august 2014

pointoutnews.com august 2014 Vol-1 Issue-7 50 

i n s i d e 

VEGETARIAN, 

TEETOTALER AND 

ARMY CHIEF 

1 

RNI NO: DELENG/2014/55786

Point 

Out 

2 

August 2014

Point 

Out 

cover story 

CHANGING FACE 

OF INDIA 

P 12 

In the last six and a half decade India has seen ups 

and downs like never before. We have had our share 

of success and failures. Looking back, it would be 

easy to point out the failure and find fault. But, we have 

decided not to focus on the ills that plagued, or still 

continue to plague the country, But to see the brighter 

side of it. Hence we are focusing on the changing face 

of India, the sectors that underwent dramatic changes 

and saw great transformation. 

www.pointoutnews.com 

Editor-in-Chief – Dr. Shiv Kumar Rai 

Consulting Editor – Surya Gangadharan 

Feature Editor – Suman 

Editor-South – Vijay Grover 

Special Correspondent – Aarti 

Principal Correspondent – Bipin sasi 

Correspondents – Ranjith Pasam, 

Abhay Kumar 

Design – Manaswi 

Photo Editor – Sanjeev 

Editorial researcher - Kriti 

AD/SALES & CIRCULATION 

+91- 9999280060, 011 23320740 

Business Head- South 

V Sunil Kumar +91- 9160834356 

RNI NO: DELENG/2014/55786 

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Volume 01 Issue 7 

For the month – August 2014 

Total No. of pages 64+Covers 

Head Office 

1201, Nirmal Tower, Barakhamba Road, 

Connaught Place, New Delhi-110001 

Phone- 011-23320740 

3 

NEPAL: MODI STRIKES 

A CHORD 

Point Out Gallery 

Impact 

Feature 

P 26 

P 40 

P 34 

Must read 

Book Review P 44 

Test Drive P 46 

Movers & Shakers P 50 

Forecast P 56 

Gadgets P 58 

Spiritual Touch P 66 

POLITICAL 

report 

THE SILENT 

MAKE OVER IN BJP 

P 65 

cinema 

P 36 

SAIF IS A 

BRILLIANT ACTOR: 

KAREENA

Point 

Out 

• NARENDRA MODI 

‘In the past, there 

used to be a big 

gap between 

the people 

and the processes of 

governance. In the 

past sixty days, the 

experience of his 

Government was that 

there were many people who wanted to 

contribute towards nation-building, and 

devote their time and energy. The only 

thing they required was an opportunity 

to shine and showcase their contribution. 

The MyGov platform is a technologydriven 

medium that would provide this 

opportunity to contribute towards good 

governance. The platform - MyGov - 

presents an opportunity to the citizens to 

both ‘Discuss’ and ‘Do.’ There are multiple 

theme-based discussions on MyGov 

where a wide range of people would share 

their thoughts and ideas. 

• DR HARSH VARDHAN 

‘During my 

career as 

a medical 

practitioner, I 

have had many life 

threatening medical 

cases that the doctors 

here have helped me 

with. I have a lot of 

respect for Indian doctors that’s why I 

have never gone out of the country to 

seek medical treatment. 

• GENERAL DALBIR SINGH SUHAG 

‘My focus will 

be the soldier, 

what ultimately 

matters is the 

man behind the gun. 

I will ensure that our 

soldiers are motivated; 

they are comfortable, 

competently trained 

and provided with the latest weapons and 

equipment. My other focus areas would 

be to enhance the Army's operational 

preparedness and effectiveness as well 

as infrastructure development on the 

borders. Force modernization and 

optimisation of human resources, welfare 

of serving personnel and ex-servicemen 

are issues that are very close to my heart. 

• DIGVIJAY SINGH 

‘It doesn't matter 

whether Sonia 

Gandhi listened 

to her son or the 

MPs; what matters is 

she didn't become the 

PM when she could 

have. Natwar Singh's 

allegations don't put 

him in a good light. His son is a BJP 

MLA; he has been across many parties; 

that point has to be borne in mind. It is 

possible that he is saying all this to create 

a platform for his son. 

• SHARAD YADAV 

‘The way the 

future of Indian 

language 

students is 

being destroyed 

by the UPSC, it is 

like snipping our 

mother tongues. 

These students are 

our future. It is time for them to study 

and they are sitting on roads. The UPSC 

is ensuring that the number of Indian 

language speaking students in the exam is 

coming down by each passing year. 

• ASHISHKUMAR CHAUHAN 

‘India currently 

ranks 134th in 

the world on 

the parameter 

of “Ease of doing 

business”. We may 

disagree to the extent 

of problems in India, 

but it is understood that developments are 

required. We need to create an environment 

where companies and entrepreneurs don’t 

fail just because of lack of access to funds; 

the youth don’t go unemployed due to lack 

of opportunities or lack of skill training. 

• VINOD RAI 

Your Voice 

‘Economic prosperity for Indians is 

not an option – 

it is a necessity. 

Economic 

empowerment can 

be possible if growth 

is founded on good 

governance. Such 

growth is sustainable 

only if it is premised 

on an ethical code of governance. When 

the story of India is written, it should be 

written that governance was the solution 

and not the problem wherein the State was 

the facilitator and not the predator. 

• BHUPINDER SINGH HOODA 

‘No one is 

unhappy 

because of me. 

There is no such 

thing in the party, 

only some individuals 

may have vested 

interest. They may be 

finding excuses, but I have cooperated 

with everyone. 

4 


Point of View 

DIVIDE AND RULE 

F 

or the first time country has elected a PM who has been born after 

Independence and his definition of secularism is simple: 'India First'. 

Whatever you do, wherever you work, India should be the top priority for 

all its citizens. Let us see how he shapes up to make India a peaceful land when 

people of different faith and cultural divide can co-exist. 

An idea about how strong the foundation of Hindu-Muslim unity in India 

can be ascertained by knowing the thoughts of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. 

In his first Presidential speech at the Indian National Congress Conference 

in 1923, he had said that “Today even if an angel descends from the sky and 

announces from the top of Qutab Minar of Delhi that India can be free in 24 

hours if it leaves the idea of Hindu-Muslim unity; I will leave the freedom of 

the nation in favour of the Hindu-Muslim unity because if freedom is delayed, 

it will be a loss only to India, but if there is no unity between the Hindu and 

Muslims, it will be a loss to the entire mankind.” Maulana Azad had often 

publicly criticized the two-nation theory of Jinnah. 

Qurrat-ul-Ain Haider, who had been a witness to the partition of the country, 

realized the intensity of this shared culture very well. It was for this reason 

that she depicted the shared culture in an altogether different style. She said, 

“A child is born to a Muslim family, but the songs they sing are in praise of 

Krishna-Kanhaiya; the Muslim children go from street to street with their 

faces painted blue-and-yellow and they seek blessings for invoking the rains by 

thumping canisters, and alongside they chant loudly – Haathi Ghoda Paalaki, 

Jai Kanhaiya Lal Ki.” Qurrat-ul-Ain Haider also said that “The Muslim veiled 

ladies who never talked to any unknown man during their whole life, when 

they sit with a dholak (a small drum) in their hands, they sing loudly and 

excitedly – Bhari gagari meri dhalkaai tooney, Shyaam haan tooney.” 

There are no two opinions about the fact that only because of this shared 

culture of India we have a unique identity of our own today. While talking 

about the shared culture of India, the following lines of Qurrat-ul-Ain Haider 

come to my mind in which she says – “The diverse culture is not the headline 

of a newspaper, which is forgotten the next day. It is a caption of the history for 

the world, which has remained intact in its own place and also attracts other 

cultures towards it.” 

We did attain freedom from the Britishers, but in the process the country 

got divided. People’s hearts were broken, but political powers, for their own 

benefit, started resorting to communal violence. Even though the Britishers 

were packing their bags to leave India, the after-effects of their game-plan of 

‘Divide and Rule’ are visible even today. 

Dr. Shiv Kumar Rai 

Editor-in-Chief 

5

Point 

Out 

TWITTERATI 

• Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi @ 

naqvimukhtar 

Natwar's book 

Bomb...."Grand 

old party's 

brand new 

embarrassment 

"......First 

rejected,then 

isolated now humiliated... 

• Prakash Javadekar @ 

PrakashJavdekar 

Innovation is 

the sustainable 

way of 

development 

for any Country. 

• digvijaya singh @digvijaya_28 

All right thinking people 

must work for 

Communal 

Harmony 

and take out 

Peace March 

in such areas 

and encourage 

participation of all sections 

• Ajay Maken @ajaymaken 

Feel so proud 

to hear our 

National 

Anthem again 

& again today 

at CWG2014! 

Wrestling has 

brought us great honours! 

Three out of three so far! 

• anand mahindra @ 

anandmahindra 

Well if football 

is the 

'Beautiful 

Game' then 

Kabaddi is 

the 'Braveheart 

Game!' 

• Karan Johar @karanjohar 

Friendship just 

like marriage 

has its fair 

share of 

highs and 

lows...but 

when the base is 

strong it's an unbreakable 

bond.... 

• Javed Akhtar @Javedakhtarjadu 

I get deeply 

touched 

when teams 

in World 

Cup sing 

their anthems 

with reverence n passion. 

How all of us relate to 

national anthems . Wow !! 

• Raj Nayak @ 

rajcheerfull 

15 Gold, 28 

Silver & 19 

Bronze ..Such a 

good feeling, besides cricket 

other sports also flourishing. 

• Shekhar Kapur @shekharkapur 

Lessons of Life 

: If you dont 

believe you 

deserve what 

you dream for, 

why dream at all? 

Dont shatter your dreams for 

a lack of self worth. 

• Anupam Kher @AnupamPkher 

"There may be 

times when we 

are powerless 

to prevent 

injustice, but 

there must 

never be a time 

when we fail to protest. 

• Mahesh Bhatt @MaheshNBhatt 

Aahista chal zindagi, abhi 

kai karz chukana 

baaki hai. Kuch 

dard mitana 

baaki hai, kuch 

farz nibhana 

baaki hai..... 

• Chetan Bhagat @chetan_bhagat 

When you have colorful 

wings, the 

world will 

try to clip 

them. Make 

sure you fly 

high enough 

before you open 

them. 

6 

August august 2014

Point 

Out 

MOM PITCHING FOR VARUN IN UP 

As the BJP braces to keep up with its impressive show in Uttar Pradesh 

during Lok Sabha elections and repeat it is the state assembly polls, party 

leader Maneka Gandhi is learnt to be pitching for Varun Gandhi as to be 

named party’s chief ministerial candidate. Well, how will the party react to 

mom Maneka’s move is not yet clear as she is learnt to have broached the subject 

with few of her close confidants. After having blamed the Congress and Gandhis 

for dynastic rule, will BJP take the bite on Varun? 

NATIONAL PANORAMA 

MIGHT IS RIGHT 

ANYTHING TO STOP 

MODI JAGGERNAUT 

Post Lok Sabha election scenario 

is telling on politics in Bihar. 

Battered and eclipsed from the 

national political, at least for 

this time, the Congress, Rashritya 

Janata Dal led by Lalu Prasad Yadav 

and Janata Dal (United) led by Nistish 

Kumar have joined hand in a bid for 

survival. Unable to fathom the defeat 

and to check its reversal during next 

assembly elections the three parties, 

who were on different pages altogether, 

have joined hands to prevent Modiled 

BJP sweep the state again. Good 

going, for a common foe, they all sank 

their differences and teamed up. How 

well the strategy will work, poll results 

would show. 

Shiv Sena MPs proved this old saying true with the conduct by forcing a chapati down a fasting Muslim employee at 

Maharashtra Bhawan. Reason for the unruly conduct given by sena MPs were that they were being served sub-standard 

food at the Bhawan. Is it that so serious that honourable members should take law into their hands? What about the 

quality of food served of train for which passengers pay a fortune? What about the quality of food served during midday 

meals to children in their constituencies? What about the quality of food a common man gets from the road side? Have 

the MP’s ever dared to taste them or raised their voices? Never. For these men, elected to represent the people their comfort 

comes first. When they get a decent salary, decent by all standard compared to average wage earned by a common man in the 

country, why should these MPs be fed upon by the government? Instead of behaving in an uncivilized manner and hurting the 

sentiments of a fasting individual, what prevented the honourable MPs from going out and eating to their taste? After being 

caught on camera in the act, the MPs and their political outfits are shamelessly justifying their action. They are only forgetting 

that people of the country watching them and what if they pay back the honourable men the same way 

8 


IMPORTANCE OF BEING SADHNA SINGH 

Sadhna Singh, wife of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj 

Singh Chouhan has been in the news recently for all wrong 

reasons. After the mudslinging over her in MP Professional 

Examination Board Scam now, has come up the issue of Ujjain 

district administration bending backwards to extend protocol and 

unhindered access to her at the famous Mahakal temple in Ujjain. On 

July 28, Sadhna, visited Mahakal to offer prayers on the occasion of 

Hindu holy month of Shravan. Her car was allowed by officials into the 

temple premises while several officials from Ujjain escorted her during 

her brief stay at temple town. This at a time when Mahakal temple 

draws maximum rush of devotees on Shravan Somwars and all access 

point to the shrine is sealed and vehicles are not allowed in. 

What is surprising is the fact that the same zeal among temple 

administration and Ujjain district officials were missing when Rajasthan 

Chief Minister Vasundhra Raje came calling to the temple a week later 

on August 4. 

DOING AWAY WITH SKULL CAP! 

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who had 

carefully crafted a very secular image among the minorities over the 

years suddenly made a turnaround, this Eid. After having donned the 

skull cap on all such occasions in the past, Shivraj was seen greeting 

Muslims at Idgah in Bhopal without the skull cap. He accepted one presented to 

him, but politely slipped it to one of his supporters. Is it the Modi affect? 

For Chouhan has been donning the skull cap and had been very vocal about it 

unless, Modi’s statement that wearing skull cap amounts to appeasement came 

earlier this year. At that time Chouhan was hailed as a poster boy – the moderate 

face – among young BJP leaders, as Modi was just the party’s prime ministerial 

candidate. However, equations have changed fast and today Modi is in full control 

of the party and the government. So, a cornered Chouhan, already facing flak over 

the scam in medical entrance and recruitment tests, thought it prudent to do away 

with the skull cap, at least for now. 

9 

»» 

point out team

Point 

Out 

Point 

Out 

10 


SPECIAL EDITorial 

dr. shiv kumar rai 

TIME TO REDEEM 

OURSELVES 

At the stroke of midnight on August 15, 1947 when 

India’s tryst with destiny began it marked the end 

of despair among a generation who were ruled and 

dictated by forces for more than two centuries. There 

was enthusiasm about nationhood, pride, optimism and 

above all hope. Hope, of nation that will provide equality, 

literacy, health, jobs and growth and development for all 

its residents. Hope that the new nation would be a model 

secular, democratic country where people of different faiths 

would co-exist and would script growth and development 

hand-in-hand. Hope that as a nation with its deep rooted 

tradition and cultural values and civilization it would lead the 

world to the path of righteousness and peace. 

More than six and a half decades after that journey began 

what have we achieved and where are we headed to? Well 

sitting and passing a judgment is an easy task. 

Organising and strengthening a week federal structure, 

putting on track a tattering economy that was purely 

agrarian dependent on vagaries of climate, emphasizing 

on industrialization with practically no industrial presence, 

providing access to quality education, healthcare and 

jobs to all soon turned out to be an arduous task, easy 

to conceptualize on papers but difficult to replicate 

in practice. And to cap it, the vacuum left by colonial 

rulers were soon filled by a bunch of power hungry lot – 

politicians, bureaucrats, businessmen and even common 

man who worked seamlessly to devise short cuts for all 

policies aimed to benefit ‘self’ instead of ‘all’. The pride of 

nationhood went missing taking the sting out of our growth 

and development plan. 

Still, thanks to a largely upright section of population, 

despite having frittered away the strengths and losing the 

initiative today as a nation we cannot be written off. Thanks 

to the zeal and innovative skills of people, who believed 

in India, in themselves we are still as relevant as ever. 

Frustrated, fighting with red-tape at home they have kept on 

while others have moved out traversing the globe and with 

their knowledge, professional skills and entrepreneurship 

are scripting a new chapter about India. 

Today, time has given us another opportunity to redeem 

ourselves. As a nation, we are on the threshold once again. 

As opportunity beacons, we must rise to the occasion and 

do without fear or favour what is right for the larger cause 

wherever we are and whatever we are doing. 

We must put nation before self. 

11

Point 

Out 

COVER STORY 

CHANGING FACE OF INDIA 

12CHANGING FA 


In the last six and a half decade 

India has seen ups and downs like 

never before. We have had our share 

of success and failures. Looking 

back, it would be easy to point out 

the failure and find fault. But, we 

have decided not to focus on the ills 

that plagued, or still continue to 

plague the country, But to see the 

brighter side of it. Hence we are 

focusing on the changing face of 

India, the sectors that underwent 

dramatic changes and saw great 

transformation. 

CE OF INDIA 

13

Point 

Out 

COVER STORY 


Despite political differences, elections are held - by and large in a very fair 

process- and governments change without any fracas. The winner takes it all and 

the runner ups pledge to re-dedicate themselves in the service of people and to 

win back their confidence. Where else in the world such a smooth transition of 

government follows! 

DEMOCRATIC 

VALUES 

»» 

point out team 

India’s story of growth and struggle 

is what makes it inspirational. A 

billion aspirations and rising want 

a resurgent India, a country that 

is strong yet peaceful that provides 

equality and equal opportunity for all. 

The journey of more than six decades 

has brought some cheers as we still are 

one single entity as a nation with strong 

democratic values much to the disbelief 

of a large section of the world. When 

we became independent most countries 

and their leaders were skeptical that 

India would last long. Considering the 

vast cultural and linguistic diversity in 

different regions of the country, most 

had written India off considering that 

it will break up. But we have shown to 

the world that despite cultural barriers, 

different religious beliefs and poverty 

we can co-exist as a nation. We did it, 

that too with very unstable neighbors 

and in a region labeled potentially 

volatile. That the world now looks up on 

us as an example of unity in diversity is 

a testimony of our growth. This for us is 

the single most significant achievement 

of the country. 

Despite political differences, elections 

are held – by and large in a very fair 

process— and governments change 

without any fracas. The winner takes it all 

and the runner ups pledge to re-dedicate 

themselves in the service of people and 

to win back their confidence. Where else 

in the world such a smooth transition of 

government follows! 

MILITARY MIGHT 

India’s military has grown and seen a 

transformation with the best weaponry 

and fighter jets. Considering our 

landmass and blue waters Indian forces 

will have to play and significant role 

to protect its interests in future. The 

largest standing volunteer Army in the 

world, Indian Army is in a phase of 

transition from conventional warfare to 

information enabled warfare. So is the 

Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy. 

The forces have been guarding the nation 

round the clock and have established 

their credentials with best practices. 

Starting from a total dependence on 

foreign countries for defence equipment 

India has come a long way. Today it 

is building combat tanks, artillery, 

transport and combat helicopters and 

jets, besides naval ships and missiles. 

14 


Indian defence forces too are aware about 

the present day need of not only guarding 

the borders but also all vital installations 

within the country and securing its air 

and sea routes for economic growth. 

Today the forces of the country can boast 

to be equipped with some of the finest 

and most modern equipment. 

INFRASTRUCTURE 

Poor roads, rail and air connectivity has 

remained a bane for India for a long while 

but the nation is overcoming it. Some 

of its metro cities have infrastructure 

as good as anywhere in the world. 

With a burgeoning population and its 

expectations now, the country is moving 

to develop smart cities that would give a 

run to the metros. Privatisation of airlines 

has brought in more players and have 

vastly improved air connectivity map 

in the country. Likewise, expressways 

and toll bridges besides skyscrapers and 

malls with recreational amenities are 

no more limited to foreign countries. 

Indian Railways with all its limitations 

and criticism has gone on to become the 

largest railway in the world transporting 

people more than the population of 

Australia daily. Improvement in air, rail 

and road connectivity have ushered in 

economic growth along the region as well. 

As cities and opportunities have grown 

so have industries and industrial output. 

Today we have industries involved with 

off shore rigging to manufacturing 

aeroplanes and satellites. While state 

owned ONGC is making waves acquiring 

oil fields in Middle East and far Africa, 

ISRO is graduating into world finest 

and cheapest satellite launch centre with 

15 

Poor roads, rail and air connectivity 

has remained a bane for India for a 

long while but the nation is overcoming 

it. Some of its metro cities have 

infrastructure as good as anywhere in 

the world. Now, the country is moving 

to develop smart cities that would give 

a run to the metros. 

proven capabilities that are enviable. 

Tata Motors under Ratan Tata went 

on with the acquisition of Jaguar Land 

Rover while Laxmi Mittal is turning out 

to be the steel king of the world. While 

India’s giant companies like BHEL, L&T, 

SAIL, HAL are much talked about it is 

the IT companies that brought about 

a perceptible change in the image of 

India. Tata Consultacy, Wipro, Infosys 

among others have made India proud 

and helped place the country as the back 

office of the developed world. 

INFORMATION 

TECHNOLOGY 

The biggest revolution in the country 

has been the information technology 

revolution. While trained manpower 

in India seized the opportunity, 

communication has undergone a 

complete change. So much so, that the 

post offices that once was the centre of 

rural communication is struggling for 

existence. From wire telephones and the 

days of STD and ISD, India has seen a 

growth of a wireless telephony a nd digital 

communication like e-mail and social 

media. No part of the rural area in the 

country remains unconnected while 

AGRICULTURE 

India being an agrarian economy has 

continued to remain so and hardly has 

any government deviated from it. From a 

nation, that once starved for food it has 

buffer for a billion and is also feeding 

a large part of the globe. The green 

revolution led by eminent scientist Dr MS 

Swaminathan, and white revolution led 

by Dr Varghese Kurien have catapulted 

India to the rank of leading agriculture 

producing nations. India is among the 

larget producer of milk, thank to Anand 

and score of its cooperatives replicated 

in the country while it is the largest 

producer of wheat and cereals. With 

development, farm techniques have 

undergone a dramatic change paving the 

way for increased agricultural yield. 

The biggest concern before the 

government now is securing safe storage 

of the farm yield so that it can reach out to 

every individual to cater to their hunger 

and needs.

Point 

Out 

COVER STORY 


VISION FOR INDIA 

Vision 2020, too, does not belong 

to any single party, government 

or individual. It is a national 

vision. A nation where poverty has 

been totally eradicated, illiteracy 

removed, crimes against women and 

children absent, and no one in the 

society feels alienated. 

»» 

Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam 

Transforming India into a 

developed nation entails a 

vision of a country whose 

citizens live well above the 

poverty line, their education and health 

are of high standards, national security is 

assured, and core competence in certain 

major areas enables the production of 

quality goods—for competitive exports 

as well—bringing all-round prosperity 

to the country. 

The process of chalking out such a 

vision was set in motion more than two 

decades ago. Let me share with you my 

experience from the mid-1990s about 

the formulation of a vision for India for 

the year 2020. I was given the task of 

chairing the Technology Information, 

Forecasting and Assessment Council 

(TIFAC), an autonomous body set 

up in 1988 under the Government 

of India’s department of science and 

technology (DST) to look ahead in 

16 


Point 

Out 

COVER STORY 


technologies and support innovation in 

select areas of national importance. At 

the first meeting itself, council members 

decided that TIFAC must evolve a plan 

for India’s transformation into an 

economically developed nation by 2020. 

But it was a time when the economic 

liberalization initiated by then Prime 

Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao had just 

begun to take effect, and everybody on 

the council wondered how we could 

evolve a long-term mission under 

the prevailing economic and social 

conditions which could very well be 

completely different from those twenty 

years later. At a time when the economy 

was growing at around 5 per cent to 6 

per cent per annum, we had to envisage 

a growth rate of at least 10 per cent 

consistently for over ten years in order 

to realize the development of a billion 

democratic, multi-lingual, multireligious 

and multi-cultural people. 

Distinctive Profile of a Developed India 

Now, let me tell you what an 

economically developed India should 

look like by 2020: 

1. A nation where the rural-urban divide 

has been reduced to a thin line. 

2. A nation where there is an equitable 

distribution of, and adequate access 

A nation where the best of healthcare is available to all. A 

nation where education with a good value system is not denied 

to any meritorious candidates because of societal or economic 

discrimination. 

to, energy and quality water. 

3. A nation where agriculture, industry 

and the service sector work together 

in symphony. 

4. A nation where education with a good 

value system is not denied to any 

meritorious candidates because of 

societal or economic discrimination. 

5. A nation which is the best destination 

for the most talented scholars, 

scientists, and investors from around 

the world. 

6. A nation where the best of healthcare 

is available to all. 

7. A nation where governance is 

responsive, transparent and 

corruption-free. 

8. A nation where poverty has been 

totally eradicated, illiteracy removed, 

crimes against women and children 

absent, and no one in the society 

feels alienated. 

9. A nation that is prosperous, healthy, 

secure, devoid of terrorism, peaceful 

and happy, and continues on a 

sustainable growth path. 

10. A nation that is one of the best 

places to live in and is proud of its 

leadership. 

Integrated Action for a Developed 

India 

In order to realize this distinctive profile, 

we have to transform India in five areas 

where India has core competence: 

1. Agriculture and food processing 

2. Education and healthcare 

3. Information and communication 

technology 

4. Infrastructure development, which 

includes reliable and quality electric 

power, surface transport and 

infrastructure for all parts of the 

country including rural and urban 

areas under PURA 

5. Self-reliance in critical technologies 

18 


Challenges Involved in Realizing the 

Vision 

The India Vision 2020 document was 

prepared at the time of Prime Minister 

P.V. Narasimha Rao. It was given to 

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, 

who announced in Parliament as 

well as in one of his Independence 

Day addresses that India will become 

an economically developed nation 

before 2020. 

Vision 2020, too, does not belong 

to any single party, government or 

individual. It is a national vision. Once 

the government commits to realizing 

it, it has to be discussed and debated 

in detail by all elected representatives 

in Parliament so that a national 

consensus—incorporating the concerns 

of all stakeholders such as the executive, 

the judiciary, the political class, media, 

intellectuals, academia, business, 

industry, teachers, doctors, farmers, 

and the youth of the nation—emerges. 

Hence the elected leader of the nation— 

the driving force behind the vision— 

19 

India’s youth should not keep away 

from politics but enter it to inspire, 

guide and lead to make this nation 

great in all disciplines. The ignited 

minds of the youth are bubbling 

with the spirit of ‘I can do it’ and 

the belief that ‘India will become a 

developed nation’. 

should be a creative leader who walks 

an unexplored path of developmental 

politics with the cooperation of other 

parties, using the core competences of 

other leaders, intellectuals, able and 

creative minds from all disciplines 

irrespective of their party affiliations, to 

realize the vision. 

It is only our political system that 

gives the required support to farmers, 

scientists, engineers, doctors, teachers, 

advocates and other professionals alike 

to enable this nation to achieve success in 

the green revolution, white revolution, 

the space mission, defence mission, 

science and technology mission, and 

infrastructure development mission. 

What we are today is because of our 

political system. India’s youth should 

not keep away from politics but enter 

it to inspire, guide and lead to make 

this nation great in all disciplines. 

The ignited minds of the youth are 

bubbling with the spirit of ‘I can do it’ 

and the belief that ‘India will become 

a developed nation’. If you all feel that 

you can do it, India will certainly get the 

necessary creative leadership at all levels 

from panchayat to parliament. These 

ignited minds will sing the song of youth 

and lead the nation towards sustainable 

development. I strongly believe that 

the youth of my nation, by entering 

politics, will build a brand of integrity, 

honesty, value system, courage, 

commitment and responsibility with 

accountability around them and 

practise developmental politics. 

(The author is former President of India 

and an eminent scientist).

Point 

Out 

COVER STORY 


WE HAVE MUCH TO LOOK FORWARD 

Apart from excellence in knowledge and skill, the human 

values in our culture are a treasure by themselves. 

The ideals of service, sacrifice, loyalty and friendship 

depicted in historical texts and folk stories point to a very 

refined way of life. 

»» 

Sri Sri Ravishankar 

Through several millenia, India 

has seen the ever flowing current 

of time take many turns in its 

history. In the ancient times, 

India was referred to as the 'Golden Bird'. 

In fact, the time when spirituality was at 

its peak here, prosperity was also at its 

zenith. Spirituality was very much tied 

with sciences - both academic and social. 

We find treatises written on a diverse 

array of subjects, from mathematics, 

astronomy, medicine and even politics 

and economics by ancient rishis. Even 

till the medieval ages, India had a major 

share of the world's exports. The quality 

of fabric, ornaments, spices and other 

materials coming from India was what 

attracted invasions from the Middle East 

and later the European colonialists. 

Apart from excellence in knowledge and 

skill, the human values in our culture are 

a treasure by themselves. The ideals of 

service, sacrifice, loyalty and friendship 

depicted in historical texts and folk 

stories point to a very refined way of life. 

So rich is our heritage that a thousand 

years of invasions and slavery could not 

completely erase it. Even in the struggle 

for independence, it was a movement 

based on non-violence that united the 

whole nation. 

Going forward, we must embrace both 

the ancient and the new; broaden the 

vision and deepen the roots. There are 

seven areas that India can be proud 

of and if paid attention to, can work 

wonders for our economy as well. 

1. Tourism: 

The variety of geographical landscape 

that we have is not available anywhere 

else in one country. Apart from scenic 

destinations, we have sites all over 

with rich ancient history associated 

with them. We can do a lot more to 

develop all these as international 

tourist destinations. 

2. Food: 

A few years ago, we had a vegetarian 

food festival and our volunteers 

prepared 5600 food items - seven 

tons of different types of food! And 

this variety was just from Gujarat. 

Likewise, every state has hundreds 

of dishes. Indian restaurants are a big 

hit in several countries. While pizza 

and burger joints are present in every 

city today, we have not done enough 

to showcase the variety in our food 

preparations. 

3. Music and dance: 

In India traditional music and dance 

20 


has had a higher purpose, that of 

connecting with oneself. That is why 

it has so much depth. The way that 

various emotions and feelings find 

expression through our dance and 

music is exquisite and matchless. 

We have seen that the West deeply 

appreciates these art forms from 

India. 

4. Dress and Jewelry: 

Despite being the oldest living civilization, it appears that time is only 

making the face of India more vibrant and younger - nearly two thirds 

of our population is below 35. The advent of social media has given 

voice to the people and everything that affects the country is now 

under the keen gaze of our educated population. 

Before medieval times, Indian 

garments and jewelry used to be 

imported to Europe and were in big 

demand there. India introduced 

diamonds to the world and still has 

the largest diamond cutting and 

polishing industry. 

5. Information Technology: 

7. Spirituality: 

Although scientists like Einstein and 

Tesla in the past have greatly valued 

Vedic knowledge, more people are 

realizing its depth now. For example, 

New York University Press has 

published a version of Yoga Vasistha. 

Meditation and yoga have also 

become a global trend. 

There are several challenges ahead toocrimes 

against women, corruption, 

education and good governance are 

some of the major issues facing us. 

However, we have much to look forward 

to too. Despite being the oldest living 

civilization, it appears that time is only 

making the face of India more vibrant 

and younger - nearly two thirds of our 

population is below 35. The advent 

of social media has given voice to the 

people and everything that affects the 

country is now under the keen gaze of 

our educated population. The last few 

years have shown us that our youth have 

awakened to national interest. With their 

enthusiasm and energy I am sure we will 

restore India's former glory and take Her 

to the rightful place on the world stage. 

(The author is a spiritual guru and 

founder of Art of Living) 

21 

Young Indian engineers and 

entrepreneurs have proven their 

mettle in this field. 

6. Ayurveda: 

Despite all the technology, modern 

medicine has not succeeded in 

providing total health care. It has 

become evident that treating just 

the physical body is not sufficient. 

Ayurveda is a holistic and complete 

system of medicine that is 5,000 

years old. It is time-tested and is fast 

becoming the system of the future.

Point 

Out 

COVER STORY 


LEARN TO RESPECT WOMEN 

In view of the gravity of the situation concerning repeated incidents 

of brutal rapes and atrocities concerning women. We are being 

internationally condemned in this regard. Therefore this is an open 

letter to our Prime Minister to please consider the following in his 

independence day message: with similar request to State CMs to 

follow the spirit. 

»» 

dr. Kiran Bedi 

Does every rapist not have 

parents? Does every rapist 

not have a teacher? Don't 

rapists have a family and close 

friends? Then? Where is the mind of a 

rapist coming from? Where is it getting 

formed? Home? School? College? 

Neighborhood? TV? Item Songs? 

Mobile technology? Or 

So where do we begin the prevention 

of such a mindset before the systems 

respond, which being---police, 

crisis centers, forensics, law, courts, 

prosecution, witnesses and prisons and 

more? India needs a mindset revolution 

at the people level first, alongside all 

other institutions. 

This social revolution to be electric and 

magnetic will have to be led by no other 

than one person and position---Mr 

Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister's 

Office. Because when PM speaks, 

country listens. When PMO coordinates 

the government is synergised. The 

beginning of this revolution could be 

from the Ramparts of the Red Fort, in 

PM's first Independence day message to 

the nation when the entire country will 

be glued to their televisions, listening. 

We cannot lose this national day. 

In view of the gravity of the situation 

concerning repeated incidents of 

brutal rapes and atrocities concerning 

women. We are being internationally 

condemned in this regard. Therefore this 

is an open letter to our Prime Minister 

to please consider the following in his 

independence day message: with similar 

request to State CMs to follow the spirit. 

Here are the messages required for this 

social revolution. Beginning with: 

1) All parents to take responsibility for 

the children they give birth to. They 

must instill a sense of responsibility 

in their sons and courage in their 

daughters equally. Responsible 

behaviour respects all. It can never 

commit rapes! They must ensure that 

homes are safe havens where no crime 

against a woman takes place. Parents 

have to take responsibility to be the 

first teachers of their children. 

2) Message for school teachers. Their role 

is not only to make students pass the 

class courses and get marks but ensure 

they learn value based life skills which 

ensures civility in their behaviour 

towards all. Persons groomed in civil 

behaviour do not commit rapes! They 

are sensitive to others dignity. 

3) To people at large. If they see a woman 

in distress, in their neighbourhood, in 

their community, or in a public place 

they must respond, intervene and 

not walk away as is the case today. It's 

about responsible citizenship. 

4) To his own political fraternity. To 

be respectful. They cannot afford to 

say anything which brings down the 

respect towards women. No casual 

remark which causes disrespect 

be tolerated. They instead need 

to take charge of their respective 

constituencies, go house to house to 

drive the change. Like they went house 

to house with folded hands to get 

votes! And hold corner meeting to fast 

track the social revolution. 

5) To tell the cops that no Government 

will tolerate their callous or 

unprofessional response to any 

complaint of crime against a woman. 

They must not accept any interference 

in the process of investigation. They 

must also be diagnostic and inform 

people of what is causing such crimes 

for people and all other stakeholders 

to do correction. 

6) To the district administration. To 

ensure the Panchayats do not demean 

women's position. On any grounds of 

caste or creed. They need to mount 

vigil in their respective villages 

through community policing. 

7) For his own government, that it will 

ensure speedy justice! On all counts. 

PM could assure country men and 

women that he will lead the social 

revolution and will set up a task force 

to oversee it and report directly to 

him. He will review the situation every 

three months and do all that it takes 

to change of mindset that hereafter 

22 


no one will tolerate violation of a 

women's dignity. Last but not the least 

PM could urge the media to exercise 

self regulation and self restraint in 

project women which is derogatory to 

the dignity of women! 

Finally It’s all about self regulation and 

mutual responsibility In brief we are 

talking of a 6 P comprehensive plan 

of crime prevention. It's people, 

politicians, police, prosecution, prisons 

and press. 

Once this revolution is announced by 

the Prime Minister on August 15th from 

the Ramparts of Redfort it will assume 

a whole new dimension of seriousness. 

Perhaps override all the misstatements 

made so far by several politicians which 

are haunt us repeatedly! Prime Minister 

Modi by giving a call for respect and 

safety of women and turning it into a 

Social Revolution will be correcting 

historical and cultural infirmities which 

have seeped into our mindsets! And in 

our DNA It will not change in one year- 

--it may require all his terms and more. 

But the decline will have got checked and 

hope revived! 

Honorable Prime Minister Sir what 

purpose will strong economy and skills 

development be in a country where half 

23 

Today, with women coming 

into positions of power, they 

need to remain sensitive to 

others needs. They must give 

to their own juniors and peers 

what they are looking for 

themselves. 

it's population feels insecure? And lacks 

basic security infrastructure? India owes 

it to itself. India owes it to the world 

community! 

Today, with women coming into 

positions of power, they need to remain 

sensitive to others needs. They must give 

to their own juniors and peers what they 

are looking for themselves. These include 

congratulating, mentoring, promotions, 

training, recognition, communication, 

sharing and transparency. All that they 

want for themselves, they must equally 

become givers for those they supervise 

and lead, independent of whether they 

get what they need from their own 

seniors. 

Women are perceived to be givers 

and sharers. Hence we must continue 

to build on this positive perception and 

belief. Perhaps we are ‘hardwire’ on this 

when young. Hence we need not change 

what is our strength just because other 

do not endorse or support it. 

Women today have a wide range of 

choices to make all the time. Earlier 

there were none whatsoever – exactly 

like the TV channels. From no TV to 

one Doordarshan channel with only a 

black and white TV, to a wide variety 

of colour television with hundreds of 

competing channels. What a world of a 

difference! 

Similarly, the world of a woman 

used to be her home and family. Her 

basic security was the gold ornaments 

she received at the time of marriage 

and from her husband and sons. Her 

journey was from her parent’s home 

to her husband’s. She was expected to 

serve unquestioningly. She personally 

owned nothing. Everything belonged to 

the elders and the husband. Anything 

asked from her, she was expected to part 

with. There was not much conflict, for 

there was no choice. 

(The author is a retired Indian Police 

Service officer and a social activist)

Point 

Out 

GALLERY 

GALLA 

GALLERY 

GALLARY 

1 2 

GALLE 

3 

4 

The Flag Foundation of 

India and the New Delhi 

Municipal Council have 

together set up the flag 

inside the Central Park 

in Connaught Place.The 

flag is 60 feet in width and 

90 feet in length and is 

hoisted on the top of a 207 

feet tall flag pole. 

24 


RY 

GALLA 

GALLERY 

GALLARY 

GALLERY 

GALLA 

ALLERY 

5 

6 

25

Point 

Out 

26 


Point 

Out 

28 


Point 

Out 

30 


Point 

Out 

32 


Point 

Out 

Impact Feature 

CoBRA SQUARE 

REACHING OUT TO PEOPLE 

CoBRA SQUARE aims to provide exhibit space for banks, 

housing finance companies, insurance companies, property 

developers, construction firms and automobile companies. It is 

envisaged to be a winning formula of social cohesion, enabling the 

people of the chosen city and surrounding areas to come together 

at the nearest venue in a relaxed environment infused with a 

positive spirit to boost up business activity. 

Spurt in growth and exposure to 

higher standards of living has left 

the average Indian to spend more 

on moveable and immovable 

consumer products, but with little time 

at his end to make an informed or smart 

choice. Easy availability of loans and 

growth in real estate and automobile 

sector has lured every individual to turn 

into reality their dream of owning a house 

or car. 

However, while doing so, it has been 

witnessed that hard pressed for time to 

make the right choices, as they have to hop 

around one office or project to the other 

and as and when the project is finalized 

banks have to be tapped for finances. To 

cut short this problem endured by working 

professionals and others, an innovative 

initiate titled CoBRA (Convention of 

Banks, Realties & Automobiles) SQUARE 

is being held at Hyderabad in October later 

this year. 

CoBRA SQUARE is an exposition mooted 

by Revathi Creative Communications, a 

leading advertising and event management 

company. The initiative is aimed to bring 

banks, real estate developers and auto 

sector under one roof at select destinations 

within the city and to reach out to a large 

34 


Impact Feature 

the exposition. 

The initial event of CoBRA SQUARE in Hyderabad would be held at four 

strategically situated venues simultaneously covering an area of 600 sq kms 

covering a population of over 6,000,000. The event would take place for 3 days 

and the expected footfalls during the span are over 100,000 of relevant target 

group at each venue even by a conservative estimate. 

number of people. CoBRA SQUARE aims 

to provide exhibit space for banks, housing 

finance companies, insurance companies, 

property developers, construction firms 

and automobile companies. It is envisaged 

to be a winning formula of social cohesion, 

enabling the people of the chosen city and 

surrounding areas to come together at the 

nearest venue in a relaxed environment 

infused with a positive spirit to boost up 

business activity. 

The layout of the convention 

The chief promoter of Cobra Square 

Sarveshwar Reddy elucidates, “In the wake 

of proliferation of trade fair organizations 

on the one hand and the undifferentiated 

format in which the fairs are organized 

on the other, there has been a need for 

an unorthodox move for long. That is 

precisely what provides the raison d’etre 

for Cobra Square. To put it simply, Cobra 

Square is essentially a reversal format 

wherein instead of the prospects going all 

the way to wherever the event is held, the 

exhibitors themselves reach out to them at 

the place closest to them. Multiple venues 

mean multiplicity of business transactions. 

Cobra Square is a culmination of my 

close observation and association with 

trade events for a long time and lengthy 

conversations with the exhibitors of our 

own show Weaves across the country and 

entrepreneurs across banking, real estate 

and automobile sectors.” 

The layout of the convention would be 

designed to maximize traffic of relevant 

target audience - upscale and upwardly 

mobile strata, business owners looking to 

expand their business opportunities and 

corporate houses wishing to extend their 

marketing and promotion networks. 

It is an exposition with a difference. It is 

different in that it is an exposition organized 

simultaneously in multiple venues at 

strategic locales within a city so that the 

exhibitors could reach out to a wider base 

of customers. Due to such dispersion, 

the event is expected to draw maximum 

number of footfalls (which is the key 

performance indicator) particularly in the 

context of big and burgeoning cities like 

Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi, Bangalore and 

Hyderabad as the prospective visitors need 

not commute longer distances confronting 

traffic snarls in order to visit the venue of 

The initial event 

“Not just the number of footfalls, what also 

matters is the sort of visitors that an event 

draws. Cobra Square takes care of both 

the aspects squarely. We have done an 

exhaustive study and eventually drawn up 

a blueprint of an operational plan that is in 

line with the set objectives and goals of the 

proposed event. In the course of mapping 

out the nitty-gritty of Cobra Square, every 

minutiae has been paid the due attention 

that it deserves. As they say, the God is in 

details. And no detail has been ignored or 

overlooked,” says the co-promoter of the 

convention Sunil Kumar Vallabh. 

The initial event of CoBRA SQUARE 

in Hyderabad would be held at 

four strategically situated venues 

simultaneously covering an area of 600 

sq kms covering a population of over 

6,000,000. The event would take place for 

3 days and the expected footfalls during 

the span are over 100,000 of relevant target 

group at each venue even by a conservative 

estimate. Eventually, the canvas will be 

extended to cover all the major cities 

across the country. 

The proposed event 

“All in all, the idea is to develop a feasible 

model which could be replicated elsewhere 

easily and successfully. We have a team of 

think-tank working on it for days on end 

with an unflagging zeal. Cobra Square 

represents an innovation which could 

perhaps trigger off a lot more innovation 

in the way trade fairs are organized,” 

avers another associate of the project 

Lakshmikant. 

The proposed event draws its strength from 

the expertise of its organizers, Revathi 

Creative Communications which has built 

up a formidable reputation in the domains 

of advertising and event management. The 

company is credited with holding over 300 

exhibitions by the name ‘Weaves’ across 

the country besides organizing numerous 

road shows and fashion shows for 

renowned organizations. The organizers 

are embarking on a comprehensive 

marketing and communications campaign 

covering the entire media spectrum. 

»» 

For any queries please connect to 

cobrasquare14@gmail.com 

35

Point 

Out 

POLITICAL report 

36 


THE SILENT 

MAKE OVER IN BJP 

It was just last year that Modi pulled out Shah from Gujarat 

and placed him as party national general secretary and handed 

him the charge of crucial state of Uttar Pradesh, in the Hindi 

heartland. In less than a year the man rose to be the party 

president. At 49, Shah is the youngest president of the party and 

it itself speaks of his spectacular rise and the total control Prime 

Minister Narendra Modi exercises on the party. 

»» 

POLITICAL BUREAU 

There was a silent change in 

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) 

organisation in the last fortnight, 

which seem revolutionary, 

marking the beginning of a strong and 

uncompromising party with Hindu 

nationalism at its core. Not that BJP 

was any different, but the new faces 

in the form of Amit Shah taking over 

BJP as its president and two senior 

Rashtriya Swayemsevak Sangh (RSS) 

functionaries Ram Madhav and Shiv 

Prakash shifting to BJP, it is on way to 

its makeover. 

Madhav, the RSS spokesperson is a well 

known face while Shiv Prakash, RSS 

chief in Uttar Pradesh had successfully 

teamed up with Amit Shah to give BJP 

an impressive result from the state in 

the recent concluded Lok Sabha general 

elections. While Madhav and Prakash 

are sent by the mentor organization, 

RSS to strengthen its coordination 

37 

between the government and party 

and itself, Prime Minister Narendra 

Modi, an RSS ideologue himself, had 

his way in getting Amit Shah elevated as 

president of BJP. 

Shah has taken over from Union 

Home Minister Rajnath, who gave his 

term midway after joining the Union 

cabinet. With his elevation as national 

BJP president, Shah has had a dream 

run in the last one year. It was just 

last year that Modi pulled out Shah 

from Gujarat and placed him as party 

national general secretary and handed 

him the charge of crucial state of Uttar 

Pradesh, in the Hindi heartland. In less 

than a year the man rose to be the party 

president. At 49, Shah is the youngest 

president of the party and it itself speaks 

of his spectacular rise and the total 

control Prime Minister Narendra Modi 

exercises on the party. 

To be honest to Shah, Shah who had 

rarely been to UP went around entire 

state soon after he was put in charge 

of the state and his assessment that if 

BJP has to win UP it has to empower 

fresh blood proved dead right. He went 

around the task meticulously, keeping 

Modi in the loop and making drastic 

changes in the party and putting fresh 

faces in charge at the state, division, 

district and booth level. Taking a cue 

from his boss, Shah also used all forms 

of media, be it social media, internet, 

SMSes, cable TVs or the traditional 

media to effectively reach out to young 

generation and connect with them. His 

efforts paid off when BJP won 71 out 

of the 80 Lok Sabha seats from Uttar 

Pradesh, surprising some of the most 

die-hard BJP leaders and supporters. 

Once Modi led BJP crossed the magical 

figure or ‘mission 272’ on its own, he 

knew it was his time. In the government 

formation he exercised a total control 

and kept ministers on a tight leash and 

now he exercised his command and 

authority on the party by getting Shah 

elevated as party president. There was

Point 

Out 

POLITICAL report 

AMIT SHAH, MODI’S MAN 

Amit Shah, who joined BJP in 1986, a year 

before Modi joined the party, was active with 

BJP’s youth wing the Bharatiya Janata Yuva 

Morcha (BJYM) since 1983 in Gujarat. He 

gradually rose in the BJYM hierarchy becoming its 

state vice-president and later campaigned for senior 

BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani in Gandhinagar during 

the 1991 Lok Sabha elections. 

When Keshubhai Patel formed the first BJP 

government in Gujarat In 1995, he faced trouble 

from a strong Congress. It was here that Modi and 

Shah teamed up to work a strategy to wean away 

influential Congress leaders from the rural areas into 

the BJP. Initially, no one noticed but the impact it had 

on Congress was over the years in most places in 

the state and district-level, it was left with no second 

command. 

Thus the friendship of 80’s between Shah and Modi 

worked and continued to pay electoral dividends 

when Modi went on to become the state’s Chief 

Minister. Modi trusted Shah and entrusted him with 

party jobs which he did meticulously. Even in the 

decade after post-Godhra riots, the two successfully 

weathered the storm and ensured electoral success 

for BJP in Gujarat. 

Once, Modi moved on to national stage he was quick 

to realize that to win general elections comfortably 

BJP will have to do well in the Hindi heartland of Uttar 

Pradesh and Bihar. He leaned on his trusted aide 

Shah putting him in charge of UP, a decision that most 

BJP senior leaders though would backfire. But never 

a man who stops surprising, Shah weaned a magic 

for BJP that led to decimation of not only Congress 

but the entire opposition parties in UP. 

After achieving “Mission 272” and Modi taking over 

as Prime Minister, it was only a matter of time that he 

had his lieutenant take charge of party affairs at the 

national level. 

38 


no visible dissent in the party as Shah 

was named president, even as some 

predictable faces tipped for BJP chief’s 

position were just steamrolled. 

Shah appointment was also not 

questioned by the RSS, which too 

learned from the bitter experience 

of the past wanting a strong party 

president while the party being in 

power. Experiments with dedicated 

party leaders like Bangaru Laxman and 

late Kushabhau Thakre during NDA 

rule and later J Krishnamurthy was not 

something that the party could gloat on. 

So the sangh too wanted a strong man 

to head the party while the government 

already was headed by a strong leader 

in Narendra Modi. Considering Shah’s 

background and his equations with 

Modi, sangh had no problem endorsing 

his name. 

After taking over the party, Shah is 

likely to entrust Ram Madhav and 

Shiv Prakash crucial jobs as and when 

he constitutes his new team. Madhav 

is tipped to be a BJP national general 

secretary. Shah’s first test would now 

be the assembly elections due in four 

states, and more than any Maharashtra 

needs his magic. 

After having tested the waters with stray 

statements by some junior ministers 

over uniform civil code, Jammu and 

Kashmir issue and relations with 

Pakistan the RSS and BJP hopes it is 

time for its leaders to take a stand and 

push for its agenda. How well, it would 

succeed?, only time would tell. 

He went around the task meticulously, keeping 

Modi in the loop and making drastic changes in 

the party and putting fresh faces in charge at the 

state, division, district and booth level. Taking a 

cue from his boss, Shah also used all forms of 

media, be it social media, internet, SMSes, cable 

TVs or the traditional media to effectively reach 

out to young generation and connect with them. 

His efforts paid off when BJP won 71 out of the 

80 Lok Sabha seats from Uttar Pradesh, surprising 

some of the most die-hard BJP leaders and 

supporters. 

39

Point 

Out 

indo nepal 

NEPAL: MODI STRIKES 

A CHORD 

40 


»» 

SURYA GANGADHARAN 

The most striking image of Prime 

Minister NarendraModi on his 

Nepal visit: Greeting Nepalis on 

the streets of Kathmandu, and 

clad in saffron robes ahead of his puja in 

the sacred precincts of the Pashupatinath 

Temple. 

41 

It was good going for an Indian Prime 

Minister, more so one on an official 

visit there after 17 years. Makes you 

think what has gone wrong with 

Indian foreign policy that a visit to a 

neighboring country becomes such a 

chore. It underscores the impression that 

they are not important to Big Brother 

India. It was an impression Modi wanted 

to dispel. 

Therefore the very visible effort to reach 

out to Nepal’s political elite during his 

address to their Constituent Assembly- 

Parliament in which he said, "I thought 

I should hit Nepal. Then I thought 

you would feel bad. But when I talk of 

hitting Nepal, I mean H-I-T. Highways, 

Infoways and Transways. You too would 

want this kind of a hit quickly.” 

He hit in other ways with a clutch of 

agreements: One billion dollar line of 

credit from India along with the vow: 

"You decide what needs to be done, India 

will stand by you.” 

The idea is to build on Nepal’s untapped 

hydropower potential, which Modi said, 

could well transform Nepal’s economy. 

He also promised to complete all those 

unfulfilled projects that have come to 

symbolize Kathmandu’s disenchantment 

and distance from New Delhi. 

In meetings with Nepali leaders across 

the political spectrum, Modi refused 

to play the ethnic card when he met 

Madhesi leaders and fobbed off requests 

that he meet deposed King Gyanendra, 

whose cause was pushed by various 

Hindu groups . 

It paid off, the political capital that 

accrued to Modi and India cannot be 

calculated: Witness Communist leader 

BauramBhattarai, India’s most bitter 

critic, insisting that there was no reason 

for Nepal to play off India against China. 

“Both countries are good neighbours of 

Nepal,” he said contradicting statements 

made in the past. 

But one swallow doesn’t make a summer 

and Modi knows the challenge is to 

deliver and deliver soon. One there’s a 

problem of capital, India doesn’t have 

enough of it and will need to work out 

some financial model perhaps bringing 

in international lending institutions. 

That would be complicated and will take 

time. 

“Then there’s our own capacity to 

implement,” said a senior Indian 

diplomat who served there. “Projects 

of this kind require a level of inter 

ministerial coordination lacking in 

India. Ideally, the MEA, Finance and 

other ministries involved should work 

together especially their bureaucracies. ” 

There’s also the issue of land acquisition 

which has become very sensitive in Nepal. 

Many Indian development projects 

involving roads for instance, are stuck 

because of that. Internal Nepali politics 

are another issue. The communists and 

royalists are on the margins now but 

they retain considerable nuisance value. 

What about the China factor? “It’s not 

so much about countering China or 

seeking to limit China’s influence,” said 

the diplomat. “The fact is China is driven 

by the need to end Tibet’s landlocked 

status and Nepal is a natural outlet. 

Nepal is also landlocked and the only 

access to the sea is through India. ” 

The implication is obvious, India will be 

the natural beneficiary of China’s trade 

through Nepal. If you go back to the last 

century, Bengal was a major supplier of 

fruits and vegetables to Tibet. China’s 

plan to build a railway line from Shigatse 

in Tibet to Kyirong in northern Nepal 

has trade and commerce written all over 

it. It will enable quick movement of 

Chinese goods and bring down prices. 

There are similar plans for a railway line 

running to Yatung in the Chumbi Valley 

between Sikkim and Bhutan. There is 

already a highway running all along 

India’s Line of Actual Control. 

Beijing expects commerce will expand 

markets for Chinese goods, improve 

the standard of living in Tibet and bring 

tourists into a desolate region. Better 

quality of living, China hopes, will reduce 

simmering resentment among Tibetans 

over China’s hold over their land. 

This is not to ignore the military strategic 

implications of China’s moves. There is 

no doubt China is concern over India 

beefing up its border infrastructure and 

modernizing its military. It will seek 

advantage wherever it can, and therefore 

the focus on Nepal. But no matter what 

China does, India and Nepal are bound 

together by ethnic, cultural and religious 

ties. Thousands of Nepalis live and work 

in India, they are part and parcel of this 

land. China cannot counter that.

Point 

Out 

BRICS BANK 

BRICS, DEVELOPING THROUGH BANKING 

»» 


IMF, the World Bank and 

the countries and companies 

behind them, operate in a way 

“The 

that many petty drug dealers 

would recognize. They hook a victim 

with cheap goods and a lot of talk and 

later they up their demands. It’s not an 

endearing modus operandum – Roslyn 

Fuller, RT.com 

“The beginning of a new international 

economic order - Dingding Chen in The 

Diplomat. 

“If the post war order is being upended, 

The BRICS New Development Bank 

(NDB) is now a reality. It could start 

operations as early as next year from 

its headquarters in China’s business 

capital Shanghai with $50 bn in capital. 

the right answer is ‘hear hear’ - David 

Pilling in The Financial Times. 

The BRICS New Development Bank 

(NDB) is now a reality. It could start 

operations as early as next year from its 

headquarters in China’s business capital 

Shanghai with $50 bn in capital. That will 

rise to $100 bn with China contributing 

$41 bn, India, Russia and Brazil chipping 

in with $10 bn (rising gradually to $18 bn 

each) and South Africa contributing $15 

bn. An Indian will be its first president. 

So what will the bank do? It will lend 

(initially only to its members) money 

for infrastructure projects to developing 

countries without setting political 

conditions. It promises to change the 

ethos of development finance irreversibly. 

Poor countries often lament the onerous 

conditions they have to subscribe to 

when taking loans from the World Bank 

or the IMF. The operations of the World 

Bank and IMF are opaque and critics say 

developing countries have little voice in 

the inner functioning of the institution. 

This the NDB promises to change. 

It’s also said that the IMF and other 

Western led lending systems give priority 

to credit repayment over providing basic 

social services. It’s a charge borne out of 

the huge debt that developing countries 

have accumulated. According to World 

Bank figures, the total debt of developing 

countries in 2010 was a mammoth $4 

42 


trillion. Early this year, the European 

Network on Debt and Development 

said developing countries face interest 

payments of almost $800 million a year 

on loans provided by Europe alone. 

At the launch of the NDB, Russia’s 

President Vladimir Putin spoke about 

the BRICS’s vision for the NDB: “The 

international monetary system … 

depends a lot on the US dollar, or, to be 

precise, on the monetary and financial 

policy of the US authorities. The BRICS 

countries want to change this.” 

The irony here is that the entire paid-in 

capital stock of the new bank is in US 

dollars. In contrast, just 10 percent of 

the World Bank’s paid-in capital is in 

American dollars; the rest being in the 

national currencies of member countries. 

There’s also the fact that China, India and 

Brazil have borrowed $66 billion – or 

more than the entire subscribed capital 

of the NDB – from the World Bank. One 

can expect this will change in the course 

of time but it is something to watch out 

for. 

Not that the NDB can take on the 

existing behemoths. The World Bank 

and IMF have been around for the 

last 70 years and unseating them will 

take many years and smart strategies. 

The World Bank has more than $200 

bn of subscribed capital and with 188 

members has operations all over the 

world. Its experience in funding projects 

is unrivalled and most important, it is 

able to think through issues and come up 

with ideas that become agendas. 

South African analyst Alex O’Riordan 

says: “In the international development 

space, there is no comparable institution 

able to attract the best talent, finance the 

biggest and most important studies and 

43 

able to disseminate its agenda as wide 

and deep as the World Bank.” 

A case in point is the recent World Bank 

decision that it will restrict funding for 

new coal plants in developing countries, 

deciding instead to invest in cleaner 

fuels. 

Financial analyst Samir Saran who is also 

vice-president of the Observer Research 

Foundation, says the NDB must create 

a business structure where borrowing 

countries are given greater urgency 

in prioritizing the projects they want 

funded. The bank’s operations must be 

transparent and there is a legitimate 

concern here that if China finds it is 

not able to dominate the bank, it may 

prefer to prioritize investments through 

its proposed Asian Infrastructure 

Investment Bank. 

He says it remains to be seen how 

soon the central banks of the NDB 

member countries devise measures to 

act as depository institutions for the 

NDB. How will the NDB raise funds in 

different countries, he asks? What will 

be the currency or currencies of choice? 

The concerns are valid but there’s no 

doubt the world financial institutions 

need to change. The New Development 

Bank doesn’t need to be fair, it doesn’t 

need to be perfect, it doesn’t even need 

to have that much cash to succeed. All 

it needs to do is be better than the IMF 

and World Bank. That will take time but 

is not impossible.

Point 

Out 

BOOK REVIEW 

ONE LIFE IS NOT ENOUGH 

• By K. Natwar Singh 

 

• Price: Rs 500.00 

• Publisher : Rupa Publication 

The Emergency made a 

permanent dent on Indira 

Gandhi’s reputation. And 

while I know that she 

regretted it, she had no one 

to blame but herself. She 

had once even claimed that 

the reason for declaring 

the Emergency was a 

conspiracy to overthrow the 

government. To this date, 

no proof has come up of any 

such conspiracy. 

N 

atwar Singh, a diplomat and an astute politician has been 

a trusted aide of the Gandhis, in India. He was close to late 

Indira Gandhi and late Rajiv Gandhi and was even very close 

to Sonia Gandhi, until the Volcker Report indicted him in the 

oil-for-food scam in Iraq, forcing him to leave his ministerial post. His 

memoirs make an interesting reading and give an insight into the 

functioning of the Gandhi family. 

About working with Indira Gandhi he says, she was a great leader; 

not the solemn, serious martinet she is made out to be. Seldom is it 

mentioned that this graceful, sparkling, engaging human being was 

a caring humanist, that she was endowed with charm, elegance and 

good taste. She enjoyed the company of artists, authors, poets and 

painters. Her sensibility was adorned with self-deprecating humour. 

She possessed what the French so delicately describe as je ne sais 

quoi- a certain style….. 

Before becoming Prime Minister, she had gathered around her a 

group of people(Dinesh Singh, Romesh Thapar, Rajni Patel and I.K. 

Gujral) who were derisively called the ‘kitchen Cabinet’. This group 

acquired substantial influence after she became Prime Minister. From 

1966 to 1969, Indira Gandhi was in office but not in power. The actual 

power rested in the hands of the ‘syndicate’-S. Nijalingappa, Atulya 

Ghosh, K. Kamraj, Morarji Desai and S.K. Patil. …. 

Indira Gandhi faced multiple Challenges in June 1969. The most 

serious one was the attempt by the Syndicate, which was led by 

Congress President S. Nijalingappa and supported by Morarji 

Desai, to wrest power. During the AICC meet at Faridabad that year, 

Nijalingappa made a withering attack on Indira Gandhi’s functioning 

and her economic policies. The stakes were very high. She had to act 

quickly to counter the threat. As a first step to securing her position, 

Mrs. Gandhi wrote to the Deputy Prime Miniser, Morarji Desai, telling 

him that she would very much like him to continue in his role as 

minister and that he could choose any portfolio, except finance. It was 

a bold decision. As expected , Morarji Desai felt insulted and resigned 

from the cabinet. Next, she nationalized fourteen banks, a step 

which was widely welcomed in the country. The Prime Minister had 

demonstrated acute political acumen in meeting the direct challenge 

of the Syndicate head-on. Though I was not involved in the highlevel 

discussions, all of us in the secretariat were aware of what was 

happening. Those were tense days and though the Prime Minister 

outwardly kept her composure, I could see how worried she was. In 

this crisis she relied heavily on P.N. Haksar, her principal adviser. 

On emergency, he writes, speaking at one of the debates of the 

Constituent Assembly, Dr B R Ambedkar said, ‘Democracy in India is 

only a top dressing on Indian Soil, which is essentially undemocratic.’ 

There is considerable truth in the assertion, but the reality is that 

Indian democracy withstood the brutal assault made on it on 26 June 

1975 by Indira Gandhi. 

Even after four decades, the memory of the Emergency survives. 

All those above the age of fifty remember those turbulent months 

with trepidation. The Emergency made a permanent dent on Indira 

44 


Gandhi’s reputation. And while I know that she regretted it, she had 

no one to blame but herself. She had once even claimed that the 

reason for declaring the Emergency was a conspiracy to overthrow 

the government. To this date, no proof has come up of any such 

conspiracy. 

About the Rajiv Gandhi years, Singh writes in 1985, Rajiv Gandhi was 

both Prime Minister of India and President of the Congress Party. In 

December of that year, he was at the peak of his popularity. Rajiv 

considered it essential to revitalize and even reinvent the Congress 

Party, as Mahatma Gandhi had done years ago. The centenary 

session of the Congress was held in Bombay that year. 

… when Rajiv Gandhi got up to speak, he got a standing ovation. 

It was a very emotional moment. .... Rajiv spoke like a visionary. 

He was dismissive of some of the policies the Congress had been 

following. He particularly targeted the power-brokers, whose thinking 

was behind that times, whose dedication was questionable and, worst 

of all, who had no vision. For them, money took precedence over 

morality. 

Rajiv’s speech made a tremendous impact….He was preparing the 

Congress and the country for the twenty-first century. 

We all returned from Bombay surcharged. However, as the weeks went 

by, I could see that the old guard of the Congress had not taken kindly 

to the speech. These were the real power –brokers of the party and 

, in long run, it was they who succeeded in skillfully out-manoeuvring 

Rajiv. In front of him, they praised him for the great speech but 

behind his back, they sabotaged him and his programme. At this time 

Rajiv was guided chiefly by his close friends, who were very bright, 

full of vigour, and genuinely wanted to see him succeed. But their 

inexperience was all too visible and their grasp of the complexities 

he faced was limited. They were not familiar with the history of the 

Congress, or with the freedom movement. They suggested change 

without realizing that change had to be managed, guided, monitored 

and, eventually, change had to change. The memory of Rajiv’s speech 

and the Congress centenary faded away all too soon. 

In his take on Sonia Gandhi, he writes In 2004, the NDA, led by 

Atal Bihari Vajpeyee, lost the Lok Sabha elections. They could not 

manage to sell the ‘India Shining’ mantra to the voting public. Sonia 

and the leaders of several non-NDA parties put together the United 

Progressive Alliance with Sonia as chairperson. The expectation was 

that Sonia would occupy 7 Race Course Road as Prime Minister. 

The Gandhi family, however, was a house divided. Rahul was 

vehemently opposed to his mother becoming Prime Minister, fearing 

that she would lose her life, much like his grandmother and his father. 

Matters reached a climax after Rahul said that he was prepared to 

take any possible step to prevent his mother from taking up the prime 

ministership. Rahul is a strong-willed person; this was no ordinary 

threat. Manmohan Singh, Suman Dubey, Priyanka and I were present 

at the moment. 

Sonia was visibly agonized and in tears. As a mother, it was impossible 

for her to ignore Rahul. He had his way. That was the reason for her 

not becoming Prime Minister. 

Only Manmohan Singh and I were aware of Sonia’s decision. Later, 

she called a meeting in which she announced the she was offering the 

post of PM to Manmohan Singh. 

Once, I pulled Sonia’s leg on this, telling her that only two people 

in history had refused the crown, both Italians by birth. ‘Who is the 

other?’ she asked. ‘Julius Caesar,’ I replied. 

Rahul was vehemently 

opposed to his mother 

becoming Prime Minister, 

fearing that she would 

lose her life, much like his 

grandmother and his father. 

Matters reached a climax 

after Rahul said that he 

was prepared to take any 

possible step to prevent his 

mother from taking up the 

prime ministership. 

45

Point 

Out 

TEST DRIVE 

STYLISH 7-SEATER MPV HONDA MOBILIO 

»» 

business bureau 

»» 

business bureau 

H 

onda 

Cars India Ltd. (HCIL) recently 

announced its entry into the MPV 

segment with the launch of its midsize 

stylish 7-seater, Honda Mobilio. 

The car marks an evolution in the MPV 

segment by offering a unique combination 

of Sporty Exterior styling along with Space, 

Comfort and Utility in just the right size to 

suit the needs of Indian families. The Mobilio, 

with its strong desirable values, is set to 

expand the MPV segment and will appeal 

to diverse customer profiles from many 

vehicle segments. Honda Mobilio has been 

developed at Honda R&D Asia Pacific Co., 

Ltd. located in Bangkok, Thailand following 

extensive market surveys in India on people’s 

driving needs and lifestyles. The Mobilio’s 

outstanding performance is achieved by 1.5L 

i-DTEC diesel and 1.5L i-VTEC petrol engines 

renowned for their best balance of exhilarating 

power and best in class mileage. 

In order to appeal to younger audience who 

look for distinct styling along with comfort 

of a spacious MPV, the Mobilio will also be 

available in an exclusive sporty RS variant 

which has bolder and sportier exterior design 

than base grade. The deliveries for the Mobilio 

RS would begin from September 2014. 

The 1.5L i-DTEC diesel engine of the Mobilio, 

based on Honda’s latest Earth Dreams 

Technology, delivers a maximum power of 

100 ps@3600 rpm, maximum torque of 200 

Nm@1750 rpm andbest 

in class fuel economy of 

24.2 kmpl as per test data. It has 

been mated to the standard 5-speed manual 

transmission. The 1.5 L i-VTEC petrol engine 

delivers a maximum power of 119 ps@6600 

rpm, maximum torque of 145 Nm@4600 rpm 

and best in class fuel economy of 17.3 kmpl. 

The Petrol Mobilio is equipped with standard 

5-speed manual transmission. The grand 

concept of the Honda Mobilio is “Progressive 

In order to appeal to younger audience 

who look for distinct styling along with 

comfort of a spacious MPV, the Mobilio 

will also be available in an exclusive 

sporty RS variant which has bolder and 

sportier exterior design than base grade. 

Private Jetliner” with core elements of Showoff, 

Comfort and Assurance. 

The concept of the Mobilio package is to offer 

a convenient and comfortable cabin room like 

a sedan. At 4386 mm long, 1683 mm wide & 

1603 mm tall with a wheelbase of 2652 mm 

and minimum turning radius of only 5.2m*, 

the Mobilio is highly maneuverable and 

convenient for city driving. Customers 

can be confident in the Mobilio’s 

best in class 189-mm ground 

clearance even when facing bad 

roads and stormy weather. (*For 

Petrol Variants) 

The Honda Mobilio’s Advanced 

Compatibility Engineering 

(ACE) body enhances selfprotection 

while mitigating 

damage to other vehicles in the event 

of a collision. The high-performance body 

makes extensive use of high tensile steel in 

key areas of the frame to enhance safety and 

collision force absorption. It also increases 

durability of body and floor to resist the force 

of the tumble seats in the second and third 

row. The Honda Mobilio also comes loaded 

with active and passive safety technologies 

including Front Dual SRS airbags, Anti-Lock 

Brake System (ABS) which prevents wheel 

lock during sudden braking, Electronic Brake 

Distribution (EBD) which enhances braking 

performance and impact mitigating headrests. 

The ABS with EBD is being offered as 

standard across all Diesel variants. The front 

body structure of the Mobilio is equipped 

with Pedestrian injury mitigation technology 

designed to absorb impact energy. 

The Mobilio is available in 3 grades offered in 

Petrol and Diesel variants – E, S and V with 

Manual Transmission. The sportier Mobilio 

RS grade will be available in Diesel. 

Honda Mobilio will be available in seven 

exciting range of exterior colors – Brilliant 

Gold Metallic (New and exclusive), Carnelian 

Red Pearl, Majestic Blue Metallic, Urban 

Titanium Metallic, Alabaster Silver Metallic, 

Taffeta White and Crystal Black Pearl 

(exclusive to RS). It comes with a 2 years or 

40,000 kms warranty as standard value for all 

customers. The Cost of Maintenance for the 

Honda Mobilio has been kept as lowest in its 

segment. 

46 


Fuel economy is often 

cited as the No. 1 purchase 

consideration in the 

subcompact class, according to 

Ford research. 

NEW FORD FIESTA : 

NEW BENCHMARK FOR FUEL EFFICIENCY 

T 

he new Ford Fiesta equipped with the 

award-winning 1.0-liter EcoBoost® 

engine will be America’s most 

fuel-efficient non-hybrid, gasolinepowered 

car with an EPA-estimated rating of 

45 mpg on the highway, topping the EPAestimated 

highway ratings of Honda Fit by 

12 mpg and Toyota Yaris by 8 mpg. 

The fuel economy rating not only establishes 

the Fiesta 1.0-liter EcoBoost as best-in-class 

highway fuel economy among subcompacts, 

but it also outperforms some competitors’ 

diesels and hybrids on the highway driving 

cycle. The 2014 Honda Insight has an EPAestimated 

rating of 44 mpg highway, while 

the 2014 Volkswagen Golf diesel with a 

manual transmission has an EPA-estimated 

rating of 42 mpg highway. 

Fiesta is the only car in its class that 

produces more than 120 horse power and 

has an EPA-estimated rating of 45 mpg 

on the highway. Plus, while the 1.0-liter 

EcoBoost engine is officially SAE-certified at 

123 horsepower and 125 lb.-ft. of torque, it 

features an over boost function that allows 

it to make more than 145 lb.-ft. for up to 15 

seconds. 

Fuel economy is often cited as the No. 1 

purchase consideration in the subcompact 

class, according to Ford research. 

The EPA estimated rating of 45 mpg highway 

is for both the four- and five-door, five-speed 

manual-equipped 2014 1.0-liter EcoBoost 

Fiesta, which also has an EPA-estimated 

rating of 32 mpg city and 37 mpg combined. 

In addition to the new leadership claim 

for highway fuel efficiency, the new Fiesta 

boasts an impressive suite of technologies 

and features that gives drivers a blend of a 

connected world and an untethered driving 

experience. 

A new SYNC with MyFord Touch® system 

with 6.5-inch touch screen featuring 

enhanced voice control is now available, 

providing drivers more options than 

ever for directions, communication and 

entertainment functions. SYNC® AppLink 

capabilities pioneered on the first Fiesta 

continue to allow access and control of 

Ford-approved smartphone apps through 

voice commands and other controls for 

drivers on the go, helping them keep their 

hands on the wheel and eyes on the road. 

Turn-by-turn directions remain part of SYNC 

Services. 

Ford MyKey® is a new feature for Fiesta. 

MyKey enables parents in particular to 

encourage safer driving and limit their 

teenagers’ exposure to risk at the wheel. 

The system allows owners to configure 

maximum speed and audio volume limits. It 

mutes audio until safety belts are fastened 

and ensures driver aids, safety systems and 

more vigorous alerts cannot be deactivated 

when used. 

47

Point 

Out 

»» 

BIPIN 

GADGETS 

SAMSUNG AFFORDABLE GALAXY SMARTPHONES 

GALAXY STAR 2, GALAXY STAR ADVANCE, & GALAXY ACE NXT 

Samsung has launched three new 

affordable Galaxy smartphones 

running Android 4.4 KitKat in 

the Indian market - the Galaxy 

Star 2, Galaxy Star Advance 

and Galaxy Ace NXT.The 

smartphone is likely 

to compete against 

the likes of Moto 

E and Micromax 

Unite 2. The Samsung 

Galaxy Star 2 

has been priced at Rs. 

5,100, while both the 

Galaxy Star Advance and 

Galaxy Ace NXT will be 

available at Rs. 7,400. The South 

Korean giant has not revealed the 

availability details for the three new 

Galaxy handsets. 

Notably, all three new Samsung 

smartphones - the Galaxy Star 2, Galaxy 

Star Advance and Galaxy Ace NXT - run 

Android4.4 KitKat out-of-the-box with 

the company's TouchWiz Essence UI 

on top, and all three support dual-SIM 

functionality. 

In addition, the company revealed that 

the three new Galaxy smartphones come 

with support for 12 Indian languages 

including Assamese, Bengali, Guajarati, 

Hindi, Kannada, Marathi, Malayalam, 

Oriya, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu. 

Samsung, in partnership with Vodafone, 

has also announced 200MB of free data 

per month for the first six months. 

The Samsung Galaxy Star 2 comes with 

a 3.5-inch HVGA (320x480 pixels). It is 

powered by a single-core Spreadtrum 

SC6815A clocked at 1GHz alongside 

512MB of RAM. It sports a 2-megapixel 

fixed focus rear camera and includes 

4GB of inbuilt storage which is further 

expandable up to 32GB via microSD 

card. It includes Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi 

b/g/n, and Micro-USB connectivity 

options. The Galaxy Star 2 does not come 

with 3G network support and comes with 

Asim Warsi, 

Vice President, 

Marketing, 

Mobile and IT, 

Samsung India 

“Especially created for the 

Indian market Galaxy Star 

2, Galaxy Star Advance 

and Galaxy Ace NXT have 

been launched to provide a 

larger set of consumers with 

the experience of superior 

mobile technologies and 

richer internet experience at 

an affordable price." 

109.8x59.9x11.8mm dimensions and 

weighs 108 grams. It packs a 1300mAh 

battery, and will be available in Grey and 

White colour variants. 

48 


The Galaxy Star Advance features a 

4.3-inch WVGA (480x800 pixels) TFT 

display and is powered by a 1.2GHz 

(unspecified chipset) processor coupled 

with 512MB of RAM. It sports a 

3-megapixel rear camera with LED flash, 

while there is no front-facing camera 

onboard. The 4GB of inbuilt storage on 

the Galaxy Star Advance can be expanded 

further up to 32GB (via microSD card). 

Connectivity options on the device 

include 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS. 

It packs an 1800mAh battery, measures 

129.7x65.9x9.4mm and weighs 138 

grams. The smartphone will be available 

in Black and White colour options. 

Finally, the Samsung Galaxy Ace 

NXT, which was recently listed on the 

company's site with a price of Rs. 7,335, 

features a 4-inch WVGA (480x800 

pixels) TFT display, and packs a 

Spreadtrum Dolphin (single A7) 1.2GHz 

processor coupled with 512MB of RAM. 

It sports a 3-megapixel rear camera with 

LED flash, while there is no front facing 

camera onboard. The 4GB of inbuilt 

storage on the Galaxy Ace NXT can 

be expanded further up to 32GB (via 

microSD card). 

Connectivity options on the Galaxy 

Ace NXT include 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 

GPRS/ EDGE, and GPS/ A-GPS. The 

smartphone packs a 1500mAh battery. 

It measures 121.4x62.9x10.7mm and 

weighs 123 grams. It will be available in 

Black and White colour variants. 

BBM NOW 

AVAILABLE FOR 

WINDOWS PHONE 

USERS 

B 

lackBerry Ltd announced that its 

popular messaging system BBM, or 

BlackBerry Messenger, would now 

be open to those using the Windows phone 

platform, a move that potentially makes the 

messaging service more appealing to its 

enterprise clients. The move is part of a 

broader push that has also seen BlackBerry 

widen its device management capabilities 

to include devices that are powered by the 

Android, iOS, and Windows platforms. 

APPS 

ARGUS 

TURNS YOUR i PHONE INTO A HEALTH 

AND FITNESS DEVICE 

A 

rgus turns your iPhone into a sophisticated health and fitness device 

as it monitors and manages your activities, food, workouts, sleep, 

hydration, weight and vitals, helping you make sense of numerous 

bio-feedback data points to reach your health goals and improve overall 

well-being. 

Argus is designed to harness every aspect of mobile computing to monitor 

your lifestyle without compromising your privacy. Argus is engineered for 

minimal power consumption and run 24/7 in the background. However 

continued use of GPS running in the background can significantly decrease 

battery life. 

DIGIFIT MOBILE APPS 

At the Heart of the Matter is 

Cardio Fitness Getting the Most 

of Your Digifit Experience 

A healthy heart is the foundation for 

a healthy life. Digifit apps are a great 

way to track and monitor your health 

and activities. Whether you are using 

an iPhone, iPad, iPod touch or Android, 

or using the my.digifit.com web portal, 

you get great tools that make your 

health and activity come alive. The free 

version tracks your distance, duration, 

pace, speed, elevation and then some. 

It maps your routes, gives you great 

in-workout graphs and metrics, voice 

feedback of your progress and position, 

and so much more! 

49

Point 

Out 

Govt Watch Movers & Shakers 

• MUNDRA TAKES OVER AS DY GOV, 

RBI 

Bank of Baroda 

Chairman And 

Managing 

Director S 

S Mundra 

has taken 

over as the 

fourth deputy 

governor of 

the Reserve 

bank of India. 

Mundra’s 

appointment was cleared by Prime 

Minister Narendra Modi cleared a few 

days before his retirement. 

Mundra was the junior-most among 

the nine candidates interviewed 

for the job few months ago but his 

appointment was delayed due to 

a change of guard at the Centre as 

well as controversy surrounding 

his candidature. The 60-year-old 

banker is a Bank of Baroda veteran, 

where he had started his career as a 

probationary officer, and did a short 

stint at Union Bank of India, where 

he was executive director. In a rare 

move, he returned as the CMD of 

his parent bank and was seen as 

a surprise choice for the coveted 

regulatory job. In fact, Mundra would 

have never offered this assignment 

had it not been for K C Chakrabarty's 

decision to step down before the end 

of his term as RBI deputy governor. 

• RIZVI TO BE APPOINTED AS 

DIRECTOR, 

CABINET SECRETARIAT 

Syed Ali Murtaza Rizvi a 1999 batch 

Andhra Pradesh cadre IAS officer is 

tipped to be appointed as Director 

in Cabinet Secretariat. The Andhra 

Pradesh government is likely to 

relieve him from his responsibility to 

take up the new assignment. 

• SURENDER SINGH APPOINTED 

SPL DIRECTOR, IB 

Surender Singh has been appointed 

as Special Director in the Intelligence 

Bureau (IB). He is a 1980 batch IPS 

Officer of West Bengal cadre. 

• ASHWANI KUMAR TO BE CMD, BOB 

Ashwani Kumar 

will be the next 

Chairman and 

Managing 

Director of 

Bank of Baroda. 

Kumar, who is 

presently the 

CMD of Dena 

Bank. Ashwani 

Kumar has 

been with the 

banking sector for over 32 years, and 

has worked with Allahabad Bank and 

Corporation Bank. 

• NIHARIKA RAI IS DY 

COMMISSIONER DELHI MUNICIPAL 

CORPORATION 

Niharika Rai, a 2005 cadre IAS officer, 

has been transferred as Deputy 

Commissioner, South Delhi Municipal 

Corporation. 

50 


IN FOCUS PSUs 

SYNDICATE BANK CMD SK JAIN 

FACES SUSPENSION 

Syndicate Bank shares slump over 8% after chairman's arrest 

CBI has registered two cases against Jain 

and 11 others including CMD and Directors 

of two private firms based at Delhi - 

Bhushan Steel and Prakash Industries- in 

a bribery case under relevant sections of 

Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and 

criminal conspiracy. 

Mumbai: Shares of Syndicate Bank 

plunged over 8 percent after the CBI 

arrested its Chairman and Managing 

Director S K Jain for allegedly taking bribe 

of Rs 50 lakh for increasing credit limit of 

some companies. 

Syndicate Bank's scrip slumped 8.57 

percent to Rs 132.25 on the BSE. At the 

NSE, it tumbled 8.45 percent to Rs 132.10. 

Led by the sharp fall in the stock, the 

company's market value fell by Rs 961.85 

crore to Rs 8,078.17 crore. 

Shares of Bhushan Steel and Prakash 

Industries also took a severe beating, 

plunging 9 percent and 19.96 percent, 

respectively on the BSE. 

Jain and seven others were remanded in 

CBI custody for four days as the agency 

plans to probe various other angles 

into the case that may emerge from the 

telephonic transcripts of the official and 

51 

conduits. 

The CBI placed Jain and seven others 

-- Chairman and Managing Director of 

Prakash Industries Ved Prakash Agarwal 

and Director Vipul Agarwal, Chartered 

Accountant Pawan Bansal, Vineet and 

Puneet Godha (relatives of Jain), Vijay 

Pahuja and Pankaj Bansal under arrest. 

Jain was arrested by the CBI for allegedly 

negotiating with Bhushan Steel for an 

illegal gratification of Rs 50 lakh in 

return for granting credit extension to 

that company as it had defaulted on the 

payment of loan instalments amounting 

to crores of rupees to the bank. 

CBI has registered two cases against 

Jain and 11 others including CMD 

and Directors of two private firms 

based at Delhi -- Bhushan Steel and 

Prakash Industries -- in a bribery case 

under relevant sections of Prevention 

of Corruption Act, 1988 and criminal 

conspiracy.

Point 

Out 

Point 

Out 

A conscious attempt to not just call attention to the ills 

around us but also to seek solutions from the stakeholders 

& 

salute where the credit is due 

A magazine that touches every aspect of the nation 

52 


Point 

Out 

VILLAGE ROOTS 

PIPLANTRI : 

PLANTING HAPPINESS 

At a time when girl child was seen as a curse in most north 

Indian villages, villagers of Piplantri worked out a novel 

scheme whereby villagers plant 111 saplings every time a girl 

child is born in the village. 

»» 

AARTI 

Piplantri village in Rajsamand district 

of Rajasthan, a non-descript village 

with a population of about 6,000 

is making waves with its initiative 

towards protecting the girl child and 

environment. At a time when girl child was 

seen as a curse in most north Indian villages, 

villagers of Piplantri worked out a novel 

scheme whereby villagers plant 111 saplings 

every time a girl child is born in the village. 

Not only on birth, during deaths in any 

family too, 11 saplings are planted. Villagers 

54 


ensure that these saplings survive vagaries of 

weather and go on to grow into trees. This 

has been a practice in the village for over the 

past five years. 

Not only that villagers also collects a sum 

of Rs 21,000 and take Rs 10,000 from the 

family where a girl child is born and make 

a fixed deposit of Rs 31,000 in the name 

of the girl child for 20 years. The catch is 

as village sarpanch Shyam Sunder Paliwal 

says, one has to pledge on an affidavit 

to send the girl to school and that the 

girl would be married off only after she 

becomes an adult and they would take 

55 

Not only on birth, during deaths in any 

family too, 11 saplings are planted. 

Villagers ensure that these saplings 

survive vagaries of weather and go on to 

grow into trees. This has been a practice in 

the village for over the past five years. 

care of the saplings planted in her name. 

District officials told POINT OUT that 

villagers have planted about four lakh 

trees in and around the village. With the 

care of villagers the saplings are growing 

into trees beating high mortality rates 

normally associated with any such 

initiatives. With an improvement in 

green villagers themselves are feeling the 

difference in climate, they said. 

Besides, plantation initiatives Piplantri has 

initiated several programmes for improved 

sanitation and infrastructure in the village. 

Efforts of villagers to have toilet facilities 

at home and all public places including 

schools have won them several state and 

national-level awards.

Point 

Out 

TAROT FORECAST 

»» 

Nandita Pandey 

ARIES: (22nd March- 21st April) 

This is the month to exude your wisdom and patience in order to nullify your 

obstacles. Professionally, you shall suddenly come out of your problems 

as you enter into the latter half phase of the month. Expenses shall be on 

the higher side on a fatherly figure during this phase of your life. Keeping 

a check on your emotional anxieties helps in balancing your monetary 

matters as well. A lot of travelling might create restlessness in matters of heart. 

Maintaining your calm and being flexible in your attitude helps you in balancing 

emotional quotient in your love life. 

LUCKY COLOUR : Grey 

TAURUS: (22nd April - 21st May) 

New beginnings in professional area give you the required boost in your project. 

Creative pursuits are all the more rewarding throughout this phase of your 

life. Financial matters show subtle growth and investment options even if 

plenty have a lukewarm response during this period. There are possibilities 

of an unpleasant exchange of ideas in matters of heart. Being too stubborn 

and non flexible can create further rifts between you and your partner. Someone close 

to you might not fulfill your expectation levels as the month comes to a close. 

LUCKY COLOUR: Turquoise 

GEMINI: (22nd May- 21st June) 

Good news in financial matters right from the beginning of the month and extending 

throughout enhances your monetary status. This is an excellent period for 

you to indulge into fresh investments. Professionally, you gain from your 

intuitive insights. A fresh outlook towards your projects and implementing 

new skills in your work helps you in boosting their prospects. The cards 

guide you to maintain a balanced view towards your love life in order to enjoy peace 

and harmony. The month turns out to be an extremely romantic one only if you would 

not go overboard on your emotions. You might have to undergo few setbacks by the 

end of the month. Legal matters if any will be tough to handle. 

LUCKY COLOUR: Black / white 

CANCER: (22nd June - 21st July) 

This is the month when you would want to take your relationship to a more stable 

status. Thoughts of settlement and a protective streak towards your loved 

one comes out naturally in your mind and heart. Professionally, there is 

enough harmony and happiness. You weave a beautiful co-ordination 

amongst your colleagues and which in turn brings about excellent output 

in your projects. Creative ventures shall be extremely favourable. Financial benefits 

are good and few investments will be directed towards either renovating your house 

or in minor household works. There are a number of travels that suddenly crop up 

by the end of the month. 

LUCKY COLOUR: Orange/ brown 

LEO: (22nd July - 21st August) 

Professionally, there is good news coming in from a lot of directions. You will be 

helped by a man who has excellent knack for communications in your 

work front. Financial benefits shall be good though there is still scope 

for a lot of improvements in some of the investments. Following your gut 

instincts when it comes to your love life helps you in achieving peace 

and happiness in this front. Emotionally this month will bring about quite enriching 

experiences. Happiness and love floats in your life as the month comes to its end. 

LUCKY COLOUR: Red 

VIRGO: (22nd August- 21st September) 

Professionally, there are a lot of positive reflections taking shape during this phase of 

your life. There are expansions and growth in your projects. Business trips 

shall be extremely favourable. You might also meet up with an interesting 

man while on a journey. A number of options knock your door shooting 

your investment graph northwards and enriching your monetary status 

further. However, any transitions or journeys related to matters of heart should be 

avoided in this month. Keep a check on external factors which might affect your life 

adversely as the month comes to its close. 

LUCKY COLOUR: Blue 

56 

August 2014 

LIBRA: (22nd September- 21st October) 

Being realistic about your professional life helps you in balancing a lot of blockages 

that otherwise would have knocked your door. A person or a company 

will promise you a lot and yet shall be unable to deliver them. Having 

an alternative plan helps you in the hours of crisis. Avoid any new 

investments during this phase as they might not bring you expected 

gains. There are few issues that you still need to resolve properly in matters of 

heart. At the surreal levels everything seems to be going fine and yet a feeling of 

sadness creeps in your heart during this month. Being in the company of children 

shall be very therapeutic during this month. Good news follows you as the month 

comes to it end. 

LUCKY COLOUR: Pink 

SCORPIO: (22nd October- 21st November) 

Blessings of elders and guidance from experts are high key note during this month for 

you. Following their advice shall save you from a lot of negative patterns in 

life. Keep a double check on any communications especially written ones 

that you exchange with your loved one. Chances are that even a minor 

mistake can cause a lot of misunderstanding in life. Professional trips are 

best avoided in this phase of your life. Any kind of business transition is not advisable 

in this month. Good news can be expected as the month comes to its close. 

LUCKY COLOUR : Green 

SAGGITARIUS: (22nd November- 21st December) 

Blessings and guidance from a motherly figure helps you and guides you in your love 

life. This is a romantic month when most of your wishes are being fulfilled. 

Professionally, a lot of favourable changes are taking place and your 

juniors support you in your endeavours. Financial matters ease out further 

and indicate subtle monetary gains as the month progresses. You might 

feel a bit disappointed by few changes that suddenly crop up by the end of the month. 

LUCKY COLOUR: Orange 

CAPRICORN: (22nd December- 21st January) 

Professionally, this is the times to have a laid back approach and reap in the 

fruits of your efforts that have been put in so far. You will be happy with 

the way your projects will progress in life. Financial benefits though 

seem to be indicating an average growth phase. Matters of heart shall 

be extremely pleasant and romantic. You would want to take your 

relationship to its next stable levels. Family gatherings and wedding celebrations 

are high on the cards throughout this month. There are possibilities of plans of 

shifting to a new place or buying a new property in the near future. 

LUCKY COLOUR: Dark green 

AQUARIUS: (22nd January- 21st February) 

This is a roller coaster month for you when you witness few ups and few downs in 

life. A fatherly figure might interfere along in your romantic endeavours. 

However, you still will come across a number of opportunities to still 

enjoy peace and happiness in love life. Being too stubborn about your 

communications and thought can lead onto fresh deadlocks in career 

area. However, if efforts are made from your end then there are possibilities of 

subtle changes taking shape. Finances need better handling. The month ends on 

an extremely positive note and whatever effort you make during this month will 

reap in the benefits as the month comes to its end. 

LUCKY COLOUR: Peach 

PISCES: (22nd February- 21st March) 

Being too possessive about your relationship might cause you a lot of anxieties in 

matters of heart. Instead giving breathing space to your partner might 

help in bringing back love and happiness in life. Financial opportunities 

shall be plenty and growth oriented. However, you should be careful in 

dealing your projects. There are delays and disappointments in your 

work related area. Legal matters if any turn out quite tough ones to crack. A 

stalemate situation crops up by the end of the month. 

LUCKY COLOUR: Blue 

(Nandita Pandey is an internationally renowned and acclaimed Astro Vaastu Tarot Consultant, Spiritual healer and Past Life Regression Therapist based at Delhi. Email soch.333@gmail.com )

Point 

Out 

NEW ARMY CHIEF 

VEGETARIAN, TEETOTALER AND 

ARMY CHIEF 

»» 


His name is Dalbir Singh Suhag, he’s 

an animal lover, vegetarian and 

teetotaler. He’s also India’s 26th 

Chief of Army Staff (the third 

consecutive chief not to drink) and this is 

where the narrative changes: 

At age 59 he stands ramrod straight 

at nearly six feet with a moustache to 

match. He looks a lean mean fighting 

machine, loves long distance running and 

is rumoured to do 100 push ups every 

morning without a pause (courtesy a daily 

diet of churma made in desi ghee and 

buffalo milk). 

And by the way, for reasons unknown, he 

wants to be addressed only as Gen Dalbir 

Singh. 

The new chief has “army family” stamped 

all over him. His father is a retired subedarmajor 

from 18 Cavalry who decided early 

on that son Dalbir should be an officer. 

In short order the class IV student was 

moved from his village school in Jhajjar 

district of Haryana to the Sainik School in 

Chitorgarh, Rajasthan. It was from there 

that he sat for the NDA exam. His younger 

brother Dharambir is also in the army, and 

so are two brothers-in-law. 

The chief ’s career has taken him to every 

corner of India, from Kashmir to Bengal in 

the east. He also served with his battalion 

4/5 Gurkha Rifles in Sri Lanka, where 

bonds forged in bloody battles against the 

LTTE endure even today. His commanding 

officer at that time, Lt.Col.IJS Bawa (his 

company commander when he was a 

newly commissioned 2nd/Lt.), was killed 

in action winning the Maha Vir Chakra 

posthumously. Gen Dalbir remains in 

touch with Bawa’s family, visiting them at 

their home in Panchkula, Chandigarh. 

Bawa’s widow Lily is now a municipal 

councilor. She recalled the time Suhag and 

his newly married wife Namita spent with 

The new chief has “army family” 

stamped all over him. His father is a 

retired subedar-major from 18 Cavalry 

who decided early on that son Dalbir 

should be an officer. 

them when the battalion was stationed in 

Hashimara, West Bengal. “At that time 

we had limited accommodation 

and the couple stayed with us 

for almost two months," she 

recalled. "Namita, known 

as Guddi to loved ones, 

was a pretty young girl 

and Dalbir was well 

built, tall, genuine and 

extremely simple boy. 

They used to play 

with our kids and 

we had a great time 

with them." 

Suhag is very 

down to earth, says 

Lily Bawa. He has 

no pretensions, speaks 

plainly, directly and cares for 

people. 

"Dalbir and Guddi (his wife) 

call me frequently like a close 

family member,” Lily said during 

a recent interview. “Dalbir even 

attended the wedding of my daughter. 

On every occasion whether it was a tough 

time or happy moments, he had always 

taken care of us like a family member." 

The new chief, according to army buzz, 

is articulate but taciturn, proud of 

his Gurkha lineage and believes 

implicitly in his men. He 

promised that he 

would “provide the 

equipment and weapons for performing 

their assigned roles.” 

A tall order given the sloth that afflicts the 

MoD procurement bureaucracy. But he 

has 30 months to deliver and his men will 

be watching. 

58 


Pro Kabaddi League will further advance the sport’s 

reputation and reach internationally, by bringing together 

Indian and international players, acclaimed Indian 

personalities and sports authorities. 

sports 

KABADDI LEAGUE : TURNING 

TO TRADITIONAL SPORTS 

»» 

RANJITH 

Kabaddi…Kabaddi…Kabaddi… 

none would have missed it out 

while growing in rural or suburban 

heartlands in India. The traditional 

sport akin to those in the ring is a test of 

endurance, strength and agility. It had 

59 

not much takers, even after India drafted 

it into Asian Games during 1983. It was 

popular among South Asian countries but 

remained confined as a rural sport with no 

recognition to its players in a region where 

cricket is revered. 

Now, all is set to change with the launch 

of Pro Kabaddi League, termed a bold 

revolution in Indian sporting history. 

Pro Kabaddi League will further 

advance the sport’s reputation and reach 

internationally, by bringing together 

Indian and international players, 

acclaimed Indian personalities and sports 

authorities. 

Pro Kabaddi League has been organized

Point 

Out 

Pro Kabaddi League has been organized in association with International Kabaddi 

Federation, Asian Kabaddi Federation and Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India 

and sports commentator Charu Sharma, who is Director of Mashal Sports Pvt. Ltd 

is the guiding force behind the formation of the league 

in association with International Kabaddi 

Federation, Asian Kabaddi Federation and 

Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India and 

sports commentator Charu Sharma, who 

is Director of Mashal Sports Pvt. Ltd is the 

guiding force behind the formation of the 

league. 

Star Sports will be the official broadcast 

partner for the Pro Kabaddi League. 

Matches will be held on a 'home and 

away' format with daily, LIVE, primetime 

coverage while India’s leading 

entrepreneurs like Uday Kotak, Ronnie 

Screwvala, Kishore Biyani, Rajesh Shah 

(Mukand Group) are among team owners 

while efforts are on to rope in other big 

names. What is heartening is the fact 

that some leading film personalities have 

evinced interest in promoting the sports 

and be a part of the league. 

All Pro Kabaddi League matches will be 

played on a specially developed mat in 

state of the art indoor stadiums across 

eight cities. Top Kabaddi players from 

across India and the globe will participate 

in a show of intense competition and 

sporting camaraderie. 

The matches will be preceded by a player 

auction, where each of the teams will get 

equal opportunity to build their squads. 

Almost 100 players will be auctioned, 

out of which 72 players will be Indian 

and the rest will be international players 

from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Canada, 

England, Indonesia, Italy, Islamic Republic 

of Iran, Japan, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, 

South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, 

Turkmenistan, United States of America, 

Vietnam and Zimbabwe. The League is 

bound to take the sport to a new level of 

prominence and ensure that stars such as 

Navneet Gautam, Rakesh Kumar, Ajay 

Thakur and Rajaguru are bound to become 

the new sporting heroes of our land. 

Matches will be played as per the current 

international rules and regulations of 

the IKF. The Federation is also seriously 

considering making some small but 

significant changes to the game, to enhance 

its appeal on television. 

An official website www.prokabaddi. 

com has also been launched. The site, is 

a repository of information on all things 

related to Pro Kabaddi as well as Kabaddi 

in general. 

Pro Kabaddi League has been 

conceptualized with robust marketing 

strategies. Each franchisee will not only 

have their team colors and star players 

but also create their own fan following 

with innovative media outreach strategies. 

Sports enthusiasts, in India and across 

the world, can keep track of the matches, 

scores, players as well as participate in 

the game through social media platforms 

such as the Pro Kabaddi League website 

www.prokabaddi.com, Twitter handle 

@prokabaddi and Facebook page Pro 

Kabaddi. 

60 


61 

T O U C H I N G E V E R Y A S P E C T O F T H E N A T I O N

Point 

Out 

CINEMA 

SINGHAM 

RETURNS 

SONG IS FINALLY OUT 

T 

he much awaited song of Singham Returns 

'AataMajhiSatakli' is finally out!!The song 

has crossed one million views on the video 

streaming website YouTube in just one day. 

In this promotional song, AjayDevgan and Kareena 

Kapoor will be seen dancing to the tunes of 

numerouno rapper and musician YoYo Honey Singh 

and who will be featuring along with them as well. 

The song is vibrant, fun and stylish which has been 

shot in a span of 3 days on a very grand scale! 

Interestingly, the video also features over 100 

children dressed in police uniforms. 

Choreographed by Ganesh Acharya, the song is 

sung by YoYo Honey Singh and Mamta Sharma. 

'Singham Returns' is the sequel to 2011 movie 

`Singham`, which became a huge hit, and is set to 

release on August 15. 

62 


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63

Point 

Out 

ABHISHEK KEEN ON YUVRAJ SINGH BIOPIC 

A 

bhishek Bachchan says if he gets an opportunity, he would love to do a biopic on cricketer Yuvraj Singh, whose career graph and fighting spirit 

as a cancer survivor, the actor believes, can make for an inspiration tale. 

The 38-year-old was present at a press conference to introduce his Kabaddi team, Jaipur Pink Panthers, a franchise of the Pro Kabaddi 

League. Asked which sportsperson's biopic he would love to do, Abhishek said: "I would love to do Yuvraj Singh's biopic. I think Yuvraj has had a 

fantastic life. He is a warrior. "I would have loved to say Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar, M.S. Dhoni or Sachin Tendulkar or Sourav Ganguly, but I love the 

career graph of Yuvi. He has got a fantastic career graph." Yuvraj, a cancer survivor, became a star overnight when he hit six sixes in a single over 

at the 2007 World Twenty 20 against England. His journey has not been less than an adventurous film. Having started his career from the Punjab 

Under-16s at the age of 13 years, he entered international Cricket in 2003. Recently, he smashed a century at the bicentenary match at Lord's. "All 

the things he had to fight against, getting selected at the young age, being a young superstar, then being dropped from the team, fighting cancer and 

then coming back...So, I think as a performance, Yuvi's character will be great," added the junior Bachchan, who is sports buff himself. 

SALMAN ANNOUNCES HE WILL 

NEVER MARRY 

F 

inally, in the talk show Ek Mulaqat of DD News, Salman Khan did not shy away from 

accepting that may be he will never marry in his life. 

The actor reportedly also said that he has no interest in politics; neither does he wish 

to direct movies but will continue acting. 

It was in the same talk show in the year 2010,DeepikaPadukone considered Salman is the 

real 'Lafanga' though he has many good qualities that can be inspiration for others. 

In his full length interview the versatile actor has freely opened himself and said that he will 

prefer investing his time for the well-being of children. 

He is happy with his social work that he is doing through 'Being Human' and wishes to 

adopt few more places where he can actively engage himself for the betterment of children. 

64 


AAMIR KHAN’S PK POSTER : ORIGINAL OR INSPIRED ? 

A 

amir Khan’s much anticipated poster for his December release PK has 

leaked and made it’s way to the Internet. PK poster of Aamir Khan's 

upcoming movie is getting plenty of buzz .In the poster a nude Aamir is 

seen holding a transistor covering his private parts and looking like he’s from 

another world. Buzz is that Aamir is playing the role of an alien named PK and 

this is how he lands up on earth in nothing but his birthday suit on. A 70’s poster 

of portugese album 'Quim Barreros' look similar to the poster of Aamir Khan's 

PK. People are now questioning the PK Original idea is rather inspired by the 

Portugese Album poster. 

The film, which also stars Anushka Sharma is being directed by Raj Kumar 

Hirani, who earlier worked with the perfectionist Khan in 3 Idiots. The film, which 

also had Kareena Kapoor, R Madhavan and Sharman Joshi went on to become 

a blockbuster hit. 

Keep checking this space for more scoop on PK, which is set to hit the theatres 

on December 19 this year. 

65 

SAIF IS A BRILLIANT ACTOR: 

KAREENA 

A 

fter Sajid Khan’s ‘Humshakals’ failed to create magic at the Box 

Office, Saif Ali Khan expressed his disappointment about the 

films final outcome in a recent interview. 

Saif felt like he was trying to be someone completely different from his 

actual self. Saif’s wife and actress Kareena said that people don't like 

to see him in that space as he has given such wonderful performances 

in films like 'Omkara', 'Parineeta' and others. He has done films that 

have been path breaking. 

"He is such a brilliant actor. So, may be some people thought they did 

not want to see him in this kind of genre. You can see another actor in 

this genre but not see someone like Saif. 

So in that sense he thought it was a mistake," she said.Kareena too has 

done comedy films like the 'Golmaal' series, but she says those were 

not slapstick and they had strong story

Point 

Out 

SPIRITUAL TOUCH 

MY TRUTH, YOUR TRUTH & OUR TRUTH 

»» 

MORARI BAPU 

As I understand, one Truth is ‘My 

Truth’, second Truth is, ‘Your Truth’ 

& third Truth is, ‘Our Truth’. If we 

deeply assimilate these three ideas 

of Truth in a family, in our confined family, 

as such these are comprehensive ideas, 

but let’s begin from our home. If a husband 

thinks that this is ‘My Truth’ then it must 

be welcomed, but at the same time it’s his 

liable duty that there is some Truth of my 

wife as well. This is ‘My Truth’, that is ‘Your 

Truth’. But there is a third Truth which is, 

‘Our Truth’ , I’ve mentioned umpteen times 

while giving its definition that, this is my 

lamp, welcome. Someone else may (point 

to some other lamp and) say, this is my 

lamp. So, that becomes his lamp. But the 

sun is the lamp of all of us. Sun is Truth of 

all of us. 

“My Truth” is a good idea, but there exists 

“Others’ Truth” as well. And at the end, 

reach a unanimous decision of ‘Our Truth’, 

The Truth of all of us. And until & unless 

‘Our Truth’ doesn’t materialise, till then no 

lamp kindles; what if the sun wouldn’t have 

existed? While it’s asked about Familial 

Truth, I shall so tell you what has come in 

my experience. You as well understand one 

thing. Along with Truth, Love is necessary; 

along with Truth, Compassion must 

infallibly be present. And therefore when 

you had asked, what if you’re to choose 

one of them and my reply was that I cannot 

refute this Triangle, this is my belief. All 

three are needed. For the Truth of Family 

too, all three are needed. Though the three 

names are different, but all three are united 

on their respective positions. All three of 

them are associated. 

As far as possible, husband must speak 

Truth, wife must cultivate compassion. 

Compassion in a feminine body is a natural 

virtue, let it awaken. And the offspring, the 

children present at home are Love. Thus, 

the Triangle will complete. If this triangle 

gets formed in our life then it can cause a 

great benefit. So, this shell become Familial 

Truth. 

At times what happens is the man does abide 

by Truth considering his responsibility, 

but wife may perhaps not wish to live in 

equal Compassion. Since it has been asked 

about the Familial Truth, hence I’m sharing 

my darsana (philosophy) , philosophy 

means I’m not a philosopher. Darsana 

means places, (take it) in the context that, 

I happen to visit many places, hence it’s 

whatever I observe in various families. 

Sometimes, a family that has small kids, or 

a younger brother, or whoever is younger 

in age or lower in rank…. Even till maids 

& servants…maids & servants are also 

your children. Think about it, those who’re 

born in others’ home & are working in your 

home; Love towards them is necessary. 

Pressurizing someone is an offence of love. 

Love is a synonym of freedom. So, please, 

if Truth exists then parents must properly 

nourish the children & those lower in rank 

with Compassion. 

I’ve perhaps already narrated a story, if not 

then listen now. Once upon a time, there 

was a great king of ancient times. A bird 

came flying in his kingdom. No one had 

seen such a bird in his state ever before. The 

bird was sitting on the wall of King’s palace. 

Entire town is beholding curiously, what 

kind of bird this is! The king arrived there 

too, everyone participated in this curiosity. 

The pundits were called in, for such a bird 

was never seen before. Is the arrival of such 

a bird auspicious or inauspicious? Do tell 

us by your calculation. And pundits are 

indeed pundits are indeed pundits! He told 

so to the king about this strange bird that, 

I feel some adversity is going to befall the 

state, hence such a bird has arrived. Have 

you ever seen such wide wings of any bird? 

Have you seen such long beak? It’s really 

weird. It’s an ill-omen. When must be 

done? Capture the bird & let its wings be 

cut according to other birds of our state & 

file its beak as consistent as the other birds. 

Ill-omen will transform into an auspicious 

omen. Pundits give such decisions! I’m not 

criticizing the Pundits. I honour everyone. 

If I come across an excellent pundit, I feel 

proud about his erudition. But their few 

ideas have deluded the society. This is also 

the Truth. However, I don’t generalize so 

far the whole cult of pundits. Sometimes 

the so-called pundits have immensely 

pressurized the society by explaining those 

core principles of righteousness which they 

themselves have failed to understand. 

So, King was given this suggestion. The 

King, anyhow, got the foreign &bizarre bird 

captured. Wings were amputated & so was 

the beak! And what happened next, can 

you imagine? The bird died! And blessed is 

a man for being such a fool that though his 

wing are being amputated, his beak is being 

cut in the name of the beaten tradition, yet 

man continues to live on! It’s a shame! Bird 

is much dignified! 

Aren’t we amputating our children’s wings 

by scolding why is he not becoming a 

doctor in his career? Why are you not 

becoming like Vivekanada ? Children’s 

wings of innateness are being amputated. 

Their beak is being cut. If you are Truth 

& if your wife is all Compassion then, 

give Love to those who are smaller in age 

or rank & who’re living life under your 

shelter, don’t amputate their wings. Let all 

of it end in the 21st century. This is the 

Familial Truth. As you have asked about 

the Familial Truth then I wish to tell that 

hermitage is also family. The whole state is 

a family & expanding further, ‘VasuDhaiva 

Kutumbakam’. Let it being from our home. 

66 


67 

touching every aspect of the nation

Point 

Out 

68

august 2014

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