Maithili-Bhojpuri
academy to be set up in Delhi: Cabinet
NEW DELHI, Jan 7: The Delhi Cabinet
today decided to establish a separate
Maithili-Bhojpuri Academy under the
Chairmanship of the Chief Minister.
This was
decided in a Cabinet meeting chaired by
Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit here.
Briefing
media after the meeting, Ms Dikshit said
her Government would soon establish a new
academy since Delhi has a sizeable number
of Maithili and Bhojpuri speaking
population with cultural identity.
Maithili
has been included in the Eighth Schedule
of the Constitution of India by the
Constitution (Ninety Second Amendment)
Act, 2003.
It has
rich literary traditions and contributed
great poets such as Vidyapati to Indian
literary panorama.
Bhojpuri
speaking population has a large numerical
base in Delhi and deserves proper support
and patronage from the State.
The
cultural dimension of these two languages
has already enriched Delhi for quite
sometime and the ‘Chhath Pooja’
celebration has become an integral part
of the Delhi’s cultural calendar.
Therefore,
there is a strong need to create a
separate language academy for these two
languages.
The
proposed Maithili and Bhojpuri Language
Academy would organise programmes,
seminars, exhibitions and make
arrangements for the translation of work
of other languages.
It would
also help in the publication of books
related to these languages and support,
recognise and give aid to the deserving
institutions connected with these
languages.
The
academy would also support the upcoming
and established authors for the
publication of their work to enrich the
regional literature.
With a
view to promote and propagate various
languages and unique cultural streaks
related to these languages, the Delhi
government has already established five
language academies - Hindi, Urdu,
Punjabi, Sanskrit and Sindhi.
These
academies extend support to literary
activities and cultural
traditions
related to these languages.
The
grant-in-aid to various language
academies are given through Department of
Art, Culture and Language. (UNI)
US
to double grants to India for combating
AIDS: Official
CHENNAI, Jan 7: As part of its
"ongoing and strong commitment to
India" in the fight against the
dreaded AIDS, the US would double the
quantum of grants to the country, a top
official of the US Department of Health
and Human Services (HSS) said today.
"Our
Congress is being asked to double the
amount that would be spent on funding
India and other countries because the
number of cases of HIV is
increasing," Mike Leavitt,
Secretary, HSS, told reporters after
visiting the Government Hospital for
Thoracic Medicine at Tambaram Sanatorium
here.
"Our
commitment to India and the Union
Ministry of Health is ongoing and strong.
As part of President George W Bush’s
AIDS initiative, US intends to double the
money to help India and our other friends
to sustain what we are doing, and be
helpful in the centres which are carrying
out these efforts," Leavitt said.
However,
he declined to divulge any details on the
quantum of the grant.
Lauding
the hospital, one of the principal
beneficiaries of the Indo-US
collaborative programme on HIV/AIDS, for
its services, Leavitt said Union Health
Minister Dr Anbumani Ramadoss intended to
replicate the model in other states.
"He
has done a good job and would like to
spread this across India. This is an
extraordinarily fine testing centre and
clinical delivery system," he said
while adding that the US-based Centre for
Disease Control, National Institute of
Health and the HSS were proud to be part
of its development.
He also
termed as "ravaging" HIV and TB
as persons affected with HIV were also
prone to TB. (PTI)
Always
aim high in Life: Mukesh Ambani
MUMBAI, Jan 7: Always aim high in
life and proceed in the direction of
realising your goals with total
determination, said Reliance Industries
Limited Chairman and Managing Director
Mukesh Ambani in an e-mail interview to
"Chitralkha".
"Firm
determination and hard work is always
rewarding," said Mr Ambani to one of
the oldest Gujarati publications in the
city. The "Chitralekha" issue,
that carries Mr Ambani’s interview,
hit the stands on January 5.
Incidentally,
the publication has named Mukesh Ambani
as "Chitralekha Person Of The Year
2007".
"Chitralekha"
editor Bharat Ghelani today issued a
press release carrying excerpts from the
e-mail interview.
"I
feel overwhelmed and humbled by the love
and affection of readers of Chitralekha,
which is a highly reputed magazine that
mirrors the aspirations and intrinsic
qualities of Gujaratis the world
over," Mr Ambani said at the outset
upon being chosen as Chitralekha Person
Of The Year 2007.
Mr Ambani
said his father, Dhirubhai, had been the
source of his inspiration. "My
father had the vision to empower the
common man’s dreams with wings. To
me he was not only my father, he was my
Guru and a leader who showed and guided
me in the right direction."
About his
Dream India, he said, "I dream of
the India that offers full scope and
opportunities to people to realise their
innovative creativity. It will be the
country that will be the origin and
source of knowledge for the rest of the
world .... The country that becomes a
role model."
On his
favourite book, Mr Ambani said he likes
to read books on almost all subjects.
Last year, I had read "Execution:
The Discipline Of Getting Things
Done" by Larry Bossidy and Ram
Charan, he informed.
"I
share my family’s love and passion
for the wildlife. I believe that when you
sincerely decide to do something, you do
get time to do it," he adds. (UNI)
CBI
to submit report in Rizwan case today
NEW DELHI, Jan 7: Completing its
four-month long probe into the death of
Rizwanur Rehman, the CBI will submit its
final report to the Calcutta High Court
tomorrow in which the agency is likely to
charge two members of the Todi family for
alleged abetment to his suicide.
The
report, which was earlier scheduled to be
submitted in second week of December, is
also likely to book two police officials
for alleged destruction of evidence in
the case.
The
Calcutta High Court had directed the CBI
to go into the circumstances of the
mysterious death of Rizwanur Rehman,
whose body was found on the rail tracks
near Dum Dum on September 21 last year.
Following
widespread allegations that police in
collusion with influential Todi family
were hushing up the case, the court had
directed for a CBI probe in the death of
the computer graphics teacher.
According
to the CBI sources, the last suicide note
of Rehman was retrieved from the computer
of his kin. Rizwanur had died under
mysterious circumstances after his wife
Priyanka was taken back to her maternal
home.
CBI
gathered this data from the computer
which was recovered from the house of
Rehman’s maternal aunt, who after
his death on September 21 had deleted the
letter, the CBI sources said.
The letter
was retrieved at the forensic laboratory
in which Rehman had stated the condition
of his mind and non cooperation from the
Todi family in allowing him to meet his
wife, Priyanka.
According
to CBI sources, close relatives of
Priyanka, whom the victim had married,
had allegedly used pressure tactics to
drive Rizwanur to such a stage where he
was forced to take the extreme step.
The CBI
had in October registered a case against
Todi and others under Section 302 of the
Indian Penal Code (murder).
The agency
checked the call records and examined all
the family members of the victim as well
as Priyanka, including Todi, during its
three month-long investigations.
Besides
the friends of Rizwanur, the police
officials who allegedly had
"pressurized" Rehman and
Priyanka to separate were also examined.
The CBI
has subjected Priyanka’s uncle
Pradeep Todi, an activist of an NGO,
Pappu and a relative of Rehman under the
lie detector test to ascertain whether
the allegation that Todi’s family
paid Rs 11 lakh as separation fee was
correct.
The CBI
said while there was no direct evidence
but circumstantial evidences pointed out
that the money had been paid at a hotel
in Kolkata-which was also shared by a kin
of the deceased computer graphics
teacher. (PTI)
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