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INDICA VISTA

Tata Motors launches Indica Vista

MUMBAI: Leading car maker Tata Motors today launched the new model of its successful brand Indica, 'Indica Vista'.

Since Indica's launch more than a decade ago, the company has produced 9.1 lakh units. In financial year 2006-07, Indica achieved a sales of 1,44,690 units--highest in a year for the car.

Indica Vista is launched in seven variants and priced at Rs 3.49 lakh ex-showroom Delhi for 1.2 L petrol at the low end up to Rs 4.88 lakh for the top end.

Speaking to reporters, Tata Motors President Rajiv Dube said, "We will take Indica Vista in six months to international market."

The company is not entirely phasing out the old Indica. "Of the 12 old variants, six or seven still exist in the market," Dube said.

Tata Motors has agreed to invest Rs 1,700 crore in expanding capacities in various plants. It has a tie up with Fiat, too.

Dube said the tie up with Fiat is a complementary one. Tata Motors and Fiat would not compete with each other in the same segment. Fiat would launch cars in the premium segment, he said.

Group Chairman Ratan Tata after the launch said in a statement, "The second generation Indica Vista showcases the progress Tata Motors has made over the last several years of its first outing in the passenger car business in design, quality, technology, performance and refinement."
reference from

Who wins now?
Suman Layak
July 24, 2008



When elephants fight, goes the adage, the grass suffers. When the Ambani brothers do battle, one is tempted to add, it’s impossible to determine who is winning. Just when you think the advantage is with one of them, a few thrusts and parries later, it swings to the other. Consider: In the first week of July, when the spotlight was centred on Amar Singh, Secretary General of the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the king maker on whom the fate of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) depended, the pendulum appeared to have swung in favour of younger brother Anil.

Singh, after all, had come out with all guns blazing in an attempt to coax the government to introduce policy proposals that didn’t seem to be doing Mukesh, Chairman of Reliance Industries (RIL), any favours. A proposal to introduce a windfall profit tax on private petroleum companies (like RIL) and another to scrap the export-oriented unit (EOU) status of such private refineries were just two potential roadblocks to the till-now-relentless progress of the RIL juggernaut.


Intense battle on
The elder Ambani appeared to have been pushed on the back foot. Not for long. A few days later, on July 17 RIL appointed an arbitrator to settle a dispute with Anil’s Reliance Communications (R-Comm), which was seeking to cut a merger deal with South African telecom giant MTN. The Mukesh camp did not favour this transaction as it felt that R-Comm should first allow RIL the right of first refusal before venturing to swap equity with another player.

A day after the arbitrator’s appointment came an announcement that R-Comm and MTN had mutually decided to call off the deal. Suddenly it was advantage Mukesh. But at the time of writing, it seemed the play for MTN was far from over, with the Anil camp hinting that it has enough legal remedies in its armoury.

For observers following the Ambani vs Ambani slugfest over the past four years now, last fortnight would appear to be just another day in the arena for the two billionaire gladiators. The MTN saga was just a sideshow to the tug of war at the Centre as the UPA government attempted to stay afloat. As Amar Singh appeared to be keen to push through policies that apparently favoured Anil, in exchange for promising the SP’s support to the UPA (in place of the Left parties that had pulled out), Mukesh was quick to react by meeting up with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
As an old Ambani hand points out: “When your companies’ revenues add up to 5 per cent of the gross domestic product of the country, you tend to have your people everywhere, in every party. And, like political parties, businessmen also issue their own whips to parliamentarians who are aligned with them.” That also means you need to have a say in every fight that is being fought.

What’s at stake for the brothers

For Anil
The Dadri power project in Uttar Pradesh could become a reality if it gets the required supply of gas from Reliance blocks in the K-G basin. A favourable minister at the helm of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas could help

Can hope for additional GSM spectrum for his telecom ventures; would help if companies like Bharti and Vodafone have to pay more for spectrum that they are holding in excess of 6.2 MHz

An increase in the limit on foreign direct investment in the insurance sector from 26 per cent to 49 per cent will come as a shot in the arm

For Mukesh
Freedom from the compulsion to offer 40 MMSCMD of its gas production from K-G basin to Anil's companies

Allowing foreign direct investment in organised retailing will enable him to de-risk his retail venture

Escape the sudden prospect of windfall tax that has been brought up by Amar Singh to tax companies that may benefit from high oil prices

INVESTMENT IN EDUCATION

INVEST IN EDUCATION FOR A BETTER TOMMORROW
He’s known for discourses that are replete with witty anecdotes, nuggets of wisdom from real-life experiences and practical advice. Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, founder of Isha Foundation, is also a firm believer in the power of education. In a conversation with Radha Venkatesan, he points out that India’s one billion people are its greatest resource — but they need to be educated and inspired. Besides the challenging of teaching India, the spiritual guru spoke about... The state of education Our education system is far better than many developing countries, but the quality of education is extremely poor. The southern states, including Tamil Nadu, have built schools and done well but not other parts of the country. India’s economy is growing, not because we struck gold or oil, but because we have educated, English-speaking people. This is something of which we should be both proud and ashamed. There is a lack of leadership, which means we do not reach our full potential. We talk in terms of millions of graduates, but by international standards, many are not employable. We have IITs and IIMs that produce internationally acclaimed graduates. So you see, we’re a mixed bag. We have the capability to cross the economic threshold we are at, but only with the right kind of focus and inspiration. For this to happen, we must focus on the 70% population in rural India where educational infrastructure is abysmal. Election politics ensures that no state brings English education to the rural masses. If India is to be a world player, it is crucial that the masses learn English. This is not against any local language — which has to be nurtured and preserved — but for our survival and economic growth. English gives us an edge. Compulsory education can work but one needs to provide economic development in the rural villages before enforcing it. Need a business plan Unless you understand the intricacies of the problem, the solutions will not be genuine. You have to look at every aspect of society to find the solution.
The problem differs from region to region. We want to jump to the solution without understanding the nature of the problem. We need vibrant economic activity that translates into jobs for educated youth. We need a complete business plan for every region. Every business house lacks labour, so instead of mass production in one place, they should go in for production by masses. Set up dispensaries, proper schools—once the people are educated, the companies can absorb them. Every business house wants to grow by leaps and bounds and this would ensure that they have their own trained, focused, loyal labour force. It’s not charity, it is a long-term investment. Education is progress We have so many industrial houses in the country. If 100 industrial houses can be inspired to divide the country into 100 sectors and implement a focused education model in each one, there will be progress. They can talk to the local government, take over the existing government schools and run them properly. This will also create an effective atmosphere where parents realise that if their children go to school, they will have a better lifestyle. Education can solve social problems if there is economic development as well. The government has done its best. I am not saying all the problems will be solved if corporates take over government schools. Private education has raised standards. But why will anybody open a private school in a village where no one can pay. That’s why corporates should invest. It will pay off in the next 10 or 12 years. Technology in the classroom Education has become purely providing information with no inspiration. Information without inspiration is damaging. At Isha Vidya, we are training people to create a happy classroom environment, and then they just have to play DVDs to teach. One good teacher can teach millions of children through technology. The teacher should just inspire, and use interactive electronic media to teach science, geography and other subjects. The corporate sector should come forward to provide teaching software. Investing in education is not service but business. Human resources will be the biggest problem tomorrow, so corporates must invest in education today.

IIT - Bombay Student Commits Suicide

PUNE: Unable to cope with the work pressure in the software world, an IIT alumnus committed suicide on Wednesday night by jumping from the terrace of the seven-floor building where he was working.

Sandeep Appasaheb Shelke (25) of Kakade city in Karvenagar was a software professional at Persistent Systems. According to Prakash Limaye, security officer and advisor to the company, Shelke jumped from the company terrace around 9.45 pm on Wednesday. Shelke was rushed to Sassoon Hospital, where he was declared dead around 11.00 pm.

Shelke’s suicide note, recovered by the Deccan police, mentions that no one is responsible for his act. “I am unable to do my work well and very depressed because of it. I tried my best to meet the work expectations but still unable to do it. I feel sorry for my loved ones but it’s just become unavoidable for me now,’’ the note says.

Before taking the extreme step, Shelke had SMSed his brother Yuvraj about his decision to end life. Yuvraj tried to call Shelke to stop him. His also went to the Karvenagar police chowki to inform the police.

However, Shelke had already killed himself. The family hails from Vasunde village in Ahmednagar district. The brothers (Sandepp and Yuvraj) stayed with their mother. Shelke’s brother also works with a software firm. His father is the sarpanch of Vasunde village. The family was looking for a bride for Shelke.

Shelke’s cousin Sujit Zhavare-Patil said he was quite emotional and was always engrossed in studies.

Courtesy : Times of India

IIT-DELHI TO GET $300,000 GRANT

IIT-Delhi to get $300,000 grant
7 Aug, 2008, 0924 hrs IST,IANS


NEW DELHI: Recognising the excellence of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi, combat aircraft manufacturing giant Lockheed Martin has chosen it for a $300,000 project of collaborative research in bio and nano-technology.

“We have already signed an agreement with the IIT-Delhi. We are investing $300,000 for a collaborative project over a period of one year,” Ray O Johnson, senior vice president and chief technology officer of Lockheed Martin, said.

“This is the first such collaboration with any institute beyond the US and Europe. The IIT is an institute of recognised excellence across the globe in this field of bio and nano-technology and after the successful completion of the project, we may have some follow up projects,” Johnson said.

He said Lockheed had been engaged in discussions with the IIT-Delhi for nearly a year to “identify mutual areas of interest in technology collaboration and research.”

With the broad spectrum of bio and nano-technology, research will be carried out in the fields like nano-technology-enabled biological sensors, biodegradable nonmaterial for medical treatment and bio-filters for pollution detection.

“The partnership is an exciting prospect for advancing technology and establishing a long-term relationship with Lockheed Martin. We are surprised but happy about the collaboration,” IIT Delhi director Surendra Prasad said in a select press meet.

When asked about the choice of the IIT-Delhi for the collaboration, Prasad said, “We are doing quite well in the field and they know the IIT-Delhi is the best in India.”

Eight professors from four departments of the institute and up to five experts from Lockheed will work together here to achieve success in the project and work out future collaboration.

Asked who will have the patent for the new products, molecules, Prasad said, “The intellectual property rights issues are yet to be finalised but no one can stop the IIT-Delhi from publishing the research results.”

Johnson said the objectives of the research partnership include “developing domain expertise in the nano-biological technologies for application to Lockheed Martin products, services, and adjacent market pursuits.”

“It will also strive to achieve capabilities in modelling and simulation, virtual experimentation and conceptual designing of nano-biological systems,” he added.
FOR further details visit http://www.timesofindia.com

E-WASTE DUMPYARD

India a thriving global e-waste dumpyard: Report
7 Aug 2008, 1230 hrs IST,IANS


NEW DELHI: If you thought your old outdated PC or television was safely in a junkyard rotting away or being dismantled, think again. A study by a leading environmental group says it is poisoning our soil and water, causing serious health problems.

Booming economies like India and China that are increasingly dependent on electronic and electrical equipments have created a new but very dangerous stream of waste, called "electronic-waste", or simply e-waste, says the report brought out by Greenpeace India.

"Primitive recycling or disposal of e-waste to landfills and incinerators causes irreversible environmental damage by polluting water and soil and contaminating air."

Titled "Take Back Blues - An assessment of e-waste takeback in India", the report showed that in 2007 India generated 380,000 tonnes of e-waste from discarded computers, televisions and mobile phones. This, the report said, was projected to more than double by 2012, to 800,000 per annum with a growth rate of 15 per cent.

"Long-term exposure to deadly component chemicals and metals like lead, cadmium, chromium, mercury and polyvinyl chlorides (PVC) can severely damage the nervous systems, kidney and bones, and the reproductive and endocrine systems, and some of them are carcinogenic and neurotoxic," the report mentions.

"The findings from this study are absolutely shocking. It seems like e-waste takeback in India is in no way a priority for global brands. Otherwise, how else can one explain the irresponsible conduct of brands like Sony, Sony Ericsson, Toshiba, Samsung and Philips, which have no take-back service in India whatsoever?" questions Abhishek Pratap, Greenpeace Toxics campaigner and the principal investigator for the study.

Another campaigner Rampati Kumar believes the only way to tackle this looming threat was to ensure that global and domestic brands manufacture eco-friendly equipment.

"If brands follow the 'cradle to grave' approach by ensuring takeback and bring back responsibility, it might work," he says.

"The solution lies with the brand owners or manufacturers of electronic products, which need to bear responsibility for financing the treatment of the own-branded e-waste discarded by their customers."

Findings from the study reveal that nine of the 20 brands surveyed for their takeback practice have no takeback service in India. The nine named in the report are Apple, Microsoft, Panasonic, PCS, Philips, Sharp, Sony, Sony Ericsson and Toshiba.

Two brands stand out as having the best takeback practice in India - HCL and WIPRO - and have come out publicly in support of e-waste legislation in India.

Positions on this from other brands are not clear. No brand has invested much in education and awareness of general customers on e-waste management.

"As part of HCL's eco safe programme, we give booklets along with our products that address waste disposal and inform customers of take back policies, we also host customer seminars telling them about the importance of electronic waste disposal," George Paul, executive vice-president marketing, HCL Info Systems, said.

He also said that though the company had tied up with government approved recycling bodies to treat the electronic items after they are rendered useless.

"Customers have to incur the cost of giving back the equipment; thus they prefer to sell it to local scrap dealers for a nominal price. Unlike in Europe where once a week the local municipality picks up the electronic waste for a charge levied at the time of purchase of goods, in India the consumer is still at a fairly nascent stage of understanding waste disposal."

Even as India heads for an e-waste crisis, most of the global electronic brands have no functioning e-waste takeback services in India.

The study is yet another effort to sound an alarm and get domestic standards on a par with global environment and health safety norms. Failure, as the report points out, could convert emerging economies into permanent grounds of toxic waste.
This review collected from http://www.timesofindia.com

MARKETS STOCKS

UTVi» Markets » Stocks
Sensex ends down 79pts, Reliance down 2%
UTVi News Desk
Published on Mon, Aug 4, 2008 at 16:00 IST
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Updated at 1600 hrs: The Sensex opened with a negative gap of 62 points at 14,595, but moved up to a high of 14,726 in morning deals. Selling pressure in heavyweights in noon deals saw the index drop to a low of 14,503 - an intra-day swing of 223 points.

The Sensex finally closed with a loss of 79 points (0.54%) at 14,578.

The BSE Consumer Durables index gained nearly 4%. The BSE Capital Goods index was down nearly 1%. Market breadth was bullish - out of over 2,715 scrips traded, over 1,840 logged gains.

Reliance declined over 2% to Rs 2,242. TCS was down nearly 3% at Rs 816. BHEL slipped over 2% to Rs 1,714. ONGC, Sterlite, L&T, DLF and HDFC also declined.

Grasim moved up over 3% to Rs 1,894. Ranbaxy was up nearly 3% at Rs 524. Jaiprakash, Maruti, Tata Steel and ACC also finished with gains.

Total market turnover (BSE+NSE) was Rs 62,876 crore. RNRL was the most active counter on the BSE with a turnover of Rs 469 crore followed by Reliance Capital (Rs 271 crore), Reliance (Rs 233 crore), Essar Oil (Rs 220 crore) and Reliance Petroleum (Rs 178 crore).
further details visit:www.utvi.com

NAINA DEVI STAMPEDE TOLL MOUNTS TO 146

Naina Devi stampede toll mounts to 146
4 Aug 2008, 0005 hrs IST,TIMES NEWS NETWORK & AGENCIES


Infographic of Naina Devi stampede. (Graphic: Raman Bhardwaj)
More Pictures

SHIMLA/ANANDPUR SAHIB/ ROPAR: An auspicious day ended in tragedy when at least 146 devotees, mainly women and children, were crushed to death and over 300 injured in a stampede at the Naina Devi temple in Bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh, about 150km from Shimla, on Sunday. ( Watch )

Rumour of a landslide led to the stampede when more than one lakh pilgrims were trekking the one-kilometre stepway from the Naina Devi bus stand to the hilltop shrine during the Shravan Navratra, which began on Saturday. Some witnesses, however, said a sudden downpour had forced the pilgrims to rush, leading to the disaster.

The tragedy struck at 11am about 500m from the hilltop temple, when the crush of pilgrims caused the railings hugging the pathway to give way. The shrine is about 110 km from Chandigarh and the same spot where 65 people had been killed in a stampede in 1978.

"People were suddenly falling over me," said 40-year-old Harish Sharma, an engineer from Karnal in Haryana, who was visiting the temple with his wife, Kamlesh, and two kids. "As people started running frantically, I scaled the wall on one side of the road and pulled my children up," said Kamlesh.

Another devotee, Aman Nanda (25), a businessman from Dharamsala who suffered a fracture in his leg and was admitted to the Ropar Civil Hospital, said, "I heard somebody saying there was a bomb and everybody ran."

"As devotees rushed down, children and women were crushed under their weight," another eyewitness told TOI.

HP additional DGP Daljit Minhas told reporters, "At least 123 people died, going by the count of those taken to nearby hospitals of Ropar and other areas. The number of people who sustained injuries is around 50."

Bilaspur DSP Bimal Gupta, however, said a final count was yet to be done. "Bodies have been moved to hospitals in Anandpur Sahib and Ropar in neighbouring Punjab for postmortem. The toll could rise. Rescue and relief operations were undertaken as soon as the information reached the district headquarters."

But eyewitnesses said relief came much later. The injured were taken to hospitals by devotees waiting for their turn to visit the shrine.

The Himachal government ordered a magisterial probe into the incident, to be conducted by the divisional commissioner of Mandi. Chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, who was on a visit to Chamba district, rushed to the site to oversee relief work.

He announced a compensation of Rs 1 lakh each to the families of the dead, Rs 50,000 for those with serious injuries and Rs 25,000 for those who received minor injuries.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION VISIT:http://www.timesofindia.com

YAHOO BOARD

Yahoo board wins shareholder vote
2 Aug, 2008, 1029 hrs IST,REUTERS

SAN JOSE: Yahoo Inc's board of directors won strong backing from shareholders at its annual meeting, with Jerry Yang, the company's embattled CEO, receiving 85 per cent of the vote in his favor.

Investors holding nearly 76 per cent of Yahoo's 1.38 billion shares gave solid votes in favor of all nine current directors, in what represents an endorsement of their tough stance with Microsoft Corp in talks on a merger or partial sale.

Executives and board members tried to soothe dissenting investors, insisting Yahoo had been serious in the Microsoft talks and that it had good prospects in the next three years. Seeking to counter attempts by some to blame Yang for talks collapsing, Chairman Roy Bostock said Yahoo's board "called the shots" when discussing Microsoft's proposals, including a $47.5 billion bid and attempts to buy Yahoo's Web search business.

Bostock said he could not understand why the software maker withdrew its bid. "There was never a compelling offer put on the table," he said. "That never occurred in this process." A Microsoft spokesman disputed Bostock's version of events, saying "Yahoo is attempting to rewrite history yet again."

The solid vote in favor of the directors surprised even some Yahoo officials, who had braced for a stronger protest vote after the tumultuous Microsoft saga and older grievances over Yahoo's slipping performance against Google Inc.

Three members of Yahoo's executive compensation committee -- Bostock, Ron Burkle and Arthur Kern -- each received about 80 per cent in favor of re-election, with the remaining votes withheld in protest.

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