Innholdsfortegnelse for June 18, 2018 i India Today

India’s economy is held hostage by two external factors, both of which are not under government control—the monsoon rains and global oil prices. The fluctuating levels of either—or both—dictate how the Indian economy will perform in a given year. What the government can control, however, is taxes. Less than two years after the Modi government took office, crude oil prices slumped from over $100 a barrel to less than $30 a barrel. While prices of petrol did drop initially from an average of Rs 71 in 2014 in Delhi to Rs 65, it was not commensurate with the fall in international prices. Meanwhile, the government steadily raised excise duties on petroleum products. For a litre of petrol, duty was raised from Rs 9.48 in May 2014, when Modi took over,…

A report last month by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation shows women are paid considerably less than men for a job. Another recent report by Los Angeles consulting firm Korn Ferry suggests the gender pay gap in India is in line with the global average. As unnerving is the trend towards falling female participation in the workforce. India’s ranking in the World Economic Forum’s global gender gap index has dropped steadily since the rankings began in 2006. 24% The percentage of Indian women in paid labour. Down from nearly 37% in 2005 and compared to over 53% of men. Global average of women in the workforce is 40% 366.15 National average daily earning of urban female “regular wage/salaried employee”, says the May 2018 statistics ministry report (2011-12 figures)…

A Trinamool Congress worker was shot dead near his home in Howrah by two men on a motorcycle this week. His murder was blamed on the BJP by TMC members, who vandalised shops in the area in protest and demanded arrests. Another man died in clashes between the supporters of TMC and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in Cooch Behar on the same day. The TMC has been battling accusations of deadly hooliganism as two BJP workers were murdered in Purulia district, suspected to be victims of the violence that has punctuated recent panchayat elections. West Bengal has been prone to poll violence for some years, with national crime data over the last decade or so, putting the state either at or near the top for politically motivated murder.…

Forests do not combust spontaneously. Many fires stem from the locals burning pine needles. Others may start from a carelessly thrown bidi . The forest department does not have the manpower to control their spread The Himalaya have been making news lately for all the wrong reasons. As fires ravage the forests of Uttarakhand, nearby Shimla is in the grip of an unprecedented water shortage that has led to angry locals taking to the streets. The Kedarnath tragedy of 2013 is still well remembered. Last year, an 18 ft drop in Nainital’s lake water level made national news. Not a year goes by without reports of major fires, droughts, floods or ice storms. In fact, while over 4,000 hectares of forest burnt in Uttarakhand in the past…

Six months ahead of assembly elections, Chhattisgarh’s three-time chief minister is out there, trying to work his ‘magic’ for a fourth consecutive victory. Paid for by the state exchequer, Raman Singh’s ‘Vikas (development) Yatra’ is employing a combination of state aircraft and a remodelled luxury vehicle to traverse the state. Flagged off by Union home minister Rajnath Singh from Dantewada on May 12, the first phase of the yatra will culminate a month later, when BJP president Amit Shah joins a roadshow at Ambikapur on June 10. The second phase, slated for end-August, will press on until the Election Commission enforces the poll code. Moving from village to village, Singh’s motorcade stops at the nearest block headquarters to address people, reminding them of the development he’s steered over the past…

Despite the unbearable June summer, the national BJP headquarters at Delhi’s Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Marg is bustling with activity. The opposition victory in Karnataka and the BJP’s poor show in the subsequent bypolls in other states have failed to dampen the spirit of party workers. There is little time to be spent on introspection. The instruction from the top brass is clear—the party must prepare for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, keeping in mind the changed political scenario. The united opposition has found chinks in the BJP’s Uttar Pradesh armour and trumped the saffron party in three constituencies in the state this year. The BJP, too, believes that the index of unity against it is high and productive in UP, the state which sends 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha.…

“HE HAS A FOCUSED APPROACH AND A VISION TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN KERALA. WHILE PROVIDING CARE TO THE POOR, THE GOVERNMENT IS INVESTING HEAVILY ON INFRASTRUCTURE. IF HE CAN IMPROVE DELIVERY WITH RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, THE GOVERNMENT WILL DO WONDERS.” T.K.A. NAIR, ex-advisor to former PM Manmohan Singh “THE INNOVATIVE INTERVENTION IN EDUCATION AND HEALTH HAS WON THE GOVERNMENT A GOOD NAME. SETTING RIGHT KANNUR IS AN OPPORTUNITY PINARAYI SEEMS TO HAVE MISSED. INSTEAD OF AN RSS VERSUS CPI(M) ARMAGEDDON, IT SHOULD BE SEEN JUST AS IT IS—A CRIME SCENE. THE PARTY SHOULD BE REINED IN AND THE LAW ALLOWED TO TAKES ITS COURSE.” N.S. MADHAVAN, writer and former bureaucrat “KERALA POLICE ARE AT THEIR BEST NOW. ONLY 304 MURDERS REPORTED IN 2017 WITH A CONVICTION RATE OF…

• BAASHA, 1995 Rajinikanth essays the character of Manikam, an honest auto driver who avoids violence. However, when his family faces threats, his past as an underworld don comes to the forefront PUNCHLINE “ Naan oru thadava sonna nooru thadava sonna madhiri (When I say it once, it is like I have said it one hundred times)” • MUTHU, 1995 Rajini is Muthu, who works on land belonging to Sivakami Ammal. Later, he discovers that the land is rightfully his PUNCHLINE: “Naan eppo varuven, epdi varuvennu yarukkum theriyathu. Aana vara vendiya nerathula (No one knows when or how I’ll arrive, but I always do, when the time’s right)” • ANNAMALAI, 1992 A poor milkman, Annamalai played by Rajinikanth, is friends with a businessman’s son, Ashok PUNCHLINE “Naan solrathaiyum seiven, sollathathiyum…

THE BATTLES OF IMPHAL and Kohima are easily the most underrated battles of the entire Second World War. Overshadowed by titanic struggles like Stalingrad on the Eastern Front and the Allied landings at Normandy, they have received none of the military academic or the big budget movie attention of the other significant turning points in the global conflagration. Perhaps it was because, by early 1944, the writing was on the wall for the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA). With the US closing in on the Home Islands with a strategic bombing campaign, holding a land empire built in a little over a decade of conquests was going to be an insurmountable challenge. The IJA’s twin-axis thrust, its last in that theatre, was meant to capture the frontier towns of Imphal and…

The creeping devastation of a beautiful land is a story that resonates everywhere in India. Sudeep Chakravarti’s novel is set in Goa, but its rapacious developers, mournful lookers-back, see-no-evil bystanders and raging activists might be from anywhere. In a house built with love mixed into its mortar lives Antonio, who keeps a hotel and preserves a gracious way of life. His cousin Dionysus fights doubtful land deals through newsprint and lawsuits, and ultimately pays a hideous price. The violence remains with the reader long after the last page is turned Some characters, like Antonio’s tearfully childless wife and his trashy stepmother, remain cutouts, but the villainous are painted in intense colours. Winston Almeida’s ambitions make him the ideal broker between the Russian criminals who plan to buy up the village…

Q. How does it feel to be making your World Ral ly Championship debut in Sardenia this weekend? It’s incredible to represent India, my long-term sponsor and supporters. Frankly, I had been aiming for this ever since I was a teenager. Q. Tell us about your ride. I will be driving the Ford Fiesta R5, a four-wheel drive custom and hand-made rally car with almost 300 BHP. Boasting of a 5-6 speed sequential gearbox , it has a distinctive suspension and special MRF tyres. Q. You’ve consisten tly topped the table in the Indian and Asia-Pacific champion ships. What are the keys to winning ? For me, it’s always about passion , commitmen t and evolution . It is paramount to learn new techniques and technology , which is always…

PUBLIC SPEAKING AND PERSONALITY ENHANCEMENT Excellent communications skills—verbal or non-verbal—are a must-have these days to lead in any field. A four-day certificate course offered by Xavier Institute of Communications, Mumbai, in public speaking and personality development helps in improving interpersonal approach, confidence building and instilling leadership qualities. The courses help students to be effective communicators through writing, speaking, thinking and group discussion sessions. FEE 7,000 WEBSITE www.xaviercomm.org/certificate-courses/default.aspx BASIC BEGINNERS COURSE ON PHOTOGRAPHY In case you love clicking pictures, explore the beginners course on photography offered by Raghu Rai Center for Photography in Delhi. For three months, aspirants are trained on basics of photography, through techniques such as composition, light, ambience and background. They are also trained to use equipment such as a flash and reflector through theory and…

Set up in 2011, Galgotias University (GU) has already made a mark for itself in the league of top private universities, within seven years of its inception. While GU offers about 120 undergraduate, postgraduate, diploma, M Phil and doctoral programmes in several disciplines, the engineering programmes such as computer science, mechanical and civil engineering are most sought after by students. The College of Engineering and Technology at Galgotias University is divided into five verticals—School of Computing Science and Technology; School of Electrical, Electronics and Communication Engineering; School of Civil Engineering; School of Mechanical Engineering and School of Chemical Engineering—and gives students first-hand knowledge about the industry, how the field of engineering is growing, and how they can sharpen their knowledge base during the course. With B Tech courses in electronics…

The Faculty of Engineering and Technology at Rabindranath Tagore University (RBTU), earlier known as the AISECT University, started its journey in 2011 with five departments offering courses in mechanical engineering, civil engineering, electronics and communication engineering, computer science engineering and information and technology. According to A K Gwal, Vice-Chancellor, Rabindranath Tagore University, “The Faculty of Engineering and Technology houses world-class infrastructure with national and international collaborations and industry-ready courses with choice based skill courses as part of the curriculum. It has established laboratories on Internet of Things (IoT), robotics and cloud computing at the campus and offers hands-on training experience with industry leaders such as Reliance Jio, Tata and Schneider.” The institute is now planning to start courses on data science and data analytics, forensic science and financial engineering. rntu.ac.in…

Manav Rachna International Institute of Research Studies (MRIIRS) is an institute where budding engineers are encouraged to excel. The Faculty of Engineering and Technology (FET) at MRIIRS offers students B Tech and M Tech programmes which are in great demand. For B Tech programmes, industrial training is part of the curriculum besides lectures and visits by industry experts and specialisations in association with industries such as JBM and SuKam in mechanical and electrical engineering. On the other hand, for M Tech programmes, the university offers a number of specialisations in biotechnology, computer networking, power systems and transportation engineering. According to Prashant Bhalla, President, Manav Rachna Educational Institutions, “We have more than 50 collaborations with various universities and institutes internationally for research and academic exchange programmes. We also have tie-ups with…

Located in the heart of Chennai, IIT Madras (popularly known as ‘insti’ by the students) is a world of its own. I remember the first time I entered the campus; I was awestruck by its beauty and vast expanse. The campus located on 600 acres of lush greenery is dotted with spotted deer, blackbuck, bonnet macaque monkeys and colourful insects. Before joining the college, I had always wondered what made the IITs so different from other engineering colleges. Apart from being taught by the best brains in the country and having access to state-of-the-art facilities, we have a terrific on-campus culture that gives us all the creative freedom that we want. We also have a lingo of our own which easily seeps into the vocabulary of every freshman (fondly known…

I want to start something on my own’ is one of the most common phrases I hear. In the last ten years, there has been a huge shift in the mindset of India’s youth—they want to challenge the status quo, have an intense risk-taking appetite and are willing to ‘fail and learn’ rather than ‘not try at all.’ According to Harvard Business School, 70 per cent to 80 per cent of new businesses fail. So, what makes for an intelligent, structured plan? INTROSPECT, STAY IN TOUCH WITH REALITY AND UNDERSTAND WHAT MAKES YOU UNIQUE Before you begin, reflect on what has been done in the past, be certain about the present and then figure out where the gap lies. Understand your market, competitors and audience. CREATE A SIMPLE NARRATIVE The…

"I also shot old family albums, playing with time and geography. The whole process was multilayered because I have always been more interested in the art of capturing images rather than the images in isolation.” Uzma Mohsin, Photographer and recipient of Alkazi Foundation Documentary Photography and Photobook Grant 2017” She tells the story of an elderly Sikh settled in the UK who comes back to his small village in Punjab after decades. He is suffering from dementia. He goes for a walk one day and does not come back. Several days later, he is found in a small ashram and goes to die in his village. She also talks about a 40-something second generation Punjabi woman immigrant who ‘knows’ she has arrived. And that’s because like her male counterparts from…

No matter how earnestly Modi wishes away “great power rivalries”, India has to find a modus vivendi with China Shangri-la is the iconic Himalayan monastery in James Hilton’s 1933 novel Lost Horizon, where the survivors of a plane-crash imbibe lessons in pacifism from the presiding Lama. The Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD) has a less exotic provenance (it is named after its permanent venue, a Singapore hotel) but its aims are no less lofty. Conceived by the International Institute for Strategic Studies as a ‘Track 1.5’ meeting ground for senior defence leadership of the region, the dialogue now receives official backing of the Singapore government and the tacit support of the US. Since its inception in 2001, no Indian prime minister has ventured to address the SLD, and the ministers, occasionally deputed…

“The roads here are congested which results in traffic jams and is a cause for concern. The city is dirty, we need to clean it.” Tourism minister K.J. ALPHONS offered a frank, even blunt summary of the shortcomings of Varanasi. His honesty will not have impressed his boss, Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The city is, of course, Modi’s constituency. Back in 2014, after a visit to Japan, Modi announced a partnership between Varanasi and the equally spiritual and culturally significant city of Kyoto. But ‘Kashi to Kyoto’, as Alphons recognised, has proven to be sparky but false advertising.…

The CPI(M)’s landslide victory in the Chengannur bypoll has come as a shot in the arm for Pinarayi Vijayan. His critics in the party have been silenced. Perhaps why the Kerala chief minister has shelved plans for a cabinet reshuffle. Media speculation on Vijayan handing the home portfolio, which he holds currently, to a partyman, has evaporated. Pinarayi now plans to focus on the 2019 Lok Sabha poll. Kerala’s one-man show seems set to continue.…

In the US for treatment of a pancreatic ailment since March 16, Manohar Parrikar’s prolonged absence seems to be causing a policy paralysis in Goa’s BJP-led coalition government. Critical decisions pertaining to development, upgrading the power supply infrastructure, tourism, and law and order have been interminably on hold, awaiting the chief minister’s return. On June 3, the gram sabha of Velasco-Issorcim, outside Vasco-da-Gama city, resolved to revoke a licence issued to a builder to construct a 140-room hotel there. The villagers claimed the licence, issued by the gram panchayat, violated the state’s Regional Plan (RP), 2021. In the chief minister’s absence, the state government and the highly influential Catholic Church are at loggerheads over the RP, which earmarks development zones in rural areas. Town planning minister Vijai Sardesai, of the…

Raje doesn’t want Delhi’s man as state BJP president The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party appears to be losing the plot in Rajasthan. Avinash Rai Khanna, the party’s vice president in charge of the state’s affairs, rather curiously launched his outreach campaign on June 1, with a visit to Ashok Jain, who had retired as chief secretary on December 31, ostensibly to apprise him of the state government’s policies and programmes! After more than four years in power, the saffron party is struggling to craft a viable strategy for the assembly elections later this year. Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and BJP chief Amit Shah have evidently failed to agree on a replacement for Ashok Parnami, the state unit president who was asked to step down in April after the bypoll debacle…

When foreign minister Sushma Swaraj and defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman travel to Washington next month for the first of the annual ‘2+2’ strategic dialogue with their respective US counterparts Mike Pompeo and Jim Mattis, they will have Russia on their mind. Specifically, how to insulate India’s military preparedness from the threat of US sanctions, which has hung a sword of Damocles over the country’s military ties with Russia. In January, the US law CAATSA (Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act) came into effect. The law imposes sanctions on Russia, North Korea and Iran as well as countries buying arms from them. A senior government official says while the sanctions imposed after the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014 focused only on Russian firms, CAATSA shifts the US attack to foreign…

PORTUGAL VS SPAIN June 15, 11.30 pm A group stage encounter between the Iberian rivals with the resonance of a semifinal. Portugal are the European champions, albeit by winning only one game over 90 minutes. Spain have fallen from their peak, but have the players to be champions. Morocco and Iran round out an attractive footballing group. GERMANY VS MEXICO June 17, 8.30 pm The world champions kick off their defence against obdurate opponents. This was a quarterfinal in the 1986 World Cup. Mexico took West Germany, the eventual runner-up, to penalties after a 0-0 draw. RUSSIA VS EGYPT June 19, 11.30 pm The choice of Russia as World Cup hosts has been controversial. The fans have a reputation for racism and violence. And the team seems unlikely to win…

Perhaps the most memorable images from Rio de Janeiro 2016 are of the Refugee Olympic Team. They won no medals, but surely adulation from the crowds and the forcing of a conversation on refugee rights was victory enough. The Afghanistan cricket team, of course, is not a team of refugees. But most of the men who were part of that country’s first steps in world cricket learnt the game when living in Pakistani refugee colonies through the many years of war. It was in Pakistan that Afghan cricket was born, though cricket in Afghanistan, like in India and elsewhere in the neighbourhood, was played during the British years. Afghanistan is still trying to rise from the rubble, and reports of terror attacks are so frequent that peace remains a distant…

The latest iteration of Royal Enfield’s much loved ‘Bullet’ pays homage to a little known machine from the firm’s back pages: the WD/ RE or ‘Flying Flea’, a lightweight motorcycle that was airdropped with paratroops at the Battle of Arnhem and the Normandy landings during World War II. RE’s new ‘Classic 500 Pegasus’ was launched with some fanfare on the airstrip of the Imperial War Museum at Duxford, England. What does the 190 kg, 500 cc Pegasus have in common with its diminutive vintage inspiration? The wartime RE roundel, the Pegasus emblem of the Parachute Regiment, period panniers and authentic paintwork in either olive drab or ‘Service Brown’. The bike is priced at Rs 2.49 lakh, chances are money won’t be an object: the Pegasus is a collectors’ edition with…

LOVED BY ALL “I’ve climbed Everest 21 times, but I wouldn’t wish this on anybody,” renowned mountain climber Apa Sherpa says in this breathtakingly beautiful biodoc, which exposes the dirty business behind summiting the world’s highest hill. Outsideonline.com SENSE8: THE FINALE Fromthemakersofthe Matrix, Sense8 was a weird-but-charming hodgepodge—a higher-endanswerto Heroes withasilly India-related subplot. Lacklustre response to Season 2 resulted in its cancellation, but it had just enough fans to convince Netflix to greenlight a two-hour finale. Netflix COME TO ME PARADISE This “sci-fi documentary” trains its eye – or that of an all-seeing spirit drone—on the Filipina housemaids of Hong Kong, humanising women who are often inadvertently re-exploited by films focused on the grim working conditions and abuse they sometimes suffer. Mubi.com…

With a growing number of aspirants vying for a spot at the finest universities abroad, making your application stand out is becoming an increasingly challenging proposition. Educational institutions look for well-rounded bright students with a unique story. College essays and statements of purpose (SOP) allow you to create a vibrant and vivid lexical hologram of yourself to make the application come alive. While each application essay is different, choose what you share and how you share it. RESPOND TO THE PROMPT SOPs require you to respond to a prompt which is the fundamental question or theme of the essay. It is imperative to read the question carefully and spend time comprehending and analysing what is being asked. This will ensure that you begin on the right note and focus on…

RAKSHA SHAKTI UNIVERSITY, Ahmedabad, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the University of Portsmouth, UK, for a range of academic and research activities. The MoU is focussed on collaborative research activities and supports aspiring students from both institutions in placement opportunities along with student-faculty exchange programmes. The partnership also includes fostering collaborative academic programmes, joint conferences, seminars and workshops.…

Spread over 600 acres, Lovely Professional University (LPU) offers not just conventional engineering streams but also trend setting courses. The institute offers programmes in all possible disciplines including electronics and communication engineering, computer science engineering, information technology, mechanical engineering (ME), ME-mechatronics, aerospace engineering and automobile engineering. The university has 3,500 staff and faculty members teaching more than 400 programmes in over 45 disciplines. It offers a rigorous curriculum framework that goes beyond preparing students for semester exams and entails internship and training with top technological brands such as Google, Microsoft, Oracle, Pega UAP and VMWare. It also organises competitions such as the International Go-Kart Championship, Solar Car Racing and Effi-Cycle to name a few that attract national and international engineering students. “LPU provided the required knowledge and skills which helped…

With the changing job market, where skilling and reskilling yourself is the norm, studying just engineering is insufficient. At the very base, a degree in engineering equips students with skills to handle problems logically. But for further growth in their careers, they need to arm themselves with specialised knowledge and a degree in MBA is what engineering graduates need to go that extra mile. EXPANDS JOB OPPORTUNITIES Employers are increasingly looking for management skills, globally. Therefore, an engineering degree followed by an MBA produces business talent with good technical skills, offering better opportunities. It is easier for engineers to make the transition into management positions and get jobs if they are familiar with other aspects such as accounting, product development and human resource management. Having an engineer take on the…

Subroto Bagchi has been many things, beginning as a lower division clerk in a government office and becoming executive chairman of Mindtree, one of India’s most admired software services companies. Since 2016, he has been chairman of Odisha Skill Development Authority, doing the job with immense enthusiasm and pro bono. He’s been an entrepreneur, a business leader, an author and a public servant but he considers himself to be a salesman first. Whether it was closing a new customer acquisition, getting a better deal on a bank loan, negotiating a lease while renting space or convincing a potential employee to sign on the dotted line, he was being a salesman. Now with the Odisha Skill Development Authority, he is skilling 8 lakh young people—mostly school drop outs—and has already achieved…

With technology reshaping the legal industry, several distinct roles have emerged that are transforming the business of law. Adoption of advanced technologies for data and information exchange related to legal cases have taken away tedious aspects of law practice, allowing lawyers to focus on a higher level of analytical work. To stay ahead in the market, it is essential for law professionals and firms to innovate by embracing new technology tools. Cybersecurity is one such area that requires skilled professionals with a deep understanding of the issues and possible threats, arising out of business and social functioning on most digital platforms. There are four things those looking at a career in cybersecurity should take note of. ENROL IN THE RIGHT PROGRAMME For a thriving career in cybersecurity, it is important…

Mounk believes increased immigration, growth of electronic social media and economic stagnation have contributed to the surge in authoritarian pluralism In 1992, a former RAND Corporation analyst, Francis Fukuyama, published a book titled The End of History and the Last Man. Written at the end of the Cold War, the book argued that the great ideological battle between the forces of liberal democracy and free markets on the one hand and Communism on the other had resulted in an unequivocal victory of the former. More to the point, he argued that this triumph demonstrated that open markets and liberal democracy in tandem was the only viable model of governance. About two-and-a-half decades since the publication of his triumphalist work, liberal democracy yoked with capitalism now appears to be under acute…

For nearly three decades, the urban legend that any chief minister who visits Noida loses power has endured. The string of electoral losses for the BJP in UP have started talk of the Noida jinx visiting Yogi Adityanath. The CM visited Noida last December to inaugurate several projects and, ever since, the BJP has lost every byelection, a fact alluded to recently by former CM Akhilesh Yadav. He is a fine one to talk, though. The Samajwadi Party scion lost the elections despite skipping Noida and inaugurating projects there via remote control.…

THE BSP, WHICH WON FOUR SEATS IN 2013, REPORTEDLY WANTS 30 SEATS IN THE ALLIANCE The Madhya Pradesh assembly elections later this year could see the Congress contest in a pre-poll alliance with three other opposition parties—the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Gondwana Gantantra Party (GGP)—in a bid to prevent a division of the anti-BJP vote. It’s not official yet, but the state Congress leadership, after initial discussions, appears inclined to give 20-30 seats to the prospective allies. The BSP, which polled 6.4 per cent votes and won four seats in the 2013 election, is reportedly driving a hard bargain. Besides the four constituencies it holds, the party wants 12 seats where it had finished a runner-up as well as another 14 where it expects to…

THE CONCERN WAS PALPABLE on Union minister for oil & gas Dharmendra Pradhan’s face as he summoned an emergency meeting on Thursday, May 31, with ministry officials and top honchos of India’s public sector oil companies in New Delhi. There was rising public anger, though in certain pockets of the country and on social media, and severe criticism from the opposition on the government’s perceived inability to rein in fuel prices that have touched historic highs in the past few weeks and threatened to spur a price rise across the board. An embarrassment the Narendra Modi government can do without in its final year in office. But the meeting, which went on past midnight, offered no solution. Petrol and diesel prices were as high as Rs 86 a litre and…

INDIA'S WORRY One of its provisions targets Russian defence firms and countries doing business with them. India has defence deals worth over $12 billion in the pipeline with Russia THE SOLUTION New clauses inserted by the US in the National Defense Authorization Act (US military budget), which empower the Trump administration to suspend CAATSA sanctions, but it has to certify that India is reducing its dependence on Russia…

Achievements n Mega investment in infrastructure development despite financial crisis n Curbed corruption in government n Improvement in health, education and road development n Focused approach towards implementing projects n Disciplined government officials and improved accountability n Banned nokku kooli orgawking charges n Initiated ‘Life Mission’, a mega housing scheme for the poor n Taken steps to protect Kerala’s water resources n Improved relations with the neighbouring states Shortcomings n The chief minister’s unilateral approach to governance n Poor performance by several ministers n Ineffective management of the police force n Failure to stop political killings n The chief minister’s frosty relationship with the media n No operational crisis management system in the government despite several advisors n Lack of support from coalition partners, especially the CPI n Poor feedback…

1 Timely delivery In case of delays, buyers can cancel their bookings (developer refunds the amount with interest) or be paid interest for every month of delay until the property is ready for possession 2 RERA registration Developers can sell projects only if they are registered with the state regulatory authority and have registration numbers. Details of projects need to be put on RERA portal 3 Payments secured Developers to deposit at least 70 per cent of the buyers’ money for a project into an escrow account. This prevents them from rolling these funds into other projects 4 Verify track record Buyers can opt to buy properties only from reputed developers who are complying with RERA, have a good track record and are financially stable. All this is now verifiable…

“Na Vandhutten sollu, thirumbi Vandhutten (I have come, tell them I have come back),” thunders Rajinikanth in the 2016 hit Kabali. He is Kabaleeswaran, a Robin Hood-esque hero who fights for the cause of Tamil labourers in Malaysia, speaking with panache of socio-political issues against the backdrop of gang rivalries. Political movements are referred to, including the Dalit uprising. The film’s success came at an opportune time for the actor known as Thalaivar, Tamil for ‘leader’. The last time audiences went wild over his swaggering antics was in 2010 with director S. Shankar’s sci-fi drama Enthiran. The box office failure of his daughter Soundarya Rajinikanth’s animated film Kochadaiiyan (2016) and Lingaa (2016), by confidant K.S. Ravikumar, saw the superstar apologise to his fans and compensate Lingaa distributors for the losses…

Politician and retired bureaucrat Pavan K. Varma’s latest book springs from a concern about Hinduism. He detects a rising brittleness in the assertion of Hindutva, resulting in exclusion, hatred and, often, violence. He calls it the “evangelism of ignorance” and a dumbing down of thought. “When religions are divorced from their philosophical moorings, they often reach their lowest common denominator,” he says. “I see that happening around me and it’s a tragedy. I did not want to remain a mute spectator to the devaluation of a great religion.” Varma began to look towards Adi Shankaracharya (or just Shankara) out of a need to recover Hindu traditions that are inclusive and eclectic, that emphasise debate, are willing to agree to disagree. Though Shankara is closest to our times among the great…

THE NAROPA FELLOWSHIP The Drukpa Order, which has shaped and contributed to the Himalayan and Central Asian culture and heritage for over a millennium, has launched the Naropa Fellowship Programme to develop entrepreneurial skills in students that will help foster a robust socio-economic environment in Ladakh. The fellowship is one-year, fully residential, postgraduate academic programme covering tuition as well as food and lodging costs. Last date for submission is July 7. Check naropafellowship.org GLION’S SCHOLARSHIP COMPETITION In partnership with Swiss watchmaker, Frederique Constant, Glion Institute of Higher Education, UK, has launched a scholarship competition for Indian students applying for a master’s programme in International Hospitality Business with Luxury Brand Management. The scholarship will cover 25 per cent of the tuition fee. The closing date for applications is June 15. Check…

MICROSOFT INDIA ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF IMAGINE CUP Microsoft India announced RealVol, DrugSafe and Practikality as the winners of 16th edition of Imagine Cup India Chapter. The three teams will be representing India in the finals in the US and competing for $100,000 prize money. They will also have a mentoring session with Satya Nadella. This year’s India leg also highlighted the rising interest in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and related technologies such as Cognitive Services and Chatbots among Indian students. Sixty per cent of the entries received showcased solutions powered by AI. The competition allows student developers to use their creativity and passion to solve real-world problems and turn their ideas into reality. With an outreach to over 50 campuses from more than 10 states such as Rajasthan, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh,…

The Amity School of Engineering and Technology (ASET) has seven departments, a 1,000-acre campus, 27,000 on-campus placements, 25,000 students on scholarship, 1,130 Scopus Index research papers and 116 patents filed by faculty and students in past two years. “We believe in the holistic development of students with emphasis on research, publications and international exposure to help them become smart global engineers. Programmes are accredited by IET-UK. World-class technology, research labs, international exposure and strong industry connect make our students stand out. In fact, we were ranked as 34 across India by the NIRF,” says Balvinder Shukla, Vice-Chancellor, Amity University. The departments at ASET include applied sciences, computer science and engineering, information technology, electronics and communication engineering and automation engineering to name a few. The academic programmes are designed to enable…

International collaborations and compulsory summer internships make students employment-ready at Mody University’s School of Engineering and Technology. “We focus on project-based learning so students complete almost 30 projects by the time they are in their sixth semester. The entrepreneurship and innovation cell is where ideas are mentored, prototyped and grown and the software development cell facilitates live projects,” says V K Jain, Dean, School of Engineering and Technology. Frequent industrial visits to top-notch companies provide students with real-time exposure to the industrial operations. The engineering school also organises guest lectures by professionals from several fields. The institute offers courses in nuclear science and technology, electrical engineering, computer applications and computer science and technology. Well-equipped sports facilities, cultural events and workshops on electronic modelling are also organised regularly. modyuniversity.ac.in OUT-OF-THE-BOX The…

At IIT Bombay (IITB), you can literally do anything you feel like. It doesn’t matter if you are a noob in the field, all you need is enthu (IITB lingo for “enthusiasm”) and dedication. We have a very good support system and staff, and with right effort and commitment, you can go places irrespective of having no prior experience in that field. One of the greatest luxuries of being in IIT Bombay is that it gives you a lot of exposure. Exposure, not restricted to your department alone, but to different departments and fields as well. There are a lot of opportunities for growth such as internships, training opportunities and placements. For an IIT Bombay student, a day begins at 10 am and ends at around 4 am. We…

1 BERTRAND PICCARD SOLAR-POWERED ADVENTURE Aeronautical adventurer, Bertrand Piccard, has circled the Earth in a hot air balloon and now wants to do it on a solar-powered airplane that can fly even at night. Innovative and responsible in a quickly deteriorating environment, this talk is a must watch for engineers. www.ted.com/talks/bertrand_piccard_s_solar_powered_adventure 2 CHRISTIEN MEINDERTSMA HOW PIG PARTS MAKE THE WORLD TURN Author Christien Meindertsma who wrote Pig 05049 takes you through a fascinating journey about 185 non-pork uses of pig parts—from ammunition to artificial organs. www.ted.com/talks/christien_meindertsma_on_pig_05049 3 BURT RUTAN THE FUTURE OF SPACE Space craft designer, Burt Rutan, discussed the stagnation of NASA encouraging private entrepreneurs to help our access to space. A must watch for engineers interested in the universe and humanity’s endeavour to reach for the stars. www.ted.com/talks/burt_rutan_sees_the_future_of_space…

In 2001, Nandita Abraham joined Pearl Academy as faculty member in the School of Creative Business. Cut to now, she is CEO and the academy has grown into a premier design institute with 4,263 students and four campuses. Over the years, Abraham has forged many alliances, such as the Pearl Academy-Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) collaboration and expansion with the Mumbai centre and the Rajouri Garden campus. As member of the FICCI Higher Education Committee, CII National Committee on Design and Executive Committee, IFFTI (International Foundation of Fashion Technology Institutes), few people understand better than her the importance of international collaboration, employability and innovative projects. HOW HAS DESIGN EDUCATION EVOLVED IN INDIA? HAS IT NOT DEEPENED THE DIVIDE BETWEEN ART AND CRAFT? Design has been integral to India for…

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