Bollywood Engages Indian-American Academics (INDOlink)

More and more American universities and researches are studying Bollywood and its influence. There are courses, conferences and theses about Bollywood and what it means.

And all Dada Phalke wanted was to make a film.

System error in India's Silicon Valley (Asia Times Online)

Article talks about how Bangalore has changed over the past few years and has gone from a "pensioners' paradise" to technology hub with serious infrastructure problems.

Chennai, Kolkata, Pune and even Jaipur are attracting who don't want to be in Bangalore. However, the Karnataka state government seems to be in denial about Bangalore's problems.

Kathak workshop for aspiring starlets in UK (Woking News & Mail Online, Surrey UK

A free kathak workshop to be held in Surrey as part of a diversity week is being advertised to "wannabe Bollywood starlets". How many could there be in Surrey?

India school book extols Hitler (Reuters via swisspolitics.org)

The 10th grade social studies text book in Gujarat says:

Hitler lent dignity and prestige to the German government in a short time by establishing a strong administrative set-up.
...
He adopted a new economic policy and brought prosperity to Germany. He made untiring efforts to make Germany self-reliant within one decade.

All this may be factually correct but his other acts greatly dwarf anything else. The people who wrote the text clearly know this, don't they?

Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 to support Indian languages (ComputerWeekly.com)

Red Hat's Enterprise Linux 4 products, scheduled for release early next year, will support five Indian languages. This should be good news for advocates of Linux in small biz and education projects.

GSM Association joins Indian spectrum row (CNET Asia)

The GSM Association, a trade association comprising over 600 global GSM operators, has urged the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), India's telecommunications regulator, to refrain from releasing the 1900MHz band to CDMA operators like Reliance and Tata.

This band forms part of the ITU-defined core radio spectrum for 3G services and has been allocated as such in the vast majority of other countries.

GSMA wants TRAI to reserve the spectrum for 3G services which will facilitate international roaming.

The CDMA operators want TRAI to release the spectrum for future expansion of their 2G services.

The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) has opposed this move and now has the support of the GSM Association.

India to be fifth 'flagship' for Windows XP Starter Edition (ZDNet UK News)

Microsoft is rolling out the Windows XP Starter Edition - a low cost version of Windows XP - in some Asian countries to combat the rise of Linux. It will start a year-long pilot program for the OS in India in early 2005.

The OS will not be available bundled with entry-level PCs only and is not for retail.

Other countries with their own pilot programs are Russia, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia.

The stripped-down budget Windows operating system for India will only be available in Hindi. The regular Windows XP supports 8 other Indian languages.

With all the built-in limitations of this OS, including display resolution being capped at 800x600 and users limited to running three programs or having three windows opened at once, it is doubtful that this will take-off.

Why would people live with these hassles when they can get a copy of the full-featured OS from their friendly computer guy?

Mumbai's macho men taught how to treat women (Independent Online, South Africa)

A group of activists have been holding workshops in Bombay's slums that aim to remove some dangerous ideas about sex and gender relations.

The target audience is jobless young males who are hang out in the slums and have such mistaken beliefs as "the man should make the woman cry in pain during sex" and "if a girl wears makeup, she is 'easy' and 'deserves' to be teased".

The good news is that the workshops are beginning to show a difference.

Sikh Group Finds Calling in Homeland Security (New York Times, registration required).

Partial free article in The Register-Guard (Eugene, Oregon, US)

Akal Security, one of US's fastest-growing security companies, is wholly owned by the
Sikh Dharma of New Mexico. The Sikh Dharma community has been in Espanola, NM since the early 1970s and provides a place for meditation and community service.

Akal Security has over 12,000 employees and over $1 billion in federal contracts. It specializes in protecting vital and sensitive government sites from military installations to federal courts to airports and water supply systems.

It is the only only security company owned by a nonprofit religious organization.

And it is politically savvy too. They have contributed thousands of dollars to both Democrats and Republicans at the local as well as the national level.

The success of Akal Security in guarding vital sites is somewhat ironic given the attacks on Sikhs throughout the US after 9/11.

Gandhi Grandson Apologizes on Behalf of His People For Gujarat Genocide (The Milli Gazette)

In his speech accepting the 'Pride of India' award from the American Federation of Muslims of Indian Origin (AFMI) in Toronta, Canada, Dr. Arun Gandhi, grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, apologized on behalf of his people (Hindus) for Gujarat Genocide.

India's man for all seasons (Asia Times Online)

The Indian leader most sought after internationally to make a high-profile visit is not the PM nor the President or even Sonia.

It is Lalu Prasad Yadav, the railway minister.

A govt official is quoted as saying, ""More than 100 missions have sought his curriculum vitae and asked questions about him. They say he is worth studying. Such interest is unheard of for any other minister." Incidentally, Lalu Prasad is also the subject of a study by sociologists at Harvard University.

The article also notes Lalu's resilience in politics. It contrasts him with other CMs like Chandrababu Naidu who have been voted out inspite of a good development record while Lalu continues to hold sway over Bihar inspite of its various problems.

And then there are the 'did-he-really-say-that?' anecdotes. Lalu declared that the recent floods that killed hundreds were a boon by the gods as expensive fish that was available only for the rich to eat were now able to swim freely to be caught and eaten by the poor.

Lalu da jawaab nahin!

Amid Bullets and Bombs, Digital Industry Takes Tentative Root in Kashmir (VoA News)

Magnum Software Services, Kashmir's pioneering information technology venture, is a 300+ person company trying to take advantage of the boom in back-office services.

They have a lot of challenges that companies outside Kashmir don't face - clearances for broadband needs to come from the central government, for e.g. But they are doing very well and hope to be an example for other companies.

Magnum and other similar ventures will help reduce the chronic unemployment faced by young Kashmiris which will help in reducing the strife.

The nightingale of India turns 75 (BBC)

Yash Chopra's tribute to Lata Mangeshkar on her 75th birthday.

Commentary: Will a snack do for India what software can't? (Bloomberg news via IHT)

A profile of Lijjat, the papad maker, which has a $66 million global market. Lijjat hires only women and helps them to be self-sufficient. According to the article, Lijjat is doing for India what the booming software industry can't: provide the tools of economic improvement to those without formal education.

It also mentions Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation as another success story. It has helped turn a milk-importing nation into the world's biggest dairy producer. The cooperative processes and markets more than five million kilograms of milk it sources from more than two million farmers each day.

Pakistani anthem rings out across Indian Kashmir (Reuters via AlertNet)

Many Kashmiris are choosing Pakistan's national anthem as their cellular ringtone. A taxi driver's opinion is that this doesn't mean that they want to be part of Pakistan but that they feel closer to it.

This may not be a planned movement but it is definitely very effective.

India finances small agriculture projects in Mozambique (Xinhuanet, China)

The Indian government has opened a line of credit worth 20 million US dollars for small scale projects to assist farmers in Mozambique.

Old school report adds new celebration for Indian PM's birthday (AFP via Khaleej Times Online)

The PM has been celebrating his birthday on Sep 26, the day he entered school, because he was unsure about his date of birth after his mother died young.

Musharraf helped clear up some of the uncertainty last week in New York on the sideliness of the UN General Assembly when he handed over school reports from the Indian leader's early days in what is today Pakistan. Musharraf had also given the PM a picture of Gah village, now in Pakistan's Punjab province, and another picture of the school there where he studied before the division of the sub-continent in 1947.

Mahatma Gandhi in list of 100 greatest South Africans (siliconindia News)

Former president Nelson Mandela heads a list of 'the greatest 100 South Africans' that includes Mahatma Gandhi. He is the only nominee in the top 100 who was not born in South Africa.

In fact, the Mahatma is in the top 10 and will 'compete' with other South Africans like Archbishop Desmond Tutu and the late Dr. Chris Barnard for second place behind Mandela. The rest of the top 10 will be ranked on Dec 9.

India's budget airlines take wing (Asia Times Online)

A dozen or so budget airlines will launch in India over the next few months.

A couple are already flying and are proving very popular. For e.g. Air Deccan sells 5 seats per Delhi-Mumbai flight for the low-low price of Rs. 500 and has already sold these seats for the next 12 months.

They are learning from other budget carriers like Southwest (US) and RyanAir (Europe) and also from the mistakes of the private airlines that launched in the 90s but then failed to take off.

India Conquers the Catwalk in Milan (Reuters.com)

At the ongoing Milan fashion week, designers from Giorgio Armani to Roberto Cavalli scoured the subcontinent for their spring/summer 2005 shows.

Armani went for the whites and khakis of early 20th century colonialism and included jodhpurs and a touch of turbans in his design. Cavalli used bright sari silks cut into sarongs and jackets.

Hot on the trail of a Bollywood star (The Globe and Mail)

A bunch of Bollywood stars are touring the US and Canada for the Temptation 2004 tour and this Canadian report catches up with SRK in Toronto.

Apparently some US newspaper compared the concert to a Milli Vanilli concert, probably because the report didn't understand the concept of playback singers. Pretty interesting how some things don't translate well.

Gujarat bans Bollywood 'obscenities' (The Independent, UK)

Gujarat has banned Bollywood posters that are deemed to be 'obscene'. The definition of obscenity is broad enough (no exposed shoulders) to cover almost everything.

The report is pretty cynical that this law is merely a political ploy.

India's Taj Mahal Set to Celebrate 350th Birthday (Reuters.com)

The six month long celebrations start today but the Supreme Court said it cannot permit the Uttar Pradesh government to go ahead with the celebrations near the World Heritage monument without the Archaeological Survey of India and security agencies giving their clearance.

The Reuters report's last line is intriguing. It says, "When war clouds loomed in 2002, Indian officials drew up a plan to camouflage the monument, one of the seven wonders of the world, with olive green cloth to stop Pakistani jets from spotting it."

Wouldn't they have used GPS to target the Taj?

EDITORIAL: India-Pakistan relations: historic meeting redux (Daily Times, Pakistan)

Pakistani editorial asking India to start acting seriously on real problems and not just on light-weight issues like cultural exchanges.

The second part of the editorial repeats what we have been hearing for quite a while:

India needs to realise that its policies have led to internal tensions in all the nations of the periphery and that it is in India's own long-term interest to have stable states in the region. To that end, India needs to show more magnanimity and shed its traditional cussedness.

... [India needs] to get out of the pathology of a small power.

The last paragraph says that India needs to decide "whether it wants to operate in a Hobbesian or a cooperative Lockean framework." Now that's just name-dropping.

Indian POW couple told to reunite (BBC)

A real tale that turned into a reality TV show!

Mohammed Arif went missing in 1999 during fighting in the Kargil region. His wife, Gudiya, re-married and is now eight months pregnant. Like someone out of a Bollywood movie, Mohammed Arif returned last week from Pakistan where he had been imprisoned for 5 years.

The village council ordered Mr Arif and Gudiya to get back together but he wanted nothing to do with the baby. Taufeeq, the second husband, had countered by saying that he will only accept the baby if its mother stays with him.

This issue has apparently blanketed the media and has caused tons of debates.

Various TV channels are conducting opinion polls inviting viewers to decide the fate of Gudiya, and perhaps even her unborn child.

The matter reached a peak when Zee TV offered to help Gudiya reach a decision. Earlier this week, they performed a mock trial on-air with Gudiya, her two husbands, family and the village council. The verdict was the same as before - she should return to her first husband.

This AFP report (via IOL, South Africa) adds that Arif had a change of heart and has agreed to raise the child. Taufeeq is still trying to come to grips with his loss.

Finally, India gets a gold at Athens Games

Devendra Kumar won a gold and broke the world record in the javelin throw at the Paralympics in Athens.

He bettered his own world mark of 59.77m with a throw of 62.15m to become India’s third gold medallist in the history of the Games.

It will be interesting to see how he is feted when he returns.

India's rich buy into 'lifestyle' (AFP via International Herald Tribune)

Overt consumerism and conspicuous consumption by the rich has spurred a boom in high-end spas and gyms. The rich-poor gap is increasing rapidly.

Indian PM speaks at NYSE (Big News Network)

The PM chose the New York Stock Exchange to quote an ancient Indian saying: Those who create wealth should be shown the greatest respect.

I have never heard of this saying but it is no surprise that the PM has.

He was pretty well-received at the NYSE, BTW.

India's Kashmir govt to fight ban on shahtoosh wool (Reuters via AlertNet)

Wildlife organisations say five 'chiru' antelopes are shot and skinned to get shahtoosh wool for one shawl. Scarves and shawls made from shahtoosh fetch as much as $17,000 in trendy boutiques in London and New York.

But traders in shahtoosh -- Persian for "king of wools" -- say the antelope sheds its wool naturally by rubbing itself against shrubs and rocks in summer and it is these wisps of shahtoosh that are collected in the remote Himalayan plateau.

The shahtoosh trade has plumetted in recent years due to an international ban on the wool.

The J&K government is trying to reverse the ban.

India plans grand Taj anniversary (Gulf Daily News)

The celebrations to mark the 350th anniversary of the Taj Mahal will be held away from the monument due to archaeological concerns.

CA's ex-CEO is indicted on fraud (CNN)

Sanjay Kumar, the former chief executive officer of Computer Associates and once called the 'next Bill Gates', was indicted by a federal grand jury in New York Wednesday for allegedly participating in a massive fraud conspiracy and an elaborate cover up of a scheme that cost investors hundreds of millions of dollars.

Love from Tokyo (The Tribune, Chandigarh)

Profile of Masako Ono, a Japanese Odisi dancer. She goot hooked on to Odisi after watching a video of Odissi maestro Kelucharan Mohapatra. She has been at Protima Bedi’s Nrityagram for eight years now and has performed lecture-demonstrations and workshops in India, Japan, and Sri Lanka.

Cool!

Outside view: The new Hindu growth rate (UPI via MENAFN - Middle East North Africa Financial Network)

It is generally believed the greater the levels of education, the higher the economic status and, consequently, a happy and prosperous family based on gender equity and growth. However, the recently released data from the 2001 census contradicts this.

The census data shows that the greater the level of education, the more the decline in the child sex ratio -- the number of females for every thousand males below the age of six.

The Sikhs and the Hindus are among the most educated but have the worst sex ratios - 925 for Hindus, and a shocking 786 for Sikhs.

The demographics are going to be really screwed a couple of decades from now.

Commitment to science stressed by Indian PM (SciDev.Net)

The PM has announced plans for a Science Advisory Council that will advise the government on how science can contribute to India's development. The proposed reforms will extend to science education in schools, with the aim of making careers in research and development more attractive in order to nurture and retain young talent.

The above page also has a link to the full text of the PM's speech.

India's Mega-Dams: Temples Or Burial Grounds? (AlterNet)

Interview with Angana Chatterji, one of three members of an independent commission who went to the Narmada, visiting villages and listening to more than 1,400 people at hearings. This commission will submit their report this fall to the National Advisory Council, headed by Congress Party leader Sonia Gandhi.

A very informative interview even though Ms. Chatterji's bias is clear from her first statement: "Dams are not the temples of India. They are her burial grounds."

India Denies It Will Offer Concessions to Pakistan Over Kashmir (VoA News)

The TIME magazine report on the upcoming meeting between the PM and Musharraf quoted an unnamed Indian official saying that India is willing to adjust the Line of Control in Kashmirto help defuse tensions over Kashmir.

The Indian government is now denying this report.

Knocks, scents add up to ghost fears (Reuters via ABC News Online. Australia)

There have been no classes at the Indian Statistical Institute in Delhi since Friday, and students have been sent home on a week's unofficial holiday. The reason - there's a ghost on campus.

And the students believe that the ghost is a classmate who died of a heart condition. The reason for their belief? Unexplained smells of cigarette smoke and aftershave. The deceased classmate smoked and used the same brand of aftershave.

For Richer or Poorer (TIME Asia Magazine)

TIME photo-essay looking at the growing gap between those who benefit from the economic boom and those left behind.

(Similar to this BBC photo gallery)

Alone at the Summit (TIME Asia)

TIME's profile of Manmohan Singh and the challenge he faces at the upcoming meeting with Musharraf.

The accompanying comparison of him and Musharraf is also interesting.

Was Gandhi's son a prisoner? (Mail and Guardian Online, South Africa)

Mahatma Gandhi's great-granddaughter has written a book titled 'Gandhi's Prisoner? The Life of Gandhi's Son, Manilal' that is raising controversy.

The 400-page book explores the Gandhi family's early years in South Africa in the early 1900s and focuses on the relationship of Manilal and Gandhiji.

According to Uma Dhuphelia-Mesthrie, the author, Manilal wanted to be a doctor but Gandhi didn't allow him to study at all. On his father's orders, Manilal Gandhi spent most of his adult life managing the settlement founded by Gandhi in the eastern port city of Durban and editing the activist's Indian Opinion newspaper. He went on to became a renowned political activist, enduring several stints in jail for his opposition to racist apartheid laws.

Indian firm creates call centre jobs here (Mirror.co.uk)

HCL announced the creation of 250 jobs at a call centre in Northern Ireland which has pleased the region.

This follows Satyam opening an Australian branch and Infosys launching a US-based subsidiary, all savvy moves to stem any anti-'outsourcing-to-India' sentiment.

Indian magazine writes on Uzbekistan (UzReport.com, Uzbekistan)

A review of an article on Uzbekistan that appears in the Indian analytical magazine 'Political Events'.

The reviewer seems pleased at the generally positive tone of the article.

From maid to bestselling author (BBC)

Baby Haldar ran away from an abusive marriage, came to Delhi to make a new beginning and started working as a maid to support her three children.

One of her employers was Professor Prabodh Kumar, the grandson of Prem Chand, who encouraged her to write her life story. He also helped her publish the resulting book which has made her very popular.

Ericsson chief says India, China will drive telecom growth

Most Indian operators use Ericsson equipment.

Freddie Mercury gets official seal of approval in Iran (Middle East Online)

This bit of news is a few weeks old but I just remembered it and wanted to add it here.

'Aapro' Freddie Mercury's band, Queen, has become the first rock band to be given the official seal of approval in Iran. Various news reports claim that Freddie was proud of his Iranian ancestry (he was a Parsi) but no mention of whether this influenced the Iranian decision.

BTW, from what I remember he tried to distance himself from his Indianness. The 'aapro' ('our' in Gujarati/Parsi) above is because he was a Parsi 'chhokro' from B'bay.

China and India: The race to growth (The McKinsey Quarterly)

A comparism of China's and India's approach to economic growth from the folks at McKinsey.

(The article is password protected but an example login is available here)

India's top court refuses to delete Pakistan reference from national anthem (AFP via Khaleej Times Online)

The Supreme Court dismissed a patition to delete a reference in the national anthem to the province of Sindh, now in Pakistan.

The court told the petitioner, Sanjeev Bhatnagar, to take his concerns to the government instead of the judiciary.

If he does take it to the government, is there a defined process to modify the national anthem? Does it need a constitutional amendment or did the framers of the constitution never consider this possibility?

India floods leave another 150,000 homeless (Reuters via eircom net, Ireland)

Massive flooding caused by eight days of heavy, late-monsoon season rain has left about 150,000 homeless in West Bengal.

Pakistan will oppose India for permanent UNSC seat (Daily Times, Pakistan)

Pakistan's permanent representative to the UN Munir Akram told a group of Pakistani journalists on Saturday that Pakistan opposed an increase in the number of permanent UNSC members because its enlargement would negate the principle of equality.

Huh? What does that mean?

However, if forced to choose, he continued, Pakistan would vote for Germany and Japan against India.

No surprises there.

Child marriage 'norm in India' (AFP via Gulf Daily News, Bahrain)

A health ministry report found that "half of all women aged 20-24 years were married by the time they were 15 years and in contrast few young males are married in adolescence."

"In the large north Indian states such as Rajasthan and Bihar, 68 to 71 per cent of girls were married off by age 18 but in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, this percentage was 17 and 25, respectively," the report said.

It also warned that more and more teenagers were engaging in unprotected sex. It found that a large number of teenagers don't know the correct way to use a condom.

How many ways are there of using a condom? Are we raising a generation of idiots?

U.S. Lifts Export Ban on India (AP via Space.com)

The United States has lifted export curbs on equipment for India's nuclear facilities and liberalized high-technology trade. In return, India has agreed to comply with U.S. export controls to prevent nuclear and space technology from being transferred to rogue regimes.

In one corner of north India, old outlaws bemoan the rise of new crime (AP via SignOnSanDiego.com)

Old-time bandits as well as the police heap scorn on the new goons who are closely tied to corrupt politicians.

India 6th In Top 10 Tourist Destinations (INDOLink)

In its Annual Readers' Travel Awards 2004, the Conde Nast Traveller of Britain, has ranked India sixth among the top ten popular tourist destinations across the world. It was ranked 9th last year.

The rankings in these awards are an index of satisfaction with travel facilities and services, scored out of a maximum of 100.

In the Readers' Travel Awards questionnaire, readers were asked to choose the best that the travel world has to offer -- everything from hotels and spas to airlines and airports. They were then asked to rate their choices according to various criteria, such as service and value for money.

The top ten list is:
1 Australia, 2 Thailand, 3 New Zealand, 4 Singapore, 5 Italy, 6 India, 7 Malaysia, 8 Canada, 9 Japan, 10 France.

Indian holds world record for biggest and smallest flutes! (Webindia123.com)

Dinesh Shandilya has his name enlisted in the Limca Book of Records and Guinness Book of World Records for making and playing the world's longest and smallest flutes.

In 1996, he made a flute five feet long and 3.5 inches in diameter. It was made of PVC (Poly Venyl Chloride) because Dinesh could not find a bamboo of 3.5 diameter. The smallest flute he made and played is 4.5 inches long.

New York Daily News - Boroughs - Trustees lose ruling in Hindus' legal feud

The trustees of the Hindu Temple Society of North America had filed a lawsuit in Brooklyn Federal Court seeking to stop a state judge from establishing a voting membership that would elect a new board of trustees. However, the federal judge ruled that he would defer the jurisdiction to the same state judge.

(This is an update to this previous entry: Temple trustees say elections prohibited under Hinduism)

Microchips in Gujarat varsity marksheets (Khaleej Times Online)

The Gujarat University will insert microchips in all its marksheets to be issued to students next year.

The chips will contain data about the student's name, scores, percentage, year of passing as in regular marksheets which can be crosschecked online to ascertain the genuineness of the document.

This is done to fight the rise of bogus certificates but I don't think it will help. For one, everyone else will need a microchip reader to ascertain the document's authenticity. And two, what if bogus data is programmed into the microchip? People programming these chips are the weak link and this does nothing to address that problem.

This is just a "show" solution - it won't solve the problem but will make it appear that the Univerity is serious about it.

Madiba a mighty spirit: Indian president (Sunday Times, South Africa)

The President, in South Africa for the centenary celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi's founding of the Phoenix settlement, met with Nelson Mandela and called him a "mighty spirit".

I am guessing that the President called Mandela a "mahatma" because the report says that only Gandhiji has been referred to by the same name.

Slum dwellers take law into their hands (BBC)

The Mumbai police have been trying out an interesting way to maintain order in slums and it has been working well. The scheme, which recruits seven women and three men in each slum to work alongside an official police officer in a group known as a panchayat, has been highly successful so far in reducing crime.

Under the panchayat system, the selected slum dwellers act as community officials. Inhabitants are able to bring disputes before the panchayats, with the idea bring that they represent the "entire community together."

The plan started in 15 slums and there are now panchayats in 100 with more to come.

Mumbai's police commissioner presented details of this scheme at the World Urban Forum in Barcelona.

Mumbai to witness the historic race (Cybernoon.com)

Mumbai will be a leg in the 'The Greatest Race on Earth' which is the first team event of its kind in marathon running. Starting from Nairobi on October 24 and finishing half a world and 5,447 miles away in Hong Kong on February 27, 2005, it offers US dollar 1 million in total prize money.

A super relay race for teams of four runners across four marathons in Nairobi, Singapore, Mumbai and Hong Kong, each team member will run in one marathon, competing for the best aggregate time.

New Delhi Lifts Ban on Late-Night Shopping (AP via Newsday.com)

Delhi authorities have changed a rule that forced shops to close at 7:30 PM. Now, they can stay open until 11 p.m. But very few people took advantage of the new hours on the first day after the rule took effect. Businesses are also trying to cope with the extended hours.

I did not know about the old time-limit and can't believe that a big metro like Delhi shut-down at 7:30 PM every day. That just seems ... odd.

'NRI' Gods returning to bless India (Newindpress.com)

For several companies in European countries and the U.S., idols of Indian Gods have now become a lucrative business. Lord Ganesha, the Vigneshwara - remover of all obstacles - is hot property for these companies. An Italian expert - Linea Argenti - crafted a 15-inch Ganesha idol designed in sterling silver and embedded with Swarovski crystals with a price tag of Rs 40,000.

And these idols are not for NRIs alone. They are also being sold in India as collectibles.

India donates indelible-ink pens for Afghan election (Daily Times, Pakistan)

India has donated 50,000 indelible ink marker pens to Afghanistan for use during the forthcoming presidential elections in the country.

Indian man "marries" 8-year-old out of spite (Reuters via swisspolitics.org)

According to the police, a 35-year old farmer caught an 8-year old girl on her way to school and tied a "mangalsutra" around her neck soon. He blames the girl's father for his wife leaving him.

This is weird enough but what makes it even more unbelievable is that the village panchayat ruled that the marriage is valid and that "the little girl would remain married to Vijayarajan as long as he lived".

WTF? All these panchayat members should be arrested and flogged.

Indian court denies 'sex bail' for Gujarat accused (Reuters via Khaleej Times Online)

Firozkhan Zafarkhan sought bail last month, saying he and his wife suffered mental trauma because they had not had sex for a long time. He has been in jail for more than 30 months and has been charged as a rioter in the Godhra carnage.

The special court rejected his application fearing that others would ask for the same concession.

The judge did order longer visiting hours but there is no mention of any additional privacy during these visits.

Does the Indian court system allow conjugal visits?

Was It a Dowry Death? (allAfrica.com)

The unclear circumstances surrounding Sonalben Patel's death in Uganda have led to speculation that this might be a case of 'dowry death'.

She is said to have sustained fatal burns when a paraffin stove exploded while she was cooking. The hurried cremation of her body and her husband's hurried departure from Uganda is raising many questions.

This is the third such incident (Indian housewife dies after a fiery accident) in Uganda and the Indian Association in Uganda is co-operating with the police.

Earlier report with some additional details

India's first 'vanishing twin' born in Bengal hospital (Newindpress.com)

In a rare occurrence, a young mother in Kolkata has given birth to what is medically termed as the 'vanishing twin', a freak delivery in which one of the twins appears to be painted on a translucent leaf-like sheath.

This is the first case to be reported in India.

Commentary: New conscripts in India's war on inflation (Bloomberg News via International Herald Tribune)

This analysis covers the recent RBI order asking banks to keep a bigger proportion of cash with it, even as it slashed the interest rate it pays them on such reserves.

Volunteers to aid of India's 'poorest of the poor' (The Japan Times)

Japanese form the biggest group of foreign volunteers flocking to Missionaries of Charity (the order founded by Mother Teresa) centers in Calcutta.

They have learned to cope with Calcutta's problems while helping others with their own problems.

ndia recovers frozen bodies after 23 years (Reuters via eircom net, Ireland)

Indian mountaineers have succeeded in recovering three frozen bodies, believed to be foreign trekkers, trapped in the ice of a Himalayan glacier for more than two decades but are still searching for a fourth.

Documents from a torn bag found near the bodies when they were recovered late on Monday showed two could be a Swede and an American who went missing in mid-1981.

The World's Best Big Companies (Forbes.com)

In a special report titled 'The World's Best Big Companies', Forbes lists 400 firms that are the world's most attractive big public companies for investors. The list includes 8 Indian companies.

The Indian list includes Bharat Petroleum, Bharti Tele-Ventures, Infosys Technologies, ITC, Oil & Natural Gas, Reliance Industries, State Bank of India and Wipro.

Three big Indian companies--Indian Oil, Hindustan Petroleum and Hindustan Lever-- which featured last year have failed to find a place this time.

'China/India - a marriage made in heaven' (Business Day, South Africa)

The complementary strengths of China and India could result in a marriage made in heaven according to Ashok Jha, a senior official in India's Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

The trade numbers however show that China is the more dominant partner in this relationship - it export were about $10 billion and its imports reached $2.4 billion.

All this coziness is good as long as everyone remembers what happened after the 'Hindi-Chini bhai-bhai' love fest in the 60s.

Indian tech firms face skills gap (BBC)

NASSCOM foresees a shortage of 262,000 professionals, raising fears India could lose out to other countries.

It has begun talks with IT firms, universities and governments about improving study courses to equip students for outsourcing and IT research jobs.

Kiran Karnik, president of NASSCOM says, "The NASSCOM plan is a longterm one. Within a year, we want to make rapid progress." One-year is long-term?

Misbehaving monkeys sentenced to life behind bars (Chicago Tribune via Daily Press)

The Motibagh Bir Zoological Park in Patiala (Punjab) has the country's only known monkey jail. It currently has about a dozen inmates who have been accused of being thieves and pests.

The jail is opposed not only by animal rights activists but also by people who originally complained about the monkeys. They assumed that the monkeys would be released in the wild. They did not expect the money to be caged like a common criminal.

(The story linked above is shorter than the original Chicago Tribune article which requires registration. Yahoo! News also has the complete Chicago Tribune article but it will go away in a few days.)

India's Mania for Malls (TIME Asia Magazine)

The article confirms what I observed in Mumbai - the malls are full of people but the shops are nearly empty. Apparently, people visit the malls mainly to hang out and maybe eat in a restaurant but very few people actually buy at the mall shops.

This hasn't deterred the real-estate developers from building new malls - each one shinier than the other. There is concern that there is no civic planning when setting up these malls - they make an already bad traffic situation worse and they have a negative environmental effect. Even some developers have reservations about the success of future malls.

But for the time being it looks like bigger and better malls are here to stay.

India adjusts census figures (BBC)

Census officials have released "adjusted figures" after their earlier report showed the Muslim community growing faster than Hindus. BJP and friends were quick to jump on the previous incorrect report.

The adjusted figures show that the growth rate of India's Muslim population growth rate was 29.3% between 1991-2001. The original report put it at 36%. (The BBC report highlighting this discrepancy is very oddly worded giving the impression that the adjusted rate was -29.3%.)

The discrepancy was due to the omission of Muslim-majority Jammu and Kashmir in 1991 and of Assam (which has a sizeable Muslim community) in 1981.

Both states were included in the 2001 census which skewed the comparisons.

The official reports can be downloaded from the Census website.

India to Help Nepal Fight Maoist Rebels (VoiceOfAmerica News)

Reports say India will provide Nepal with more helicopters, anti-mine trucks, rifles and bulletproof jackets, to battle Maoist rebels.

It is not clear if 'provide' means 'sell' or 'give' but it is good that the assistance is limited to hardware and does not include Indians on the ground in Nepal. The IPKF debacle taught us that lesson.

5/1 on an Australia v India final

Punters can get 5/1 on a repeat of the 2003 World Cup final (Australia v India), 5/1 on a repeat of the 1999 final (Australia v Pakistan), and the same odds on Australia v South Africa – the famous 1999 semi-final.

CNN Special report on India (CNN.com)

CNN is running a week-long special on India called 'Eye on India'.

Indian painter agrees $21m deal (BBC)

Maqbool Fida Husain has been commissioned by a businessman to create 100 paintings for a series entitled "Our Planet Called Earth". The buyer, Guru Swarup Srivasava, a low-profile Bombay (Mumbai) businessman who is not an art collector, will pay Rs. 1 billion (~$21 million) for the paintings.

Husain says that he will make another movie with the money. Who will be the muse this time?

I didn't know that his first film, Through the Eyes of a Painter, on the desert state of Rajasthan, won him a Golden Bear award at the Berlin Film Festival in 1997.

UPDATE: Sep 12 2004: The Guardian (UK) article on this deal notes the significance of this deal for Indian art in general.

Indian officers' team to visit Lhasa (Phayul, Tibet)

A major threat of flash floods that could inundate large parts of Himachal Pradesh had been created in the first week of August after a big artificial lake was formed in Tibet on Sutlej river.

The Indian team is visiting Tibet for "exchanges and consultations" with Chinese experts.

India's Hardline Hindus Vow to Demolish Muslim Tomb (Reuters)

In what is viewed as an election tactic, VHP is threatening to destroy the tomb of Afzalkhan near Mahabaleshwar. State-wide elections are due next month.

Indian Americans among White House science awardees (SiliconIndia)

Several Indian Americans are among those who received the 2003 Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers, the nation's highest honour for professionals at the outset of their independent research careers.

Among the 57 researchers were Arjun M. Heimsath, Dartmouth College; Sandeep K. Shukla, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; and Ravi D. Vakil, Stanford University, recognised from the National Science Foundation, and Sarah Stewart-Mukhopadhyay, Harvard University, from NASA.

Eight federal departments and agencies annually nominate scientists and engineers at the start of their careers whose work shows the greatest promise to benefit the nominating agency's mission.

Honda to launch new motorcycle model in India (The Star, Malayasia)

Honda will introduce the Unicorn, featuring a 150cc, four-stroke engine, in India on Oct 7. It will cost Rs. 52,950.

Parsi population in India declines (Payvand, Iran)

The 2001 census recorded 69601 Parsis throughout India a decrease from the 76382 recorded in 1991.

This was highlighted in a report titled "Parsi Population in India: The writing on the Wall -- Signs of Definite Decline" that was prepared by the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India.

The decreasing numbers are partly because of children of Parsi mothers and non-Parsi fathers are not considered Parsis.

The Mumbai Parsi Panchayat has tried all kinds of sops from 'Houses for Spouses' to monthly subsidies for the third child.

I hope the Parsis get busy soon because I don't want to go to Parsi colony a few years from now and find it deserted. Parsis, if only for our sake, could you please reform your rules? Oh, and please get it on.

Al-Jazeera to hit Indian audiences (Middle East Online)

Startup station India TV signed a deal Thursday with Al-Jazeera to broadcast a daily Al-Jazeera bulletin dubbed into Hindi.

Bombay bans adult TV shows (Big News Network)

The Bombay High Court banned TV channels from showing adult shows, movies and serials without government clearance.

The court passed the injunction in a public interest suit filed by Pratiba Naitthani, a political science professor from St. Xavier's College.

Indian woman arrested for hacking into Philippine phone system (3:13 p.m.) (Sun Star, Philippines)

Pooja Khemlani is accused of financing a gang which tapped into the telephone systems of some 369 institutions to make unauthorized long-distance calls for which they charged a fee.

Her husband, also an Indian citizen, reported her to the police.

Restoring Gandhi's African legacy (BBC)

Followers of Mahatma Gandhi have been celebrating the centenary of the founding of his Phoenix settlement in South Africa - and they are hoping to make people more aware of his contribution to the country's Indian community.

The South African and Indian governments are both taking part in the centenary of the Phoenix settlement.

India's ancient body-art returns to rock navel-gazing youth (AFP via Channel News Asia)

Guys and gals are following Bollywood starlets and music stars in getting tattoos and body piercings. The AFP article profiles the most popular tattoo parlour in B'bay (Mumbai) which has been doing quite well for itself. The image on the side shows a sample of the tattoos and piercings available at this parlour. A simple belly piercing comes at 1,500 rupees and tattoo prices start from 2,000 rupees per square inch.

It is a stretch to say that pierced navels are as part of the Indian culture as a nose ring. But it makes for good marketing.

Police question details of India code theft (ComputerWeekly.com)

Update to the entry about a US company suing the Bombay police for their negligence in pursuing an IP theft complaint.

The police are claiming that no formal complaint was filed and they have found no evidence of the said theft. NASSCOM is satisfied with the police investigation.

This story is made more intriguing by harrassment allegations by the accused employee.

Indian outsourcer opens centre in Melbourne (ZDNet Australia)

Satyam has opened a 300-seat development centre in Melbourne to focus on local clients.

So will it be staffed by Indians or by Australians? If it is the latter, why would an Aussie company choose Satyam over a local firm?

India aims to sparkle as leading wine producer (Telegraph, UK)

India's three main wine producers have all announced increases in exports to Britain. But they won't make much headway till they try to sell the wine outside of Indian restaurants.

Interestingly, the British had promoted vineries in Kashmir and Baramati in Maharashtra till phylloxera wiped out the vineyards in 1890.

Indian is editor of Oman's new English daily

Ajit Kumar Jha, who has previously worked at India Today, Indian Express and ToI, has been appointed editor of the Oman Tribune. Oman Tribue is the country's third English daily and was launched Wednesday.