IPL JINX THE
CONTINUES
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uy an IPL team at your peril. Since its inception, the IPL has given team owners a hell of a problem, from within and without the game. We take a look at the teams, their owners, and how the mighty fell. Just bad luck? You decide. PG 3
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Hyderabad’s first compact afternoon newspaper
MAY 26, 2013 HYDERABAD
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ON SUNDAY
ANCIENT CITIZEN MURDERED IN BROAD DAYLIGHT IN JUBILEE HILLS, PERPETRATOR
FINED A MEASLY `4,980! SRINIVAS SETTY
The tree had stood as a green sentinel for decades, watching over the City. All it took to destroy its legacy was the heinous nature of one man and the criminal apathy of authorities who turned a blind eye to the dastardly act. REPORT ON PG 6
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CITY SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2013
INTO THE WATER
Public speaking A public speaking programme for CEO, MDs and senior managers Where: Life Management Academy (Organisational Development Workshops), Banjara Hills. When: May 26, 5 pm to 8 pm
Movie matter Movie Little Girl Blue by Alice Neellis will be screened. Where: International School for Film + Media, Banjara Hills When: May 26, 4 pm
Pet adoption A pet adoption drive will be held. Where: Zoroastrian Club, SD Road, Secunderabad. When: May 26, 9 am to 5 pm Contact: 78933-32345
Street food from Malaysia The Malaysian Street Food Experience will be organised. Where: New Town Coffee House, Banjara Hills When: May 26, 7 pm
Relations and Reflections Paintings of Shambu Prasad Reddy will be on display. Where: Iconart Gallery, Banjara Hills When: Till June 3
Summer camp Summer camp in quilling, stocking and punch craft is held. Where: Anahata Yoga Zone, Secunderabad When: May 22 to May 28, 10 am Contact: 90009-11808
Dancin' Party Dance boot camp will be held. Where: Steps Studio for Danz, Banjara Hills When: May 28, 6 pm to 9 pm
Wet paper painting Wet paper painting workshop by Sakshi Mudaliar will be held. Where: Our Sacred Space, Secunderabad When: May 27, May 29 and May 31, 10.30 am to 12 noon. Contact: 9030013344
Where: Fortune Select Manohar, Begumpet When: May 26, 9 am to 6 pm
Movie mania Roads And Oranges — Film by Aliki Danezi - Knutsen will be screened. Where: International School of Film and Media, Banjara Hills When: May 26, 2 pm
Carnival time Chota Bheem carnival that will feature solo dance, solo singing, fancy dress and drawing competitions will be held. Where: Inorbit Mall, Hitech City When: May 27
Movie screening Lora from morning till evening will be screened as part of European Union Film Festival. Where: International School of Film and Media, Banjara Hills When: May 26, 12 noon
CINEMAS
N SHIVA KUMAR
A child cools down at Lumbini Park on Friday.
Summer fun A session on vedic mathematics will be organised. Where: IGvk One Mall, Banjara Hills When: May 25 & May 26, 11 am
Simplifying life A workshop by Monish Dhawanwide on Health & Wealth... Simplifying Life will be held.
Contact: 2339-6259
Photography workshop Photography workshop for kids will be held. Where: Treasure House, Banjara Hills When: May 27 to May 30 Contact: 23355118
Kitchen queens A cookery workshop will be held. Where: Inorbit Mall, Madhapur When: May 27, 5 pm to 6 pm
Big Cinemas, Ameerpet, 30581470; Cinemax, Banjara Hills, 44565555; Cine Planet , Kompally, 61606060; INOX, Banjara Hills, 447677770, Prasads, Tank Bund Rd, 23448888; PVR, Punjagutta, 08800900009; Talkie Town, Miyapur, 40214175; Tivoli, Secunderabad 27844973
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CITY SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2013
‘An attack on democracy’
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Anjani Kumar now L&O ACP
ongress MP from Telangana region, G Sukhender, warned that the Telangana Congress leaders would also face similar attacks if the party did not create a separate Telangana state. The Congress MP made these remarks in his native Nalgonda district. He condemned the Maoist attack and said it was an attack on the Indian democratic system.
Burglars loot SD Road office
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njani Kumar, IPS, has taken charge as additional commissioner of law and order in the City, replacing Amit Garg, who has now been posted as additional commissioner, traffic. The 1990 batch officer, aged 48, was IGP north region. He was earlier IGP Greyhounds and IGP Warangal. He worked in Bosnia under the UN peacekeeping force too.
aluables worth several lakhs were stolen from a private office located on SD Road, Secunderabad, on Friday night. Burglars entered the office after breaking open the lock of the main door. The incident came to light when employees came to office on Saturday morning. Begumpet police have registered a case.
IPL: The jinxed league While the last two months have seen the Indian Premier League immensely gain in popularity, it has also exposed its underbelly. This was waiting to happen. Syed Shoaib
east India. While he has the charisma to match that of Tendulkar’s or MSD’s even in cricketing circles, controversy and the Khan share a fair bit of bonding too: Remember the Wankhede slap? Add to that a fiery captain who raves and rants at every slip on the field, and what have we?
shoaib.s@postnoon.com
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rom the wife to the autorickshaw driver, everyone seems to have inputs on even the finer aspects of the game. Such is its recognition today, and with it came the corruption. The IPL 6 seems particularly jinxed. Nearly all the franchisees seem to be dogged by one or the other controversy.
PUNE WARRIORS
CHENNAI SUPER KINGS
When Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa turned hostile towards Sri Lankan players that culminated in them not being able to play in Chennai, it produced the first ugly twist to an otherwise likeable team. With the controversy surrounding the links of its ‘owner’ Gurunath Meiyappan to betting and also the name of BCCI president N Srinivasan being drawn into the scandal, Chennai Super Kings find themselves in an unenviable situation. And this for a team that drew fans from the length and breadth of the country because of a certain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who happens to be the most successful captain of the most followed sport in India.
RAJASTHAN ROYALS
The team that won the first chapter of IPL under Shane Warne, a controversy magnet, could not be accused for letting his ways rub off on it. It always scored high on fair play points. And in this edition, under gentleman cricketer Rahul Dravid too, it was doing admirably well till the spot-fixing sham broke loose with the arrest of one of its players, the king of controversy, S Sreeshanth. Is glamour undoing the interests of entertainment and business is one question that is bound to pop up. Big Brother Shilpa Shetty could answer that.
SUNRISERS HYDERABAD
In this their inaugural season, Sunrisers Hyderabad reached the playoffs with some resolute cricket till they were eliminated by Rajasthan Royals at Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi on Wednesday. A brilliant achievement indeed, it was, for a team
that had little time to regroup. Only a week after the erstwhile SRH Deccan Chargers was terminated due to prolonged financial issues, the new team was formed. Having K Srikanth and VVS Laxman as mentors would certainly have given them the positive and harmonious push, for to perform so well in a short time after being rebuilt is no mean a task.
ROYAL CHALLENGERS B ANGALORE
IPL 2013 got its 1st controversy in the form of an ugly verbal spat between the two captains of Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kolkata Knight Riders, Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambir respectively. This to have
happened between two players who have shared the Indian dressing room for years and play for the same state team, Delhi, talks of missing bonhomie at the top level. There is no definite conclusion to the incident nor was it clear who the culprit was. It was explained as a sudden rush of blood in a tight match.
KINGS XI PUNJAB
The jinx with Kings XI Punjab probably started when its highprofile captain Yuvraj Singh did not even get picked by its franchisee in the last auction. The performance of a disgruntled Yuvraj has never been the same for his new team Pune Warriors.
In the second warm match between visiting Australia and India ‘A’ teams, KXIP’s Manpreet Gony hogged the limelight for all the wrong reasons. In a verdict that decided the fate of the match, Gony’s pick up and throw from the boundary that ran out Peter Siddle was declared a boundary instead, leaving Gony and star franchisee Preity Zinta red faced.
KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS
Another all-India favourite, Kolkata Knight Riders, did little this year to give their unrelenting fans much to cheer over, or justify the holders of the IPL tag. To have Shah Rukh Khan as their co-owner has been a mixed bag for the team from
Even as the season drew to a close, it was hit by yet another controversy. Sahara Adventure Sports Ltd, owner of the Pune Warriors India, announced its withdrawal from the Twenty20 tournament. This followed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) moving to en-cash a bank guarantee after Sahara failed to pay the full franchise fee for the current year. Sahara considered withdrawing its sponsorship of the national Indian cricket team as well, but didn’t do so immediately, saying it would not be in the interests of the players or the sport. Phew!
DELHI DAREDEVILS
For a team that started the tournament with high chances of winning it, Delhi Daredevils left a lot to be desired, ending at rock bottom of the table. The biggest reason for this could be the beating of confidence that their match-winner Virender Sehwag suffered on being dropped from the Indian team to tour South Africa later this month. The long wait they had to make for him to recover from back spasms proved futile as he just did not deliver. This, in fact, resulted in him being dropped from DD, virtually shutting out their chances.
MUMBAI INDIANS
If there is one team that has begged to differ, stayed clear of controversy and broken the jinx, it is the Mumbai Indians. Whether it has been because of adept management by a committed owner Nita Ambani, guided by motherly instincts, or the presence of the god of cricket Sachin Tendulkar in the team, it has performed up to its merits. They lost some, won some, but always looked like playing normal cricket, not enacting rigged stuff.
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CITY SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2013
Children throw parents out on to footpaths In two separate instances, elderly people were thrown out for property. PIC FOR REPRESENTATIVE PURPOSE ONLY
AGEING PARENTS ARE SEEN AS A LIABILITY. KHATIJA BEGUM, 90, WAS THROWN OUT BY HER SONS WHO WERE QUARRELING OVER HER PROPERTY.
Mohd SUBHAN
mohd.s@postnoon.com
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ike squeezed lemon, they are thrown out at old age by their children. City police reported two instances of ageing parents thrown out of their homes by their sons and daughters as they proved a liability. Khatija Begum is 90 and her faculties are failing. Two days ago she saw herself thrown out from her home in Nampally along with her scant belongings. She could not say for sure who threw her out as it was dark. It was the neighbours who saw her lying on the footpath the next day like an alms seeker. They informed the police and on interrogation she said she has property but her sons have begun quarrelling over it for some time. Her husband died long ago. Even after the cruel treatment, she
Khatija Begum
bore no grudge against her children, police said. In another incident, Mohd Jaffer Ali, 60, a resident of Vattepally, finds himself on the footpath. He told Falaknuma police that he had worked in the Gulf for a long time, earned
Power politics boosts TDP
Inkeshaf Ahmed ahmed.m@postnoon.com
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ower star Pawan Kalyan has added pep to AP politics. Pawan and Naga Babu meeting TDP leader Chandra Babu Naidu the other day has triggered speculations about their possible association with the Desham to spite big brother Chiranjeevi. Pawan Kalyan, who had sweated out during the last Assembly polls for his brother’s PRP, has been angry with the
star-minister ever since he merged the PRP with the Congress and started singing paeans of Sonia Gandhi, whom he vehemently criticised before elections. The brothers had a head-on collision with the Congress during the campaign days. They ridiculed Sonia and Congress and the Congress, and in turn lambasted Chiru. Pawan is said to be unable to come to terms with the present situation. Reports have been doing rounds that ever since the merger he has been keeping away from Chiranjeevi and his politics. It is also being said that Pawan expressed his intention to join the TDP and Naidu instantly agreed to it. There are discussions in political circles that Pawan asked for the Machilipatnam ticket and Chandrababu accepted it also. The jubilant TDP sources confirmed Pawan's meeting with Chandrababu and his interests in joining the party. If Pawan really joins TDP, it is going to be a big boost to the party and might even upset the fortunes of other parties, because of Pawan's tremendous mass following.
enough and has two homes. He had married off his son and daughter and had given them all luxuries he could afford. But now he finds himself alone as both the properties have been appropriated by his wife, sons and in-laws. Recently, he was
driven out of home and he wandered in the streets like a beggar. Finally, he approached the police and told them his sad tale. Falaknuma police have registered a case of cruelty and property grabbing against his family.
Treasure hunt for charity
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City-wide car treasure hunt was organised by the Rotaract Club of Hyderabad this morning at 10am. The treasure hunt “Aurum” was a fund raiser for various community services and also aimed at spreading social awareness about various issues. “This is the fifth consecutive year that we are organising this even. All the proceeds that are raised from this treasure hunt will be given to the various NGOs and orphanages in the City. We conduct medical camps, and also help the HIV affected children, for which we organise this annual fund raiser. The immense response that we have been receiving is motivating us to carry on this cause with high spirits,” said Pragnya Challapalli, member of the Rotaract Club. Cricketer Hanuma Vihari flagged of the event and took part in the treasure hunt too. The treasure hunt started from Eat Street and ended near Chiranjeevi Blood Bank in Jubilee Hills. Nearly 100 cars turned up to take part in the event.
OU-EFLU test clash resolved Postnoon News feedback@postnoon.com
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andidates who applied for M.Ed through Osmania University Common Entrance Test (OUCET) 2013, can now heave a sigh of relief as the university on Saturday announced the reschedule of the M.Ed. entrance test to
June 10. The decision came following a clash between the timings of the entrance exam at OU and the M.Ed. entrance test at EFLU. Earlier, the OU entrance exam was scheduled for June 1 between 12.30 pm and 2 pm, which was clashing with the EFLU entrance from 2 pm on the same day. Since EFLU man-
agement announced that candidates would not be allowed inside the centres even a minute later, students appearing for the OU test had no chance of reaching the EFLU centre on time. Hence OU has rescheduled the M.Ed entrance to June 10 from 3.30 pm to 5pm. There is no change in the entrance test centres.
END OF SUMMER CAMP
The closing ceremony of Balanandam summer camp was held on May 25 at Balananda Sangam, Barkathpura.
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READERS’ LETTERS SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2013 hange is a must for any growing space, be it of any nature. Any step taken should be based on more logical considerations than on mere political one. If in the new proposed master plan, after its vetting, any changes or modifications are needed for the realignment of very old structures of yesteryears, it would have been taken into consideration at the time of preparation of the draft master plan stage only. Once
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Divine roadblocks Md Nizamuddin’s ‘Divine intervention’ damns 70 businesses in Hyderabad (May 20) had people speaking up both for and against the government. We maintain the type of religious structure doesn’t matter; the government has to put people first.
approved, the master plan has to be implemented without any further changes. GHMC would be doing a great yeoman service to the citizens by removing all the structures in encroached lands all along the water bodies, which are not part of the master plan.
he key lies in what kind of religious structures they
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Reclaim the city Aleena Alice’s Who will stop political parties from defacing Hyderabad? (May 22) article had some readers write in to complain about government apathy in their areas. Considering how much they did for the biodiversity conference, is it too much to expect a clean city?
COP CONUNDRUM
Many readers found Md Subhan's article on policemen evading RGI Airport posting very amusing (Hyderabad cops dread RGI posting, March 23). One even counselled the cops to put up with a little inconvenience now to reap the benefits later. ear cops, you should not be afraid of being posted at any location as AP State government has special privileges for their favourite and faithful policemen. Examples include recent inquiries about the Gujarat case of Sohrabuddin encounter investigation through CBI. The State government provided full protection to two top-level officers against CBI investiga-
D
tion. One officer is transferred to another cell (good escape), another is enjoying holidays in the US (good reward). I don't know why you want to miss these future privileges.
KOKILA,
via email his police station is not located close to the airport but near the town. The police station is in a
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TOP LETTER
nice big building but the staffers are really few in numbers and they are all the time irritated. What is the problem to appoint more staff ?
CKM,
via email
SAHADEV,
Read the full report at http://postnoon.com/2013/0 5/23/hyderabad-cops-dreadrgi-posting/126825
via email Read the report at http://postnoon.com/2013/05/22/who-willstop-political-parties-from-defacing-hyderabad/126626
Tragic comedy
Win `500 every week
PK Surendran’s The BJP flopshow (May 21) was much appreciated by some readers. But what a sorry state our country is in that the main opposition party is also in such a bad condition! ood article... True but sorry state of the nation… What I had been feeling all the while... No opposition to the corrupt Congress party… They are given power on a platter by the BJP irrespective of all their con acts… Useless opposition... Other than Modi, nobody with spirit.
G
JAI,
via email
ear Mehdipatnam, there is a long stretch of road alongside army compound opposite Pulla Reddy College turning. This stretch has become a favourite spot for APSRTC driver to pass urine. It is unbearable for passersby to walk or breathe. When the world event was hosted, some officers were monitoring that stretch, but after the event, it is back to normal ‘urine passing’ time. The world is seeing the hypocrisy of India. We don’t get water tanker for 10 days and the government uses water to clean the mess, instead of preventing it from happening. Such is the state of Mehdipatnam. It had the widest roads, but no way to cross without fear. We can’t even cross because the traffic is continuous. I am afraid when I see people crossing, young kids and old people especially. Politicians’ ignorance and workers’ inefficiency is the reason for this; they simply don’t have a sense of cleanliness or hygiene for the public.
N
I
via email Read the full report at http://postnoon.com /2013/05/22/ who-does-the-telling/126662
via email http://postnoon.com/2013 /05/20/divine-interventiondamns-70-businesses-inhyderabad/126302
via email
Death was the focus of our health pages this week and Fleme Varkey’s article on informing the terminal patient about his or her prognosis (Who does the telling?, May 22) seems to have struck a chord.
CAREY,
DESI REDDY,
MOHAMMED NISSAR
We need to talk about death
t is important to assess how much information the patient would like so care may be tailored to each individual patient. Furthermore, most patients facing death are well aware that death is approaching. They may choose not to bring it up in an effort to protect loved ones who in turn, may be doing the same thing for them. Simply asking what their understanding of their current illness is and following up by asking where they see things going is a good starting point. In other words, asking appropriate questions at appropriate times may create a safe environment in which patients, their loved ones, and practitioners can progress through this difficult topic leading to improved patient and family outcomes and satisfaction.
are. If they are temples, at best they may hold on till 2014 elections. As soon as the results start pouring in, demolition would start. If they belong to others, even god can’t save these people as politicians need ‘vote banks’.
ery true. A neat sketch of the main opposition of India. I am witness to the Karnataka mess where inept BJP leadership allowed things to go awry. Yeddyurappa could have led the party to strength if he was rid of the pests like Katta Subrahmanyam, Gali Reddy and an MP known to be overambitious. It was Gadkari who precipitated the crisis by sitting doing nothing. This party must
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go in for Modi, dumping LKA and Sushma if it wants to get results.
ANISHA RUDRANI
via email Read the report at http://postnoon.com/ 2013/05/21/the-bjp-flopshow/126495
We are giving `500 to the reader who writes in the best letter every week. So get to work. You can e-mail us at feedback@postnoon.com, or write to us at Postnoon, #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Rd no 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad, 500033. ALSO SEND US YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS.
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CITY SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2013
SRINIVAS SETTY
Army officer gets away felling a massive tree Postnoon news
feedback@postnoon.com
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t was a retired Army Officer NN Capoor who ‘murdered’ a seemingly 200-year-old tree on Road No 18, Jubilee Hills, yesterday. The tree happens to be just 100 yards away from the residence of Speaker N Manohar. Also, this tree that had cast greenery and shade around on the footpath abutted the official
residence of the US Consulate. What the forest department has done was to impose a paltry penalty of `4,980! According to timber dealers, the tree of that growth must have a timber value of `2 lakh. All this in spite of Postnoon reporter Md Nizamuddin promptly alerting the forest officials at 18004255364. Unfazed, Capoor told Postnoon
THE ARMY OFFICER GOT AWAY WITH A PALTRY PENALTY OF `4,980. DEALERS SAY THE TREE MUST HAVE A TIMBER VALUE OF `2 LAKH. today, “I spoke to the FRO and urged them not to make it an issue. Cracks were appearing in my wall and therefore I had to do it.” More shocking was the stance of the forest official. According to Hari Mohan Reddy, forest range officer, the army officer was unaware of forest laws! “The senior citizen was not aware of the forest laws. Without any knowledge, he did this. He asked us to provide him with saplings and we shall provide them,” says Hari.
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NATION SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2013
iGate gets `738 cr tax bill
NEW DELHI: After WNS and Infosys,
iGate is the latest to face tax issues in India with the outsourcing firm having an “unsettled” tax demand of $132.7 million for assessment years 2004-05 to 2009-10. iGate, which was in news for sacking of its chief executive Phaneesh Murty over non-disclosure of his alleged affair with a subordinate, said it will appeal.
PM leaves for Japan tomorrow
5 Naxal-sympathisers held
NEW DELHI: Early conclusion of a bilateral
JAMSHEDPUR: Five sympathisers of
agreement on civil nuclear cooperation will be high on the agenda as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh leaves tomorrow on a three-day visit to Japan seeking to give a new dimension to strategic partnership. Singh will hold talks with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe on a wide spectrum of issues of mutual interest and discuss ways to bolster strategic and global partnership between the two countries.
outlawed CPI (Maoists) including Dilip Murmu, a resident of Belpahari police station in adjoining West Bengal, were arrested from Chakulia police station under naxal-affected Ghatsila sub-division, a senior police officer said today. The arrested persons have been engaged in collecting levy in the area on behalf of the Maoists.
Kidnapped Chhattisgarh Cong chief, son found dead, toll 27 RAIPUR: The bullet-riddled bodies of Chhattisgarh Congress chief Nand Kumar Patel and his son Dinesh, who were kidnapped by Maoists, were today found along with those of eight others in Jiram valley in Bastar. With the recovery of the bodies, the toll in the lethal Maoist attack on a convoy of Congress leaders yesterday has climbed to 27, police sources said, 32 people have been injured in the attack, DGP Ram Niwas said today. The bodies of Patel, his son Dinesh and eight others, mainly security personnel,
have been recovered from Jiram valley in Bastar division, the sources said. The Maoists had kidnapped Patel and his son Dinesh after attacking the convoy of Congress leaders. Heavy rains in the area is hampering the operations of the security forces. Senior Congress leader Mahendra Karma was killed and former union minister V C Shukla injured when heavily-armed Maoists ambushed a convoy of party leaders inside a dense forest in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar disPTI trict yesterday.
An injured person being treated at a hospital.
An attack on democracy: Rahul RAIPUR: Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi today termed the deadly Maoist attack on his party leaders in Chhattisgarh as an attack on democracy itself. “It is not an attack on Congress. It is an attack on democracy. But, we’ll not fear from such an attack and continue to move forward with enthusiasm," Gandhi told reporters at the Raipur Congress Bhawan soon after his arrival at about 2 am. “I met V C Shukla and other injured leaders at a hospital. As soon as his condition becomes stable, he’ll be sent to Delhi," he said.
Congress sources said in Delhi that Shukla was today airlifted to Medanta Hospital in New Delhi. Yesterday Shukla, 84, underwent an operation in Jagdalpur hospital for removal of three bullets he had received in the attack. “Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi will also be visiting and meeting the victims this PTI morning," he said.
AFP
Witness protection programme on the anvil? NEW DELHI: The government is mulling to introduce a witness protection programme based on best international models for guaranteeing anonymity to those who depose in courts against powerful accused in criminal cases. The Home Ministry has sought opinion of the state governments on the move to protect a threatened witness or any person involved in the justice system, including defendants and other clients, before, during and after a trial. Interestingly, the Delhi High Court last week directed the city government to come up with a witness protection policy within ten weeks to ensure that they are not harassed or intimidated by influential accused in criminal cases. While the HC order came in the wake of 32 of 101 witnesses in the Jessica Lal murder case turning hostile, the home ministry initiated the move following a recommendation of the Second Administrative Reforms Commission. “A statutory programme for guaranteeing anonymity of witness and for witness protection in specified types of cases, based on the best international models should be adopted early," the Home Ministry communication to the state governments says. Most of the developed countries, including the US, Canada, the UK, New Zealand, Ireland and Thailand have their own witness protection programmes. However, despite growing demands, India has not been able to introduce such a proPTI gramme yet.
Plan panel may UAE court refuses to cut growth target extradite Koda aide
Strategy on Food Bill this week
NEW DELHI: Faced with sluggish economy, Planning
NEW DELHI: Future course of action on the ambi-
Commission may scale down the annual average growth rate target to 7 per cent from the envisaged 8 per cent in the 12th Plan (2012-17) in mid-term review of the five-year policy. The Commission, according to sources, has already started spadework on the mid-term review of the 12th Plan and in view of slow recovery, the economic growth target may be tweaked to 7 per cent. Plan panel Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia had asked for inputs from states for the mid-term review during the recent annual plan discussions, a source said. The Commission is already half way through with the annual Plan outlay discussion and it has already approved such outlays for over 15 states so far.
NEW DELHI: In a major setback to CBI, a UAE court has rejected India’s request to extradite former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda’s close aide Sanjay Choudhary, who was arrested in Dubai and allegedly behind dubious investments of the leader. CBI sources said the will file an appeal with the higher court through Indian embassy there. UAE authorities had arrested him in 2011, and CBI has since been trying to bring him here to face trial in connection with the cases related to Koda, they said. CBI is looking for Choudhary for allegedly extracting illegal gratification to the tune of Rs 13 crore from a Mumbai-based company for showing favour in the matter of allotment of lease for iron-ore mining in Jharkhand’s West Singhbhum district.
tious National Food Security Bill is expected to be decided this week with government sources not ruling out the option of a special session of Parliament for its passage. Congress top brass is likely to apply its mind on the way ahead for the landmark Bill, which along with Land Acquisition Bill, is seen as a game changer by the ruling party in the Lok Sabha elections which are less than a year away. Government sources said that parliamentary affairs minister Kamal Nath and finance minister P Chidambaram will be holding talks this week with other senior Congress leaders for pushing the Food bill, the brainchild of party-chief Sonia Gandhi who is also UPA Chairperson.
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COMMENT SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2013
A SCANDAL NOT TO MANHANDLE
EDITORIALS CUTTING TREES and our souls Have we become so apathetic towards the environment that we cut down ancient trees on a whim? Have we become so blasé about the rape of nature that we fine eco-criminals a few thousand for their wanton need to destroy? The brutal felling of a majestic tree in Jubilee Hills is case in point. Rubber-neckers stood and stared while the shade-giver that has seen more sunrises and sunsets then whole generations of Hyderabadis was hacked with an axe. The tool belongs to barbarians and the act was barbaric. And to make matters worse the criminal responsible for the act was fined a paltry `4,980. Is that the amount we put on something that is a far more integral part of the city than corrupt bureaucrats and slimy politicians? Yet the silence could be carved with a machete. A citizenry is measured on how it protects those that have no voice and cannot defend themselves: its flora and its fauna. In India, we seem to give a damn about both. Stray dogs are allowed to suffer and die while posers pay huge sums to buy foreign and hugely impractical breeds like St Bernard’s and Siberian Huskies; birds are harangued out of urban spaces by mobile phone towers; and trees are destroyed to make way for concrete eyesores. It is the measure of our worth and our standing as a civilised culture, and we are falling woefully short. Environmentalism is not a weekend escapade from a cozy office job. It’s not about liking a Facebook page or taking out a candle-lit march. It’s about actually doing something, sacrificing a part of your life to make another creature’s life easier. So much is said about ‘Young India’ and much of it is true, but until these so-called urban warriors cease to be weekend ones and actually disrupt the system ’Young India’ will be little more than a label stuck on those who merit no place in the annals of civic history. We should be ashamed. Unfortunately, shame is the one thing we reserve for those who have offended our pseudo traditions and cultures. As for the rest? They can all go to hell.
From the hip SYED SHOAIB
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haneesh Murthy, who in corporate joke parlance is starting iDate next, is the alpha male indicator of sexual harassment cases not just in the IT field but also political, film, private and even respectable sectors like education in which it is so rampant. The accusation of Araceli Roiz, iGate head of investor relations against Murthy, 48, is the third of its kind after Jennifer Griffith and Reka Maximovitch in Infosys. Roiz's law firm, Aiman-Smith & Marcy issued a statement that she was pregnant with Murthy's child and when Murthy discovered this, he pressured her to have an abortion. When she refused, Murthy told her to leave the company quietly. The California-based Aiman-Smith & Marcy is the same law firm that dealt with the first two cases, making Murthy claim that he is being victimised. Sexual harassment is not news but at a time when the nation is charged with debates of men’s behaviour towards women in the light of the Delhi gang rape and increased reportage of such cases from across the country, a repeat offender like Murthy will no longer help us to view such misconduct as an explainable workplace occurrence. A workplace romance, if not consensual can move into the domain of harassment. Even if one person were to withdraw, the relationship must stop. Office romances though not illegal, can pose serious problems for organisational growth. Workplaces are spaces where power is wielded and yielded. Any kind of informal display of affection by the male or female workers can give rise to a hostile work environment. Employees need to maintain professional behaviour at work irrespective of their relations outside. Extramarital romances at work make it uncomfortable for the team as many of them may know the spouses of the people involved. Employers, therefore, walk a thin line between fun and a legally-compliant workplace. What happens between consenting adults need not bother the legal department but the minute a complaint is filed, trouble brews for all, including co-workers. Sexual harassment in the corporate sector is not uncommon despite several companies
having clear policies to punish even the smallest case. Notorious cases where CEOs have hit headlines in the recent past include IMF chief Dominique Strauss Kahn, Eugene O’ Neill of Ryanair, Anthony Weiner, democratic congressman from Brooklyn, Steven J Heyer of Starwood Hotels, William B Airey of Moose International, David Davidar of Penguin Books, Mark McInnes of Australian David Jones, Jang Suk Woo of Open World Entertainment, Bob Packwood, a former Oregon senator, and Mark Hurd of Hewlett Packard. President Pranab Mukherjee gave his assent to a Bill on April 24, 2013 under which cases of sexual harassment at workplace, including against a domestic help will have to be disposed of by in-house committees within 90 days failing which a penalty will be imposed. The Bill, in line with the 1997 Vishaka case, was cleared by
WORKPLACES ARE SPACES WHERE POWER IS WIELDED AND YIELDED. ANY KIND OF INFORMAL DISPLAY OF AFFECTION BY THE MALE OR FEMALE WORKERS CAN GIVE RISE TO A HOSTILE WORK ENVIRONMENT. Parliament in February this year. The new law brings in its ambit even domestic workers and agriculture labour from both organised and unorganised sectors. Sex scandals have ended many political careers, though there are a few politicians who could get away with their transgression. Recently, two BJP MLAs were allegedly watching porn inside the Gujarat Assembly on a tablet while the
assembly proceedings were on. This wasn’t the first time; three ministers from Karnataka were also in news for being caught watching pornography on a mobile phone in the State Assembly and had to resign after the same. That they went on to win elections later is another matter. Kerala minister PK Kunhalikutty, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, former state minister of Uttar Pradesh Amarmani Tripathi, former Andhra Pradesh governor ND Tiwari and Rajasthan’s minister Mahipal Maderna are notable names in this context. Alpha men like Murthy can perhaps make higher salaries after each of these sexual episodes but more than their reputation it is the fate of Beta women with fortuned yet damned fates and the resultant Gamma children that calls for attention.
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BUSINESS SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2013
IOC no to buy back plan
Apollo to invest `540 crore
OVL resumes Sudan operations
NEW DELHI: Indian Oil Corporation has turned down a proposal to buy back shares as part of government's 10 per cent disinvestment plan saying the company already has a huge debt, and no money to spare. The department of disinvestment will now float a Cabinet note next month in which it will propose 10 per cent government stake sale through the offer for sale route.
NEW DELHI: ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL), the
NEW DELHI: Healthcare major
overseas investment arm of state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC), has resumed crude oil production from its oilfields in Sudan, which was halted 15 months ago due to split of the African nation. In a major fillip to India's energy security efforts, OVL last month resumed crude oil production from South Sudan oilfields, company's MD Dinesh K Sarraf said here.
Apollo Hospitals plans to invest around `540 crore in the current financial year to add 1,000 beds in existing facilities, as it looks to expand its network in the country. The Chennai-headquartered firm also plans to add 150 pharmacies in the country in the current financial year.
Reforms knock Slim off world’s richest perch Laurent Thomet Agence France-Presse
MEXICO CITY: Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim held the title of the world’s richest man for the past three years until a new president rolled into town with a vast economic reform agenda. Enrique Pena Nieto’s push to overhaul the telecoms industry, a sector dominated by Slim, has weighed down on stock prices of the billionaire’s America Movil phone empire, analysts say. Three weeks after Congress approved the legislation, and a boatload of dollars later, Forbes magazine declared Wednesday that Microsoft founder Bill Gates had reclaimed the wealth throne he bequeathed to Slim in 2010. Slim’s $69.1 billion compared to $69.8 billion for Gates after America Movil shares dropped further — a spectacular reversal of fortune from just over a month ago, when Forbes put Slim on top of its 2013 rich list with a net worth of $73 billion. Jorge Bravo, web editor of the industry consultancy Mediatelecom, said reaching the top of the list had ultimately backfired on Slim. “A series of regulations and media effects began against him for being the richest man in the world in a country that doesn’t exactly have his wealth and has a lot of poverty," Bravo told AFP. “I have no doubt it was the worst event that could have happened to him," he said, voicing doubts on whether Slim should have overtaken Gates at all. “You can’t compare a company that is very profitable and has a continental presence in Latin America with Microsoft, which is global," he said. Slim’s spokesman declined to comment. America Movil owns fixedline and mobile phone businesses as well as Internet and cable television services in 17 Latin American nations and the United States. Pena Nieto took office in December with a pledge to reform key sectors in the country, forming an unprecedented pact with rivals to lock down support. The telecoms bill has yet to become law and the impact it
Enrique Pena Nieto’s push to overhaul the telecom industry, a sector dominated by Slim, has weighed down on stock prices of his America Movil empire.
will have on Slim’s dominion remains unclear, analysts said, but it has made investors shy away from America Movil. The company’s shares closed at 12.54 pesos ($1) on the Mexico stock exchange on Friday, down 0.32 percent from the previous day. “The concern is that the government wants to reduce his dominance with the idea of having more competition in the sector with lower prices," said Carlos Hermosillo, an analyst at Banorte bank. Ignacio Cedillo Bravo, an analyst with financial consultancy Bursametrica, said Slim’s other companies — with interests in mining, auto parts and retail — have also been affected by a general drop in Mexico’s stock market, which has fallen 7.29 percent over the past year. While the reforms have hurt America Movil’s shares, Slim
IN MEXICO, HIS LANDLINE FIRM TELMEX CONTROLS 80 PERCENT OF THE INDUSTRY WHILE HIS CELLPHONE SERVICE, TELCEL, HOLDS 70 PERCENT OF THE MOBILE MARKET. could reclaim his title if the stock market rebounds. The telecoms bill aims to open up competition in the telephone and television market, which is dominated by Televisa, the world’s biggest Spanish-language broadcaster. The legislation creates two new autonomous regulators and seeks to increase outside investments in the market, allowing
foreign companies to own 100 percent of the capital of a phone firm and almost half of radio and television broadcasters. Although Slim has tried to break into the television market, Mediatelecom’s Bravo said the reform may not help him because it will have very short deadlines to open new TV stations. But he said another reform eyed by Pena Nieto could help the 73-year-old billionaire further diversify his portfolio: An overhaul of the energy sector which could allow more private investment in the state-run Pemex oil giant. “Among national businessmen who could participate in the energy sector in case the Pena Nieto government decides to open it up, he would without a doubt be one of the main Mexican candidates," he AFP said.
Key WTO members to meet in Paris NEW DELHI: Seeking to push the long-stalled Doha Round of talks for reaching a global trade deal, trade ministers from key WTO member countries, including India and Australia are scheduled to meet in Paris on Thursday. “The meeting was convened by Australia. About 15 trade ministers including from Indonesia are expected to participate in the meeting. There is an urgent need for political intervention for a positive outcome at the forthcoming Bali meet," an official said. However, the US Trade Representative and Chinese trade minister are unlikely to attend the meeting to be held on May 30. The meeting, to be attended by Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma, would be hosted by the Australian government on the sidelines of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) meeting in Paris. The outgoing Director General of the World Trade Organisation Pascal Lamy is also expected to attend the meet besides EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht. The key WTO members are trying to resolve some of the major issues and reach a consensus on a early harvest package which would benefit all the members. Under the early harvest, rich nations, including the US, want India and other emerging economies to be part of the four major sectoral pacts — TF, information technology, environmental goods and international services agreement. The Doha talks, launched in 2001, have missed several deadlines due to divergent views on some of the issues like agriculture subsidies between the developed countries like US and the developing nations such as India. PTI
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WORLD SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2013
Top court clears Maduro win
Abe, Thein Sein hold talks NAYPYIDAW: Japan’s premier met Myanmar’s President Thein Sein on Sunday for talks at which he is expected to unveil huge aid and investment deals as he promotes trade with the fastchanging nation. Shinzo Abe, who has pledged “all possible assistance” to kick-start Myanmar’s long-neglected economy, went into talks with Thein Sein after touching down in Naypyidaw.
er who intended to blow up his school will be charged with attempted aggravated murder after six bombs were found in his bedroom, a prosecutor said. Grant Acord, 17, planned to attack his school in Oregon in a plot “forged and inspired” by a 1999 mass shooting at a high school in Columbine, Colorado, said Benton County District Attorney John Haroldson. Acord will be charged as an adult and also faces six counts of manufacturing and possessing a destructive device after investigators found the six bombs in a secret compartment in his bedroom, Haroldson said. Acord was taken to a juvenile jail Thursday night after police received a tip that the youth was making a bomb to blow up West Albany High School. Haroldson said Acord had written plans, a checklist and a specific timeline for the attack. The bombs investigators found included pipe bombs, Molotov cocktails, a Drano bomb and a napalm bomb, he said. Police found no bombs during a search of the high school.
BEIRUT: Four people were wounded
six challenges to the April 14 presidential election, which saw Hugo Chavez’s successor Nicolas Maduro win by a razor-thin margin. The court ruled yesterday that a lawsuit filed by Venezuelans living abroad that alleged fraud and government interference lacked details, was confusing, and contains “value judgments without the justification required under the law.” The court must now answer legal challenges presented by the opposition front.
on Sunday when two Grad rockets exploded in the Shiite-majority Hezbollah heartland of south Beirut, a Lebanese security source said. "Two Grad rockets hit the southern suburbs of Beirut. One rocket struck a car showroom where four people were wounded and vehicles were damaged," the source told AFP.
Paris braces for anti-gay protests
School bomb plot: US teen charged PORTLAND: A US teenag-
Rockets injure 4 in Beirut
CARACAS: Venezuela’s Supreme Court rejected one of
Haroldson declined to provide the specific date Acord allegedly planned to attack the school, but said it would be included in court paperwork to be filed after the weekend. Haroldson said he’s not aware that the youth had any major problems, such as a suspension, at school. “In any case that you have a young person that in essence plans to take a video game approach to killing people at school, you have to take a close look at the mental health issues,” he said. “And the process will certainly provide for that once he’s represented by counsel.” Phone listings did not appear to be available for either of the boy’s parents to reach them for comment. The district attorney said it did not appear the teenager was targeting a specific person or group of people. He said Acord will likely be arraigned Tuesday. “I can’t say enough about how lucky we are that there was an intervention,” the district attorney said. “When I look at the evidence in the case, I shudder to think of what could have happened PTI here.”
Police expect 2,00,000 people to attend the rally on Sunday, with the crowds expected to include hundreds of “ultras”, who authorities believe could cause trouble. PARIS: French police were on alert Sunday ahead of a mass protest in Paris against a new gay marriage law, with hardline activists expected to mingle among 2,00,000 demonstrators. Trouble started late Saturday when 50 opponents of gay marriage were arrested in central Paris, according to police. The demonstration on Saturday took place along the French capital’s iconic ChampsElysees, a week after France became the 14th country to legalise same-sex marriage. Police expect 200,000 people to attend the rally on Sunday, with the crowds expected to include hundreds of “ultras”, who authorities believe could cause trouble. President Francois Hollande signed the gay marriage bill into law on May 18 following months of bitter debate and demonstrations. France’s Constitutional Council threw out a legal challenge by the right-wing opposition to the new bill, which also legalises gay adoption. The issue of gay marriage has divided France, which is officially secular but overwhelmingly Catholic. While rights groups have hailed the move, opponents of the measures have vowed to fight on and on Saturday evening a group of protesters chained
Riot police stand guard as members of the French far-right group Vox populi hold a counter-demonstration on the sidelines of the 8th edition of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Gay Pride march on Saturday. AFP themselves to metal barriers they placed in the middle of the busy Champs-Elysees. Some fired smoke cannisters before police moved in and arrested them. At the same time dozens more protesters assembled on the pavement waving flags. In total 50 people were held and a van carrying masks, banners and smoke bombs was seized, police said. Some 4,500 police and armed gendarmes will be deployed to
handle four marches in the French capital. Far-right writer and activist Dominique Venner shot himself dead in front of the altar of Paris’s famed Notre Dame Cathedral on Tuesday, leaving statements denouncing gay marriage and immigration. In a final essay on his website, Venner had railed against France’s adoption of the “vile law” legalising gay marriage AFP and adoption.
3 China ships in disputed waters
Sporadic clashes continue in Stockholm
Peace deal still possible: Abbas
TOKYO: Three Chinese government ships entered waters around disputed islands controlled by Tokyo on Sunday, Japan’s coastguard said. The Chinese maritime surveillance vessels were spotted inside the 12-nauticalmile zone off the Senkaku islands, which China calls the Diaoyus, in the East China Sea shortly after 10am (0100 GMT), the coastguard said. The move marked the latest in a long line of stand-offs between official ships from both sides as Beijing and Tokyo jostle over ownership of the strategically important and resource-rich islands. A long-simmering territorial row that dates back four decades blistered in September when Tokyo nationalised three islands in the chain, in what it said was a mere administrative change of ownership.
STOCKHOLM: Cars were torched and police faced stonethrowing youths in Stockholm’s immigrant-dominated suburbs early today, but the nightly riots that have raged for a week appeared to be easing, police said. A handful of cars were set ablaze in various suburbs. “When it comes to car fires, there have been a few, spread out in various locations, but not as many as in recent days,” Stockholm police spokesman Lars Bystroem told Swedish Radio. A police patrol in Vaarberg, a suburb south of the capital, was attacked by rock-throwing youths, but no one was injured and no arrests were made. And in Jordbro, another southern district, police were attacked with stones by a couple of people as they tried to arrest someone for assault, and used teargas to defend themselves.
AL-SHUNAH, JORDAN: Peace between Israelis and Palestinians is “still possible”, Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas said, hailing US Secretary of State John Kerry’s efforts to revive stalled talks. In a speech to the World Economic Forum, Abbas called on Israel to “end the occupation of our lands”, evacuate settlements and free Palestinian prisoners. “This is what will make peace and ensure security for you and for us,” he said. The Palestinian leader praised Kerry’s latest efforts to revive peace negotiations with Israel, which stalled nearly three years ago. “Recently, we have seen concrete actions and tangible attempts to restart the peace process through the efforts of US secretary Kerry, and that brings us hope,” he said.
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INTERVIEW SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2013
He makes S-Pads affordable
Amit Virmani shares his experience of directing Menstrual Man, a documentary on social entrepreneur Arunachalam Muruganantham, and how he was inspired to tell the story of this unlikely hero who is empowering women in rural India. SUNORY DUTT
feedback@postnoon.com
W
hat motivated you to make a documentary on Muruganantham?
There are men who squirm at the mention of a woman’s period. And then there’s Muruganantham, a school dropout who went so far as to analyse strangers’ used pads in his quest to produce low-cost sanitary napkins for his wife. It wasn’t long before his community shunned him. Even his wife decided he was a pervert and left him. But that was then. Today, Muruganantham is hailed as a visionary around the world. Not only are his machines providing poor Indian women with access to basic feminine hygiene, but his insistence that they produce and sell their own pads is giving them a livelihood. Menstrual Man tells the inspiring story of this unlikeliest of heroes. We see how social entrepreneurship increasingly seems like the pastime of the rich. Well Muruganantham never got anything from society, yet here he was, giving something back. When I contacted Muruganantham, he said, “I’m only an illiterate man,” as we began our first interview. Yes. An illiterate man who has made us all a little more humble, and a whole lot more inspired.
the film well, that somehow I had undersold his remarkable story. Took me a while to realise what was really going on. They simply couldn’t identify with him! Who was this illiterate fellow from below the poverty line who was making a difference? It would have been easier to raise money if Muruganantham had been a former IAS officer or a software executive. I shared this with Muruganantham and he had a good laugh. He faces this kind of classism and arrogance from the so-called intelligentsia all the time.
Where was the documentary shot? In seven states across India — from Kerala, all the way up to Rajasthan and quite a few states in between. I wanted to show both the extent of the problem and the nationwide feasibility of this particular solution. Ours is a diverse country. So the fact that his machine has been adopted in 23 states across the union proves it’s a viable solution for women elsewhere.
Since you’re based in Singapore, how did you go about researching for Menstrual Man? We researched the basics from Singapore. Muruganantham’s backstory, the key statistics on poor men-
Muruganantham demonstrates his “simple, four-step process” to villagers in Dhaurabatta, Chhattisgarh. strual hygiene among Indian women, the people and organisations who are trying to rectify the situation, and so on. But Google only gets you so far. It’s a poor substitute for experience and discovery. You’ve got to immerse yourself among your potential subjects, win their trust and observe them first-hand. I prefer to hit the ground sooner than many doc-makers I know. I start shooting even as I’m researching. I don’t mind taking that leap of faith. I’m happy to trust greater forces to align things in my favour, to lead me to the right stories. Besides, this is India we’re talking about. Forget people in rural areas with no email access. Even those in cities prefer to
AFTER ALL THE KHANS AND THE BACHCHANS,
THE COMMONLY RECURRING STORIES PEOPLE RECEIVE ABOUT INDIA HAVE TO DO WITH THE POVERTY AND THE PLIGHT OF WOMEN IN THE COUNTRY. discuss things face-to-face. “No problem. You come here first and we’ll talk.” We’ve all heard that before.
What were some of the challenges of making Menstrual Man?
Why did you feel the need to explore the issues of rural development and women’s empowerment in India?
The filming itself? None, really. The real challenge came in raising funds for the film. That’s always an uphill task, of course. But it got really bewildering this time. We approached several Indians who had a track record for supporting social causes. And they were game for supporting this particular cause. But none of them were comfortable with him as the central character. At first I thought I wasn’t pitching
They’re both dominant themes in the narrative we export to the world. After all the Khans and the Bachchans, the commonly recurring stories people receive about India have to do with the poverty faced by the majority of her people, and the plight of women in the country. Thing is, the former represents a marvellous opportunity. Everyone from Gurcharan Das to Abdul Kalam has written about this. The ideas and
solutions that will lift India’s millions out of poverty will be nothing short of fascinating. Muruganantham’s machine is just one example. Now one of the surest ways to tackle under-development, to combat poverty, is to start empowering women in rural India, to give them a livelihood. Any way you roll the dice, the two themes are connected. You’d be crazy to deny the correlation. We cover that in the film. Money in a man’s hand makes it’s way to the daru-ki-bhatti in no time. With the same amount, a rural woman will find a way to nourish their kids and send them to school.
Menstrual Man was a hit with audiences at Hot Docs and the Full Frame Documentary film festival? Yes, Menstrual Man premiered at the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival in Durham last month. And of the 200 films screened at Hot Docs, North America’s largest documentary festival, with 204 films screened and a record-breaking attendance of 180,000 this year, Menstrual Man ranked Number 8 in the audience. It was the only non-North American film to make it to the top 10! To find out more about the documentary visit: http://www.menstrualman .com
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ART AND CULTURE SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2013
3-D art gets popular
Captivated by pictures
Artists are using devices manufactured by MakerBot, whose desktop 3-D printers utilise sharable files and molten plastics to produce anything from coffee mugs to figurines. Printing in three dimensions allows sculptors to scale their practice, explains Chicago artist and gallerist Tom Burtonwood, since the printer can make one-off objects or editions of 1,000.
Children learn to read after being captivated by pictures, famous illustrator Sir Quentin Blake has said, as he argues no one should be compelled to try heavy texts too young, reports The Telegraph."The relationship between text and illustration can be quite complex, but what illustration can first of all do is to welcome you to the book," he said.
Picasso vandal jailed An art student who vandalised Picasso’s Woman in a Red Armchair, 1929, at the Menil Collection in Houston, was sentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty to charges of graffiti and criminal mischief. Uriel Landeros, 22, was caught stencilling a bull and bullfighter, along with the word “conquista” (conquer), on a video.
Artists seek global audience at Hong Kong's Art Basel
Having taken five Volkswagen Beetles and compressed them into spheres, artist Ichwan Noor was always going to grab attention at the inaugural Hong Kong ArtBasel. AFP PHOTO / PHILIPPE LOPEZ
Aaron Tam feedback@postnoon.com
N
oor is known in his native Indonesia but is hoping the glittering, champagne-soaked art fair will give him further recognition beyond his home borders. Such are the opportunities that await emerging and lesserknown artists at the Art Basel fair, which aims to highlight Hong Kong’s growing role as a global arts hub.
Soon after the event opened to guests on Wednesday, Noor saw one of his $88,000 “Beetle Spheres” snapped up. “Events like Hong Kong Art Basel will provide him (Noor) with the needed exposure,” Jakarta-based art museum and gallery Art:1 deputy director Monica Gunawan, told AFP. Works from more than 3,000 international artists have been exhibited through 245 of the world’s leading galleries, more than half of which are from
Asia. Buoyed by the arrival of so many well-heeled international collectors, galleries have competed with each other to hold lavish parties in the hope of attracting big-spending buyers. At one event earlier this week, supermodel Kate Moss was photographed sipping champagne with the likes of Rupert Murdoch’s wife Wendi and Dasha Zhukova, the art-collecting wife of billionaire Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich. Henrietta Tsui, founder of the Hong Kong Art Gallery Association, has even taken guests out into Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour on the family's 80-foot yacht. “We were five times oversubscribed and we couldn’t accommodate all of them,” she said, adding that buyers came from all across the globe. “It’s been fun at the back of the (exhibition) room trying to figure out all the different credit cards from around the world — that’s quite an indication of the kind of turnout,” she said.The four-day annual show, which ends on Sunday, has until now only been held in Switzerland and the US and has made a dazzling debut in Hong Kong. Art:1, which is exhibiting
Now that’s called a punchline
in Hong Kong for the first time, is aiming to match up its artists with collectors who show long-term interest, Gunawan said. “If we can get a good collector from here and maintain a long-term international relationship, it would be very good,” she said. Melanie Ouyang Lum, an art consultant based in Los Angeles, said: “There’s a lot of Chinese collectors who are going abroad now and going to a
CITY HAPPENINGS
Postnoon reviews a stand-up comedy competition that took place this Friday at Lamakaan. ADITHYA
Alric Quentin feedback@postnoon.com
T
he show started with an introduction of the production team of Punchline. Punchline is basically a production house that represents the pure talent of stand-up comedy. Punchline is in Hyderabad for the first time for the purpose of promoting the comic genre. The
show started with Punchline’s producer Arun Nair introducing the group and cracking few hilarious jokes himself. Later, there were 14 contestants, of which only two were women, who came up on stage one after the other to perform. A very supportive crowd had gathered at the venue and encouraged the first-timers to perform on stage.
The jokes that the comedians cracked were mostly on politics and few were jokes based on
lot of the fairs.” Lum, who has been working extensively with Chinese artists for the past five years, said. “I think that’s a springboard and they will influence the younger generation,” she said. With a younger and more affluent generation of Chinese collectors being more involved in the art scene, the Asian art market could become very lucrative, Lum said. “I think the sky's the limit.” AFP
their own physical appearances. The audience could not stop their laughter with the spontaneous jokes being cracked. As this was a competition, voting took place at the end of the act as to who would go to the finale and win the competition. Ranjat secured the first place. “Punchline is my production and it is pure entertainment and only for stand-up comedians. We have had shows in Chennai and Bangalore before and we are planning to travel to different cities to get more stand-up comedians. Later, with the best make-up, a huge finale will be held in Bangalore to choose the best comic act in India,” said Arun.
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ENVIRONMENT SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2013
Birds killed in thousands
T
ens of thousands of endangered birds have been shot, trapped and poisoned on one of England's largest shooting estates with the approval of the government agency responsible for protecting the species. The government has licensed an annual cull of lesser blackbacked gulls on the Abbeystead estate on the Bowland Fells in Lancashire for decades, officially to stop water pollution.
Glaciers shrinking fast
G
lobal warming is melting snow and ice on the world's highest mountain at an accelerating rate, researchers have claimed.A study by a team led by a Nepali scientist at the University of Milan has found that glaciers on or around Mount Everest have shrunk by 13% in the last 50 years with the snow line 180 metres higher than it was 50 years ago. The glaciers are disappearing faster every year, it says.
Africa's soil diversity mapped
A
team of international experts has drawn up the Soil Atlas of Africa — the first such book mapping this key natural resource — to help farmers, land managers and policymakers understand the diversity and importance of soil, and the need to manage it through sustainable use. They say that despite soil's importance, most people in Africa lack knowledge about it.
Source of life running out:
In the short span of one or two generations, the majority of the nine billion people on Earth will be living under the handicap of severe pressure on fresh water.
WATER SCIENTISTS
states the Declaration
The majority of people on Earth will face severe water shortages within a generation or two if pollution and waste continues unabated, scientists warned at a conference in Bonn.
“T
his handicap will be selfinflicted and is, we believe entirely avoidable," read a document entitled The Bonn Declaration issued at the close of the four-day international huddle. The conference sought to assess the evidence of man’s impact on freshwater resources, which constitute only 2.5 per cent of the total volume of water on Earth. Currently, an estimated third of the world’s seven million people has limited access to adequate fresh water, according to conference delegates. “In the short span of one or two generations, the majority of the nine billion people on Earth will be living under the handicap of severe pressure on fresh water,” said the declaration. The nine billion mark is widely projected to be reached from about 2040. “We are flying the red flag out of our conference here,” Charles Vorosmarty, co-chairman of the Global
Water System Project research body that hosted the meeting, said in a teleconference from Bonn. “These self-inflicted wounds have long-term legacy effects that are not easy to turn around.” The declaration points out that humanity uses an area the size of South America to grow crops and another the
size of Africa to raise livestock. Two-thirds of major river deltas are sinking due to groundwater extraction, and tens of thousands of large dams are distorting natural river flows on which ecosystems have depended for millennia. Much damage is being caused by river pollution
from sewer drainage or agricultural fertiliser and pesticide use. Already, about a billion people around the world are dependent on finite water supplies being depleted at a fast rate, said Vorosmarty, who made a plea for more financial and technical resources for research. “We’re not making the
requisite commitments to creating observational networks and satellite systems that can measure the state of water,” he said. “Increasingly, we are flying blind and finding it very difficult to figure where we are and where we’re going and whether the things we are doing are making a difference.” UN-Water, a coordinating body for water efforts by UN groups, says Earth has about 35 million cubic kilometres (eight million cubic miles) of fresh water—70 per cent of it locked up in ice and permanent snow cover. Thirty per cent of freshwater is stored underground in groundwater, which constitutes 97 per cent of all freshwater potentially available for human use. About 0.3 percent is found in lakes and rivers. Experts say some 3,800 cubic kilometres of fresh water are extracted from aquatic ecosystems around the world each year, partly as a result of global AFP warming.
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FOOD SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2013
Olive Oil in low-fat diets
Sip Red Bull cocktails at Sirocco
Benefits of dark chocolate
A Mediterranean diet with added extra virgin olive oil or mixed nuts seems to improve the brain power of older people better than advising them to follow a low-fat diet, indicates research published online in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery and Psychiatry.Mediterranean diet is characterised by the use of virgin olive oil as the main culinary fat.
Tower Club at lebua in partnership with European Red Bull, showcased the first ever performance of the“Flying Steps” world champion breakdance team from Europe at the world’s highest alfresco restaurant “Sirocco,” and debuted a collection of Exclusive European Red Bull cocktails at Sky Bar, The Dome at Lebua. The collaboration brings urban sub-culture to high culture in a way that has never been seen in Thailand.
New research from Swinburne University of Technology has found that the polyphenols in dark chocolate increase calmness and contentedness. Polyphenols are found naturally in plants and are a basic component of the human diet. These compounds have been shown to reduce oxidative stress, which is associated with many diseases. SRINIVAS SETTY
It’s tea time for the soul NIDHI BHUSHAN
nidhi.b@postnoon.com
While most big hotels tweak traditional customs to suit the local palate, Taj Krishna dares to keep it original. The recently launched Hi Tea at their Tea Lounge is just another example.
I
f you’re looking for a place that would fill in the blanks between lunch and dinner, Taj Krishna’s Tea Lounge is your best and most traditional bet. The five star hotel located in Banjara Hills has brought to Hyderabad the quintessential British custom called High Tea. Anna Maria Russell, the seventh duchess of Bedford, is credited for the 19th century ritual of serving afternoon tea along with a few quick bites, mostly small cakes and pastries. It is believed that the ceremony started with the duchess ordering tea and cakes to her bedroom after lunch to stay fuelled till dinner. Soon, she began inviting her friends over to share a cup of tea and her favourite bites. The royal concept of High Tea hasn’t looked back since. While the centuries-old tradition saw a few hiccups during the world wars, it was revived by big hotels
soon after. The concept is so popular in Britain that one has to make reservations months in advance. Here’s where the good part begins — we don’t have to wait for months before enjoying this rich and very fancy British custom here in the City. All we need to do is walk into Taj Krishna between 3-6pm and ask for a cup of tea! While the Tea Lounge in the hotel’s luxury shopping arcade has been around, the traditional High Tea is a newcomer. According to the hotel staff, their introduction of Hi Tea is a hit among women who want to get together for a light meal post lunch or in between running errands. The Tea Lounge has introduced three types of High Teas — Boston Hi Tea, English Hi Tea and the Seasons Hi Tea. In true British style, the tea is served from individual teapots into bone china tea cups. For the uninitiated like me, one of the most interesting features of the
tea tray would be the perfect tea timer which comprises three colourful sand glasses to determine how you fancy your tea — two minutes for light tea, three minutes for medium and five minutes for strong. The timer is started when the tea is served on the table after the tea leaves are pushed into the boiling water in the teapot. Even the short-eats like cakes, sandwiches and tarts, are served in a typical English way on tiered cake stands. The Boston Hi Tea, at `1,050 with sparkling wine and at `650 (all inclusive of taxes), is a true indulgence with Baked Lemon Cheese Cake, Chocolate Praline Pastry, Kiwi and Dragon Fruit Tart, Salmon and Cream Cheese Sandwich, Tuna and Egg Sandwich, Cucumber and Tangy Mint Sandwich and much more on offer. A selection of estate teas and single origin coffees and a health drink of your choice are also included among
other things. The English Hi Tea too includes a number of tasty treats along with flavourful cups of tea. Pineapple Pastry, Banana Walnut Cake, Peppered Chicken Sandwich, Cream Cheese and Sundried Finger Sandwich and Golden Raisin Scones served with Homemade Preserves and Clotted Fresh Cream are a few worth mentioning. Priced at `650, the English Hi Tea also offers a variety of estate teas and original coffees. The third kind of Hi Tea — Seasons Hi Tea — also keeps the tradition alive with short-eats like Baked Blueberry Cheesecake, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Oatmeal and Ginger Cookies and Chocolate Praline Pastry. Priced at `550, it also falls in the must-try category. So, save yourself a trip to London and head to Taj Krishna’s Tea Lounge for some English culture — it’s totally worth your time!
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FOOD SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2013
Chennai on a platter
Overnight, Vasantha Bhavan has become one of the best affordable vegetarian outlets in a land where spicy biriyani rules the roost. AMY ROSE THOMAS
amyrose.t@postnoon.com
T
best affordable vegetarian outlets in a land where spicy biriyani rules the roost. The ambiance at the restaurant very much reminds one of a temple in
he sight on entering Vasantha Bhavan, a vegetarian restaurant that opened up in the City about three weeks ago, gave me a jolt. It was early in the afternoon on a weekday and the restaurant was jampacked. Waiters were rushing about while other guests were waiting patiently for their turn to be seated. It is surprising that Vasantha Bhavan, a branch that is quite ubiquitous in Chennai, took only about three weeks to tap the pulse of the city. Overnight, the restaurant has become one of the
the heart of Chennai. With walls decorated with bells resembling the insides of a Hindu temple, you get an impression that you have entered a temple rather than a restaurant. It is commendable that the same theme was followed in the menu card which was decorated with temple style architectural patterns. Now, let’s get to the food. You get a exciting mix of South Indian and North Indian dishes as part of the menu. I was served the most favoured meal — South Indian thali. I started my meal with puri and I opted to have it with kuttu which tasted well together. Apart from that my plate was also laden with curries, sumptu-
ous daal, delicious chutney, tangy mango pickle. I was spoilt for choice. A slight hint of asafoetida that stood out in the sambar and rasam made it distinct from local dishes. The subtle nuances of Tamil cuisine were very much evident in the dishes that was part of the thali. I was told that the vegetarian biriyani was another of the crowd-favourites. I decided to give the rice a try and I wasn’t disappointed. So remarkably different from the vegetarian biriyani served in restaurants here, it had a new feel attached to it. A far cry from restaurants serving Hyderabadi cuisine, Vasantha Bhavan has carved a niche since the few weeks of its arrival.
SRINIVAS SETTY
A golden fest Jyotsna Nambiar
SRINIVAS SETTY
jyotsna.n@postnoon.com
C
hildhood memories of summer almost always involved the mango. Eating juicy ripe ones, having the raw version pop up in the most unexpected curries and dipping crisp puris in rich aamrakhand lent a golden glow to the Indian summer. ITC Kakatiya's Deccan Pavilion tries to capture the joy of the luscious fruit with their Mango Mania festival, on till June 2. Their signature
mango-inspired dishes dot the extensive buffet, and offer everything a mango lover could want. Kick off the meal with a large glass of cold aamras, followed by a shooter of cinna-
The mango is king in May, and it seems only fitting to dedicate an entire meal to the various forms.
mon-spiced lassi. The lassi shooter is incredible. Pair it with a platter of spiced nachos with four delicious mango chutneys. The best of the lot is the raw mango dip. If you're in the mood for breakfast, the waffles and pancakes with chunks of sweet mango are a good bet. Mint and rosemary flavour these dishes, giving them a fresh taste. The mango pizza is rather unusual; cubes of brie and mango lie on a crisp thin crust coated with mango pulp. Thai mango rice, with a raw mango curry, is a great
main dish — coconut-ty, rich and with the right amount of spices. The miniature mango cremacotta, with a shrimp perched on top, is a good palate cleanser. Desserts follow, but unless you're a hardcore mango person, you might feel a little overwhelmed. Mango fritter with ice-cream and coconut sauce is humdrum. As ripe mango is the star ingredient in many dishes, you might find yourself tiring at the end of the meal. But pick well, and you will be in mango heaven soon enough.
K
ushhushi ofte
Meat balls rolled in poppy seeds. Noor Kitchen NOOR JAFRI
Ingredients Quantity n Lamb minced finely made from the thighs 500 gms n Garam masala powder 2 tsp n Raw papaya paste 1 1/2 tsp n Red chilli powder 2 tsp n Ginger garlic paste 2 tsp n Besan powder 1 cup n Salt to taste n Oil for frying n Poppy seeds (Kush kush) 1/2 a cup n Lemon wedges, green chillies for garnishing Procedure n Drain out the water from the mince and marinate with salt, ginger garlic paste and papaya paste. n Leave it aside for two hours. n To the mixture, add the chilli powder, garam masala powder and mix well. n Form a smooth and firm dough by mixing besan powder. Divide the kheema mixture into equal size balls. n Roll the balls in kush-kush. n Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the kheema balls; n Roll them in the frying pan, by holding the handle of the pan. (do not use the spoon) n Fry over moderate heat, till they are brown. n Serve hot with garnishing, along with gravy for the main course. Contact us @ Noor kitchen Mobile + 91 9441282318 Residence + 91 40 23356947 Like us @ https://www.facebook.com/Noorkitchen follow us @ https://twitter.com/NoorKitchen
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HISTORY SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2013
May 28
May 28
1937-The government of Germany forms a new state-owned automobile company, then known as Gesellschaft zur Vorbereitung des Deutschen Volkswagens mbH. Later that year, it was renamed simply Volkswagenwerk.
1998 - Pakistan matched India with five nuclear test blasts. The US, Japan and other nations imposed economic sanctions. Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said "Today, we have settled the score with India."
May 30
May 31
1989 - The "Goddess of Democracy" statue (33 feet height) was erected in Tiananmen Square by student demonstrators.
2008 - Usain Bolt breaks the world record in the 100m sprint, with a wind-legal (+1.7m/s) 9.72 seconds.
May 29
May 29
May 31
June 1
1953- At 11:30 am, Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay, a Sherpa from Nepal, become the first explorers to reach the summit of Mount Everest, the highest point on earth.
2012 - Egypt formally ends its 31 year state of emergency.
1942-On the advice of Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels, Adolf Hitler orders all Jews in occupied Paris to wear an identifying yellow star on the left side of their coats.
2001-The heir to the Nepalese throne Prince Dipendra killed his parents and eight other family members before shooting himself, after an argument over his choice of a bride.
June 2
2012- Egypt's former president, Hosni Mubarak is sentenced to life in prison, along with his former interior minister, Habib al-Adly, for being complicit in killing of demonstrators in the 2011 revolution.
May 27
1937: The Golden Gate Bridge, connecting San Francisco with Marin County, California, officially opens amid citywide celebration. Named for the narrow strait that marks the entrance to the San Francisco Bay from the Pacific Ocean, the Golden Gate Bridge was constructed from January 1933 to May 1937.
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SPOTLIGHT SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2013 1
2
3
4
5
Glitzy extravaganza
The marriage ceremony of politician D Purandeswari's son Hitesh Chenchuram and Sreepuja was a grand affair. Spotted at the do were Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy, actors Nagarjuna, Balakrishna and others.
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1 Kiran Kumar
Reddy 2 Nagarjuna,
Hari Krishna 3 Dinesh Reddy 4 Gopichand 5 Hitesh
Chenchuram, Sreepuja 6 Balakrishna 7 Pinky Reddy 8 Dr Raghuram,
SPARKLE AND SHINE Models unveiled the summer wedding collection at Sasya, Banjara Hills on Saturday. Collection includes wedding gowns, half sarees and others.
Vyjayanti 9 D Purandeswari 10 Suresh
Reddy 11 Indira,
Subbarami Reddy 12 Jafar Javed,
Ameena 13 Rajeshwari,
Ramanaidu
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CINEMA SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2013
NAGARJUNA to team up with Kishore
Iddarammayilatho gears up for a big release
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agarjuna doesn’t seem to be in a mood to slow down anytime soon, if the latest developments are anything to go by. His recent film Greekuveerudu got a decent response at the box office and currently, Nagarjuna is busy wrapping up the shooting of his next film titled Bhai. Veerabhadram is directing the film and the film’s shooting will resume from next week in Hyderabad. Annapurna
Studios is producing the film and it’s slated for release in July. Now, Nagarjuna has greenlit another project and this untitled film is going to be directed by Kishore Pardasani. Bellamkonda Suresh is going to produce the film. Revealing more details about the film, Bellamkonda Suresh said, “I have been dreaming of collaborating with Nagarjuna for a very long time and I’m glad that my dream has come true now. Nagarjuna was quite impressed with the way Kishore had adapted Vettai in Telugu. When I proposed a project with Kishore, Nagarjuna immediately gave the go-ahead. We’ll reveal more about the cast and crew soon.” The film is expected to go on floors later this year, but before that Nagarjuna will begin shooting for another film in June. The film, titled as Manam, is going to be directed by Vikram Kumar and it stars ANR, Nagarjuna, Naga Chaitanya, Shriya and Samantha. Anup Rubens will score the music.
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llu Arjun’s upcoming film Iddarammayilatho is gearing up for a huge release on May 31. The film was recently censored and it has been given an U/A certificate with minor cuts. Directed by Puri Jagannadh, the film also stars Amala Paul and Catherine Tresa in lead roles, whereas Brahmanandam will be seen in an important role. Most part of the film has been shot in Barcelona and Bangkok. Going by the pictures unveiled so far, Allu Arjun is at his stylish best so far and we hear that the bud-
get for the costumes alone was close to `60 lakh. Puri Jagannadh roped in a Bangkok based action choreographer Kecha for the film and on several occasions, Allu Arjun had stated that he was thrilled to have worked with Kecha. Devi Sri Prasad has scored the music and the album has already become a big hit. Iddarammayilatho is expected to release simultaneously in Malayalam, where it has been titled as Romeo & Juliets. Producer Bandla Ganesh is quite confident about the film’s success.
First look of All in All Azhagu Raja unveiled
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he first look of Karthi’s upcoming film All in All Azhagu Raja was unveiled yesterday on his birthday. Directed by M Rajesh, the film stars Karthi and Kajal in lead roles. Santhanam is playing a prominent role in the film. Karthi and Kajal had earlier acted in Naan Mahaan Alla, which was later dubbed in
Telugu as Naa Peru Shiva. All in All Azhagu Raja is being touted as a family entertainer and most part of the film is being shot in Pollachi, Kumbakonam and few other parts of southern Tamil Nadu. SS Thaman has scored the music. Gnanavel Raja is producing the film and it is expected to release later this year in Telugu and Tamil.
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CINEMA SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2013
Censor damaging us, get rating system, says Abhishek
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ilmmaker Abhishek Kapoor feels it is high time to create a definite rating system for films so that a demarcation between sleaze and adult content can be made for the convenience of filmmakers and viewers. In the current scenario, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) categorises both adult and sleazy content under one umbrella of ‘A’ certificate. Kapoor, the director of films like Rock On!! and Kai Po Che! suggests that “we can
always put a rating system where we can distinguish between a good film and a sleazy film. A lot of people have been discussing this because censor thing is damaging us”. “No one realises that it’s like a bottleneck for such a big industry and we have to figure this out keeping in mind that you don’t want to offend the sensibilities,” the filmmaker said. Censorship needs to shape up to offer innovative solutions, and to refrain from IANS moral policing.
Riteish Deshmukh to produce biopic
POCKET DYNAMO
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ollywood actor Riteish Deshmukh is all set with plans for his second production — a biopic titled Pocket Dynamo. It will be produced under his banner Mumbai Film Company. The film is based on the life of a wrestler Khashaba Jadhav, who won independent India’s first Olympic medal in 1952. Confirming the news through an official statement, Riteish said: “We have acquired the rights for the biopic based on Khashaba Jadhav’s life. I’m glad that Ranjit Jadhav deemed us worthy of giving his father’s story to be essayed on screen.” “He has quite a noteworthy
We’ve ended up becoming a film family:
Kunaal Roy Kapur H
is elder brother is associated with a film production banner, while his younger brother is a video jockey-turnedactor. Director-actor Kunaal Roy Kapur feels even though they are not really a film family, but they have ended up being one. They entered filmdom via different routes — elder brother Siddharth Roy Kapur is the managing director, Studios, Disney UTV, while their younger brother Aditya is now an actor, last seen in the film Aashiqui 2. “I wouldn’t call us a film family. We have followed different routes into the film world. My brother Siddharth came from the corporate world and had his own route into the film world. I came through theatre and TV and Aditya as a VJ. We aren’t really born into a film family,” Kunaal said. Kunaal, who has acted in films like Delhi Belly and Nautanki Saala, revealed that his grandfather came to the Maximum City to make films, but couldn’t get much success. “Our grandfather came here to make films. He made some films, but failed miserably at it. We have never been a film family in that sense. My dad was in the army and my mother was a dance teacher. We have now ended up becoming a film family, which is wonderful and strange also,” he said. Before facing the camera, Kunaal went behind the lens to direct The
President Is Coming, a satirical mockumentary. He feels that “It takes a certain amount of political and social awareness to be able to enjoy satire”. “You have to be aware of the social climate at that time. It works in context to what is happening in the society. For people who are aware, it is a great form of entertainment as it is sourcing from what is there,” he said and added that humour presented in any form works. “We have always had different kind of comedies. We have had Amol Palekar to Johnny Lever. All sorts of humour works. I don’t want to disrespect any humour as you can’t tell people what to laugh at and what not to. “You can’t be so presumptuous and snobbish about humour. Humour is subjective and everyone is free to laugh at whatever they find funny,” he said. For Kunaal, other than box office returns, the process of making the film also needs to be fun. “When you are having fun working, half the battle is won. It’s not a chore anymore. Your success lies in enjoying your time. The box office is one thing, the success of a film also lies in the process of making it. For me, it was a great joy making Nautanki Saala and I would do it again,” he said. IANS
journey and earned our country it’s first international medal but in time, his name and story was something that was lost. He is a hero who deserves to be remembered and honoured. We will work hard to do justice to the portrayal of his achievements,” added Riteish. The script for the film, to be made and released in Marathi and Hindi, is currently being worked upon. The project will be co-produced by Line.exe productions. Riteish’s debut production was the Marathi film Balak Palak, which won him praises IANS galore.
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CINEMA SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2013
Mumbai bomb blast NIKHIL inspired me to make D-Day: ADWANI
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ilmmaker Nikhil Adwani, who is gearing up for his film D-Day says the Mumbai bomb blasts “affected” his life and that inspired him to make this film. “It’s fictional characters. We have taken events from India’s history and used them as triggers. I am particularly obsessed with the fact that I was 21 when the bomb blast happened in Mumbai... it affected my life, quite a lot and I wanted to make a film on that particular event and that’s why this film was made," Adwani told reports during the first look and trailer
launch of D-Day. D-Day is the story of four unassuming protagonists, all with varying back stories and a common mission that brings them together on foreign soil to execute one such mission. It explores their journey, their choices, their loss, their victory. Rishi Kapoor’s character seems to have a resemblance to Dawood Ibrahim but Nikhil denied these reports. “Yes, all the fingers point to that person but nowhere in the film I have said that it is about him. The character in my film is
completely fictional and a figment of mine and my writers’ imagination. It is very inspirational that Rishi Kapoor agreed to play such a role," the 42 year old said. He further added, “My film is about the most wanted man in India. The story is about an operation that takes place in Karachi to bring this man back to Indian shores.” Directed by Nikhil Adwani D-Day features Rishi Kapoor, Irrfan, Arjun Rampal, Huma Quereshi and Shruti Haasan. The film is slated for July 19 release. IANS
Sivan to explore father-son relation in
CHEERS
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irector Sangeeth Sivan will explore the intricate relationship between a father and a son on a road trip in his upcoming film Cheers, which will star Dharmendra and Bobby Deol in lead roles. Deols, under their home banner Vijeta Films, will produce Cheers, whose makers had been reportedly working on the idea for nearly two years. “We have been working on this film for quite some time.Yamla Pagla Deewana 2 happened and hence things got a bit delayed. But the film is not shelved, we will start working on it soon and we are quite excited to make it. Cheers explores relationship between a fatherson duo on a road trip,” Sivan told PTI. Yamla Pagla Deewana 2, an action comedy directed by Sivan and featuring Dharmendra, Sunny and Bobby Deol, releases on June 7. Shooting for Cheers is likely to begin in September- October, but the makers are yet to zero in on the leading lady. “We don’t have any names in mind. We would have two heroines. Once Yamla Pagla Deewana 2 is released we will focus on PTI Cheers,” Sivan said.
AASHIQUI-2 first blockbuster of the year
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ashiqui-2 directed by Mohit Suri has been declared as the first Blockbuster of 2013. Made at a budget of `12cr the film went on to earn a whooping `72cr at the end of its fourth weekend.
Despite mixed reviews from critics the film managed to create a craze among the audience, especially the youngsters. The soulful music in the film by Mithoon and the appeal of the lead pair of
Aditya Roy Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor were the prime reasons for its success. Aashiqui-2 is also the highest grossing film produced by Vishesh Films headed by Mahesh Bhatt and Mukesh Bhatt.
CINEMA SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2013
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CINEMA SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2013
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CINEMA SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2013
Tom Cruise exits Man From U.N.C.L.E. om Cruise has exited as the lead in The Man From U.N.C.L.E., the remake of the classic TTV series that Guy Ritchie will direct for Warner Bros. Cruise was scheduled to star in the film with Armie Hammer, but he has stepped out of the picture to focus on producing and starring in Mission: Impossible 5. Paramount and Skydance are now planning to begin shooting the latest installment of that franchise before year’s end. Warner Bros has a script they like, and a top director who’s expecting to direct U.N.C.L.E. in the fall. The timing proved too difficult and so Cruise stepped out to focus on M:I5.
JENNIFER ANISTON ENJOYED HER ROLE AS A STRIPPER
Zach Braff’s Kickstarter campaign closes at $3 million ach Braff’s Kickstarter campaign for indie drama Wish I Was Here has closed after Z raising $3.1 million in 30 days, including over $400,000 in the final four days.The campaign raised the funds from 46,520 fans. “We’d like to shoot in August in La, so if you would like a walk on role to complement your credit, you’ll need to be available then,” Braff explained. “You will provide your own travel and accommodation.” Besides Braff, cast includes Kate Hudson, Mandy Patinkin, Anna Kendrick and Jim Parsons.
Brad Pitt follows Gwyneth Paltrow's dad's advice ollywood star Brad Pitt follows his former fiancee Gwyneth Paltrow's father advice H on remaining grounded. Pitt was romantically involved with Paltrow in the mid-1990s, and the couple was briefly engaged before splitting in 1997. And that's when he learnt some life lessons from her father, late director Bruce Paltrow. Despite 15 years, a marriage to Jennifer Aniston, and raising six kids with his current fiancee Angelina Jolie, Pitt admits Bruce Paltrow's tip to refer to himself as "self-employed" rather than "an actor" has kept him grounded, reports contactmusic.com.
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ctress Jennifer Aniston, who is playing a stripper in her new movie We're The Millers, says her stripping experience was fun. The 44-year-old actress plays a lap-dancer called Rose in the comedy film about a marijuana dealer, played by Jason Sudeikis, who puts together a fake family as part of a drug smuggling deal in Mexico, reported Huffington Post. “(Stripping) was so much fun. I had a great choreographer — she was fantastic, and it was to great music and it was fun,” Aniston said. Aniston credited her yoga teacher Mandy Inger for her super-toned body as he “doubled the amount” of yoga she normally does. “You get up into my age and you’ve gotta do a little bit more,” she added. The film, directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber, also stars Emma Roberts, Ed Helms and Will Poulter. We’re The Millers will PTI theatres on August 9.
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CHAI TIME SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2013
SUNDAY CROSSWORD
ACROSS
1 ‘Vamoose!’ 6 Chaucer’s month 11 Asked for milk 16 Adorn with droplets 21 Renter’s document 22 Darling, in Dijon 23 Bell town of fiction 24 Tough conifer 25 Mgmt 26 Conceals 27 Mason- — line 28 Serviceable 29 Apprehend 30 Napkin 32 Cliched 34 — Lingus 36 Flutter, as eyelashes 37 Hot rum drink 39 Glitterati member 41 For — — (cheap) 43 Sleeve parts 45 — -craftsy 47 Repair-bill item 49 Toes the line 51 Ducks and cranes 54 Gen Powell 55 Swerve 56 Basted together 60 1994 Peace Nobelist 61 Cut timber 62 Like a pasture 64 Embroider, maybe 65 — as a judge 66 Geena or Bette 67 Perch 68 Helena rival 70 Mao — -tung 71 Edge 73 Composer — Anderson 74 Traditional (hyph) 75 Sushi fish 77 Glowing ember 78 Hawthorne town 79 Sheer fabric 80 City on the Seine 82 Kachina makers 83 Deli item 84 Jotted down 87 Gold unit 88 Oz canine 89 Moccasin or pump 93 Develops 94 Football charge 95 Cunning 97 W-2 collectors 98 Fluid rock 99 Thwarts a villain 100 Drummer Ringo 101 Cheese coatings 103 Bastille Day season 104 Vine products 106 Like a stale joke 107 Jumping craze 108 Skin, in combos 110 Show of hands 111 North Dakota city 112 Flying machines 113 Chicken piece 115 Upholstery choice 116 More lucid 117 Plush fabric 120 Dividend earner 122 ‘Moonlight Gambler’ singer 124 Libra’s stone 128 Oil-rich — Dhabi 129 ‘Tao Te Ching’ author
— -Tzu 131 Blank a tape 133 Embrace 135 Fish-to-be 136 ‘Mr Moto’ of films 138 Army doc 140 Gold and silver fabrics 142 Cherbourg shes 144 Workers’ group 145 Jockey — Cordero 146 Olympic contest 147 Laughs heartily 148 Ms Gorme 149 Actress — Witherspoon 150 Hearth goddess 151 Headless statue DOWN 1 Street lingo 2 Hot-tub material 3 Stallone role 4 ‘Just — — thought!’ 5 Get healthy again 6 Most tender 7 Quaker State burg, slangily 8 Change color again 9 Temper 10 Index 11 Wisconsin capital
12 Manuscript fixer 13 Very pale 14 Composer Brian — 15 Lisbon lady 16 Indistinct 17 Have a hot dog 18 — and drabs 19 Brilliance 20 Piques the appetite 31 Sonnet stanza 33 Violently intense 35 Jugs 38 Social blunder 40 Arrive (2 wds) 42 Take it slow (2 wds) 44 NASA destination 46 Give new weapons 48 Malt beverages 50 Outdo 51 Squander 52 Notched, as a leaf 53 Ill-fated tower 54 Quibble 55 Racecar sound 57 ‘Rocket Man’ John 58 Exercise 59 Without a sou 61 Epics 62 Injures a matador 63 Bank burglars 66 Sci-fi gofer 67 Fixed the pilot
69 Ushers’ quests 72 Ranch measure 73 Two-mile-high capital (2 wds) 74 Quiver filler 76 Twitch 78 Categorizes 79 Farther from the middle 81 First-stringers (hyph) 82 Grabs a cab 83 Pester 84 Cited 85 Address the crowd 86 Striped animal 87 ‘Soapdish’ actor 88 Burma’s U — 90 Door swinger 91 Peace and quiet 92 Hairpin curves 94 Kiosks 95 Saunter 96 Fruit with a stone 99 Horsewhip 100 Walkman brand 102 Emcee’s remarks 105 Musical about Peron 106 Films 107 Doggie treats 109 Teen tube fave 111 Wondrous event
112 Double-deck game 114 — Curtis of cosmetics 115 Doesn’t stay the same 116 Mum 117 Hold dear 118 Piano-key wood 119 Like the tabloids 121 Equivocate 123 Crowning points 125 Arctic or Antarctic
126 States positively 127 Rodeo prop 130 FitzGerald’s poet 132 Topo map info 134 Jaunty and stylish 137 Pierre’s monarch 139 Flight dir 141 Forum hello 143 London lav PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER
27
CHAI TIME SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2013
STAR POWER Date 27-5-2013
As per Hindu panchang
THIRUVAIKUMAR
thiruvaikumar@yahoo. co. in 040-27177230 / 9949870449
TAURUS
GEMINI
Children will be healthy. Minor tension and unwanted apprehension likely. Also, you might feel afraid in certain issues. You need to talk with politeness and care so as not to be mistaken.
Enemies will be inactive and hence you march forward without any hindrance. Employees might face tension as they fight to retain their job. Increased work and travel will tire you immensely.
Though good inflow of money is likely, increased expenses make you unhappy. Health issues depress you. Businessmen advised to complete govt statutory compliances in time.
CANCER
LEO
VIRGO
Explore alternative ways to find suitable solutions. You might be upset due to certain events. Medical expenses likely to go up. Avoid night journey. Expected money might get delayed.
Employees and businessmen will gear up and meet any challenge. Good effects likely to increase, which will cheer you. Health looks fine. Financial position will become comfortable.
Businessmen advised to go slow at expansion of business. New efforts will be successful. Health will be fine. Good news from paternal side and VIP friends is likely. Real estate deals bring gains.
LIBRA
SCORPIO
SAGITTARIUS
Postpone new efforts as time is not favourable. You will be in a dilemmatic situation as certain important issues cannot be shared even in close circles. However, you enjoy life with family.
A strong financial position will make you comfortable. Boldness and selfconfidence levels will be high which will help in completing the tasks. Businessmen likely to get sops from the govt.
Financial inflow will not be comfortable but you manage wisely. Minor health troubles come and go often. Court verdict will go in your favour. Businessmen make huge profits.
CAPRICORN
AQUARIUS
PISCES
Your influence is set to increase. Be careful in expressing opinion and avoid harsh talk that might bring trouble. Real estate deals will bring gain. Good income through maternal relatives likely.
Postpone real estate deals for some time. Some unexpected events make you angry. However, with patience, wise actions and unrelenting efforts you handle the issues well to succeed.
Avoid giving commitment to anyone. You feel confused and health issues upset you. Deficit financial situation add to your woes. You might manage by pledging valuables like jewelry.
SUMAA TEKUR
tarotreadhyd@gmail. com
ARIES
TAURUS
GEMINI
Page of Cups – There is never an easy answer to life’s larger questions. You have to find what fits your life best. Try a few new ways of working things out.
Page of Wands – A family member may be seriously ill. Apart from visiting often and providing emotional support, you can also help by researching doctors.
Eight of Cups – Your actions are justified by some of the recent occurrences and you are relieved. It goes to show that going by your instinct is the best.
CANCER
LEO
VIRGO
Six of Pentacles – Your strength is in your conviction. If you believe you can, then nothing and no one can change that belief. Positive thinking helps.
Seven of Cups – Stay safe in everything you do, and everywhere you go. By being careless, you can invite illnesses and minor injuries like cuts and bruises.
Seven of Swords – There are many fish in the sea. If you have suffered a heartbreak recently, don’t think of it as the end of the world. It is a new beginning.
LIBRA
SCORPIO
SAGITTARIUS
Ten of Wands – There are technical problems to some of your ideas, which is perhaps why they are getting rejected. You may think it is for political reasons.
Nine of Wands – A holiday to a stunning location will rejuvenate you like no other. You will be tempted to extend your holiday but that is unlikely to work.
Eight of Pentacles – Your are surrounded by brilliant people and you should make the most of it. Interact with peers and colleagues even outside of work.
CAPRICORN
AQUARIUS
PISCES
The Devil – Have mercy on someone who is younger than you – in age and experience. You need to be empathetic to others and be understanding.
Queen of Wands – Avoid shopping without a reason unless you have high disposable income you don’t know what to do with. Don’t treat this inflation lightly.
Six of Wands – A surprise is in store for you. It will be a pleasant surprise with a close friend dropping by unexpectedly or a surprise gift landing at your doorstep.
NON SEQUITUR PEARLS BEFORE SWINE POOCH CAFE
STRIP TEASE
AGNES
ARIES
TAROT READ Date 27-5-2013
Laws of the Natural Universe Law of Mechanical Repair After your hands become coated with grease, the nose will begin to itch or you'll have to pee. Laws of the Workshop Any tool, when dropped, will roll to the least accessible corner. Any small, extremely expensive part that is accidentally dropped will disappear from view... forever. Law of Probability The probability of being watched is directly proportional to the stupidity of your act. Law of the Telephone When you dial a wrong number,
you never get a busy signal. Bath Theorem When the body is fully immersed in water, the telephone will ring. Law of the Result When you try to prove to someone that a machine won't work, it will. Theatre Rule At any event, the people whose seats are furthest from the aisle arrive last. Law of Coffee As soon as you sit down to a cup of hot coffee, your boss will ask you to do something which will last until the coffee is cold.
Vol: 2, No 3010 RNI No: APENG/2011/39337 Published for the proprietors, Scribble Media and Entertainment Pvt Ltd, by V Harshavardhan Reddy, at #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Road No 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500033 and printed by him at Jagati Publications Ltd, Plot No D-75&E-52, APIE Industrial Estate, Balanagar, Ranga Reddy Dist, Hyderabad – 500037, Editor: Dean Williams – Responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher is prohibited. For feedback, please write to: feedback@postnoon. com and for subscription, please call 040-4067 2222, Fax: 040-4067 2211
INDIASCOPE
28
SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2013
Pawan Kumar, in many ways, is breaking all rules in Kannada film industry. Postnoon gets talking to him about his second project Lucia, which is the first Kannada film to be made through crowd-sourcing and a lot more. HEMANTH KUMAR
hemanth.k@postnoon.com
Swimming Against The Tide
KATTRADHU THAMIZH (2007)
O
ne of the most underrated classics of the past decade, Kattradhu Tamizh narrates the story of a young Tamil-postgraduate, who is completed frustrated with the circumstances and futility of his job and then he slowly loses his mental balance and becomes a psychopath. Directed by Ram, the film stars Jiiva and Anjali in lead roles. The film won rave reviews upon its release in 2007 and both Jiiva and Anjali were praised for their performances. Anjali went on to win a Filmfare Award for Best Debut
A
new chapter in Kannada cinema is soon in offing, if the astounding efforts of one young filmmaker are anything to go by. So unconventional is his approach to filmmaking that the applause for the effort that has gone into making an upcoming Kannada film will be nothing less than an involuntary reaction. This is the story of Pawan Kumar and his second directorial venture Lucia, which holds the record for being the first Kannada film to have been made through crowdsourcing. In December, 2011 Pawan Kumar revealed that his next project, after the success of his debut feature film Life Ishtene, is going to be Lucia. For the next two months, he met quite a few producers and top actors, with plenty of hopes. The cold response to his script led Pawan Kumar to write a post titled ‘Making Enemies’ on his blog. Three days after it was published, the response was so overwhelming that he decided to pitch the idea of inviting people to produce the film and on February 24, 2012, Pawan Kumar initiated ‘Project Lucia’. “The idea is simple. I am selling 2000 tickets for the film Lucia; I will start making the film after all the tickets are
Pawan Kumar, DIRECTOR
I will never compromise on my ideals of cinema, even if that will means commercial suicide. I would rather give up making films and join family business, than let go of my freedom. Ashvin Kumar Director- Little Terrorist DID YOU KNOW ?
sold. Crazy, right! But it’s true. By selling 2,000 tickets I intend to raise $100,000 (`50 lakh approximately) and this is the funding that will go into making this film,” Pawan Kumar wrote on his blog. “We raised Rs 51 lakhs within 27 days. That’s how the journey of Lucia began,” Pawan Kumar reveals. Earlier this year, he finally revealed what he had been working on and the trailer suggests that the hero in the film suffers from insomnia. “Lot of crazy things happen in the film. You have to watch the film to see what we have done,” he says. It’s been an interesting journey so far and over the past
eighteen months, he has relentlessly worked hard on making this dream, a first of its kind initiative, come true. “I have been working in Kannada film industry for the past five years and I realised that people are so used to the age old filmmaking and marketing techniques that no one is willing to experiment. There’s a huge chunk of audience who’s watching films from different languages and there’s no reason why a Kannada film, if it’s made well, won’t appeal to them. Lucia is for them,” Pawan avers. The idea of producing a film through crowdsourcing clicked and how!
“There were days when we needed 50 people in the sets. All I did was post on my blog about this and people who were interested would drop by. A lot of people were willing to let us use their locations for free. The support was overwhelming,” he says. So what’s next? “The initial plan was to release the film in multiplexes and on the internet. But now, we have initiated another round of fund raising to market and distribute the film in theatres. Our goal is to raise `2.5 crore,” he reveals. (Read the full text of Pawan Kumar’s interview on Lucia at www.postnoon.com)
Aribam Syam Sharma’s critically acclaimed film Ishanou, which released in 1991, was the first Manipuri film to be screened at Cannes Film Festival. It was screened in the Un Certain Regard at Cannes that year. It’s also the only film made in NorthEast, to have been screened at Cannes so far.
Andaman & Nicobar Islands doesn’t have a single movie theatre, despite the fact that quite a few films are shot there. Back in 2011, the tourism department had plans of starting a ‘floating theatre’ which would have been a first of its kind in India. Ironically, the government has no serious plans to start a theatre despite several requests.
29
SPORTS SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2013
Froch wants Ward rematch
Many run Boston final mile
Oz to end live betting odds
C
T
ustralia will ban the broadcast of betting odds during live matches under new rules unveiled Sunday designed to keep the watching of sport separate from the promotion of gambling. PM Julia Gillard said the government had ordered broadcasters to amend their codes to ensure a reduction in the promotion and advertising of gambling during sport. "All promotion of betting odds on broadcast media will be prohibited during live sports matches.”
arl Froch on Sunday called on Andre Ward to meet him in a rematch after unanimously out-pointing Mikkel Kessler in a world super-middleweight title unification fight. The Briton relieved Danish fighter Kessler of his World Boxing Association (WBA) super-middleweight title to add to his International Boxing Federation (IBF) belt after being awarded scores of 118-110, 116-112 and 115-113 at the O2 Arena in London.
A
housands of runners and their supporters took to the streets of Boston on Saturday to complete last month's marathon that many were forced to abandon after bombs exploded near the finish line. A pack of runners carried three US flags and one Chinese flag while raising their arms defiantly as their feet pounded rain-drizzled pavement. Two of the victims of the twin bombing were American, and a third was Chinese.
Moreno closing in on first LPGA victory NASSAU, BAHAMAS: Colombi-
a’s Paola Moreno was closing in on a first LPGA title Saturday, firing a four-under par 41 in the 12-hole second round of the inaugural Pure Silk Bahamas LPGA Classic. After 24 of a scheduled 36 holes, Moreno had a nine-under par total of 81 and was one stroke in front of Australian Lindsey Wright. Wright birdied a sensational seven of her 12 holes in the second round to lie eightunder par through 24 holes. The truncated format was forced by a massive storm on Tuesday, that dropped more than a foot of rain on the
Varshitha, Keerthi, Sahjiti, at top spot
HYDERABAD: V Varshitha,
Sahjiti V, Keerthi B, S Meghana, are in the lead with 3 points from 3 rounds in the girls category while in the boys event, Raja Ruthivik, A Prateek, Ch Siddartha, SVS Rohith, ALS Srikar, are ahead with 3 points from 3 rounds in the Hyderabad District Under–13 selection tournament here on Saturday In open category JK Raju, Anand Naik B, Azeez and A K Raju are in the lead with 3 points off 3 rounds in Hyderabad open chess tournament.
Matt clings to one-shot lead FORT WORTH, TEXAS: Matt Kuchar emerged from a long day at Colonial Country Club on Saturday with a one-shot, thirdround lead in the US PGA Tour’s weather-hit Crowne Plaza Invitational. Kuchar was among 54 players who had to return in the morning to complete the second round after weather delays on Friday. The American finished 36 holes with a one-stroke lead over Canada’s Graham DeLaet, then fired a one-under par 69 in the third round, for an 11-under total of 199. AFP
Ocean Club Golf Course. “It’s been exciting and I just focus on what I can control and the holes ahead of me," Moreno said. “I’m very excited for tomorrow." Moreno has two victories on the Symetra Tour and finished second on the Road to the LPGA last season to regain LPGA status. A tie for 23rd at the 2013 LPGA LOTTE Championship Presented by J Golf is her career-best finish. “The only thing that matters right now is the first tee tomorrow," she said. Her four birdies on Saturday included a 25-foot putt at the sixth hole. Wright put her sizzling 38
down to “faultless golf." “I didn’t make any mistakes. I made a ton of putts," said the Australian, whose best LPGA finish came at the 2009 LPGA Championship, where she was runner-up. She won three times on the Symetra Tour before joining the LPGA in 2005. South Korea’s Ji Eun-Hee and Paraguay’s Julieta Granada were tied for third on seven-under par. Seven players were tied at six-under, including American Cristie Kerr, who is back in action this week for the first time since winning the Kingsmill Championship
earlier this month, Kerr was joined at sixunder by fellow Americans Heather Bowie Young and Mina Harigae, South Korea’s Seo Hee-Kyung, Lee Il-Hee
and Park Hee-Young and Sweden’s Anna Nordqvist. LPGA officials came up with the plan for three rounds of 12 holes in a bid to complete the 36 holes that are required for a tournament to AFP be official.
Eng out to up‘Root’ Kiwis LEEDS: Joe Root's maiden Test century, on his Yorkshire home ground, left England well-placed in the second and final Test against New Zealand at Headingley on Saturday. England were 337 for seven at stumps on the second day after Root made 104, having come in with England in trouble on 67 for three following Friday's first day washout. Together with Yorkshire colleague Jonny Bairstow (64), Root shared a fifth-wicket stand of 124. However, left-arm quick Trent Boult brought New Zealand back into the match with a new-ball burst of three wickets for three runs in 13 deliveries to remove both Yorkshiremen and Stuart Broad. But Matt Prior, dropped
Antonio Spurs triumph in overtime MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE: San
England batsman Joe Root (L) celebrates his century on Day two of the second Test between England and New Zealand at the Headingley stadium in Leeds on Saturday. AFP/LINDSEY PARNABY on 21, was 38 not out at the close and Graeme Swann, who survived the hat-trick chance, 21 not out with their partnership so far worth 51 in just 59 balls.
The 22-year-old Root, in his sixth match at this level, was the first Yorkshire batsman in the county's 150-year history to make his first Test AFP hundred at Headingley.
Antonio Spurs shook off a sluggish start and dominated overtime to beat the Memphis Grizzlies 104-93 on Saturday and move within one game of reaching the NBA finals. The Spurs posted their second straight overtime victory to take a commanding 30 lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference final series. The winners of the set will face either Miami or Indiana for the NBA title, and the Grizzlies go into game four on their home floor on Monday knowing that no team has rallied from an 0-3 deficit to win a seven-game NBA playoff series. San Antonio’s veteran star Tim Duncan scored the first five points of overtime. He scored seven of the Spurs’ 18 points in the extra session, finishing with 24 points and 10 rebounds.
Fedex opens against Spanish win machine PARIS: Roger Federer begins his 54th consecutive Grand Slam tournament at the French Open on Sunday when he faces a Spanish winning machine who, for once, is not called Rafael Nadal. Federer, the second seed and 2009 Roland Garros champion, takes on qualifier Pablo Carreno-Busta (right) who has made it through qualifying into his maiden Grand Slam draw. Carreno-Busta, is at 166 in
the world having started at 654 in January, an ascent boosted by winning seven Futures events and an astonishing record of 53 wins in 57 matches on the circuit’s third tier of competition. Serena Williams also features on opening day taking on
Georgia’s Anna Tatishvili, the world number 80, who, until Strasbourg last week, had not won a match on the main tour in 2013. Her only other main draw appearance at the French Open ended in a first round loss to Marion Bartoli in 2011 while three other trips to Paris sank in qualifying.
Ana Ivanovic, the 14th seed and 2008 champion, begins proceedings on the main Court Philippe Chatrier against Croatia’s Petra Martic. Italian fifth seed Sara Errani, the runner-up to Maria Sharapova last year, starts action on Court Suzanne Lenglen against Dutchwoman Arantxa Rus with Venus Williams closing the programme against Poland’s AFP Urszula Radwanska.
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2013 THE WINNERS 2012-13 2011-12 2010-11 2009-10 2008-09 2007-08 2006-07 2005-06 2004-05 2003-04 2002-03 2001-02 2000-01 1999-00 1998-99 1997-98 1996-97 1995-96 1994-95 1993-94
Bayern Munich Chelsea Barcelona Inter Milan Barcelona Manchester United AC Milan Barcelona Liverpool Porto AC Milan Real Madrid Bayern Munich Real Madrid Manchester United Real Madrid Borussia Dortmund Juventus Ajax AC Milan
(GER) (ENG) (ESP) (ITA) (ESP) (ENG) (ITA) (ESP) (ENG) (POR) (ITA) (ESP) (GER) (ESP) (ENG) (ESP) (GER) (ITA) (NED) (ITA)
CHAMPION FACTS Name: Fussball-Club Bayern Muenchen e. V Founded: 1900 Stadium: Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany (capacity 71,137) Nickname: Die Bayern (The Bavarians) Colours: red shirts, red shorts, red socks Division: German Bundesliga President: Uli Hoeness (GER) CEO: Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (GER) Sporting director: Matthias Sammer (GER) Head coach: Jupp Heynckes (GER) Assistant managers: Hermann Gerland (GER), Peter Harmann (GER) Captain: Philipp Lahm (GER) MAJOR HONOURS Bundesliga (23): 1931-32, 196869, 1971-72, 1972-73, 1973-74, 1979-80, 1980-81, 1984-85, 198586, 1986-87, 1988-89, 1989-90, 1993-94, 1996-97, 1998-99, 19992000, 2000-01, 2002-03, 2004-05, 2005-06, 2007-08, 2009-10, 201213 DFB-Pokal (15): 1956-57, 196566, 1966-67, 1968-69, 1970-71, 1981-82, 1983-84, 1985-86, 199798, 2000-01, 2002-03, 2004-05, 2005-06, 2007-08, 2009-10 DFB-Ligapokal (6): 1996-97, 1997-98, 1998-99, 2000-01, 200304, 2006-07 DFL-Supercup (5): 1982, 1987, 1990, 2010, 2012 UEFA CHAMPIONS League/European Cup (4): 1973-74, 1974-75, 1975-76, 200001 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup (1): 1966-67 UEFA Europa League/UEFA Cup (1): 1995-6 Intercontinental Cup (2): 1976, 2001 MOST APPEARANCES Sepp Maier (GER): 623 MOST GOALS Gerd Mueller (GER): 525 RECORD TRANSFER FEE PAID Javi Martinez (ESP), 40 million euros (£33.8 million, $51.5 million) to Athletic Bilbao/ESP, August 2012 RECORD TRANSFER FEE RECEIVED Owen Hargreaves (ENG), £17 million ($25.9 million, 20.1 million euros) from Manchester United/ENG, July 2007
BAYERN LIFT CUP IN A TEUTONIC NIGHT AT WEMBLEY
Tom WILLIAMS
Agence France-Presse
LONDON: Arjen Robben scored a heart-stopping 89thminute winner to earn Bayern Munich a dramatic 21 win over German rivals Borussia Dortmund on Saturday after a thrilling Champions League final at London’s Wembley Stadium. With extra time beckoning, Robben collected a backheel from Franck Ribery, eluded the challenge of Mats Hummels and rolled a delicate shot past Roman Weidenfeller to give Bayern their fifth European crown. It was a moment of longawaited deliverance for both Bayern and Robben after defeats for the Bavarians in the final of the competition in 2010 and again in 2012, when they cruelly lost a penalty shoot-out to Chelsea on home soil. “My whole career went
Little by little, we got into the game and we played better after the break. We have worked incredibly hard for this success. Jupp Heynckes, Bayern manager
through my mind when I scored. It is such a special feeling you can’t describe it,” said Robben. “You don’t want to be a loser every time, coming always in second place. We deserved to win it. I have dreamt about it many times.” Robben had set Bayern on the way to victory after an hour of the first all-German final when he teed up Mario Mandzukic for the opener, only for Ilkay Gundogan to equalise from the penalty spot in the 68th minute. Victory made Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes only the fourth manager to win the trophy with two different clubs after a 1998 triumph with Real Madrid, as he prepares to step aside for incoming successor Pep Guardiola. “We were favourites, but you could feel the burden in the first 20 minutes,” said Heynckes. “Little by little, we got into the game and we played much better after the break. We have worked incredibly hard for this success.” Having already claimed the German title, Bayern will now look to complete an unprecedented treble by
beating VfB Stuttgart in the German Cup final next weekend. There was no second title for 1997 winners Dortmund but Jurgen Klopp’s side more than played their part on a night of gripping drama in front of 86,298 fans at the home of
English football. “First of all, congratulations to Bayern, as they won. After the game you have to respect the result,” said Klopp.
Dortmund will bounce With his season now over, Klopp admits he has a tough few months ahead as he LONDON: Borussia Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp has said his team will bounce back from their Champions League final defeat to Bayern Munich — even with the Bavarian giants set to take his best two players. With Borussia bidding for their second Champions League title at Wembley, after their 1997 triumph, Bayern’s Dutch wing Arjen Robben broke Borussia hearts with an 89th-minute winner in a 2-1 victory. With his season now over,
Klopp admits he has a tough few months ahead as he rebuilds his squad with the new Bundesliga season starting on August 9. Midfield star Mario Goetze has been confirmed as a Munich player next season and Borussia striker Robert Lewandowski is set to follow him, according to Bayern’s out-going coach Jupp Heynckes. But with Berlin’s Olympic Stadium hosting the 2015 Champions League, Klopp has vowed to steer Dortmund back
for a second crack at the European title. “I feel a proudness comes up in me, but also a certain sadness,” said the 45-year-old. “It was a great season for my team and a really, really good match. “Perhaps it was the best match against Bayern in this season’s Champions League and you now who they’ve played. “Now we have to go on holiday and buy some players, because other teams want ours
30&31
“We deserved to be in the final. We showed this tonight. That is not the most important thing but it is important.” The player who had generated the most column inches in the weeks leading up to the game was in the stands at kick-off, a hamstring injury having denied Mario Goetze a farewell appearance for Dortmund before his 37 million euros (£31.7 million, $47.8 million) move to Bayern. His transfer was the latest show of strength from a side who
Bayern Munich’s players celebrate with the trophy after winning the UEFA Champions League final football match with Borussia Dortmund. AFP
Borussia Dortmund’s German midfielder Kevin Groskreutz reacts after his team lost the UEFA Champions League final football match with Borussia Bayern Munich. romped to the Bundesliga title by a record-breaking 25-point margin, but Bayern were left looking like the underdogs as Dortmund flew out of the blocks. Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer had to save from Robert Lewandowski, Jakub Blaszczykowski, Marco Reus and Sven Bender, before Bayern finally came to life when Dortmund goalkeeper Weidenfeller tipped a Mandzukic header onto the bar. The best chances of the first half both fell to Robben. On the half hour, Thomas Mueller’s pass sent him clean through on goal but the angle was prohibitive for a left-footed player and Weidenfeller rushed out swiftly to make a sprawling save. The Dutchman found himself with only the goalkeeper to beat again moments before half-time when the ball fell kindly for him in a tussle with Hummels, but Weidenfeller
stood up bravely and blocked with his face. In between, Neuer produced a superb last-ditch block to thwart Lewandowski, who had deftly rolled Jerome Boateng from a Reus pass, as the play passed from one end to the other at breathless speed. It looked as if another major final was set to pass Robben by but on the hour he atoned for his earlier misses by creating the opening goal. Ribery rolled a pass towards the byline and Robben evaded the offside trap by a matter of inches before nudging the ball beyond Weidenfeller and crossing for Mandzukic to hook home from a yard. Dortmund might have been forgiven for feeling deflated given their first-half exertions but instead they drew level. Dante was penalised for an untidy high foul on Reus inside the area and Gundogan steered his penalty into the bottom-right corner to send the hordes of yellow-shirted fans behind Neuer’s goal leaping from their seats. Moments later, Dortmund were indebted to a breathtaking piece of defending from Neven Subotic, who slid in to hook Mueller’s goal-bound shot off the line as Robben closed in for a tap-in. But Bayern continued to push, Weidenfeller repelling fierce strikes from David Alaba and Bastian Schweinsteiger, before Robben tiptoed through the Dortmund defence to score a famous late winner.
back, says Klopp rebuilds his squad with the new Bundesliga season. Perhaps it was the best match against Bayern in this season’s Champions League. Now we have to buy some players, because we must start again Jurgen Klopp, Dortmund managerl
and we must start again. “In two years, there’s Berlin. Maybe that’d be a good place to come back to a Champions League final. “We deserved to be in the final, we showed that tonight. “Our fans were great, the atmosphere was great. Only the result is shit. “I told the players we will come back, maybe not to Wembley, but we’ll try to come back to another final.” After the final whistle, Klopp
was consoled in the Wembley stands by German Chancellor Angela Merkel. “She said: ‘You get to know yourself in the really bad moments’,” said Klopp. “I need a minute or two to feel proud again, at the moment only sadness prevails.” Having finished a record 25 points behind German league champions Munich in this season’s Bundesliga, Klopp has said he will assemble a side to challenge Pep Guardiola’s Bayern.
Robben breaks his finals jinx In the past four years, Robben had played in two Champions League finals and one World Cup final, only to finish on the losing side.
RYLAND JAMES Agence France-Presse
LONDON: Match-winner Arjen Robben broke his finals hoodoo in style on Saturday as the flying Dutch winger’s late strike gave Bayern Munich a 2-1 victory over Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League final. In the past four years, Robben had played in two Champions League finals and one World Cup final, only to finish on the losing side on all three occasions, but was Bayern’s hero at Wembley. Despite having won league titles in four countries, the Wembley triumph is his first Champions League final win with Bayern at the third attempt as he claimed the manof-the-match award in London. He started for Bayern in both the 2010 and 2012 Champions League finals, when his extra-time penalty against Chelsea was infamously saved last season in Munich as the trophy went to Stamford Bridge. The Wembley winner was
redemption for the Dutchman who had spent much of the first-half of the season on Bayern’s bench. He had two chances to score in the first-half at Wembley, the clearest coming when he sprinted clear of the Dortmund defence on 29 minutes, but Dortmund’s Roman Weidenfeller saved his shot. It was reminiscent of the 2010 World Cup final, when bearing down on goal for Holland in the 60th minute in Johannesburg, he had a chance to engrave his name in Dutch football folklore. Instead his former Real Madrid team-mate Iker Casillas saved his shot, and Spain prevailed 1-0 in extra time. Previously, in the 2007 Champions League semi-final, his penalty for Chelsea was saved in the shoot-out as Liverpool went through to the final. Then in the 2010 Champions League final, he produced a superb curling shot that might have put Bayern level but for some acrobatics from Inter Milan goalkeeper Julio Cesar.
THE ROAD TO GLORY GROUP F
With extra time beckoning, Arjen Robben collected a backheel from Franck Ribery and rolled a delicate shot past Roman Weidenfeller to give Bayern their fifth European crown.
P W D L GF GA P Bayern Munich 6 4 1 1 15 7 13 Valencia 6 4 1 1 12 5 13 BATE 6 2 0 4 9 15 6 Lille OSC 6 1 0 5 4 13 3 (P-played, W-won, D-drawn, L-lost, GF-goals for, GAgoals against, P-points)
ROUND OF 16 Arsenal 1 Bayern Munich 3 Bayern Munich 0 Arsenal 2 Bayern go through on away goals
SEMI-FINALS Bayern Munich 4 Barcelona 0 Barcelona 0 Bayern Munich 3 Bayern win 7-0 on aggregate
QUARTER-FINALS Bayern Munich 2 Juventus 0 Juventus 0 Bayern Munich 2 Bayern win 4-0 on aggregate
FINAL At Wembley Borussia Dortmund 1 Bayern Munich 2
IPL 6
32
BATTLE OF THE TITANS
METRE
6 S 665
Chris Gayle (RCB)
51 4S 2025
Michael Hussey (CSK)
81
HIGHEST SCORE
SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2013
175*
Chris Gayle (RCB)
BEST BOWLER
5-16
James Faulkner (RR)
BCCI suspends Gurunath
The players and the support staff have no direct knowledge of betting or the separate spot-fixing allegations. As difficult as it is, all of our focus is on preparing for the IPL final.
NEW DELHI: A beleaguered
Stephen Fleming CSK coach
Michael Hussey (CSK) 732 runs
Dwayne Bravo (CSK), James Faulkner (RR) 28 wickets
Tendulkar unlikely to play in final
T
he Eden Gardens could be deprived of Sachin Tendulkar's batting for the second game running as Mumbai Indians coach John Wright today said the veteran cricketer is "unlikely" to play in tomorrow's final against Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League. "At this stage, Sachin is probably doubtful for tomorrow [on Sunday]. It's probably unlikely. We'll take a final call tomorrow," Wright told reporters in the prematch press conference here. Tendulkar has not played since injuring his left wrist in a match against Sunrisers Hyderabad. He had also missed yesterday's Qualifier 2 against Rajasthan Royals at the same venue. "It's still a big part of our team whether he is playing or not. We are happy to have him. He has done a great job. We play for people like Sach... we are a family," the former India coach added. Talking about leadership in MI, he said, "We shared a lot of our leadership. A lot of it come from the players on the field and the way we work together. "Rohit (Sharma) has done a great job. We try to enjoy ourselves. We represent a big city Mumbai. We have a lot of fans. We try to enjoy our cricket. We try to express that enjoyment through playing." PTI
BCCI today suspended Chennai Super Kings CEO Gurunath Meiyappan (in pic), who was arrested for alleged involvement in betting, pending an inquiry into his role in the IPL spot-fixing scandal that has shaken the core of Indian cricket. Meiyappan, who is the sonin-law of BCCI President N Srinivasan, was arrested by the Mumbai Police on Friday for allegedly indulging in betting. "The BCCI has taken note of the detention by the Mumbai police of Gurunath Meiyappan, who is a member of the team management of Chennai Super Kings," BCCI Secretary Sanjay Jagdale said in a statement. "As an accredited team official, Mr Meiyappan is subject to the provisions of the IPL Operational Rules and the BCCI Anti-Corruption Code for Participants. "Pending further investigations and any subsequent hearing by the BCCI Disciplinary Committee or the IPL Code of Behaviour Committee, Mr Meiyappan has been suspended by the BCCI from any involvement in the sport of cricket and
in particular from any involvement with the Chennai Super Kings team," he added. Jagdale said BCCI officials have also held meetings with the Mumbai Police, offering assistance in the probe. "BCCI officials met with officers from the Mumbai police on the evening of May 23 and will
Srinivasan, state reps attend Dalmiya's dinner
KOLKATA: A dinner hosted
by CAB President Jagmohan Dalmiya on Saturday brought BCCI officials and state unit representatives face to face with the beleaguered Cricket Board chief N Srinivasan. BCCI officials, who attended the dinner, did not appear to be too keen to press for a change of leadership at the moment, sources said. They said a consensus seemed to have emerged at the dinner against seeking Srinivasan's ouster at this juncture. Srinivasan has already made it clear that he has no intentions of stepping down
continue to offer all assistance to the police and regulatory authorities," he said. The BCCI has been left facing with a massive crisis after three cricketers of the Rajasthan Royals, including India Test pacer S Sreesanth, were arrested for allegedly indulging in spot-fixing.
The arrests opened a pandora's box and the controversy reached Srinivasan's doorstep due to Gurunath's alleged betting link. The BCCI chief is under tremendous pressure to step down from the post on moral grounds but has remained defiant so far.
Final amidst controversy G. Aparna Sai aparna.s@postnoon.com
as he has done no wrong. He said he could not be bulldozed or railroaded into resigning. The Tamil Nadu strongman was among the early arrivals in the dinner party and is learnt to have discussed the issue with IPL Chairman Rajeev Shukla and his host Dalmiya. The BCCI members, many of whom owe allegiance to Srinivasan, have argued that there was no provision to suspend an incumbent president, in a clear attempt to dissuade the detractors from pursuing such a course. PTI
Today’s clash between Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians will have more than just the regular excitement of an Indian Premier League final. The ugly turn of events during this season’s IPL, has raised many eyebrows and speculations of the final being scrapped only added fuel to fire. But now that the final is set to be held as schedule, all eyes would be on the match. The Super Kings and Mumbai Indians earlier clashed in the finals of the 2010 IPL. Chennai emerged victorious and that was their first IPL title. While Chennai missed out on winning the crown for the third consecutive time when
they lost to Kolkata Knight Riders last year, the Super Kings would hope that they manage to win the final this year. Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians would look to seek revenge for their 2010 loss in the final. They have proved to be a strong team and have also defeated Chennai twice during the league stages. Although Chennai got the better of Mumbai in the qualifiers, it will be difficult for the Dhoni-led side to easily pull off a victory. The Super Kings would also hope to win this match in their bid to easy out the tension with regards to the spot fixing controversy and other tensions existing in the team.