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Cambridge University honours Nobel laureate Amartya Sen
London: Nobel laureate Amartya Sen was conferred
the honorary Doctor of Letters degree by the University of Cambridge. The degree
was conferred on him on Friday by Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, at the
800th Anniversary Honorary Degree Congregation at the Senate House in Cambridge.
Other nine prominent individuals to be honoured included Bill and Melinda Gates,
who were conferred the honorary Doctor of Laws degree, and Prince Karim al-Hussaini
Aga Khan, who was conferred the degree of Doctor of Divinity. Sen is known "for
his contributions to welfare economics" for his work on famine, human development
theory, welfare economics, the underlying mechanisms of poverty, gender inequality,
and political liberalism. He won the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences
in the year 1998. From 1998 to 2004 he was Master of Trinity College at Cambridge
University, becoming the first Indian academic to head an Oxbridge college. He
is also a former honorary president of Oxfam. He is currently the Thomas W. Lamont
University Professor and Professor of Economics and Philosophy at Harvard University.
His books have been translated into more than thirty languages. He is a trustee
of Economists for Peace and Security. As of 2009 he has received over 80 honorary
doctorates from several world renowned universities worldwide.
Karnataka Minister offers Rs 45 cr crown
to Tirupati Venkateswara Top Tirupati:
Karnataka Tourism Minister, Gali Janardhan Reddy, presented a diamond studded
gold crown worth 450 million rupees to the famed Hindu temple Lord Venkateswara
at Tirupati on Friday. Weighing 32 kilograms, this crown is made of pure gold,
and has a huge 890-carat emeralds besides 70,000 diamonds. The diamonds are believed
to have been mined in South Africa. The crown was placed on the idol of Lord Venkateswara
during the Abhishekam Seva (a Hindu ritual of showering flowers, milk, money or
gold on an idol) after which special prayers were offered at the Vaibhavotsava
Mandapam (specific covered area for auspicious services) of the temple. The crowned
idol along with other deities of Sridevi, Bhudevi and Balaji, known as Malayappa
Swamy, was taken in a procession. Later, speaking to reporters, Janardhan Reddy
said that it was divine destiny, which had enabled him to donate this crown to
the temple for the betterment of all the people, and also for the success of his
industry. "This is a personal offering to seek God's blessings for all, for the
people in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Also for the prosperity of my industrial
set up Brahmini which will help 20000 people," he added. As an industrialist,
Reddy owns mining rights and has also floated a mini-steel plant. It is said that
with this offering Janardhan Reddy has become the biggest single donor to the
temple after rulers of Vijayanagara Empire in the XVI century. Krishnadevaraya
was the most famous ruler of this dynasty. Ahmadinejad
wins Iran's presidential election Top London:
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has taken an "unassailable lead" in
the presidential election, according to official figures. As the official results
show 52-year-old Ahmadinejad would be back for a second term, his supporters began
pouring on to the streets of the capital city Tehran. Hardliner Ahmadinejad registered
a thumping victory in Iran's fiercely contested presidential race, which is a
major upset for his moderate rival. The Iranian Election Commission said Ahmadinejad
had won 18.8 million votes out of 28.9 million votes counted so far. This is compared
with just 9.3 million votes for the moderate opposition leader Mirhossein Mousavi,
SKY News reported. Official estimates of a maximum 80 percent turnout out of 46.2
million eligible voters mean Mousavi could not close the gap even if he were to
win all remaining votes. "Ahmadinejad, by getting a majority of the votes, has
become the definite winner of the 10th presidential election," state news agency
IRNA declared. However, his main challenger Hossein Mousavi, who pledged to improve
relations with the outside world during the election campaign, also declared himself
the victor, suggesting a tense battle lay ahead. Ahmadinejad won 65 percent of
the vote against more than 32 percent for war-time premier Mousavi, with almost
90 percent of ballot boxes counted, said election commission chief Kamran Daneshjoo,
highlighting the massive turnout. Mumbai
police chief transferred for lapses in 26/11 Top Mumbai:
Following severe criticism for failing to take charge during the November
26, 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, Mumbai Police Commissioner Hasan Gafoor was on
Saturday transferred as Director General (Housing) of Maharashtra Police. Meanwhile,
Joint Commissioner KL Prasad has been chosen as the acting Mumbai Police chief.
Earlier, the Ram Pradhan committee, set up to probe lapse by the police and government,
in its report to Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan had accused Hasan Gafoor
of failing as a leader during the 26/11 attacks. The committee raised questions
about the force's leadership, especially its chief. The report said that the standard
operating procedure put in place to distinguish the roles of senior police officers
in crises after the July 11, 2006 train bombings were not implemented. According
to a senior Home Ministry official, the report mentioned that Gafoor did not take
charge of the force on November 26 night and instead left it on his junior officials
to deal with the situation. "The report also blamed the police chief for poor
coordination between senior police officials and his lack of movement as he stayed
in one spot only. It says he should not have stayed in one spot and should have
visited different terror sites to assess what was needed," the official said.
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