Indian cinema has
gained recognition
globally: Khanna

NEW DELHI, July 25: Indian cinema is now poised to make major inroads in the international arena and has already succeeded in gaining global.......more

Mexico tried to arrange UNSC briefing on Kashmir

NEW DELHI, July 25: Mexico attempted to arrange an informal briefing on the Kashmir issue for members of UN Security Council (UNSC) last....more

Kalam a calculative
man of science,
great visionary

NEW DELHI, July 25: A P J Abdul Kalam, who was sworn in as the country’s 11th President today, is a man of ....more

Nagaland to pay
homage to Kargil martyrs

KOHIMA, July 25: The State Government will commemorate India’s victory over Pakistan in the Kargil war and pay homage to the Naga soldiers who laid down their lives in the defence of the country......more

Kalam recites the song to achieve "developed India"

NEW DELHI, July 25: Calling upon children and youth to sing the song of transforming India into a nation developed in all aspects, President A P J ....more

Laloo calls for President’s rule in Jharkhand

NEW DELHI, July 25: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Laloo Prasad Yadav today urged the centre to impose President’s rule in Jharkhand or .....more

Newcomers replace old guard in Gujarat Cong

AHMEDABAD, July 25: The appointment of former RSS-BJP strongman Shankersinh Vaghela as the new president of Gujarat Pradesh Congress ....more

Mass movement to take care of mentally disabled

RAIPUR, July 25: A community based initiative for the welfare of persons with autism, cerebral palsy, mental retardation and multiple disabilities is gradually taking the shape of a mass movement in the country. The national....more

Sukh Ram’s imprisonment sentence suspended .......

Indian cinema has gained recognition globally: Khanna

NEW DELHI, July 25: Indian cinema is now poised to make major inroads in the international arena and has already succeeded in gaining global recognition for the quality of its product at various fora in the past few months, according to Minister of State for Culture and Tourism Vinod Khanna.

An established actor and producer himself, Mr Khanna referred to the difficult conditions under which filmmakers in India worked to produce quality films and went on to win recognition the world over. He said apart from the laurels won by several Indian films including Ashutosh Gowariker’s ‘Lagaan’ which was nominated to the Oscars, inroads had also been made in exports as exemplified by the recent cannes film festival where India had set up a large stall.

Speaking after releasing the book ‘Being and becoming: the cinemas of Asia’ edited by Aruna Vasudev, Latika Padgaonkar and Rashmi Doraiswamy and published by Macmillan India, Mr Khanna said yesterday evening the entertainment industry in India was becoming very powerful and may soon touch the Rs 55,000 crore figure in terms of investment and revenue.

He said Indian cinema had also played a major role as a unifying force in terms of binding the people and creating greater understanding. It was now helping Indians overseas to remain linked to the country of their origin.

The first copy of the book was handed over to Japanese Ambassador Hiroshi Hirabayashi, who referred to the depth of Indian cinema which he said was reaching out to lovers of cinema all over the world. He said Indian films were appreciated not only by Indians abroad but also by other people. The book release function was held to coincide with Cinefan, the fourth Cinemaya festival of Asian cinema, which commenced on July 19 and will conclude on July 28. Others present at the event included French Ambassador Bernard De Montferrand, eminent filmmaker Buddhadeb Das Gupta, Chairman of the Jury of Cinefan, along with his fellow jury members, several filmmakers from Asian countries, and actresses Sharmila Tagore and Nandita Das.

The book gives a historical overview of cinema in each of the Asian countries where it has flourished, including in those where the cinematic output has been relatively small. Twenty writers have examined the impetus for cinema’s development or the reasons for its stagnation, the history and the current trends in the cinemas of 29 countries of Asia - from Japan to Turkey including the Central Asian Republics.

A telling, even sobering, picture emerges through this collection of Essays. As everywhere in the world, cinema in Asia began as a monumental adventure but its power as a political tool was discovered soon after. In countries under communism, as also those fighting foreign dominance, cinema became a ready tool for propaganda for war, and equally, for nation-building within a specific ideology, even as it grew into an important vehicle of revolutionary ideals. These cinemas stormed on the world scene with an emphatic flourish some twenty years ago. Overnight, the names of Asian directors and stars, hitherto little known, entered the film vocabulary of film circles all over the world. In Asia itself, new festivals sprang up while Asian films garnered awards and accolades the world over. (UNI)

Mexico tried to arrange UNSC briefing on Kashmir

NEW DELHI, July 25: Mexico attempted to arrange an informal briefing on the Kashmir issue for members of UN Security Council (UNSC) last month but it failed to take off, the Rajya Sabha was informed today.

Minister of State for External Affairs, Digvijay Singh said in a written reply that the intiative was not a meeting of the Security Council itself.

Singh said India had later conveyed bilaterally to the Council members and many others that ongoing tension between New Delhi and Islamabad was the direct result of Pakistan’s support to cross border terrorism and its failure to dismantle the terrorist infrastructure on its soil.

In reply to another question, the minister said that despite its commitments, infiltration and Pakistan sponsored terrorist violence continued on a significant scale.

He told the house there there was also no evidence yet of any firm attempt being made to dismantle the infrastructure and support that feeds cross border terrorism, including terrorist launching stations, communication centres and training camps.

On whether the US had agreed to verify claims on cross-border terrorism, Singh said it was for Washington to independently assess the implementation of commitment given by Pakistan President Pervez Musharaf on an immediate, visible and permanent end to cross border infiltration.

"It is for the US to decide on its methods and sources for making that assessment", the minister said adding that as part of ongoing counter terrorism cooperation washington and new delhi were sharing assessment on infiltration and other indicators of Pakistan’s support to cross border terroism in India.

On the list of 20 fugitives submitted to Islamabad, the minister said Pakistan had so far not responded positvely to this request.

He said it had been pointed out to Pakistan that of the 20 wanted fugitives, 15 of them already had Interpol red corner notices issued against them, which would provide Islamabad sufficent basis to taken action against them.

Singh also told the house that recent reports indicated that China was involved in developing Pakistan’s second strategic naval base at Gawadar in Baluchistan.

He however, said that full capabilities of the port had not yet been developed. (PTI)

Kalam a calculative man of science, great visionary

NEW DELHI, July 25: A P J Abdul Kalam, who was sworn in as the country’s 11th President today, is a man of science and a visionary, who dreams of technology propelling India into the league of industrialised nations in two decades.

A missile technologist instrumental in the attainment of nuclear capability by the country, 71-year-old Kalam, born in a boat-maker’s family on the southern tip of the country, Rameshwaram, has devoted his life in the pursuit of making India technologically strong and a missile super power.

Although his critics say his contribution to the development of the country’s missile and nuclear power development is over-rated, his name has become synonymous with the nation’s advance in these fields as also in the development of battle tanks and light combat aircraft.

Born on October 15, 1931, Kalam, once a newspaper boy, is a dreamer extraordinaire and one of the finest products of Indian pluralism.

A devout Muslim, he prays at Ajmer Dargah, but also savours the pearls of wisdom from the Gita. A vegetarian by choice, he leads a spartan life as enjoined by Islam, but has assiduously practised Brahmcharya extolled by Hinduism. In fact, he embraces most of all that is worth admiring in nature, leaving his drawing board and lab table to play Veena or compose a poem.

The missile man, who burst stealthly like a missile on the political firmament of the country, has a problem of coping with the huge space in the sprawling Rashtrapati Bhavan which, left to himself, he would throw open to children.

He has already got concurrence of those in charge of protocol to have a large presence of children at his swearing-in ceremony and why not? since he ceased to be the Principal Scientific Advisor, he has interacted with about 45,000 children across the country to "ignite their minds".

The Bharat Ratna, with dishevelled silver locks and an absent-minded air of a university don, has the urge and courage of conviction to keep the nation united against machination of divisive forces.

He characterises these divisive forces as "educated serpents" for he remembers that "harmony knows only delight of creater, Hindu or Muslim; Mosque or temple, our minds were free from those cradles".

"For India, technology is strength and strength recognises and respects strength," says Kalam who dreams of helping place India in the forefront of scientific-technological power during the early years of the 21st century.

The boy from the mosque street in Ramanathapuram had humble beginnings studying first in a small town school in the thirties and had his school upbringing in the Taluk headquarters. He graduated from St. Joseph College in Trichy.

Kalam’s family was closely associated with the Rameshwaram temple and a Brahmin family in his neighbourhood had left a deep influence.

Going in for Aeronautics Engineering Course at the newly established Madras Institute of Technology (MIT) was a giant leap for a thoroughly homebred scientist. His only stint abroad was a four month visit to Nasa in the US.

He joined the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in 1958 and five years later joined the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

Kalam shared a common trait with another Indian great Homi Bhaba in management capabilities in areas of frontier science by infusing team spirit in their colleagues and building scientific technological cadre.

Kalam was inducted by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in the early 1980s to steer the country’s indigenous missile development programme.

Kalam and his team in the DRDO delivered five missiles to the nation in the space of 14 years including the strategic Agni ballistic missile. He always regarded missiles as an inescapable part of India’s destiny.

He is a recepient of many awards that included Bharat Ratna in 1997, Padma Vibhushan in 1990 and Padma Bhushan in 1984.

As many as 25 universities and academic institutions had conferred the Degree of Doctor of Science on Kalam. (PTI)

Newcomers replace old guard in Gujarat Cong

AHMEDABAD, July 25: The appointment of former RSS-BJP strongman Shankersinh Vaghela as the new president of Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) last week marks the culmination of a process that has seen new entrants from rival parties slowly replacing the "old guard" of traditional Congress leadership in the state.

As and when the Assembly elections are held, Mr Vaghela may have to contend with the pressures from the "old guard" led by former Chief Ministers Madhavsinh Solanki and Amarsinh Choudhary in the matter of ticket distribution, political observers say.

The original Congressmen’s group considers those who merged their parties Janata Dal(G) of Mr Chimanbhai Patel and the Rashtriya Janata Party of Mr Vaghela during the 1990s, as "Johnnies-come-lately" who now control the party in the western state, party sources note.

Not only is Mr Vaghela now the GPCC president, Mr Narhari Amin, who was Deputy Chief Minister in the Chimanbhai Patel Government, is now heading the state election campaign committee. At the "grass-roots" level, however, the followers of the old guard still hold sway and Mr Vaghela had already said there would not be major organisational changes at the lower levels.

Of the 63 Congress MLAs in the dissolved Vidhan Sabha (including three independents who supported the Congress), as many as 25 belonged to the Janata Dal (G) and four to the RJP.

Similarly, of the six Congress Lok Sabha members in Gujarat, only one is from the original Congress (Mr Savshibhai Makwana from Surendranagar). Others — Shankersinh Vaghela, Pravin Rashtrapal, Madhusudan Mistry and the late Atmaram Patel— were all from the RJP, while Mr Dinshaw Patel is from the JD(G) group.

Both the JD(G) and the RJP, political observers point out, had constantly acted as intra-Congress pressure groups, holding separate meetings and now they have even joined hands. Moreover, until a few months ago, the RJP was still running its own office although the party had theoretically "merged" with the Congress in 1999 itself.

It is this intense groupism plaguing the Gujarat Congress that could be the deciding factor in its poll fortunes at a time when Mr Vaghela has galvanised a virtually Moribund party within a week. After tasting defeats in three Assembly elections continuously since 1990, now the Congress seems to have decided to give up its idea of continuing with the old loyalists and entrusted the responsibilites to the new entrants in the party, as is apparent with the elevation of both Mr Vaghela and Mr Amin.

It was way back in 1985 that the Congress came to power with a thumping majority of 132 in the Gujarat Assembly having a total strength of 182 and since then, the party is yet to savour a victory at the state level.

Three elections were held after 1985 but the Congress could not improve its position beyond 63 (present status) despite the merger of Janata Dal(G) led by strongman Chimanbhai Patel with the Congress in 1991, the party’s performance could not improve much.

In the Assembly elections in 1990, the Congress won 36 seats while in 1995 it had 41 MLAs. In 1998, the Congress returned with 53 MLAs but steadily won over four members from RJP, two from JD(G) and won one by-election, besides support of three independents.

Party sources said, at the state level, there was stiff opposition to the inclusion of RJP and JD (G), but observers like late Madhavrao Scindia presided over the merger of the two parties with the Congress. However, the local Congress leaders never agreed to give important posts like GPCC president or Congress Legislature Party leader to the newcomers. This is the first time that the Congress high command preferred to elevate the newcomers in the organisational wing.

The "old guard" in Gujarat, therefore, seems to be losing out. Former External Affairs Minister Madhavsinh Solanki is ailing and was denied the Rajya Sabha renomination. Mr Choudhary was last week divested of GPCC presidentship and made CLP leader again in the Assembly which was, however, dissolved even before the senior tribal leader could take charge. (UNI)