Ramdev to be Bihar's brand ambassador

     Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today announced that yoga guru Baba Ramdev will be the state's brand ambassador. Speaking at the concluding ceremony of the week-long 'Yoga Vigyan Shivir' held in Patna, Kumar said that as Bihar's brand ambassador, Baba Ramdev would help promote health consciousness by inculcating yoga in their daily life. He also said Baba Ramdev's effort would help make people turn out as "fearless individuals". Ramdev who has already given consent to promote Brand Bihar, praised the people of Bihar for their sheer hardworking abilities and their role in the development of the nation. Ramdev said that wherever the people of Bihar have settled they have been able to bring development there; irrespective of them being in India or any other foreign country. Baba Ramdev who was recently engrossed in a controversy surrounding the allegations that his ayurvedic medicines contain human remnants, is immensely popular among the people of north India. The week-long meditation camp had evoked a huge response as large congregation of people gathered in Patna. Nitish Kumar after becoming the chief Minister of Bihar has been consistently trying out new ways to improve the image of Bihar which is one of the most underdeveloped states. His latest announcement is a step forward in this direction. Baba Ramdev's immense popularity in the state is also perceived to fetch rich political dividends and he shares an excellent rapport with both the bitter political rivals Nitish Kumar and RJD President Lalu Prasad Yadav.

Woman shot at by SP leader dies (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh Congress leader Luv Bhargav's wife Mehar Bhargav today succumbed to her injuries after she was shot by some young men in Lucknow on February 28. Mehar was 50 years old and had been admitted in city's Apollo Hospital in a very critical condition. She was allegedly shot by Sachin Pahadi, a close associate of the ruling Samajwadi Party when she tried to confront the four men who had passed lewd comments at her daughter in law. In the commotion followed, the group of four men which included Pahadi, shot them both. Mehar got injured and was rushed to hospital. She was later shifted to Delhi where her condition was critical and had been put on ventilator for the past week. Among the four accused only one has been arrested so far, while the main accused, Pahadi is still at large. Husband Luv Bhargava anguished over UP Police apathy in the investigation of the case questioned: "Everyone knows who did it. Why are they not being caught?"

Six killed in landmine blast in Chattisgarh (Go To Top)

     Raipur: At least six people have been killed and four injured in a landmine blast in Chhattisgarh's Kanker District. "They (Naxalites) have killed six persons and injured four others in a landmine near Ghodagaon village under Pakhanjur police station area about 250 km from Raipur," Deputy-General of Police, O P Rathore said on Friday evening. The Naxalites targeted a private vehicle which was by mistake perceived by them to be a police vehicle, he added. Police officials are at the spot carrying out investigations. Meanwhile, five Naxalites were also killed, including a 'deputy commander' in an encounter in Bastar District yesterday, Bastar Superintendent of Police Gurjinder Pal Singh said. The incident occurred in Dhanora jungle area, about 400 km from Raipur. The body of the 'deputy commander' has been recovered from the site while bodies of other killed Maoists have been taken by the Maoists, he said. Investigation is still in process in the area, he added. A few days back, similar incident occurred in which two policemen were killed and 16 others were injured in a landmine blast in the state's Rajnandgaon District. The incident took place at near Kolarghat about 100 km from Raipur on night of March 19. The Naxalites targeted a mini-truck that was carrying armed policemen. Rebel Maoists have a strong presence in eight of Chattisgarh's 16 districts. Last month, Maoist rebels set off a landmine under a truck in Dantewada district, killing 55 people and wounding at least 20.

Bismillah Khan celebrates 91st birthday (Go To Top)
by Girish Kumar Dubey

     Varanasi: Ustad Bismillah Khan, one of India's famous classical music icons, celebrated his 91st birthday on Saturday, four days after the actual date. The shehnai maestro cut a 91-kg cake. Khan turned 91 on Tuesday, but deferred his birthday bash on account of Chehellum, the 40th day of mourning of the slaying of Prophet Mohammad's Grandson Imam Hussein, and to protest the Sankat Mochan Temple and Cantonment Railway station blasts that rocked the temple town early this month. Several hundred people wished the renowned musician a "happy birthday" as he was presented a cash award of Rs 1 lakh by Sulabh International President Bindeshwar Pathak and Rs 50,000 by media couple Shivnath and Nina Jha who are his ardent fans. The two also presented the 'Ustad' a monograph of his life promising him royalties from the book as a "token contribution" to help him lead a comfortable life and silver shehnai weighing 3 kg in recognition of his contributions to classical music. The maestro regaled music lovers with renditions from his vast repertoire and expressed a "last wish" to perform at Darbhanga in Bihar and at India Gate in New Delhi. Khan lauded the people of the town for maintaining calm and unity in the face of terrorist attacks. He urged the public to listen to classical music, saying it would give both peace and rejuvenation to the body and mind alike.

Concern over Rajasthan conversion Bill (Go To Top)

     Jaipur: The decision of the Bharatiya Janata Party- led Rajasthan Government to present the anti-conversion Bill during the ongoing session of the State Assembly has evoked widespread resentment among the Christian community here. Expressing serious concern over the alleged attempts of the Christian missionaries to convert Hindus to Christianity in the State, the Rajasthan Government has said that there is an urgent need to put a brake on such activities of the missionaries. However, State Home Minister Gulab Chand Katariya said there would be no problem for minorities if the Bill is passed. "There would be no problem for minorities. The Bill is not targeting any particular community or religion. According to the Constitution, everyone has the right to follow their own religion. If anybody misuses it, we will try to check it through this law, " Katariya added. Reacting sharply to the government move, the Christian community here has termed the bill an attempt to divide the society on the basis of religion. "At the first sight it (the Bill) appears to be partial. These are double standards. It is unfortunate that they have used the word, ancestral religion. What does it mean? Every religion is ancestral. They are trying to distinguish the society on the basis of religion. They're trying to divide us. Who will define ancestral religion," said Bishop Louis, spokesman, Christian Society, Rajasthan. On Friday last, the State Cabinet cleared the anti-conversion Bill. Under this law, a complaint can be registered at district magistrate level and an officer of Deputy Superintendent of Police rank would investigate the complaint.

Tendulkar leaves for London (Go To Top)

     Mumbai: Sachin Tendulkar left for London on Saturday afternoon for his shoulder surgery. Diagnosed with a posterior labrum tear of the right shoulder during the third cricket Test against England at Mumbai, Tendulkar was accompanied by his wife Anjali. He is expected to go under the surgeon's knife on Monday. Tendulkar was playing with a right shoulder cyst for a while and the injury had aggravated in last few days. Indian team's physiotherapist John Gloster said the ace batsman had been experiencing problems in throwing since the Test series against Sri Lanka last December. The problem had aggravated of late, necessitating the surgery. The master blaster, who holds the record for scoring the maximum number of centuries in Tests (35) and One-Dayers (39), was earlier sidelined for six months after undergoing surgery for tennis elbow in May 2005. The surgery will be done by Dr Andrew Wallace. Tendulkar has been advised at least eight weeks rest and could miss the first part of India's tour to the West Indies.

Akhil Kumar wins gold in boxing (Go To Top)

     Melbourne: Boxer Akhil Kumar today bagged gold medal in the bantamweight category on the tenth day of the ongoing Commonwealth Games here, taking India's gold medal tally to twenty-one. However, two other pugilists-- Vijender Kumar and Harpreet Singh- could just manage to win silver, while in the Women's relay team event India managed a podium finish by winning silver medal. Akhil Kumar outpunched Louis Richard Bruno Julie of Mauritius 20- 12 in the 54kg category. While Vijender Kumar lost gold to Bongani Mwelase of South Africa in the 69kg welterweight category 26-33 and Harpreet Singh lost to Aussie Bardley Michael Pitt in the 91kg heavyweight category by 10-25. The Indian women's 4x400m relay team was elevated to the silver medal after its original winners England was disqualified for lane crossing in the Commonwealth Games. The quartet of Rajwinder Kaur, Chitra Soman, Manjit Kaur and Pinki Parmanik completed the race in 3:29.57 seconds to bag India's second athletics medal in the eighteenth edition of the Commonwealth Games.

A bowler from Kashmir on his way (Go To Top)

     Srinagar: Cricket-crazy India may soon witness another sensation, this time from the strife-town Jammu and Kashmir. Twenty-year old Abdi Nabi from main Srinagar city is being hailed as the next fast bowler India may soon have. Son of Ghulam Nabi, who is a mason by profession, Nabi has represented his state in the prestigious domestic cricket tournament, the Ranji Trophy. He was asked to perform at the nets under the watchful eyes of Indian cricket captain Rahul Dravid and coach Greg Chappell before the second Test match against England in Mohali recently. Nabi said the state has a huge reservoir of talent and anybody who works hard cannot be stopped from reaching the pinnacle. "I was naturally thrilled when a senior cricketer and especially Indian cricket captain Rahul Dravid who is called "The Wall" and coach Greg Chappell called me. I was very happy. There is lot talent in Kashmir. But whoever works hard would go a long way. If one works hard, nobody can stop him from rising," he said. His father, who once opposed his decision to play the game, is all praises for the young cricketer.

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