Corruption in public
services on the rise

VISAKHAPATNAM, Oct 22: Corruption in the public services and departments has risen significantly in past two years, while the judiciary is found to be ineffective in dealing with the evil due to outdated laws and regulations, according to a latest national survey report. ......more

US educator draws on
Gandhi to teach tolerance

NEW DELHI, Oct 22: While America leads a global war against terrorism, an American educator is using the robust mix of science, Gandhi and drama to ...more

Committee set up to
check fraud NGOs

NEW DELHI, Oct 22: The Social Justice Ministry has set up a committee to suggest ways and means to check fictitious NGOs operating under the .....more

Boost your milk
intake to counter
osteoporosis: ISBMR

HYDERABAD, Oct 22: Calcium-supplemented wheat flour along with increased milk and curd intake can check the onset of osteoporosis, a bone-weakening "silent killer" , affecting an estimated 50 to 60 million .....more

Joshi voices concern
over behaviour
in legislature

HYDERABAD, Oct 22: Lok Sabha Speaker Manohar Joshi today said the prestige and decorum of the legislature was ‘going down’ and Parliamentary .......more

Prove allegations, I’ll
quit politics: Nitish

PATNA, Oct 22: Railway Minister Nitish Kumar today brushed aside accusations bestowing undue favour to his party colleagues in.......more

Haffkine Institute revamp in the offing ..........

UP BJP decides to suspend two dissident party legislators....

Politics was behind Bofors contract: Hinduja lawyer ....

Book on Kishore Kumar released ....

Corruption in public services on the rise

VISAKHAPATNAM, Oct 22: Corruption in the public services and departments has risen significantly in past two years, while the judiciary is found to be ineffective in dealing with the evil due to outdated laws and regulations, according to a latest national survey report.

The Delhi-based Centre for Media Studies (CMS), which had been pioneering research on social issues, undertook the field survey during May-June this year in seven public utility services located in five cities with a sample size of 2600.

Disclosing this to UNI, CMS Chairman Dr N Bhaskararao said the survey was based on the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) developed by the CMS as one of the comprehensive quantitative indicators of corruption in public systems in the country.

The survey ranked the services and departments based on the public perception of corruption prevalent in these services. Its earlier research work "urban corruption report-2000" formed the basis for the development of CPI, he said.

The respondents in the systematic sampling methodology included Government and private employees, students, self-employed, businessmen, retired, unemployed, and housewives who often interacted with the concerned departments under scrutiny.

The public utilities focused were ration and civil supplies department, driving licence (transport), electricity, municipality, railways, hospitals and customs and excise departments in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad cities. The ranking ranged from zero to ten scale indicating the gradual rise in levels of corruption in respective wings.

More than two thirds of the respondents opined that judiciary had been "ineffective in dealing with the corrupt practices in departments due to outdated laws and regulations."

It was disturbing to note that a large number of citizens continued to remain "passive and make no effort in taking initiative to curb corrupt practices." In fact, as high as three quarter of respondents admitted that they never complained about corrupt practices even though they were aware of the evil in the departments.

The survey, Dr Bhaskararao said, further noted that the Government departments and public services had also not been taking efforts to communicate and educate the citizens about various redressal mechanisms available. Significantly, more than two thirds of the respondents had been aware of the existence of the vigilance commission over the years. "Going by the public perception, it seems the anti-corruption drive by different agencies did not act as a deterrent. More than two third of the respondents feel that politicians and Government officials are responsible for corruption in the Government," the survey said.

Other key findings of the CMS study were that more than half of the respondents felt that any kind of offering whether in cash or kind or influence leads to corrupt practices. One third of the respondents acknowledged that it was a normal practice in the departments surveyed.

With repeated visits becoming a fact of life and relatively less time at the disposal, 40 per cent of the respondents favoured use of influence to get the work done instead of paying the bribe. About half the respondents acknowledged that they used the services of middlemen to get their jobs done with the Government departments. The actual percentage of people who used such alternative channel might have been higher with some respondents hesitating to answer in this regard, the research said.

Interestingly, the hospitals services were found to secure the highest score in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, while railways ranked the top in Chennai and Hyderabad. The customs and excise department got the lowest rank in Delhi and Chennai, the public distribution service in Mumbai, transport sector in Kolkata and the Municipal Corporation in Hyderabad.

The hospital services got the highest score of seven CPI followed by six for railways, five for PDS, four for electricity, three for transport, two for Customs and Excise and one for Municipal Corporations.

The Chennai Municipal Corporation got the highest rank in CPI followed by Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi and Hyderabad. Hyderabad scored the top CPI for Customs Department. Interestingly, Chennai ranked the top in CPI score for electricity, transport, public distribution shops, hospital services and railways, the survey noted.

The CMS developed the CPI after a five-member high-level committee was constituted under the aegis of the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC).

In his foreword to the research study, the recently-retired CVC chief N Vittal, who launched a crusade against corruption in public places during his tenure, opined that such reports based on field studies would bring a degree of credibility to any debate and go a long way in finding pragmatic solutions to this massive problem facing the country. (UNI)

US educator draws on Gandhi to teach tolerance

NEW DELHI, Oct 22: While America leads a global war against terrorism, an American educator is using the robust mix of science, Gandhi and drama to teach the antithesis of war — tolerance.

"I use drama to teach Gandhi’s philosophy of tolerance and team work to children," American educator Stacey Coates told UNI here.

‘Ms Coates’ use of drama as a medium to foster team spirit also has the backing of scientific research.

The thumb rule is "no one is allowed to pour paint" she said.

By pouring paint Ms Coates means destroying or ridiculing something which is precious to somebody — the opposite of team work.

In the workshops she conducts, teachers and students are divided into groups and made to rehearse and present scenes of pouring paint behaviour and its opposite, teamwork. They brainstorm ideas for role-plays in groups. Participants act out role-plays that demonstrate an understanding of pouring paint and teamwork behaviour while the team leader makes a point of recognising cooperative behaviour.

"The idea is to make children realise through role-play that pouring paint behaviour hurts," Ms Coates said.

That the use of drama works to drive home the point is suggested by scientific research.

Ms Coates quotes Cahill, Prins, Weber and MC Gaugh 1994 as saying, "Today neuroscientists might tell you to engage emotions appropriately at every chance you get. Engage emotions as a part of the learning, not as an add-on...(use) music, games, drama or storytelling to engage emotions...Drama can create strong emotions." "Emotions give us a more activated and chemically stimulated brain, which helps us recall things better. The more intense the amygdala (emotional) arousal, the stronger the imprint."

She also quotes Christianson, 1992 as saying " we remember that which is most emotionally-laden. That happens because all emotional events receive preferential processing.’’

Added to this is research that shows that pouring paint behaviour among children in school can not only lead to creating intolerance among them, instigating them to fight, but also result in physiological reactions that are detrimental to learning.

The educator quotes Alan Rozanski in the New England Journal of Medicine as saying that "even harsh comments and sarcasm can trigger heart irregularities...In the classroom, it could be a rude classmate or a humiliating learning situation or embarrassment before peers. Any of these events can put the brain on alert (for fight or flight). It can’t be repeated enough: threats activate defence mechanisms that are great for survival but lousy for learning.’’

Asked about what kind of results she expected the exercise to have in this country, Ms Coates said, " I strongly believe that the kind of circumstances Indian teachers work in are enough to make them eligible for sainthood."

Elaborating, she referred to the high number of students in the classrooms when compared to countries like America.

Regarding whether she had approached authorities to make this kind of activity part of the school curricula, she said she didn’t have the resources or contacts to be able to do that but would be happy if teachers who came to her workshops implement what they learn in their individual capacities.

The workshop comprises a step-by-step approach to the problem, including activities like the untangling activity based on Eric Jensen’s " teaching with the brain in mind" and tableau or still image and freeze frames strategies developed by Dr Rosalind Flynn.

Ms Coates conducted workshops for school teachers here and in Chennai among other places earlier this month. ( UNI)

Committee set up to check fraud NGOs

NEW DELHI, Oct 22: The Social Justice Ministry has set up a committee to suggest ways and means to check fictitious NGOs operating under the department and other matters including their funding and inspection.

Our department has set up the S Satyam Committee on NGOs, which will submit its report within six months, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Satyanarayan Jatiya said here today.

Dr Jatiya, who was briefing mediapersons on the three years achievements of his department, said over Rs 200 crore were given annually to about 2700 NGOs.

In reply to a question that the wives of former bureaucrats and relatives of politicians floated fraud NGOs only to misappropriate Government funds, the minister said the Satyam Committee had been set up to contain this menace, among other things.

Howsoever big he or she may be, nobody can be allowed to float any fictitious NGO as the funds they receive are public money, the minister said. This is my earnest appeal to mediapersons also that please furnish any such details if you have. Dr Jatiya said his department had major gains in 13 areas which included the empowement of Scheduled Castes, revision of list of SCs under article 341 of the constitution, easier loans for them, the launching of Mahila Samridhi Yojana, National Council for Older Persons and the helpline for childen in need of care and protection.

He said under the Dr B R Ambedkar scholarship scheme, which was launched on April 14 this year, the students scoring highest marks in the regular class ten level examination conducted by the education board or council, would be awarded. Additionally, 250 special merit scholarships at the rate of Rs 10,000 each would be given to select SC and ST students.

As many as 12 communities have been included in the list of SCs, the Social Justice Minister said, adding that from October one this year, the income ceiling for loans for the SCs had been increased from Rs 31,950 to Rs 40,000 in rural areas and from Rs 42,410 to Rs 55,000 in urban areas.

The department had also set up the Maulana Azad Education Foundation to assist the NGOs for establishing and expanding of schools and colleges. The foundation had launched remedial coaching and the pre-examination coaching for educational development of minorities. (UNI)

Boost your milk intake to counter osteoporosis: ISBMR

HYDERABAD, Oct 22: Calcium-supplemented wheat flour along with increased milk and curd intake can check the onset of osteoporosis, a bone-weakening "silent killer" , affecting an estimated 50 to 60 million Indians, an expert has said.

The important risk factors for osteoporosis in the Indian setting are calcium and vitamin d deficiency, menopause, thin body built, smoking, lack of exercise, excessive alcohol and family history of the disease, Dr Ambrish Mittal, president of the Indian Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ISBMR) told reporters here.

While women are four times more likely than men to develop the disease, men also suffer from osteoporosis. Twenty per cent of all cases of osteoporosis occur in men. One in every eight men over 50 will have an osteo-related fracture.

Generally Indians suffer from osteoporotic fractures at an earlier age than compared to the west. The ISBMR studies had shown that it could manifest about 10-15 years earlier. " A daily intake of three glasses of milk can be an effective supplement to calcium deficiency,’’ pointed out Dr Mittal, who was in the city to address an international symposium and lecture series on `osteoporosis and its management’. Ideally all individuals over 65 and all post-menopausal women should undergo a bone-density test using DXA technique. " If diagnosed in time, osteoporosis is preventable to a great extent by ensuring adequate calcium intake of milk and curd, particularly in childhood and adolescence. The bone bank is built up mainly during the first 15 years. An optimum intake during this period is of vital importance,’’ he observed. The ISBMR had been suggesting to the Government to devise other forms of calcium fortification, mainly with wheat flour. The main source of vitamin D was sunshine but many Urban Indians suffer due to poor sunlight exposure. Alongside, the ISBMR was advising manufacturers with regard to calcium fortification of wheat flour and looking at the feasibility of selective vitamin D fortification of food products, Dr Mittal revealed, adding that a general public awareness campaign on the debilitating disease was also essential. Quoting recent estimates, he said India was one of the worst osteoporosis-affected countries. The disabling disorder was fast assuming an epidemic proportion in the country. Dr Mittal said osteoporotic fractures, commonly affecting hip, spine and wrist, was more prevalent in women with about 40 to 50 per cent of post-menopausal women at greater risk. The level of oestrogen, the female hormone, declines at menopause, resulting in a breakdown of bone tissues and leeching of calcium from the bone. One-third of women were likely to develop a fracture during their lifetime. Osteoporotic fractures were "four times more common than cardiac stroke" and could lead to permanent disability, even be life threatening. About 20-25 per cent people die within the first year of hip fractures, while another 25 per cent become partially disabled for life. While adequate calcium intake during post-menopausal period would reduce bone loss and fractures, the problem could also be checked through regular exercise and spending some time under the sun. Drug therapy for established osteoporosis was highly effective with a wide choice of effective drugs now available within India. Judicious use of these drugs could reduce fracture risk by half, he added. (UNI)

Joshi voices concern over behaviour in legislature

HYDERABAD, Oct 22: Lok Sabha Speaker Manohar Joshi today said the prestige and decorum of the legislature was ‘going down’ and Parliamentary control over the executive was eroding because of members’ pre-occupation with political issues.

In a candid assessment of the functioning of Parliamentary democracy in the country, Joshi said it was difficult to implement the code of conduct as the ‘very framers of these rules and procedures are breaking them’.

‘The code of conduct is ready and rules and procedures have also been framed. But, the very people who framed them are breaking them,’ he said and asked all political parties to arrive at a consensus on how to effectively implement it.

Joshi was speaking after inaugurating the 14th Commonwealth Parliamentary seminar here, being attended by presiding officers from across the country and abroad including United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Namibia and Maldives.

Deviating from the prepared text, the Speaker touched upon a host of issues including declining parliamentary control over the executive and its financial accountability, overlapping of the powers of the judiciary and legislature, role of presiding officers in maintaining dignity and decorum of the House and emerging threat of terrorism.

Stating that ‘temples of democracy’ should not become fora for members to highlight their ‘private interests’ rather than public issues, Joshi decried the tendency to disrupt the proceedings by rushing to the podium and resorting to rude behaviour.

‘This has to be stopped. The prestige and decorum of the temples of democracy is going down. It is time to wake up and mend ways,’ the Speaker said.

Emphasising that collective wisdom of legislature must always prevail over the executive, he said ‘parliamentary control over the executive is reducing to a large extent because of non-issues being discussed in Parliament and Assemblies.’

Parliamentary surveillance, he said, was vital to check executive misuse. ‘Parliamentarians must seriously think whether they have necessary control over executive actions. Ultimate aim must be public welfare,’ he said.

Referring to criticism that judiciary was encroaching upon the rights of people’s representatives, Joshi said the courts could intervene either suo moto or on the basis of a Public Interest Litigation if the legislature and executive fail to take timely action to reddress public grievances.

The five-day seminar, would deliberate on a host of challenges facing parliamentarians including ethical standards for legislators, growing threat of terrorism, impact of Information Technology on functioning of Parliaments and issues of discipline and decorum.

As many as 30 delegates from abroad are participating in the deliberations spread over ten sessions. (PTI)

Prove allegations, I’ll quit politics: Nitish

PATNA, Oct 22: Railway Minister Nitish Kumar today brushed aside accusations bestowing undue favour to his party colleagues in awarding Railway contracts and said he would quit politics if the allegations were proved.

"Not to talk about holding the Railway Ministry...I am also ready to resign from politics if anyone shows up an evidence that my office has bestowed undue favour for anybody in awarding tenders," Kumar told reporters while replying to questions on alleged irregularities in awarding the contracts.

Taking a dig at his political opponents, particulalry RJD supremo Laloo Prasad Yadav, for allegedly indulging in vilification campaign against him, Kumar said "my political career is transparent. I am honest to the core of my heart and will remain so all through."

Those who had looted the state exchequer were alleging

that the Railway Minister had nexus with criminals, he said, adding people of Bihar were well aware of it.

"Give me a specific example of irregularity. I will hand over the charge of inquiry into it to CBI," Kumar said adding much transparency was being maintained on award of contracts.

Admitting that reputed firms were scared to bid for Railway contracts in Bihar because of the law and order situation, Kumar said effective steps were being taken to ensure complete fairness in bidding.

A new system was also being introduced to circulate the tender documents on internet. Interested firms or persons might download the same and fill up the tenders papers and sent them to concerned offices by post, he said.

Hitting out at Laloo Prasad Yadav for raising "unnecessary hue and cry" over the September nine Rajdhani Express derailment at Rafiganj in Bihar in which 116 people were killed, Kumar said Yadav attempted to play dirty politics over the derailment.

"Is Laloo a technical expert capable of jumping to a conclusion that the derailment took place as the bridge was weak", Kumar asked sarcastically.

Defending the inquiry report of commissioner of railway safety that the derailment occurred due to sabotage, the minister said "the report is final".

Referring to reports about the weak railway bridge over the river Sone in Bhojpur district, he said railway officials including Railway Board member (engineering) had sent several letters to the top Bihar officials to take immediate steps for stopping the quarrying near the bridge. (PTI)

Haffkine Institute revamp in the offing

MUMBAI, Oct 22: Haffkine Institute of Training, Research and Testing, which conducts pharmaceutical research as well as clinical trials and tests for the industry, is heading for a major restructuring in the face of a serious threat of privatisation.

Haffkine Institute Director S M Sapatnekar told UNI here that the overhaul was aimed at making the institution competent in the impending WTO regime, having a decisive R D Orientation and catapult it as a major international Contract Research Organisation (CRO) in the pharmaceutical sector.

Dr Sapatnekar said the restructuring was undertaken on a war footing as the Government, not so happy with the performance of the institute, was currently reviewing various options including privatisation. The institute is a trust supported by 100-per cent grant-in-aid by the Maharashtra Government.

He said, a committee appointed to spell out a restructure plan is scheduled to submit its report to the Government in November. The restructuring may involve strengthening the work force, facilities and infusion of fresh capital. He said the institute is "quite optimistic" of the Government’s approval for the plan.

The institute, which conducts research and tests in virology, toxicology and clinical trials for private players, will now undertake an aggressive marketing in the country as well as overseas for new customers, once it receives the Government’s nod for the plan.

"In tune with the changing times, we are now terribly competent and nice to our customers", the Director said.

The restructuring plan assumes significance as currently, major multinational pharmaceutical companies eye India as a major platform for their clinical research considering the vast genetic diversity, heavy patient traffic in hospitals, availability of stem cell sources and the regulatory support in the country.

Dr Sapatnekar also said the most suitable research model for the country now was public-private partnership, which ensures sharing of competence while preventing duplication. (UNI)

UP BJP decides to suspend two dissident
party legislators

LUCKNOW, Oct 22: The Uttar Pradesh Bharatiya Janata Party today announced suspension of two dissident legislators who had floated a parallel forum after they were not inducted in the State ministry recently.

The decision was taken at the coordination committee meeting of the party’s State unit this afternoon.

Briefing reporters, BJP State vice- president Satyadeo Singh said that rebel BJP MLA Ganga Bhakat Singh and MLC Ramasheesh Rai would be served show cause notices by tomorrow morning before they were suspended for gross indiscipline.

He said the meeting of the coordination committee, attended by about 20 members including Kalraj Mishra, Lalji Tandon and Vinay Katiyar, supported the party move to take strict action against the dissident leaders.

Mr Singh said," we are taking action against the leaders who have floated the new forum and if required, more leaders would be taken to task."

"After receiving the reply from these leaders on the show cause notices, the party would decide whether to expel them or not," he added. Meanwhile, the rebel BJP leaders who claim the support of about 30 legislators, will hold a meeting here on October 23 to chalk out their strategy.

The coordination committee meeting today, called to discuss the dissident activities of some leaders, resolved that in no way would the party tolerate such indiscipline and warned the leaders to mend their ways.

However, refusing to indicate any national leaders involved in provoking the State legislators for the dissident activities, Mr Singh said that the State leadership had already identified some leaders having nexus with these rebel leaders."We will disclose the names of these leaders at an appropriate time", he said.

He also categorically stated that neither former Chief Minister Rajnath Singh nor former State unit president Mr Kalraj Mishra have anything to do with the dissident activities in the State.

Yesterday, the dissident BJP legislators had sent a five-page memorandum to Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and other BJP Central leaders highlighting 19 reasons for their resentment.

The rebel BJP leaders who have constituted a forum ‘BJP Bachao Samiti’ to fight for their rights, which include their induction in the State ministry, have also demanded that all party ministers should resign and the BJP should provide outside support to the BSP-led Government.

Signed by MLA Ganga Bhakt Singh and MLC Ramasheesh Rai, the disgruntled leaders in the memorandum have alleged that the ministry expansion was carried out ignoring the party cadre and social and caste equations.

They also stressed that if the BJP wants to stay in the coalition Government, a new ministry should be formed giving importance to senior and genuine leaders.

They also charged the State party leadership with hiding real facts from central leaders claiming that some of the new entrants in the ministry paid money to some leaders for their induction.

"We have sent the memorandum to the central leadership after the Prime Minister refused to meet us here yesterday on the behest of some senior State BJP leaders", said Ramasheesh Rai, spokesman of the rebel group.

About the reason for constituting a parallel forum, Mr Rai said the activities of some leaders in the State have weakened the BJP’s mass base. "Hence, our efforts would be to revive the party through this new forum," he added. (UNI)

Politics was behind Bofors contract: Hinduja lawyer

NEW DELHI, Oct 22: The Europe-based billionaire Hinduja Brothers today told a Delhi Court that the Bofors gun deal contract was awarded purely on the basis of political considerations between India and Sweden.

Amit Desai, the counsel appearing for Hindujas, told Special Judge Prem Kumar that Swedish Governemnt was ready to sell bofors guns to India with four per cent discount and a few guns free as a large number of people were to get jobs following the gun contract.

The counsel informed the court that the Indian Ambassador to Sweden had orally declared that the bofors was ready to give a discount as the Indian Government was considering the price part of the deal.

He further said about 5,000 people got jobs following the gun contract.

Referring to the various statements of the prosecution witnesses in the case, Mr Desai said the prosecution used manipulatory tactics to obtain the statement of some witnesses who gave "irrelevant" statements merely on the basis of speculation.

He played with the judge not to frame charges against the Hindujas, and said there was no evidence to establish the link between the public servants and the private individuals who were instrumental in paying the gratifications to them.

The matter had been pending for years at least since 1982 and the Army’s top brass was completely confused over the issue, the lawyer added.

Hinduja Brothers — Srichand, Gopichand and Prakashchand — have been chargesheeted by the CBI for allegedly taking an illegal Commission of 81 million Swedish Kroners about (Rs 15 crore) from Bofors in the Howitzer gun deal signed in March 1986.

The chargesheet was filed in October 1999 against former Defence Secretary S K Bhatnagar, Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrochhi, former Bofors chief Martin Ardbo, Bofors and its Indian agent Win Chadha. The CBI filed another chargesheet in October 2000 against the Hinduja Brothers as accused in the pay-offs case.

Two of the main accused — Bhatnagar and Win Chadha — died last year.

Quattrochhi and Ardbo are yet to be brought to trial. The extradition proceedings against Quattrochhi are on in a Malaysian court.

All the accused had been charged with receiving Rs 64 crore kickbacks from the arms manufacturer ab bofors for fixing the Rs 1,437-crore deal for guns in 1986. (UNI)

Book on Kishore Kumar released

MUMBAI, Oct 22: The genius of legendary singer Kishore Kumar has found an entry in to the literary world. ‘Kishore Kumar — the many faces of a genius’, a 620-page pictorial book on the singer-actor aims at capturing the magical aura of the inimitable musical genius.

The book, compiled by Vishwas Nerurkar, Vinod Sonthala and Vishwanath Chaterjee, was released here yesterday at a function attended by lyricist Gulzar, actor Jackie Shroff, Kishore Kumar’s family members - wife Leena, sons Amit and Sumit.

Talking to UNI, Mr Nerurkar, an avid music lover, said the book on Kishore Kumar was the seventh in the series of books written by him on Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosale, R D Burman, O P Nayyar, Naushad, Shankar-Jaikishan.

"My aim is to have complete information about such legends in one book," he said.

The book contains articles from family members, actors, music composers, directors, lyricists who have paid tributes to the multi-faceted personality of Kishore Kumar.

The contributions include those by Kishore Kumar’s eldest brother and actor late Ashok Kumar, Leena Ganguly, Kishore Kumar’s first wife Ruma Devi, Amitabh Bachchan, Rajesh Khanna, Dev Anand, Danny, Tanuja, Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Asha Bhosale, Manna De, Gulzar, Sameer, Khayyam, Pyarelal, Anandji and Bappi Lahiri.

The authors of the book have also included an interview by late Raj Kapoor where he had spoken extensively about Kishore Kumar. Similarly, a piece from the late R D Burman on Kishore Da has also been incorporated.

The complete filmography of the legend, whose real name was Abhas Kumar Ganguly, comprises 2,905 songs sung by him in his illustrious career in all Indian languages.

Kishore Kumar acted in 102 films of which 98 were in Hindi and four in Bengali, 16 as music composer, 12 as director and 14 as producer. He penned lyrics for 24 films and composed music for 16 others.

He wrote the story of 15 films and screenplay-dialogue for five films. (UNI)

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