to drive my translator Aisha and me to al-Zarqa for this excursion, was a Jordanian, by the look of things about 30 years old, who chain-smoked nervously throughout the trip. We decided to go with him after running into him while I was conducting my own informal Zarqawi reality poll in Amman. "I know him personally because we fought together in Afghanistan in the early '90's," insisted Abdulla. "If you like, I can show you where he is from." When he picked us up on the late afternoon of the next day in his beat-up, rusting taxi, he agreed to a modest fee that was to be paid at the end of our excursion.

As we puttered up a hillside on our venture to Zarqawi's hometown of al-Zarqa, he promptly pulled out a small stack of photos. I flipped through them as we drove towards Zarqawi's neighborhood and noted Abdulla standing in front of the huge Faisal mosque in Islamabad, Pakistan, a giant beard (no longer present) dominating his flowing dishdasha (robe). Another picture had him in Peshawar, Pakistan, a city near the Afghan border known as a recruiting and staging area for the Taliban. Others seemed to have him in the Philippines standing amid dense forest with a gun slung over his shoulder. In none of them - why should I have been surprised - did he have a companion with the now so globally recognizable Zarqawi sneer.

A little while into our journey, out of nowhere Abdulla suddenly said, "Anyone collaborating with the Americans in Iraq should be killed!" I took this as a sign that he felt like talking, and asked him what he knew of Zarqawi. According to him, he met the mythic terrorist in Peshawar before being sent with him to a training camp on the border of Afghanistan in 1990. "There are several well-known training camps in the mountains between Afghanistan and Pakistan," he explained, "And we were in one of those, along with freedom fighters from Syria, Jordan, Palestine and Lebanon."

Only fighters for "jihad" were allowed into the camps, he continued proudly. Only fighters who were identified by other well-known mujahideen were granted permission to enter, in an effort to safeguard those camps against spies. After three months of training with machine guns and rocket launchers, Abdulla claims that he and Zarqawi headed for Afghanistan to fight the Russians who remained there. When I looked at him quizzically - since the Russians withdrew from Afghanistan in February of 1989 - he replied, "Many of them stayed after their government announced they had withdrawn - so we were pushing the rest of them out." This was already a questionable tale, but he went right on. They were given the choice, he claimed, of where to go in Afghanistan, and Abdulla proudly stated that most of the mujahideen went to the "hot" areas where they expected to find fighting.

Our discussion was then interrupted because we had completed the hop to Zarqa and arrived in the neighborhood, so rumor has it, where Zarqawi's brother-in-law lives. We were dropped off near a small mosque where Zarqawi supposedly used to pray. Abdulla says it isn't safe for him to linger here - though he doesn't bother to explain why - and we agree instead that he will call us on my cell phone in an hour to see if we need more time or not. So Aisha and I begin to walk around the quiet, middle-class neighborhood asking people if they know where the brother-in-law lived. Small children play in the streets. Behind them young men and parents sit eyeing us suspiciously.

The wind whips plastic bags along the roads between the usual stone houses of Jordan. Finally, we find an old man with a white, flowing beard and tired eyes sitting in a worn chair at the front of a small grocery stall. He admits to being the imam of the mosque, but when asked if he remembers Zarqawi he dodges the question artfully. "It is probably true that he used to pray in my mosque," he responds tiredly, "but I can't say for sure, as my back is to the people whom I lead in prayers." After this he looks away, down the road. I assume he's wishing we were gone - undoubtedly like so many Zarqawi seekers before us. So we thank him and walk on. Next we find a woman - no names given - who assures us that Zarqawi is from the Beni Hassan tribe, the largest tribe in Jordan, before pointing to a two-storey white house with a black satellite dish on top.

"That is Ahmed Zarqawi's home," she says softly, referring to one of his brothers before warning, "But don't go there because they will throw rocks on your head. They are sick of the media." After being sidetracked by being shown his brother's home, we keep doggedly asking for his brother-in-law, but everyone insists that they simply don't know where he lives, which seems odd. Just up the hill from his brother's home, we stumble on a middle-aged man who is willing to be interviewed. He's a rare find in this village that has certainly been inundated with media, not to speak of far more threatening visits from the intelligence and police personnel of various countries. Like our taxi driver, this man agrees to be interviewed on condition of anonymity.

These are, it seems, a reasonably media-savvy group of villagers. He tells us that Zarqawi's brother doesn't know much about the mythic legend of the Jordanian jihadi outlaw, due to the fact that he keeps his distance from all the hoopla. He then laughs and adds, "But all the media went to his brother's house anyway to film it, because they thought it was Zarqawi's home!" He then points across a shallow valley where lines of homes sit bathed in the setting sun. "He [Zarqawi] is from that village, lives near a cemetery, and his father is mayor of that district, which is called al-Ma'assoum quarter."

He claims to have known Abu Musab since he was seven years old, as they went to Prince Talal primary school together. "He was a trouble-maker ever since he was a kid," he explains, "What the media is saying about him is not true, though. Abu Musab is a normal guy. What the Americans are saying is not true. Most of us who know him here and in his neighborhood don't believe any of this media." He tells us that Zarqawi left the neighborhood in the early 1990s to go to Afghanistan, but that he doesn't believe he is in Iraq. Along with others in the neighborhood, he is convinced that Zarqawi was killed in the Tora Bora region of Afghanistan during the US bombings that resulted from the attacks of September 11. "His wife and their three children still live over there," he adds. "But don't go talk to them.

They won't allow it." He believes Zarqawi was killed, "100%," and then says emphatically, "If he is still alive, why not show a recent photo of him? All of these they show in the media are quite old." Like so many Jordanians, he supports the Iraqi resistance, "All Muslims should fight this occupation because every day the Americans are slaughtering innocent Iraqis." Zarqawi, he tells us, wasn't a fighter until he went to Afghanistan. "Then his wife covered herself in black and has worn it ever since."

According to this man, Zarqawi has two brothers named Ahmed and Sail. He says with a smile, "Most of the media coming here are Westerners because I think most of the Arab media know this is all a myth." He holds up his hands when one of his sons brings us coffee and asks, "When they show hostages in Iraq, why doesn't he put himself in the film? There is simply no proof he is alive offered by the Americans or the media." We engage in some small talk while drinking our strong Arabic coffee as we sit under grape vines lacing the terrace over our heads.

As the sun begins to set, we thank him for the talk and the coffee, and head off as our taxi driver phones. I am walking quickly through the streets to meet him when Aisha, whom I've worked with often in Baghdad, reassures me: "You can slow down, Dahr, we are not in danger here. This isn't like Baghdad where we'll be killed after dark." Shortly thereafter we meet our driver.

"They didn't tell you where his brother-in-law is because his home has been raided so many times," he states as a matter of fact. "By both Jordanian and US intelligence." Our driver insists that Zarqawi is alive and well in Iraq. "I'm certain of it, because if he was dead they would show his picture and make the announcement. He has always been so strong. When we were in Afghanistan, any time we got a new machine to learn or French missiles, he was the first to learn them."

He drives us by another mosque Zarqawi is also supposed to have attended. We are in the al-Ma'assoum quarter now and our driver tells us that a sister of Abu Musab is the head of the Islamic Center of the district. He then adds, somewhat randomly, that he himself has been in different prisons for a total of seven years - one of those statements you can't decide whether you wished you had never heard or are simply relieved you didn't hear hours earlier just as you were beginning. "In Afghanistan when we beheaded people it was to show the enemy what their fate was to be. It was to frighten them." I think to myself grimly: well, it works. He adds, "The jihad in Iraq is not just Zarqawi. It is up to Allah if we prevail, not dependent on the hand of Zarqawi. If he is killed, the jihad will continue there." I ask him about civilian casualties.

Does he think Zarqawi cares about the killing of innocent people? "I have had so many discussions with Iraqis to tell them that Zarqawi doesn't instruct his followers in the killing of innocent people. If he did this, I would be the first to turn against him. He only targets the Americans and collaborators." He's still chain smoking as we drive through the darkness back to Amman.

I pay him as we thank him for taking us to Zarqa, and then his beat up taxi rolls off down the busy street. The eerie blankness of Zarqawi After discussions with our driver and other Jordanians, the only thing I feel I can say for sure is that Zarqawi is a real person. Whether or not he is alive and fighting in Iraq or not, or what acts he is actually responsible for there, is open to debate. On one point, I'm quite certain, however: reported American claims that Zarqawi has affiliations with the secular government of Syria make no sense.

Just as Saddam Hussein opposed the religious fundamentalism of Bin Laden, the Syrian government would not be likely to team up with a fundamentalist like Zarqawi. As Bush administration officials have falsely claimed Saddam had links to bin Laden and to Zarqawi, they have also conveniently linked Zarqawi to a Syrian government they would certainly like to take out. Similarly, Bush officials continue to link Zarqawi to the Iraqi resistance - undoubtedly another bogus claim in that the resistance in Iraq is primarily composed of Iraqi nationalists and Ba'athist elements who are fighting to expel the occupiers from their country, not to create a global Islamic jihad.

Thus, even if Zarqawi is involved in carrying out attacks inside Iraq and is killed at some future moment, the effect this would have on the Iraqi resistance would surely be negligible. It would be but another American "turning point" where nothing much turned. Right now, when you try to track down Zarqawi, a man with a $25 million American bounty on his head, or simply try to track him back to the beginnings of his life's journey, whether you look for him in the tunnels of Tora Bora, the ruined city of Fallujah, the Syrian borderlands, or Ramadi, you're likely to run up against a kind of eerie blankness.

Whatever the real Zarqawi may or may not be capable of doing today in Iraq or elsewhere, he is dwarfed by the Zarqawi of legend. He may be the Bush administration's terrorist of terrorists (now that bin Laden has been dropped into the void), the Iraqi insurgency's unwelcome guest, the fantasy figure in some jihadi dreamscape, or all of the above. Whatever the case, Zarqawi the man has disappeared into an epic tale that may or may not be of his own partial creation. Even dead, he is unlikely to die; even alive, he is unlikely to be able to live up to anybody's Zarqawi myth.

Whoever he actually may be, the "he" of jihadi websites and American pronouncements is now linked inextricably with the devolving occupation of Iraq and a Bush administration that, even as it has built him up as a satanic bogeyman, is itself beginning to lose its own mythic qualities, to grow smaller. I'm sure we'll continue to hear of "him" in Iraq, in Jordan, or elsewhere as his myth, perhaps now beyond anyone's control, continues to transform itself as an inextricable part of the brutal, bloody occupation of Iraq where the Bush administration finds itself fighting not primarily Zarqawi (or his imitators) but the Iraqis they allegedly came to liberate.

Why Indians love America so much

2005-07-07T10:43:00.000+05:30

By Siddharth Srivastava

A recent survey concerning India and the United States has set off a debate here. Contrary to opinions in many other countries, especially Muslim-majority ones, the survey by the Washington-based Pew Global Attitudes Project states that America's image is the best in India. "Fully 71% in India express a positive opinion of the United States, compared with 54% three years ago," the survey says.

Favorable opinion of the US in India was higher than any of the countries surveyed, including Canada (where it declined from 72% three years ago to 59%) and the United Kingdom, where it dipped considerably from 75% to 55%. Indians also had the most favorable opinion of the American people - 71% compared to 70% in Britain, 66% in Canada, 65% in Germany, 64% in France, 61% in Russia and 43% in China. The survey was conducted among 17,000 people in the US and 15 other countries from April 20 to May 31. A healthy majority of Indians view Americans as "inventive" (86%), "hard-working" (81%) and "honest". Fewer than half associate the negative traits "greedy" (43%), "violent" (39%), "immoral" (33%) and "rude" (27%) with Americans. Indians, however, echoed similar sentiments that at least one more country should check US military might. In India, 81% want a rival to US, compared to 74% in China and Russia.

There was also dwindling support in India for the US-led "war on terror" (52%) , as well as the invasion of Iraq. Though the survey was released in the second half of June, discussions continue to range about why Indians view America in such high regard, and better that what the rest of the world thinks. Some of the logic is rooted in the socio-economic interactions between the two countries. Indian-Americans: Ethnic Indians in the US number a healthy 2 million, creating a conservative constituency of over 10 million friends and relatives back home who have a direct stake due to the benefits flowing from the US, such as in money sent "home".

It helps matters that Indians in America are doing quite well for themselves, raising aspirations. A study titled, "We the People: Asian Americans in the United States", released by the US Census Bureau, confirms that Indians are the best-educated, highest-earning, youngest and most likely white-collar workers among all major ethnic groups in the US, including native-born Americans. They are also among the top earners. Indian men had the highest year-round full-time median earnings ($51,900), more than the Japanese ($50,900) and well ahead of the national average ($37,057) and the Asian average ($40,650). Overall, the Japanese have the highest median family income ($70,849) followed closely by Indians ($70,708). Both were way ahead of the national average of $50,046. Business Process Outsourcing: To add to the economic benefits is India's BPO outsourcing industry, which is growing courtesy of the US economy.

Despite a virulent anti-outsourcing campaign in the US, a couple of daring financial frauds orchestrated by Indian call center executives as well numerous instances of abusive and racist hate-calls, there is a lot at stake. A recent McKinsey report on the information technology-enabled (IT) sector has revised the previous global figure of US$17 billion to $21-24 billion by the year 2008, with India slated to garner 25% of the offshore market, of which the US is the largest source (60%). Estimates suggest that 200,000 to 400,000 jobs, mostly for a young international population, have moved from the US since the outsourcing trend began in the 1990s.

The highest projection is by Forrester Research - a loss of 3.3 million jobs by 2015, including 1.7 million back-office jobs and 473,000 IT jobs - which will create a dent in the US job market of 140 million, and not the wreck everyone fears. Apart from creating a section of the Indian population that has directly benefited from the US economy, there are other reasons for Indian affinity towards America. It is to do with culture, foreign policy, the command of the English language and the American way of life. Quest for excellence: India until the 1990s was a different country. It modeled itself on socialist Russia, its Cold War ally since independence in 1947, where the individual was subsumed by the might of the state and bureaucracy. In the 1970s and 1980s, the only way to breach the stranglehold of the state was to move to the West or the Gulf countries, where Indian entrepreneurs excelled.

Doctors and engineers were in demand in the West, but formed a very small percentage of the youth who wanted to break the shackles that forced everyone to conform to an abstract higher good dictated by the thoughts of Karl Marx and the rest. This, many observers say, was a complete antithesis of the way Indians are and have been for centuries. Like Americans, Indians have done best when allowed to excel in an uncluttered environment where individual excellence is recognized. The pursuit of high performance and efficiency, rooted in liberal values and individual rights and democratic principles, is where India and US stand on similar ground.

The 1990s brought in change, economic liberalization and a management ethic. Giants such as General Electric and IBM set up offices in India, and other symbols of American gastronomy jumped in - Pepsi and Coca-Cola, Pizza Hut, KFC and McDonald's have fed an army of Indian kids. Television: Another great binder has been television, and similar entertainment tastes due to the absence of a language barrier. Just a decade back there were no foreign channels in India, only boring government-controlled television. Satellite television has brought symbols of American life into Indian homes, including kids grown up on MTV lingo, Friends and HBO and who sound more American than the Americans. CNN and Fox are staple channels. They follow Christiane Amanpour in Africa as much as a pregnant Britney Spears or a heart-broken Jennifer Aniston. Mr and Mrs Smith registered a good opening, while Angelina Jolie is the woman most Indian men would like to possess (Brad Pitt remains the perfect hunk). Talk show host Jay Leno's jokes, including his takes on the Michael Jackson trial, abound. Foreign policy: One critical aspect has also been American foreign policy in the past few years.

Despite the revelations of the snide Richard Nixon-Henry Kissinger remarks against Indians in the early 1970s, there is a growing realization in India that the US wants to move beyond its Pakistan fixation of the past. There is more sensitivity to India's fight against terrorism. The tag of being the big bully of the world and the criticism of the invasion of Iraq remains. But Indians, too, now see foreign policy as such - an instrument through which a country should further and secure its own benefits. This has been the one basic tenet of American foreign policy for a long time, and one which now brings the two countries closer.

INDIA, SINGAPORE INK PACT

2005-07-05T22:30:00.000+05:30

By Indrajit Basu

KOLKATA - In their first experiment of economic cooperation, Singapore and India formally entered into an agreement this week, with the two respective prime ministers signing a pact that has a mouthful of a name, the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA). This formal pact ends a courtship lasting almost a decade, including two years of hard negotiations, which frequently raised doubts about whether the two countries would ever get to sign the CECA at all.

The agreement signed by Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is the first of sorts for India, in the sense that it is structured as a package of several agreements involving trade in goods, services, investments and economic cooperation in fields such as education, science and technology, air services, and even intellectual property and flow of human resources. "This is not a simple free-trade agreement," said India's Commerce Minister Kamal Nath. "It is an economic cooperation pact; an economic engagement in various facets covering technology, industry and human resources."

Indeed the CECA is hugely different from traditional free-trade agreements (FTAs), particularly the one India signed with Thailand in 2003, which primarily involves the movement of goods. The CECA is remarkable as much for its Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement - similar to the DTAA India has with Mauritius - as for its trade-related clauses as well as for the sops it gives to the financial sectors of both countries. Under the DTAA, India and Singapore have agreed to lower the withholding tax on royalties and fees for technical services, and Singapore has agreed to exempt its own foreign institutional investors (FIIs) from capital gains tax on income from the sale of shares in India.

The DTAA thus carries two benefits: one that helps Indian software companies selling in Singapore gain from a 5% reduction in tax liability (such companies gain from a drop in the withholding tax on royalties and fees for technical services from 15% to 10% that the revised DTAA provides); and Singapore becomes a preferred destination for financial investors. Until now, FIIs were using Mauritius (for equity investments) and Cyprus (for debt investments) for avoiding taxes on Indian investments, since these two countries' DTAAs with India were the most attractive for FIIs. Following the CECA, experts say, the routing of FII funds could shift significantly from Mauritius and Cyprus, since Singapore is already a hub for many of the FIIs active in India. However, the maximum gains of the financial sectors of both countries do not quite lie in the DTAA.

The CECA gives Singaporean banks unrestricted access to the Indian market if they set up full subsidiaries, and, as a quid pro quo, gives Indian banks full banking status in Singapore. Already three Singapore banks - DBS Holdings Ltd, Overseas Chinese Banking Corporation and United Overseas Bank - have been allowed to establish 15 branches within four years and start an insurance company each, provided none of them hold more than 26% equity. "In the same way that India has given access to Singapore banks, Singapore too will open up its banking system to Indian banks. Indian banks would be able to set up in Singapore qualified financial banks and enjoy the same benefits of a local bank," said George Yeo, Singapore's trade minister.

As part of the deal, India has also allowed the two Singapore state-owned investment companies, Temasek and Singapore Government Investment Company (GIC), to invest up to 20% in listed Indian companies. Individually, however, their investments cannot exceed 10% in a company. India has also committed to allowing Singapore-based entities a 49% stake in local telecom companies and a 74% stake in Internet-related sectors. Similarly, Singapore has permitted Indian mutual funds - based either in India or Singapore - to invest $250 million in equities and other instruments in the Singapore Stock Exchange (SSE). This means that now each Indian mutual fund can invest up to $250 million in SSE-listed investment instruments versus the cap of $1 billion.

Small wonder then both India and Singapore feel large chunks of money to flow between the two countries. "Prime Minister Lee told me that after CECA, one can expect a larger flow of investments from Singapore and through Singapore," said India's Finance Minister P Chidambaram. "Singapore offers a large basket of financial services which can be leveraged to channel investment to India."

According to India's industry lobbies such as FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry) and ASSOCHAM (The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India), Singapore's cumulative investment in India, which is around $3 billion, is expected to go up to $5 billion by 2010 and to $10 billion by 2015. But the deal is equally important for Singapore, which will derive maximum benefits from the implementation of tariff concessions on goods by India and from the flow of qualified Indian professionals to power its own economy.

The CECA mandates that India, from August 1, scrap customs duties on 506 products imported from Singapore, while duties on 2,202 product lines will be reduced to zero by April 1, 2009, and duties of another 2,407 products will be reduce by 50% by the same date. According to FICCI, the initial list of 506 includes a plethora of products from the electronic, electrical, instrumentation, pharmaceutical and publishing industries, which form 80% of India's current imports from Singapore.

This tariff-less access to Indian markets would be the biggest gain for Singapore, said Prime Minister Lee, adding that Singapore had also offered entry of all products made in India at zero duty, which will help developing supply chains from India since Singapore is a trading hub. According to the two countries, this clause would ramp up India-Singapore bilateral trade to $10 billion by the end of this fiscal and to $50 billion by 2010.

Two-way trade between the countries was $7 billion in 2004-05, with a reported trade surplus of $1.2 billion in favor of India. The other significant aspect of the CECA is that the two countries have agreed to ease visa restrictions on 127 categories of professionals and would recognize the degrees of their respective universities and technical educational institutions. "There is a feeling that this easing benefits India more than Singapore," said an analyst with the industry lobby FICCI. "But while it is true that Indian professionals would benefit from this clause, it is also true that perhaps our professionals would be of greater help to Singapore to power its growing economy."

Industry sources say this helps information technology professionals, apart from zoologists, botanists, surveyors, pharmacists and the like as well as service industry professionals like those from the advertising and tourism sectors and accountants to take up jobs in Singapore (the only notable exclusion is journalists), who were earlier denied jobs due to a few salary benchmark norms that the CECA now removes. Despite its widespread benefits, however, not everyone is happy. And the manufacturing sector in India is suffering from the old fear that the CECA could be yet another vehicle for cheap Chinese-made products to swamp the local markets. "It cannot be denied that some manufacturing sectors in India may initially take a hit," said T K Bhaumick, a policy adviser at the industry lobby CII (Confederation of Indian Industry). But, he added, "the important thing here is, India is expected to gain from other sectors (such as services, foreign direct investment and FII flows) that could compensate for whatever losses the country has to suffer in manufactured products."

Commerce Minister Nath, however, assures the treaty has built-in safeguards such as strict rules of origin norms - that mandate a minimum value addition of 40%, which would discourage swamping of cheap Chinese products in India. There is also a negative list of over 6,500 "sensitive items" that do not come under any tariff reduction commitment. But even as the protectionists debate the strength of these safeguards, nobody denies that the CECA is of huge strategic importance to the country.

Singapore is a dominant player in the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) region and India has been pushing to get more integrated with ASEAN for some time now, with limited success, as is evident from the Indo-ASEAN free-trade agreement negotiations that have not made much progress. With the CECA, "India is now firmly anchored in the ASEAN region through its presence in Singapore," said Lee. And India is hoping that this presence will act as an impetus to Singh's "Look East" policy, and make the CECA a model for other regional trade agreements.

Indrajit Basu is a Kolkata-based equity-analyst-turned-journalist with more than 12 years of experience in business/finance and technology journalism. Besides writing for HNN, he also writes for US-based publications, as well as IT companies.

A STING IN A STORY

2005-07-05T19:20:00.000+05:30

Are exposes good journalism? Who exactly should media organisations be trying to inform and what is the information they should bring to their audiences? Darryl D'Monte finds himself in an unexpectedly pleasant bookshop in Mumbai, at a panel discussion on sting journalism.

It's not often these days that bookshops are opening - rather than closing. And, what's more, are spacious enough to accommodate a sufficient number of interested people to hold a discussion around books or writerly pursuits. So it was a pleasant surprise recently to step into a spanking new shop in Santa Cruz, in suburban Mumbai, called The Reader's Shop for a panel discussion on "Media! Where is thy sting?" The store's basement had hundreds of books along the walls, and was liberally strewn with cane chairs that would permit people to read at leisure.

The panel was organised by Humanscape magazine, and consisted of three journalists. Arun Sadhu, a veteran who has now retired from active journalism, spoke first and was very much the old school. He deplored sting journalism in general and even questioned Arun Shourie's celebrated expose of Maharashtra Chief Minister Antulay in the early 1980s. One can still recall the title of the first part of the searing front-page series in the Indian Express, which was "Indira Gandhi as Commerce". The series revealed how the wily CM was taking a percentage of every bag of cement sold for an Indira Gandhi Pratishtan, a somewhat ham-handed method of raising funds for the Congress party. Antulay had to resign for his misdemeanours; his reputation was already dubious even before this, but with the expose he was well and truly finished politically.

According to Sadhu, Shourie was not quite the media knight in shining armour. There were dissensions within the Congress party, and the anti-Antulay faction engineered this investigation. Nor was this a closely-held secret: to anyone connected with the building trade, it was open knowledge at the time. All the same, Sadhu was probably protesting too much: it is one thing to be aware of some scandal somewhere, and quite another to publish it. Precisely the same situation arose at a morning editorial conference of The Times of India early in 1977, when Mrs. Gandhi was to call elections to legitimise her emergency.

That morning, the story had been scooped by Kuldip Nayar in the Indian Express - come to think of it, so many exclusives, including the Bhagalpur blindings and, more recently, the murder of Satyendra Dubey, the junior engineer who exposed corruption in the Golden Quadrilateral project, have featured in this intrepid newspaper, which must be a tribute to its feisty founder, the late Ramnath Goenka. At the morning conference, ToI editor Girilal Jain poured scorn over the story, remarking that everyone (who mattered, obviously!) in Delhi knew about it. An otherwise taciturn Assistant Editor, \r\nG.M. Telang, piped up: "But he had the courage to publish it!" - which was surely the point. \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n And for that matter, the dissensions within a political party - or any other major establishment, including corporate bodies - is surely the stuff of which scoops are made. Everyone talks about Deep Throat, the mysterious and unidentified source who fed Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, the intrepid reporters of the Washington Post who broke the Watergate story and ultimately brought President Richard Nixon down. Deep Throat, recently revealed to be former FBI Deputy Director Mark Felt, was obviously disenchanted with "Tricky Dickie\'s" misdemeanours in bugging the Democrat\'s party office in the Watergate hotel and telling outright lies about other matters. He would not have been operating on his own, but representing an entire section of the administration who objected to such underhand methods. But that ought not in any way detract from the two reporters\' devastating scoop. \r\n\r\n \r\nWhile there are many misgivings about Shourie\'s ideological predilections - incidentally, his latest book, Governance, waxes eloquent about the NDA government\'s initiatives with his ministry\'s disinvestment of public sector enterprises, but has been overshadowed by the current scandal surrounding the sale of the Juhu Centaur hotel - one should give the devil his due for unseating Antulay. Many have also forgotten that when he was the Executive Editor of the Indian Express earlier, he published.

That morning, the story had been scooped by Kuldip Nayar in the Indian Express - come to think of it, so many exclusives, including the Bhagalpur blindings and, more recently, the murder of Satyendra Dubey, the junior engineer who exposed corruption in the Golden Quadrilateral project, have featured in this intrepid newspaper, which must be a tribute to its feisty founder, the late Ramnath Goenka. At the morning conference, ToI editor Girilal Jain poured scorn over the story, remarking that everyone (who mattered, obviously!) in Delhi knew about it. An otherwise taciturn Assistant Editor, G.M. Telang, piped up: "But he had the courage to publish it!" - which was surely the point.

And for that matter, the dissensions within a political party - or any other major establishment, including corporate bodies - is surely the stuff of which scoops are made. Everyone talks about Deep Throat, the mysterious and unidentified source who fed Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, the intrepid reporters of the Washington Post who broke the Watergate story and ultimately brought President Richard Nixon down. Deep Throat, recently revealed to be former FBI Deputy Director Mark Felt, was obviously disenchanted with "Tricky Dickie's" misdemeanours in bugging the Democrat's party office in the Watergate hotel and telling outright lies about other matters. He would not have been operating on his own, but representing an entire section of the administration who objected to such underhand methods. But that ought not in any way detract from the two reporters' devastating scoop.

While there are many misgivings about Shourie's ideological predilections - incidentally, his latest book, Governance, waxes eloquent about the NDA government's initiatives with his ministry's disinvestment of public sector enterprises, but has been overshadowed by the current scandal surrounding the sale of the Juhu Centaur hotel - one should give the devil his due for unseating Antulay. Many have also forgotten that when he was the Executive Editor of the Indian Express earlier, he published an article by
\r\n \r\nThe second speaker was the well-known columnist V. Gangadhar, who quite rightly ridiculed the "couching cast" sting, which was virtually entrapment. It may have earned India TV a few TRPs for some moments of glory, but it has done the channel far more harm than good for calling into question its credibility, which is by far the most precious thing that any mass media enjoys. The third speaker, Thomas Abraham, who edits the website \r\nindiantelevision.com, also queried why there was no public curiosity when Indian TV exposed politicians in earlier sting operations, which this correspondent was even unaware of. \r\n\r\n \r\nThere were, inevitably, many references to the Tehelka operation, where BJP politicians, George Fernandes, and several senior army brass were exposed in an undercover operation. This would constitute a legitimate exercise, but the speakers questioned the validity of such stings, considering that the only casualty was the BJP Treasurer, since Fernandes was subsequently reinstated as Defence Minister. Ironically, the only other casualty was Tehelka itself, which was hounded into bankruptcy, along with a couple who ran a finance company which had in good faith invested in the pioneering website.

Abraham made a controversial presentation, where he stressed how readers now had the choice of choosing between different media: newspapers, according to him, were almost passé; there were TV channels, websites and blogs, where one could fashion the news to suit oneself. He emphasised that news could be directed at the level of communities, rather than some amorphous mass readership, which he believed would be more relevant. But the newspaper\'s job is to inform the mass of people and help them make up their minds on issues of national and global importance. They were failing to do so, but if anything the websites and blogs were only targeting individuals, not society as a whole, and could not replace the mass media. Abraham\'s plea sounded suspiciously like the campaign for DNA - Daily News & Analysis, the forthcoming Mumbai daily - to the effect that it would speak directly to the reader, who could dictate the content.

K.F. Rustomji, a member of the National Police Commission, about the abysmal plight of undertrial prisoners in prisoners. From memory, a public interest litigation was filed on their behalf and around 30,000 such prisoners, who had served more than the sentence they would have received had they been convicted, were let off, which is surely a big achievement on the part of any journalist.

The second speaker was the well-known columnist V. Gangadhar, who quite rightly ridiculed the "couching cast" sting, which was virtually entrapment. It may have earned India TV a few TRPs for some moments of glory, but it has done the channel far more harm than good for calling into question its credibility, which is by far the most precious thing that any mass media enjoys. The third speaker, Thomas Abraham, who edits the website indiantelevision.com, also queried why there was no public curiosity when Indian TV exposed politicians in earlier sting operations, which this correspondent was even unaware of.

There were, inevitably, many references to the Tehelka operation, where BJP politicians, George Fernandes, and several senior army brass were exposed in an undercover operation. This would constitute a legitimate exercise, but the speakers questioned the validity of such stings, considering that the only casualty was the BJP Treasurer, since Fernandes was subsequently reinstated as Defence Minister. Ironically, the only other casualty was Tehelka itself, which was hounded into bankruptcy, along with a couple who ran a finance company which had in good faith invested in the pioneering website.

Abraham made a controversial presentation, where he stressed how readers now had the choice of choosing between different media: newspapers, according to him, were almost passé; there were TV channels, websites and blogs, where one could fashion the news to suit oneself. He emphasised that news could be directed at the level of communities, rather than some amorphous mass readership, which he believed would be more relevant. But the newspaper's job is to inform the mass of people and help them make up their minds on issues of national and global importance. They were failing to do so, but if anything the websites and blogs were only targeting individuals, not society as a whole, and could not replace the mass media. Abraham's plea sounded suspiciously like the campaign for DNA - Daily News & Analysis, the forthcoming Mumbai daily - to the effect that it would speak directly to the reader, who could dictate the content.

This would amount, if one can paraphrase the ads, to DNA addressing itself only to those readers who could afford to buy the goods and services that would be advertised in this medium, whatever the protestations to the contrary. In a globalised world, the idea that a newspaper would speak to the nation or city as a whole, for most classes, seems to have fallen by the wayside. This is a pernicious doctrine, as pernicious as the assumption that globalisation is here to stay and to entrench itself even more strongly in the hearts and minds only of those who are already well-to-do.

This would amount, if one can paraphrase the ads, to DNA addressing itself only to those readers who could afford to buy the goods and services that would be advertised in this medium, whatever the protestations to the contrary. In a globalised world, the idea that a newspaper would speak to the nation or city as a whole, for most classes, seems to have fallen by the wayside. This is a pernicious doctrine, as pernicious as the assumption that globalisation is here to stay and to entrench itself even more strongly in the hearts and minds only of those who are already well-to-do.

BIG FIRMS DIG INTO INDIA RICE BOWL

2005-07-05T19:12:00.000+05:30

By M H Ahsan

Control over rice, Asia's staple food, is steadily passing into the hands of transnational corporations that are based far away in Europe and the United States and that use unfair patents and genetic modification, food-security experts have warned. As the world marks the International Year of Rice, agribusiness giants led by Du Pont in the United States are working overtime to select rice genes they reckon would be commercially useful from among the estimated complement of 50,000 genes.

The scramble for monopoly control over rice genes began two years ago after the Swiss agribusiness giant Syngenta and Myriad Genetics Inc in the United States announced the sequencing of 99.5 percent of rice DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid). Internationally known food-security expert Devinder Sharma says that since then some 900 genes, representing a variety of traits such as resistance to droughts, pests, pesticides and salinity and higher yield and nutritional characteristics, have already been patented by various multinationals. Du Pont, he says, tops this list. "In the next three years, as a result of the mapping of the rice genome by Syngenta, a majority of the rice patents [will] be in the lap of a handful of multinational agribusiness corporations," Sharma predicted. He says what has made the "daylight robbery of genetic wealth" possible is the "connivance of top scientists, international organizations and policymakers". They ignore the rights of Asia's farmers who toiled for generations to produce 140,000 rice varieties, critics add. "The Rockefeller Foundation, the Convention on Biodiversity, the World Intellectual Property Organization and even the Food and Agricultural Organization and the United Nations Development Fund failed to stand up against these private companies," Sharma said. But the worst betrayal, as Sharma sees it, is by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), which controls the world's biggest rice germplasm collection. "The CGIAR not only welcomed the patenting but has even accepted Syngenta on its board, ensuring free access to the world's biggest rice germplasm collections," he said.

Syngenta is better known for the patents it took out in 2000 on genetically modified "golden rice". This had been touted as having enough extra vitamin A to prevent blindness caused by dietary deficiency in developing countries - but was roundly denounced as a hoax by leading food-security activists such as Vandana Shiva. \r\nShiva\'s charges were endorsed by an embarrassed Rockefeller Foundation, which funded the development of genetically modified rice but was forced to admit that the so-called golden rice was no solution to mass vitamin A deficiency as claimed by Syngenta. \r\nThe negative publicity over golden rice proved costly for Syngenta. By 2002 it was forced to pull out of a hugely controversial commercial-collaboration deal it managed to enter into with the famed rice repository at the Indira Gandhi Agricultural University (IGAU) at Raipur in central India in 2002. Syngenta had come within a whisker of gaining commercial rights to some 19,000 strains of local rice put together by IGAU scientists. \r\nIndia\'s premier rice variety, basmati, has not been so lucky. In 2001, the Indian government lost a battle at the US Patents Office to prevent the Texas-based company RiceTec from selling pirated hybrids of the country\'s prized aromatic grain, often referred to as the champagne of rices.

According to Suman Sahai, convenor of the voluntary agency Gene Campaign, there is concrete evidence that RiceTec used genetic material from a CGIAR gene bank, where India had deposited the material in trust, to produce its copycat hybrid version. \r\n"The source of RiceTec\'s basmati is undoubtedly the gene bank at Fort Collins in the US, which acquired samples from the CGIAR gene bank at the International Rice Research Institute [IRRI] at Los Banos in the Philippines," Sahai said. \r\nIRRI has also been accused of passing on the germplasm of Thailand\'s equally famed jasmine rice to US researchers. Despite protests from Indian and Thai farmers, RiceTec was allowed to market its Kasmati and Texmati hybrids and market them as "superior to Syngenta is better known for the patents it took out in 2000 on genetically modified "golden rice".

This had been touted as having enough extra vitamin A to prevent blindness caused by dietary deficiency in developing countries - but was roundly denounced as a hoax by leading food-security activists such as Vandana Shiva. Shiva's charges were endorsed by an embarrassed Rockefeller Foundation, which funded the development of genetically modified rice but was forced to admit that the so-called golden rice was no solution to mass vitamin A deficiency as claimed by Syngenta. The negative publicity over golden rice proved costly for Syngenta. By 2002 it was forced to pull out of a hugely controversial commercial-collaboration deal it managed to enter into with the famed rice repository at the Indira Gandhi Agricultural University (IGAU) at Raipur in central India in 2002. Syngenta had come within a whisker of gaining commercial rights to some 19,000 strains of local rice put together by IGAU scientists. India's premier rice variety, basmati, has not been so lucky. In 2001, the Indian government lost a battle at the US Patents Office to prevent the Texas-based company RiceTec from selling pirated hybrids of the country's prized aromatic grain, often referred to as the champagne of rices.

According to Suman Sahai, convenor of the voluntary agency Gene Campaign, there is concrete evidence that RiceTec used genetic material from a CGIAR gene bank, where India had deposited the material in trust, to produce its copycat hybrid version. "The source of RiceTec's basmati is undoubtedly the gene bank at Fort Collins in the US, which acquired samples from the CGIAR gene bank at the International Rice Research Institute [IRRI] at Los Banos in the Philippines," Sahai said. IRRI has also been accused of passing on the germplasm of Thailand's equally famed jasmine rice to US researchers. Despite protests from Indian and Thai farmers, RiceTec was allowed to market its Kasmati and Texmati hybrids and market them as "superior to basmati".

RiceTec ignored protests from Indian and Thai farmers over the marketing of its "Jasmati" brand, which it describes in advertisements as "The American Jasmine Rice". Three-quarters of the rice now grown in the United States is based on germplasm provided by the IRRI, experts say. \r\nSimilarly, the Swiss food giant Nestle has been granted European process patents for parboiled rice that has been made and eaten for centuries in India. Nestle\'s process copies the traditional method of parboiling rice by steaming and drying the grains before milling to improve taste and texture and facilitate storage. \r\nAfter the "Green Revolution" technologies of the 1970s ensured the disappearance of thousands of valuable varieties from Asian rice paddies, an even more sinister threat to Asian rice genes is being posed by possible genetic contamination from genetically modified (GM) rice. \r\nGene Campaign and the Friends of the Earth in Europe are now jointly opposing a proposal by the Germany-based transnational Bayer Crop Science AG to import herbicide-tolerant GM rice especially grown in developing countries to be used as cattle feed in Europe.

"Bayer doesn\'t intend to grow this GM rice in Europe and threaten rice already being cultivated in member states like Italy, Spain, Greece, Portugal and France," Gene Campaign\'s Sahai said. Alarmed that India and other Asian rice-growing countries could be induced by Bayer to produce GM crops for the EU market, Gene Campaign is seeking a moratorium on the cultivation of GM crops in centers of origin and diversity because of the threat of genetic contamination through cross-pollination. \r\nResearch in China has demonstrated that transgene escape from cultivated rice to wild rice does occur. Studies in Latin America have shown that herbicide-tolerant gene transfer can easily take place. "What is not realized is that if the genetic integrity of Indian rice is not maintained, it could end up threatening global food security itself," said Sahai. All rice is classified into two broad varieties - Japonica, which originated in Japan, and Indica, which originated in India basmati".

RiceTec ignored protests from Indian and Thai farmers over the marketing of its "Jasmati" brand, which it describes in advertisements as "The American Jasmine Rice". Three-quarters of the rice now grown in the United States is based on germplasm provided by the IRRI, experts say. Similarly, the Swiss food giant Nestle has been granted European process patents for parboiled rice that has been made and eaten for centuries in India. Nestle's process copies the traditional method of parboiling rice by steaming and drying the grains before milling to improve taste and texture and facilitate storage. After the "Green Revolution" technologies of the 1970s ensured the disappearance of thousands of valuable varieties from Asian rice paddies, an even more sinister threat to Asian rice genes is being posed by possible genetic contamination from genetically modified (GM) rice.

Gene Campaign and the Friends of the Earth in Europe are now jointly opposing a proposal by the Germany-based transnational Bayer Crop Science AG to import herbicide-tolerant GM rice especially grown in developing countries to be used as cattle feed in Europe. "Bayer doesn't intend to grow this GM rice in Europe and threaten rice already being cultivated in member states like Italy, Spain, Greece, Portugal and France," Gene Campaign's Sahai said. Alarmed that India and other Asian rice-growing countries could be induced by Bayer to produce GM crops for the EU market, Gene Campaign is seeking a moratorium on the cultivation of GM crops in centers of origin and diversity because of the threat of genetic contamination through cross-pollination.

Research in China has demonstrated that transgene escape from cultivated rice to wild rice does occur. Studies in Latin America have shown that herbicide-tolerant gene transfer can easily take place. "What is not realized is that if the genetic integrity of Indian rice is not maintained, it could end up threatening global food security itself," said Sahai. All rice is classified into two broad varieties - Japonica, which originated in Japan, and Indica, which originated in India.

Sahai said it was intriguing why Bayer has insisted on importing GM rice when it is still cheaper in Asia to produce ordinary varieties that do not attract royalties. "Surely the cows are not particular that they get the GM variety," she added. Sahai said it was intriguing why Bayer has insisted on importing GM rice when it is still cheaper in Asia to produce ordinary varieties that do not attract royalties. "Surely the cows are not particular that they get the GM variety," she added.

INDIA LEAVES OCEAN TO UNITED STATES

2005-07-05T19:03:00.000+05:30

By Seema Mustafa
India has virtually agreed to joint policing of international waters with the United States in the 10-year defence agreement signed between the two governments in Washington. The agreement is being seen as a "back-door entry" for India into the US-led 11-nation Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) that is now claiming the right to stop and search ships not merely in coastal waters, but also on international waters, merely on the suspicion that a vessel could be carrying missile shipments.

India, which has opened its waters over the past few years to the United States, is now readying for a more substantive "engagement" that has been legitimised in the defence agreement as conducting joint exercises, collaborating in multinational operations, strengthening the militaries' capabilities to defeat terrorism and enhancing capabilities to combat proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). The 11 nations in the PSI include the US, Britain, France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Australia, Poland and the Netherlands. Asian and African countries have kept out of the initiative so far.

The provisions of the PSI allow the member nations to stop and search air, sea and land cargo based on mere suspicion that these could be linked to WMDs. Such searches can be conducted in sovereign waters and airspace. The proposal has evoked sharp reactions from the Indian strategic establishment with experts pointing out that the deployment of the Indian Navy and Air Force for PSI interdiction activities carries a major security and strategic risk for the country. It has also been pointed out that the intervention will not be accepted by major countries in Asia, including China, and India as a participant would stand the risk of isolation in her own neighbourhood.

The Americans have, in the meanwhile, lured India into joint cooperation with its Navy. The days when the mere movement of the US Seventh Fleet in the Indian Ocean elicited strong comments from India are long over. The CPI(M) protest three years ago against the docking of two US vessels, USS Garry and USS Vandegrift, at Kochi is also now a matter of the past with American ships docking with increasing regularity at west coast ports. "Exercise Malabar" opened Indian waters to American vessels two years ago with over 2,000 Navy personnel and state-of-the-art warships from the US and India involved in the joint naval exercise at Kochi, Kerala.

The joint exercise, pedalled as a major step forward in US-India relations, was designed, for the record, to increase "interoperability" between the two Navies. It also helped legitimise joint cooperation to a point where the Indian Navy Chief, Admiral Arun Prakash, in a recent interview to a newspaper said the Indian Navy would like to participate in the PSI as a "core" country. He said India's inclusion was a political decision, but that the Navy was ready and willing. Some of the provisions of the PSI allow the 11 nations and other potential members to take the initiative to board and search any vessel under their jurisdiction in another state\'s waters suspected of carrying targeted cargoes, allow its own vessels to be boarded and searched by other states when targeted cargo is suspected, take steps to board and search other states\' vessels in a state\'s territorial waters and harbours as well as inspect the suspected cargo craft and seize such cargo in their ports, airfields or other facilities.

In other words, under the PSI a nation\'s sovereignty over its waters is given up entirely with Indian ships, ports and aircraft all being as liable for search and action as any other on the mere hint of suspicion. The Indian Navy also earned hostile reactions from Malaysia, Indonesia, and even China, when it responded to a US suggestion for joint patrolling in the Malacca Straits. Three years ago, Indian and US Navy ships participated in joint escort duties in the Malacca Straits using the excuse of checking piracy and terrorism to justify this action.

The Americans have, in the meanwhile, lured India into joint cooperation with its Navy. The days when the mere movement of the US Seventh Fleet in the Indian Ocean elicited strong comments from India are long over. The CPI(M) protest three years ago against the docking of two US vessels, USS Garry and USS Vandegrift, at Kochi is also now a matter of the past with American ships docking with increasing regularity at west coast ports. "Exercise Malabar" opened Indian waters to American vessels two years ago with over 2,000 Navy personnel and state-of-the-art warships from the US and India involved in the joint naval exercise at Kochi, Kerala.

The joint exercise, pedalled as a major step forward in US-India relations, was designed, for the record, to increase "interoperability" between the two Navies. It also helped legitimise joint cooperation to a point where the Indian Navy Chief, Admiral Arun Prakash, in a recent interview to a newspaper said the Indian Navy would like to participate in the PSI as a "core" country. He said India's inclusion was a political decision, but that the Navy was ready and willing. Some of the provisions of the PSI allow the 11 nations and other potential members to take the initiative to board and search any vessel under their jurisdiction in another state's waters suspected of carrying targeted cargoes, allow its own vessels to be boarded and searched by other states when targeted cargo is suspected, take steps to board and search other states' vessels in a state's territorial waters and harbours as well as inspect the suspected cargo craft and seize such cargo in their ports, airfields or other facilities.

In other words, under the PSI a nation's sovereignty over its waters is given up entirely with Indian ships, ports and aircraft all being as liable for search and action as any other on the mere hint of suspicion. The Indian Navy also earned hostile reactions from Malaysia, Indonesia, and even China, when it responded to a US suggestion for joint patrolling in the Malacca Straits. Three years ago, Indian and US Navy ships participated in joint escort duties in the Malacca Straits using the excuse of checking piracy and terrorism to justify this action.
The Indian Navy ship INS Sharda was pressed into service to escort American commercial vehicles carrying "high value" goods through the strait. It was intended to be an exercise to literally test the waters with the Indians beating a retreat following strong objections from the neighbouring countries. But the idea has not been given up with external affairs minister Natwar Singh more recently reiterating the offer to provide security in the Malacca Straits at an Asean regional forum meet in Jakarta last year. \r\nHe said it was in India\'s national interest to ensure that the strait remained a crime-free sea lane. There were no takers although the Indian Navy is very keen to expand its area of operation and join the US to flex some of its visible muscle on the high seas.

The Indian Navy ship INS Sharda was pressed into service to escort American commercial vehicles carrying "high value" goods through the strait. It was intended to be an exercise to literally test the waters with the Indians beating a retreat following strong objections from the neighbouring countries. But the idea has not been given up with external affairs minister Natwar Singh more recently reiterating the offer to provide security in the Malacca Straits at an Asean regional forum meet in Jakarta last year. He said it was in India's national interest to ensure that the strait remained a crime-free sea lane. There were no takers although the Indian Navy is very keen to expand its area of operation and join the US to flex some of its visible muscle on the high seas.

EDITORIAL: CITADEL SHAKES

2005-07-05T10:23:00.000+05:30

The first week of July has begun on a sombre note. Two former chief ministers stand expelled from their respective parties, while the RSS-BJP rift has claimed a victim in an office-bearer of the BJP who also doubled as the party chief’s adviser. The common thread in these developments, each otherwise unrelated to one another, is that all the three leaders concerned have attracted “punishment” for their alleged anti-party activities.

Mr Sudheendra Kulkarni’s exit as BJP national secretary, member of the national executive and Mr Advani’s political adviser, is a direct fallout from the Jinnah controversy. Mr Kulkarni has had to pay a price for thinking “out of the box” in charting a course for the BJP independent of its mentor, the RSS. The expulsion of the Asom Gana Parishad founder president and former two-time Assam chief minister Mr Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, climaxes the four-year-old war of attrition between him and the current AGP leadership of whose style of functioning he has been highly critical.

He had to quit the presidentship in 2001 following a bigamy scandal and has had a strenuous relationship with the party he founded two decades ago. He has threatened to float a new party. The most serious of the three developments, however, is the crisis within the hitherto highly regimented Shiv Sena caused by the exit of the former two-time Maharashtra chief minister Mr Narayan Rane who has lost both his party membership and the Leader of the Opposition post in the State Assembly.

Rumbles within the Sena began with the ouster of Mr Chhagan Bhujpal some years ago, but Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray managed to contain them with an iron hand. The recent exit of Mr Sanjay Nirupam was another jolt. However, Mr Rane’s expulsion may well shake the Sena citadel especially since he commands a mass base and political clout in his own right in the Konkan region and can effectively lead a revolt against Mr Thackeray.

The Sena chief has also to contend with factionalism and inner-party discontent after naming his son Uddhav as his political heir and successor in preference to the more popular nephew Raj. Though Balasaheb Thackeray has predictably taken his son’s side in the Uddhav-Rane confrontation and has put a brave face on the latest setback for his party, it is clear that the Tiger’s roar is progressively weakening because of his dynastic leanings. With Mr Sharad Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party waiting in the wings to absorb the Sena rebels, politics in Maharashtra promises to turn livelier in the near future.

COMMUNISTS FAIL TO FIRE MAO'S GUN

2005-07-05T10:19:00.000+05:30

By Siddhartha Reddy

Even now Indian Communists find their inspiration from the relics of a long destroyed cult — from Mao, Stalin, and Lenin. Mao said power flows from the barrel of the gun, so CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat, emulating Chairman Mao, holds the Communist gun to Sonia Gandhi’s head, threatening to blow the UPA government into powerlessness. But aware that Karat would not pull the trigger, Sonia Gandhi continued with her Shimla holiday, briefly interrupting her vacation with a phone call to pacify Karat.

Long-dead Communist leaders must be turning in their graves at Karat’s willingness to wait for Sonia Gandhi’s holiday to be over. Imagine Prakash Karat and A.B. Bardhan leading the French Revolution. They would have gladly accepted Queen Marie Antoinette’s dictate, “If you don’t have bread, eat cake.” Sonia Gandhi knows that the Communist gun does not have any ammunition. The comrades just want to impress their voters with loud rhetoric, forcing the Congress to roll back lucrative disinvestments.

The moment the Bhel sell-off is shelved, the Communists will drop the gun, threatening to light the fire later. A good government would never sell Bhel. But if necessary, it would have to convince the Communists behind closed doors. Public squabbling would not help. Sonia Gandhi has massaged the Communist ego and has saved the UPA government. P.V. Narasimha Rao, in 1991, launched the liberalisation-economic reforms process by selling off our nation’s assets.
Public money started going into private pockets. What was worth Rs 100 was sold for a song, fetching not more than Rs 10. Devious evaluators assess public assets at a low price to facilitate private gains. Successive governments have merrily sold precious mega-employment generating institutions to businessmen in the name of disinvestment.

As for Bhel, the Communists are searching for a needle in the haystack. Those who voted for the Communists, expected their MPs to put pressure on the government, and to expose the intensity of the fraud that has taken place in the disinvestment process from 1991-2005, quantifying the actual loss to the exchequer, and recover the money diverted and punish the culprits. They expected them to prevent such future robbery of public funds. Nothing of that sort happened. Instead, there’s a meaningless spectacle of a pro- and anti-disinvestment divide, with high noise but no sensible reform.

The Communists should have listed the governmental posts which are a huge drain on the exchequer. They should have forced the government to amend the Constitution to do away with the posts of the vice-president, governor, also Rajya Sabha members, Sonia Gandhi’s advisory council members, Planning Commission members, apart from those belonging to the numerous advisory councils and committees and inquiry commissions. There are hundreds of high-spending bureaucratic positions in every department, institution and enterprise which can be done away with.

A lot of money is spent on providing security to corrupt politicians and to facilitate holidays on government expense. But it’s beyond Karat’s capabilities to launch such a mammoth activity. Karat is busy making an MP out of his wife Brinda Karat, and cutting down to size a sulking Sitaram Yechury. Pontificating is easy, but reform is difficult. Imitating Mao is easy, but replicating Deng Xiaoping is difficult.

The Communists are yet to realise that by supporting the UPA government’s policies they are making the people of West Bengal and Kerala turn away from them. In Bengal, Communist complacency comes from the disarray in the BJP-Trinamul camp, and the 20,000 bogus voters enrolled in most constituencies cushioning the impact of the anti-government vote. Fair elections are feasible only if electoral lists are revised by authorities from other states, under President’s Rule.

The Communist-Congress hysteria against Jinnah will prove costly. Muslim vote is turning against the Communists. And the Hindu vote will go to the Trinamul. The middle classes are not happy that the Left is supporting a government under which the country is witnessing an all-round price rise. The lower classes too are suffering. Their jobs are vanishing because of a flood of Bangladeshi immigrants, willing to be underpaid and overworked. Both Muslims and Hindus are angry with the Left for allowing immigration to swell the number of bogus voters.

A certain Communist victory next year can end up being a hung Assembly, or an upset defeat. Complacency unseated Haryana’s Om Prakash Chautala, Andhra’s Chandrababu Naidu and Karnataka’s S.M. Krishna. Buddhadeb should be wary, Mamata can still be Chief Minister if she keeps her mouth shut and allows Karat and A.B. Bardhan to topple Buddhadeb by continuing to support the UPA government.

As for Kerala, the anti-Congress vote would have gone to the Communists, had the Congress not split in that State. There is resentment against the corrupt Congress State government and fury against the Communists for supporting the Central government. From a sure win, the Communists have now deteriorated to a hung Assembly situation. If this trend continues, then Hindus and Muslims could combine to surprise aged Karunakaran’s Nationalist Congress (Indira) with unexpected victory.

By talking about secularism, by saying that it is keeping the BJP away from power, the Left can impress the party circuit, the anti-saffron columnists and the JNU crowd, however, election results will prove that voters in Bengal and Kerala do not approve of the Communist support to a capitalist UPA government. Then Karat and Bardhan will be as surprised at the self-goals they have scored as Vajpayee and Advani were when they lost their government last year. Karat and Bardhan will belatedly realise that power flew out of Communist reach for they failed to fire the Maoist gun.

T R S GAMBLE

2005-07-05T10:16:00.000+05:30

By Syed Amin Jafri

Monday was a day of swift and dramatic developments. The final break betwe-en the Congress and Telangana Rashtra Samiti came when, in a unilateral action, five TRS ministers pulled out from the first coalition government led by Dr Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy in Andhra Pradesh. More significantly, the sixth TRS minister S. Santosh Reddy, an ex-Congressman, raised a banner of revolt against the TRS leadership and refused to resign. More dissensions are likely to be witnessed in the TRS with some more legislators queering the pitch for party boss K. Chandrasekhar Rao.

Though relations between the two partners were estranged for some time now and a war of words was on between them, the TRS withdrawal from the State Cabinet has come faster than expected. In fact, the hostile attitude of the Chief Minister was evident in abundance when he summarily rejected the concerns of TRS leaders regarding Pulichintala and Polavaram irrigation projects which are meant to benefit coastal Andhra. His administration also goofed up on his promise to tap waters of the Pranahita river for Telangana.

These could be the factors that contributed to the mistrust of TRS leaders. On the issue of separate Telangana, the views of Dr Rajasekhar Reddy were no different from his Telugu Desam predecessor N. Chandrababu Naidu. An integrationist at heart, Dr Reddy harped on the need for constituting a second States Reorganisation Commission to go into the demand for Telangana as a ‘dilatory’ tactic.

Whereas Mr Naidu openly favoured a Samaikhya Andhra Pradesh. The stand of both these leaders from Rayalaseema was resented by the TRS leadership, with Mr Chandrasekhar Rao and Mr A. Narendra lashing out at them frequently. Mr Chandrasekhar Rao insisted that there would be no second SRC since the Congress-led UPA had given an unequivocal commitment to fo-rm a separate Telangana State.

Also, TRS and Congress leaders had developed serious differences on the Naxalite issue. Before the Assembly polls, the Congress had promised to end the “bullet for bullet” policy pursued by the TD vis-à-vis the Naxalites and launch a peace initiative to resolve this longstanding problem. The TRS had promised to work to lift the ban on the People’s War Group. The Congress and TRS entered a poll alliance for the Assembly and Lok Sabha polls on the understanding that they would work for the creation of a separate Telangana. The Naxals supported their alliance in the polls.

The Congress stormed into power in the State and the TRS also gained significance in Telangana winning five Lok Sabha and 26 Assembly seats. The TRS joined the Union Cabinet and the State ministry with two ministers at the Centre and six in the State. This was the time when dissension between the electoral partners arose. Some Congressmen resented the Cabinet berths for the TRS while the party leaders from coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema resisted the separate Telangana demand.

In the meantime, the Rajasekhar Reddy regime initiated the peace process with the Naxalites by agreeing to a ceasefire. The government lifted the ban on the PWG in July 2004 and the first round of peace talks were held with PWG and Janashakti leaders in the city in October 2004. The Congress had second thoughts on the peace talks for two reasons. One was the merger of the PWG and the MCCI of Bihar to form the CPI-Maoist. The other was the attempt by the Maoists to expand their base into coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema and augment their strength through huge collections of party funds, acquisition of modern weapons and equipment and recruitment of cadres.

The peace initiative crumbled and combing operations were launched in a big way to counter Naxal violence in January 2005. Thereafter, the Maoists and Jan-ashakti Naxalites began mounting their pressure on TRS and Congress leaders at the local level to prevail upon the government to resume the peace talks. As encounters occurred with monotonous frequency, the Maoists set a deadline for TRS to sever ties with the Congress and pull out of the Congress-led ministries at the Centre and in the State. Mr Chandrasekhar Rao sought to placate the Maoi-sts by urging them to kill him and spare his partymen.

About 500 local level elected functionaries of the TRS quit their posts, bowing to Maoist diktat. As relations soured with the TRS, veteran Congress leader G. Venkatswamy and senior minister M. Satyanarayana Rao mounted a tirade against Mr Chandrasekhar Rao and his men. Incidentally, both of them claimed to have played a role in forging the Congress-TRS alliance for the last year’s polls.

Mr Venkatswamy thought that if Mr Chandrasekhar Rao and Mr Narendra could be eased out of the Union Cabinet, the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh could induct senior Congressmen like him in the impending reshuffle. Mr Satyanarayana Rao, on the other hand, has no specific grouse against Mr Chandra-sekhar Rao, except that the latter was as much a loudmouth as him!
A one-time Telangana protagonist, Mr K. Keshava Rao changed his colours soon after his nomination as APCC president. He also began harping on the second SRC and joined issue with Mr Chandrasekhar Rao and Mr Narendra many a time. Other Telangana supporters among the Congress leaders and legislators also became lukewarm towards the TRS and separate Telangana as the loaves of power came their way.

So, this convinced the TRS leadership about the antagonistic attitude of the Congress towards its core demand for Telangana State. The return to lawlessness in Telangana with the resumption of police operations and Naxalite violence came as a cause of worry to the TRS which has been advocating a peaceful settlement on the issue to put a fullstop to the bloodshed in this region.
In this backdrop, the killing of Janashakti leader Riyaz in an ‘encounter’ in Karimnagar district last Friday after he was picked up by police in Hyderabad brought the uneasiness in TRS-Congress ties to a flashpoint. To add insult to injury, Dr Rajasekhar Reddy chided the TRS leaders for “their doublespeak” on the Naxalite issue.

“They tell me one thing but they say something else outside just to save their lives (from the extremists). There is no point talking about them” was his cryptic comment when the TRS ministers voiced their threat to quit the Cabinet if the encounter killings continued.
The alleged neglect of the interests of the backward Telangana region also caused heartburn to TRS leaders. They felt that the Rajasekhar Reddy regime was not sincere in implementing the Girglani Commission report on GO 610, which seeks repatriation of non-local government employees working in Telangana to their respective regions.

They also had apprehensions that Dr Rajasekhar Reddy was keen on completion of irrigation projects in coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema while paying lip sympathy for the Telangana region. They had misgivings that Dr Rajasekhar Reddy was seeking the inter-basin transfer of Godavari waters to Krishna river to help coastal belt.

So, water, jobs and peace were the issues that weighed with the TRS in determining the longevity of its ties with the Congress. All these factors cumulatively led to the dramatic pull-out of TRS ministers from the State Cabinet. Curiously, Mr Chandrasekhar Rao and Mr Narendra have not yet taken the decision to quit their Union posts and withdraw support to the UPA government. This emboldened Mr Santosh Reddy to defy Mr Chandrasekhar Rao’s diktat to leave the State Cabinet.

In a bid to quell the disquiet in the TRS camp, the Congress leadership in New Delhi has launched a fire-fighting operations to mollify Mr Chandrasekhar Rao. How long Mr Chandrasekhar Rao’s honey-moon with the Congress central leadership will last is anybody’s guess. The immediate impact of the TRS-Congress break-up will be felt in the municipal elections slated in September 2005 though the TRS pull-out from the government will not affect the stability of either the Dr Rajasekhar Reddy government or the Dr Manmohan Singh government.