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These doting dads don’tmind staying up all night tolook after their babies. Malewhitespotted bush frogszealously watch over theireggs for 37 days, leavingonly once tiny frogletsemerge. If the adults lowertheir guard even for a day,other males ‘cannibalise’ theeggs, scientists say.
The observations of thebush frogs’ parental careand novel records ofcannibalism, published onDecember 14 in BehaviouralEcology and Sociobiology (ajournal dedicated to animal
behaviour), add details to abreeding pattern thatscientists �rst recorded in2014: that of the whitespotted bush frogRaorchestes chalazodes(rediscovered in 2011 after125 years and found only inthe Western Ghats’ AgastyaHills in Kerala and TamilNadu) breeding insidehollow bamboo stems.
Inserting an endoscopeinto these bamboo stems,herpetologist Seshadri K.S.,who is with the NationalUniversity of Singapore,observed the breedingbehaviour of the criticallyendangered bush frogs in
Tamil Nadu’s KalakkadMundanthurai Tiger Reservefor his recent work.
Loud alarm calls “The males both attended tothe eggs by sitting on them
[possibly to keep themhydrated], and physicallyguarded them by standingbetween the eggs and theentry hole, scaring awayintruders by producing loudalarm calls and even lungingat them,” said Mr. Seshadri.
The frogs deterredkatydids (a kind of cricket)and even cockroaches thisway.
However, when theseprotective fathers wereremoved from their eggclutches, Mr. Seshadri foundthat a majority (more than70%) of the eggs perished:some were eaten by ants orinfected by fungi. However,
the main reason was thatother male bush frogsentered the stem and ateunattended eggs. This is the�rst known instance ofcannibalism among treefrogs of the Rhacophoridaefamily.
“This could be becauseeggs are a source ofnutrition,” said Mr. Seshadri.“But it could be a territorialdisplay which also frees upavailable nesting sites.”
Egglaying sites withinbamboo stems are highlyprized because ideal cavities(which have to be crackedopen by other animals) arefew.
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Zealous frog fathers guard eggs against ‘cannibals’
Aathira Perinchery
KOCHI
Bush frogs breeding in bamboo stems don’t mind pulling o� an allnighter on protection duty
An adult male of the speciesguarding his precious eggs.
* SESHADRI K.S.
monday, december 18, 2017 Delhi
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Cong. responsible for
setting �res, BJP putting
them out, says Rajnath
page 10
Increased Chinese
presence in Doklam will
deter India: publication
page 10
Eight killed, 30 injured
in suicide attack on
church in Quetta
page 12
Chahal, Kuldeep and
Dhawan star in India’s ODI
series win over Sri Lanka
page 15
EDGE A 4 PAGES
DELHI METRO A 6 PAGES
NEARBY
Counting for the crucial Assembly elections in PrimeMinister Narendra Modi’shome State of Gujarat will beheld on Monday. Countingwill also take place for 68seats of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly, almost 40days after voting.
Exit polls have favouredthe BJP to win both Stateswith a comfortable majority.
In Gujarat, the BJP is seeking a sixth straight term, having captured power in themid1990s, while the Opposition Congress is seeking tostage a comeback with a spirited campaign led by RahulGandhi.
The elections also catapulted young leaders in theState — Jignesh Mewani, Alpesh Thakor and Hardik Patel — from social activism topolitics. Mr. Thakor, an OBCleader, joined the Congressand contested the polls fromRadhanpur, and Dalit activist Mr. Mewani contested asan Independent backed bythe Congress. The leader ofthe Patidar agitation, HardikPatel, did not contest thepolls but campaigned extensively against the BJP.
The polls were marked bya bitter and acrimoniouscampaign, which culminated in Prime Minister Narendra Modi accusing his prede
cessor Manmohan Singhand the Congress of conspiring with Pakistan to manipulate the results and installCongress leader Ahmed Patel as Chief Minister.
Local concernsIn Himachal Pradesh, boththe ruling Congress and theBJP are claiming imminentvictory. While the Congressdismissed the exit poll results, the sa�ron party iscon�dent that its performance will better the projections. In a relatively low key
campaign centred on localissues, the BJP focussed onMr. Modi’s performance andthe experience and leadership of its chief ministerialcandidate Prem Kumar Dhumal. The party also raisedthe corruption chargesagainst incumbent Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.
(With inputs fromKanwar Yogendra
in Shimla)
Counting in Gujarat,Himachal todayAcrimonious campaign seen as prestige contest for Modi
Mahesh Langa
AHMEDABAD
RIVAL CAMPS BET BIG ON WIN
IN HIMACHAL A PAGE 11
SPARRING CONTINUES A PAGE 11
Residents �ed on Saturday, turning downtown Santa Barbara into “a ghost town” as surging winds drove one of the biggest�res in California’s history toward the city and the nearby enclave of Montecito. Here, �re�ghters monitor the �ames. * AFP
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Unending disaster
India should rethink its support to U.S. President Donald Trump’s Afghanistanpolicy, said former AfghanPresident Hamid Karzai,during a visit to Delhi tomeet Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“India has the right to askthe U.S. questions on [continuing support to Pakistan],and it must think and rethinkits policy in view of changesand developments in Afghanistan,” Mr. Karzai toldThe Hindu in an exclusive interview during the visit.
Role for IndiaCalling the U.S. and Pakistan“bedfellows,” Mr. Karzai saidMr. Trump, who announcedhis new Afghan policy forSouth Asia in August thisyear, had failed to back histough words on Pakistanwith action. The policy,
which entailed a larger rolein development work for India as well as more pressureon Pakistan to act againstterrorist safe havens withinits borders, was welcomedby New Delhi at the time.
“We have heard thesewords over the past 16 years,repeatedly from U.S. on terror sanctuaries within Pakis
tan. But we also see the U.S.talking of Pakistan as an ally,and being protective of Pakistan… Now too, they pointed �ngers at Pakistan andthen within months theygave them another 700 million dollars in appreciationof their �ght against terrorism,” Mr. Karzai said.
He was referring to the
Defense authorisation billthat Mr. Trump signed intolaw on Thursday, which provides for up to $700 millionto be transferred to Pakistanfor coalition support.
While the U.S. still has tocertify Pakistan is actingagainst the Haqqani network, the U.S. Congress alsodropped a plan to add theLashkareTaiba and JaisheMohammad, that target India, to the list of groups Pakistan must be certi�ed onfor action taken.
Mr. Karzai, who has oftencriticised Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani’s government for concessions to theUnited States, also called fora Loya Jirga [meeting of tribal elders] to decide the future course of the U.S. presence in Afghanistan, whereit still maintains about10,000 troops.
U.S. failed to walk the talk on Pak.: Karzai Former Afghan President wants India to question Donald Trump’s policy
Suhasini Haidar
NEW DELHI
CONTINUED ON A PAGE 10
The former Afghan President Hamid Karzai meeting PrimeMinister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.
CMYK
A ND-NDE
monday, december 18, 2017
The Election Commission onSunday withdrew the showcause notice to the newlyelected Congress presidentRahul Gandhi in connectionwith his interviews to TVchannels ahead of the second phase of the Gujaratpolls on December 14.
In another order, the ECdirected the setting up of acommittee to examine theprovisions of Section 126 ofthe Representation of the People Act, under which theCongress leader had earlierbeen issued the notice.
The proposed committeewill comprise representatives of the Election Commission, the Ministries of Infor
mation & Broadcasting, Law& Justice and Electronics andInformation Technology, theNational Broadcasters’ Associations and the Press Council of India.
The committee will examine the relevant provisionsin the prevailing context ofcommunication technologies and suggest the requiredchanges.
In the meantime, theCommission has requestedthe Congress and the BJP tonot violate the existing provision, which prohibits mentioning of any “election matter” within 48 hours of the
closing of an election.Section 126 of the Act pro
vides for prohibition of public meetings and mentioning of the relevant “electionmatter” during the 48 hoursending with the polls.
Legal opinion sought“The Commission has beenregularly receiving complaints regarding violationsof the said provision of Section 126,” said an EC order,observing that the electoralbody had sought a legal opinion on the issue.
EC withdraws show-cause notice to Rahul Orders setting up of a panel to examine the provisions of Section 126 of RPA
Rahul Gandhi
special correspondent
New Delhi
CONTINUED ON A PAGE 10
The Satna district policehave arrested a local member of the rightwing BajrangDal on charge of setting �reto a vehicle used by a priestand seminarians.
The priest and seminarians were detained whenthey were on carol singingfor the Christmas season ona complaint by DharmendraDohar, 21, a resident ofBhumkahar village, who alleged that some people wereasking him to convert toChristianity.
“We have produced a person before the magistrate inconnection with the inci
dent in which a car was seton �re in the Civil Lines police station area,” Kamlesh P.,head constable, said overtelephone.
Released on bailAccording to the police, thearrested person, Vikas Shukla, is a resident of KhamuKhuja locality, who reportedly set the vehicle a�re. Mr.Shukla was later released onbail.
On Thursday, on the basisof a complaint lodged by Mr.Dohar, Father M. Georgeand a group of 30 seminarians were detained duringthe routine carol singing. Inhis complaint, Mr. Dohar al
leged that some people wereappealing him to convert.
Eight priests who went toinquire about the detainedpriest and seminarians werealso taken into custody. Later, a vehicle parked outsidethe police station wastorched by unidenti�ed people.
On Friday, the Satna police produced Father Georgeand the priests before themagistrate. Father Georgewas released on bail thesame day.
The Catholic Bishops’Conference of India hasstrongly condemned the violent attack against the Catholic priests and seminarians.
One arrested for torchingpriest’s vehicle in M.P.Special Correspondent
BHOPAL/NEW DELHI
The Congress on Sunday registered a resounding victory in elections to the municipal corporations ofJalandhar, Amritsar and Patiala even as the OppositionShiromani Akali Dal (SAD)accused the State ElectionCommission (SEC) of playinginto the hands of the rulingparty.
The Congress, whichcame to power in the Stateless than a year ago, won amajority of the seats in thethree local bodies, wrestingcontrol from the SADBJPcombine. The Congressswept the Patiala Corporation by winning 58 wardswhile the Opposition partiesfailed to open account. In Jalandhar, the party won 66wards while eight went tothe BJP and four to the SAD.In Amritsar, the Congresswon 69 and the SADBJP 12.
According to an o�cialspokesperson, polling washeld amid tight security ar
rangements in 29 municipalcouncils and nagar panchayats across the State.
SEC biasedSAD president Sukhbir Badalalleged that the SEC had acted in a biased manner. “Akali delegations met the SEC�ve times to register complaints pertaining to irregularities in poll processes butdidn’t get any justice. TheSEC had become a party toencouraging “goondaism'”by refusing to act on anycomplaint by the Opposi
tion,” said Mr. Badal.“We will approach the
High Court with a petitionthat such a State ElectionCommission, which is dancing to the tunes of the Congress government, is woundup in public interest,” headded.
‘Cong. vindicated’Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singhtermed the victory a clearvindication of the Congresspolicies and a resoundingdefeat of the Opposition’spropaganda.
“People of Punjab haveonce again shown their political maturity and defeatedthe SADBJP combine andAAP, both of which had beencompletely wiped into oblivion from the electoral landscape of the State,” he said.
Capt. Amarinder said thepeople had not forgotten themisrule of Akalis and hencehave now handed them acrushing defeat in the localbodies’ elections.
Wrests Jalandhar, Amritsar, Patiala corporations from SAD-BJP
VIKAS VASUDEVA
CHANDIGARH
Reason to smile: Navjot SinghSidhu and his wife, Navjot KaurSidhu, after voting for theAmritsar Municipal polls. * PTI
Congress sweeps municipalelections in Punjab
A civilian died in an Armyambush, laid for militants,in Kupwara district ofnorth Kashmir on Sunday,triggering violent protestsand widespread condemnation. The governmentordered a magisterialinquiry.
Asif Iqbal Bhat, a driverfrom Thindpura in Kupwara, died of bullet injuries after the Army �red at a vehicle in the early hours.
Civilian killed;protests inKupwara
Peerzada Ashiq
Srinagar
DETAILS ON A PAGE 10
J&K, Himachal in grip ofpiercing cold wave NEW DELHI
Jammu and Kashmir,
Himachal Pradesh and
Uttarakhand reeled under the
grip of a piercing cold wave
with most places recording
minimum temperatures
below the freezing point on
Sunday. Temperatures
dropped across Uttar Pradesh
overnight with
Muza�arnagar recording 5.1
degrees C, the lowest in the
State.
NORTH A PAGE 2
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Teen gang-raped onDec.16 anniversaryNEW DELHI
A 16year old girl was
allegedly gangraped by
three men in front of her
boyfriend, who was beaten
and robbed, at a park in
northwest Delhi’s Shalimar
Bagh on Saturday evening,
the �fth anniversary of the
December 16 gangrape
incident.DELHI METRO A PAGE 1
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RML doctors ‘abused bypatient’s relativesNEW DELHI
Resident doctors of the
governmentrun Dr. Ram
Manohar Lohia Hospital were
allegedly abused by relatives
of a patient after her
scheduled surgery was
postponed by the institution
at the last minute. The
hospital has �led a complaint
with the police.
DELHI METRO A PAGE 1
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NOIDA/DELHI THE HINDU
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DELHI Timings
Monday, December 18
RISE 07:08 SET 17:28
RISE 06:53 SET 17:44
Tuesday, December 19
RISE 07:09 SET 17:28
RISE 07:43 SET 18:30
Wednesday, December 20
RISE 07:09 SET 17:29
RISE 08:30 SET 19:20
Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand reeled under the gripof a piercing cold wave withmost places recording theminimum temperature below the freezing point onSunday.
Though the sun shonebright in Haryana, Punjab,Rajasthan and Delhi, icywinds pushed the minimumtemperature below the normal level.
In Rajasthan, Churu quivered at 1.6 degree Celciusand was the coldest place inthe desert State, where theminimum temperature remained below 10 degrees atmost places.
At 2.7 degrees, Bathindarecorded the lowest temperature in Punjab. Amritsarhad a low of 3.3, Pathankot3.6, Adampur 4, Ludhiana5.2, Halwara 5.4, and Patiala7.5 degrees.
Chandigarh recorded aminimum of 7 degrees.
Hisar recorded the lowestminimum (4 deg C) inHaryana.
Temperatures droppedacross Uttar Pradesh overnight with Muza�arnagar recording 5.1 degrees, the low
est in the State. The weatherwas dry over the State andshallow fog occurred at isolated places.
The night temperaturedipped by several degrees atmost places in the Kashmirregion owing to a dryweather.
Normal life came to a virtual standstill in Pahalgamwhere the mercury was recorded at minus 9.2 degrees.It was the coldest Decembernight there in the last fouryears. At piercing minus 13.4degrees, Kargil in the Ladakhregion experienced the col
dest night of this winter sofar. Srinagar shuddered atminus 3.7 degrees.
Intense cold conditionsled to the freezing of waterbodies and drinking watertaps in parts of HimachalPradesh where the minimumtemperatures were recorded12 to 17 degrees below thefreezing point.
Highaltitude tribal areasand mountain passesgroaned under arctic conditions, recording their minimums between minus 13 andminus 20 degrees.
Keylong in Lahaul and Spiti district recorded a minimum of minus 12 degrees.Kalpa in Kinnaur tribal district had a low of minus 2.8degrees. The normal lifecame to halt in the tribal valleys owning to the frigid conditions. All natural sources ofwater such as lakes, springs,rivulets and tributaries ofmajor snowfed rivers havefrozen.
J&K, Himachal in grip of cold wave Most places record minimum temperature below freezing point; normal life hit in Pahalgam
Press Trust of india
New Delhi
White blanket: Tourists enjoy skiing at Gulmarg, 55 km from Srinagar, on Sunday. * NISSAR AHMED
Fire breaks out inshopping complexBHOPAL
A major fire on Sunday broke
out in a shopping complex in
the Bairagarh area here in
which several shops were
gutted, a civic official said.
“It is suspected that a short
circuit led to the fire,” said a
civic official. PTI
IN BRIEF
Hunt on for teacher forraping minor girlJAMMU
A hunt was on for a
government school teacher
for allegedly abducting and
raping a 16yearold girl for
three days in Kishtwar district
of Jammu and Kashmir, the
police said today. PTI
Miscreants shoot man,loot �2 lakh CHAPRA (BIHAR)
Gunmen on Sunday shot at a
man and looted �2 lakh from
him near Enai village in
Bihar’s Saran district, the
police said. PTI
Body of missing manfound after two daysKOTA
The police on Sunday
recovered the body of a
24yearold man, who was
missing for the past two days,
from a canal in the Sakatpura
area here. Mayank Sharma, a
resident of Jungalat Gate,
had gone missing on Friday
night. PTI
VicePresident M. VenkaiahNaidu on Sunday said allparties should reach a consensus to clear the longpending Women’s Reservation Bill.
The Bill seeks to provide33 per cent reservation towomen in Parliament andState legislatures.
At a Statelevel convention of women’s selfhelpgroups (SHGs) here, Mr. Naidu said: “Women are givenreservation in local government bodies. E�orts are onfor women’s reservation inParliament. I personallysupport it (Women Reservation Bill).”
“I hope all political parties reach a consensus sothat women can be given reservation in State legislatures, the Lok Sabha and theRajya Sabha. This issueshould not be given a political hue,” he added.
Mr. Naidu said that whenwomen were given reservation in panchayats, manyhad claimed that it was thewoman’s husband who wasactually ruling.
“However, a change is be
ing witnessed. Womenwould soon learn to �ght fortheir rights,” he said, notingthere should be change inthe law as well in themindset.
Women’s empowerment
Stressing that women’s empowerment could create anew India, he said the focusshould be on the “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao”programme.
“Our country is known asBharat Mata. In our ancientscriptures, we �nd that education minister was goddessSaraswati, defence ministerwas Durga Devi and �nanceminister was Laxmi Devi,”he said, adding that something went wrong during thecolonial rule.
Stating that womenshowed their abilities whengiven an opportunity, hegave the example of Indiahaving women as DefenceMinister, Foreign Ministerand Lok Sabha Speaker.
Naidu also took potshotsat those who opposed theCentre’s JanDhan Yojana,saying that after November2016, the people learnt itsimportance.
‘Focus must be on Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’
VicePresident M. Venkaiah Naidu with Madhya PradeshChief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan at a Statelevelconvention of women’s selfhelp groups in Bhopal onSunday. * A.M.FARUQUI
Reach consensus,pass Women’s Bill:VP to parties
Press trust of india
Bhopal
Uttar Pradesh Chief MinisterYogi Adityanath on Sundaylauded the Provincial ArmedConstabulary (PAC) for itsrole in e�ective conduct ofthe Gujarat Assembly polls.
He was addressing the PACDay celebrations held at the35th PAC battalion here.
“The di�erent challengingsituations in which PAC o�cers operate in various Statesof the country, it has beenable to win the hearts of thepeople residing in thoseStates,” he said.
“The AntiTerrorist Squad(ATS) and the Special TaskForce (STF) also have PACcommandos posted there...On the lines of the Central
Industrial Security Force(CISF), security of LucknowMetro has been assigned tothe PAC. It is also proposedto deploy the PAC at NoidaMetro,” the Chief Ministersaid.
Mr. Adityanath said in thepast 69 years of its glorious
history, the PAC has rendered important services ona number of challengingoccasions.
“Guarding internationalborders, foiling in�ltrationattempts, running drivesagainst Naxals and terrorists,establishing the rule of lawand helping to conductpeaceful elections, the PAChas established benchmarkby its ’nishthaa’ (loyalty),‘nispakshtaa’ (impartiality),professional acumen, courage and valour,” he said.
Mr. Adityanath also said:“PAC has also played an important role in ensuring security of various festivals andfairs, especially the worldfamous Kumbh Mela in Prayag(Allahabad), pilgrim places
like Ayodhya, Mathura andKashi, courts and VIPs/VVIPs. Every year during themonsoon, PAC’s �ood reliefcompany (Baarh Rahat company) is engaged in evacuating people from �oodedareas and other rescueworks“.
“At present, there are 273companies in 33 vahinis (battalions) of the PAC. Of this,199 companies are active,while 74 companies are ‘akriyaasheel’ (dormant). A process to recruit 18,000 jawansis on to make these dormantcompanies active,” he said.
The Chief Minister was accorded Guard of Honour atthe programme, an o�cialstatement issued by the Stategovernment said.
CM lists achievements of the force at PAC Day celebrations
Press Trust of India
Lucknow
Yogi Adityanath
Yogi lauds PAC for smooth conduct of Gujarat polls
As many as 65 doctors havebeen arrested in the State tillSunday evening under theRajasthan Essential ServicesMaintenance Act (RESMA)even as strike of inservicedoctors continued for the second day.
The doctors went on strikeon Saturday when the policearrested few of them underthe Act which was invokedon Thursday on doctors’warning of a strike from De
cember 18.“We have arrested more
than 65 persons under RESMA in two days,” AdditionalDirectorGeneral (Law andorder) N.R.K. Reddy said.
Many of the inservicedoctors have gone underground and health serviceshave allegedly been hit.
“We were forced to go onstrike due to the adamant attitude of the government. Wecannot work in this atmosphere. The police are lookingfor doctors.. we are doctors
not terrorists,” Dr Durgashankar Saini, general secretary of the All Rajasthan inservice Government Doctors’ Association, said.
Former Chief MinisterAshok Gehlot said the doctors’ strike was unfortunateand the government shouldlook into the demands ofdoctors.
In Sikar also, the police arrested several doctors. Mostof the doctors remained underground and patients allegedly su�ered.
Many inservice doctors go underground; heath services hit
Press trust of india
Jaipur
Doctors’ strike continues inRajasthan, 65 arrested
A farmer allegedly committed suicide on Saturday nightby consuming poison at hisfarm in Rajpura village here.Kailash Lal Singh Jamre (35)died during treatment at the
district hospital, said TejramBabar, the hospital’s policepost incharge.
While family memberssaid the farmer took the extreme step due to debt, thepolice said that the exact reason would be known after
investigations.Shankar Jamre, brother of
the deceased, said the farmer killed himself as he wasunable to repay loans ofabout �1.75 lakh taken from abank, a private company andtwo other cooperatives.
Press trust of india
Khargone (MP)
Farmer kills self due to debt, crop failure
Bihar Chief Minister NitishKumar on Sunday expressedconcern over decline in theconviction rate for crimesand asked o�cials to expedite the process of speedytrial to achieve the desiredresults as in the past.
On his assuming power inBihar for the �rst time in2005, Mr. Kumar had successfully used the process ofspeedy trial to expedite conviction rate for crimes as ane�ective measure to controllaw and order in the State.
He was emphasising onthe same successful weaponto control crimes.
“The concerted and coordinated steps that increasedconviction rate since 2006has now weakened”, he saidexpressing concern whileaddressing a daylong seminar attended by High Courtjudges, top civil and policeo�cials among others here.
The seminar on “E�ectiveInvestigation, Speedy Trialand Timely Justice” was or
ganised by the Home Department in association withthe Bihar Judicial Academy.
Patna High Court judgeJustice K.K. Mandal, JusticeDinesh Kumar Singh, Advocate General Lalit Kishore,Chief Secretary Anjani Kumar Singh, Director Generalof Police P. K. Thakur besides several District Judges,DMand SP and PublicProsecutors attended thefunction.
Mr. Kumar assured thegathering that the government was ready to make anyinvestment to achieve thegoal of speedy trial and conviction, be it the use of technology such as video conferencing or creation of posts.
Dip in conviction rateworries CM NitishMoots training programme for police o�cers
Press trust of india
Patna
Nitish Kumar
Holy day: An illuminated Takhat Shri Harmandir Saheb Gurdwara on the occasion of the 350thPrakash Parv Shukrana Samaroh in Patna on Sunday . * PTI
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All decked up
the PRB Act).
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THE HINDU NOIDA/DELHI
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For harmony: Women taking out a Sadbhavna Yatra in Kolkata on Sunday. * PTI
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Women power
In a major success, six persons including two sharpshooters from ArunachalPradesh, who are believed tobe part of a national ivorytrade syndicate, have beenarrested while attempting topoach two elephants in Odisha’s Keonjhar district.
The poacher team had already separated two tuskersfrom an 11member elephantherd and were about toshoot when forest department personnel pouncedupon them at Nalapanga village near Janghira of Keonjhar on Saturday evening.
The criminals were caught ina dramatic fashion while trying to �ee in women’s attirefrom the spot.
Two Arunachal Pradeshresidents were identi�ed asPhugoyoha Yobin (42) andSaniya Yobin (51). Other four,who were providing logisticsupport to the two shooters,belong to Keonjhar district.Local accomplices usuallysupply information aboutelephants’ locations and getsmaller share in ivory sale.
As per preliminary interrogation, forest departmentsources said, the group hasconfessed to having killed 11tuskers. Five of 11 male ele
phants poached by themwere targeted in Khordha,Angul, Gajapati, Sundargarhand Keonjhar districts.
Following the herd Wildlife o�enders and Arunachal Pradesh shooters hadbeen following the elephantherd for the past 15 days. Inthe Keonjhar Sadar forestarea, they had already dug atrench near the crime spot.They would have used thetrench to hole up in theevent of retaliation from animals. Two local villagers,who were �rst caught following a tipo�, gave information about the rest after the
forest personnel grilledthem.
The two criminals were allegedly involved in elephantpoaching in Assam and WestBengal.
They told interrogatorsthat one kg of ivory sells atRs. 3,500 in the State. Odisha forest department o�cials said there were threemajor ivory sale points in theState before being smuggledto Kolkata.
“During the past fewyears, we have been able tocreate a network of informers in forest fringe villages.We have also establishedgood coordination with the
State police which renderedsupport at critical time. Moreover, Wildlife Crime Control Bureau keeps the department informed aboutmovement of poachers,” saidSandeep Tripathi, PrincipalChief Conservator of Forestand Chief Wildlife Warden.
Mr. Tripathi said: “Wehave prepared a data base ofwildlife o�enders. OtherStates are also exchangingtheir lists with us. We ensurewatertight investigation inwildlife crimes and strictprosecution. Periodically, weprovide platforms for judgesto brush up their knowledgeabout wildlife crime laws.”
Gang of wildlife o�enders involvedin ivory trade caught in OdishaThe poachers had already separated two tuskers from an 11-member elephant herd
Satyasundar Barik
BHUBANESWAR
The Lake Eco Lovers’ Forumof Rabindra Sarovar has putup �ve nests made of clay ontrees at the Safari Park to provide shelter to birds.
The Rabindra Sarovar lake,in south Kolkata, is spread over 192 acres, comprising alarge water body with gardens and parks.
Five nests made of earthenpots were hung from �vetrees to protect birds andtheir chicks from cold, predators and air pollution, said thementor of the project, Somendranath Ghosh, adding,15 more nests will be put upsoon.
“This is a pilot project and
it was launched on Wednesday (December 13). Themove, with support from Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA), isaimed at saving the birds frompredators and pollutants,” hesaid.
Mr. Ghosh said more suchnests will be put up by midFebruary next year.
Wooden boxes In addition, the forum will install wooden boxes to providetemporary shelter to the migratory birds.
He also said according to arecent study by an NGO, thereare around 200 bird species,including parrots, barbets,starlings, mynahs, golden
orioles, redthroated �ycatchers, cormorants and pond herons at the Safari Park.
In July, as part of the initiative to save the greenery at Rabindra Sarovar, di�erent projects, such as ‘adopt a tree’and ‘plant a tree’, were takenup within the compoundwhere people chose to spendmoney for the upkeep of atree.
Speaking about futureplans, Mr. Ghosh said: “Wewill submit a detailed proposal about the project to theKMDA CEO, provided our pilot project is successful.”
If the project is sustainable, then 1,000 nests wouldbe installed across RabindraSarovar, he added.
Arti�cial nests to shelterbirds at Rabindra SarovarTo protect them from cold, predators and air pollution
Press Trust of India
Kolkata
Actor Kaushik Sen and hisson Riddhi were allegedlyheckled last night at theNSC Bose International Airport here following arguments over car parking.
One airport parkingagency employee was arrested after Mr. Sen, whowas returning to the cityfrom Bhubaneswar alongwith his wife, �led a complaint at the Airport PoliceStation about the allegedheckling, sources in the police station said on Sunday.
The actor said the accused misbehaved with the
driver of his car when hestopped the vehicle outsidethe domestic terminal areato drop his son, who hadgone there to receive his parents. He also slapped a �neof �100 on the driver for exceeding the free 10 minutesallowed to pick or drop aperson.
Another incidentLater, when Mr. Sen and hisfamily were about to leavethe parking lot outside theterminal, they found the accused allegedly ‘misbehaving’ with another car driverand protested against it.
“We got down from our
car when we saw anothergentleman and his driverwere being harassed forprotesting against overcharging. As we tried to intervene, I and my son Riddhi were heckled andverbally abused. We thencalled up the police stationand some o�cers arrived atthe spot to bring the situation under control,” hesaid.
Countering the actor’sclaims, an o�cial of theparking agency said Mr.Sen, his son and the occupants of another car misbehaved with the parkingagency sta�.
Actor heckled at Kolkata airportOne airport parking agency employee arrested
Press Trust of India
Kolkata
Actor Milind Soman pulling a rickshaw during the promotion of ‘Pinkathon’ - a run to promoteawareness about women’s wellness - at Rabindra Sarovar in Kolkata earlier this year. * PTI
The �rst ever Statelevel exServicemen rally in Manipur was organised by theArmy on Sunday to honourveteran soldiers of the Stateand their respectivefamilies.
The rally was held at theLeimakhong Military Station in Imphal West district.Veteran soldiers, widows ofmartyred soldiers and theirdependents were given awarm reception and felicitated with presentationsand guided about the various facilities that can beavailed of from variousdepartments.
Chief Guest Lt.Gen.(retd) K. Himalaya Singhtold the gathering, that themain purpose of the rally isto ensure welfare for all exServicemen in the State andreminded them that the Army cares for its veterans.
He remarked the Statehas the highest per capitao�cer cadres in the country and highlighted the contribution the Indian Armedforces have made in nationbuilding.
ExServicemen
rally in Manipur
Press Trust of India
Imphal
Demanding the abolition ofoutsourcing system in government sector and samepay for same work, the Odisha Outsourcing Employees’Federation (OOEF) has decided to start mass agitationin Bhubaneswar from December 20.
Outsourced employees ofthe State government managed Adarsha Vidyalayas, government medicals, forestdepartment, power sector,urban and rural local bodieswill take part in this agitation, said leader of the federation Prashant Moharana.The federation alleged thatoutsourced employees arethe most exploited lot. Although they are involved inmost developmental work ofgovernment, they do nothave any job security and arevery illpaid.
‘Hire and �re’ policy Addressing a press conference in Berhampur, members of the federation allegedthat they are worst su�erersof ‘hire and �re’ policy ofagencies that employ themfor government work. “Outsourced employees are mostexploited lot in the government machinery. Till nowthey were �ghting for theirrights through various organizations and unions. Tostrengthen their demand forregularisation of job and‘same pay for same work’ itwas decided to unite theirvoices on a single platform,”said adviser of OOEF, BhalaChandra Sadangi.
As per an estimate, at present there are around 1.7lakh outsourced employeesin government sector in Odisha. Leaders of theseoutsourced employees demanded Odisha government toimplement Contract Labour(Regulation and Abolition)Rules, 1971 in letter and spiritwhich recommends ‘samepay for same work’.
Odisha govt.outsourcedsta� to startagitation
Staff Reporter
BERHAMPUR
A twoday cultural extravaganza is being organised inAssam’s Dima Hasao hill district, where one can enjoysong and dance by local resi
dents after savouring theamazing Dimasa delicaciesalong with rice brew.
The ‘Judima Festival’ atHa�ong will also showcasethe scenic beauty of the hilldistrict, home to �ora and
fauna and breathtaking waterfalls, on December 2829,besides rock concert, danceperformance, ballad singing,storytelling and traditionalsports, the organisers said ina press release.
Judima Festival in Assam on Dec. 28-29 Press Trust of India
Guwahati
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NOIDA/DELHI THE HINDU
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Right to defend: Young girls practising at a self-defence training camp, Atma Raksha Maha Shivir, organised by Nirbhay BetiSurksha Abhiyan Samiti at Reshambagh in Nagpur on Saturday. * S. SUDARSHAN
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Pulling no punches
As the �rst week of the 14day winter session of theAssembly ended, there is agrowing discontent amongthe former Congress andNationalist Congress Party(NCP) MLAs and MPs, whohave switched over to theBharatiya Janata Party(BJP) in the last threefouryears.
While the resignation ofBJP MP Nana Patole is �rstsuch clear indication, thelist may grow in the coming months, said a seniorCongress leader. Mr. Patoleis set to show his strength
in BhandaraGondia by organising a yatra.
BJP MLA Ashish Deshmukh created a stir on theeve of the winter session byraising the demand of aseparate statehood for Vidarbha, a demand whichthe BJP seems to have sidelined for now.
Not only did Mr. Deshmukh, whose father RanjitDeshmukh was a formerMaharashtra Congresschief, write a letter to ChiefMinister Devendra Fadnavis, but also put up banners with the demand onroads of Nagpur and adjoining areas.
“I am not doing any antiBJP activity,” Mr. Deshmukh said.
The buzz in Nagpur, however, tells a di�erent story. A senior Congress MLAfrom Vidarbha said theformer Congressman will
come back to his originalhome.
Four more from BJPApart from him, the Congress expects ‘gharwapsi’of at least four more BJPleaders from Vidarbha.“Some cards are betterkept hidden at present. Letthe Gujarat results comein; then the real game willbegin,” the Congress leader said.
Not only in Vidarbha,former NCP leader SanjayKakde from Pune, who waselected to the Rajy Sabhafrom the BJP, kicked up arow two days ago by predicting a Congress victory inGujarat.
A letter, allegedly froman unknown activist of Mr.Kakde has been makingrounds in Pune’s politicalcircles slamming the BJPMLAs of the city for ne
glecting the MP. The Congress has started reachingout to many of its leaderswho ditched the party forthe BJP before 2014.
The BJP on the otherhand blames the chaos infarm loan waiver schemeand rural distress for thesedevelopments.
“Unrest in rural Vidarbha is the main reason forthis disturbance. We needto undertake course correction immediately beforeit could damage the BJP inthe next poll,” a former minister and senior BJP leader said.
Meanwhile, sideliningBJP loyalists and puttingformer NCP leader PrasadLad in the Council has notgone down well. The talk inthe BJP corridors is thattwo senior most BJP leaders did not vote for Mr. Ladin the recent polls.
Cong. keeps �ngers crossed for defectors’ homecomingBJP attributes the growing dissatisfaction to loan waiver chaos and rural distress
Alok Deshpande
Nagpur
Four minor girls were killedand 33 injured when a vanthey were travelling in fello� a bridge into a ditch inChhattisgarh’s Bemetaradistrict on Sunday.
The incident occurrednear Pattharri village withinthe Parpodi police station limits, said Bemetara Superintendent of Police D.K.Garg. “The van was overcrowded. Four minor girlswere killed while 33 others
were injured. The driver lostcontrol near a bridge at Pattharri and the van fell into aditch,” Mr. Garg said.
The van had 37 people,all relatives, and was proceeding from Kamkawadavillage to a family functionin Bharatbathera village. “Ofthe 33 injured, 23 have beenshifted to Dr. BR AmbedkarMemorial Hospital in Raipur,” Mr. Garg said.
A case has been registered and investigations areunder way.
Four minors die as van falls into ditch 33 injured after driver loses control
Press Trust of India
Raipur
A 55yearold man wastrampled to death by a wildelephant in Chhattisgarh’sJashpur district, the policesaid on Sunday.
The incident occurredon Saturday evening whenPrem Sai was returninghome in the forest adjacentto Dadpani village underthe Kansabel police stationlimits.
Forest and police personnel sent the body forpostmortem. The kin ofthe deceased have been given an instant relief of�25,000 by the Forestdepartment.
Elephantkills man Press Trust of India
Raipur
Union Agriculture MinisterRadha Mohan Singh onSunday said that 23 of the99 agricultural projectsacross the country are nearing completion.
Speaking at the OrangeFestival, he said, “Ninetynine projects were pending. Prime Minister Narendra Modi not only increased the budgetaryallocation, but also released�20,000 crore corpus fundin his second year and�40,000 crore in the third
year. As a result, 23 of theseprojects are nearing completion.”
Soil health cardsThe minister also said that10 crore farmers have soilhealth cards since the NDAgovernment came to power, and that 10,000 soiltesting labs have been set up bythe government.
About Maharashtra, Mr.Singh said a review meetingwith Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari will beheld to discuss BT2 cotton.
Press Trust of India
Nagpur
Union Agriculture MinisterRadha Mohan Singh speakingat Orange Festival in Nagpuron Sunday. * S. SUDARSHAN
23 of 99 agricultural projectsnearing completion: minister
The Bombay High Courthas rejected the bail pleaof the driver of a luxurybus that plunged into a river o� the MumbaiGoahighway four years ago,killing 37 passengers andinjuring 15.
The driver, Santaji Kirdat, was convicted of rashdriving, negligence, andculpable homicide notamounting to murder, andgiven 10 years in jail by atrial court earlier this year.
Mr. Kirdat had �led aplea in the HC challenginghis conviction and de
manding that his sentencebe suspended and he bereleased on bail till the appeal was decided.
Justice AM Badar, whoheard the plea on Friday,rejected it, observing thatMr. Kirdat had been speeding on a narrow stretch of abridge at the time of the accident, and had knowinglyput the lives of the passengers at risk.
The incident occurredaround 3 a.m. on March 19,2013. The luxury bus carrying 52 people, includingMr. Kirdat and a conductor, plunged into the Jagbudi river.
HC rejects bail petition ofdriver involved in mishapPress Trust of India
Mumbai
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THE HINDU NOIDA/DELHI
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Explosives found in bag on TirumalaVIJAYAWADA
Vigilance officials on Sunday
seized explosive material in a
bag near the Tiruvenkata
Padham Ring Road. The bag
contained 28 gelatine sticks
and 34 detonators. This,
despite the tight security at
the Alipiri inspection centre.
“The gelatin sticks are wet
and it looks as if they were
brought to the hill some time
back,” said Tirumala Tirupati
Devasthanams’ Vigilance
Officer Ravi Krishna.
Nearly 2,000 new tuberculosis (TB) cases have beendetected during the ongoingthird phase of active case�nding (ACF) campaign todetect TB in highpriorityand vulnerable areas of 20districts. The campaign thatbegan on December 4 willend on Monday.
According to statistics furnished by the Health Department, the highest number ofcases were detected in Belagavi (414) and the least in Ramanagaram (17). While 47new positive cases were detected in Bengaluru city, aconsiderable number of cases were diagnosed in Ballari(301) and Vijayapura (172),followed by Koppal (165).
ACF activity was initiallystarted in the country from50 districts in Phase 1, fromJanuary 16 to 31 this year. InKarnataka, during the 1stphase, Bengaluru city, Ben
galuru Urban and BengaluruRural districts were covered.
The second phase wascarried out in the State fromJuly 17 to 31 in 11 districts, including the three covered inthe �rst round. Around1,600 new TB cases were detected. The 20 districts taken up in the third phase include the 11 covered in thesecond phase.
Although the Union
Health Ministry’s revised estimates put the incidence oftuberculosis in India at 217per one lakh population in2015, Karnataka is strugglingto detect 101 cases per onelakh population a year.
Noti�able diseaseThis means the State has along way to go in identifyingTB cases, which according tosources, are either going undiagnosed or are being treated by private doctors without being noti�ed. In 2016,only 60,000 new TB caseswere noti�ed in Karnataka.
TB is a noti�able diseasein the country since May2012, for which the government has set up a webbasednetwork called NIKSHAY.
Despite awareness regarding mandatory TB noti�cation, many private practitioners in the State did notreport the cases. Hence many cases were left out of government data, sources said.
2,000 new TB casesfound in Karnataka‘State has a long way to go in identifying patients’
Special Correspondent
Bengaluru
Many private practitionersdo not report new TB cases,though it is mandatory.
Forest department sta� and trained elephants get ready for an operation to capture a wild jumbo on the rampage in Ubraniforest of Davanagere district, Karnataka, on Sunday. * SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
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Set for a challenge
The lone great white pelican(Pelecanus onocrotalus),found mingling with thousands of winged guests atKolleru Lake in Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh, o�ersa rare visual treat to birdwatchers.
In the past week, thefeathered guest has beenfound with the grey pelicansand painted storks at the Atapaka Bird Sanctuary in theKolleru Lake, earning itsprey in the water body. Forest department’s boatman G.Suresh, who noticed its presence from at least 200metres, has been involved instudying its movements.
“Those who see the whitepelican at the sanctuary arebeing considered lucky. I
have been fortunate to see itmany times this winter. It is adistinctive beauty to watchcompared with the other migratory birds,” Mr. Sureshtold The Hindu.
The white pelican whichis also known as rosy pelicanis almost double the size of
the grey pelican. “The sighting of the white pelican is very rare in the Kolleru Lake.We documented it in 2008and 2013. In 2013, a pair ofwhite pelicans was sighted atthe sanctuary which is veryrare in the wetlands in SouthIndia,” said P. Gracious, an
authority on the KolleruLake. He said the bird couldbe treated as ‘Passing Migrant’ and must have missedits �ock. “The lone white pelican has never been seenbreeding or nesting in theKolleru Lake till date,” con�rmed Mr. Gracious.
A rare visitor returns to KolleruThe lone great white pelican must have missed its �ock, says expert
Seeking company: A Great White Pelican, left, at Atapaka sanctuary in Kolleru . * T. APPALA NAIDU
T. Appala Naidu
ATAPAKA
A wheelchairbound passenger travelling by Air Indiafrom Bengaluru to Kolkatawas not allowed to board the�ight on Sunday morning.
Kaushik Majumdar, a researcher at Indian StatisticalInstitute here, alleged harassment by the airline’sground sta� just before hewas to board the �ight.
Mr. Majumdar recountedthe incident to The Hindu. “Iuse an electrical wheelchairwhich runs on a dry battery.After taking my boardingpass and clearing the security check, I took the bus tothe aircraft. Right before entering the plane, the groundsta� stopped me and askedme to shift to a nonelectrical wheelchair, which Iagreed to.”
“However, despite disconnecting the battery of thewheelchair, which was to goinside the cargo hold, thesta� said that all the wiresconnected to the battery had
to be removed. I did notagree to that as it is a complex mechanism and neitherI nor the ground sta� at thedestination airport would beable to put it back. I am completely dependent on thewheelchair,” says Mr. Majumdar who has 85% orthopaedic disability.
In July this year, Mr. Majumdar said that he hadfaced a similar situation, butthe sta� at that time had lethim travel.
He added that though hetravelled regularly by airfrom 2009, he had neverfaced such humiliation.
‘Harrowing experience’“I wanted to go home to getsome rest as I have not beenkeeping well for sometimenow. But, I was not allowedin the �ight. It was a harrowing experience,” Mr. Majumdar said.
However, the airline refuted his charges. A spokesperson from Air India said thatthe passenger was clearlytold at the time of checkingin that the batteryoperatedwheelchair will not be allowed onboard the �ight.
“While checking in he hadagreed to the terms, but before entering the �ight refused to shift to the nonelectrical wheelchair. Batteryoperated wheelchairsare not allowed in the �ight.It is a safety regulation andwe cannot violate it at anycost,” the spokesperson added.
Airline refutes charges of harassment, cites safety norms
Staff Reporter
Bengaluru
Kaushik Majumdar says he never faced suchhumiliation before.
Wheelchairbound mannot allowed on �ight
Poet S. Ramesan Nair hasquit Thapasya Art and Cultural Forum in protestagainst the “RashtriyaSwayamsevak Sangh’s attempt to curtail his creativeand functional freedom.”
Mr. Nair relinquishedthe president’s post, whichhe had been holding since2012, citing the RSS’ attempts to exercise absolutecontrol over the organisation that was �oated in 1975to protect freedom of expression in art andliterature.
The poet, who translated Thirukkural from Tamilto Malayalam, said the RSSshould not impose its tyranny on a cultural organisation. “The Sangh is unwilling to let young bloodand talent into its fold. Itneeds only ‘yes men’ tohead the show,” he says.
During his presidentship, Mr. Nair says he attempted to nurture freshtalent. This did not godown well with the Sanghleadership, he says.
Poet quitsart forum,blames RSS
N.J. Nair
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM
At a time when many Telugufamilies are being ‘brainwashed’ by corporateschools to believe that education in English mediumalone would open global opportunities to their children,here is a U.S.based Telugulover who is making e�ortsto make Telugu a globallanguage.
“Telugu is a classical language, but it should also become a global language asclose to 100 million peoplecommunicate in it. WhenApple launches any app, itreleases even in Norwegianwhich is spoken by 20 million people. But nothing inTelugu, as machine translation with accuracy cannothappen unless there is amassive digitised content inunicode for the system to
choose and give appropriatetranslation,” explains AnandKuchibhotla, founder of Silicon Andhra Organisation.
Spirit of literatureThe Californiabased organisation works for promotingthe spirit of Telugu literature, culture and tradition.Mr. Kuchibhotla is here as a
special guest of the government for the World TeluguConference.
The organisation, whichhas been running ‘Mana Badi’ to teach Telugu languageto the children of the Telugudiaspora in the U.S., set upthe University of SiliconAndhra this year for students interested in pursuingperforming arts after undergraduation. It has now set itssights on computationallinguistics.
It needs both languageskills and programming expertise that facilitates creating unicode content for Telugu literature, language anddialects.
“Imagine the number ofsoftware engineers neededto develop apps for Telugusand the enormous potentialfor every sector,” he told The
Hindu.
He does his bit to makeTelugu a global languageComputational linguistics should be thrust area: Kuchibhotla
M.L. Melly Maitreyi
HYDERABAD
Anand Kuchibhotla at theWorld Telugu Conference.
The eightdecadeold Kannada �lm industry, which set arecord of sorts last year withthe release of 180 �lms, is allset to break its own recordby reaching the 200markthis year. The number of�lms released till the middleof December has crossed190.
It appears that demonetisation and GST have notdampened the enthusiasmof producers.
According to Umesh Banakar, vicepresident of Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce, the annual turnovercrossed �400 crore in 2016and is likely to touch the�500crore mark this year.
An average of four �lmswas released every week, as
against three in the previousyear. The highest number of22 �lms were released in November while April recordedlowest of eight releases.
However, there is a totalmismatch between releasesand the success of �lms atthe box o�ce. Success rate
stands at a maximum of 10%,which means only 20 of thetotal �lms released have recovered their investment.“According to our estimates,the success rate ranges from3% to 5 %. Only a few producers are in comfortableposition,” says Mr. Banakar.
He attributes digitalisation for the increase in thenumber of releases, but regrets that quality is a casualty in this process.
Veteran actor Anath Naghad recently said that mostof the �lms released in thelast two months failed to pullthe audience to theatres andproducers su�ered losses tothe tune of �50 crore. ButS.V. Rajendra Singh Babu,president, Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy, is unperturbed. “There is nothingunusual. Usually, the successrate swings between 7% and10%.”
While the number of remakes came down signi�cantly, �lms dubbed fromother languages were released without facing muchopposition this year.
With backtoback releases, the number of new movies this year may cross 200
Muralidhara Khajane
BENGALURU
Racing ahead: As many as 22 Kannada �lms were released inNovember, the highest in a month. * V. SREENIVASA MURTHY
Kannada �lm industry eyes record
The Forest Departmentsquad foiled a suspectedpoaching attempt by a sevenmember gang at theRanganathittu Bird Sanctuary in Srirangapatna lateon Saturday.
While six of them escaped, the guards detainedone person identi�ed asJa�er. It seemed to be acoordinated attempt as thegang members approached Ranganathittuon the banks of river Cauvery, by both land and river.Some of them sailed intothe area using coracles,while others came by roadand jumped the fence.
In the scu�e with thegang members, Ja�er in�icted knife injuries on oneof the guards.
The bird sanctuary isfamed for migratory birds,besides Mugger crocodilesand other small mammals.
Poaching bidfoiled atsanctuary
Special Correspondent
MYSURU
A premier city school hascome under the scanner following the expulsion of aboy for hugging a girl afteran arts competition recently.
Though the boy, a Class 12student of the St. ThomasCentral School, tendered anapology to the school authorities and explained thatthe gesture was congratulatory, they did not accept it.
The boy moved the KeralaState Commission for Protection of Child Rights seeking the right to continueeducation and accusing theschool of violating his privacy by accessing his Instagram account. The schoolgot a favourable verdict fromthe High Court against thepanel’s order upholding hisright to education.
The boy’s family allegedthat they were verbally
abused by the school authorities and aspersions cast onthe boy’s upbringing. Hewas also refused a hearing.Slur words were used, andthe school society secretarysaid he should be punishedlike the godman who was inthe news after his genitalswere gashed not long ago,the family alleged.
They plan to approach aDivision Bench of the HighCourt against the expulsion.
Boy’s family alleges that authorities verbally abused them
Staff Reporter
Thiruvananthapuram
School under scanner forexpelling student for a hug
Lifetime Achievementaward for K. ViswanathVIJAYAWADA
Legendary filmmaker and
actor K. Viswanath
was bestowed the ‘Lifetime
Achievement Award’ by the
Rotary Club of Vijayawada
(Rotary International District
3020) here on Sunday . “I
was born in this region and
brought up in Vijayawada,”
the 87yearold director said.
“I am honoured to receive the
award from the people of this
city where I grew.”
IN BRIEF
Mandalapuja at the Lord Ayyappa Temple in Sabarimala, marking the culminationof the penance during the 41day Mandalam season, willbe held along with the Utchapuja on December 26.
The presiding deity willbe decorated with the sacredgolden attire, Thanka Anki,prior to the ceremonial Man
dalapuja. Chief priest (Tantri) Kandararu Mahesh Maheswararu said the rituals inconnection with the Mandalapuja would begin at 10.15a.m. on December 26. TheMandalapuja would be performed in the auspicious‘muhurthom’ between 11.04a.m. and 11.40 a.m., he said.
The Thanka Anki, goldenattire of the presiding deity,will be taken to Sabarimalain a ceremonial processionfrom Sree ParthasarathyTemple at Aranmula on December 22.
The golden attire weighing 420 sovereigns was presented to the Ayyappa Tem
ple by the late ChithiraTirunal Balarama Varma ofthe erstwhile Travancoreroyal dynasty as his o�eringto the presiding deity at Sa
sources, the procession carrying the Thanka Anki willset o� to Sabarimala fromAranmula Sree Parthasarathy Temple at 6.30 a.m. onDecember 22.
An Ayyappa idol decorated with the sacred attire willbe kept at the Aanakkottil ofthe Sree Parthasarathy Temple for the devotees to havedarshan. The idol will be taken to Pampa in a motorisedchariot resembling a temple.Devotees will accord rousingreceptions to the processionat di�erent places before itreaches Pampa in the foothills of Sabarimala on December 25 forenoon.
barimala in 1973. The Anki iscarried to Sabarimala in a ceremonial procession for theMandalapuja, every year,since then. According to TDB
Mandalapuja at Sabarimala on Dec. 26‘Thanka Anki’procession to startfrom Aranmula onFriday
Special Correspondent
PATHANAMTHITTA
A scene from Sabarimala temple on Sunday morning.
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NOIDA/DELHI THE HINDU
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CMYK
A ND-NDE
NATION
‘Chintan Shivir’ a success,claims KhattarCHANDIGARH
Haryana Chief Minister
Manohar Lal Khattar on
Sunday said the first ‘Chintan
Shivir’ organised by the State
government was an
“unprecedented success” .
Mr. Khattar said all senior
officers of the government
would now work together as
a team to ensure that
benefits of development
reaches the last person in the
queue. PTI
IN BRIEF
Wanted man held afterencounter: U.P. policeLucknow
A wanted criminal carrying a
reward of �10,000 was
arrested on Sunday by the
police after an encounter in
Bareilly district, the police
said here. Identified as Anty,
the man was wanted in a
number of cases and was
arrested after an encounter
near Sethan road in the
Nawabganj area, they said. PTI
Students of power deficitareas to get solar lamps LAKHIMPUR KHERI (U.P.)
The Union Ministry of New
and Renewable Energy is
likely to distribute over 34
lakh solar lamps to school
children in power deficit
districts of Uttar Pradesh
from December 22. The Solar
Urja through Localisation for
Sustainability (SoULS) project
in association with the Indian
Institute of Technology,
Bombay, was started on
September 19. PTI
RJD supporters playing traditional instruments during the Shahid Jagdev Rajnitik Jagrukta Sammelan in Patna on Sunday. * PTI
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A mass leader remembered
The manelephant con�icthas assumed alarming proportions in Assam this year,raising the hackles of conservationists and compellingthe State government to takeinitiatives to resolve theissue.
Altogether 70 elephantshave died this year and causes vary from train accidentsto poisoning and electrocution, according to the forestdepartment.
Unnatural deaths accountfor 48 jumbo lives thoughconservationists claim the �gure may go up to 70 if transboundary fatalities are takeninto account. Injured elephants often stray intoneighbouring States andeven to Bhutan and
Bangladesh.A total of 48 people have
been trampled to death byelephants till November thisyear, a forest department estimate revealed.
The human casualtiesmostly occur during the dryseason when the animalsmove out of their habitat in
search of food and water.Assam Chief Minister Sar
bananda Sonowal has voicedconcern over the recent incident of a train mowing down�ve elephants in Sonitpurdistrict, and directed the forest department to take concrete measures to solve thecrisis.
The recent rise in numberof elephant deaths is a matter of serious concern, theCM said. More jumbos arebeing seen moving out oftheir habitats to shift to newareas, he added.
Initiatives taken
Forest Minister Pramila RaniBrahma pointed out that herdepartment has taken certain initiatives to resolve themanelephant con�ict,which has a seen a rise in recent years due to growth inhuman population, encroachment of forest areasand deviation of elephantroutes.
The forest departmenthas set up control rooms atits divisional o�ces to monitor the situation and antidepredation squads have been
set up in each division todeal with the problem.
The department alongwith North East FrontierRailways has organisedawareness workshops fortrain drivers to help themtackle a situation arising outof elephant movement nearrailway tracks.
“The department will involve the local youths as volunteers to resolve the issueof manelephant con�ict,”she said.
Forest o�cials have alsoappealed to the public to report about elephant movement in human habitats,near railway tracks or looseelectric wires, at the nearestforest o�ce, police station,circle o�ce, electricity department and nearest railway station.
Manjumbo con�ict keeps foresters on toes70 elephants have died in Assam this year; causes vary from train accidents, poisoning to electrocution
Press Trust of India
Guwahati
Boundaries transgressed: Villagers watching the bodies oftwo elephants which were killed by a speeding train on theoutskirts of Guwahati last month. * FILE PHOTO: RITU RAJ KONWAR
Disillusioned with the CPI(Maoist) ideology, two Naxalites surrendered theirarms before the Angul Superintendent of Police onSunday.
The two Maoist, identi�ed as Khusbu Jarai andSukuram Purty, weremembers of the SambalpurDeogarhSundargarhdivision of the CPI(Maoist)led by Lal Chand Hembramalias Anmol. The two, whowere active for �ve years,had undergone arms training in the organisation.
Police sources said thetwo Naxalites had �rstjoined the cultural wing ofthe outlawed organisationand subsequently theywere admitted in unitswhich had carried out attacks on public property.
Two Naxalitessurrender inOdisha
Staff Reporter
BHUBANESWAR
IED found in Manipur’sImphal West districtIMPHAL
An improvised explosive
device (IED) was recovered by
the police from a village in
Imphal West district on
Sunday. The local people
found the IED at a spot near
Konthoujam and Lainam
village under the Patsoi
police station, a police officer
said. PTI
Weather WatchRainfall, temperature & air quality in select metros yesterday
Temperature Data: IMD, Pollution Data: AQICN, Map: Skymet (Taken at 17.00Hrs)
Forecast for Monday: Dense fog likely at isolated places overAssam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Tripura, Mizoram, UttarPradesh, Bihar and SubHimalayan West Bengal. Cold wave conditions likely at isolated places over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. Ground frost likely atisolated places over Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh andUttarakhand.
city rain max min city rain max min
Agartala.................. -.... 25.6.... 14.6 Kozhikode ................ -.... 34.4.... 23.2
Ahmedabad............. -.... 26.4.... 17.6 Kurnool .................... -.... 31.1.... 19.0
Aizawl .................... -.... 24.6.... 11.0 Lucknow................... -.... 24.3...... 6.6
Allahabad ............... -.... 26.3.... 10.8 Madurai.................... -.... 30.2.... 22.1
Bengaluru ............... -.... 26.7.... 17.0 Mangaluru................ -.... 34.3.... 21.5
Bhopal.................... -.... 21.8.... 12.8 Mumbai.................... -.... 32.6.... 19.0
Bhubaneswar .......... -.... 30.8.... 16.2 Mysuru..................... -.... 28.0.... 16.8
Chandigarh ............. -.... 15.4...... 7.0 New Delhi ................ -.... 19.1...... 7.4
Chennai .................. -.... 30.1.... 25.0 Patna ....................... -.... 26.2.... 10.1
Coimbatore............. -.... 30.1.... 19.4 Port Blair ................. -.... 30.0.... 21.8
Dehradun................ -.... 22.3...... 6.0 Puducherry............... -.... 30.3.... 20.9
Gangtok.................. -.... 15.0...... 8.2 Pune ........................ -.... 30.1.... 13.5
Goa ........................ -.... 34.0.... 23.0 Raipur ...................... -.... 31.1.... 18.0
Guwahati ................ -.... 23.4.... 15.1 Ranchi...................... -.... 24.2.... 11.2
Hubballi.................. -.... 28.0.... 18.0 Shillong.................... -.... 16.1...... 5.9
Hyderabad .............. -.... 29.3.... 15.5 Shimla...................... -.... 15.9...... 6.7
Imphal.................... -.... 22.0...... 9.0 Srinagar ................... -.... 11.2.....-3.7
Jaipur ..................... -.... 22.5...... 8.0 Trivandrum .............. -.... 33.6.... 22.5
Kochi...................... -.... 33.0.... 24.8 Tiruchi ..................... -.... 31.1.... 22.4
Kohima................... -.... 16.8...... 7.4 Vijayawada ............... -.... 31.3.... 18.8
Kolkata................... -.... 27.0.... 14.5 Visakhapatnam .......... -.... 33.2.... 20.4
Pollutants in the air you are breathing Yesterday
CITIES SO2 NO2 COPM2.5PM10CODE
In observations made at 4 p.m.,Muzaffarpur recordedan air quality index (AQI)score of 210, indicatinghigh levels of pollutantsin the air. In contrast,Durgapur recorded a relativelyhealthy AQI score of 65.
Ahmedabad....... ...- ....- ..- ...... - ......-......-
Bengaluru ......... ..1..11..9 ....94 ......- ....*
Chennai ............ ..2....810 ..151 ......- ....*
Delhi................. ...- ..19 ..- ..183 ......- ....*
Hyderabad ........ ...- ....- ..- ..127 ......- ....*
Kolkata ............. ...- ....- ..- ..159 ......- ....*
Lucknow ........... ..4..2012 ..182 ......- ....*
Mumbai ............ ...- ....- ..- ..156 ......- ....*
Pune ................. ...-10239 ..176 .116 ....*
Vishakhapatnam ..7..1810 ..152 ...77 ....*
Air Quality Code: * Poor * Moderate * Good (Readings indicate average AQI)
SO2: Sulphur Dioxide. Short-term exposure can harm the respiratory system,
making breathing difficult. It can affect visibility by reacting with other air
particles to form haze and stain culturally important objects such as statues
and monuments.
NO2: Nitrogen Dioxide. Aggravates respiratory illness, causes haze to form by
reacting with other air particles, causes acid rain, pollutes coastal waters.
CO: Carbon monoxide. High concentration in air reduces oxygen supply to
critical organs like the heart and brain. At very high levels, it can cause
dizziness, confusion, unconsciousness and even death.
PM2.5 & PM10: Particulate matter pollution can cause irritation of the eyes,
nose and throat, coughing, chest tightness and shortness of breath, reduced
lung function, irregular heartbeat, asthma attacks, heart attacks and
premature death in people with heart or lung disease
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The Indian Air Force’s 45yearold, reliable, mediumlift Mi8 attack and utility helicopter, symbolically �ew forthe last time on Sunday andvanished into the dusk.
Amid applause from thegathered personnel, whohad �own the iconic craft,the military grey machineslowly lifted into the Bengaluru skies in a swan song, itslong rotors whirring as it literally melded into the
orange sunset. Over 100 veteran and service personnel,who cut their teeth in the IAFon the helicopter, had gathered at the Air Force Station,Yelahanka, on the city’s outskirts. They recalled withpride and nostalgia the decommissioned warhorse ofwars and disasters.
Chief ’s farewell
Former IAF chief, Air ChiefMarshal (retd) Fali H. Major,did the last �ying honoursalong with the CO 112HU (hel
icopter unit), recalling laterthat his career was builtaround the aircraft. Threemore Mi8s joined him in aformation and �ew for a fewminutes before they took thebow.
Air Marshal S.R.K. Nair,Air O�cer CommandinginChief, Training Command,said the 107 helicopters thathave been phased out wouldbe used for static educationalpurposes at various institutions.
Air Marshal Nair said the
IAF has replaced the Mi8with new inductions in thesame category such as theMi17, Mi1v and more recently the Miv5.
He recalled that the Mi8helicopters were part of Operation Meghdoot of 1989 in
the Siachen Glacier and Operation Pawan in Sri Lanka.The craft operated extensively in humanitarian, rescueand disaster relief operationsacross the country, includingduring the devastating 2015Chennai �oods of 2015, apartfrom ferrying many VIPs andVVIPs.
Air Marshal Jasjit SinghKler, Commandant of the National Defence Academy andthe senior most Mi8 pilot,and other Mi8 veteranspulled the craft some dis
formally inducted the nextyear. Between then and1988, the Air Force inducted107 of them, operating themacross 10 helicopter unitsand used them in various operations for 45 years. The AirForce said, “Through its glorious service career, the Mi8did not just establish itself asa mainstay of the helicopteroperations but also left an indelible mark on the future byproviding the IAF with a lineage of professional helicopter aircrew.”
tance ceremonially to itsrest.
The IAF described theMi8 as the backbone of itsmedium lift combat capability and that it was an idealplatform for graduation ofair crew. The 112 HelicopterUnit based at Yelahanka isthe last unit to operate it. Theunit has the record of graduating 119 pilot courses, 89�ight engineering coursesand 57 �ight gunner courses.
The Russianmade Mi8entered India in 1971. It was
IAF’s Mi8 chopper �ies into historyAfter 45 years in service, veterans bid a hero’s farewell to the force’s mainstay in combat and relief operations
Special Correspondent
Bengaluru
Bidding goodbye: (Top) Mi8 helicopters �y in formation for the �nal time over the Air Force Station at Yelahanka in Bengaluru on Sunday, and, above, Air Force personnel at the farewell function. * SUDHAKARA JAIN
<> The Mi-8 left an
indelible mark on
the future by
providing the IAF
with professional
aircrew
Air FORCE
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THE HINDU NOIDA/DELHI
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CMYK
A ND-NDE
NATION
Anybody living in India is Hindu, says RSS chief AGARTALA
Anybody living in India is a
Hindu, RSS chief Mohan
Bhagwat has said, asserting
that the meaning of Hindutva
is to unite all communities.
Hindutva is different from
Hinduism, he told a public
function at the Swami
Vivekananda Maidan here on
Sunday. “The Muslims in India
are also Hindus,” he said. PTI
IN BRIEF
Jharkhand police arrest Kobad Ghandy BOKARO
CPI (Maoist) leader Kobad
Ghandy was arrested in
Hyderabad by a team of the
Jharkhand police in
connection with two Maoist
violence cases, the police said
on Sunday. One of the cases
was registered at the Bokaro
Thermal Power station and
the other at Nawadih in
mid2000. Ghandy was the
alleged mastermind in both
the cases. PTI
Denied visa, Punjabwoman commits suicide CHANDIGARH
Denied a visa to travel
abroad, a 21yearold woman
committed suicide by setting
herself on fire in her village
near Amritsar, the police said
on Sunday. Pooranpreet Kaur,
according to her family, was
depressed after her visa
was rejected. She had
cleared the International
English Language Testing
System examination and
had applied for a visa to go
abroad. IANS
An electricity board worker installs a new line in Allahabad on Sunday for the upcoming Magh Mela. * PTI
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Tightrope walk
Support for Vikas Sachdeva,the 39yearold entertainment executive who allegedly molested a 17year old actor on board aDelhiMumbai �ight last Saturday, has been growing onsocial media, even as hisneighbours have launched asignature campaign.
Pages like ‘Justice for Vikas Sachdeva’ have surfacedon Facebook and Twitter,with users, who know Mr.Sachdeva personally, and also those who have been following the case, otherwise,posting statuses and tweetsin support.
“I am Vikas Sachdeva’sneighbour and I haveknown him for the last �veyears. He is a very nice person, always friendly and very helpful to all. He has always shown respect towomen and it is impossiblethat he can molest anyone. Ihave faith in the judicial system and expect justice forthis innocent man,” Bhavna
Singh said on the ‘Justice forVikas Sachdeva’ page.
Users have also slammedthe police for charging Mr.Sachdeva under Section 8 ofthe POCSO Act which is forsexual assault on a minor. ATwitter user said, “What isthis su�cient evidence? Asel�e video of the actresscrying? Vikas Sachdeva’sfoot did not even move inthat entire video. Just because she is crying, you �leda POCSO case against aperson?”
A signature campaign initiated by residents of Yarrow Building at Nahar AmritShakti, Chandivali, whereMr. Sachdeva resides, lastweek saw more than 200people signing up and demanding justice for the professional. The signatureswill be handed over to authorities.
Mr. Sachdeva’s wife Divyasaid, “ A common man cannot be exploited this way. Iam very obliged and thankful to all those who havebeen supporting us.”
Support pours in for‘molestation’ accusedNeighbours launch signature campaign
Madhuvanti Srinivasan
Mumbai
Going hightech in its bid tocurb a dengue outbreak inthe city, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC)has now turned to drones.The civic body is planningto use drones to identifybreeding grounds of Aedesaegypti mosquitoes.
About 40 people havedied due to dengue in WestBengal till November.
Di�cult to access
According to KMC o�cialsthe focus of “drone surveillance” will be mainly rooftops of multistorey buildings including those underconstruction as well asbridges and �yovers.
“Our o�cials are oftenprevented by security personnel of multistoreyedbuildings from entering thepremises to identify placeswith stagnated waters. Underconstruction �yoversare also di�cult to access.So we are planning to usedrones to identify such
breeding grounds of mosquitoes,” Mayor in Council(Health) of KMC Atin Ghoshtold The Hindu.
He also said that if stagnated water is spotted inany building premises, theKMC will �rst issue a noticeto the owners to remove it.“If the owners do not takenecessary steps in due timewe will initiate legal measures against them,” saidMr. Ghosh.
KMC authorities are yetto decide on how manydrones will be required forthe purpose and whichareas to focus on. Theyconducted a trial run onThursday on the southernfringes of the city.
Kolkata plans to deploydrones to �ght dengueTo identify mosquito breeding grounds
Staff Reporter
Kolkata
A drone that will be used bythe Kolkata Corporation.
With just four employees,the sole Braille press in Odisha, situated in Berhampur, has not been able toprint textbooks for ClassVIII students since 2016. Asa result, visually impairedstudents in more than 60schools in the State are suffering.
Principal of the ‘RedCross School for the Blind’in Berhampur, NabinChandra Satpathy saidtheir students had to toilmore because Braillebooks were not available.“We could manage to getthe English textbookstyped in Braille by a socialorganisation in Bhubaneswar. But for other textbooks that are in Odia, students were asked to writethem down in Braille,” saidMr. Satpathy.
Manager of the Braillepress, Prakash NarayanRath, said a few more personnel would help in printing more textbooks ontime.
OdishaBraille pressfails students
Staff Reporter
BERHAMPUR
Hospitals have to set up approval committees for considering cases of passive euthanasia, and any distortion offacts before such panels maylead to a maximum of 10years in jail and a �ne of upto �1 crore, a redrafted billstates.
The panels will decide onapplications of ‘living will’, awritten document that allows patients to explicitlystate their desire against lifeprolonging measures whenrecovery is not possible froma terminal condition.
The “Management of Patients with Terminal IllnessWithdrawal of Medical LifeSupport Bill” states that allsuperspeciality hospitalsshould have approval committees on passive euthanasia which will decide on theapplications for the execution of a ‘living will’. “It alsocalls for imprisonment of 510 years and a �ne of �20
lakh to �1 crore in case ofmisrepresentation of facts orplacing forged documentsbefore the approval committees,” provisions of the redrafted bill state.
‘No active euthanasia’
A senior Health Ministry o�cial clari�ed that the redrafted bill did not encourage active euthanasia. “Allprovisions of the bill onlysupport passive euthanasia.Passive euthanasia involvesgiving the right to patients towithhold medical treatment
or life support system in theface of an irreversible terminal illness, while active euthanasia is the acceleration ofdeath using injections oroverdose of drugs,” he said.
The bill provided for palliative care which meantwhile the medication ormedical care would be withdrawn, the family or the hospital sta� would continue totake care of the patients interms of providing nursingcare to give relief from pain,physical stress and maintaining cleanliness amongothers, the o�cialexplained.
The redrafted bill termsdeath from passive euthanasia a ‘natural death’. It alsohas provisions for the protection of competent patients (those who can takedecisions on their futuretreatment), medical practitioners and care givers, whowill not be considered guiltyfor the act of passive euthanasia.
‘Jail, �ne for distorting factsin passive euthanasia cases’Hospitals must set up approval committees: redrafted bill
Press Trust of India
New Delhi
The bill provides forpalliative care to patients.
* GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO
The son of a former BJPMLA was shot dead close tothe Uttar Pradesh legislaturecomplex late on Saturdaynight. The issue is likely torock the State Assembly andthe Legislative Council onMonday.
Speaker Hriday NarainDixit said if members were
bent upon derailing the listed business, stopping thelive telecast during the pandemonium may beconsidered.
Vaibhav Tiwari, 36, son offormer Domariyaganj MLAPrem Prakash Tiwari, wasallegedly shot at from pointblank range barely 300metres from the U.P. legislature building, police said.
Son of former BJPMLA shot dead in U.P.Press Trust of India
Lucknow
Charges and countercharges �ew thick and fast at themeeting organised by Special O�cer Vikram Batra totake stock of the situationprevailing in the R.K. Nagarconstituency, the bypoll forwhich is scheduled on December 21. And politicalparties not only traded allegations at the meeting butalso targeted the police andpoll o�cials for various actsof omission andcommission.
At the meeting, the rulingAIADMK was representedby Deputy Speaker of theLok Sabha M. Thambi Durai, Fisheries Minister D.Jayakumar and P.H. ManojPandian. Talking to reporters after the meeting, Mr.Thambi Durai rejected allegations that his partymenwere involved in distributing money and claimed
some persons were trying topose as AIADMK functionaries and were distributingmoney. As for demands bysome parties to call o� thebypoll, he claimed such demands were being made only by those who were afraidof losing. On the allegationthat money was distributedin AIADMK party functionary Balaganga’s residence,Mr. Thambi Durai sought tobrush aside the allegationand said Mr. Balaganga’shouse was in Egmore andnot in Dr. RadhakrishnanNagar.
DMK, the main opposition party, called for debarring candidates who distributed money to voters.Party’s working presidentand Leader of the Opposition M.K. Stalin along withformer Minister Durai Murugan and Organising Secretary R.S. Bharathi represented the party.
Parties tradecharges at EC meetSpecial Correspondent
CHENNAI
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CMYK
A ND-NDE
EDITORIAL
Carlo Pizzati
Today’s socalled crisis of globalisation is nothing morethan a new variable of the
old battle between protectionismand free trade. On the one hand itis the tribalists while on the otherit is the globalists. On one sidethere are the antiAmazon, proretailers, losers of a global challenge,while on the other, there are theproAmazon, ecommercewinners.
Nothing more, really. The opening of trade walls has acceleratedindustrial evolution in such a waythat workers have had to learn toadapt to almost every generation.The di�erence, today, is that theevolution didn’t happen within alifetime, but a few times withinthat lifetime. This is why the Indian farmer, who initially movedto the city to work in a call centre,had to reinvent himself as an Uberdriver and is now worried about
driverless cars — all within onelifetime.
Cause of discontentTechnological innovations arewhat accelerate the rhythm ofchange. The medium is the message all over again. It is the transformation of technology that affects society, not whatever thattechnology delivers (news, electricity, TV series). And this is whyin the United States and the UnitedKingdom and in some parts of Europe, so many 50somethings, unemployed, disgruntled voters whofound it hard to reinvent themselves ended up voting for someone who promised to bring backan impossible past — a greaterAmerica, a more British Britain,whatever that may mean.
Up until 20 to 30 years ago, youcould reach your pension age before a new radical evolution in thejob market, which created its winners and losers. Today, the challenge is that evolutionary shiftshappen not just once before reaching pensionable age, but often.
This is what causes globalisation’s discontent. Blue collar workers from the midWest cannotmove to Silicon Valley; it’s a totally
di�erent skill set, and only few canmanage it.
A sort of revengeU.S. President Donald Trump’sand Brexit’s victories can be seenas a sort of “revenge of the losers”.The victims of the system described above decided to vote forsomeone who promised to protectthem. Ludicrous. And, in fact, little has been done by Mr. Trump orBritish Prime Minister TheresaMay to help those workers. And little is being done. Their standardsof living have not improved. Orhave certainly not returned to previous levels. Nor is there any policy in motion indicating that theprevious levels will return.
There won’t be any promisedreturn to the past. Which doesn’t
mean the economy will not thrive.It just won’t bring back the sameold jobs to the unskilled.
For example, the latest U.S. taxreform promises to lower corporate taxes, rehashing the ancientmyth job, the “trickle down” theory, will not impact the lower middle classes who voted for Mr.Trump. At the dangerous cost ofincreasing the de�cit and widening the hole, Mr. Trump is lowering too high corporate taxes tobring them down to Europeanlevels.
It would seem to make senseeven though the impact on totaltaxation will be marginal. Lowering tax on capital may increasewages for those skilled workerswhose productivity will be positively a�ected by increased demand for capital intensive work,but while engineers might see anincrease in their wages, the unskilled won’t bene�t directly fromit.
In other words, instead of �ghting the ills of globalisation, Mr.Trump has found a way to economically hit the coastal electorate who mocked and railedagainst him — the Hillary Clintonvoters. By lowering the maximal
for family deductions and real estate taxes, he has hit those middleto upper middle classes in the eastand west coasts who hate him.They are the ones who will not bene�t from this reform. This is whathe’ll obtain with this tax reform.Brilliant from his point of view because the reform dips into thepockets of people who never haveand never will vote for him.
How will this impact free tradeglobally? U.S. manufacturing isdown to 11.7% of U.S. GDP (2016),while farming agriculture is only1% (2015). America produces services such as Amazon, Google andFacebook; these are the richestcorporations. Their expansion isthriving globally. And so is the expansion of other multinationalcorporations.
Even though the discontent ofglobalisation is a leftover of the crisis of 2008, today we don’t seethat it will really impact globalisation seriously. At least, so far, wedon’t see the results of this desireto raise barriers. Globalisation ishere to stay.
Carlo Pizzati is an author and professor of
communication theory
The crisis of globalisationEven as leaders tap into discontent, there won’t be any promised return to the past
GE
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more letters online:
www.hindu.com/opinion/letters/
corrections & clarifications:
The Science & Technology page article headlined “One gene totackle all stresses” (Dec. 17,2017) erroneously said that SudhirSopory of Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, had done pioneering work on proteins in plants. Actually, Sudhir Sopory is fromJawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi.
In the article titled ‘The German behind the Bombay TalkiesCamera’ (Sunday Magazine, Dec. 17, 2017) the fourth paragraphneeds to be recast to read as follows: “This unique German collaboration with the rising Indian �lm industry is explored in an exhibition titled A Cinematic Imagination: Joseph Wirsching and theBombay Talkies that’s on at Serendipity Arts Festival, in collaboration with the Alkazi Foundation for the Arts in Goa now. Featuring130 prints being showcased for the �rst time, the exhibition is cocurated with author/scholar Debashree Mukherjee, with scenography by Sudeep Chaudhuri, and enabled by none other than theJosef Wirsching estate and family based in the city.”
It is the policy of The Hindu to correct signi�cant errors as soon as possible. Please specify
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Nepal has been in distress fortwo decades, since the startof the Maoist war in early
1996, through royal autocracy, palace massacre, earthquake, foreign interference and communalpolarisation. Finally, in a secondtry, the new Constitution was promulgated by the Constituent Assembly in September 2015. Thelast roadblock to its implementation was overcome with a series oflocal, provincial and national elections over the summerwinter of2017.
The parliamentary elections ofNovember 26December 7 endedthe 70year tradition of the NepaliCongress (NC) setting the politicalagenda in power or in dissidence.The Left alliance of the mainstream Communist Party of Nepal(Uni�ed MarxistLeninist), orUML, and the Maoists have made aclean sweep to be able to form governments at the Centre and allbut one of the seven brand newprovinces. (The elected MP votecount for the �ve ‘national parties’came to 80UML, 36Maoist, 23NC, 11Rashtriya Janata Party and10Federal Socialist Forum.)
Constitutional con�denceWhile this weakening of opposition is cause for concern, Nepal �nally seems set for a stable government with longevity beyond ayear. To begin with, Nepal’s adherence to republicanism, federalism and its own brand of secularism are now set in stone, whileearlier there was the fear of backsliding. The placement of electedrepresentatives in three tiers fromlocal, provincial to national — including in the restive Tarai plains— means there is now buyin forthe Constitution from all politicalstakeholders.
New Delhi’s overt show of displeasure regarding the constitu
tional promulgation too has beenovercome through sheer nationalpublic will. The citizenry feels empowered for having participated ineach key episode of the last decade, including the People’s Movement of 2006, blocking attemptsat communal arson, and overcoming the �vemonth blockade of201516.
The new Constitution marks aninnovation in the South Asianlandscape, with devolution of �scal, legislative, executive and other powers not to two but three tier‘sarkars’.
Besides the national Parliament, the Constitution has empowered representative governmentin the seven provinces, 17 cities,276 towns and 460 village municipalities. Emerging from a historyof Kathmanducentrism and twodecades without elected local government, today an entire superstructure of representation is inplace. Says the constitutionalist Nilamber Acharya: “A system of democratic �ltering is in place, andthere is excitement among the people to experiment with this newsystem.”
Deuba’s debacleWhile the caretaker Prime Minister, Sher Bahadur Deuba, deservesall credit for guiding societythrough the maze of elections, hedid run a lacklustre campaign andwill not be thanked for the debilitation of the country’s premier democratic party. While NC votersremained loyal, the Maoist swingvote and the romantic call of ‘Leftunity’ made all the di�erence.
During the Dashain holidays,
the UML sprang a surprise, enticing Maoist Chair Pushpa KamalDahal (‘Prachanda’) away from theCongress with the promise of 6040% share of seats in the provincial/national elections of NovemberDecember. This was a godsendfor the Maoist party in decline. Mr.Deuba’s poor oratory could notstand against the UML’s �rebrandKhadga Prasad Oli, who rode thenationalist plank against the vividbackdrop of the blockade. Mr.Deuba’s dire warnings that thecommunists would foist totalitarianism lacked credibility becauseof his own earlier embrace of Mr.Dahal.
Oli’s momentAll eyes are now on Mr. Oli, havingemerged as paramount leaderwith both electoral and populistpower. Under the new rules, a nocon�dence motion against a newgovernment cannot be brought fortwo years, and it is likely that hewill get to complete a full �veyearterm. This situation has been unavailable to any of his predecessors in the entire modern era.
The new Prime Minister’s biggest success will be to ‘neutralise’the Maoist party — through powersharing or uni�cation — and Mr.Dahal may be agreeable as hismain worry of late has been tokeep the cadre placated. In hisprevious stint as Prime Minister,Mr. Oli had almost brought thetransitional justice process to asuccessful closure, including accountability for con�ictera excesses. The peace process will notbe complete till this is done, andMr. Oli’s staying the course will en
sure longterm peace and represent a victory for liberaldemocracy.
Beyond the Maoists, Mr. Oli willhave to build a working relationship not only with the NC but alsothe plainsbased parties withwhom he has been combative. Democratic stability would, ipso fac-to, release longpending economicenergy for which the new PrimeMinister will have to �ght ratherthan join the crony capitalists whohave entrapped the political economy during the decade of “political transition”.
The economy has to start galloping, creating jobs for the youngworkforce, including the millionsin of job migrants in West Asia, Malaysia and India likely to returndue to pushes and pulls beyondNepal’s control. This requiresmovement on infrastructure projects, agroforestry, tourism, service industries and irrigated agriculture in the Tarai plains.
The new Prime Minister willneed to mend fences with NewDelhi, energised by the strength ofhis electoral mandate. Based onthe set of agreements signed inBeijing during his earlier stint atSingha Durbar, Mr. Oli is expectedto accelerate connectivity to thenorth, utilising the Chinese railway network that has arrived onthe Tibetan plateau.
Kathmandu does not yet fullyunderstand Beijing’s supercharged geopolitical agenda, but acon�dent Mr. Oli can be expectedto seek a respectful rather than obsequious relationship. As the commentator Jainendra Jeevan wrotelast week, “We don’t want another‘India’ across the northernborder.”
Nepal having become a feebleinternational player due to autocracy, con�ict and transition, Mr.Oli has an opportunity to bring international respectability back to alevel not seen since the time of B.P.Koirala in the 1950s. Insecuritieshaving been dealt with, the con�dence of the new republic will alsobe seen in shifting the o�ce andresidence of the President of Nepal from Shital Niwas to the former Narayanhiti Royal Palace.
The ride to democratic stability
is bound to be bumpy, not least because the Constitution — writtenby politicians rather than juristsand constitutionalists — is so ‘magnanimous’ that it will be a challenge to implement. Hundreds oflaws need drafting, the grey areasin the interrelationships betweenthe three levels of governmenthave to be clari�ed.
The concurrent list detailing therights and responsibilities of nottwo but three tiers makes Nepal’sexperiment unique. Already, onecan sense reluctance among thetopmost leadership and bureaucracy to devolve power to local government as mandated by theConstitution. The newly institutedConstitutional Bench of the Supreme Court will need to gear upto tackle the deluge.
There are enough triggers outthere for social discontent toerupt. The pro�igacy of the lastdecade of “consensus governance” has emptied the nationalco�ers even as expenditure is setto rise to meet the needs of localand provincial administration.The postearthquake reconstruction of households, infrastructureand heritage structures has yet togather steam.
There is a sharp di�erence inthe economic status of the sevenfederal units, with Province No. 1(in the East) and No. 3 (includingKathmandu Valley) the best placedin the GDP and human development indices. An equalisation protocol is the need of the hour.
The power devolved to provincial and local government is liableto expose the population to mistreatment, from economic crimesto human rights abuse. Civil liberty forums therefore must rise tothe occasion in all seven provinces, to watchdog all tiers. A societyheading out into uncharted watersamid economic, political and geopolitical challenges is asked to implement the democratic, inclusiveand social justiceoriented idealsthat are to be found in the Constitution of Nepal (2015).
Kanak Mani Dixit, a writer and journalist
based in Kathmandu, is founding editor of
the magazine, ‘Himal Southasian’
High road to democratic stabilityWith civic watchdogging, Nepal, with its new Constitution, can turn history on its head
Kanak Mani Dixit
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DisappointingIf the exit polls aboutelection results in Gujaratand Himachal Pradesh turnout to be anywhere nearright, the greatest threat tothe Indian polity today willnot be the usualaccusations of corruption,communalism, dynasticismand criminality in politics,that are routinely tradedbetween parties duringelection seasons, but thatthe country is steadilydrifting towards a singleparty “democracy”. In sucha situation, one would haveexpected Congresspresident Rahul Gandhi todelineate a new vision forhis party, state its stand onvarious economicrelatedissues, and also describehow he proposes to bringthe party out of the morassof negative publicperceptions that it is
currently stuck in.Unfortunately, his inauguralspeech can at best beconsidered as only anexercise in morale boostingof party cadres. In publicperception, it will be seenas one more instance of theCongress’s inability to growout of Modibashing andBJPbashing even at acritical juncture.A. Ramachandran,
Palakkad
A case for persuasionSome sections of theminority community couldbe bitter about the severepenal punishment beingproposed by theGovernment for those whoresort to instant triple talaq(“Cabinet nod for makinginstant triple talaq acrime”, December 16). It isbeyond one’scomprehension as to how a
civil action like divorce canbe construed to be a crime.The protagonists of tripletalaq are now defending thepractice more out of a fearthat submitting to thedictates of the SupremeCourt and the Governmentwould open the �oodgatesfor more such reforms,which would underminetheir existence as a securedunit. The apprehensionsare more due to the factthat the issue is beingspearheaded by a partywith a rightwing slant.Some happenings may notgive the community thecon�dence that it is living ina safe environment. TheCentre should allay theapprehensions of thecommunity by educating it,through moderates, on theevil e�ects of triple talaqrather than resort to severepunishment to achieve the
goal. As seen many a time,punishment never detersthe observance of ageoldpractices beyond a point.Only persuasion backed bylegislation will achieveresults. V. Subramanian,
Chennai
Dear MadamIt is shocking that Mr.Mathrubootham will not bewriting letters for the nexttwo weeks as he appears tohave been censored by Mrs.Mathrubootham — “notwrite useless letters”(‘Magazine’, “Letter from aConcerned Reader” –“Merry Christmas!”,December 17). CelebratingChristmas is a family a�air,but how can anyone, even aspouse, interfere with thefreedom of expression?Dear Madam, we respectyour feelings and emotions
Mathrubootham, so that wecan get some very usefulinformation.Rochit Rajendran,
Visakhapatnam
towards family andChristmas. But we request you tokindly provide a little spaceand freedom along with lotsof nonvegetarian dishes toour beloved Mr.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to [email protected] must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
Scientists have announced the discovery of two
new exoplanets, Kepler90i and Kepler80g. Exo
planets, or planets outside our solar system, are
routinely being discovered, with the number of those
that have already been found now standing at 3,567. But
this announcement by the National Aeronautics and
Space Administration (NASA) of the U.S. is particularly
signi�cant. First, with the discovery of the planet Ke
pler 90i, orbiting the star Kepler 90, we now know of
another star besides the Sun that has eight planets or
biting it. Second, Christopher Shallue, a software engi
neer at Google, and Andrew Vanderburg, of the Univer
sity of Texas, Austin, have discovered it using a deep
learning neural network — an arti�cial intelligence tool
that mimics the workings of a human brain. They
“trained” their computer to analyse light readings
made by NASA’s Kepler Space Telescope, which are ar
chived and made available for anyone to use. During its
mission from 2009 to 2013, the Kepler Space Telescope
surveyed nearly 200,000 stars, with 35,000 possible
planet signals. The duo’s network was made to learn to
identify true signals using 15,000 previously vetted sig
nals. They then studied the weaker signals recorded
from 670 star systems that had multiple known planets
orbiting them, �nally coming up with this discovery.
The network also identi�ed another Earthsized exopla
net, Kepler 80g, orbiting the star Kepler 80. This is a ve
ry stable system in which Kepler 80g and four of its
neighbours are locked together in a socalled resonant
chain.
Deep learning and neural networks have been used
in other applications successfully, as in the AlphaGo AI
player of the Go game. This is not also the �rst time that
automation has been used in identifying exoplanets. Af
ter the initial years of their discovery, when the number
of known exoplanets grew, the need for automating the
initial vetting process became clear. The preprint of the
ShallueVanderburg’s paper, to be published in
The Astronomical Journal, mentions the Robotvetter
program, the �rst attempt at automating the process of
rejecting false positives in the signal. The preprint de
scribes the careful process of doing away with the false
positives and systemic blips before coming up with the
true signals — in this case, the two signals correspond
ing to Kepler 90i and Kepler 80g. It also indicates the
caveats and failure modes in the model where it needs
to be improved before it can be used to function inde
pendently. Here, then, is the takeaway — good science
not only solves problems but also can take a hard look
at itself, at where and how it can improve. This is a leap
for humankind, a measured leap.
A measured leapThe amazing story of the discovery
of a planetary system
The Centre’s proposal to make instant triple talaq
an o�ence punishable with threeyear imprison
ment and a �ne is an unnecessary attempt to con
vert a civil wrong into a criminal act. By a threetwo ma
jority, the Supreme Court has already declared, and
correctly, that the practice of talaqebiddat, or instant
divorce of a Muslim woman by uttering the word ‘talaq’
thrice, is illegal and unenforceable. While two judges in
the majority said the practice was arbitrary and, there
fore, unconstitutional, the third judge ruled that it was
illegal because it was contrary to Islamic tenets. Its con
sequence is that the husband’s marital obligations re
main, regardless of his intention in pronouncing it.
When Parliament enacts a law to give e�ect to the jud
icial invalidation of talaqebiddat, it must primarily en
sure protection to Muslim women against its use. Alth
ough the details are not yet available, the proposed
Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill,
2017, appears to have provisions for maintenance or
subsistence allowance to the wife and children in the
event of triple talaq being pronounced. It seeks to pre
serve the woman’s entitlement to custody of her chil
dren. While these are welcome and necessary features
of a law aimed to protect the rights of Muslim women
against arbitrary divorce, it hardly requires iteration
that the civil character of these aspects of marital law
must be preserved.
Instant triple talaq is viewed as sinful and improper
by a large section of the community itself. Therefore,
there can be no dispute about the need to protect Mus
lim women against the practice. But it is also well esta
blished that criminalising something does not have any
deterrent e�ect on its practice. That there have been 66
cases of its use after the Supreme Court verdict only un
derscores the need for protecting women against deser
tion and abandonment, but is it justi�ed to send some
one to jail? Also, the �ne amount under consideration
could as well be awarded as maintenance or subsis
tence allowance. The AllIndia MajliseIttehadulMusli
meen president, Asaduddin Owaisi, has argued in a let
ter to the Union Law Minister that there is no need for a
fresh criminal provision when existing laws, under Sec
tion 498A of the Indian Penal Code or provisions of the
Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act,
2005, already allow the prosecution of a husband for in
�icting physical or mental cruelty, emotional and eco
nomic abuse, and for deprivation of �nancial resourc
es. Regardless of whether instant talaq would fall under
any of these forms of cruelty or domestic violence, cri
minalising it risks defeating the objective of preserving
the husband’s legal obligations, and the payment of
maintenance. The Centre would do well to reconsider
its draft and limit its scope to providing relief to women,
instead of creating a new o�ence out of a civil matter.
Divorce as crimeMaking triple talaq a criminal o�ence is
unnecessary and possibly counterproductive
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THE HINDU NOIDA/DELHI
MONDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2017 9EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
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DATA POINT
Little hope is held for the life of the Australian Prime Minister,Mr. Harold Holt, who vanished when swept out to sea in achurning 15foot surf while swimming today [December 17].Search leaders and the Prime Minister’s sta� say they have notgiven up hope, but local �shermen believe he has been suckedunder by treacherous currents. A thousand police, soldiers,sailors, airmen and civilians scoured the ocean beach here[Portsea (Victoria)] vainly after the 59yearold leader disappeared about noon, until night fell. Troops on the beach and anavy vessel with powerful searchlights patrolled during thenight. As a chill, grey dawn neared, other searchers in helicopters, boats and on foot and divers prepared to comb again seven miles of beach and out to sea. Police Superintendent George Hill said late in the night “it looks hopeless but he mayhave been washed ashore in an exhausted state.”
FIFTY YEARS AGO DECEMBER 18, 1967
Australian Premier feared drowned
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FROM ARCHIVES
At the High Court Sessions today [in Calcutta, December 17]Mr. Justice Richardson and a special jury were engaged inhearing the case in which Sheik Ismail was charged with murder, culpable homicide and grievous hurt. The accused wasfor the last eight years in the employ of Mr. and Mrs. Tomick ascook and the deceased was Desmond, Tomick’s boy aged 19.The case for the prosecution was that on the night of the 15thSeptember while Mr. Tomick was away from Calcutta, a European gentleman, Mr. Dick, came to the house to see Mrs. Tomick and went away. He again came to the house at nine at nightand took Mrs. Tomick out with him. The cook threatened Mrs.Tomick before they went out. At 11 they came back. While Mrs.Tomick was going up, the accused pulled her and shescreamed. The accused gave her a black eye. Desmond cameto her help and he was stabbed to death by the accused.
A HUNDRED YEARS AGO DECEMBER 18, 1917.
The Tomick Murder Case.
Hitchens’ razor
PHILOSOPHY
This refers to the argument that it is the responsibility of people whomake claims to prove itstruth. In other words, theburden of proof to prove aclaim lies entirely with theperson who puts it forward in the �rst place. So,critics can simply dismissany unsubstantiated claimwithout having to put inthe e�ort required to disprove its supposed validity. It is named after the famous British writer andjournalist ChristopherHitchens, who elaboratedon the argument in God isnot Great: How ReligionPoisons Everything.
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CONCEPTUAL
Ooty’s Assems Cine
Museum
http://bit.ly/OotyAssems
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi hasrepeatedly targeted the Congress over charges of dynastic politics andthe lack of internal democracy in theparty. The elevation of Rahul Gandhias Congress president has been usedby the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) toportray the Congress as an organisation that adheres to the principle ofdynastic succession in contrast to therise of its party workers to top echelons to project itself as a party with adi�erence. The domination of theNehruGandhi family over the Congress is unmistakable — Mr. Gandhi isthe sixth member from the family tooccupy the top post in the party. Thefacts and implications of Mr. Gandhi’s election as party chief are clear,but what about the BJP? Does it havecontested elections? Is there intraparty democracy in the BJP and inother political parties?
Although election of the party president cannot be the sole criteria forjudging intraparty democracy, theBJP views the matter solely throughthe lens of how parties elect chiefs.The facts are clear in the case of theBJP too: there has been no contestfor the president’s post in the BJPsince it was founded in 1980. All presidents have come through the selection or nomination route. Electionshave taken place at the State level,but this practice too has been jettisoned in recent years in favour ofelection by consensus.
Centralised decision-makingThe selection of the party presidentin the BJP is not guided by dynasticsuccession; it is generally guided bythe Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh(RSS) which plays the most important role in picking the party president. Legitimate questions ariseabout the in�uence of the RSS on theBJP, which invariably get brushedaside by drawing attention to the lackof internal democracy in the Congress. Also, there is an assumptionthat the BJP as a nondynastic partywould have better intraparty democracy. But there is no major di�erencebetween the two parties in their in
ternal democratic structures. Thevanishing of democracy in the Congress as a result of the centralisingimpulses of Indira Gandhi has beenthe subject of unrelenting criticism,but nearly all parties are centralisedin their decisionmaking and havebeen run from the top down in termsof distribution of party tickets, selection of Chief Ministers and State party leaders, and party �nance.
The Congress led the way, butmost other parties have been quickto follow the model. In the Congress,the selection of the Chief Minister isnot left to the legislature party in theState assembly. This is a far cry fromthe situation before the 1969 split inthe party when recommendations ofState units for candidates for parliamentary or Assembly seats or ChiefMinister were almost always accepted by the central leadership. Likewise in the BJP, on issues that are ofcrucial importance, the top echelonsappear to play a decisive role.
Furthermore, family rule has beena striking feature of the Congress butit is only fair to note that this is not amonopoly of the Congress. Quite afew political families have sprung upin the recent past, and more aremushrooming. In other words, whatbegan in the Congress now extendsto the bulk of party politics. Of theBJP’s elected MPs, 14.49 % in 2004,19.13% in 2009 and 14.89% in 2014were dynastic. The BJP had givenparty tickets to a swing of dynasts inthe U.P. Assembly elections.
Evidence from other democracies,however, shows a trend towardsgreater intraparty democracy, decentralisation and transparency
within parties. In Germany, for example, parties are required to meetcertain conditions in nominatingtheir candidates to party posts. Theyhave to be chosen by a direct secretvote at both constituency and federallevels. In the U.S., laws were enactedthat required the use of secret ballotsin intraparty elections. The BritishLabour Party, the Spanish SocialistWorkers’ Party, the Democratic Party in the U.S. and the ProgressiveConservative Party of Canada haveall seen movements by party activistsand by the rank and �le to reduce thepower of entrenched party elites.
Party reform in IndiaIn India, on the other hand, there isno real movement towards democratisation of parties; the selection ofcandidates, Chief Ministers and of�cebearers of party units is usuallyleft to the discretion of a handful ofleaders who take decisions behindclosed doors. India’s success in consolidating a democratic system of government has paradoxically forestalled pressure for party reform.Taken as a whole, the electoral process is more representative but political parties look a lot like oligarchies.Most parties are subservient to onesupreme leader who can impose his/her o�spring on the party, and evenelectoral defeat does not loosen theircontrol or hold over the party. Political parties — with the exception ofthe Left parties — still refuse to laydown settled and predictable procedures for almost everything they do,from the selection of candidates tothe framing of a manifesto.
The question of party reform is a
pressing one in India. While many argue that intraparty democracy is essential to sustain broader politicaldemocracy, this is not a panacea forthe numerous problems facing parties. The more signi�cant issue is thelack of institutionalisation and, partly as a consequence, democratisation. The biggest weakness of partiesis that they are leadercentric andmost leaders are unwilling to institutionalise procedures for the selectionof candidates and increase the participation of members in party functioning to prevent elite capture fromgetting entrenched. As a rule, strongleaders rarely support institutionalisation because it constrains their discretion and personal power. This hasproved detrimental to the politicalsystem as it impedes the growth ofbroadbased nonsectarian partieswhich can e�ectively articulate andaggregate a variety of interests. Thisis a major challenge facing the partysystem because party activity drivenby partisan mobilisation lies at theroot of much of the schism and disruption of Indian politics today.
Another aspect is the reduction ofparty organisations into electionwinning machines, which dependfor their success on the charisma ofthe leader and their capacity to winelections. Winning elections has become the only role a party envisagesfor itself. The privileging of electionsat the expense of other aspects of thedemocratic process implies that parties are inattentive to the need forconstant organisational change andrenewal. Leaders are valued for theircapacity to attract crowds and raisefunds as elections become more andmore expensive.
The opacity of political �nancing,necessitates ‘unhindered topdowncontrol’ and ‘absolute loyalty downthe line’, argues political scientist, E.Sridharan. If party funds are raisedand controlled centrally, this weakens the State units and rank and �levisàvis the central leadership on arange of issues including leadershipselection and nominations for elections. It also discourages democratisation as this would limit their powerto accumulate wealth or amass a fortune or promote personal power atthe expense of public interest.
Zoya Hasan is Professor Emerita, Centre for
Political Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru
University, New Delhi
Most leaders are unwilling to institutionalise procedures for the selection of o�cebearers
* GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO
The question of intraparty democracy
Zoya Hasan
A news ombudsman’s task is easy when it involves addressing speci�c complaints fromreaders. If readers ask the right questions,the newspaper’s code of editorial values andgood journalism practices provide enoughmaterial to decide whether the reader is correct in �nding fault with the newspaper ornot. However, the investigation becomeslayered if there is a suo motu concern.
Contributing to the crisis In the last two columns of 2017, I would liketo examine some of the words used in common parlance with disturbing consequences. It is important for journalists to realisethat in the past three decades, many of our earlierassumptions have proved tobe wrong. We were certainthat some ideas seemed incendiary but did not represent the mainstream view.We felt that the gap between the periphery and thecentre would be guarded bya sense of collective egalitarianism. However, history has proved the fallibility of journalists in a cruel manner;dangerous fringe groups have galloped to occupy the core of our public narrative. Thefundamental nature of �awed words is thatthe perpetrators of violence, intolerance andbigotry create them. The core principle ofjournalism is to use words that are descriptive, not use loaded terms that colour ourperception. By reproducing the words usedby those who shun inclusivity and diversity,journalism in a way contributes to further escalating the crisis rather than defusing it.
In this �rst instalment, let me examine aterm that has gained currency over the lastdecade: ‘honour killing’. In 2008, Pakistanijournalist Beena Sarwar wrote a powerfuledit page lead article titled “There is no ‘honour’ in killing” (The Hindu, September 8).One of her arguments, which essentiallydealt with speci�c cases in Pakistan, appliesto India too. She wrote: “Some would prefernot to discuss such issues because this‘brings a bad name to the country’… Theyneed to ask themselves who is responsible:those who perpetuate the violence, or thosewho are its victims? What would make us a
better, stronger nation: dealing with the issue, or burying it in the sand?”
Dexter Dias and Charlotte Proudman, legal researchers at Harvard University andpractising barristers, wrote about how linguistic labels matter: “The term ‘honour killing’ not only cedes too much power to theperpetrator, but is o�ensive to survivors andwomen. Instead, we need to see the crimethrough the eyes of those attacked, becausethese acts of gender violence attack something more than women’s bodies, somethingprecarious and precious: the challenge bythousands of courageous young womenaround the world to oppressive patriarchyand stultifying social convention. In thissense, they are an attack on us all.”
The need to revisit the use of the term ‘honour killing’ is the recent sentencing by a Tamil Nadu trial court. Six persons were awarded the death penalty for conspiring andkilling a young Dalit man who had married acaste Hindu girl. This term has gained much
commonsensical understanding. A general reader isable to grasp the full importof the meaning — the castedynamics and the reason forthe murder. This providesjournalists a justi�cation touse the term, even in headlines. I can hear the protestfrom a section that would instantly point out the use of
the inverted comma for the term honour killing. I am not sure whether a punctuationmark has an enduring power to qualify anoftrepeated term.
Call a spade a spadeThere is an alluring power to those wordsthat are created by the perpetrators of violence. These perpetrators tend to coveruptheir crime by invoking family pride and collective honour. But, as a public good, journalism needs to come up with alternativewords and terms to describe such horrendous attacks on people. It is important torealise that brutal killings in the name of honour are not restricted to some remote ruralareas but have a presence across the subcontinent. From khap panchayats to various extrajudicial entities, many present these cruelinvasions into the lives of young people ascorrective mechanisms and give a cloak ofrespectability to crimes with the pre�x ‘honour’. The time has come for journalists todrop these cloakanddagger words and startcalling a spade a spade.
Cloakanddagger words Terms like ‘honour killing’ provide a veneer of respectabilityto the crime. Journalists should use alternative terms
FROM THE READERS’ EDITOR
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A.S. Panneerselvan
India has among the youngestpopulations in the world, whichmeans it can make a resourcefulpool of manpower. A prerequisitethough is that it receives the rightform of education, skills and employment. A step in this directionis the Skill Development Mission.
However, an issue that has beenplaguing India since long now is jobless growth. The skillingprogramme has been built such that it provides shorttermtraining to youth who have already dropped out fromschool. The idea is to provide them with a job by o�eringshortterm technical/nontechnical courses rather than actively enable them to seek out a career.
The concern here is that those who gained employmentposttraining were found to have dropped out in less thanone year. For those who completed a year in employment,the system did not o�er a career because career advancement is not just related to skills, but also to educational quali�cations. The issue is that the same system that endeavoursto provide jobs to youth restricts their career advancement,labelling them instead as dropouts. The skill programmefails to understand how integral it is to incorporate such ahuge initiative within the education system. A system thatintegrates skills and education can go a long way in ensuringthat the youth are better equipped to handle a challengingemployment market.
The Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) is acentrally sponsored scheme of ‘vocationalisation’ of secondary and higher secondary education. It focusses on enhancing the employability of youth through demanddriven, competencybased, modular vocational courses, whilereducing dropout rates. Yet, its biggest drawback is that itsmodules are not customised to suit the requirements of children in di�erent age groups. The same approach for skilltraining a 12 or 14yearold cannot be followed for trainingan 18yearold because skills need to be looked at more dynamically. Skills at school should be imparted as a hobbyand not as a serious trade, to make learning fun.
Moreover, operational challenges within the schools arebarriers to coalesce the education and skill model. For instance, BMC schooling in Maharashtra doesn’t provide formore than 7080 hours per year for a vocational subject opted for by a student. Thus, it is not possible to complete thedesired National Occupational Standards requirement of150 hours for skills training. Also, there is lack of proper infrastructure and unavailability of quality trainers.
We need strategic thinking while looking at skills atschool. The government must learn from the gaps while implementing its skill development programmes for 18plusyouth and then develop its strategy for integrating skillswithin schools.
Gaurav Arora is General Manager, Skills@school, Salaam BombayFoundation
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Skills within schools It is vital to incorporate Skill India intothe education system
Gaurav Arora
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the World and Sven Beckert’s Empire of Cotton: ANew History of GlobalCapitalism are perfectprimers to unravel thethreads of these earlytrends. Meena Menon andUzramma’s new book, AFrayed History: The Jour-ney of Cotton in India,promises to reverse thatlens by looking at the impact of the commoditiesgame on the colonised.
The Great Game is journalist Peter Hopkirk’smost famous work on Empirebuilding, but anequally important historyis contained in his ForeignDevils on the Silk Road, onthe �ght for lost art andtreasures along the traderoutes of Central Asia. Inthe 20th century, authorDaniel Yergin rede�nedhow the world understood the U.S.’s West Asiapolicy. His book ThePrize: The Epic Quest forOil, Money and Power,which released in 1990,just before the �rst Gulf
While geopolitical theoryis mostly thought of interms of ambition to conquer land, the story of thepast centuries shows thata hunt for commoditiesand resources was a muchgreater driver than thehunt for land. ChristopherColumbus, Ferdinand Magellan, Vasco da Gama andZheng He may have travelled bearing gifts andpro�ering trade, but theirvoyages were precursorsto more colonial expeditions by British, French,Portuguese, Dutch, Chinese and Japanese conquerors. Thus the historyof the quest for commodities remains an importantstudy to this day. As voyages for silk, sugar and cotton de�ned previous eras,the search for oil andenergy has de�ned morerecent decades.
Peter Frankopan’s bestseller called The SilkRoads: A New History of
War began, couldn’t havebeen better timed. Thisde�nitive Pulitzer prizewinning history of the global petroleum businesswas followed by TheQuest: Energy, Securityand the Remaking of theModern World, which encompassed newage energies including renewables,hydropower, biofuels.
While several newbooks are looking at theglobal future of energyconnectivity, those moreinterested in the regionwill �nd India and theGlobal Game of Gas Pipe-lines by Gulshan Dietl veryuseful and uptodate onhow pipelines now crisscross with political contestations.
Clearly, as connectivitybecomes the new commodity to follow, expectthe next decade to be�ooded with books onChina’s Belt and Road Initiative, and rival projectspiloted by the U.S., India,Japan, among others.
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SHELF HELP
Travelling along the commodities route
Understanding geopolitics from the past to the present
Suhasini Haidar
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NEWS
FROM PAGE ONE
cretary Dr. S. Jaishankar.“Delighted to meet myfriend [Hamid Karzai] inNew Delhi,” tweeted PrimeMinister Modi, after thetalks on Saturday evening.
However Mr. Karzai dismissed speculation that hisvisit and the ‘red carpet’treatment he received entailed any special messageor a change in Indian policy.“I go around the world andmeet with leaders: I waswith President Rouhani inTehran and was received byPresident Putin in Russia,and by the Chinese leadership. India is of course morehospitable given my oldconnection here,” he said.
(Read the full interview athttp://bit.ly/KarzaiModi)
“They (U.S.) must negotiate a new compact andterms of engagement fortheir presence in Afghanistan now. This is why I havebeen calling for the Loya Jirga to be convened, to relegitimise the U.S. presence.The more the U.S. opposesthis Jirga, the more Afghanswill turn away from them,”he added.
Mr. Karzai said he haddiscussed developments inthe region including “thewar against terrorism andextremism” with Prime Minister Modi, who hosted ano�cial dinner in his honourat Hyderabad House.
The dinner was attendedby National Security AdviserAjit Doval and Foreign Se
Karzai: U.S. failed towalk the talk on Pak.
The Commission has,therefore, suggested thatthe prosecution should beinitiated only in the manneradopted in Section 32 of theRepresentation of the People Act.
“In the recent elections tothe Gujarat and HimachalPradesh legislative assemblies, media reports indicate that there may havebeen a large number of cases of violation of these provisions on the part of the different media houses,political parties, and candidates seeking election,” saidthe Commission.
It said Section 126 did nottake into account a communication revolution.
“It was opined that the increasing changes in thetechnology of communication makes it necessary thatthe administration, preferably the Law Commission,should have another look atthe Section and clarify its limits,” said the Commission.
The Election Commissionobserved that if the provision was read widely, anyperson could �le a complaint by wide interpretation pertaining to “an election matter”, and theCommission and the courtswould be �ooded with complaints arising out of “the intensity of an election campaign and the bitterness itmay evoke.”
Showcause notice to Rahul withdrawn
A day after Congress president Rahul Gandhi accusedthe BJP of spreading hate andfear in the country, UnionHome Minister RajnathSingh said here on Sunday itwas the BJP which was dousing the �res lit by theCongress.
“We have been dousingthe �re set by the Congress inthe country,” Mr. Singh saidat a meeting in connectionwith the Parivarthana rally ofthe BJP in Karnataka.
“It is not the BJP’s policythat led to the birth of terrorism or naxalism. The BJP’spolicy did not lead to the1984 violence or the Punjabissue. Our policy did notstart �re in Kashmir,” hesaid.
Mr. Singh said India hademerged as a strong nationnow. “If India was a weak nation, it would not have beenpossible to settle the Doklamdeadlock on the IndiaChina
border. China feels that itshould maintain a good relationship with India becauseit is not weak,” he said.
Promises probeSpeaking on the murder ofjournalist Gauri Lankesh inthe city, Mr. Singh promiseda thorough investigation ifthe BJP was voted to powerin Karnataka in the coming
Assembly elections.“We will not spare anyone
linked to the murder; norwill we allow any one to escape,” he said.
“People like Rudresh andKuttappa [RSS and BJP members] have been murdered.Now I was informed that 19yearold Paresh Mesta hasbeen murdered, besidesGauri Lankesh. I want to
know what the State government is doing in connectionwith these murders,” he said.
Raking up the controversyover Tipu Jayanthi, Mr. Singhsaid the State governmentwent ahead with the o�cialcelebrations only to appeasethe Muslim community. “Tipu was made a hero. I am notaware of historical factsabout what is true and what
is false. But what was the reason to rake up the issuewhich was already mired incontroversy. It is a deliberatee�ort to polarise society,” hesaid.
Instead, he said, if theywere really interested in celebrating the birth anniversary of a noted personality,the State government shouldhave celebrated that of KitturRani Chennamma, Bengaluru founder Kempe Gowdaand noted engineer M. Visvesvaraya.
Corruption in KarnatakaMr. Singh alleged thatupright o�cers from Karnataka were committing suicide and o�cials with integrity were being forced toresign and some were beingattacked. “I feel sad when Ihear that Karnataka isamong the top three corruptStates in the country. Nobody else could have thought ofa garbage scam except forthe Congress,” he said.
We douse �re set by Cong.: RajnathTerrorism, naxalism, 1984 violence or Kashmir issue were not the result of BJP policies, says Minister
Special Correspondent
Bengaluru
Home Minister Rajnath Singh at a public meeting in Bengaluru on Sunday. * V. SREENIVASA MURTHY
Chinese Foreign MinisterWang Yi’s message to Indiafor maintaining borderpeace has been supplemented with fresh troop deployments to deter a confrontation in the Doklam area, saysa Chinese blog.
Two postings in Xilu.com,an online publication covering Chinese military a�airs,say Chinese troop presencehas been permanentlybeefed up in the Doklamarea.
‘Maintain bilateral ties’The publication’s contributor Zhan Hao underscoresthat during a visit to Indiaearlier this month, Mr. Wangwanted “to remind India notto create problems and notto worsen the bilateral relations”.
Simultaneously, China hasbeen positioning additionalforces and building new infrastructure in the Doklamarea. It is also strengtheningrear support, in tune withChina’s ongoing militaryreforms.
The blog points out thatChina had �rst deployed“number 76 group on the[Doklam] plateau”.
“As the stando� with IndiaChina border pro
gressed, number 77 group also came up to the plateau,”Mr. Zhan writes. “It is obvious China has more than20,000 to 30,000 troops inTibet.”
It earlier quoted Indianmedia reports as saying that1,6001,800 soldiers hadbeen deployed in the Sikkim,Bhutan and the Tibet borderarea.
China built two helicopterplatforms, dozens of housesand stores, and upgradedroads to cope with the verysevere winter. “It is as if weare planting islands in the
South China Sea. If the Philippines provokes, then China will have very su�cientreason to build an islandthere,” Mr Zhan says.
Access for BhutanThe emergence of a newbase in the Doklam area willnecessitate the constructionof a “wide road in the rear” —a move that will have majorimplications for Bhutan.“This road will not be just formilitary supply but also thepathway for Chinese andBhutanese people. Simplyput, in the future, the Bhu
tan people not need to connect to the world throughIndia…”
“We will have [an] airportand railway station at Yadong County [in Tibet]. Sothis will be more convenient,compared with travellingthrough India,” the authorsays.
Yodong is a town in Tibet’s Chumbi valley, only 34km from the border crossingof Nathu La.
Drone crashThe posting highlighted thatfollowing fresh Chinese deployments, India was likelyto scale down “provoking”China, though surveillancedrone �ights may continue.“In my perspective on onehand [India] will not provoke China as easily as lasttime. At the same time, theywill not stop provoking, although unmanned aircraftcrossing the border — thiskind of thing, will happenagain,” the blogger said, referring to the recent crash ofan Indian drone on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
The blog asserted that the�ight of the unmanned aircraft was a re�ection of India’s anxiety about China’snew deployments in theDoklam area.
China blog raises Doklam heat Steppedup PLA presence meant to deter India, says its author Zhan Hao
Exuding warmth: External A�airs Minister Sushma Swaraj withChina’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi in New Delhi * AFP
Atul Aneja
Beijing
A civilian died in an Armyambush, laid for militants,in Kupwara district of northKashmir on Sunday, triggering violent protests and widespread condemnation.The government ordered amagisterial inquiry.
Asif Iqbal Bhat, a driverfrom Thindpura in Kupwara, died of bullet injuries after the Army �red at a vehicle in the early hours. TheArmy spokesman said theambush party observed thesuspicious movement ofthree persons in Thindpura.“The individuals were challenged and they did not respond. Thereafter, terroristsopened �re. In the cross�re,Bhat was killed. An investigation is in progress,” hesaid.
However, the victim’sbrother alleged that the Army opened �re without anyprovocation when Bhat lefthome to pick a passenger,who had booked his cab.“My brother was shot in thehead. The Army opened indiscriminate �re on ourhome when I and my fathertried to reach the spot,” hesaid.
The police, who �led an
FIR, called it “an incident ofmistaken identity.” “An inquiry committee has beenconstituted. Nobody isabove the law. We will investigate the circumstancesleading to the �ring,” saidShamsher Hussain, SeniorSuperintendent of Police,Kupwara.
After violent protests andclashes in the district allthrough the day, the government ordered a probe,headed by Deputy Commissioner (Kupwara) Khalid Jahangir. The inquiry will becompleted in 21 days.
Security forces used teargas shells to contain the situation in the area, where Internet services remainedsuspended.
‘Cold-blooded murder’All Parties Hurriyat Conference chairman MirwaizUmar Farooq, TehreekeHurriyat chairman Syed AliGeelani and JKLF chief YasinMalik called it a “coldblooded murder.”
“An uninvestigated claimof a young life lost in ‘cross�ring’ shouldn’t be used tobrush the incident underthe carpet,” former ChiefMinister Omar Abdullahsaid.
Protests in Kupwaraafter civilian is killed Govt. orders magisterial inquiry
Peerzada Ashiq
Srinagar
Congress president RahulGandhi on Sunday wrote toPrime Minister NarendraModi, demanding a comprehensive special �nancial package for Kerala, Tamil Nadu andLakshadweep for the rehabilitation of the families of�shermen who lost theirlives due to cyclone Ockhi.
In his �rst letter as theCongress chief to the PrimeMinister, Mr. Gandhi alsorequested the latter to putin place adequate measures for strengthening theweather updating systemand an advance cyclonewarning communicationmechanism in the coastalareas.
He also urged Mr. Modito construct seawalls andgroynes along the vulnerable coasts of the two southern States. Mr. Gandhi hadvisited Kerala and TamilNadu on December 14.
Rahul writesto PM onOckhi relief
Press Trust of India
New Delhi
A day before the results ofthe hard-fought Gujarat andHimachal Pradesh Assemblyelections are announced,Communist Party of Indialeader D. Raja is guarded oncalls for Opposition unity,and stresses the need for Leftunity.
Do you see an alliance
shaping up against the BJP
ahead of the Lok Sabha
elections?
n Before the Lok Sabha elections, there are several Stateelections. We will have to seehow alignment and realignment of political forces takesplace in the States. The RSSand Sangh Parivar out�tshave become very aggressive— they have created an atmosphere of violence, intolerance and hate.
The CPI believes thatthere is a need for the broadest possible unity of seculardemocratic forces to collectively resist this Indian variant of fascism. Mostly, alliance or cooperation ofpolitical parties will be Statespeci�c but at the nationallevel, there shall be a uni�edmessage to stop these fascistforces.
The real electoral battlewill be on Statespeci�c issues and situations.
It was widely expected that
the Gujarat campaign would
see a joint Opposition e�ort,
but we saw the Congress
slugging it out alone in
Gujarat...
n There could have beensome e�orts from the Congress to reach out to otherparties; they could haveworked out an understanding with BSP, NCP… Whetherother parties would havebeen ready, I can’t say, but atleast they should have madean e�ort.
All exit polls are predicting
an easy win for the BJP in
Himachal Pradesh and
Gujarat. If so, how di�cult
will it become for the
Opposition?
n In a few hours, we willknow the results. So no pointdiscussing the exit polls.Clearly, the idea of invincibility of the Prime Minister andthe BJP has been shaken.The way they campaigned,especially the way the PrimeMinister spoke, it was clearhe and the party were rattled. On the ground, there isdiscontent, disillusionment... people have started questioning the BJP’s rule. That isa big thing in Gujarat.
Why has Left not come to
terms with the Congress even
after so many years?
n As far as the CPI is concerned, we have made ourposition clear. To �ght therightwing forces we need abroad alliance of secular democratic forces and that includes the Congress. All saidand done, the Congress isthe panIndian secular political party, despite certaintrends here and there. TheCongress must also revisit itseconomic programme andpolicy. At the same time, ourparty is of the view [that] theCongress must go back toNehruvianAmbedkarite positions. They cannot say thatNarendra Modi is repackaging their schemes; if the Congress has to discard its ownpolicies in the new situation,it will have to do it.
Is Left unity a possibility in
the near future?
n The CPI has come out witha public stand; we declaredfrom our party congress ofreuni�cation of Communistparties. We have been givenspecial emphasis to CPICPI(M) unity. When ComradeHarkrishan Singh Surjeetwas general secretary in CPI(M) and Comrade IndrajitGupta was general secretary,we had sent common circulars to our State units to havecoordination committees.But we have come acrosscertain di�culties. We haveto introspect to clear thesedi�erences within us.
In this communally charged
atmosphere, what is the
future for Communists in
India?
n There is a big gap betweenour ideologicalpolitical in�uence and electoral performance. How to bridge thisgap we are discussing in ourown parties. The Communists may not believe in Godor any religious philosophy.But we stand for everyone’sfaith. For example in TamilNadu, we were at forefrontof temple entry movementto allow Dalits [free access totemples]. We respect allfaiths. As Communists, wesay there should not be anycompromise with any brandof communalism. We are theonly hope for the people.
INTERVIEW | D. RAJA
‘We need a broad alliance’CPI leader says all said and done, Congress is the panIndian secular party
Sobhana K. Nair
New Delhi
<> Clearly the idea of
invincibility of Prime
Minister and BJP has
been shaken
U.S. defence companies willnot be able to partner withthe Indian private sector under the ambitious StrategicPartnership (SP) policy, unless New Delhi concludes anagreement for sharing classi�ed information, a senior of�cial in the USIndia Business Council (USIBC) toldThe Hindu.
“I am concerned that ifwe don’t get that done, despite positive intentions it willbe di�cult for U.S. companies to work under the SPpolicy. From USIBC, we havecommunicated to India andAmerican governments onthe need to get this done,”said Ben Schwartz, senior director for Defence and Ae
rospace in USIBC.India and the U.S. have
the General Security of Military Information Agreement(GSOMIA), which was signedyears ago and allows sharingof classi�ed informationfrom the U.S. governmentand American companieswith the Indian governmentand defence public sector
undertakings (DPSUs) butnot with Indian privatecompanies.
“To ensure Indian privatecompanies are on a levelplaying �eld with the DPSUs,an important Modi government policy, an annexeshould be established allowing information transfer toIndian private companies,”Mr. Schwartz stated.
On the U.S. industry’sview of the SP policy, Mr.Schwartz said the overallresponse was “positive.”
“With any new policythere are complexities … Weare in conversation with different o�ces in the Indiangovernment on the SP policyand how it will be implemented,” Mr. Schwartzadded.
More info �ow must fordefence ties: USIBC o�cialSays India should agree to new clause on classi�ed matters
Dinakar Peri
NEW DELHI
Ben Schwartz
Three o�cials of the IndianHigh Commission in Islamabad were recalled following attempts to set a honeytrap for them byPakistan’s spy agency, theInterServices Intelligence(ISI).
They are now being investigated here about theentire episode.
According to sources,the three juniorlevel o�cials, who were working inthe language departmentof the High Commission,returned recently to theheadquarters of the External A�airs Ministry afterthey apprised senior o�cers in the mission of theincident.
They said a decision ontheir return will be takenafter the probe ends.
3 diplomatswithdrawnfrom Pak.
Press Trust of India
New Delhi
Pakistan has said visa applications from the familymembers of former Indiannaval o�cer KulbhushanJadhav, imprisoned for alleged espionage, had beenreceived and were being“processed”.
Foreign O�ce spokesperson Mohammad Faisal
tweeted on Saturday night:“Visa applications of mother and wife of CommanderJadhav received for their visit on humanitariangrounds.” He said the applications were “being processed”, but did not set anytime line. Pakistan hadagreed to allow a meeting ofJadhav with his mother andwife on December 25.
Pak. processing visasPress Trust of India
Islamabad
In a jibe aimed at both TamilNadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami and Governor Banwarilal Purohit,Congress leader P. Chidambaram on Sunday said thatwhile the “real head” — theChief Minister — was cowering in fear of the Centre, theGovernor was exceeding hisauthority.
Tweeting on the recent inspections carried out by theGovernor across the State,Mr. Chidambaram said,“Amused by Tamil Nadu Governor’s statement, Gover
nor is only the ‘titular’ headof the executive, not the‘real’ head. Since the realhead, the Chief Minister, iscowering in fear of the central government, the TamilNadu Governor is exceedinghis authority.”
The Raj Bhavan had issued a statement saying thatthe Governor, by virtue ofbeing the head of the Stateexecutive as per the Constitution, had complete powerto obtain any informationconnected with the administration of the State, and to visit various parts of the Statewithout any restrictions.
Governor is exceeding hisauthority: Chidambaram Special Correspondent
New Delhi
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NEWS
‘Minorities better placedin India than in Pakistan’ INDORE
The condition of religious
minorities is much better in
India than in Pakistan and
Bangladesh, writer Taslima
Nasreen says. She said in an
interview here on Sunday
that Hindus and Buddhists in
Bangladesh faced atrocities.
She said she had read about
religious minorities ‘being
converted and persecuted’ in
Pakistan. PTI
IN BRIEF
Over 1,000 Naga rebelsarrested in two yearsNEW DELHI
More than 1,000 Naga rebels
were arrested by security
forces since the 2015 attack
by the banned NSCNK on an
Army convoy in Manipur, in
which 18 soldiers were killed.
During the period, the
security forces also killed 34
NSCNK militants and
recovered 571 sophisticated
arms from arrested
underground and overground
cadres of the group. PTI
IMA opposes NationalMedical Commission BillNEW DELHI
The Indian Medical
Association has strongly
opposed the draft National
Medical Commission Bill that
seeks to replace the Medical
Council of India with a new
body, claiming it will cripple
the medical profession and
make it completely
answerable to the
bureaucracy. The Bill had got
the Cabinet green light. PTI
AAP to field non-partycandidates for RS seats NEW DELHI
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is
likely to decide on its
candidates for the three Rajya
Sabha seats by January first
week, a party leader said,
insisting that it is looking for
faces outside the
organisation. With many
within the party eyeing the
three seats, a sense of
bitterness is palpable in the
party. PTI
While a majority of exit pollsindicate a clear victory forthe BJP in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections,Chief Minister VirbhadraSingh is con�dent that theCongress will win, notwithstanding the antiincumbency factor and corruptioncharges.
Just a day ahead of counting, Mr. Singh on Sundaychallenged the BJP’s chiefministerial candidate, saying“let him win his own seat�rst and then form the nextgovernment”.
Relaxing in the wintersun, surrounded by closesupporters at his residence,Mr. Singh bristled at anymention of the Oppositionand its leaders. He said hisparty would win again andhis son Vikramaditya, who iscontesting his �rst elections,would win from the ShimlaRural constituency. Mr.
Singh had held the seat earlier. He is �ghting from theArki constituency in Solan.
Mr. Vikramaditya Singhtermed the exit polls as bogus, and said they had beenreleased to please Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The State Congress, which
is facing a widespread factionalism, is clearly dividedinto pro and antiVirbhadracamps in all the constituencies. Most of his Cabinet colleagues preferred to spendthe day in their respectiveconstituencies.
In contrast, there was a
festive gathering at the Samirpur residence of Mr. Dhumal in Hamirpur district. Enthused by the exit polls, BJPsupporters are con�dent oftheir victory and were seendiscussing the forms andfunctions of the third Dhumal government in the hill
State. The small district ofHamirpur, which sends only�ve MLAs to the 68memberHouse, had come into prominence after the advent ofMr. Dhumal, who enteredthe Vidhan Sabha for the�rst time as a Chief Ministerin 1998.
Anurag Thakur, Lok Sabha MP from Hamirpur andformer BCCI chief, reachedSamirpur on Sunday andwas with his father in welcoming party workers fromall over the State.
Shimla MLA SureshBhardwaj said the exit pollshad given a trend, and theBJP would surely form thegovernment.
In the Ponta Sahib constituency of Nahan, supportersof BJP candidate SukhramChoudhary have alreadyhung large hoardings thanking people for his historicvictory. The supporters ofsenior Congress leader G.S.Bali had last week taken out
a victory procession at Nagrota Bagwan in Kangra inexpectation of his victory.
Diverse campaignsThe Congress campaign wascentred on Mr. Singh and his�ve terms in o�ce in thepast. Many rebels from theparty had fought the elections and that had clearlyhelped the BJP.
The BJP centred its campaign on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s performanceand later on the experienceand mature leadership of Mr.Dhumal. The party cadresvastly publicised the corruption charges against Mr.Singh and his failure on issues of governance and lawand order. The rape andmurder case of a minor girlin Shimla district and its mishandling by the governmentcould in�uence the electionsin some of the importantseats in the Shimla Lok Sabha constituency.
Rival camps bet big on win in Himachal While Virbhadra is bullish on Congress prospects, BJP supporters have already started celebrations in some pockets
Kanwar Yogendra
SHIMLA
Restrained outing: The hill State witnessed a muted election campaign. * AKHILESH KUMAR
Counting of votes for the Assembly elections in Gujaratand Himachal Pradesh willtake place on Monday.
“Counting of votes will beheld at 37 locations across 33districts in the State underelaborate security arrangements,” Gujarat Chief Electoral O�cer (CEO) B.B.Swain said. Over 2000 candidates are in the fray for 182seats.
In Himachal Pradesh, 377candidates contested for 68seats.
While the BJP and Con
gress �elded candidates onall seats, the BSP contested42 seats followed by the CPI(M) 14, the Swabhiman partyand the Lok GathbandhanParty six each and the CPI3.Counting will be held in 42centres with the deploymentof 2,820 sta� includingcounting supervisors, counting assistants and micro observers.
Chief Electoral O�cer,Pushpender Rajput saidthree tier security arrangements have been made at allcounting centres.
Following the exit pollsurvey results, which predicted a clear majority for the
BJP in both the States, several key leaders in Gujaratfrom the Congress, Patidarleader Hardik Patel and Dalitleader Jignesh Mevani,raised the issue of EVMs being hacked.
Posting on Twitter, Mr. Patel on Sunday said, “If a human body, made by God,could be tampered with,then why not an EVM, whichis made by humans?” ThePatidar leader also allegedthat there had been attemptsto hack EVMs using its“source code” in the Patidardominated and tribal areasof the State.
(With inputs from PTI)
Sparring continues even
on eve of counting daySeveral leaders in Gujarat raise charge of EVM hacking
Mahesh Langa
Kanwar Yogendra
Ahmedabad/Shimla
The District Collector, Ahmedabad, on Sunday rubbished the allegation madeby Patidar leader HardikPatel that 140 engineershad been hired to tamperwith 5,000 electronic voting machines, and said itdid not call for any clari�cation as it is “baseless.”
The Collector, AvantikaSingh, said a clari�cation, ifany, would only be issuedby the Election Commission.
“A company in Ahmedabad has prepared to hackthe source code of 5,000EVMs through 140 engineers,” Mr. Patel had tweeted .
He also questioned theSupreme Court’s decisionto reject the Congress’splea seeking crossveri�cation of VoterVeri�ed PaperAudit Trail with votes castin the EVMs.
‘Hardik’sallegationsare baseless’
Asian News International
BHOPAL
The government shows it is“too clever by half” by calling the Parliament sessionduring the Christmas andNew Year season, a �rst inmany years, Trinamool Congress MP Derek O’ Brien said.
“For all these years ITstood for ‘Information Technology.’ This government hasgiven new meaning to IT —‘Institutional Throttling’.They have been threateninginstitutions like Parliament.But we are not here to complain about what Messrs.Shah and Modi do. They arethe government. They makethe rules, even if the rules donot seem fair. We will debatewith them. We are not goingto run away,” Mr. O’ Brien
told The Hindu.The winter session of Par
liament was usually convened between midNovember and midDecember,ending before Christmas.
This time, it began on December 15 and will continue
till January 5. Mr. O’ Brienwho recently launched hisbook Inside Parliament saida preelection alliance of Opposition parties was unlikely.“Decisions about prepoll alliances are made by theworking committee of ourparty. Those questions willbe answered at that time. InBengal, we are �ghting theBJP, the CPI(M) and the Congress and our overall partyline is to remove the BJPfrom power,” he said.
He sees the change ofguard in Congress as a positive sign for the Opposition.“We wish Mr. Rahul Gandhiall the luck and good wishesin his new innings...I haveobserved that he has run agreat campaign in Gujarat.”he added.
Government too clever
by half: Derek O’Brien Comments on change in Parliament session dates
Derek O’ Brien
Special correspondent
New Delhi
The process of making a regular appointment for the keypost of Chief Editor and JointDirector at the National BookTrust has hit a roadblock,with the of Human ResourceDevelopment postponing aDepartmental PromotionCommittee (DPC) meeting tolook into the matter.
The Ministry �rst permitted the NBT to go ahead withthe routine process to �ll thepost with a regular appointee, but postponed the DPCmeet on the ground that ameeting had been �xed onOctober 17, in which the NBTdid not invite the Ministry tosend its representative. Themeeting was postponed justtwo days after permissionwas given by the Ministry.
The DPC is supposed tohave o�cials from the NBT,the Ministry and an independent expert.
The NBT replied that nosuch meeting had been �xedfor October 17 in the �rstplace, and the Ministry hadbeen “misled” by someone.
The trust also asked the Ministry to take serious note ofthis. However, things hadnot moved further after this,sources in the Ministry said.
A mail sent by The Hinduto the o�cial of the Ministrylooking into the matter didnot elicit any response. The
o�cial could also not bereached on phone, as he wasin a meeting, though his of�ce con�rmed the mail hadbeen received.
Quali�cations requiredThe essential criteria are thatthe candidate should be below 50, have a Master’s degree from a recognised university and “10 yearsexperience in senior editorial capacity in a publishingorganisation engaged in production of books or with anewspaper or magazine or apublic institute of repute andadequate experience of developing, writing and editingbooks”. The desirable quali�cations are a doctoral degree in Indian literature orlanguage and knowledge ofbook production.
Hiring of NBT chief editor delayedAfter HRD Ministry postpones Departmental Promotion Committee meeting
In limbo: A �le photo of an NBT book promotion centre inKochi. * VIPIN CHANDRAN
Vikas Pathak
NEW DELHI
The National InvestigationAgency (NIA) has registered a case against �vepersons with suspected Islamic State links in Kochi.
Sources said a case under Sections 38 and 39 ofthe Unlawful Activities(Prevention) Act, 1967 hasbeen registered againstMidhilaj, Abdul Rasak,Rashid M.V., Manaf Rahman, and Hamsa U.K. fromKannur.
In October, the Valapattanam police had registered a case against the accused for being membersof IS and for travelling outof India to join the terroristorganisation in Syria and�ght on its behalf.
The case was reregistered with the NIA policestation in Kochi on December 16.
IS link: NIAcase against5 Kerala men
Staff Reporter
KOCHI
More than 70% turnout wasrecorded in the repollingheld on Sunday at six pollingbooths in four Assemblyconstituencies in Gujarat,said o�cials.
Following an ElectionCommission directive on Saturday, the polling was heldat two booths each in Vadgam and Savli constituenciesand one each in Viramgamand Daskroi.
While the Chhaniyana 1and 2 booths of the Vadgamseat clocked a 74% and 73%turnout, respectively, boothnumber 27 in Viramgam recorded 83%, Chief ElectoralO�cer B.B. Swain said. Therepolling was held till 5 p.m.
Dalit leader Jignesh Meva
ni is contesting from the Vadgam (SC) seat as an Independent candidate supported bythe Congress.
The Nava Naroda booth ofthe Daskroi seat registered a73% turnout, while the Nhara and Sankrada booths in
the Savli constituency registered 71% and 75%respectively.
The EC had on Saturdayordered the repolling afterthe second phase of voting inthe Gujarat Assembly polls,covering 93 seats of central
and north Gujarat, on December 14.
However, the poll paneldid not specify the reasonfor the fresh polling at thesesix booths.
The EC had also directedthat the voter veri�able paper audit trail slips of 10booths in seven constituencies be taken into consideration during Monday’s counting of votes as the presidingo�cers of these booths hadfailed to wipe out the votescast during the mock pollfrom the control units.
In the �rst phase on December 9, polling was heldfor the 89 seats of Saurashtra, Kutch and south Gujarat.
The counting of votes forall the 182 Assembly seatswill be taken up on Monday.
70% turnout in Gujarat repolling EC had ordered re-election at six booths in four Assembly constituencies
A woman leaving a booth after casting her vote in Ahmedabadon Sunday. * VIJAY SONEJI
Press Trust of India
Ahmedabad
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WORLD
Musharraf hails LeT, JuD as ‘patriotic’KARACHI
Hailing LashkareTaiba and
JamaatudDawa as
“patriotic”, former President
Pervez Musharraf has again
said that he was ready to
enter into an alliance with
them for Pakistan’s “safety
and security”, according to a
media report on television
channel ARY News. PTI
ELSEWHERE
Taliban kill 11 policeo�cers in HelmandKANDAHAR
At least 11 Afghan police
o�cers were killed on Sunday
when Taliban �ghters
assaulted their checkpoints in
the volatile Helmand
province in Afghanistan,
authorities said. Taliban
insurgents launched the
attacks in the early morning
in the Qalai Sang area of the
capital Lashkar Gah. AFP
At least 3 killed in Saudiled Yemen strikeSANA’A
A Saudiled air strike has
killed at least three civilians
in Yemen’s Marib Province,
east of Sana’a, a local o�cial
said. However, the Saba news
agency linked to the Houthi
rebels said that 10 women in
a civilian convoy were hit in
the strike. According to Saba,
three air strikes hit the
convoy as it was returning
from a wedding party. AFP
U.K. embassy sta�er inLebanon found deadBEIRUT
A Lebanese security o�cial
says the body of a woman
found on the side of a road
east of Beirut has been
identi�ed as a sta�er in the
British embassy. An embassy
spokesperson con�rmed that
a British woman had died and
that they were contacting her
family. AP
At least eight people werekilled and 30 injured whentwo terrorists wearing suicide vests attacked a Methodist church in the southwestern city of Quetta inBalochistan.
The Province’s Home Minister Sarfraz Bugti said thatone attacker was interceptedand shot dead at the gatewhile the other blew himselfup near the church’s maindoor but was prevented fromreaching the prayer hall.Two women were among thedead, said provincial HomeSecretary Akbar Harifal.
“Police were quick toreact and stop the attackersfrom entering into the mainhall,” provincial police chiefMoazzam Jah told AFP.
Each attacker was carrying 15 kg of explosive plusgrenades, said civil defence
o�cial Aslam Tareen.Mr. Bugti said around 250
people normally attend thechurch on Sundays, but thecongregation had swelled toaround 400 because it wasclose to Christmas.
Prime Minister ShahidKhaqan Abbasi and leadersof other political parties condemned the attack. ChristianMP Anita Irfan praised security forces for swift action.
IS, in a brief statement onits Amaq news agency,claimed responsibility.
Previous attacksQuetta has witnessed recentseveral terrorist attacks inthe past two years. This wasthe �fth attack this year. InOctober, eight people, including seven policemen,were killed in an attack. In2013, 82 people were killedwhen suicide bombers targeted a church in the city.
Authorities in Pakistanhave expressed concerns over the presence of IS in Afghanistan, near the Pakistanborder. Interior Ministry hadlast month issued directivesto security forces to strengthen border security, following reports that some IS ter
rorists had entered thecountry. Hours after Sunday’s attack, reports surfaced that a total of four attackers had been involved,with two escaping. Seniorpolice o�cial Abdul RazzaqCheema said investigatorswere analysing CCTV footage
to check the claim.Christians make up an es
timated 1.6% of Pakistan’s200 million people and havelong faced discrimination —sidelined into lowpayingjobs and sometimes the target of blasphemy charges.
Easter attack in 2016Last year, Lahore su�eredone of Pakistan’s deadliestattacks during the Easterseason — suicide bombing ina park that killed more than70 people, including manychildren. It was claimed bythe Jamaat ul Ahrar factionof the Pakistani Taliban.
Balochistan, borderingIran and Afghanistan, is thelargest of the country’s fourProvinces but its roughly seven million people have longargued they do not get a fairshare of its vast gas and mineral wealth.
(Inputs from AFP)
8 killed in attack on Quetta churchIS claims responsibility for �fth attack in the city this year, which comes days before Christmas
Mubashir Zaidi
Karachi
Swift action: Children being evacuated from the Methodistchurch in Quetta after Sunday’s suicide attack. * AFP
Russian President VladimirPutin telephoned U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday to thank him for a tipo�that helped prevent a terrorist bomb attack on a cathedral in the Russia city of St.Petersburg, the Kremlinsaid. Information providedby the Central IntelligenceAgency (CIA) allowed Russian lawenforcement agencies to arrest the wouldbeattackers before they couldcarry out their plan, theKremlin said in a statementposted on its Internet site.
There was no immediatecon�rmation from U.S.authorities that they hadshared the intelligence withRussian o�cials.
The foiled attack was tohave been carried out onKazansky Cathedral, in Russia’s second city of St. Petersburg, and on other locations in the city where largenumbers of people gather,the Kremlin statement said.The cathedral is a populartourist site.
IS planned attackRussian media reported lastweek that the Federal Security Service had detained followers of the Islamic Stategroup who had been planning a suicide bomb attackon Kazansky Cathedral onDec. 16. “The Russian President thanked his Americancolleague for the information passed on by the Central Intelligence Agency,which helped detain agroup of terrorists preparing explosions in St. Petersburg’s Kazansky Cathedraland other busy sites in thecity,” the Kremlin said.
The Kremlin did not giveany details of the identity ofthe people who weredetained.
In their phone call, Mr.Putin asked Mr. Trump topass on his thanks to the CIAo�cers who had gatheredthe intelligence, accordingto the Kremlin statement.
Mr. Putin said Russiawould alert U.S. authoritiesif it received any information about any attack beingplanned on the UnitedStates, the Kremlin said.
Relations between Washington and Moscow arefraught because of disagreements over Ukraine, Syriaand arms control as well asallegations from Washington — denied by Russia —that the Kremlin meddled inlast year's U.S. presidentialelection.
However, Russian o�cials say Mr. Putin believesMr. Trump is not to blamefor the tension, and hastried to keep personal linesof communication open between the two men.
The Russian leader hassaid restoring ties betweenMoscow and Washington isvital because the two countries need to work togetherto counter global challenges, in particular the threatfrom violent Islamist radicals.
‘CIA tipo� helpedprevent Russia attack’Putin thanks Trump for information
Reuters
Moscow
Russian President VladimirPutin. * AFP
The UN Security Council isconsidering a draft resolution a�rming that anychange to the status of Jerusalem has no legal e�ect andmust be reversed, in response to the U.S. decision torecognise the city as Israel’scapital.
Egypt circulated the drafttext on Saturday, and diplomats said the council couldvote on the proposed measure as early as on Monday.
Breaking with the international consensus, U.S. President Donald Trump thismonth announced that hewould recognise Jerusalemas Israel’s capital and movethe U.S. embassy there from
Tel Aviv, sparking protestsand strong condemnation.
The draft resolutionstresses that Jerusalem is anissue “to be resolved throughnegotiations” and expresses“deep regret at recent decisions concerning the statusof Jerusalem”, without speci�cally mentioning Mr.Trump’s move.
‘No legal e�ect’“Any decisions and actionswhich purport to have altered the character, status ordemographic composition ofthe Holy City of Jerusalemhave no legal e�ect, are nulland void and must be rescinded,” it said.
Diplomats said they expected the United States to
use its veto power to blockthe measure while most, ifnot all, of the 14 other council members were expected
to back the draft resolution.Israel’s UN Ambassador
Danny Danon “strongly condemned” the draft, dismissing it as an attempt by thePalestinians “to reinventhistory”.
The draft resolution callson all countries to refrainfrom opening embassies inJerusalem, re�ecting concerns that other governments could follow the U.S.lead.
It demands that all memberstates not recognise anyactions that are contrary toUN resolutions on the statusof the city.
Several UN resolutionscall on Israel to withdrawfrom territory seized duringthe 1967 war.
The Palestinians hadsought a toughlywordeddraft resolution that wouldhave directly called on theU.S. administration to scrapits decision.
But some U.S. allies on thecouncil such as Britain,France, Egypt, Japan and Ukraine were reluctant to betoo hardhitting and insistedthat the proposed measureshould rea�rm the positionenshrined in current resolutions, diplomats said.
Backed by Muslim countries, the Palestinians are expected to turn to the UNGeneral Assembly to adopt aresolution rejecting the U.S.decision, if, as expected, themeasure is vetoed by the United States at the council.
UN to vote on draft nullifying Jerusalem moveResolution calls for any such decision to be declared void, and is likely to be backed by most members
A protest in Jakarta againstthe recent U.S. decision onJerusalem. * AFP
Agence France-Presse
United Nations
Australian police said onSunday that they had arrested a man accused of workingon the black market to sellmissile components andcoal on behalf of North Korea, the �rst charges everbrought in Australia over thesale of weapons of massdestruction.
The man had beencharged with two counts under an act preventing theproliferation of weapons ofmass destruction, policesaid, and with another fourunder legislation enforcingUnited Nations and Australian sanctions against NorthKorea.
A resident for 30 yearsThe Sydney man was identi�ed by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and other media as 59yearoldChan Hanchoi, who they
said had been living in Australia for more than 30 yearsand was of Korean descent.
He was arrested in theSydney suburb of Eastwoodon Saturday and was due toface court later on Sunday,police said. He came to theattention of authorities earlier this year, the AustralianFederal Police (AFP) said.
“This man was a loyalagent of North Korea, whobelieved he was acting toserve some higher patrioticpurpose,” AFP AssistantCommissioner Neil Gaughantold reporters. “This case islike nothing we have everseen on Australian soil,” hesaid.
Police will allege the mantried to broker the sale ofmissile components, including software for the guidance systems of ballisticmissiles, as well as trying tosell coal to third parties inIndonesia and Vietnam.
Mr. Gaughan said thetrade could have been worth“tens of millions of dollars”if successful.
In touch with regimeMr. Gaughan said the manhad been in touch with highranking North Korean o�cials but no missile components ever made it to Australia. He also said there was noindication o�cials in Indonesia or Vietnam had beeninvolved in the attemptedcoal sales.
“We are alleging that allthe activity occurred o�shore, and was purelyanother attempt for thisman to trade goods and services as a way to raise revenue for the government ofNorth Korea,” he said.
The man faces up to 18years in jail if convicted. Hedid not apply for bail andwill next face court on Wednesday.
Sydney man arrested foracting as North Korea’s agent‘He tried to broker the sale of missile parts for Pyongyang’
Reuters
Melbourne
The Donald Trump administration has told agencieswithin the Department ofHealth to avoid using certain words or phrases in of�cial documents beingdrafted for next year’s budget, The Washington Postreported on Saturday.
The newspaper said oneof the agencies, the Centers for Disease Controland Prevention, was givena list of seven prohibitedwords or phrases: “vulnerable”, “entitlement”, “diversity”, “transgender”,“fetus”, “evidencebased”and “sciencebased”.
O�cials at a secondagency were also told touse “Obamacare” insteadof the A�ordable Care Actto describe the 2010healthcare law. The newspaper said State Department documents also nowrefer to sex education as“sexual risk avoidance”.
U.S. banso�cial use ofsome words
Reuters
Washington
50 couples, 60th anniversary: Clad in traditional Chinese, Western and Sri Lankan costumes, 50 Chinese couples were marriedat a mass ceremony in Colombo on Sunday to mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.The ceremony was attended by Sri Lankan politicians and diplomats from both nations. * AP
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Wedding diplomacy
Chileans voted in an uncertain presidential runo�election on Sunday that willdetermine if it joins a tide ofLatin American nationsturning to the Right in recent years.
Former President Sebastian Pinera, 68, a conservative who was considered thefrontrunner but earned fewer votes than expected inlast month’s �rst round, faces centerleft journalist andSenator Alejandro Guillier,64.
The contest comes aheadof a long stretch of electionsin Latin America in 2018.While populist candidatesare polling near the top forthe region’s largest economies of Brazil and Mexico,
none advanced to the second round in Chile.
There have been no major polls made public sincethe �rst round when Mr.Pinera and Mr. Guillier werethe top two candidates andearned the right to face eachother on Sunday.
Chileans vote forPresident in runo�No populist candidate in Round 2
Reuters
Santiago
Sebastian Pinera and hiswife Cecilia Morel after theyvoted in the election. * AFP
Chinese authorities are usingdetentions and datadrivensurveillance to impose a police state over the region ofXinjiang and its 10 millionUighurs. Unprecedented levels of police blanket Xinjiang’s streets in many cities.Cuttingedge surveillancesystems track where Uighursgo, what they read, who theytalk to and what they say.
Through rare interviewswith Uighurs who recentlyleft China, a review of government procurement contracts and unreported documents, and a trip throughsouthern Xinjiang, the Associated Press pieced togethera picture of a campaignthat’s ostensibly rooting outterror but instead instillingfear.
Most of the more than a
dozen Uighurs interviewedfor this story spoke on condition of anonymity.
In Hotan, police depotswith �ashing lights and footpatrols are set up every 500meters. Motorcades of morethan 40 armoured vehicles
rumble down city boulevards. Police checkpoints onevery other block stop carsto check identi�cation andsmartphones for religiouscontent.
Xinjiang’s published budget data shows public securi
ty spending this year is ontrack to increase 50% from2016 to roughly 45 billionyuan ($6.8 billion) after rising 40% a year ago. It’s quadrupled since 2009, when aUighur riot broke out inUrumqi, killing nearly 200people. But much of the policing goes unseen. Shoppersentering the Hotan bazaarmust pass through metal detectors and place their national identi�cation cards ona reader while having theirfaces scanned.
Making people spyThe government’s trackinge�orts have extended to vehicles, genes and even voices.China has also turned to a familiar lowtech surveillancetactic: recruiting the masses.
A Uighur businessmanfrom Kashgar who �ed Chinasaid his four brothers and his
father were in prison because of his escape and thatfamilies tasked with spyingon one another in his community had also been punished. Members from eachwere sent to reeducationcenters for three months, hetold AP.
A document obtained byU.S.based activists and seenby the AP shows Uighur residents in the Hebei Road Westneighbourhood in Urumqi,the regional capital, beinggraded on a 100point scale.Those of Uighur ethnicityare automatically docked 10points. Being aged between15 and 55, praying daily, orhaving a religious education,all result in 10pointdeductions.
Further, Uighurs abroadsay it’s too risky to stay intouch with their families inChina.
Uighurs in Xinjiang live in constant fearPolicing, both overt and covert, ensures that every movement of theirs is minutely tracked
Sense of insecurity: Residents in Kashgar, Xinjiang, walkingpast a Mao statue. The region’s public security funding isslated to increase by 50% this year. * AP
Associated Press
Korla
U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May said on Sunday thatthe U.K. would not be derailed from leaving the European Union (EU), layingthe groundwork for meetings this week in which shewill try to unite a dividedCabinet behind her visionfor postBrexit Britain.
Ms. May was applaudedby EU leaders on Friday after securing an agreementto move talks forward ontothe topic of interim tradingarrangements.
“Amid all the noise, weare getting on with thejob,” she wrote in The Sun-day Telegraph. “My message today is very clear: wewill not be derailed fromthis fundamental duty todeliver the democratic willof the British people.”
Brexit won’tbe derailed,says MayReuters
London
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THE HINDU NOIDA/DELHI
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BUSINESS
Raymond opens linenplant in Maharashtra NEW DELHI
Raymond opened a �250
crore linen manufacturing
plant at Amravati that will
cater to the company’s own
brands and domestic and
international markets. The
facility is expected to
produce 1,200 tonnes of
linen yarn and 4.8 million
metres of linen and blended
fabrics per annum. “So far we
have done about �250 crore
capex in this business,”
Raymond CMD Gautam Hari
Singhania said. PTI
Govt. asks PSBs to openMSMEcentric branches NEW DELHI
To increase credit availability
to small businesses, the
Finance Ministry has asked
public sector banks (PSBs) to
open MSMEintensive
branches. Micro, small and
medium enterprises (MSMEs)
contribute 40% to India’s
manufacturing. To cater to
the segment, banks have
been advised to open
specialised branches with
skilled manpower to handle
the requirement of the
employmentintensive MSME
sector, sources said. PTI
IN BRIEF
For the �rst time in the morethan twodecade history ofthe World Trade Organisation (WTO), India was notblamed for the failure of ameeting of the global organisation’s apex decisionmaking body as witnessed in theArgentine capital, a perception — according to SureshPrabhu, Commerce Minister— that was important for thecountry.
The WTO’s MinisterialConference had, on earlieroccasions, ended without aMinisterial Declaration inSeattle (1999), Cancun(2003) and Geneva (in 2009and partly in 2011) owing to alack of consensus amongmembernations from therich and the poor world onissues relating to marketopening commitments infarm and industrial goods.India was blamed for these
as well as for the failure ofsome of WTO’s ‘miniministerials’ (meetings by a groupof some important membersof the WTO from the developing and developedworld), most notably in June2007 in Potsdam and July2008 in Geneva on agricul
ture issues. Speaking to a select group of journalists, including this writer from TheHindu, in Buenos Aires a dayafter the meeting ended in adeadlock, Mr. Prabhu, wholed India’s negotiating team,said, “I was told by quite afew people who have attend
ed almost all ministerialsthat for the �rst time, India isnot blamed. This is very important. India has alwaysbeen the whipping boy, andpeople need whipping boys,”he said.
‘Not a walkover’Talking about India’s e�ortsto protect food security rightand centrality of development in multilateral tradenegotiations as well as itsviews against the introduction of new issues like ecommerce, investment facilitation and norms relating tosmall �rms into the ongoingDoha Round talks, the Minister further said, “India is nota country that can be justwalked over. We stood ourground, and we took a principled stand as well as practical stand.”
The position of the U.S. toblock the demands of morethan 100 developing coun
tries, including India andChina, for the implementation of their food securityprogrammes without onerous conditions, was widelyseen as one of the main reasons for the failure of thetalks.
The U.S. had also questioned the centrality of development in WTO talks,another reason for the talksending without a MinisterialDeclaration.
Mr. Prabhu said by standing �rm on food security issues, India “gained the goodwill of the rest of the wholeworld… India has not onlyprotected its national interests, but also not harmedanybody’s interests. That isvery important. We promoteour interests, but not at thecost or expense of other’sinterests.”
(This writer was in BuenosAires at the invitation of theIndian Commerce Ministry)
‘WTO meet failure: India not blamed’ Commerce Minister Prabhu says it’s important as the country was pilloried for earlier failures
ARUN S
Buenos Aires
Terra �rma: India gained the goodwill of the rest of the worlddue to its �rm stand, says Minister Suresh Prabhu. * AFP
Foreign investors are �ocking to the Indian capitalmarkets in a big way with anet in�ow of more than $30billion (more than �2 lakhcrore) of socalled ‘hot money’ in 2017, with equitiesalone getting over $8 billion— an amount bigger than thecumulative investment ofthe previous two years.
As the year draws to aclose, the Indian stock market seems to have regainedits status as one of the mostfavoured destinations for foreign portfolio investors(FPIs), as they have takentheir net investment position in equities so far in 2017to �55,000 crore — the highest in three years after�20,500 crore in 2016 and�17,800 crore in 2015.
However, this remains a
far cry from the heady levelsseen earlier — �97,000 crorein 2014, �1.13 lakh crore in2013 and �1.28 lakh crore in2012. A sharper turnaroundwas seen in 2017 in terms ofFPI in�ows into debt markets where the net investments have soared to a staggering �1.5 lakh crore, aftera net out�ow of about�43,600 crore in 2016.
Foreign funds pump in $30 billion in 2017
In�ows into debt see turnaround
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA
NEW DELHI
* GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCK
With more routes set to beoperational under UDAN,the Civil Aviation ministry islikely to face paucity offunds in providing viabilitygap funding (VGF) to participating airlines, an o�cialsaid.
To connect unserved andunderserved aerodromesas well as make �ying morea�ordable, the Ministry unveiled Ude Desh ka AamNaagrik (UDAN) and 128routes were awarded in the�rst round of bidding.
A total of 141 initial proposals have been receivedfrom various players in the
second round of bidding,the results of which are expected this month. As participating airlines are extended VGF, the Ministry feelsthat the amount that will beavailable towards it may notbe su�cient once moreplayers start operatingUDAN �ights.
Ministry may facefund crunch for UDAN
More routes add to pressure: o�cial
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA
NEW DELHI
The Confederation of IndianIndustry (CII) urged theCentre to dilute its majoritystake in public sector banks(PSBs), from the currentthreshold of 52% ownershipto 33% over the next threeyears, to complement its�2.11 lakhcrore recapitalisation plan for these banks.
Stake in SBIThe Centre could retain alarger share in the State Bankof India to meet priority sector needs and even maintainmajority voting rights in other PSBs by diluting its stakethrough nonvoting shares,the industry chamber recommended.
The minimum govern
ment stake in PSBs had beenrelaxed to 52% from 58%,but the actual holdings inmany of these banks is morethan 80%. Just four bankshave a government stake of
58% each as of March thisyear, the CII noted. “New accounting standards will alsobe applicable for banks fromApril 1, 2018.
This is likely to increase
provisioning requirementson bad loans by as much as30%, further adding to thesebanks’ capital requirements,” the CII pointed out,suggesting the Centre couldimmediately initiate publicissues to dilute its stake to52% in the public sectorbanks.
Reviving bank growthThe bank recapitalisationprogramme may revive bankcredit growth over the nextcouple of years and lift theeconomy from the overhangof NPAs (nonperforming assets), observed CII DirectorGeneral Chandrajit Banerjee, before suggesting somemore steps to meet the capital requirements of publicsector banks.
Pare stake in PSBs to 33%: CII to govt.‘Dilution to complement �2.11 lakhcrore recapitalisation plan for staterun banks’
No fat, please:The Centre can dilute its stake through nonvoting shares, according to the CII. * GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCK
Special Correspondent
NEW DELHI
The Telecom Departmentis planning to allocate Eand V band spectrum,which are required to connect mobile towers,through auctions instead ofa �xed fee as suggested bythe sector’s regulator, Telecom Regulatory Authorityof India.
“The working group onmicrowave access and microwave backbone at theDoT is largely in favour ofallocating E and V bandspectrum through auction.The report of the committee will be placed beforeTelecom Commission in itsmeeting on December 21,”said an o�cial source.
DoT likely toauction E, Vbands
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA
NEW DELHI
Bitcoin: illicit schemesface regulatory axeNEW DELHI
Market watchdog SEBI will
come down heavily on illicit
‘initial coin o�ers’ seeking
public investments with
promise of high returns from
bitcoins and other virtual
currencies, amid a
mushrooming of such
schemes. However, SEBI is
not keen to take on the
mantle of a regulator for
such ‘trading’ as the
underlying product, which is
any cryptocurrency, is not
approved by RBI or any other
agency, top o�cials said.
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BUSINESS REVIEW
In 2016, the Supreme Courtdirected the Employees Provident Fund Organisation(EPFO) to pay higher pension to 12 employees, basedon an amendment to pension norms made in 1996.Here is all you need to knowabout the issue.
How does pension contribu-
tion work?
J Out of an employee’s salary structure, the Basic wages and dearness allowanceare taken for calculation ofcontribution to the Provident Fund. The employerand employee contribute12% each towards the Fund.Of the employer’s contribution, 8.33% goes to the pension Fund. The governmentcontributes 1.66% for administrative charges. After attaining age of 58, employeeis eligible to get pension on amonthly basis from the accumulated corpus.
How has the salary ceiling
for calculating pension
changed?
J The salary ceiling in theyear 1995 when the schemewas introduced was �3500.It was raised to �5000 in1997. The ceiling was revisedto �6,500 in 2001, and further to �15,000 in 2014. So taking the ceiling of �15,000,the pension contributionworks out to �1,250 now(8.33% of �15000).
Why the confusion now?
J The EPFO had �xed thesalary ceiling for calculationof pension at various pointsin time. However, in 1996, itpassed an amendmentwhich gave an option for theemployer and the employee
to contribute the full salaryto pension. For example, ifthe basic wage and DA cameto �20,000, the statutoryceiling to be taken for pension calculation was �5,000at the time. The 1996 amendment provided an option forcontributing 8.33% of thefull salary of �20,000 towards pension.
Why is this a legal issue?
J A majority of employeesremained unaware aboutthe amendment for almost10 years post the amendment. When they did approach the EPFO based onthe 1996 amendment, the institution dismissed theirclaims saying the cuto� dayto opt for the higher pensionwas one month from thedate of the amendment.
Some employees �ledwrit petitions in High Courtswhich ruled in their favour.The EPFO moved the Supreme Court against the order. In 2016, the SC too ruledin favour of employees andsaid there was no cuto� dayfor the 1996 amendment.
If you are still employed,
could you expect a higher
pension?
J For those in service, thebene�t of getting higher
pension won’t be available.For, the EPFO again amended the pension contributionnorm in September 2014.That amendment �xed thesalary cap of �15,000 forpension contribution anddid away with the practice ofvoluntary contribution, according to Salil Sankar, Regional PF Commissioner,Chennai, EPFO.
He also pointed out thatthe amendment providedfor employees to opt for continuing the pension contribution above the ceilingalong with the 1.66% contributed by the government.However, the time frame forthat was only six monthswhich is extensible by another six months.
So employees who did notopt for higher pension inthat time frame are not eligible as per circulars issued bythe EPFO in this regard. Employees who retired fromservice prior to the September 2014 amendment areeligible for higher pensionprovided they pay all the arrears in contribution alongwith interest.
Employees from organisations whose PF is managedby trusts are also not eligibleas per EPFO, but that is nowbeing challenged in court.
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What ails EPFO’s pension plan?
Sanjay Vijayakumar
Chennai
* GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCK
Mahatma Gandhi said,“There are unjust laws asthere are unjust men.”
A study would show thatour country’s GST is notmerely unjust but one thatwould generate immenseproblems. This has beenushered in through indoctrinating claims, screamingpraise, as if it were a holycow and a panacea for all ills(reminiscent of similar drama enacted when Modvatand VAT were introduced).
On the shocking claimthat GST has been ‘adopted’by more than 100 countriesand that India should not be‘left behind’, our GST creators may answer the following ten questions:
How many ‘GST countries’ have such huge tari�sas ours (1500 pages, withhighly technical entries,‘Section Notes’, ‘ChapterNotes’ and noti�cations)?This tari� is even more complex than HSN, which wasevolved primarily for tradestatistics, while our tari� isfor classi�cation.
Are the GST Act and Rulesin other countries also aspainful as ours (174 Sectionsand 161 Rules)? There aremore than 150 formats and37 monthly returns and asmany as 1,332 yearly returns, as stated by two members of our own GST Council. Do other countriesnecessitate the herculeantask of matching purchaseinvoice with supply invoiceand executing bonds?
How many such countrieshave elaborate processes ofShow Cause Notices / fruitless appellate ‘remedies’,where the department �lesan appeal even against theorder of its own o�cial?
Which countries have intimidating provisions, as inour GST, for seizure, arrest,prosecution, demandingtax, even after the normaltimelimit, alleging ‘suppression of facts, fraud and collusion’, (highly arbitrary anddiscretionary), besides rejecting refunds, citing ‘unjust enrichment’.
Amusing ‘services’Do other countries also listinnumerable ‘services’, asour GST does, roping in al
most all imaginable humanactivities? Amusingly shocking entries include — ‘gambling and betting services’,‘slaughtering animals’, ‘animal husbandry’, ‘spermbanking’, ‘bicycle repairing’, ‘cremation, funeral’,‘demolition’, ‘pension Services’, ‘lottery’, ‘pressing’,‘ritual ceremonies’, ‘agreeing to do/refrain from/tolerate an act or service’, ‘sanitation’, ‘septic tank cleaning’,‘chimney cleaning’, ‘bathrooms/lavatories/urinals’,‘circus’, ‘birth certi�cate issue’ and many more.
Do others also have ourcomplex concepts as ‘jobwork’, TDS, ECO, TCS, PureServices, EPZ, SEZ, Loan Licensee, Transitional/Deemed Credit, ‘AdvanceRuling’ and the ‘CommonPortal’? Are there huge pendency of refund claims (including on exports) in othercountries also?
What about our tortuousauditing processes — internal, ‘special’ and that of theC&AG, with objections (rightor wrong), generating innumerable showcause notices and endless uncertaintyand harassment?
Do such concepts even exist elsewhere — ‘ReverseCharge’, ‘CompositionScheme’ (with its inevitablefragmentation of units), besides the draconian and impractical ‘antipro�teering’?
Do such ‘GST countries’have multiple taxes withinGST itself (CGST, SGST/UTGST, IGST and Cess), besides also many other taxesof the Centre and States? Donot these and the multiplerates (from 0% to 28% andeven higher) go against thevery principle of VAT andGST? Do these also not demolish the claim of ‘One Na
tion, One Tax, One Market’?Perhaps, the term ‘One
Tax’ is only to convey thatnow there would be just onetax rate for the same goodsin di�erent States. In this regard, one may ask, “What iswrong if di�erences exist inour federal setup, given thevaried nature of manufacture and trade from State toState”? As our Constitutionitself provides for Central,State and Concurrent Lists, ahealthy ‘taxwar’ can happily coexist with a healthy‘pricewar’ and competition.Regarding ‘One Market’, thevery concept is utopian because prices vary even within a town, not to speak of avast country. Not just taxrates, but various capriciousmarket forces also determine the ultimate price.
Jargon, mythsPreposterous also is the proclamation that GST wouldbring down prices by obviating ‘duty on duty’ and ‘cascading e�ect’ — jargon andmyths often used even during the Modvat and VATdays. After all, just tax creditaccumulated is adjusted. Atbest, the assessee is left witha mere ‘intellectual’, thoughillusory ‘satisfaction’ that hehas got some credit.
India is ranked 100 in therecent World Bank’s ease ofdoing business report. Thissorry state is due to illconceived polices and legislation, such as GST. Enterprisein business is, consequently,nipped in the bud.
Indeed, there are unjustlaws, as there are unjustmen!
(The author was in theIRS as Deputy Collector,Customs & Central Excise.He can be reached at [email protected])
GUEST COLUMN
GST — the untold storyK. VIJAYARAGHAVAN
Navigating the maze: India’s low score in ease of doingbusiness is due to ill-conceived policies. * GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCK
Odisha seems to haveemerged as a preferred investment destination for asection of Indian companiesseeking to remain cost competitive while aiming to expand their market.
Following an overhaul ofthe State’s industrial policyand moves by the administration to deliver on promises, a large number of companies from nonmetal sectorsare heading to the easternstate, the 13th largest contributor to the Indian economy. Two years ago, the Statecame out with a sectorspeci�c Industrial Policy focusingon employmentintensivenonmetal sectors with anaim to be among the topthree investment destinations in the country.
It unveiled its Vision 2025at the Make In India Week inMumbai last year.
According to a recent Assocham report, Odisha hasbeen ranked third with amore than 7% share in totallive investments exceeding�177 lakh crore attracted bydi�erent states of India as ofFY17. Maharashtra had ashare of more than 11% whileGujarat had 8.5%.
Odisha had attractedmore than 900 projects withlive investments worth morethan �13 lakh crore as ofFY17, the report said.
“Though Odisha is rankedthirteenth in terms of its economic size and contributionto India’s economy [2.6%share], its economic growthhas increased from 4.6% inFY13 to about 8% in FY17.The allIndia economicgrowth rate was 5.5% inFY13, reaching just over 7%in FY17,” the report said.
Odisha clocked a CAGR ofabout 9% in the industry sector between FY12 and FY17which was ahead of allIndia’s growth rate of 6%.
Political stability underNaveen Patnaik since 2000has helped. Top o�cialspoint to his relentless e�ortsin ensuring ease of doingbusiness.
Sanjeev Chopra, theState’s Principal Secretary,Industries, said, “We arepromoting Odisha in sectorssuch as apparel, food pro
cessing and gem & jewellery.We have seen fair success forthree years in the sectors forwhich Odisha has not beentraditionally known for.”
‘MSMEs interested’Over the years, big namessuch as Tata Steel, AdityaAlumina, Vedanta, JindalSteel & Power and Essar haveinvested in the state. But,this time around, companiesfrom the nonmetal sectorsand MSMEs are coming indroves. Shahi Exports, India’s largest apparel exporterhad started production inthe state in 2016 and has already applied for capacityexpansion to employ a totalof 2,500 people.
Aditya Birla Fashion is setting up a garment manufacturing unit with an investment of �53 crore. PageIndustries, which manufactures the Jockey brand of garments, has got approval for aunit with an investment of�135.5 crore. Texport Industries is setting up a unit withan investment of �75 crore.
From Mumbai, Kader Investment and Trading, thelargest seafood exporter, isplanning to invest �55 crorein a seafood processing unitat Deras. Carnival Films hasgot approval for an exhibition and family entertainment centre in 30 districts
with an investment of �150crore. Oricon Enterprises iscoming up with a PET preforms manufacturing unitwith an investment of �120crore. A unit by Deepak Fertilizers is also in the works.The state’s 480 kmlongcoastline and three ports arealso helping attract businesses, o�cials said.
‘Progressive policy’Hindustan CocaCola will beexpanding its plant with aninvestment of �500 crore.
“Our investment in thestate has been steadily goingup,” said Pradip Pandey, zonal VP, east, Hindustan CocaCola Beverages Pvt. Ltd.“This has became possibledue to the progressive Industrial Policy resulting in easeof doing business. We willcontinue to invest more.”
Recently, Gitanjali Infratech, a Gitanjali Group company, received permission toset up a Gem & Jewellery Lifestyle and Luxury GoodsPark with an investment of�636 crore on 100 acres ofland near Cuttack. This is the�rst of its kind in the State.
Odisha is also pulling outall stops in promoting foodprocessing. ITC and SuryaFoods, the makers of PriyaGold, are setting up units.Anmol Biscuits has investedin a factory to manufacture
5,000 tonnes of biscuits amonth in Bhubaneswar andis also planning a cake factory. The company has a totalinvestment plan of morethan �150 crore. “We are catering to even the south market from here. It is a costeffective facility,” said a seniorcompany o�cial.
Seafood processing is alsohigh on the State’s agenda. ASea Food Park with a statesponsored investment of�134 crore is coming up atDeras, near the State capital,which will be functional inearly 2018. The park standson 150 acres and seafoodprocessed there would beprimarily meant for exports.
Twenty �rms have committed investments worth�466 crore in the park. Odisha is targeting seafood exports worth �20,000 croreper year in the next �veyears.
“The industry department is providing the packaging facility, cold storage,refrigerated vans, wastetreatment plant, administrative building and even powerand water to the units,” saidMr. Chopra.
“The Sea Food Park willbe a game changer in seafood processing not only inOdisha but in India,” saidSanjay Kumar Singh, CMD,Industrial Infrastructure De
velopment Corporation,which is responsible for supplying land and infrastructure to industrial units. Thepark will process 90,860MTPA of seafood and employmore than 7,200 people.
Navrangpur in southwestOdisha has traditionally seensigni�cant production ofmaize. The State is now wooing cattlefeed manufacturersto set up base. Several starchunits have applied for permission. The State is also setting up an Aluminium Parkat Angul near the Nalco factory, a Plastic Park at Paradipnear an Indian Oil re�neryand a Food Processing Parkat Bhadrak.
“We are moving awayfrom metals and minerals.We are focusing on sectorswhich are creating jobs,” Mr.Chopra said.
‘Lower costs attractive’Firms �nd the low wage rateattractive. Land acquisitioncosts and power tari�s are also low, and so is the cost ofliving, said sources. TheState rates �rms on theirability to create employmentand provides incentivesbased on the rating.
Odisha has developed asinglewindow portal whereapplicants can log in and obtain necessary approvals.Their grievances will also betracked through this portal.
“We help get the layoutapproval from the development authority as also permissions from the pollutioncontrol board. Today, investors look at a large number offactors to take an investmentdecision. We are making it acommercial proposition forthem,” Mr. Singh said.
The state is creating a landbank of 1 lakh acres, of which60,000 acres come from governmentowned land.
Last year, the state received investment intentworth �71,000 crore in theMake in India Week. Of 14 investment announcementsreceived at the event, nineprojects are under implementation, o�cials said.
From recent investormeets, the State has receivedand approved �rm proposalsfor 75 projects worth �2.02lakh crore. “This is only thebeginning,” Mr. Chopra said.
Look east, opportunity beckonsGoing beyond metals, Odisha is laying out the red carpet for apparel, jewellery and food processing
Lalatendu Mishra
MUMBAI
In search of returns: The State’s economic growth rate has risen from 4.6% in FY13 to about 8%in FY17, according to a recent Assocham report. * GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCK
Indian consumers may betightening their belts on many counts. But one item ofexpense on which they’recertainly not skimping istheir children’s education.
The latest Value of Education report from HSBC, aftersurveying the aspirations of8,481 parents across 15 countries, reiterates that Indianparents continue to pull outall stops when it comes totheir o�spring’s education.
Greener pastures abroadThe 2017 report found thatIndian parents spent a hefty$18,909 (about �12.3 lakh) towards their children’s schooland college education in tuition fees, books and transport. About 83% of them engaged private tutors and 94%were keen to fund a postgraduate degree.
But most importantly,both for undergraduate andpostgraduate courses fortheir wards, a majority of Indian parents — a good 55% —were eyeing varsities overseas. This is much higherthan the global average of41%.
This is despite expectingto pay through their nose forthis luxury. Indian parentsestimated the cost of a foreign undergraduate degreeat $42,625 and a postgraduate degree at $41,590, taking theiroutlay to about �55lakh.
Quizzed about the reasonsfor sending their wardsabroad, (globally) the parents surveyed diplomatically said that a shot at learningforeign languages, gaininginternational work experience and exposure to new
ideas were the main motivations.
But what remains unsaidfor Indian parents is the widespread belief that the quality of foreign educational institutions, their faculty andresearch opportunities, arevastly superior to what is ono�er at home.
No doubt, HSBC’s �ndingsare based on a limited sample of parents — probablyfrom the more a�uent sections of society. But macrolevel data reiterates thetrend (or is it a fad?).
Data from global agenciestell us that this trend ofyoung people headingabroad to pursue collegeeducation, is the strongest inAsia. But lately, India hasemerged as the torchbearerof this trend.
The total number of Indian students pursuing college education abroad hasvaulted from 62,350 to 2.55lakh between 2000 and2016, data from UNESCOUISshowed. That’s a moderategrowth of 6% annually. But
student migration from Indiahas gathered steam in thelast three years, even as thatfrom other origin countriesslowed.
Rising numbersBetween 2013 and 2016,there was a 24% jump in thenumber (stock) of Indian students studying abroad. Thisgrowth outpaced that forChina (which saw a 12% expansion), South Korea (5%decline), Saudi Arabia (16%increase), Germany (2% decline) and France (6% increase). These countrieshave traditionally been thebiggest contributors to theinternational tertiary student pool.
Globally, India now accounts for the second largestpopulation of internationalcollege students (2.5 lakh) after China (8 lakh).
With its outbound studentgrowth rates beating China’slately, it is no wonder thatmany foreign varsities havebeen raising the pitch fortheir marketing blitzkrieg
(though not student aid) inIndia.
One-way streetGrowth rates apart, the other unusual facet of studentmigration from India is thatit is largely a oneway street.Data from HSBC showedthat, while China had morethan 8 lakh students lodgedin varsities abroad in 2016, ithad also half as many international students lodged atits own campuses.
In Malaysia, inbound students pursuing college wereneckandneck with outbound ones. Singapore hasmanaged to attract morethan twice the number ofcollege students it sendsoverseas. But in India, thenumber of students lodgedabroad is at more than fourtimes the inbound numbers.
Data from Open Doors2017 on Indian students inthe USA starkly highlightedthis oneway stampede. Inthe �ve years to 201617, thenumber of Indian youth pursuing the American dream at
colleges there shot up from 1lakh to 1.86 lakh, but thenumber of American students studying in India fellfrom 4,600 to about 4,100.
Dollar drainThe rising global mobility ofIndian students is a welcometrend in some respects. It enhances job prospects and encourages crosspollination ofideas for the students whomake the cut. But the trendhas economic downsidestoo. If the hordes of brightstudents who head o�shorefor their higher studies decide to settle there permanently, the brain drain cannot be very good for India’sdemographic dividend story.
A more immediate problem than the brain drainthough, is the dollar drain.As more Indian parents packo� their children right fromundergraduation, foreign exchange remittances towardstheir support are growing byleaps and bounds.
In 201617, Indians spent$3.7 billion towards ‘maintenance of close relatives’ and‘studies abroad’, with thesetwo items accounting for45% of all outward remittances under the RBI’s Liberalised Remittance Scheme.More worryingly for a country that runs a perpetualtrade de�cit, these out�owshave grown thirteenfoldsince FY12, from $279 million. Upgrading the qualityof domestic educational institutions is therefore a mustsolve problem for India’s policymakers. It can staunchthe brain drain, attract moreinternational students onshore and thus help keep thebalance of payments incheck.
What India’s student exodus means Sprucing up our universities will bring in foreign learners and also help stem dollar out�ows
Aarati Krishnan
Chennai
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b Mithun 0, Siddhesh Neral(not out) 0; Extras (lb3): 3; Total (in 61.4 overs): 185.
Fall of wickets: 122, 249, 397, 499, 5108, 6130, 7171,8171, 9171.
Karnataka bowling: Vinay Kumar 154362, A. Mithun 166455, S. Arvind 123421,Stuart Binny 153481, K.Gowtham 3070, Shreyas Gopal 0.4041.
Karnataka — 1st innings: R. Samarth c Wadkar b Gurbani 6,Mayank Agarwal lbw b Umesh15, D. Nischal b Gurbani 0, Karun Nair (batting) 6, C.M. Gautam (batting) 9; Total (forthree wkts. in 14 overs): 36.
Fall of wickets: 117, 221, 321.
Vidarbha bowling: Umesh Yadav 71221, Rajneesh Gurbani6192, Siddhesh Neral 1050.
CMYK
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THE HINDU NOIDA/DELHI
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Shikhar Dhawan’s brilliant,unbeaten 100 helped Indiato its eighth consecutive bilateral series win at homesince June 2016. The RohitSharmaled team scored anemphatic, eightwicket winover Sri Lanka in the thirdand �nal onedayer to clinchthe threematch series 21 atthe Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy Stadium here on Sunday.
The hosts’ brilliant allround performance ensuredthat Sri Lanka’s dismal record of never winning anODI series in India remainsintact!
Chasing a modest target of216, India got o� to a badstart with Rohit Sharmaclean bowled by o�e AkilaDananjaya. The opener completely missed the line of theball as he o�ered a lose defensive shot in the fourth over of the innings.
But for that early big blow,the Lankan bowlers neverreally posed any seriousthreat to the Indian batsmen.
Dhawan, who scored his12th ODI century and alsocrossed the 4000run mark,and the exciting Shreyas Iyerput on 135 runs which dented any hopes the Lankansmay have had of comingback into the game. It was also a partnership in which themore experienced Dhawanlet the young Shreyasdominate.
To his credit, Shreyasplayed some brilliant strokeseither side of the wicket; a�owing cover drive o� Angelo Mathews and a huge six o�leftarm spinner SachithPathirana over midwicketstanding out.
However, like in Mohali,
the wellset Shreyas failed toconvert a solid start into athree�gure mark. He mistimed an audacious pull o�Thisara Perera to be caughtat midon.
At the other end, the 32yearold Dhawan was morecomposed. He came up withhis trademark strokes to ensure that India reached thetarget comfortably in thecompany of Dinesh Karthik.
Earlier, the Sri Lankan innings withered away despitea secondwicket stand of 121between opener Upul Tharanga and Sadeera Samarawickrama. This was due to
M.S. Dhoni’s amazing abilityto pull things back underpressure even as Tharangawas going great guns; theLankan had lost Samarawickrama, who holed out to deepcover o� leggie YuzvendraChahal, by then.
First, Dhoni e�ected abrilliant stumping when Tharanga was marginally caughto� balance by chinamanbowler Kuldeep Yadav. Thenin the same over he walkeddown to have a word withKuldeep after he was late cutfor a four by Niroshan Dickwella. The bowler then spunone away a little bit wider
from Dickwella and forcedthe batsman to play straightinto Shreyas’ hands in theslips.
This doubleblow by Kuldeep in the 28th over sawLanka slip from 160 for twoto 168 for four and broughtIndia back into the game justwhen Tharanga was threatening with his elegance andraw power.
It was a classy knock byTharanga during which hetreated pacer Hardik Pandyawith disdain, hitting �vefours in his second over. Theway he hit Chahal for threesixes spoke of his technical
competence in handlingboth pace and spin. The TharangaSamarawickramastand also saw the Indianpacers struggle, with the exception of Jasprit Bumrah.
Later, Chahal provided abig breakthrough cleaningup the inform Angelo Mathews, who missed a legbreakcompletely when o�ering adefensive shot in the 34th over. Chahal in his next over removed Sri Lanka captainThisara Perera, who shu�edacross to cut a legbreak onlyto miss the line and betrapped lbw. The Lankanswere well and truly strug
gling at 197 for six in 35.4 overs.
After this, the innings lostdirection and momentum tobe eventually bowled out fora disappointing score.
Legspinner Yuzvendra Chahal said his dream ball of thematch was the one withwhich he dismissed AngeloMathews. Speaking to themedia after the match, Chahal said he was glad that hecould mix pace with somedrift and deceive the batsman who would have actually expected the ball tocome straight on to him.
“That wicket gave megreat satisfaction,” he said.“I love to try variations in�ight, pace and drift tomake things di�cult for thebatsmen on pitches whichdon’t o�er too much turn.
“I am [also] quite used tobowling in the middle ordeath overs even after theopposition posts a big scoreas I do this in the IPL,” Chahal said.
Questioned whether heand chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav had cementedtheir places in the Indianteam in the absence of R.Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, Chahal said it was wrongto make any comparisonswith them as they had
achieved a lot in six to sevenyears at the highest level.
On his playing Test cricket soon, a con�dent Chahalsaid he had been doing wellin the Ranji Trophy andhoped to play the �vedayversion for the country oneday.
“I would like to take it series by series and I am reallyenjoying the year 2017 sofar, being a member of awinning team,” he said.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’scoach Nic Pothas felt theteam was in a pretty strongposition in the 28th over before coming up short.
Lessons to be learnt“I think those two soft dismissals in the 28th overwere disappointing and Ithink we have not learnt aswell in ODIs as we did inTests,” he said.
On whether he was surprised by Shreyas Iyer’s batting, Pothas said ‘no’. “He isa very young and excitingbatter. I loved the way hebatted today with great con�dence. This also shows thesystem in India which produces such players.”
Mathews wicketgave me greatsatisfaction: ChahalSpecial Correspondent
VISAKHAPATNAM
Crafty: Yuzvendra Chahal mixed pace with some drift todeceive Angelo Mathews. * K.R. DEEPAK
Sri Lanka: D. Gunathilaka c Rohit b Bumrah 13 (12b, 2x4), U.Tharanga st Dhoni b Kuldeep 95(82b, 12x4, 3x6), S.Samarawickrama c Dhawan bChahal 42 (57b, 5x4), A. Mathews b Chahal 17 (28b, 2x4), N.Dickwella c Shreyas b Kuldeep 8(4b, 2x4), A. Gunaratne c Dhonib Bhuvneshwar 17 (51b), T. Perera lbw b Chahal 6 (6b), S.Pathirana c Chahal b Hardik 7(12b, 1x4), A. Dhananjaya bKuldeep 1 (4b), S. Lakmal lbw bHardik 1 (2b), N. Pradeep (notout) 0 (11b); Extras (lb4, w4):8; Total (in 44.5 overs): 215.Fall of wickets: 115 (Gunathilaka, 3.4 overs), 2136(Samarawickrama, 22.3), 3160(Tharanga, 27.1), 4168 (Dickwella, 27.5), 5189 (Mathews,33.5), 6197 (Perera, 35.1), 7208 (Pathirana, 38.4), 8210(Akela, 39.5), 9211 (Lakmal,40.1). India bowling: Bhuvneshwar6.50351, Bumrah 81391,Hardik 101492, Kuldeep 100423, Chahal 103463.India: Rohit b Dananjaya 7 (14b,1x6), Dhawan (not out) 100(85b, 13x4, 2x6), Shreyas c Lakmal b Perera 65 (63b, 8x4, 1x6),Karthik (not out) 26 (31b, 3x4);Extras (b4, lb2, w15): 21;Total (for two wkts. in 32.1overs): 219.Fall of wickets: 114 (Rohit,3.4), 2149 (Shreyas, 22.4).Sri Lanka bowling: Lakmal 52200, Dananjaya 7.10531,Mathews 30300, Pathirana40330, Fernando 30100,Perera 50251, Gunaratne 40300, Gunathilaka 10120.Toss: India.ManoftheMatch: Kuldeep.ManoftheSeries: Dhawan.
India won by eight wicketswith 107 balls remaining.
SCOREBOARD
England — 1st innings: 403.Australia — 1st innings: C. Bancroft lbw b Overton 25, D.Warner c Bairstow b Overton22, U. Khawaja lbw b Woakes50, S. Smith lbw b Anderson239, S. Marsh c Root b Ali 28,M. Marsh lbw b Anderson 181,T. Paine (not out) 49, M. Starcrun out 1, P. Cummins lbw b Anderson 41, N. Lyon c Ali b Anderson 4; Extras (b4, lb16,nb1, w1): 22; Total (for nine
wickets in 179.3 overs declared): 662.Fall of wickets: 144, 255, 3179, 4248, 5549, 6560, 7561, 8654, 9662.England bowling: Anderson37.391164, Broad 3531420, Woakes 4181281,Overton 2411102, Ali 3341201, Root 30130, Malan61130.England — 2nd innings: A.Cook c and b Hazlewood 14, M.
Stoneman c Paine b Hazlewood3, J. Vince b Starc 55, J. Root cSmith b Lyon 14, D. Malan (batting) 28, J. Bairstow (batting)14; Extras (lb4): 4; Total (forfour wickets in 38.2 overs): 132.
Fall of wickets: 14, 229, 360,4100.
Australia bowling: Starc 103321, Hazlewood 93232, MMarsh 31140, Cummins 8.22310, Lyon 83281.
SCOREBOARD AUSTRALIA VS ENGLAND, THIRD TEST
India’s hegemony at home continues Dhawan’s unbeaten ton complements Kuldeep and Chahal’s bowling exploits as hosts win series 21
LANKANS IN INDIA
V.V. SUBRAHMANYAM
VISAKHAPATNAM
Experience counts: In a classic case of working a batsman out, Kuldeep Yadav followed M.S. Dhoni’s advice to lure NiroshanDickwella — who had just late cut him for a boundary — to edge to Shreyas Iyer at �rst slip. * K.R. DEEPAK
Wickets fell in a heap as thepacers called the shots on ahelpful Eden Gardens pitchon the opening day of theRanji Trophy semi�nal between Karnataka and Vidarbha here on Sunday.
After opting to bat, Vidarbha was dismissed for apaltry 185, with AbhimanyuMithun picking up his third�vefor of the season. Vidarbha then scalped threeKarnataka wickets by close.
Karnataka speedstersMithun, Vinay Kumar, S. Arvind and Stuart Binny keptthe ball full, and moved itaround.
After openers Faiz Fazaland Sanjay Ramaswamy felllegbefore, Wasim Ja�er andGanesh Satish steadied theship. Ja�er (39, 85b, 8x4)countered the threat byshouldering arms to deliveries even marginally outsidethe o�stump, and some
were left topass over thestumps too.
Satish (31,56b, 6x4) fellto a delightful onehanded catch by’keeper C.M.
Gautam, who �ew to his leftto grab a �ick.
Next man Apoorv Wankhade, who had hit a centuryin the previous match, lastedjust four balls. He was bowled by Mithun, attemptingan expansive drive.
Arvind got the crucialwicket of Ja�er, who edgedan outswinger to Samarth.Mithun then blew away thetail in a �ery spell. This included a threewicket bursto� four balls, which e�ectively ended Vidarbha’shopes of getting past the200run mark.
The two spinners — K.Gowtham and Shreyas Gopal — were required to bowla mere 3.4 overs.
The Vidarbha total wouldhave been even smaller, ifnot for some poor slip catching. Mayank Agarwal and Arvind put down a chanceeach, while another edge bisected Mayank and Samarthin the cordon.
Then it was Karnataka’s
turn with batting woes.Samarth nicked one in the
sixth over, while the informMayank was trapped in frontby India internationalUmesh Yadav.
Moment of magicRajneesh Gurbani then produced a moment of magicwhen he had D. Nischal driving at a delivery which cut insharply. The big gap between bat and pad resulted inan uprooted middlestump.
Karnataka skipper VinayKumar, meanwhile, su�ereda bout of cramps and left thestadium ahead of his teammates at the end of the day’splay. The scores: Vidarbha — 1st innings: Faiz Fazal lbw Vinay 12,Sanjay Ramaswamy lbw b Binny 22, Wasim Ja�er c Samarth bArvind 39, Ganesh Satish c Gautam b Mithun 31, Apoorv Wankhade b Mithun 1, Akshay Wadkar c Gautam b Vinay 12, AdityaSarvate c Gowtham b Shreyas47, Akshay Wakhare c Gautam bMithun 18, Rajneesh Gurbani bMithun 0, Umesh Yadav c (sub)
Pacemen call the shots Mithun picks up third �vefor of the season
Ashwin Achal
Kolkata
Give me �ve: A. Mithun celebrates Apoor Wankhade’s wicketwith Karun Nair, left, and Shreyas Gopal. * G.P. SAMPATH KUMAR
An unexpected bouquet ofwickets came Delhi’s way inthe �nal session as the Bengal batsmen were left to ruetheir poor shot selection onthe opening day of the RanjiTrophy semi�nal here onSunday.
Batting by choice, Bengaltumbled from 200 for threeto 265 for seven at close. Thebigscoring batsmen got carried away, with skipper Manoj Tiwary being the biggestculprit. It was his wicket thattriggered the middleordercollapse and brought Delhibouncing back into thecontest.
Manan Sharma’s leftarmspin on a �at wicket served atwinblow, but not withoutthe help of Tiwary and topscorer Sudip Chatterjee.
Tiwary lost patience ando�ered a regulation catch atmidon. O� Manan’s next over, a wellset Sudip missedout on a possible centurywhen he cut a shortpitch delivery and ended up o�eringa low catch at cover.
With two reliable batsmendeparting in the space of
nine runs, Delhi seized themoment and maintained relentless pressure.
The second new ballstruck Anustup Majumdar’so�stump and B. Amit guided a rising ball into the waiting hands of thirdman.
In all, the �nal sessionproduced 82 runs in 27 oversbut four wickets tilted the balance in Delhi’s favour.
Saha indisposedIn fact, Delhi was pleasantlysurprised this morning whenWriddhiman Saha failed tomake Bengal’s playing ele
ven due to indisposition.However, there was no
clarity on the �tness status ofthe wicketkeeperbatsman.If coach Sairaj Bahutule said,“Saha was not feeling wellthis morning. He complained of fever but the doctor will be able to give youthe correct update.”
Tiwary put it di�erently,“Saha had some problemwith his body in the morning.”
Anyhow, Delhi had no reason to complain. The loss ofthe toss proved lucky on afresh pitch that had its share
of moisture and o�ered good‘carry’. However, the Delhiseamers Navdeep Saini andVikas Tokas were guilty ofnot making the batsmen playmuch in their opening spells.
Delhi still managed tostrike early. Abhimanyu,centurion in both inningsagainst Gujarat in the quarter�nals last week, fell legbefore and remained the only batsman to fall to a goodball.
The delivery from Sainicame in, beat the defensivebat and brushed the pads toearn Delhi an important legbefore verdict.
For the rest of the day, thestrange pattern of Bengal’sretrieving partnerships being undone by soft dismissals continued.
A sudden rush of bloodsaw Abhishek Raman stepping out to hoist leftarmspinner Vikas Mishra and offering a �rmlystruck returncatch.
Thereafter, the two Chatterjees – lefthanded Sudipand Writtick – added 78 runsfor the third wicket after umpire Nand Kishore erred injudgement.
When Sudip was on 36and Bengal 109 for two, heedged a delivery from Sainito wicketkeeper RishabhPant. Nand Kishore turneddown the appeal but replaysclearly showed the batsmanwas out.
The breakthrough 22 runslater came when Writtick felllegbefore. A determinedTiwary and Sudip raisedanother 68 runs to put Bengal in a position of strengthbefore losing its way. The scores:Bengal – 1st innings: AbhishekRaman c & b Mishra 36, Abhimanyu Easwaran lbw b Saini 4,Sudip Chatterjee c sub b Manan83, Writtick Chatterjee lbw bTokas 47, Manoj Tiwary c Himmat b Manan 30, Anustup Majumdar b Saini 32, ShreevatsGoswami (batting) 19, B. Amit cManan b Khejroliya 9, Amir Gani(batting) 4; Extras (b1, lb1,nb3): 5; Total (for seven wktsin 87 overs): 269.Fall of wickets: 18, 254, 3132, 4200, 5209, 6251,7265.Delhi bowling: Vikas Tokas 152501, Navdeep Saini 175452, Kulwant Khejroliya 171571, Nitish Rana 51190, Vikas Mishra 203591, MananSharma 132372.
Bengal loses way after Sudip Chatterjee’s 83 Delhi strikes back in the �nal session, removing four key wickets
RAKESH RAO
PUNE
Good knock, but... A lapse in concentration cost SudipChatterjee a welldeserved century. * PRASHANT NAKWE
Indian star shuttler P.V.Sindhu lost to Japan’s AkaneYamaguchi in the women’ssingles �nal of the seasonending BWF World SuperSeries Finals here onSunday.
World No. 2 Yamaguchidefeated Rio Olympics silvermedallist Sindhu 1521, 2112,2119 in an hour and 34minutes.
With this win, the 20yearold Japanese improvedher headtohead recordagainst Sindhu to 35.
Sindhu came into thematch on the back of fourconsecutive wins, includinga 219, 2113 victory in theleague stage here. The waySindhu ran away with the
�rst game, it seemed to beheading for another easywin for the threetimeWorld championships medallist. But it was not to be.
It was India’s third medalin the tournament after Saina Nehwal (2011) and themixed doubles pair of V. Diju and Jwala Gutta (2009).
Sindhu falters in �nal
SUPER SERIES FINALS
IANS
Dubai
P.V. Sindhu with her silvermedal. * AP
Loses to Yamaguchi in a seesaw battleAustralia had one hand onthe Ashes at stumps on thefourth day of the third Testagainst England in Perth onSunday.
Trailing by 259 runs in the�rst innings after Australiadeclared at 662 for nine, England was 132 for four whenstumps was called early aftera raininterrupted �nal session, with Dawid Malan on
28 and Jonny Bairstow on 14,still behind by 127 runs.
The tourists’ second innings got o� to a dismal startwhen opener Mark Stoneman was caught behind o�Josh Hazlewood for justthree.
Cook’s woesAlastair Cook’s woes thencontinued when Hazlewoodsnared a onehanded returncatch to remove him for 14,
leaving him with just 83 runsat 13.83 for the series.
Captain Joe Root was thethird man out, to spinnerNathan Lyon’s �rst ball ofthe innings.
James Vince looked impressive in making 55, butthere was little he could dowhen a Mitchell Starc delivery hit a crack and deviatedsharply to crash into hisstumps as England slumpedto 100 for four.
Australia close to Ashes glory Agence France-Presse
Perth
The start of the RanjiTrophy semi�nal wasdelayed by half an houras the Vidarbha team buswas caught in a tra�csnarl. Many of the cityroads were blocked o� inthe morning hours ofSunday, for the Tata Steel
Kolkata 25K run.The Vidarbha players
reached Eden Gardensonly about 20 minutesahead of the scheduledstart of play (9 a.m.). Thisdid not leave enoughtime for their warmuproutine and the toss.
The actioncommenced at 9.30 a.m.
Marathon holds upVidarbha team bus Sports Reporter
Kolkata
downloaded from : www.visionias.net downloaded from : https://t.me/Material_For_Exam
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NOIDA/DELHI THE HINDU
MONDAY, DECEMBER 18, 201716EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
SPORT
SUDOKU
Solution to puzzle 12190 Solution to yesterday’s Sudoku
DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
Valmiki captures the tense atmosphere that has descendedon Lanka when Rama and the vanara army station themselves on the walls and trees on the outskirts. Both sides arewell prepared for the war but have anxious moments anddoubts of who is going to be victorious. Ravana’s characterrules over his destiny at this point, for he ignores the signalsthat show he can no longer bask under the cover of Brahma’s boons, pointed out Sri Krishnamurthy Sastrigal in a discourse.
Rama conveys a message of stern warning to Ravanathrough the young and sprightly Angadha. Rama makes itclear that the time has come for Ravana to answer for theendless sins of harassment he has unleashed on the sages,the celestial beings, gandharvas, etc, and to which he hasadded shameful act of abducting Sita. Rama then challengesRavana for a direct confrontation and warns him not to resort to deceitful ways as he had done to carry away Sita. Healso states that He is willing to pardon Ravana if only hewould surrender at His feet and hand over Sita to Him. Unable to see the good sense in the message, Ravana is angryand asks his ministers to bind Angadha and kill him. Fourstrong rakshasa warriors immediately get hold of Angadhaand try to tie him up. Wanting to give them a taste of his valour, Angadha allows himself to be caught by them, only tohave all four of them imprisoned in his hold. He lifts all ofthem and jumps to the roof top to hurl them down. Heuproots a part of the turret wall that comes crashing as if toforecast the doom in store for the rakshasas. Though Ravana’s complacency is shaken, he decides to go ahead with thewar and asks the army to double the defence preparations.Rama too issues orders to his army to begin the assault.
FAITH
Character rules over destiny5 Started to nag editor
crookedly to induct setter
(10)
6 Basically entered in, evaluated
and took over! (6)
7 Pines when knight’s away for
long stretches of time (5)
8 Swallows drug on failure (5)
9 Cuts cess on plastic,
overcoming resistance (7)
14 Australian opener set to
eclipse record asked for
forgiveness (10)
17 NASA employee, say, arranged
NASA tour on time (9)
18 Spinner’s initial following
maybe happier in Spinner’s
absence, probably! (7)
19 Become greater with sincere
dancing, captivating
audience, primarily! (8)
22 Came in running to spot where
�icks are played (6)
23 Firstly, Australia smashes
hapless English strugglers in
battle for the urn! (5)
25 Slam on grass held in between
(5)
27 Time rolled back by
acceleration in space (4)
13 Gets killed while going around
water bodies due to ailments!
(8)
15 Diaper designed to trap
secretion and leave no trace!
(9)
16 Locks with hard beam (4)
20 Book without covers is bound
(4)
21 Follow one another, playing
Teen Taal interspersed with
some Relas (9)
24 He’d sing extraordinarily to
gain leading awards/titles! (8)
26 Soldiers returning gold buried
in locality (6)
28 Academic expert in favour of
capturing English vessel (9)
29 Mindful of a contest with Exa
(5)
30 Men outside rushed down to
strike upset old relatives (12)
n DOWN
2 Spinner returns, getting ready
for hugging! (9)
3 Batting to somehow avert loss
by break time! (8)
4 Old dues settled (4)
(set by Spinner)
n ACROSS
1 Perhaps I must clue about love
with lady extremely carefully!
(12)
10 Tactic lacking good scope (5)
11 Get rid of upper class boxed
mentality inciting needless
argument at the beginning!
(9)
12 Beat batsman essentially with
a bit of angled �ight (6)
THE HINDU CROSSWORD 12191
Real’s �fth title of 2017 ABU DHABI
Cristiano Ronaldo’s second
half freekick ensured Real
Madrid picked up a fifth
trophy of 2017 by beating
Gremio 10 here on Saturday
to retain the Club World Cup. The results: Final: RealMadrid 1 (Ronaldo 53) btGremio 0. Thirdplace: AlJazira 1 (Alrezzi 57) lost toPachuca 4 (Jonathan 37, Jara60, De La Rosa 79, Sagal84pen). AFP
IN BRIEF
India women blankBhutan 30 NEW DELHI
India outclassed Bhutan 30
in the opening match of the
inaugural SAFF U15
Championship being held at
the Mohammad Mostofa
Kamal Stadium in Dhaka, on
Sunday.
In a completely onesided
encounter, Kritina, Priyanka
and Pratiksha scored for India
in the fourth, 11th and 19th
minutes to put an end to
Bhutan’s hopes. India will
face Nepal on Dec. 19. PTI
PGTI to become ‘OpenTour’ from 2018 New Delhi
There will be no restriction
on the number of foreigners
with the Professional Golf
Tour of India (PGTI)
becoming an ‘Open Tour’
from 2018 onward. The PGTI
had a limit of a maximum of
15 foreign players in each
tournament till date but now
there will be no such
restriction on foreigners
earning their cards through
the PGTI Qualifying School.
The tour also hopes to align
itself with the Official World
Golf Ranking system thus
attracting world ranking
points for all its future
events. PTI
Sushil clinches gold on return JOHANNESBURG
Double Olympic medallist
Sushil Kumar made a glorious
return to the international
arena by clinching a gold
medal at the Commonwealth
wrestling championships
here on Sunday.
Returning to international
wrestling after more than
three years, Sushil defeated
New Zealand’s Akash Khullar
via a pinfall in the final of the
74kg freestyle category.
The Ashes: Sony Six (SD &HD); 8 a.m.ILeague: Star Sports 2 (SD& HD); 1.50 p.m. & 7.50 p.m.EPL: SS Select 1 (SD & HD);1.20 a.m. (TUE).La Liga: Sony Ten 2; 1.30a.m. (TUE).
TV PICKS
Ethiopian legend KenenisaBekele overcame the handicap of running without apace maker to record a convincing win with a newcourse record of 1:13:48 inthe �rst international editionof the Tata Steel Kolkata 25Khere on Sunday.
Eritrean Tsegay Tuemay(1:14:29) and Tanzanian Augustino Sulle (1:14: 41) foughtto take the second and thirdplaces respectively.
In the women’s race,another Ethiopian, DegituAzimeraw, narrowly won thetitle in 1:26:01. Kenyan HelahKiprop (1:26:04) and Tanzanian Failuna Matanga(1:26:11) were second andthird respectively.
Bekele rose to the expectation in his �rst 25K raceeven though he could notachieve the target of a bettertiming. The champion runner, who was the slowestamong the top �ve �nishersat the 12km mark with 39:16,broke away from the leadgroup at about 21km to touchthe ribbon comfortably.
The current world recordof 1:11:18 is held by KenyanDenis Kimetto.
The top three �nishers inthe women’s race stayed to
gether till the 24.5km beforeDegitu gave a late charge.The Ethiopian had a closeshave as she avoided hittingthe wall on her left, metersaway from the �nish line.
Sable succeeds
Steeplechaser Avinash Sablesucceeded in his strategy ofsticking to the internationalathletes for more than 15km.He returned a fabulous timeof 1:15:17 to emerge as the
best Indian and overallfourth.
Defending champion G.Lakshmanan made little of acalf muscle cramp to placethird and better his courserecord (1:17:16).
The overall men and women winners got $7,500each, while the Indian winners received �2.75 lakheach.The results: Overall: Men: 1.Kenenisa Bekele (Eth) 1:13:48,
2. Tsegay Tuemay (Eri) 1:14:29,3. Augustino Sulle (Tan) 1:14:41.
Women: Degitu Azimeraw (Eth)1:26: 01, 2. Helah Kiprop (Ken)1:26:04, 3. Failuna Matanga(Tan) 1:26:11.
Indian: Men: 1. Avinash Sable1:15:17 (overall fourth), 2. Kalidas Hirave 1:16: 18, 3. G. Lakshmanan 1:17:13.
Women: 1. L. Suriya 1:26:53(overall �fth), 2. Manju Yadav1:32: 51, 3. Juma Khatun1:32:58.
Bekele wins on 25K debut Tight �nish in the women’s section before Ethiopian Azimeraw prevailsY.B. SarangiKOLKATA
No competition:Despite lagging behind at the halfway mark, Kenenisa Bekele upped the paceto win comfortably in the presence of Mike Powell, left, and Sourav Ganguly.
* SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
HYDERABAD: Destined Dynamiteruns with a good chance in theMysore Race Club Cup (1,400m),the main event of the races to beheld here on Monday (Dec. 18).
1 CROWN TREASURE PLATE (Div.I), (1,200m), 3yo & over, rated
26 to 46 (Cat. III), 1.10 p.m.: 1.Amazing Response (4) Sweeney60, 2. Star Gazer (2) C.P. Bopanna58, 3. Breaking News (7) Shailesh56.5, 4. Dippy Dip (3) Md. Ismail56, 5. Rose Petal (5) G. Naresh 56,6. You Can I Can (8) Aneel 54, 7.Shivalik Class (1) N.S. Parmar 53and 8. Freedom Fire (6) AkshayKumar 52.5. 1. AMAZING RESPONSE, 2. FREE-DOM FIRE, 3. SHIVALIK CLASS
2 CHAITANYA RATHAM PLATE(1,200m), (Cat. II), maiden 2
yo only (Terms), 1.40: 1. AdamantAnd Rising (6) G. Naresh 55, 2.Athenaeus (5) Kuldeep Singh 55,3. Classy Guy (1) Nakhat Singh 55,4. Guiding Force (3) N. Rawal 55,5. Lockhart (2) Ajeeth Kumar 55,6. Vashishta (4) B.R. Kumar 55, 7.Jo Malone (8) N.S. Parmar 53.5, 8.Nimble Mind (9) Sweeney 53.5, 9.Semper Fidelis (10) K. Sai Kiran53.5 and 10. Sublime (7) David Allan 53.5. 1. SUBLIME, 2. ATHENAEUS, 3.NIMBLE MIND
3 CROWN TREASURE PLATE (Div.II), (1,200m), 3yo & over,
rated 26 to 46 (Cat. III), 2.10: 1.Free Eagle (7) Suraj Narredu 60,2. Desert Moon (8) Ajeeth Kumar59.5, 3. Sam The Brave (4) N.S.Parmar 58.5, 4. Lord Gift (6) B.R.Kumar 58, 5. Wood Bridge (5) Akshay Kumar 56, 6. Dean’s Gal (1)Md. Ismail 55, 7. Patron Saint (3)B. Dileep 55 and 8. Wood Cutter(2) Shailesh 54. 1. FREE EAGLE, 2. WOOD CUTTER,3. SAM THE BRAVE
4 BONZER PLATE (2,000m), 3yo & over, rated 26 to 46 (Cat.
III), 2.45: 1. Treasure Striker (4)Sweeney 60, 2. Valee Tiger (6) Akshay Kumar 59, 3. Wild Wings (7)G. Naresh 59, 4. Rutilant (10)Suraj Narredu 58.5, 5. Vijay’s Harmony (9) N.S. Parmar 56.5, 6.Platinum Claasz (2) Rohit Kumar55.5, 7. San Vinto (8) Arshad Alam54.5, 8. Bullish Approach (5) Aneel 54, 9. Man Of The Series (3)Ajeeth Kumar 52.5 and 10. Symbol Of Star’s (1) B.R. Kumar 51.1. TREASURE STRIKER, 2. BULLISHAPPROACH, 3. RUTILANT
5 TRIBUTE PLATE (Div. I),(1,200m), 3yo & over, rated
upto 25 (Cat. III), 3.15: 1. Dare ToLove (12) Rohit Kumar 61.5, 2.New Hope (6) Deepak Singh 61.5,3. Power Star (4) P. Gaddam 60.5,4. Indian Knight (13) Kunal Bunde60, 5. Tough Sussex (8) Ajit Singh59.5, 6. Save The Nation (9) G.Naresh 59, 7. Glorious Grey (1) Gopal Singh 57.5, 8. Brioni (10)Ajeeth Kumar 57, 9. Pride And Joy(2) Md. Ismail 56, 10. Aalishaan(7) Akshay Kumar 55.5, 11. Cashel(3) Koushik 55.5, 12. Cannon Fury(5) N. Rawal 53 and 13. GreenMemories (11) Nakhat Singh 51.5. 1. TOUGH SUSSEX, 2. NEW HOPE,3. GREEN MEMORIES
6 JOCKEY PURTU SINGH PAR-MAR MEMORIAL CUP
(1,600m), 3yo & over, rated 42 to62 (Cat. II), 3.45: 1. Batur (5)Sweeney 60, 2. Carolina Moon (3)A.A. Vikrant 59.5, 3. Juneau (2)Arshad Alam 55.5, 4. Meritocracy(1) Akshay Kumar 55, 5. AshkaAshka Ashka (8) Aneel 54.5, 6.Seven Eleven (6) B.R. Kumar 53.5,7. Wine N Dine (7) Nakhat Singh53, 8. Avantika (9) Deepak Singh52.5 and 9. Secret Art (4) KuldeepSingh 52.5. 1. SEVEN ELEVEN, 2. SECRET ART,
3. BATUR
7 MYSORE RACE CLUB PLATE(1,400m), 3yo & over, rated
58 to 78 (Cat. II), 415: 1.Baashagar (13) B.R. Kumar 60, 2.Green Image (4) P. Gaddam 60, 3.Tiger (11) Akshay Kumar 60, 4.Sea Castle (12) Deepak Singh 59,5. Mirfield (8) S.S. Tanwar 58.5, 6.Top Contender (6) Gopal Singh58.5, 7. Italian Cypress (2) Md. Ismail 56.5, 8. O Ms Akilah (7) AjitSingh 56.5, 9. Limitation (10) Nakhat Singh 56, 10. Destined Dynamite (5) Suraj Narredu 55.5, 11.Kalinda (1) Rohit Kumar 55, 12.Sweet March (9) Sweeney 55 and13. Kimono (3) C.P. Bopanna 54.5.
1. DESTINED DYNAMITE, 2. MIR-FIELD, 3. TIGER
8 TRIBUTE PLATE (Div. II),(1,200m), 3yo & over, rated
upto 25 (Cat. III), 4.50: 1. Sefarina(9) Deepak Singh 61.5, 2. Rohini(7) A.S. Pawar 61, 3. Time Is Luck(12) Koushik 60.5, 4. Yet Another(3) Akshay Kumar 60, 5. CannonGrey (5) Kunal Bunde 59, 6. Awesome Show (2) Md. Ismail 57.5, 7.Negress Princess (4) K. Sai Kiran57.5, 8. My Choice (10) P. Gaddam56.5, 9. Kohinoor Lucy (8) AjeethKumar 55.5, 10. Moonflash (6) G.Naresh 54.5, 11. Touch Of Gold (11)N. Rawal 52.5, 12. Top Sprint () ()52 and 13. Yes Baby (1) Rohit Kumar 51.5.
1. ROHINI, 2. TIME IS LUCK, 3.TOUCH OF GOLD
Day’s best: DESTINED DYNAMITE
Double: AMAZING RESPONSE-FREE EAGLE
Jkt: 4, 5, 6, 7 & 8; Tr (i): 1, 2 & 3;(ii): 3, 4 & 5; (iii): 6, 7 & 8; Tla: allraces.
Destined Dynamite runswith a good chance
RACING
MUMBAI: Castlebridge, ridden byP. Trevor, won the Jacqueline Indian 2000 Guineas (Gr. 1), the feature event of the races here onSunday (Dec. 17). The winner isowned by United Racing & Bloodstock Breeders Ltd. & Mr. JairamG. Kimmane. Bharath Singh trainsthe winner.
In the fifth race, Holy Smoke set anew course record by winning the1200m race in 1m 9.54s.
1 NAWABZADA RASHIDUZZAFARKHAN TROPHY (2,000m), Cl. II,
rated 60 to 86: BIG SUR (Dashrath)1, In My Dream (Trevor) 2, Frivolous (P.S. Chouhan) 3 and Vulcan(A. Imran Khan) 4. 11/4, 13/4 and33/4. 2m 1.22s. �27 (w), 16 and 24(p), SHP: 37, FP: 119, Q: 58, Tla:158 and 44. Favourite: Frivolous.Owners: Mr. Inderraj Anand &Mrs. Karan Brar rep. Dashmesh &Hargobind Rac (p) Ltd. Trainer:Sanjay Kolse.
2 COLE GOLD TROPHY (Div. II),(1,200m), Cl. V, rated 1 to 26:
MILWALKEE (Zeeshan) 1, RoyalAce (A. Imran Khan) 2, Magic Dust(Dashrath) 3 and Eagle Spirit (T.S.Jodha) 4. 1, 1/2 and 3/4. 1m 12.49s.�38 (w), 15, 10 and 22 (p). SHP: 37,FP: 78, Q: 38, Tla: 219 and 195. Favourite: Royal Ace. Owners: Estate of the late I.F. Potia & Mr.Champaklal Zaveri. Trainer: S.S.Shah.
3 SATINELLO TROPHY (1,200m),md. 2yo only: SILVER
ROCKET (A. Imran Khan) 1, Fundamental Right (Neeraj) 2, Masar(Srinath) 3 and Stormy Atlantic(Trevor) 4. 3, 1/2 and 11/4. 1m12.36s. �126 (w), 43 and 26 (p).SHP: 43, FP: 1,287, Q: 877, Tla:7,372. Favourite: Firebird. Owners: Mr. M.A.M. RamaswamyChettiar of Chettinad CharitableTrust. Trainer: KarthikGanapathy.
4 GULAMHUSEIN ESSAJI TROPHY(1,600m) Cl. IV, rated 20 to 46:
ALBARETO (Srinath) 1, Gloriosus(S. John) 2, Merveilleuse (Neeraj) 3and Gentillesse (A. Imran Khan)4. 1, 2 and 3/4. 1m 38.50s. �41 (w),17, 18 and 26 (p). SHP: 57, FP: 157,Q: 131, Tla: 1,176 and 593. Favourite: Shangri La. Owners: Mr. &Mrs. Farouq K. Rattonsey, Mr.Sameer F. Rattonsey and Mr. Zaheer F. Rattonsey rep. HyperionBloodstock Pvt. Ltd. Trainer: S.S.Shah.
5 RWITC LTD SPRINT CHAL-LENGE (1,200m), 3yo & over:
HOLY SMOKE (Zervan) 1, Siobhan(Sandesh) 2, Captain Courage(Neeraj) 3 and St. Andrews (P.Dhebe) 4. Not run: DancingPrances. lnk, lnk and 3/4. 1m9.54s. �67 (w), 23, 15 and 34 (p).SHP: 45, FP: 1,336, Q: 293, Tanala:4,638 and 1,987. Favourite: DennyCrane. Owners: Mr. GulamabbasE. Karachiwala, Mr. & Mrs.
Shapoor P. Mistry rep. ManjriHorse Breeders’ Farm Pvt. Ltd. &Mr. Gaurav Gadhoke. Trainer:Faisal Abbas.
6 P.M. RUNGTA GOLDEN SPRINTSTAKES (1,200m), Cl. III, rated
40 to 66: EXCELLENT GOLD(Dashrath) 1, An Jolie(P.S.Chouhan) 2, Miss Moneypenny (David Allan) 3 and BountyQueen (S.Amit) 4. 11/4, 11/2, Nk.1m 10.66s. Rs. 40 (w), 15, 60 and15 (p). SHP: 159, FP: 3,475, Q: 1,117,Tanala: 5,031 and 1,347. Favourite:Beshitkash. Owners: M/s. Harisharan Devgan, Jiyaji Bhosale,Rishikesh Bhosale & Tinder S. Alhuwalia. Trainer: NarendraLagad.
7 JACQUELINE INDIAN 2000GUINEAS (Gr. 1) (1,600m), 3yo
only:
CASTLEBRIDGE (BURDEN OFPROOF-CASTLE QUEEN) (TREVOR)1,
Rochester (Phoenix TowerKrasnaya) (C.S. Jodha) 2,Perfect Star (Excellent ArtFreeRadical) 3,Bateleur (Western AristocratAlKhazneh) 4.13/4, 1 and 13/4. 1m 35.82s. �12(w), 12, 19 and 16 (p). SHP: 51, FP:68, Q: 55, Tanala: 130 and 42. Favourite: Castlebridge. Owners:United Racing & BloodstockBreeders Ltd & Mr. Jairam G. Kimmane. Trainer: Bharath Singh.
8 COLE GOLD TROPHY (Div. I)(1,200m), Cl. V, rated 1 to 26:
YUTAKA (Trevor) 1, Ame (S. Amit)2, Smart Vision (S. Sunil) 3 andSail Past (Dashrath) 4. 43/4, 1 andhd. 1m 12.30s. �18 (w), 18, 30 and140 (p). SHP: 50, FP: 260, Q: 106,Tanala: 4,512 and 2,417. Favourite:Yutaka. Owner: Mr. RajeshMonga. Trainer: S.K. Sunderji.
9 DIRECTOR GENERAL OF PO-LICE TROPHY (1,000m), Cl. IV,
rated 20 to 46: ASCENSION(Ajinkya) 1, Rishab’s Pet (A. ImranKhan) 2, Sporto (Nirmal) 3 andTouch Me Not (Kuldeep) 4. 1/2, 21/2 and 11/4. 59.56s. Not run:Ridgewood Star. �36 (w), 18, 11 and100 (p). SHP: 33, FP: 118, Q: 49,Tanala: 982 and 932. Favourite:Rishab’s Pet. Owners: Mr. VikramBacchawat rep. Bachhawat FarmsPvt Ltd & Mr. Shanti Kumar Surana. Trainer: S.K. Sunderji.NOTE: In this race, Good Thing(Dashrath up) jumped out awkwardly from the starting stalls, dislodging the rider.Jackpot: (i) (70 per cent) �51, 535(three tkts) and (30 per cent)�9,466 (seven tkts); (ii) (70 percent) �1,753 (339 tkts) and (30 percent) �268 (950 tkts).Treble: (i) �10,996 (one tkt); (ii)�154 (104 tkts); (iii) �101 (321 tkts).Super jackpot: (70 per cent) �4,143(33 tkts) and (30 per cent) �598 (98tkts).
Castlebridge clinches Jacqueline Indian 2000 Guineas
HYDERABAD: Symbol Of Gold(B.R. Kumar astride) clinched theDiv. I of the 1 EME Centre RollingTrophy (1,200m), the main eventof the races held here on Sunday(Dec. 17). The winner is owned byM/s. T. Rakesh Reddy, PremanandSugandhi, Kodali VenkateswaraRao and Ashok Rupani, andtrained by Arjun Anne.
1 OSMAN SAGAR PLATE (Div. II),(1,400m), 5yo & over, rated 26
to 46 (Cat. III): GUNNER (Akshay)1, Royal Hero (Md. Ismail) 2,Naamdhari (Sai Kiran) 3 and Coruba (Gaddam) 4. 11/4, 1 and hd.1m 28.57s. �13 (w), 6, 6 and 22 (p),FP: 72, SHP: 21, Q: 37, Tla: 836. Favourite: Coruba. Owner: Col. S.B.Nair. Trainer: Arjun Anne.
2 CRACK REGIMENT PLATE(1,100m), (Cat. II), md. 2yo
only (terms): ICON GREY(Sweeney) 1, Lazer Beam(Kuldeep) 2, Durango (Akshay) 3and London Bridge (DeepShanker) 4. 1/4, 43/4 and 2. 1m7.54s. �8 (w), 5, 8 and 8 (p), FP: 17,SHP: 16, Q: 14, Tla: 69, Favourite:Icon Grey. Owner: Wg. Cdr. D.S.
Gill (Retd.). Trainer: Netto.
3 OSMAN SAGAR PLATE (Div. I),(1,400m), 5yo & over, rated
26 to 46 (Cat. III): PREP ONE(Kunal) 1, Dear Friend (C.P.Bopanna) 2, Princess Hina (Akshay) 3 and Wonder Eye (Shailesh)4. Not run: Kiss N Chase and Silvassa. Ns, sh.hd and 5. 1m 29.53s.�33 (w), 8, 6 and 5 (p), FP: 109,SHP: 17, Q: 39, Tla: 169. Favourite:Princess Hina. Owners: Mr. RamaSeshu Eyunni, Dr. Peddi ReddyPrabhakar Reddy and Mr. P.Prabhakar Reddy. Trainer: Netto.
4 1 EME CENTRE ROLLINGTROPHY (Div. II), (1,200m), 3
yo & over, rated 42 to 62, (Cat. II):WARRIOR SUPREME (N.S. Parmar)1, Ruby’s Gift (Kunal) 2, Newport(Akshay) 3 and Scooby Dooby Doo(Md. Ismail) 4. sh.hd, 3/4 and 11/4.1m 13.80s. �17 (w), 8, 42 and 5 (p),FP: 960, SHP: 180, Q: 756, Tla:344. Favourite: Newport. Owners:Dr. Prabhakar Chowdary Tripuraneni, M/s. S. Daljeet Singh andAshok Chukkla. Trainer: SrinivasReddy.
5 ZURBARAN PLATE (Div. I),(1,400m), 3yo & over, rated
upto 30 (Cat. III): DANCING AWAY(Koushik) 1, Soaring Sensex (Akshay) 2, Invasion (Md. Ismail) 3and Carnival Express (Vikrant) 4.41/4, 3 and 21/2. 1m 28.97s. �15(w), 8, 8 and 20 (p), FP: 110, SHP:26, Q: 46, Tla: 817. Favourite: Dancing Away. Owners: M/s.Veeramachaneni Arjun, C.V.Krishna Rao and TeegalaBalreddy. Trainer: Sequeira.
6 1 EME CENTRE ROLLINGTROPHY (Div. I), (1,200m), 3
yo & over, rated 42 to 62, (Cat. II):SYMBOL OF GOLD (B.R. Kumar) 1,Palisades Park (Arshad Alam) 2,Celtic Queen (Kunal) 3 and Asteria(Vikrant) 4. 11/2, 3/4 and 3/4. 1m13.42s. �78 (w), 14, 9 and 7 (p), FP:881, SHP: 36, Q: 625, Tla: 9,364.Favourite: Celtic Queen. Owners:M/s. T. Rakesh Reddy, PremanandSugandhi, Kodali VenkateswaraRao and Ashok Rupani. Trainer:Arjun Anne.
7 ZURBURAN PLATE (Div. II),(1,400m), 3yo & over, rated
upto 30, (Cat. III): SUNDAY CARNI-
VAL (Deep Shanker) 1, Mean Machine (Akshay) 2, Old Faithful (B.Dileep) 3 and Dolce (Sai Kiran) 4.11/4, sh.hd and 13/4. 1m 29.36s.�63 (w), 15, 7 and 29 (p). FP: 302,SHP: 27, Q: 197, Tla: 4,384. Favourite: Ice Mummy. Owners: M/s.Munawar Hussain and Mirza AyubBaig. Trainer: Faisal Hassan.
8 ZOOM ZOOM PLATE (1,100m),4yo & over, rated 26 to 46
(Cat. III): SPACE SHIP (Nakhat) 1,Gorgeous Lady (Deepak) 2, KhanSahib (Md. Ismail) 3 and Born ToDo It (Ajit) 4. Not run: BharatQueen. hd, 1/2 and sh.hd. 1m7.87s. �22 (w), 9, 14 and 18 (p), FP:305, SHP: 56, Q: 259, Tla: 6,214.Favourite: Prime Time. Owner:Mr. M.A.M. Ramaswamy Chettiarof Chettinad Charitable Trust represented by Mr. A.C. Muthiah.Trainer: Satheesh.
Treble: (i): �180 (237 tkts); (ii):�562 (29 tkts); (iii): �5,679 (eighttkts). Jackpot: �56,318 (five tkts).Consolation jackpot: �6,704 (18tkts).
Symbol Of Gold wins feature event
Mumbai: Simarjeet Singh’ssixwicket haul helped Delhi restrict Mumbai to 230on the opening day of theCol. C.K. Nayudu Trophy(under23) �nal on Sunday.
Simarjeet’s spell sawMumbai collapsed from 119for no loss to 230 all out.
Anuj Rawat and HitenDalal’s quick�re 127runopening partnershiphelped Delhi race to 140 forone in reply at stumps.The scores:Mumbai 230 in 58overs (Jay Bista 66, HardikTamore 53; Simarjeet Singhsix for 73, Shivank Vashisthtwo for 46) vs Delhi 140 forone in 24 overs (Anuj Rawat68 batting, Hiten Dalal 67).
Simranjeetbowls outMumbai
Ajeetesh Sandhu �nishedtied eighth after returningwith a second successive67 in the �nal round of theIndonesian Masters hereon Sunday. It was his �fthtop10 �nish in the last ninestarts. Shubhankar Sharma, who has had a greatseason, was tied 11th with a�nal round 71 that saw himtotal 12under 276.
Ajeetesh tied eighth,Shubhankar�nishes 11th Press Trust of IndiaJakarta
Anish Bhanwala, a teenagerfrom Haryana, outshone themore experienced shootersand claimed the 25m rapid�re pistol gold medal in the61st National shootingchampionships at the National Games shooting rangehere on Sunday.
The 15yearold, hailingfrom Karnal and a silver medallist at the Commonwealth championships, wasunstoppable as he �nishedon top of the podium with ascore of 31 after leading thepreliminaries with a total of583.
Army shooters Rajesh Kumar (24) and Pemba Tamang (20) were second and
third. In the team event, however, the Army MarksmanUnit bagged the gold with1717 points, three pointsclear of Haryana.
Border Security Forcewas third (1689).
Wins junior title too Anish claimed the juniormen’s title, too, with a record total of 30 in the �nalafter compiling a total of 583in the initial phase.
Haryana’s Adarsh Singh(25) clinched the silver whilePunjab’s Anhad Jawanda(16) took the bronze.
Anish powered Haryanato the team gold with a totalof 1672 points. Punjab (1667)and Maharashtra (1601) �nished in that order.
Anish wins gold A. VinodTHIRUVANANTHAPURAM
Basu appointed coachNEW DELHI:
Former State captain Abhijoy
Basu has been appointed
Delhi football team’s chief
coach. Vikrant Sharma and
Ishwar Singh Brar will be the
assistant coaches.
Noted commentator Novy
Kapadia has been appointed
as an advisor to the Delhi
Soccer Association.
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THE HINDU NOIDA/DELHI
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SPORT
Kevin De Bruyne producedanother virtuoso performance as Manchester Citycrushed Tottenham Hotspur41 to register a recordextending 16th consecutivePremier League victory.
The Belgian maestroscored City’s second goal, after Ilkay Gundogan hadopened the scoring, and Raheem Sterling added twomore in a thumping win.
Victory embellished therecord for consecutive English league wins City hadset in Wednesday’s 40 winat Swansea City and thebreathtaking manner of itwas further evidence of theirapparent invincibility.
Guardiola, who also sawsubstitute Gabriel Jesus missa penalty, has equalled therun of 16 straight leaguewins he engineered with thegreat Barcelona team thatwon a La Liga and Champions League double in 2011.
He is now three winsshort of his own record forEurope’s �ve major leagues,which he set with BayernMunich in 201314.
Spurs were left to licktheir wounds after a �fth defeat of the campaign — onemore than in the entirety of
last season — which sentthem slithering down the table to seventh.The results: Premier League:West Brom 1 (Barry 77) lost toManchester United 2 (Lukaku27, Lingard 35); Bournemouth0 lost to Liverpool 4 (Coutinho20, Lovren 26, Salah 44, Firmino 66).
La Liga: Girona 1 (Stuani 5) btGetafe 0.
Serie A: Bologna 0 lost to Juventus 3 (Pjanic 27, Mandzukic36, Matuidi 64); Crotone 1 (Budimir 33) bt Chievo 0; Fiorentina 0 drew with Genoa 0.
Bundesliga: Hannover 4 (Be
bou 12, Fuellkrug 21pen, Klaus45, Korb 83) drew with BayerLeverkusen 4 (Brandt 11, Mehmedi 25, Bailey 47, 67).
On Saturday: Premier League:Manchester City 4 (Gundogan14, De Bruyne 70, Sterling 80,90) bt Tottenham Hotspur 1(Eriksen 90+3).
La Liga: Eibar 2 (Inui 49, Jordan87) bt Valencia 1 (Santi Mina57); Atletico Madrid 1 (Torres74) bt Alaves 0.
Bundesliga: Borussia Dortmund 2 (Aubameyang 63pen,Pulisic 89) bt Ho�enheim 1(Uth 21).
Serie A: Torino 1 (Belotti 63)lost to Napoli 3 (Koulibaly 4,Zielinski 25, Hamsik 30); Roma1 (Fazio 90+4) bt Cagliari 0.
Sweet 16 for CityGuardiola’s men swamp Tottenham
Agence France-Presse
Manchester
The new maestro! Kevin De Bruyne, whose precise passing repeatedly tore holes in the Spursdefence, unleashes a leftfooter that beat Hugo Lloris for pure power. * REUTERS
EUROPEAN LEAGUES
Dhanpal Ganesh scored adramatic, late winner asChennaiyin FC became the�rst visiting team to triumphat the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in nearly 10 monthsacross all competitions. The21 defeat will be a bitter pillfor Bengaluru FC to swallow,for with �ve minutes left onthe clock, Sunil Chhetri hadcancelled out Jeje Lalpekhlua's early strike, triggeringwild celebrations in thestands.
Moments later, though,Ganesh rose high to head into the net from a freekick asChennaiyin made o� with allthree points. This was a fractious a�air and tempersthreatened to boil over at theend, with a minor scu�e onthe pitch after the �nalwhistle.
“They have not respected[us]; whether you win orlose, you have to have thesame attitude,” said BFChead coach Albert Roca later. “It’s not nice when someone is coming just to laugh inyour face.”
His counterpart John Gregory was delighted with theperformance. “We made ithard for them to play theiropen, attacking game,” hesaid. “Defensively, we werevery strong. I did not see[the postmatch scu�e].
There was a lot of passion onthe pitch. Everyone was getting upset, angry and overcelebrating, but this is whathappens in a derby.”
Chennaiyin was by far thebetter side in the �rst half,with BFC failing to register a
single shot on target. Gregory’s men denied BFC anyspace through the middle,pressing and closing playersdown with gusto. That earlypressure duly resulted in agoal. Inigo Calderon’s cutback from the right fell kind
ly for Lalpekhlua, who chested the ball down and drilledit under Gurpreet SinghSandhu. There was an element of luck in the buildup,with Lenny Rodrigues’ clearance ricocheting o� Chhetri, but there was nothingfortunate about the �nish.
Francis Fernandes andJude Nworuh on the twowings exempli�ed Chennaiyin’s tireless pressing whilethe central mid�elders Bikramjit Singh and Ganeshwere quietly impressive. BFCstruggled for �uency, andEdu Garcia’s shot against thepost was all the home sidehad to show for its e�orts inthe opening period.
Things only improved after the interval, when AlbertRoca introduced UdantaSingh, who had started onthe bench with the packedcalendar in mind.
The forward instantlymade an impact, fashioninga chance for Chhetri, but thelatter’s e�ort was weak. Thecaptain redeemed himselflate on with a �ne �nish. Hise�ort, though, would makeno di�erence to theoutcome.The result: Bengaluru FC 1 (Sunil Chhetri 85) lost to Chennaiyin FC 2 (Jeje Lalpekhlua 5,Dhanpal Ganesh 88).
Ganesh stuns BFC with dramatic strikeShreedutta Chidananda
Bengaluru
Towering presence: Dhanpal Ganesh, who was in the thick ofthings, went on to score in the 88th minute. * K. MURALI KUMAR
ISL
even a defeat in the �nalround on Monday will notmatter.
India Green, the strongestteam of the host, is the bestplaced to take the runnerupspot. It has 13 points after itscomprehensive 31 winagainst Uzbekistan.
India Green is followed apoint behind by Iran. IndiaRed has 10 points and IndiaBlue nine.
Russia coach Mikhail Kobalia could not hide his delight after his boys completedthe match. He shouted with
Russia has produced 12 of the20 World chess champions. Abunch of talented young Russians proved that the futureof their country was bright inthe mind sport, as they wonthe World Youth Olympiadwith a round to spare.
Their 2.51.5 victory at theKarnavati Club on Sunday over Armenia in the eighthround took them to the maximum 16 points, that is, athreepoint lead over theirclosest rival India Green. So,
joy as soon the players cameout of the venue. “We werecon�dent of winning the titlehere,” said the Grandmaster,who was once ranked WorldNo. 100. “Our strongest rivalhere was Iran, to whom wehad lost before. So it felt niceto get the revenge.”
Important results (eighthround):
Russia bt Armenia 2.51.5.
India Green bt Uzbekistan 31(Aryan Chopra lost to NodirbekYakubboev; R. Praggnanandhaabt Shamsiddin Vokhidov; NihalSarin bt Saidakbar Saydaliev; P.
Iniyan bt Daler Vakhidov).
India Blue lost to Iran 13(Kushagra Mohan lost to AminTabatabaei; Rahul Srivatshavlost to Alireza Firouzja; RakeshKumar Jena drew with AryanGholami; Aronyak Ghosh drewwith Mahdi Gholami).
India Red bt Turkey 2.51.5(S. Jayakumaar drew with DenizOzen; Arjun Erigaisi bt EkinOzenir; Mitrabha Guha bt EmreDedebas; Harshita Guddantilost to Duru Okuyaz).
Mongolia lost to Belarus 12.
Argentina lost to Kazakhstan1.52.5.
Russia triumphs with a round to spareP.K. Ajith Kumar
AHMEDABAD
Zequinha sparkled on theleft �ank with his blisteringpace and ball control. Healmost scored o� a solofrom the centreline beforecreating the matchwinnerfor Robin Singh as ATKbeat Mumbai City FC 10 intheir ISL match on Sunday.
Mumbai goalkeeper Amrinder Singh had kept thehome team in the huntwith some stunning savesbefore Robin scored in the54th minute.
The win helped the visitors move o� the bottomspot to eighth in the 10team league. The homeside, which su�ered its �rstloss at the Mumbai FootballArena, remained in �fthplace.
Frequent stoppages dueto desperate tackles disrupted the �ow of thegame and quite a few yellow cards were �ashed bythe referee. MCFC made alate charge for the equaliser, but substitute Pranjal’sshot was blocked by DebjitMajumder. Balwant Singh’sheader o� a corner �ew over the crossbar.
ATK captain RobbieKeane, playing his �rst fullgame, had a hand in thegoal as he put Zequinha inpossession on the left�ank. The pacy Portuguesepaused, looking for teammates in the goalmouth.The Mumbai defence,rushing back to cover theangle, could not stop Robin, lurking near the leftpost, from scoring.
Ryan Taylor walked in atthe kicko� for ATK, makinghis debut in the league.Thomas Thorpe got to theball o� a freekick fromTaylor, but the Mumbaicustodian kept his cool.ATK kept pressing andRupert Nongrum sni�ed achance, but his �rst toucho� a through ball from Zequinha was mistimed.
Robin breaksMumbai Cityhearts
Nandakumar Marar
MUMBAI
Barcelona presidentJosep Maria Bartomeuhas met with the familyof Atletico Madrid’s starforward AntoineGriezmann ahead of apossible summer move,sports daily MundoDeportivo reported onSunday.
The Frenchinternational has beenheavily linked with amove to ManchesterUnited in the past.However, Barca appearswilling to meet his €100million ($118 million)buyout clause as it seeksto again unite LionelMessi and Luis Suarezwith a proli�c attacker.
Griezmann-Barca reachagreement: reportsAgence France-Presse
Madrid
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MONDAY, DECEMBER 18, 201718EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
LIFE
‘Hero cake’ for Pope on his 81st birthdayVATICAN CITY
Pope Francis celebrated his81st birthday on Sunday witha hero cake and a messageurging the world — andchildren, in particular — tojoin in the holiday mood andbe joyful. The Argentinepontiff thanked the crowdsgathered in Saint Peter'sSquare for the Angelusprayer as they sang happybirthday. AFP
IN BRIEF
Handwritten speech by Mendeleev on saleBOSTON
A handwritten and signedmanuscript of a speech givenby Russian chemist DmitriMendeleev, the father of thePeriodic Table of elements, ata conference in 1898 isexpected to fetch $50,000 atan auction in the UnitedStates. Mendeleev is famousfor formulating the PeriodicLaw. PTI
When the Chateau Louis XIVsold for over $300 milliontwo years ago, Fortune magazine called it “the world’smost expensive home,” andTown & Country swoonedover its goldleafed fountain,marble statues and hedgedlabyrinth set in a 57acrelandscaped park. But for allthe lavish details, one factwas missing: the identity ofthe buyer.
Now, it turns out that thepaper trail leads to CrownPrince Mohammed bin Salman, heir to the Saudithrone and the driving forcebehind a series of bold policies transforming Saudi Arabia and shaking up WestAsia.
Several acquisitionsThe 2015 purchase appearsto be one of several extravagant acquisitions — includinga $500 million yacht and a$450 million Leonardo daVinci painting — by a princewho is leading a sweepingcrackdown on corruption
and selfenrichment by theSaudi elite and preaching �scal austerity at home.
“He has tried to build animage of himself, with a fairamount of success, that he isdi�erent, that he’s a reformer, at least a social reformer,and that he’s not corrupt,”said Bruce O. Riedel, a former CIA analyst and author.“And this is a severe blow tothat image.”
The story of ChateauLouis XIV, as pieced togetherthrough interviews and documents by The New YorkTimes, unfolds like a �nancial whodunit, featuring a lawyer in the Grand Duchy of
Luxembourg and a �xer forthe very rich from the Mediterranean nation of Malta.Even Kim Kardashian madea cameo at the chateau, reportedly considering it forher wedding to Kanye West.
Shell companies The ownership of the chateau, in Louveciennes,France, near Versailles, iscarefully shrouded by shellcompanies in France andLuxembourg. Those companies are owned by Eight Investment Co., a Saudi �rmmanaged by the head of Mohammed’s personal foundation. Advisers to members of
the royal family say the chateau ultimately belongs tothe crown prince.
Eight Investment was thesame company that backedthe Crown Prince’s impulsebuy of the 440foot yachtfrom a Russian vodka tycoonin 2015. The company alsorecently bought an 620acreestate in CondésurVesgre,known as Le Rouvray, anhour’s drive from Paris. Thechateau’s architect is refurbishing the manor housethere and building structures for an apparent hunting compound, according topermit records at the localtown hall. NY TIMES
Is $300 mn chateau anotherjewel for Saudi reformer?Paper trail of country house leads to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
NICHOLAS KULISH
MICHAEL FORSYTHE
LOUVECIENNES
Royal gain: The Chateau Louis XIV, which was sold for over $300 million two years ago, inLouveciennes, France, and, right, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. * NY TIMES
A sailing prodigy, Frenchman Francois Gabart onSunday crushed the worldrecord for the fastest nonstop solo navigation of theworld on his �rst attempt.
Driven by a desire to discover the world at fullspeed, the sailor completedhis tour in 42 days, 16hours, 40 minutes and 35seconds.
“The job of a sailor isnothing more than managing problems and dealingwith di�culties,” said Mr.Gabart, an engineer bytrade.
The winner of the 2013Vendee Globe and 2014Route de Rhum yacht races,the 34yearold fatheroftwo has been sailing for 20years.
“He likes to be a pioneer,he is not an upstart but someone in a hurry to discover things, to demonstratethings to himself and others,” said Christian Le Pape,who has known Mr. Gabartfor 10 years.
“I wouldn’t classify him
as a genius in terms of easeat the helm but he has anability to process information that is out of the ordinary like Michel Desjoyeauxor Armel Le Cleach.”
‘Excel spreadsheet’ Mr. Desjoyeaux, a doublewinner of the Vendee Globewho mentored the engineer, said Mr. Gabart was given the name ‘Excelspreadsheet’ by his team.
“At the arrival of the Vendee Globe, we found 74markings on the boat, butthe race had taken 78 days,”said Mr. Desjoyeaux.
“In fact, he had notedthe number of times he hadbrushed his teeth. He's notcrazy but very rational.”
Mr. Gabart comfortablyrecognises his square side.
“I’m pretty reasonableand rational,” said Mr. Gabart, the son of a dentistand brother to two sisters.“I’ve been like that since Iwas 10yearsold. My parents tell me that when Iwas a kid, I was very good atcertain things.”
A sailor who doesn’t liketo swim, Mr. Gabart �rstdreamed of being a metrologist as a child.
Frenchman completes solo navigation around the world
Agence France-Presse
Brest
Smooth sailing: Francois Gabart celebrates upon his arrivalat the end of his solo navigation, on Sunday in Brest. * AFP
The recordbreaking sailorwho doesn’t like to swim
Part saturnine elegy todoomed youth, part exaltation of the transcendentpower of love, blockbusterdisaster movie Titanic is delivering that sinking feeling toa whole new generation offans.
Tuesday marks two decades since Rose vowed to
Jack she’d “never let go” —before spectacularly reneging on her promise, sendingher frozentodeath paramour to a watery grave andleaving ‘Titaniacs’ worldwide sobbing into theirpopcorn.
The anniversary has beencelebrated with screeningsacross the United States, andaudiences are still swooningover the young lovers playedby Leonardo DiCaprio andKate Winslet — now both Oscar winners and HollywoodAlisters.
“The Titanic story itselfhas a timeless quality. Itseems to exist outside ourdaily lives. As this straightmoral lesson, it’s somethingthat fascinates us,” directorJames Cameron told fans at aLos Angeles screening tomark the milestone.
Winslet’s lovestruck socialite and DiCaprio’s artisticdrifter were �ctionalisedcharacters in a dramatisationof the reallife sinking in 1912of history’s most famous shipafter it hit an iceberg on itsmaiden voyage across the At
best artist of the subject ofthe Titanic,” he recalled.
“It was a beautiful shot ofthe rocket going o� and lighting up the ship, and lifeboatsrowing away as it went downin the more sedate, quietpart of the sinking. I said,‘Romeo and Juliet on that.’Five words.”
DiCaprio and Winslet —then 21 and 20, respectively— began �lming in September 1996, their �rst scene together the moment in whichthe Winslet appears nude forhim to paint.
earned mostly glowing reviews, and the theme songMy Heart Will Go On becamea global success for CelineDion.
Five-word pitchCameron, 63, says he soldthe idea to Fox executiveswith “probably the shortestpitch for a major movie inHollywood history.”
“I whipped open this bookand in the centre is a beautiful doubletruck spread rightacross both pages of a painting by Ken Marschall, the
lantic. The �lm, distributedby Paramount at home andFox abroad, entered into movie history when it picked up11 Oscars, including best picture and best director forCameron.
With a worldwide gross of$2.2 billion, it was the mostsuccessful movie ever madeuntil Cameron’s Avatar(2009) took $2.8 billion atthe boxo�ce.
At an intimidating 195 minutes, the movie can feel inparts as long as the voyage onwhich it is based, but it
20 years on, Titanic keeps that sinking feeling alive Anniversarycelebrated withmany screeningsAgence France-Presse
Los Angeles
Heights of love: Leonardo DiCaprio, left, and Kate Winslet ina scene from Titanic. * AP
Pitch-perfect: Afghan men play cricket on a snowcovered �eld on the outskirts of Kabul on Sunday. * REUTERS
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Cool game
Using lightemitting nanoparticles, scientists, including those of Indianorigin,have developed a highly effective method to detect tiny tumours and track theirspread, potentially leadingto earlier cancer detection.
The study, published inthe journal Nature Biomed-ical Engineering, showedthat the new method is better than magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) andother technologies, asmost methods fail to detectsmall cancerous lesions.
The study shows that tiny tumours in mice can bedetected with the injectionof nanoprobes, which aremicroscopic optical devices, that emit shortwave infrared light as they travelthrough the bloodstream —even tracking tinytumours.
Nanoprobesmay spotcancer early
Press Trust of India
Washington
Forget mistletoe, Christmasis not Christmas in Italywithout a slice of panettone— and festivities kicked o� inMilan on Sunday with freeslices of the biggest Italiancandied cake in the world.
Weighing in at 140 kg, thetwometre high marvel wassliced up into 1,200 piecesfor sweettoothed touristsand locals at the Victor Emmanuel II shopping gallerynear the city’s Gothiccathedral.
“Panettone is the Christmas dessert par excellence.Fashions may change, butpanettone remains an unshakable tradition,” AngeloBernasconi, owner of theSan Gregorio patisserie behind the giant domeshapeddelight, says.
The Milanese factorymakes the traditional cakewith its candied fruits andraisins not just for Italy butaround the world, withsome 200 of the golden bunsheaded to a New York caterer alone each week.
In the runup to Christ
mas “we never stop,” saysMr. Bernasconi’s partner Savino Moretti, who is retiredbut comes twice a week topass on his 50 years of experience to the pastry team.
Hung upside down The pair, aged 67 and 68, saythe secret to their successlies in the mother dough,which they inherited alongwith the shop from the master baker, who made it — solegend has it — by adding adash of horse urine to themix for acidity.
It takes 36 hours to turnout a panettone, with raisinsand candied peel added tothe mix of water, sugar,�our, eggs, butter and vanilla. Once baked, the cakes arehung upside down for 10hours to allow the butter todrop.
Italy bakes world’s biggestChristmas cake panettoneMilanmade item weighs 140 kg, twometre high
Agence France-Presse
Milan
A baker decorates a giantpanettone in Milan onSunday. * AFP
Michael Jackson’s classicshort �lm Blood on theDance Floor with new footage from entertainmentcompany Cirque du Soleil ina new video for the song isout.
The video has been approved by the Jackson estateand choreographed by Jamie King, Rolling Stonereported.
It features Michael Jackson: One, the second Jacksonbased production in Soleil’s roster, delivering theironetimeonly performanceof the hit number.
Birthday performance The team debuted the performance during their annual tribute on the King of
Pop’s birthday on August 25.Blood on the Dance Floorreleased in 1997 as part ofJackson’s remix albumBlood on the Dance Floor:HIStory in the Mix. Thesong received a pair of newremixes on Jackson’s recentlyreleased Scream compilation, a Halloweenthemedcollection.
MJ’s classic short �lmout with new rushesHas special performance of hit song
Press Trust of India
Los Angeles
Michael Jackson
Smartphones can be identi�ed just by analysing onephoto taken by the device,an advance that paves theway for a new authentication process — instead of �ngerprints or passwords — todeter cybercrime.
“Like snow�akes, no twosmartphones are the same.Each device can be identi�ed through a pattern of microscopic imaging �aws present in every picture,” saidKui Ren, from the Universityat Bu�alo in the U.S. “It’skind of like matching bulletsto a gun, only we’re matching photos to a smartphonecamera,” said Mr. Ren.
The technology could become part of the authentication process — like PIN num
bers and passwords — thatcustomers use at ATMs andduring online transactions.For people who have hadtheir personal identi�cationstolen, it could help preventcybercriminals from usingthat information, he said.
Digital cameras are builtto be identical. However,manufacturing imperfections create tiny variationsin each camera’s sensorscalled photoresponse nonuniformity (PRNU). PRNUanalysis is common in digital forensic science.
However, it has not beenapplied to cybersecurity because extracting it requiredanalysing 50 photos takenby a camera, and expertsthought that customerswould not be willing to supply that many photos.
Smartphone mayhelp �ght cybercrimeKey lies in analysing photos
Press Trust of India
New York
Scientists have revealed thatplesiosaur, an unusual underwater reptile that lived201 million years ago, was apowerful swimmer.
Numerous fossils documented a global distributionof the group during the Jurassic and Cretaceousperiods.
Whereas sea turtles mainly use their strong forelimbsfor propulsion, the plesiosaurs moved all four limbstogether, resulting in powerful thrust.
“I could not believe thatthere was a plesiosaur fromthe Triassic, given that theseanimals had been studied bypalaeontologists for nearly300 years, and never wasthere one older than Jurassic,” said Martin Sander fromthe University of Bonn in
Germany. The scientists bestowed the name Rhaetico-saurus mertensi on the unique fossil.
According to the �ndingspublished in the journalScience Advances, the reconstructed length of the skeleton is 237 cm.
These long extinct “pad
dle saurians” propelledthemselves through theWorld’s oceans by employing “underwater �ight” — similar to sea turtles andpenguins.
Instead of laboriouslypushing the water out of theway with their paddles, ple
siosaurs were gliding elegantly along with limbs modi�ed to underwater wings.Their small head was placedon a long, streamlined neck.The stout body containedstrong muscles keepingthose wings in motion.
Evolutionary design Compared to the other marine reptiles, the tail wasshort because it was onlyused for steering.
This evolutionary designwas very successful, but curiously it did not evolveagain after the extinction ofthe plesiosaurs, Mr. Sandersaid.
For the study, the researchers studied a bonesample. Based on the growthmarks in the bones, the researchers recognised thatspecies was a fast growingyoungster.
Oldest plesiosaur was strong swimmerThe unusual underwater reptile lived 201 million years ago
Press Trust of India
Berlin
A life reconstruction of the plesiosaur Polycotylus latippinusgiving birth. * AP
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www.thehindu.com/education
www.facebook.com/thehinduedge
www.twitter.com/thehinduedge
Nuclear education centreRussian state atomic energy
corporation is assisting Zambia inestablishing a nuclear education centre inorder to train qualified personnel to workin nuclear technology. It allows Zambianuniversities to develop and master thenuclear technologies that may be appliedin science and agricultural industries.
global eD)
<>Ignoring isn’t the same asignorance, you have to workat it. Margaret Atwood
Election lawsEgyptian universities are facing difficultiesin electing their student unions due toprescription of restrictive regulations thataim at excluding contesting by studentslinked to political groups. The electionsare closed to potential contenders, exceptfor new students, providing proof ofengagement in university activities.
Educational DevelopmentThe U.K. government has announced plansfor two-year accelerated bachelor’sdegrees, offering the same qualificationsas that of a standard degree. Universitiesand Science Minister Jo Johnson said, “Theproposal had been made possible by thepassing of the Higher Education andResearch Act, which allows thegovernment to alter ‘one-size-fits-allsystem’. “
In 2017, the World EconomicForum (WEF) released a report, ‘Jobs and The Fourth Industrial Revolution’. This report predicted a future where47% of the jobs that we currently do may be automated!
Cognitive computing technologies such as deep learningand deep neural networks aregoing to be major drivers of theprocess of automation. Machine learning — the most powerful and disruptive branchof arti�cial intelligence — willenable machines to read dataand imitate some of the jobsthat humans can do. In thiscontext, only jobs that have ahigh demand for an ability totackle novel situations are theones that we, the humans, cando better than machines.
In demand With this view in mind, hereare my pick of top �ve jobs thatwill be in demand despite automation in the years to come:
Data analysts: They will bein demand across all industriesand functions. The focus willbe to hire data analysts whocan signi�cantly enhance productivity by seeing patterns inthe data and developing betterway of doing things. Thismeans every department fromHR, sales to manufacturing willneed a data analyst. Industrieslike insurance and banking especially will need more dataanalysts to guide the salesteam.
Culture and productivitymanagers: They are the newavatar of the current human resource professionals. Compa
nies today must grapple withmanaging multiple generationsof workforce and wider diversity. More people will work fromhome, and many will use advanced mobile technology toexecute their work. The newrole of HR managers will be tomanage this interplay of culture, technology and resourcesto ensure productivity. Peopleissues will need to be dealtwith sensitively. Today, HR has
a more transactional role butsoon, HR managers will bemade completely accountablefor building a technologyenabled culture.
Digital media experts: India is one of the single largestmarkets for consumer products and services. Till date, asales professional’s role involved �nding customers andselling to them. In the new digital world, one of the biggest
change is going to be the shiftfrom selling to “informed buying”. Ecommerce is a good example. People go online,search, compare and maketheir purchase decisions.Hence, we will need peoplewho will enable a buying decision and thus, convert the sale.Digital marketers will be required to build buyer communities, provide comparativedata, share information on the
risk of buying, seek referralsfrom happy customers andmore, thus, helping customersmake informed choices.
Computer-aided manu-facturing: One of the biggestchallenges in manufacturingtoday is the speed at which manufacturing processes change.In other words, you have a production line and if the demandpattern has changed, you willhave to change the production
processes as well, and soon.This is ushering in agile production systems in manufacturing. This will require computeraided design andprofessionals who can executeit.
Mobile-based and pre-ventive customer services:Customer service is increasingly becoming mobilebased. Today, customer service is reac
tive, and it will soon becomeproactive based on predictivescenarios. Machine learningand arti�cial intelligence willproactively analyse past dataand throw up probable breakdown scenarios, based onwhich companies will need too�er preventive solutions before the actual breakdowns occur. All these changes willdrive the demand for a new setof datadriven persuasive customer service agents.
That human touchWith the threat of automation looming large over several industries, here are a few careers that are futureproof
b T Muralidharan
Surviving automation: Making careers stand the test of time.
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Only jobs that have a highdemand for an ability totackle novel situations arethe ones that we, humans,can do better thanmachines.
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b BSc Nursing Admission
Location: College of Nursing Armed Forces Medical College, Pune (30 seats), Command Hospital,Kolkata (20 seats), Indian Naval Hospital, Asvini(30 seats), Army Hospital, New Delhi (30 seats),Command Hospital, Lucknow (30 seats), Command Hospital, Benguluru (20 seats).Duration: Four yearsEligibility: Spinsters born between October 1, 1993and September 30, 2001. Candidates must havepassed the higher secondary or any equivalentexamination in the �rst attempt with mathematics, physics, chemistry, English and biology withan aggregate of 50%. Candidates appearing forthe �nal qualifying exam during the current academic session may also apply.Criteria: Students are selected based on the written test and a personal interview.
The candidate should have passed the higher secondary or any equivalent examination in anysubject combination with an aggregate of 60%marks (55% for SC/ST/PwD). Those appearing forthe �nal qualifying exam in 2018 are also eligibleto apply.Exam fee: �2,400 for women, SC/ST/PwD categories – �1,200Test centres: Chennai, Coimbatore, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Benguluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Guwahati, Mumbai, New Delhi, Varanasi, Kolkata.Application: OnlineDeadline: January 24Exam date: April 15Declaration of results: May 15http://hsee.iitm.ac.in
Compiled by Gopakumar Karakonam
Test centres: Across India, including Chennai, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Ezhimala (Kannur),Bengaluru, Mumbai, Pune, Delhi and Kolkata.Application fee: �150Deadline: Decemebr 30
www.joinindianarmy.nic.in
b The Humanities and Social Sciences EntranceExam
Purpose: The Humanities and Social Sciences Entrance Exam is conducted by IIT Madras for its�veyear integrated MA in development studiesand English studies course.Exam date: April 15
Intake: 46 seats
Eligibility: Born on or after October 1, 1993 (Relaxed by �ve years for SC/ST/PwD categories).
save the date)
MOHD. ZAKIUDDINMAHDI,III Year, B.A. Journal-ism, Minerva Insti-tute of Managementand Technology,Dehradun
During the lastLok Sabha elections,political parties received lot of fundsfrom various industry giants, big corporations, as well as individual donors.
But, the questionis about where thesedonors vanish whenit comes to achievingthe real growth anddevelopment of ournation.
We, talk a lotabout the �ow ofblack money in ourcountry, but the rootconcern should beabout strengtheningour economy.
MOHAMMAD ZIA,I Year, B.A. (H) En-
glish, Banaras HinduUniversity, Varanasi
The more we invest in materialisticresources, the morewe will lag behind inour slabs of development. It is high timewe became stable inour thoughts and actions.
The day we stoprunning behind power will be when development will starthappening.
Therefore, be itexcess expenditurein elections or sponsoring terror , ourcountry can neverrise from the tag of“a developing country” unless we understand our responsibility as thecountry’s citizens.
BHAVNA SINGH,2017 Graduate,
B.A. English (H), LadyShri Ram College,Delhi
Excess expenditure on elections hasincreased tremendously over theyears to such an extent that India nowspends the secondhighest amount ofmoney during elections. Expenditure inexcess of the normslaid down by theElection Commission aggravates thisproblem. Duringelections, partiesspeci�cally targetareas which garnermore votes for them.
These targetedareas bene�t fromsuch expenditurewhile the other areasare neglected.
ABDULLAH SAGHIRAHMAD,I Year, Post-Grad-uate Diploma in Man-agement, NarseeMonjee Institute ofManagement Studies,Bengaluru
In our country,thousands of peopledie from malnutrition. In such a scenario, spending lakhson elections for propaganda and famedoes not sound fair.We cannot turn ablind eye to the nation’s poverty. If political parties act ontheir promised manifestos, theywouldn’t need suchlarge scale campaigning.
We need to examine the loopholesin the way electionsare conducted.
voices)
Cashing in on the elections With the Gujarat Assembly elections just over, it is important to discuss the issueof wastage of money caused while campaigning. Students share their views
b NEHA RUPEJA
<> The day we stop running behind power will be when development
will start happening.
Mohammad Zia
The exam season has begun.The next four to �ve monthswill see students going in forvarious scholastic and competitive exams. We had NTSEStage 1, KVPY, Science Olympiads Stage 1. Then there isJSTSE in January; followedby Stage 2 of various Olympiads. Board exams will beheld in the �rst quarter of2018, followed by high stakesexams like the JEE Main andJEE Advanced. This is alsothe time of the year when allserious aspirants attemptmock tests to optimise theirperformance. Amidst allthese, a point which is largely ignored by a student isselfanalysis.
When we write an examwe commit mistakes whichwe fail to recognise later; wehence run the risk of repeating them in the future. A thorough selfanalysis is the wayforward. It should cover thefollowing areas:
• Conceptwise tracking:Gain insight on how wella concept has beenmastered.• Reasons for losingmarks: Rootcause analysis is important. Seekyour teacher’s help at thisjuncture, if necessary.• Average time taken tosolve a question: Speedand accuracy have to bein sync. Speed with lessaccuracy is pointless.
Low speed with high accuracy will a�ect overallperformance. Find a middle ground.• Performance rating:Rate your overall performance in a mock test on ascale of 110 based onyour level of satisfaction. By systematically follow
ing these steps, you will startapproaching mock tests witha whole new perspective.Your focus will gradually
shift to a learning approach.Next, you’ll need to followthe steps below:
• Remedial measures:Once you have trackedyour conceptwise preparedness and have identi�ed the loose ends, it’stime to revisit those portions of the chapter andyour revision notes.• Marks earned: If you�nd that you have scoredmore from a speci�c topic, or that you havescored more on speci�ctypes of questions, youhave to devise a plan todistribute your dependency across topics. So,on a given day, irrespective of the question distribution, you will end updoing well across topics.• Marks lost: This willclearly tell you the topics/type of questions that youneed to focus on.• Iterative performancerating: Verify whetheryour latest attempt shows
value add)
Self-analysis, sure step to successMock tests are tried and tested strategy, but don’t forget to catch and �x your mistakes too
b Partha Halder
Learning from mistakes: A necessity.
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When we write an exam wecommit mistakes which wefail to recognise later; wehence run the risk ofrepeating them in thefuture. A thorough self-analysis is the way forward.
any improvement fromyour last mock test. Anupward trend will giveyou the much neededcon�dence for optimisedperformances in futureattempts. Strive for a 10on 10 level of satisfaction.• Attempt as many mocktests as possible. If you do the above, the
actual exam should appearto you as just another mockdrill, thus insulating youfrom examrelated stress andhelping you maintain yourpeak performance level.
The author is Centre Head of
FIITJEE Punjabi Bagh Centre.
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NOIDA/DELHI THE HINDU
MONDAY, DECEMBER 18, 20172EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
If there’s one thing that youcannot miss at NIFT, it has tobe the architectural designsthat dot the entire campus.However, if there’s one thingthat the students will not miss,it has to be their most favourite spot on the campus andthat’s Zea their canteen. Zeanot only serves as the gotoplace for all the hungry souls,it is also the goto place for allwho want to just hangout andchill inside the campus. Thecampus of National Instituteof Fashion Technology (NIFT),on Old Mahabalipuram Road,has wellequipped labs, class
Chillout at Zea
rooms, hostels, halls, canteens, etc. Near the entry gateis one of the canteens, namedZea, where students go to graba bite of toast every morning.Nivesha, IIyear knitwear design student, says, “Canteen isa fun place to be. Collegeworks from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
So, not a day goes by withoutgrabbing a snack at Zea. Also,it is situated near the entrygate which makes it convenient for us to rush for morning breakfast.
Multiple useLocated on the other side of
the canteen is the outer courtyard which is highly populated with students, some sittingon the stairs while some playing their favourite sport. It is ahuge area and is always teeming with students. Studentsspend most of their time hereand prefer this space to the
cafeteria.Aishwarya, student from
the leather design department, says, “This is where allof us gather after our classes.From exam preps to gossipingto DJ nights and other festivities, this is the most favouredspot. Most of us gather here tocelebrate birthdays and haveour dance and music sessionstoo. The best part of the campus is its architecture, whichfrom every angle is
unpredictable.”However, the most interest
ing use of the courtyard is as aplayground. Vinayak Ravindran, a �nal year studentfrom the department of knitwear design, says, “Every dayafter 6, we use this courtyardto play basketball and football.I’m a passionate dancer and Icome here with my team tohave practice sessions andmeetings. Also when we are inthe �nal year of college, weare constantly under the pressure of completing assignments, and hence, make themost of the time we get! It’s alively place and it brings in allof us a sense of togetherness.”
One of the four canteens, this one wins hands down as the most popular hangout at NIFT Chennai.
b Neethu Menon
Go-to place: Bring out your zeal at Zea (left) and the outer courtyard.
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“Most of us gather at theouter courtyard tocelebrate birthdays andhave our dance and musicsessions too.”
hangouts)
b Neethu menon
India produces more than 12per cent of the world’s leather. Naturally, there is a spacefor science to further the industry and that’s why Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI) was established.According to their website,60 per cent of India’s leather industry workers areCLRI alumni. Aruna Dhathathreyan is an Emeritus (recently retired) scientist atCLRI who uses her expertisein biophysics to look at theway proteins aggregate. Shethen translates informationto answer questions aboutleather and aim to ultimately be able to make betterleather.
What is biophysics?Today, biology is no longerthe descriptive and qualitative science it once was.More and more of the lifesciences involves measurements, mathematics andcomputation, so biology lovers cannot a�ord to shunnumbers and logic. Biophysics is an interdisciplinary science that looks toanswer biological questionsby using the quantitativestrategies used in physics.Since Aruna works at CLRI,which is a Council of Scienti�c and Industrial Research(CSIR) lab, her work needsto be oriented towards helping the leather industry.
ResearchWhat kind of research doesAruna do? Despite its wideuse and value, leather continues to be a material we
commonly associate withclothing and furniture covering. Could it be more?CLRI’s biophysicists thinkso. Leather is made of animal skin proteins and Aruna’s team builds models thatwill help mimic how theseproteins behave inside cellswhere they are crowded together with other biomolecules. The models allowthem to predict ways of inducing changes in proteinproperties. They also custom design their own instruments to be more suited toanalyse the kind of samplesthey receive than commercially available instrumentsare.
Biophysical advances inthis direction could one dayherald an era of ‘smart’leather which may have enhanced functional properties such as electrical conductivity or magnetism.This will open up leather foruse in electronic devicesand other applications. Aruna’s work is in this direction.
Sometimes, Aruna istasked with resolving daytoday issues faced by leather suppliers. When a shipment of sheep leather ordered by Marks andSpencers reached themdamaged, her lab investigated and found out that the
damage happened not during processing but duringtransport.
O� trackHow did Aruna become abiophysicist? Aruna grew upin Delhi and left for Chennaito do a BSc and MSc at Women’s Christian College andMadras Christian Collegerespectively. Back in the1970s and 1980s biophysicswas just taking o�, so sheveered o� the beaten trackof nuclear physics or electronics to do her PhD at theUniversity of Madras in thesame lab that legendary protein expert G.N. Ramachandran worked. She spent thenext six years doing postdoctoral research in MaxPlanck Institute in Germanywhere she worked alongsidestalwarts like Nobel laureateErwin Neher and HansKuhn (who was trained bythe likes of Linus Paulingand Niels Bohr). She recently retired as the head ofCLRI’s Advanced MaterialsLaboratory or Biophysicslaboratory.
Nandita is a science writer and
part of The Life of Science
project. To know more about
women scientists in India and
their research, visit
www.thelifeofscience.com
Behind the hidesMeet Aruna Dhathathreyan, the leather scientist
life of science)nandita jayaraj
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Biophysics expert: For ‘smart’ leather.
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EAR SHOT ASHOK RAJAGOPALAN
It’s okay not to have a plan An actress, singerand YouTuber,Mithila Palkar saysit’s okay not to haveyour entire lifeplanned out.Speaking atTEDxNITSilchar,she says that in this
fastmoving world, plans don’t always materialise.Being happy and passionate about what you do ismore important than doing what society wants youto do. Follow your dreams, pursue your passions,and things will eventually fall into place. In thisinspirational video, she tells her audience why oneshould never accept defeat.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmeGVhhbGrM
Make your dream a realityInvited to deliver aspeech at HarvardUniversity, actor R.Madhavan talksabout how it isimportant to have adream and a goal tomake India great by
2030. He talks about the importance of villages inIndia and how they hold the key to development andsuccess. His dream is to see villages in India being asdeveloped as the cities. The plausibility of thisdream, however, depends entirely on how wechannelise our resources, he says. He calls for theneed to have smart villages rather than smartercities. Only upon achieving this balance would Indiabe a developed nation by 2030.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3I43uQNTEg
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VIDEO CAFÉ
b S. Krithika Raj
It is that time of the year when most of us are gorgingon yummy desserts and scrumptious food withoutpaying any attention to the effect it will have on ourdigestive system! With Christmas and New Yeararound the corner, here are a few apps which wouldhelp you enjoy those exquisite delicacies whilekeeping your health in mind.
Easy No-bake Desserts Recipes
If you are one of thosepeople who love eatingdesserts but are tooimpatient to wait, this app isfor you. With over 50 recipeswhich are relatively simple tomake, the inner foodie inyou will be satiated beyonddoubt. This app specificallygives you recipes where,with minimal effort, you canmake palatable desserts.With this app, you can enjoythese confectioneries and
pastries at home without burning a hole in yourpocket.
http://bit.ly/2AmZ3ZL
Low Carb Dessert Recipes
This one is for all those gymjunkies and fitness freakswho love desserts but wantto avoid those extra calories.With recipes like sugarfreestrawberry pie and oatmealmuffins, this app is tailormade for people who want tokeep those few extra kilosoff. You can follow your dietexercise regimen withoutgiving up on those yummysnacks. With all yourfavourite recipes in the list,the app promises nocompromise in the taste. Tryout desserts like the low carb
cheesecake, or low carb cookies.http://bit.ly/2o2EiAO
Gluten Free Desserts Recipes
Considered to be one of thebest, this app providesdelectable recipes fordesserts which are absolutelyglutenfree, making yourchoices healthy and deliciousat the same time. Mainlydeveloped for the holidayseason, the app provides therecipe for every dessertunder the sky that is glutenfree. The dishes here arecatalogued on the basis ofthe festival they’re associatedwith, which makes it easierfor the individual to searchfor a particular dish.
http://bit.ly/2C4Tkbl
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BON APP-ETIT
b S. Krithika Raj
“Wow, so many travel brochures! Are you planning togo somewhere?”
“Just checking. You know Iusually get itchy feet at thistime of year.”
“Your feet are itchy? Is itbecause of the weather?”
“When you say that you‘have/get itchy feet’, whatyou’re suggesting is that youfeel the need to travel. Youwant to go somewhere.”
“You’re itching to get out of
where you are now and be somewhere else.”
“Exactly! Hearing abouthow much fun Nagesh had inSikkim gave me itchy feet.”
“You probably felt like going to Sikkim yourself. When Iwas in school, I always used toget itchy feet during the summer break.”
“The expression can alsobe used to mean to changeone’s job. Nobody works for acompany for more than ayear nowadays. After that,they get itchy feet.”
“My cousin has itchy feetafter six months. So tell me,now that you have itchy feet,where are you planning to go?Is it going to be somewhereabroad?”
“Somewhere within India.
But the place has to be o� thebeaten track.”
“O� the beaten track? Youmean you want to go to aplace that many people don’tgo to?”
“That’s right! When yousay that something is ‘o� thebeaten track’, what you’resuggesting is that the place isquite remote not many people take the road/path thatleads to it. It’s not a wellknown place.”
“So, you’re not interestedin going to a populardestination!”
“I prefer going to placesthat are o� the beaten track —they are less crowded, and Iget all the peace and quiet Ineed.”
“The restaurant that Vik
ram took me to last weekendwas o� the beaten track, butthe food was simply awesome. I’ll take you theresometime.”
“It’ll have to be after mytrip.”
“Who are you going with?Ram and Ganesh, as usual?”
Fifth wheel“You know the two of themare married now, right? Idon’t think their wives wouldlike it if I went along. I’ll probably end up feeling like a �fthwheel.”
“Fifth wheel? I’ve heardthe expression ‘third wheel’,but not ‘�fth wheel’!”
“They both mean the samething. When you refer toyourself as a ‘�fth wheel’,
what you’re suggesting is thatyou �nd yourself in a situation where you feelunwelcome.”
“You feel as though the people around you don’t wantyou there. The others makeyou feel that you’re not a partof the group. You stick out likea sore thumb.”
“As a result, you’re ignoredby all those around you. Likethe �fth wheel in the trunk ofa car, you’re not really required in the situation. Youare super�uous. Whenever Igo out with Ganesh and hissisters, I always feel like a �fthwheel.”
“My uncle moved into a senior citizen’s home. He saidthat he did not really enjoystaying with his son he never
felt he was part of the family.He felt more like a �fthwheel.”
“That’s how many old people feel nowadays. So, whatare you going to do aboutyour itchy feet?”
“I’ve no idea. I’m sure I’llthink of something.”
“If it’s something interesting, let me know.”
“Not a chance. I want somepeace and quiet.”
* * * * *Too often travel, instead of
broadening the mind, merelylengthens the conversation. —Elizabeth Drew
The author teaches at the
English and Foreign Languages
University, Hyderabad.
Itchy feet? O� the beaten track you go!
know your english)s. upendran
A few weeks ago, I caught upwith a classmate from college. A former professor hadjust passed away and our memories of her, though mixedwith grief and nostalgia,were mostly radiant. Even today when I think of the lady,it is her measured grace thatstrikes me. Each word she uttered fell into place like apearl on a necklace. Her gaitwas deliberate, slow and sheexuded a quiet elegance. Yet,there wasn’t the slightesthint of arti�ciality.
In the years I spent as herstudent, I never once saw herlosing her cool. Even her demeanour was most measured. She never hurried.Her pace was deliberate. Andher actions well thoughtout.
As a young adult, I saw inher an e�ective demonstration of how response di�ersfrom reaction.
There is a lot of spiel goingaround on the di�erence between response and reaction.I’m still discovering it myselfin many ways, and am, therefore, the last person to give adiscourse on the topic. Yet Ichoose to write about it because every day, I see peoplereacting to situations, words,events, rather than respond.
Emotion vs. logicIn the most simplistic terms,this di�erence is perhaps thedi�erence between emotionand logic. It is commonly understood that when we don’tthink, when we get defensiveabout something or our feelings are hurt by someone’sactions, we react. It could bea coworker, a friend, apartner or a family memberwho throws something unpleasant our way. It could besomething we didn’t want tohear, a situation that wentout of control or behaviourthat made us uncomfortable.Whatever be the trigger, theonly thing we can control ishow we choose to respond.
Easier said than done. We are all human and we
come across such situationspretty much all the time. Ournatural instinct is to perhaps
�rst react and then think. Whensomeone says something wedon’t approve of, we choose tolet them know of our disapproval. However, in the workplace,how we choose to demonstratethis disapproval becomes critical. An assertive and polite wayof expressing disapproval becomes necessary in some cases.But it needs to be a well thoughtout and deliberate move. And itworks best as a facetoface conversation. Of course, in such cases, a relevant question to askourselves could be — does thissituation demand my investment of time and energy? Orshould I let it go? And if theanswer is yes, then that actionbecomes a logical response.
A reaction, on the otherhand, evokes stress in both parties, leads to actions we may regret and ends up draining ourenergy which could have, otherwise been spent productively.Such reactions are mostly driven by emotions. A friend or afamily member may understand. A coworker may not, unless they trust you implicitly.
I’d like to see this as the di�erence between walking slowlyand running. Now, let us say I’mlate for a �ight. I would end uprunning. I would jostle. At theend of it, I would be stressed,even if I were to make it. On theother hand, if I had time, Iwould be relaxed and would beprepared for a pleasant journey.And my pace would be deliberate and slow.
It all comes down to the individual. It all comes down to meand my responses to the situations around me. That’s a start.Why not make it a measuredone?
The author is a writer and literary
journalist. She also heads
Corporate Communications at UST
Global. Twitter: @anupamaraju
Look before you leapWhile certain situations bring out a knee-jerk reaction, see thepositives of responding with grace
Keep your calm: Do you react or respond?
PS & QS)anupama raju
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THE HINDU NOIDA/DELHI
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Former permanent representative of India to the UnitedNations, T.P. Sreenivasan hasspent decades living abroadamong the Japanese, Russians, Americans and the Paci�c islanders. After retiring in2004 from the Indian ForeignService, he has been writingactively on international relations for several news publications. He also served as vicechairman of Kerala HigherEducation Council from 2011to 2016.
Sreenivasan is currently director general of Kerala International Centre, an independent foreign policy thinktank, and a visiting professorat the Central University ofKerala, Kasargod.
The former diplomat talksabout his academic life, whichbegan in a Malayalam medium school at Kayamkulam,and shares his views on India’s education system.
Malayalam to English
My father, K. Parameshwaran Pillai, a school teacher,was adamant that I went to auniversity after school. So Ijoined the intermediate college in 1960. There, I got theshock of my life. Everybodywas speaking in English, a language that was new to me!Most of the classes were in English and for the �rst fewmonths I had no idea whatwas going on. Then, I gradually learned the language. Looking back, it was a good thingthat I had to adapt. Otherwise, I probably would’vestruggled with my studies andcareer later on.
University life
It was a foregone conclusion that I would be joiningthe foreign service. ShankaraPillai, a family friend, had ear
lier joined the foreign serviceand was posted in Canada. Myfather had great respect forhim and wanted me to goabroad like he did. So, I studied BA English in UniversityCollege. Watching Englishmovies that released in Sreekumar theatre in Thiruvananthapuram for 24 paise is awonderful memory I havefrom that time. Those werethe best days of my life. Istood �rst in my class in bothBA and MA which gave meother opportunities such as ascholarship to learn �yingfrom the �yers club near thecity airport.
Student politics
Many ask me why I supportstudent politics even afterthat infamous episode last
year when student unionmembers attacked me. Whathappened to me was bad, butI believe student politics is anessential part of college life.Being part of a political partygives you a sense of responsibility as well as belonging. Itoo was involved in campuspolitics. At the same time, it isimportant to make sure political activities do not turn violent and disrupt college life.
Learning on the go
As a diplomat, I had to
learn constantly. For everydeputation, it’s a new place,people, culture, and language. Keeping myself uptodate on how society workedin di�erent places was my job.What I learned is that, although people in di�erent countries approach life and its issues quite di�erently than wedo here in India, deep downwe are all the same. That wisdom has helped me have amuch more open outlook towards the world in general.
In India
Having worked in di�erentcountries, I believe India hasthe worst system in existence.Apart from a handful of establishments, teaching and infrastructure are really poor.We need to reorient and over
haul our education to matchup to the rest of the world. Aholistic and more liberal approach must be adoptedwhere students have the freedom to choose what theywant to learn. One of the major issues here is that when itcomes to matters of educationand how an institution shouldbe run, students are the lastpeople consulted. That iswrong.
The mentality that thegrownups know better needsto go, especially when itcomes to education. Institutions with potential should bemade autonomous. That wassomething I tried to do duringmy time in Kerala Higher Education Council. Unfortunately, change is something veryfew are interested in.
My College Years)
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...when it comes tomatters of educationand how an institutionshould be run, studentsare the last peopleconsulted.
‘Students need the freedom to choose’Former diplomat T.P. Sreenivasan feels the Indian education system requires a more liberal approach
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One often hears about students being penalised or expelled from universities for plagiarising, but thesestudents are confounded by thisword, having never heard about theconcept or its consequences before.
Plagiarism is using informationfrom journal articles, books, or websites without acknowledging thesource. According to Jonathan Bailey (2011), plagiarism was �rst publicly condemned by Latin poetMartial who lived between 40 ADand 102/104 AD, when he launcheda tirade against people who recitedhis poetry as if it was theirs.
This practice is just more prevalent today than in the past, aided bythe ease of access to information.For instance, traces of plagiarismwere found in Dr. Martin LutherKing’s doctoral dissertation as reported by Stephen Moss in TheGuardian (2005). In U.K. universities, 9,229 students were identi�edfor plagiarism as cited by RebeccaAttwood in The Times Higher Edu-cation dated June 12, 2008. Most ofthe 17,000 students in over 80 British universities found guilty of academic dishonesty were cases of plagiarism, according to David Barrett’sreport in The Telegraph datedMarch 5, 2011.
Academia and beyondPlagiarism is not limited to academia. Almost all genres meant for public attention — such as public speaking, music, art, journalism, andnovels — have come under �re forplagiarism, unwittingly or otherwise. George Harrison of the Beatlesfame had to pay the Chi�ons$5,87,000 for subconscious plagiarism, according to Moriarty (2012).According to The New York Times issue dated April 28, 2006, KaavyaViswanathan, a Harvard student wasaccused of plagiarism in her bookHow Opal Mehta Got Kissed, GotWild and Got a Life, following whichthe book was taken o� the shelves.
When it comes to academia, students helping themselves to otherwriters’ information and passing ito� as their own is tantamount tostealing. Why do intelligent, hard
working students commit such ano�ence? If anything, the school tradition is to blame.
With Indian students, the problem probably has its roots in thetraditional Indian educational system. The inclination to reproduceinformation as in the original mightbe a vestige from the ancient oraltradition of reciting the Vedas frommemory, in the Indian Gurukul system. Probably, the Englishmediumeducational system introduced bythe British in colonial times is toblame. Perhaps, with English as a second language, students found it easier to memorise and reproduce information rather than understandand rephrase information, due tofear of losing marks for distortion ofmeaning or errors in language — andthe habit has stuck.
Even today, it is not uncommonto see some oldschool Indian teachers emphasising blind respect for information presented by authority �gures; published information as intextbooks is not to be misquoted ormisinterpreted; it is to be reverentlyreproduced verbatim in a test or examination, if a student were to get
full marks. Raised under such aneducational milieu, when these students progress to higher education,copying information o� other sources and pasting it into their assignments would not seem erroneous,as they are only showing their respect for the borrowed informationby presenting it as written.
For the contemporary Indian aswell as other students for whom English is a second language, this practice has been made more possibleand ironically more detectable today, both functions facilitated by thedoubleedged sword of the Internet.
Information literacy and ethicaluse of information should be explicitly taught in school and reviewedin the freshman year at universities.Teachers should encourage studentsto rephrase and not to memoriseand regurgitate information gathered from textbooks. Studentsshould be given adequate practice inproper ways of citing the originalsources. They should be remindedabout the expected percentage oforiginal information and the acceptable percentage of quoted information in assignments. Schools shouldinsist that students submit their assignments to plagiarism checkerssuch as turnitin.com or grammarly.com and make necessary changes.Thus, the onus is on schools to helpstudents avoid plagiarism.
The author has worked as a professor of
English for over two decades in Bahrain.
The plague that is plagiarismIt is a problem that needs to be nipped in the bud
Rehashing ideas: A question of ethics.
Blackboard)Dr. Gita Ponnuchamy
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Almost all genres meant forpublic attention — such aspublic speaking, music, art,journalism, and novels — havecome under �re for plagiarism,unwittingly or otherwise.
Andrew Carnegiefamously oncesaid “My heart isin the work”. Hecertainly hadthese words inmind when hefounded CarnegieMellon University(CMU). I graduated in May thisyear, with a B.S.and M.S. in computer engineering fromCMU. My �ve years there were enlightening, enjoyable and humbling.
Consistent with the structure of courses in most other colleges in the U.S., one’sgrade in a course was dependent on continuous assessment through written homework, programming assignments, exams, projects, and participation duringthe semester.
There are two things behind CMU’sreputation for computer science. The �rstis the necessity to be able to apply andcombine concepts learned in class in homework or exam. Professors spent timedeveloping questions on their own. Attempting to �nd these questions on theInternet or in books was a fruitless exercise. However, knowing that I could solvesuch problems gave me the con�dence totackle interviews and strike conversationswith interviewers about the problemsthey solve everyday.
The second, and probably the most de�ning factor of CMU, is its peer group. My�rst semester was an eyeopener. Therewere students who were opting for andacing three to four di�cult classes in asemester, when I would struggle with justone or two. We had Olympiad winnersand coaches, Putnam champions, andfounders of startups as fellow students.
Balancing actI developed an attitude wherein “timespent not studying was time wasted” because I knew that the Putnam championwas putting in work when I wasn’t. At thesame time, I also had to agree that therewould be people smarter and moreequipped than myself. It became moreabout maintaining a balance of academicswith physical �tness, and social life. If I
had just written a bad exam or struggledwith an allnighter, I would go for a quickworkout or play some basketball to reorganise myself.
What American education teaches youis to not only be able to manage your timewell, but to explore multiple avenues, beit courses, activities or clubs, and thereby,meet people you never thought youwould.
When I look back at my experience atCMU, I see a roller coaster with a greatnumber of ups and downs. I think aboutthe academic dedication I showed (anddidn’t show at times), the stress associated with classes and job interviews, but also, all the friends I made and the di�erentpeople I met.
Aditya Aiyer is an alumnus of Computer
engineering, Carnegie Mellon University,
Pittsburgh.
Postcard from...Pittsburgh)
Test of mettle in steel city Studying alongside Putnam champs at Carnegie MellonUniversity was an eye-opener
Name:
Aditya AiyerCollege:
Carnegie Mellon UniversityCourse:
Computer engineering
Khan Academy India (KAI) is anotforpro�t, section 8 company, incorporated in India. Ithas been founded by KhanAcademy Inc. (a United States501(c)3 nonpro�t organisation) and Tata Trusts. KAI’smission is to make Khan Academy’s free learning resourcesavailable to millions of learners in India. Khan AcademyIndia provides interactive educational content in English,Hindi, and will soon in bilingual Hindi/English. They alsoprovide teachers with toolsand data so they can help theirstudents succeed and enablestudents of all ages to learn attheir own pace in their owntime. Their syllabus includesmath, biology, chemistry,physics, history, economics, �nance, grammar, preschoollearning, SAT prep and more.
Sandeep Bapna, MD, KhanAcademy India, said, “It is essential to provide education tostudents free of cost and intheir local languages in orderto reach the agenda of education for all.”
Rural outreach To increase its reach to students in rural India, Khan Academy India has been workingwith various state governments. They recently signed aPartnership Agreement withthe Government of Karnatakato make available educational
content including videos, exercises, articles and teachertools, in Kannada. These include 5,500 videos and20,000 exercises in math andscience, as well as dashboards, which already helpmillions of students andteachers around the world.Earlier they had also partnered with the Governmentof Rajasthan to bring personalised learning to stateschools starting from this current academic year.
Sandeep Bapna, furtheradded, “Looking ahead a fewyears, we see a big challengeand opportunity in creatinglocal language content, as avast majority of new Internetusers would seek content intheir own language. MakingKhan Academy resourcesavailable in as many Indianlanguages as possible is a highpriority for us and this pro
gramme is a signi�cant step inthat direction.”
On the product side, KhanAcademy has made availableall its content including videosand exercises for mobile usage. These apps are completely free, are continuously beingoptimised for low bandwidthconditions, and have featuressuch as bulk download for of�ine usage. It has also introduced a slew of new featuresfor teachers to make the learning platform more personalised, more useful in class andcooler than ever.
Through its online courses,Khan Academy is also bridgingthe gap between student's �nancial backgrounds and thequality of education that theyreceive by providing equal opportunities to students whocould not a�ord expensivepersonal tuitions or are hindered by language barriers.
INITIATIVE)
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Students who are academically brilliant andfacing �nancial constraints are invited forapplying to thisscholarship.Eligibility: Students pursuing graduation withthe score of 75% andabove in the last examination and having familyincome less than �2 lakhpaPrizes and Rewards:
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Be prepared: Send the right signals.
Every young prospect would becalled for a facetoface interview atsome point in his/her career. Thisis de�nitely thrilling news, especially when it is the �rst interview.However, here’s the catch: youshould be well prepared, say theright things and avoid the wrongmentions to be able to eventuallyland the job.
Appearing at an interview canprove to be a daunting experiencefor �rsttimers. Being too excitedand nervous at the same time, theymay end up saying things out ofcontext and not saying things thatmatter most.
So, here are a few do’s anddon’ts to help you prepare betterfor your �rst facetoface interview.
Do’s Be �exible: When you are answering a question related to jobresponsibilities or a possible placeof employment and the interviewer tends to harp on the same, youneed to stress your willingness tobe mobile. It will demonstrate thatyou have an ability to adjust withany environment and takechallenges.
Demonstrate your learning:When asked about particular casesor issues, explain in detail aboutyour internship experiences. Usethe conversation and divulge moredetails about yourself. It is notwrong to seem more elaborate, sothat the interviewer can gauge yourpotential and develop a better understanding about yourcompetencies.
Showcase your knowledge:Hiring managers like to test thecandidates’ knowledge about theorganisation they have applied for.Make sure to check their o�cialwebsite and make a concerted attempt to know about the company’s business operations prior tothe interview.
Access their o�cial brand pageon social media to �nd out basiccompany information and latestupdates. This will show the interviewer that you take the interviewseriously.
Ask how you can succeed inthe job: For interviewers, the bestthing during a facetoface interview is to hear interesting questions from the candidates. Do yourresearch well. Talk to employees in
the company about the particularrole on o�er ensuring that youhave meaningful queries at the endof the interview session. This willprove that you are keenly interested in knowing the company better.
Don’ts Go overboard: Hiring managersare looking for passionate employees who are willing to dedicatethemselves to a particular job role.They are not interested in someonewho desperately wants to land thejob. Answer questions succinctlyand do not exaggerate or deviate.Avoid extreme openness and �exibility to adapt or else the interviewer might see you as an over anxiousor incompetent candidate.
Make personal comments:Avoid praising the interviewer’sphysical appearance, referring toother known employees (unlessspeci�cally asked for), asking personal questions, gossiping, andmaking sensational or sexist comments. These are likely to beviewed as highly irrelevant talk in ajob interview and thus may lead toyour being judged as beingunprofessional.
Be judgmental: Refrain frommaking caustic or evaluative statements about people, processes, ortechnology in the companies thatyou have interned with or hadworked at. Do not reveal your biases to the interviewer.
Badmouth: Do not ever badmouth your last boss or someoneelse in your internship or past companies. It is unethical and will senda negative signal that you may bedi�cult to manage.
Being invited to a facetofacepersonal interview is in itself a success, but it might be only the �rststep of a long hiring process. Themain objective of attending an interview is to send signals of assurance to your future employer thatyou are the right talent they havebeen looking for.
Ensure that your CV does not lieand avoid exaggerating experiences. Demonstrate that you have theright balance of skills, attitude, andknowledge required for the job.
Good luck with your job interview!
The writer is Dean and Advisor,
Departments of MHRM/MSW,
D.G.Vaishnav College, Chennai.
Make the best impressionFacetoface interviews are a goodopportunity to prove that you are the right �t for the job
b Vidhya Srinivasan
P.V
. SIV
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CM
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NOIDA/DELHI THE HINDU
MONDAY, DECEMBER 18, 20174EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
AICTE-CII assessmentTechnical institutes across India areassessed every year on the strength oftheir partnerships with industry, by AICTEand CII. The Department of EEE, KCGCollege of Technology, Chennai, wasawarded ‘Best Industry Linked ElectricalEngineering & Allied Institute’ this year.
in brief)
Digitising medical recordsShaurya Jain, a DPS R.K. Puram student, hasdeveloped InstantMed Plus, a moible appthat aims to digitise medical records forcitizens across the country. Physicalprescriptions are still in use and heavilyrelied on by medical professionals andpatients alike. The app promises to resolvethis by shifting all medical documentationonto a cloud that is easily accessible.
The evolution of management educationor any education for that matter dependson the intent and capacity of policymakers. The previous articles on MBA education demonstrated the need for an enabling policy to help providers align withcontemporary processes, stay with a relevant purpose and ensure that MBA education is meaningful and adds incrementalvalue to stakeholders.
An enabling policy environment is nodoubt a catalytic fuel for the MBA engineto chug its way on course for a management education track that is optimallyaligned to the needs of stakeholders. TheAll India Council for Technical Education(AICTE) is the statutory body responsiblefor norms, standards and coordinated development of technical education, withmanagement education also under itspurview. The comparison of evolution ofmanagement education in USA and Indiapresents a widely contrasting story, withthe American approach being incrementally progressive and the Indian approachbeing regimentally progressive, and bothstill grappling with issues, but of di�eringproportions.
Management education in the U.S.
Stage 1 – Inception stages to 1950sThis period saw the growth of Bschoolsbased on decisionmaking by variousprivate and public universities whichstarted business degree programmes tocapitalise on the postworld war opportunity. There was no clear vision or articulated growth with purpose. Thereseemed to be a demand (problem), allowing many universities (participants) tostart business education programmes(solution).
Stage 2 – 1960 to 1990The foundation reports (Ford & Carnegie)and emerging criticisms left a huge impact on the curriculum review and thequality of MBA graduates. Many Bschools started relooking their curriculum and content and started optimisingon various possible alternatives. The Bschools were analysing future possibilities and trying to optimise their solutionsbased on the resources available. Thisstage also saw a rapid increase in thenumber of Bschools which were startedto ful�l the growing demand.
Stage 3 – 1990 to 2005The Porter & McKibbin study and variousother criticisms on the quality of MBA
graduates provided an impetus for the Bschools to sequence their priorities andtake informed decisions. This period alsosaw the consolidation of Bschools with amajority of them accredited by AACSBand aligned towards quality objectives,both at input and output stages. Some Bschools still continued to do everythingwithout any focus.
Stage 4 – 2005 and afterBschools have started looking at management as a profession and also focusedtheir e�orts on faculty improvement andresearch. There seemed to be a consciousshift towards quality processes resultingnot only in quality dissemination ofknowledge but creation of new management concepts for a changing paradigmdisrupted by globalis ation andtechnology.
Management education in India
Stage 1 – 1950 to 1988This stage represents the formative yearsof management education in India inwhich more concern was understandablyon the systems, procedures, control, etc.Almost all the new initiatives were by thegovernment machinery and hence issuesthat dominated the decisionsmakingwere governance, control, admission policy, faculty appointments, etc. This stage
was predominantly for creation of government institutions and the extent towhich the growth happened could notmatch the rate at which U.S. managementeducation grew in its �rst stage.
Stage 2 1990 to 2005On the one hand, the management education development was still dominatedby policy level decisionmaking whichconcentrated on the administrative issuesof governance, structure, admission,fees, etc., and on the other hand, therewas a surge in the number of Bschoolsdue to policy level changes. The formation of AICTE which was merely acting asan approval agency encouraged privateinitiative with unprecedented growth inthe number of management institutes.More than 90% of them satis�ed the minimalist norms and were found wanting invarious parameters because of thisgrowth pattern which was quantitativeand not qualitative.
Stage 3 – 2005 and afterThis stage saw an accelerated growth inthe number of new Bschools in the samepattern that prevailed in Stage 2. Also afew Bschools began to lay emphasis onquality and started implementing optionsthat were positioned for improvingquality.
With growth being a constant factor in
both the U.S. and India, the fundamentaldi�erence lies in the type of decisionmaking at the macro level. In the USA, issuespertaining to academic inputs and qualityoutputs dominated the factors in�uencingdecisionmaking. There was a critical analysis of various factors, and various reportsindicated the need for change in academiccontent and quality.
In India, issues pertaining to governanceand control dominated the decisionmaking process. The various committees andstudies missed the bigger picture of qualityin programme design and students. Therewas an excessive inclination towards nonacademic factors like control, fees, admission policy, administration, etc. Thoughthese factors are also important, they arenot signi�cantly important when compared to other crucial factors like coursedesign, skill development, faculty development, research, etc.
If accreditation is a barometer of quality,the di�erence is selfexplanatory. The twoagencies responsible to ensure quality areThe Association to Advance CollegiateSchools of Business (AACSB) in USA andNational Board of Accreditation (NBA) forIndia. Of the estimated 1,800 businessschools in America, nearly 550 are accredited by AACSB and �ve Indian businessschools are also accredited by AACSB. However, of the 3,300 business schools in India, the percentage accredited by NBA isde�nitely less than 30%, notwithstandingthe fact the accreditation process of AACSBis far ahead of NBA in terms of rigour andparameters.
I distinctly recall my discussions withone of India’s management educators Dr.Dharni P.Sinha in 2003 who was instrumental in establishing the Association ofManagement Development Institutions inSouth Asia (AMDISA). He remarked, “Weneed regional bridge between our poor accreditation standards and the advancedstandards of AACSB”, and later on, he wasinstrumental in establishing a SAARClevelaccreditation mechanism through theSouth Asian Quality Assurance Systems(SAQS) with initial support from EuropeanFoundation for Management Development(EFMD). Still, the accreditation score for Bschools in India is comparably low despitethe process being relatively easy whencompared to AACSB or EQUIS or SAQS.
Is accreditation the only driver of qualitygrowth in management education? How toinstitutionalise this and also put in place amultidimensional approach in policy reforms? Answers in the next article.
The writer is Dean of Planning and
Development, SASTRA University, Thanjavur.
Management Education)
Drivers for quality growthA comparison of the evolution of MBA education in the U.S. and Indiab Dr.S.Vaidhyasubramaniam
Quality in focus: A multi-dimensional approach is needed.
V.
RA
JU
The second hurdle of Civil ServicesExam, which is the mains, is now over, and students have little time to relax as the �nal interview is just roundthe corner. The interview phase,which is also known as the personality test, is the crucial and decidingphase in the UPSC selection process.The panel of board members scrutinise the candidate on the set criterionfor the selection and job allotmentprocess.
Tips to prepareDo remember, that personality testsare not the test of your knowledge,but of your personality as your knowledge has been checked in the previous two stages. The board membersseek your explanations and logicalviews on current happenings, government initiatives and the current issuesbeing faced by the people in the country. Apart from this, make sure you �llyour detailed application form (DAF)carefully, as it represents your academic and personal background, yourliking or disliking, your hobbies andyour overall personality. And most ofthe questions asked are based on yourDAF, along with your knowledge onthe subjects of your interest.
Preparation associated with interview process involves both the subjective and practical aspects. Widen yourapproach towards things you listen orsee. Participate in discussions andlearn to communicate your point wellwhile understanding when you needto be a good listener too. Also look fortoppers’ interviews and related videosonline as they will guide you better inpreparing for the Interview.
Do not forget to attend at least fourto �ve mock interviews. The mannerisms and attitude involved needspractice and polish before you actually go for the �nal shot in front of UPSCboard members. Every IAS coachingacademy o�ers mock interviewswhich will begin soon now.
The questions asked by the experts
in mock interview sessions help candidates get a better understanding ofthe kind of questions they will faceduring the �nal interview processwith UPSC. The experts also providesuggestions to help candidates improvise and get ready for the �nal call.
Mental notes• You will be judged, the mo
ment you walk in, so even yoursteps count: Highly experiencedpanel will know you, in and out,within a few minutes of looking atyou. Facial expressions, handmovements and con�dence in using words, will say the rest. Practise before a mirror or use your‘Sel�e’ cameras to record yourselfand review the �aws until you’verecti�ed them all. Positive bodylanguage is the key. Most of theacademies will provide you recorded videos of your mock sessions.• Candidates are tested ontheir personality – both socially and intellectually: Thisdoesn’t mean you need to changeyour personality, or show whatyou are not. All you need is to justadapt certain traits and learn proper skills to face the board members. Personality being a window
to the inner you, it’s extremely important for the UPSC board to understand your personality. It isequally important for the candidates to cultivate certain traits likeempathy, decisionmaking skills,emotion management skills, administrative skills.• Another crucial aspect associated with the interview process is to know, who you wouldbe facing: With backgroundknowledge of the panel members,it is easier to communicate con�dently and tactfully, so make sureyou know about their areas of expertise along with the position andexperience they are holding. Passing marks however do not de
cide the ultimate selection, as the �naldeciding factor is the sum total ofmarks obtained in mains and interview stage. Therefore both the phasesare equally important, and those whohave reached this stage have alreadywon half of the battle, and the goal isnot too far away. All you need is to cultivate certain qualities in yourself asyou progress towards the interviewstage.
The author is the Director of Chanakya
IAS Academy.
Clearing the last hurdleThe crucial Personality Test in the civil services selection process is aroundthe corner. Find out what will work in your favour
b A K Mishra
UPSC )
Be open: Communicate your ideas well.
FR
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PIK
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Strathclyde collaborationsThe University of Strathclyde in Glasgowhas signed separate agreements with TISSin Mumbai and TERI School of AdvancedStudies in New Delhi. Five Scottishgovernment scholarships have also beenlaunched for Indian students to studyStrathclyde’s M.Sc. in Global SustainableCities programme.
Interviews )
b M.Sc. Electronic and ElectricalEngineering
Institution: The University ofShe�eld, U.K.Programme start date: September2018Eligibility: 60% or a �rstclass degree from a reputable universityin any discipline involving signif
icant mathematical competence,including physics, mathematicsand other branches of engineering. Overall score of 6.5 with aminimum of 6.0 in each component or equivalent in IELTS.Fee: £21,450 annually for overseasstudentsApplication: Online(https://www.she�eld.ac.uk/postgradapplication/)n.porter@she�eld.ac.uk
admissions)
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