India welcomes newest Rajasthan unit to the grid

The site is home to two 700 MWe PHWRs (Image: screengrab from NPCIL video)

Unit 7 at the Rajasthan Atomic Power Project is the third 700 MWe indigenous pressurised heavy water reactor to be connected to the Indian grid.

The unit - which is also known as RAPP-7 - reached first criticality in September and was connected to the northern grid early on Monday.

"With the clearance from the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board AERB and passing all tests with flying colours, unit 7 is now synchronised with the National Grid," Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) said in a video released to mark the achievement.

Once a new unit has been connected to the grid, it undergoes a process known as power ascension testing when its power levels are gradually raised - under approval from the regulator - until it reaches full capacity. It will then enter commercial operation.

RAPP-7 follows Kakrapar 3 and 4 in a planned fleet of 700 MWe pressurised heavy water reactors (PHWRs): unit 3 achieved first criticality in July 2020, was connected to the grid in January 2021 and was declared to be in commercial operation in July 2023. Unit 4, which reached first criticality in December 2023, was connected to the grid in February and entered commercial operation in March 2024.

"NPCIL has mastered the art of building and operating these reactors," the company said.

A second 700 MWe unit, RAPP-8, is also under construction at the site at Rawatbhata, which is already home to six operating PHWRs with a total capacity of 1180 MW. NPCIL said it expects RAPP-8 to be operational "in 2025-26".

The government has sanctioned the "fleet mode" construction of further 700 MWe units at Kaiga in Karnataka; Gorakhpur in Haryana; Chutka in Madhya Pradesh; and Mahi Banswara in Rajasthan.Earlier this year, Minister of Finance Nirmala Sitharaman outlined ambitions for the development of at least 100 GW of nuclear energy by 2047 to support India's energy transition efforts. This new capacity would include the development of Indian-designed small modular reactors to be operational by 2033, with amendments to Indian legislation to encourage private sector participation in nuclear projects.India welcomes newest Rajasthan unit to the grid

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India opens first plasma bank for COVID-19 treatment

India's first plasma bank has opened in the national capital, New Delhi. Meanwhile, the country's worst-affected state Maharashtra has started what it calls the world's largest plasma therapy trial. 

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kkfVa1NVl4

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Jaipur literature festival to see top economists

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The Asian Age, Sanjay Bohra | Jaipur : Top international names from the world of economics and business, including Sebastian Mallaby, Arvind Subramanian, Thomas Piketty, Amitabh Kant, Nigel Harris and Niall Ferguson, will gather to discuss business issues and successes in the 9th edition of the Jaipur Literature Festival. Wealthy, powerful, and potentially dangerous, hedge-fund managers have emerged as the stars of 21st-century capitalism. Based on unprecedented access to the industry, Sebastian Mallaby’s book, More Money than God: Hedge Funds and the Making of the New Elite, provides the first authoritative history of hedge funds. In a session of the same name, in discussion with Mihir Sharma, hedge funds are explored from their origins in the 1960s and 1970s to their role in the financial crisis of 2007-9. Another international big-hitter in economics writing, Thomas Piketty’s ground-breaking book, Capital in the Twenty-First Century, analyses a unique collection of data from 20 countries, ranging as far back as the 18th century, to uncover key economic and social patterns. At the festival he will discuss his theories with fellow economic historians and writers on finance Sebastian Mallaby and Arvind Subramanian, moderated by Pratap Bhanu Mehta in a session called “Capital”. Questions about the long-term evolution of inequality, the concentration of wealth, and the prospects for economic growth at the heart of the political economy fascinate celebrated economist and professor of economics at the Paris School of Economics, Thomas Piketty. In “The Politics of Inequality” he will join with his former pupil, Mihir Sharma, to talk about his most recent book of the same name. The government’s “Make In India” campaign aims to attract foreign investment in job-creating manufacturing industries, and the slogan has established a strong brand image. A well-informed panel, including secretary in the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion Amitabh Kant; CMD of Biocon Ltd Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw; Dr Mehta, the former chairman of the Securities and Exchange Board of India; A. Didar Singh, secretary-general of Ficci; and Ford’s Nigel Harris will discuss the prospects, success and stumbling blocks in the path of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Make in India” campaign. Pandemonium is Jaipur-born Piyush Pandey’s brilliant and incisive book on advertising which brings alive all aspects of the persuasion industry and explores the sources and inspirations of creative communication. He will be in conversation with Suhel Seth on contemporary Indian advertising and how to move minds and wallets with the power of focused narrative. The journey from small town to visionary promoter of a global brand is captured in Subhash Chandra’s new memoir being launched at Jaipur Literature Festival. In the “Z Factor” he’ll talk about the highs and lows on his way to becoming a pioneer in the Indian television entertainment industry. Source: The Asian Age

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SC seeks clarification from Mysore lab on Maggi samples

New Delhi, January 13The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the government laboratory in Mysore to further clarify whether test reports relating to lead and glutamic acid in Maggi noodles are within permissible parameters under the law. The apex court passed the order after perusing two communications received from the Mysore laboratory, which had carried out the test about the monosodium glutamate (MSG) content in the samples. While Nestle India, makers of Maggi, claimed that the lead content was within the permissible limit prescribed under the Food Safety Act, the Centre said there was a need for comprehensive findings of all other parameters. Making it clear that it was not passing any interim order, a bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra said there was a need for the clarification. "We have perused the test reports. We would like Central Food Technological Research Institute, Mysore to apprise this court on two aspects, whether the test report relating to lead and glutamic acid are within the that  permissible parameters and to clarify those are within parameters prescribed under the Food Safety Act," the bench, also comprising Justice N V Ramana, said. The Bench further said the institute in Mysore shall also give clarification on the test relating to glutamic acid. The Bench said additionally if the institute feels more samples were necessary, it can requisition the same from the authority concerned. The Bench said for the additional samples the court may communicate with the joint registrar, National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC), who was appointed as local commissioner. He shall collect the samples from FSSAI godown in Lucknow. The court said the entire exercise has to be carried out within eight weeks and posted the matter for April 5. The court had on December 16, last year ordered testing of samples of Maggi noodles in the Mysore laboratory after NCDRC had directed that it be done in Chennai. The Supreme Court was hearing a plea filed by Nestle India Ltd against the order of apex consumer commission. The consumer commission had on December 10, last year sent 16 more samples of Maggi noodles for testing in the Chennai lab to ascertain the quantity of lead and MSG in them, in connection with the government's Rs 640 crore suit against the company for alleged unfair trade practices. The apex court, meanwhile, had stayed the proceedings before NCDRC and had directed that the test reports, including the earlier one, be placed before it. The Bombay High Court had on August 13, last year lifted the ban on nine variants of the fast food and asked the company to go for fresh tests.—PTI. Source: http://www.tribuneindia.com/

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Isro launches 6 Singaporean satellites on PSLV platform

The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) today launched six Singaporean satellites with its Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle's core alone (PSLV-CA) variant. The PSLV rocket - standing 44.4 metres tall and weighing around 227 tonnes - took off on Wednesday from the rocket port in Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh, around 80 km from Chennai. Apart from launching the six foreign satellites, Isro also tested the rocket's fourth stage / engine's ability to restart after it was cut off around 17 minutes into the flight. India was testing a multiple burn fuel stage/rocket engine for the first time."The restart and shut off of the fourth stage engine is done as a first step towards launching multiple satellites but in different orbits," an Isro official said. Launching of multiple satellites with a single rocket is nothing new for Isro s it has been doing that for several years. The challenge is, however, to launch several satellites at different orbits with one rocket. This is what Isro plans to test when the PSLV ejects the six Singaporean satellites. The PSLV rocket is a four-stage / engine rocket powered by solid and liquid fuel alternatively. "Restarting a rocket engine soon after it is shut off is a critical technology that has to be mastered. Once a rocket engine is activated, then the heat 
generated is very high. The trick is to cool it down in space and to restart it after a short gap," an industry expert told IANS. "This is entirely different from switching on and off the communication satellite's engines in space. The interval between two restarts of a communication satellite engine will be in days. But in the case of restarting a rocket engine, the time gap will be in hours," the expert added. "By that time the rocket's engine has to be cooled down. This part of the experiment is very critical," he explained. The PSLV's fourth-stage / engine will be restarted just over 67 minutes into the flight or 50 minutes after the engine was cut off. At the time of restart, the fourth-stage will be in a lower altitude of 523.9km while the satellites would have been ejected at 550 km altitude. The engine will be operated for four seconds and is planned to go up to an altitude of 524 km before it is cut off again. On 16 December, Isro will be flying the 'core alone' variant of the PSLV rocket. The rocket will not have the strap-on boosters, its standard feature. This will be Isro's last mission for 2015. The successful launch of the six Singaporean satellites will take Isro's total flights of foreign satellites to 57. Out of the six satellites, the 400 kg earth observation satellite called TeLEOS-1 is the main passenger for the PSLV rocket and hence the mission is called TeLEOS mission by Isro. TeLEOS-1 is Singapore's first commercial earth observation satellite designed and developed by ST Electronics. The other five co-passenger satellites are VELOX-C1 (123 kg), VELOX-II (13 kg), Kent Ridge-1 (78 kg), Galassia (3.4 kg) and Athenoxat-1. So far in 2015, Isro has launched 14 satellites (three Indian and 11 foreign) from its rocket port in Sriharikota. Thirteen satellites were launched with PSLV rocket and one communication satellite - GSAT-6 - with geosynchronous satellite launch vehicle (GSLV). Last month, India also launched its communication satellite GSAT-15 using the Ariane rocket of the European space agency which takes the total number of satellite launches in 2015 to 21 (17 foreign, four Indian). Source: domain-b.com

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‘Emotional’ Dilip Kumar receives Padma Vibhushan at home

Veteran actor Dilip Kumar and his wife Saira Banu along with Bollywood actress Saysha at his residence in Mumbai . (Photo: PTI)

The actor was to receive it at Rashtrapati Bhavan on April 8, 2015 but he could not due to his ill health Describing legendary actor Dilip Kumar as a “precious gem,” Union home minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday, presented him the Padma Vibhushan award at the thespian’s residence in suburban Bandra for his contribution to the Hindi cinema spanning over six decades. The 93-year-old veteran, who shot to fame with Naya Daur, Jugnu, Andaz and Devdas, was presented a medal, certificate and shawl by Mr Singh in the presence of the actor’s 71-year-old wife Saira Banu. Governor C. Vidyasagar Rao, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and Mr Kumar’s family members and close friends were also present during the small ceremony. Mr
Kumar, in a black suit, could barely open his eyes and was helped by Ms Bano when the national honour was conferred on him. On receiving the award, he expressed his happiness and got emotional at the recognition, Ms Banu told this newspaper. The veteran actor has given sterling performances in over 60 Hindi films. He was to receive the award at a ceremonial function at Rashtrapati Bhavan on April 8, 2015 in New Delhi, but he could not attend the ceremony due to his ill health. “Dilip Kumar has created such a niche for himself over the last 40-50 years, that almost every artiste regards him as a role model. He is a  ‘precious gem’ of not just the cinema world but entire India,” the home minister said. He was speaking after presenting the Padma Vibhushan award. Ms Banu expressed pleasure over the honour on behalf of the veteran actor. “It has been a momentous occasion for the family and we are happy that India’s home minister Rajnath Singh, came to Mumbai to present the award,” she said. Born as Muhammad Yousuf Khan in Peshawar (Pakistan), Mr Kumar made his debut as an actor in the film Jwar Bhata produced by Bombay Talkies in 1944. He starred in films of a variety of genres such as the swashbuckling Aan (1952), the comical Azaad (1955), the historical Mughal-e-Azam (1960) and the socially conscious Ganga Jamuna (1961).‘ Source: The Asian Age

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India, Japan ink pacts on bullet train, defence, nuke energy

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe in New Delhi on Saturday. Tribune photo: Mukesh Aggarwal

New Delhi, December 12 Taking their robust bilateral ties to a new level, India and Japan on Saturday inked a number of pacts in key areas of defence and nuclear energy as well as building of first bullet train network between Mumbai- Ahmedabad at a cost of about Rs 98,000 crore. The strategic pacts were inked after the summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe during which they also discussed international and regional issues of mutual importance including UN security reforms. Addressing a joint press meet with Abe, Modi said, "No friend will matter more in realising India's economic dreams than Japan" while describing Abe as "a personal friend and a great champion of India-Japan partnership". Referring to the pacts signed, Modi said, "No less historic is the decision to introduce High Speed Rail on Mumbai-Ahmedabad sector through Shinkansen known for speed, reliability, safety", noting that Abe's extraordinary package of approximately $12 billion and technical assistance, on very easy terms, for this project was greatly appreciated. "The memorandum we signed on civil nuclear energy cooperation is more than just an agreement for commerce and clean energy. It is a shining symbol of a new level of mutual confidence and strategic partnership in the cause of a peaceful and secure world," Modi added. The bullet train network will link the India's financial hub Mumbai with Ahmedabad, the capital of Modi's home state, Gujarat. Bullet train between the two cities will cut travel time on the 505 kilometre route from eight hours to around three. The approx. cost of the project is estimated to be around Rs 98,000 crore. The two sides also inked agreements - one concerning the Transfer of Defence Equipment and Technology and another related to Security Measures for Protection of Classified Military Information. Terming defence pacts as "decisive steps in our security cooperation", Modi said they will deepen the defence relations and promote defence manufacturing in India. "This builds on our decision to expand staff talks to all three wings of the Armed Forces and make Japan a partner in Malabar Naval Exercises," he added. The two leaders also issued a joint statement on 'India and Japan Vision 2025: Special Strategic and Global Partnership Working Together for Peace and Prosperity of the Indo-Pacific Region and the World'. The statement said the two Prime Ministers welcomed the agreement reached between the two governments for cooperation in peaceful uses of nuclear energy and confirmed that this agreement will be signed after the technical details are finalised including those relating to necessary internal procedures After the talks, Modi also announced that "Recognising our special relationship, India will extend 'visa on arrival' to all Japanese citizens from 1st March 2016." On his part, Abe said, "We have taken relationship to new level and buds have turned into blossoms". Modi said India and Japan will work together at the East Asia Summit to promote an inclusive, balanced and open regional architecture and maritime security in the region. “We stand strongly for ensuring freedom of navigation and over-flight, and unimpeded maritime commerce. We believe that disputes must be resolved peacefully and that all countries must abide by international law and norms on maritime issues.” Thanking Abe for his support for India’s membership of the APEC, Modi said India will also strive for “our rightful place in a reformed UN Security Council”. Modi, who along with Abe will visit Varanasi later in the day, said culture and people breathe life into a relationship. “Our remarkable relationship also has a wonderful human touch. The Kyoto-Varanasi partnership is one of its strong symbols,” he said. Last year, Prime Minister Abe hosted Modi in Kyoto. According to the joint statement, the two Prime Ministers underlined the need for closer coordination and effective communication, bilaterally and with partners, to address existing and emerging challenges in spheres of security, stability and sustainable development. “India and Japan will work to strengthen regional economic and security forums and coordinate their actions to tackle global challenges including the reform of the United Nations, climate change as well as terrorism,” it said. The two also reaffirmed their intention to work together for the early realisation of UN reforms, particularly the Security Council reform, to better reflect the realities of the international community in the 21st century. Among the international issues, Modi and Abe discussed North Korea’s contentious nuclear programme and expressed concern over that country’s continued development of its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes, including its uranium enrichment activities. “They urged North Korea to fully comply with its international obligations, including under relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions and to take actions towards the denuclearising of the Korean Peninsula. They also urged North Korea to address at the earliest the abductions issue,” the statement said. On the occasion of the 70th year since the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, they reaffirmed their shared commitment to the total elimination of nuclear weapons. They called for an immediate commencement and early conclusion of negotiations on a non-discriminatory, multilateral and internationally and effectively verifiable Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty (FMCT) on the basis of Shannon Mandate. “In this context, Prime Minister Abe stressed the importance of early entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) which should lead to nuclear disarmament,” the statement said. They also supported the strengthening of international cooperation to address the challenges of nuclear proliferation and nuclear terrorism. Japan welcomed India’s intensified engagement with export control regimes and the two Prime Ministers affirmed their commitment to work together for India to become a full member in the four international export control regimes: Nuclear Suppliers Group, Missile Technology Control Regime, Wassenaar Arrangement and Australia Group, with the aim of strengthening the international non-proliferation efforts. — PTI. Source: http://www.tribuneindia.com/

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Sanjay Dutt to be freed from jail by March 7, 2016

Pune: Incarcerated Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt, whose five-year sentence for his involvement in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts was confirmed by the Supreme Court in March 2013, will be freed from prison by March 7, 2016, official sources said here on Tuesday. The sources indicated that barring last-minute glitches, Sanjay would be released by March 7 after completing the remaining 42-month period of his sentence. Dutt was acquitted of terror charges under the TADA, but found guilty of possessing illegal arms, acquired ostensibly to protect his family during the communal conflagration that engulfed Mumbai after the demolition of the Babri Mosque on December 6, 1992. Following the apex court orders, his bail was cancelled and he was ordered to surrender within four weeks, which he complied with on May 16, 2013 and was lodged in Arthur Road Central Jail. A week later, he was shifted to the Yeravada Central Jail, Pune, where he has been lodged since then and has earned the reputation of being a well-behaved inmate. Of the five-year sentence, the actor had already served 18 months as an undertrial and was required to undergo another 42 months, which is now on the verge of completing. In between serving time, Dutt was granted either parole or furlough on various grounds, attracting a lot of criticism from various quarters, while some prominent personalities demanded his release from jail. Source: ummid.com, Image

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Chennai floods a warning for Mumbai?

The Chennai floods were a warning to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) that Mumbai too could witness a similar situation. Activists have alleged that the Maharashtra Regional Town Planning (MRTP) Act, 1966 mandates the marking of flood buffer zones in the development plan (DP). The BMC has, however, not marked such buffer zones in the proposed DP of (2014-2034) by the BMC. Buffer zone is a neutral area where land is designated for environmental purposes to build gardens or playgrounds. However, a buffer zone has different meanings in different context. Godfrey Pimenta, activist, Bombay East Indian Association, alleged, “Slum dwellers have encroached the land on the banks of Dahisar river, Mithi river, Oshiwara river and Poisar river. Due to these encroachments, when there is a flood-like situation in the city, the water gets collected in the city and does not disperse into the rivers. This is one of the reasons behind the city witnessing floods in July 2005.” According to the Indian Meteorological Department’s website, one of the reason why Chennai witnessed floods is because it failed to prevent encroachments on the banks of Adyar river and Cooum river, which it said was supposed to act as the main source for rain water drainage in Chennai. It also further states that IT corridors and knowledge corridors consisting of engineering colleges were also constructed on the banks of rivers in Chennai. Nicholas Almedia, activist, Watchdog Foundation, said, “If the law mandates to have buffer zone on the river banks, why has the BMC ignored it? Also, if municipal corporations in Thane and Nashik can follow the law in marking buffer zones for rivers in their DP, why can’t BMC do the same?”Source: The Asian Age

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Rajinikanth donates Rs 10 Crore for victims

Superstar Rajinikanth has extended a helping hand for the victims of Chennai floods. He has donated 10 Crore rupees to the Chief Minister's Public Relief Fund. According to an official statement, the donation was made through Sri Raghavendra Public Charitable Trust, owned by Rajinikanth. Actor Dhanush, who is married to Rajinikanth's daughter Aishwaryaa, also donated Rs 5 lakhs. Source: Video, 

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Raymond invests Rs 61.68 cr in RLCL

Sujata Sachdeva, Suiting fabric maker Raymond has invested Rs 61.68 crores in Raymond Luxury Cottons (RLCL) by subscribing to equity shares. As speculated earlier, the company also confirmed appointment of Sanjay Bahl as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) after M Shivkumar resigned from the post. “RLCL has allotted the equity shares and the investment of Raymond Limited in the equity share capital of RLCL now stands at Rs 127.68 crores constituting 75.69 percent of the equity capital,” Raymond said in a BSE filing. Bahl's appointment was effective from November 16, 2015. Bahl, a chartered accountant has over 25 years of experience in FMCG, fertilisers, construction products and retail. Of late, Raymond is shifting its energies to refurbish its stores, while investing in marketing and advertising initiatives to drive margins and woo the young audience. The company’s focus on ‘Made to Measure’ personalised clothing stores are also expected to contribute positively to the company’s bottomline in future. Though costs on these new initiatives may pressure margins in this segment in the short term, according to the analysts, improved performance could boost sales and profitability in the long-term. Source: Article

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Sushmita Sen, a 'Sen-sation' at 40

As she turns 40, Sushmita Sen remains an enduring icon, and a favourite for aspiring beauty queens to look up to.

It was in the summer of 1994, when the USA was the cynosure for all, as it hosted the FIFA World Cup, for the first time. Amidst all the football mania, came the news, that a tall 18-year-old Bengali girl, by the name of Sushmita Sen, had won the Miss Universe contest, in Manila, after having won the Femina Miss India title. An Indian girl winning the Miss Universe contest for the first time was definitely a terrific achievement. It was her crowning glory, and the rest as the adage goes is history. Sushmita’s stunning win was an inspiration for other beauty queen aspirants. Soon after her win, India witnessed a sudden rise in beauty pageant winners; the green-eyed beauty Aishwarya Rai won the Miss World contest, followed by the likes of Diana Hayden (Miss World 1997), Yukta Mookhey (Miss World 1999), Lara Dutta (Miss Universe 2000), and Priyanka Chopra (Miss World 2000). As for Sen, immediately post her phenomenal win, a career in Bollywood beckoned this leggy star. She debuted on the big screen, in 1996, with the film Dastak. Although the film did not create ripples at the Box office, but Sushmita had made her presence felt. However, it was in the year 1999, in David Dhawan’s Biwi No 1, when she got a chance to act opposite Salman Khan, that Sen got noticed; she made the audience dance to the foot tapping number, Chunari Chunari. Sen’s height gave her impressive screen presence, which added to her beauty, and attractive personality. Her role in the film won her the Filmfare Best Supporting Actress award. Post Biwi No 1, a lull in her film career followed, with a series of films not faring too well. A sizzling cameo song appearance in Fiza, with the popular Mehboob Mere somewhat kept her in the reckoning. But, then came the year 2004, when her career got a much-needed lease on life, with Farah Khan’s directorial venture, Main Hoon Na, opposite superstar Shah Rukh Khan. The film was a blockbuster at the box office, and still remains Sushmita Sen’s biggest hit. Playing the role of a chemistry teacher, Sushmita did full justice to her character. The 5 feet 7 inches tall, leggy lady, with her svelte figure, had the nation swooning with her sensuous dance moves in the chartbuster, Tumhe Jo Maine Dekha, along with co-star SRK. The chemistry between the duo was crackling. No wonder then, that the success of the film was inevitable. The box-office success of Main Hoon Na meant lucrative endorsement offers for the stars of the film, and offers followed for Sushmita as well. Watch giant Tag Heuer decided to take her on as their brand ambassador, the event for which was held in Jaipur. When I got an invite from Tag Heuer to be a part of the press delegation for the said event, I was thrilled. Having heard a lot about Sushmita, I was keen to see how she was in person, and the chance to see King Khan up-close doubled my excitement to go to Jaipur; the experience was thrilling to say the least. That she has an affable persona, and is extremely articulate as well as candid on several issues, was there for everyone to see. One of her candid comments, as I recall, was regarding her height. Sen was asked whether she thought that being a taller than average female was an obstacle to succeeding in Bollywood. She answered by saying, “When I joined the film industry, people cited out my height and said it could be a drawback for me, but I have managed to prove them wrong. In fact its great to be tall!” She candidly went on to state that she is happy to do her own work, rather than be in the rat race for the number one spot. Main Hoon Na’s smashing success was soon followed by Maine Pyar Kyun Kiya,opposite Salman Khan, in 2005. Post MPKK, Sushmita’s films did not create ripples, and a slew of releases there after hardly did anything to keep her in the race. As her career in Bollywood was not steady, Sushmita Sen decided to dazzle on the ramp at various fashion events. She carved out a niche for herself on the catwalk, with her remarkable gait, and poise. While she might not be hot property on the box office, but on the ramp she is alluring. On the personal front, however, a lot has been written about Sushmita’s love life, which has always been under constant scrutiny by the media. But the lady remains unfazed and exudes a confidence to lead life on her own terms. Not many stars would have the guts to adopt two children, and be a single mother, with such aplomb, as Sushmita Sen. She is the proud mother to two beautiful and intelligent girls, Renee and Alisah. Bollywood’s reigning superstar, former Miss World and Bollywood actressPriyanka Chopra considers Sush as one of her favourites. This is what the ‘Exotic’ singer had to say when Sushmita complimented her recently for her role in the ABC series Quantico, “Thank u so much @thesushmitasen uve been my fave since u won miss universe at 18!! I remember ur cut out on my wall.[sic]” As she turns 40, Sushmita Sen remains an enduring icon, and a favourite for aspiring beauty queens to look up to. So what if Sushmita did not have a blazing run at the box office, she has an everlasting charisma that makes her a beauty queen with brains. Source: Article, Image

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Diwali :'The Festival of Light'

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All of us are all set to celebrate the festival of light. Not only children or youth become crazy for Diwali, even old people and partnts are also celebrate the Diwali with the children that make us happy and provide us a good time to enjoy before the advent of winter. Why we celebrate Diwali: But do you know why we celebrate Diwali? In fact, Diwali is not just the festive mood. There are various reasons behind the celebration known as theFestival of Light and victory of Light over darkness. There is a belief that the Goddess of wealth, Lakshmi incarnated on the new moon day (amaavasyaa) of the Kartik month during the churning of the ocean (samudra-manthan). It is the same day when the Diwali is being celebrated and since then we celebrate the festival. There is another myth which says that it was 'Kartik Amavashya' when the Pandavas appeared from their 12 years of banishment as a result of their defeat in the hands of the Kauravas at the game of dice (gambling). The episode is very important in the Mahabharat and one who love Pandavas, celebrate the occasion known as Diwali. The main and major thought behind the reason to celebrate Diwali is the belief that it was the new moon day of Kartik when Lord Ram, mother Sita and Lakshman returned to Ayodhya after vanquishing Ravana and conquering Lanka. As Ramayan tells, it was the occasion when they returned to Ayodhya and people of Ayodhya celebrated the occasion as Diwali. Source: Article, PM Modi receives Diwali greeting from Obama: New Delhi, Nov 11 (ANI):

Extending his wishes on the festival of Diwali, US President Barack Obama called up Prime Minister Narendra Modi last night and reviewed joint efforts on key areas of bilateral cooperation. The US President during the telephonic conversation also previewed global issues ahead of the upcoming G-20 Summit, East Asia Summit and Paris Climate Conference.  "A short while ago @POTUS called. We exchanged Diwali greetings. This was our first conversation through the newly established hotline," tweeted Prime Minister Modi. Prime Minister Modi further said that he looked forward
to meeting the US President during the G20 Summit in Turkey. "President Obama and I discussed a wide range of other issues as well. It was good knowing how @WhiteHouse is marking Diwali," he said in another tweet. Aishwaraya to celebrate Diwali with family in Mumbai: Mumbai: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan who is currently busy shooting for Karan Johar’s ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’ in London, is pulling out all stops to celebrate Diwali with the entire Bachchan and Rai family. The star has reportedly taken time off to celebrate the festival at home in Mumbai. November is a month of celebrations in the Bachchan household. The first family of Bollywood not only have grand Diwali celebrations to look forward to but also granddaughter Aaradhya’s birthday on November 16. “You’re forgetting

The actress insists that the family has to be together for the festival

my father’s birthday (Nov 20). We celebrate the entire month”, she laughs. While she was in London shooting for ‘ADHM’ on her birthday, it was still a family celebration with Aaradhya, Abhishek and her mother accompanying her to the shoot. “It was a warm wonderful birthday. My husband and my producer Karan made sure of that,” Ash said in the interview. Talking about her plans for the festive season, the star said, “Diwali has to be at home, no matter what. The family has to be together for that occasion. Or at least, we try to be. But all of us have our own crazy schedules. Sometimes it becomes impossible to fulfil family obligations. But we try our best.” Aishwarya and Aaradhya will return home next week Source: Article,

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Prem is back!

Everything that involves Salman Khan has to create a buzz. And, that is exactly what happened after Salman shared the first look of his film Prem Ratan Dhan Payo. The internet went into a frenzy with almost everyone commenting or sharing the teaser of the film. In quintessential Rajshri films style, the two-minute video features hill-tops palaces, royal chandeliers and even horse-driven carts. Prem Ratan Dhan Payo marks the Wanted star’s return to Sooraj Barjatya’s camp after a gap of 16 years. Source: Article. Salman Khan’s ‘Prem Ratan Dhan Payo’ in censor trouble: The
glossy journey of Sooraj Barjatya's highly anticipated ‘Prem Ratan Dhan Payo’ met with a rough patch. Apparently, the film's Telugu version, which has been titled ‘Prem Leela’, has got into a pothole, as the title is not in-sync with the censor rules for dubbed films down south. A close source from the censor board says, "The title of ‘Prem Ratan Dhan Payo’ in Telugu has been kept as ‘Prem Leela’. The two titles mean completely different things. As per guidelines the title of a dubbed film must convey the same meaning as the original title. If not, then the producers must apply for permission to use a

different title for the dubbed version of a film. The producers of ‘Prem Ratan Dhan Payo’ have not applied for permission to use a different title in Telugu." Currently, the Telugu version of the film is uncertified due to unsuited dubbed title. While the nation is eagerly waiting for this family saga, it will be interesting to see whether ‘PRDP’ gets a green signal in this Telugu title war or not? Source: The Asian Age,

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Six arrested in Bank of Baroda’s Rs 6,000-cr scam

New Delhi, October 13: The CBI and Enforcement Directorate have arrested six persons, including two officials of a Bank of Baroda branch here in connection with Rs 6,000 crore alleged illegal remittances to Hong Kong through the bank. The CBI sources said AGM SK Garg and Jainish Dubey, who headed the Foreign Exchange division at BoB's branch in Ashok Vihar here were arrested for criminal conspiracy, cheating and provisions of the
Prevention of Corruption Act. On the other side, Enforcement Directorate arrested four persons, including an HDFC bank employee, in connection with the case. The Directorate arrested arrested Kamal Kalra, working with the foreign exchange division of HDFC bank, Chandan Bhatia, Gurucharan Singh Dhawan and Sanjay Aggarwal after marathon questioning at its office here. — PTI. Source: Article, Image: flickr.com

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Government to import additional 5,000 tonnes of tur dal

A high level committee of the ministry of consumer affairs at a meeting held in the capital today decided to import an additional 5,000 tonnes of pigeon peas (tur dal) to increase the availability and control prices of pulses. This is in addition to the import of 10,000 tonnes of tur and urad dals - the most widely consumed pulse varieties - already in the pipeline, an official release said today, adding that the first consignment will reach by 23 September 2015. The government has put in place a weekly monitoring mechanism to keep a close watch on availability of essential commodities and moderating of prices under the chairmanship of secretary, consumer affairs with representatives from the department of commerce, food, agriculture, revenue among others and also from the cabinet secretariat. The committee has directed the agencies like MMTC, SFAC and NAFED to get in touch with states and also with SAFAL to supply imported dals through retail outlets. The centre has taken a series of policy initiatives and measures to enhance the availability and thereby moderate prices of pulses and onions. Stock limits have already been imposed on pulses and state governments have been requested to take strict action against hoarding and black-marketing and use available provisions and powers under Essential Commodities Act. Future trading in pulses like urad and tur has already been suspended. Export of pulses has also been banned and there is zero duty on import of pulses. As regards onions, to increase availability in the domestic market, the minimum export price has been raised initially from $250 per tonne to $425 per tonne and later to $700 per tonne. Stock limits for onions have further been extended for one year till July 2016. The committee in its first meeting on 8 September 2015 decided to continue supply of onions at Rs30 per kg through 280 fair price shops and at Rs38 per kg at about 300 SAFAL outlets in Delhi, apart from the 120 outlets in DMS booths at Rs35 and through 70 mobile vans in the entire Delhi. As a result of these measures, prices of onions have come down. As regards pulses, further increase in prices has been arrested and in the coming days with the import of pulses prices are likely to show a declining trend, says the ministry. The centre has asked MMTC to expedite import of pulses to ease its availability and requested the state governments to gear up distribution of pulses through retail outlets. MMTC has assured that 10,000 tonnes of pulses will arrive soon. Source: Article

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OROP for premature retirees too: PM Modi

PM Narendra Modi flagging off at the inauguration of the Badarpur-Faridabad Metro line, at Faridabad. (Photo: PTI)

Age Correspondent: PM clarifies jawans who had to leave forces after 15-17 years will be eligible Seeking to set the record straight, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday made it clear that armed forces personnel who have had to leave the services prematurely would be covered by the one-rank-one-pension (OROP) benefits. The Prime Minister’s comments came following the government’s OROP announcement on Saturday that had caused some confusion among ex-servicemen. Speaking at a rally in Faridabad on Sunday, Mr Modi deprecated efforts to “mislead” servicemen on early retirement benefits. “Some people feel that those who have to leave the job after 15-17 years of service will not get OROP. My jawan brothers, whether it is a havaldar, a sepoy or a naik, you are the ones who secure the nation. If anybody gets OROP, you will be the first,” Prime Minister Modi said. “Those who have lost any part of their body while fighting a war and had to leave the Army, can they be deprived of OROP? A Prime Minister who loves the armed forces can never even think about it. All such people will get OROP... That is why, out of Rs 8,000-10,000 crore, the maximum will go to those jawans who have to leave the armed forces after serving for 15-17 years,” he added, while noting that such soldiers constitute 80-90 per cent of the armed forces. The Prime Minister contended that in the name of VRS (voluntary retirement from service), “efforts are being made to mislead you (soldiers), which is wrong... This government is clear that we had made a promise to the jawans, who live and die for the nation, and yesterday we made the announcement.” Lashing out at the previous Congress-led UPA government, Mr Modi said, “Even those who proposed Rs 500 crore for OROP could not understand the issue,” adding, “Those who did nothing for 40-42 years, do they have any right to ask questions? They only misled you and committed sins. They want to score political points... One-upmanship will not help the nation... There’s a new fashion that when the government takes a good decision it is questioned by those who do not want development.” “Only lip service was provided. It (OROP) was difficult to implement. For me also it was not an easy decision but I have high respect for the armed forces. Whatever promise I had made is being implemented... The ramifications of it... are yet to be known,” the Prime Minister was quoted by PTI as saying. He noted that he had made the pledge while addressing a
rally of ex-servicemen in Rewari in Haryana on September 13, 2013 as the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate. “The previous government proposed Rs 500 crore. We thought maybe it could go up to Rs 600-700 crore but while calculating new things came up. While I untangled every aspect of the issue, we calculated that there would be an expense of around Rs 8,000-Rs 10,000 crore.” This decision is inspired by patriotism, he said, telling the armed forces and ex-servicemen that the government “is yours, is there to look into your grievances and will stand by you whenever required”. “The country cannot develop through conflict but by dialogue. Elections will come and go. If there is only one solution to our problems it is development. We are working on only one point, one mantra, one objective, one path and one goal — that is development,” he said. “It would have been better if the work of development had been completed in the last 60 years. A lot of work is pending. But only criticising previous governments will not help. Our responsibility is to look for ways for development,” he said. Mr Modi said in recent times the entire world had faced severe economic turmoil and even countries with very strong foundation were shaken. Economists have held that only one country that withstood such turmoil was India, he said. “Because of policies followed in the last 15 months, the country is standing strong on the economic front,” the Prime Minister said. He, however, said that merely standing strong at the same point is not acceptable and the country should move forward for which the Centre and states should work in tandem. Mr Modi emphasised on the need to develop infrastructure and facilities like railways and roads so that the benefits of growth can percolate to all the people. The Prime Minister, who travelled in the violet line train of the Metro to reach Faridabad, said that the corridor would be extended further till Ballabhgarh. The Prime Minister said that his government has taken up the formidable challenge to provide “housing for all” by 2022 when India will celebrate 75 years of Independence. He said that he had launched the “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” campaign from Haryana. The state which was known for high female foeticide rate, is now known for the campaign, he said. Source: The Asian Age

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Bombay High Court lifts ban on Maggi, orders fresh tests

IANS: Mumbai: Nestle India got a significant respite on Thursday with the Bombay High Court lifting the ban on sale of its Maggi instant noodles and ordering fresh tests in three separate labs to ascertain that the noodles complied with the country's food safety norms. The conditional relief came following a petition filed by Nestle, challenging the regulatory order of June 5 for the withdrawal and recall of nine variants of "Maggi Instant Noodles" and “Maggi Oats Masala Noodles with Tastemaker". A division bench of Justice V.M. Kanade and Justice B.P. Colabawalla also directed fresh tests to be conducted on all major Maggi samples by three separate laboratories within the next six weeks, before it can return to the markets. "We have examined the evidence in great detail. Since the petitioner Nestle has already agreed not to make and sell Maggi until the food authorities are satisfied, we see no reason to allow any relief to food authorities," Justice Kanade said. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the watchdog for the industry, had said in its order that tests conducted on a batch of Maggi were found to contain more-than-permissible levels of lead and high quantities of mono-sodium glutamate. Refusing also to stay its own order observing that manufacturing and fresh testing would take time, the bench said the ban (called for by the watchdog) was imposed without following the due principles of natural justice. It also said the tests were conducted in unauthorised labs. Justice Kanade and Justice Colabawalla further said that the company itself had stated it would not manufacture and sell Maggi till it secured a clean chit from labs accredited with the food safety regulator. Nestle was also directed to provide five samples from each Maggi batch for testing by three labs, while also specifying that only if the lead content was found to be within permissible limits, the company could resume its
manufacture and sale. The significant ruling came a day after Indian authorities announced that they will seek Rs.640 crore as damages from Nestle India for indulging in what they alleged was "unfair trade practice" and mis-statements pertaining to the popular noodles brands. The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) is set to hear the case on Friday. However, the company said recently that more than 2,700 samples of Maggi noodles have already been tested by laboratories in India and abroad in recent months and all have concluded that the lead content was far below permissible limits. The company also said that five samples tested by the government-accredited referral food laboratory, Central Food Technological Research Institute, Mysuru, on samples sent by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of Goa, had also found similar results. "Maggi noodles made in India have been tested and found to be safe for consumption by the authorities of several countries across the world." Among the four divisions of Nestle India, the category of "prepared dishes and cooking aids", which broadly translate into Maggi, accounted for 31.5 percent of sales in 2014, as per a presentation by the company to analysts. The Maggi unit also saw a 1.8 percent increase in volumes in 2014 over the previous year and 8.1 percent rise in value at Rs.21.4 billion Of the remaining divisions, the category of "milk products and nutrition" had the largest share of 47.1 percent, followed by 12.2 percent for "chocolates and confectionery" and 9.2 percent for "beverages". Source: ummid.com, Image: flickr.com

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'Start up India, Stand up India' initiative to create more jobs, says Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives at the Red Fort to address the nation on occasion of Independence Day in New Delhi

PM announced the initiative to would encourage entrepreneurship among the youth of India. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday announced a new campaign 'Start-up India; Stand up India' to promote bank financing for start-ups and offer incentives to boost entrepreneurship and job creation. He also promised to do away with the current practice of interview-based selections for low-skilled government jobs. The Prime Minister announced the 'Start-Up India' initiative, which would encourage entrepreneurship among the youth of India. From the Red Fort, he said each of the 1.25 lakh bank branches should encourage at least one Dalit or Adivasi entrepreneur and at least one woman entrepreneur. "We are looking at systems for enabling start-ups. We must be number one in start-ups... Start-up India; Stand up India," he said, exhorting all bank branches to fund at least one start-up of tribals and dalits. Read: Not a day of politics, will talk tomorrow: Rahul Gandhi on Modi’s I-Day speech The initiative, Modi said, would give a new dimension to entrepreneurship and help in setting up a network of start-ups in the country. As part of the Skill India and Digital India initiative, the Prime Minister said a package of incentives will be given to manufacturing units for generating jobs. Modi also questioned the practice of "interviews" for recruitments even at relatively junior levels and asked departments concerned to end this practice at the earliest and promote merit by recruiting only through transparent, online processes. The Prime Minister reiterated his government's resolve to make India a developed nation by 2022, with a house and access to basic services like electricity to all. Talking about the financial inclusive programme Jan Dhan, he said 17 crore bank accounts were opened. Although these were to be zero-balance accounts, people deposited a whopping Rs 20,000 crore in them, reflecting the "richness of India's poor", he added. The Prime Minister also spoke of the welfare schemes launched by the his government, including Atal Pension Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Yojana, and the schemes launched for labour welfare. He said 10 crore people have enrolled for social security schemes in a mere 100 days. He said the government has resolved to provide electricity to all the 18,500 villages, which still remain without power within the next 1,000 days. He also reiterated his vision for the development of eastern India. 'Source: The Asian Age

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Former President Abdul Kalam's mortal remains flown to his hometown Rameswaram

Wrapped in a tri-colour, Kalam's body was taken to the airport in a gun carriage New Delhi: Mortal remains of former President APJ Abdul Kalam were on Wednesday flown to his hometown Rameswaram from here in a special aircraft, as people in the national capital bid an emotional adieu to the country's 'missile man'. The special aircraft took off from the Palam airport at around 08:15 am after all three forces gave a send off to the former head of the state. Union Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and senior BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain were present at the airport. The aircraft will fly to Madurai, from
where the mortal remains will be flown in to Rameswaram by an IAF helicopter. Wrapped in a tri-colour, Kalam's body was taken to the airport in a gun carriage from his 10 Rajaji Marg residence here at 7 am, as officials and commoners bid farewell to the man, whose life inspired countless Indians. Naidu and Parrikar are accompanying the mortal remains of Kalam to Rameswaram. Minister of State for Shipping Pon  Radhakrishnan, who is from Tamil Nadu will also join the two Union ministers. The funeral of the former President will be held in Rameswaram,  his birthplace in Tamil Nadu, on Thursday with full military honours. A seven-day state mourning has been declared by the government in honour of Kalam. Source: The Asian Age, Image: flickr.com

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