Indian space agencies face competition in
satellite launch market

AHMEDABAD, Oct 15: The latest entrants in the commercial satellite launch services market, Indian space agencies face tough competition from foreign ones, especially the Chinese and Russians who offer low-cost options.

"We are facing stiff competition from Russian and Chinese agencies", said R V Perumal, the eminent scientist behind the development of satellite launch vehicles at the Thiruvananthapuram-based Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC).

"Compared to ours, the rates offered by these two countries are much cheaper," he told UNI on the sidelines of a three-day international conference held at the physical research laboratory here.

The launch of a satellite and its associated costs traditionally take up about half of the total cost of placing a satellite in orbit.

The scientist, however, admitted that it was difficult to estimate the costing pattern offered by the two countries, adding that the services offered by Indian agencies were comparable to those of ariane space of France, the European space agency and agencies of Japan, United States and others.

"We had started the promotion of our launch services in 1992, much before the PSLV was first launched, and had officially entered the commercial launch services in 1997", said Mr Perumal, who delivered a lecture on India’s satellite launch capabilities at the conference.

"As far as marketing Indian launch vehicles are concerned, we are concentrating on providing end-to-end services for international customers which suit their national needs," he added.

"Apart from the two operational launch vehicles, Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and the Geo Synchoronous Launch Vehicle (GSLV), we are currently in the process of developing an advanced vehicle with a superior payload capacity," Mr Perumal said.

"The new vehicle is an advanced version of the existing GSLV and is called GSLV PK mark-III. It will be capable of launching satellites weighing 4000-5000 kg into the Geo Synchronous transfer orbit," he said.

Earlier, VSSC had designed and developed GSLV which had successfully launched the 1,950 kg education satellite, Edusat, on September 20 this year.

"The successful launch of Edusat has established GSLV’s credentials as a dependable launch vehicle for 2,000 kg class satellites. This capability of GSLV will be increased to 2200 kg in 2005 and to 2400 kg by 2005-06," Mr Perumal said.

"As far as PSLV is concerned, till date we have made eight flights of the vehicle, carrying a maximum payload of 1300 kg. We have launched satellites for Korean, German, Belgian and other agencies and are planning one next year for italy," the scientist said.

"For the first time since India forayed into commercial satellite launch services, an entire space vehicle will be dedicated for the launch of Italian space agency’s ‘agile’ around June 2005," said Mr Perumal.

"An agreement for the launch has already been signed with the Italian space agency," he said, adding it will carry a payload of about 600 kg. "Earlier, foreign payloads were co-launched within our own personal flights," he added. (UNI)

CBI to probe into allegation against police officials

NEW DELHI, Oct 15: The Supreme Court today dismissed a Tamil Nadu Government’s appeal challenging the Madras High Court’s direction for a CBI probe into allegations by of sexual exploitation by a saleswoman S Jayalakshmi against a number of police officials.

Justice B P Singh and Justice B N Singh dismissed the special leave petition of the State Government saying "we do not not want to interfere with the High Court order."

On October 5, the Apex Court had fixed today for hearing on a special leave petition filed by the Inspector General of Police (south) challenging a Madras High Court order directing CBI probe into the allegations made by the saleswoman.

The High Court in its October 1 decision had upheld an order of the Madurai bench directing probe by the country’s premier investigating agency.

Jayalakshmi, hailing from Sivakasi, had made charges of sexual harassment and cheating against 20 policemen after she was produced before the Madurai bench last month following a Habeas corpus petition by her father. (PTI)

Britain modifies uniform rules for Sikh soldiers

NEW DELHI, Oct 15: Britain has adapted its military uniform rules to suit Sikh needs, according to High Commissioner Sir Michael Arthur.

The move came as part of British efforts to attract more Sikhs to that country’s armed services, he said here last evening while giving the first lecture in the series of Maharaja Ranjit Singh memorial lectures.

"Modern day Britain has not lost the military link to the Sikh community. While there are less than a hundred Sikhs currently serving in the British armed services, we are working with the Sikh communities in the UK to attract yet more. For those serving, we have adapted our uniforms to suit their needs," the high commissioner said in his lecture on anglo-sikh relations.

Britain will also shortly be recruiting a sikh into the services chaplaincy department to provide suitable guidance and pastoral care for the growing sikh military community, he added.

The high commissioner also cited several other moves that he said were part of his country’s endeavours to approach the links to britain’s sikh community.

‘’last year, a grant from (a british) lottery heritage fund helped a group of forward looking sikh leaders in the uk council of sikh gurdwaras in birmingham to set up an online sikh cyber museum website — www.Sikhcybermuseum.Org.’’

in his tributes to the enterprising punjabi community, especially the sikhs, sir michael also referred to gurinder chadha’s bride and prejudice as a reflection of the diaspora’s dynamism in british society.

‘’if you look at the arts, the media, the professions, sikhs are disproportionately represented compared to their population size. And they are mostly young. Tavlin singh’s success in popular music, ruben singh’s achievement as an entrepreneur and darshan singh bhuller’s fame in the field of ballet and dance theatre — all these reflect the dynamism of the sikh people in our society.’’

the high commissioner, however, also acknowledged the jallianwala massacre as an ‘’appalling’’ event.

‘’before i was high commissioner, i went to pay homage at jallianwala bagh square’ i have done so again as british high commissioner. I will not dwell on this appalling event, but let me simply say that as anglo-sikh relations flourish in the 20th and 21st century, we, i as high commissioner, have to acknowledge that low point from which our subsequent reconciliation has surged. I pay due homage to those killed.’’

The High Commissioner touched upon his country’s business links with India, saying they were an important part of the future. "business partnerships — not trade, not straight cross investment — but genuine business partnerships are increasingly looking like the best model for the future.

"It is already clear that Punjabi business people are using Britain as a gateway into Europe — 60 per cent of Indian investment into Europe comes into Britain. As your economy and our economy surge forward over the next decade, I see that trend strengthening. Sikhs, British and Indian Sikhs, will be somewhere in the centre of the movement."

Sir Michael also spoke about other issues facing British Sikhs living in a wider multicultural society.

He admitted that children were challenging their parents’ values because of their massive exposure to a wider range of pressures, temptations, peer group norms, mobility and media.

"Their parents may worry that the traditional culture is being subverted. I have spoken to Sikh leaders in British Gurdwaras who bemoan the fact that the younger generation does not come as regularly to Gurdwaras as do their parents. I hear that from Christian leaders in Britain too."

The High Commissioner observed that these children were likely to want to marry outside the Sikh community. "Does that matter, I would ask? Indeed is cross marriage not good for wider British society, and does it not help to spread the Sikh flame through a wider community? I myself would say yes. But I can well understand those who would say no."

Sir Michael said anglo-Sikh relations, however, have changed from "periods of anglo ‘versus’ Sikh to anglo ‘aligned’ with Sikh. Now increasingly the label anglo ‘aligned’ with Sikh applies to the main cultural and religious issues that the communities concerned need to tackle".

National Commission for Minorities (NCM) chief Tarlochan Singh also spoke on anglo-Sikh relations after the High Commissioner’s 22-page lecture organised by the Maharaja Ranjit Singh trust of World Punjabi Organisation (WPO) president Vikramjit Singh Sahney. (UNI)

Sisters united with family after eleven years

LUCKNOW, Oct 15: In a scene reminiscent of a Bollywood potboiler, three sisters were united with their long-lost family at the ‘Rajkiya Balika Bal Grah’ here after eleven long years.

The three sisters, Naseema (20), Ameena (16) and Aruna (12) had no inkling that a matrimonial given in the newspapers for the marriage of the eldest would unite them with their lost family.

Shahnaz Sidrat, president of the Bazm-e-Khawateen, (a social welfare organisation working for upliftment of women) who visited the home to help find a suitable match after coming across the matrimonial last month was told about their desire to return home.

The sisters spoke about their village Mitli in Baghpat and about their family and urged for finding the other members, sidrat said adding that with the help of some other social organisations like All India Taleemgar, which has a branch in Baghpat, they traced waseem, the brother of the trio now 21, who had since shifted to Badauth in Meerut.

After coming to know that Waseem too was as keen to meet his sisters, he was brought to Lucknow yesterday where he was reunited with them, Sidrat said.

The inquiries into the background of the sisters, while tracing their brother also bought to light the fact that their mother, Nafisa is presently lodged in the model jail, Lucknow and the four siblings were taken to the jail to meet their mother, Sidrat said.

The mother told the visiting staff of the Balika Grah and the social organisations that the girls be sent to their native village with their brother and rehabilitated, Sidrat said.

Efforts are now being made to get the custody of the girls through the court and reunite them with their brother, she said adding that the social organisations will also help trace their father whose whereabouts were not not known.

According to the information provided by the brother who is the eldest, their parents were framed in a murder case over a property dispute eleven years ago.

The parents were subsequently jailed with the authorities allowing the youngest daughter, Aruna to accompany the parents while the two elder sisters were sent to Balika Grah.

Sidrat said that Aruna, who was with her mother in childhood was sent to the same Balika Grah as her other sisters who after several attempts recognised her as their sister Aloona who had been given a new name in the model jail. (PTI)

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