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Mystery Sighting Spooks Soldiers

2012-11-05T09:33:00.001-08:00

An ITBP unit based in Thakung, close to the Pangong Tso Lake, reported over 100 sightings of luminous objects between August 1 and October 15 this year. In reports sent to their Delhi headquarters in September, and to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), they described sighting "Unidentified Luminous Objects" at day and by night. The yellowish spheres appear to lift off from the horizon on the Chinese side and slowly traverse the sky for three to five hours before disappearing.

These were not unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), drones or even low-earth orbiting satellites, say Army officials who have studied the hazy photographs taken by ITBP. Drone sightings are verified and logged separately. The Army has reported 99 sightings of Chinese drones between January and August this year: 62 sightings were reported in the western sector, the Ladakh region, and 37 in the eastern sector in Arunachal Pradesh. Three of these drones intruded into territory claimed by India along the 365-km-long border with China in Ladakh, manned by ITBP.

Such mysterious lights have been sighted before in Ladakh, a barren, 86,000 sq km heavily militarised zone wedged between Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir and Chinese-occupied Aksai Chin. The persistent sightings by the ITBP this year, however, worried the Army's Leh-based 14 Corps. The ITBP, did not respond to a detailed India Today questionnaire.

In September, the Army moved a mobile ground-based radar unit and a spectrum analyser-that picks up frequencies emitted from any object-to a mountaintop near the 160-km-long, ribbon-shaped Pangong Lake that lies between India and China.

The radar could not detect the object that was being tracked visually, indicating it was non-metallic. The spectrum analyser could not detect any signals being emitted from them. The Army also flew a reconnaissance drone in the direction of the floating object, but it proved a futile exercise. The drone reached its maximum altitude but lost sight of the floating object.

In late September this year, a team of astronomers from the Indian Astronomical Observatory at Hanle, 150 km south of the lake, studied the airborne phenomena for three days. The team spotted the flying objects, Army officials say, but could not conclusively establish what they were. They did, however, say that the objects were "non celestial" and ruled out meteors and planets.

Scientists however say, the harsh geography and sparse demography of the great Himalayan range that separates Kashmir Valley from Ladakh, lends itself to unusual sightings. "The region is snowbound in winter, has few roads and is one of the most isolated places in India," says Sunil Dhar, a geologist at the government Post Graduate College in Dharamshala, who has studied glaciers in the region for 15 years.

Yet, none of the experts from the National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO)-in charge of technical intelligence-and Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO), has been able to identify the objects. This has caused embarrassment rather than fear in the establishment. "Something is clearly wrong, if our combined scientific resources can't explain the phenomena," says a senior Army official in Delhi. Intelligence officials say these objects could be a crude psychological operation by China, or sophisticated probes attempting to ascertain India's defences in Ladakh.

"We can't ignore these sightings. We need to probe what new technology might have been deployed there," says former Indian Air Force (IAF) chief Air Chief Marshal (retired) P.V. Naik.

In 2010, the IAF probed and dismissed Army sightings of such luminous objects as "Chinese lanterns". 'UFO' sightings have been endemic to Ladakh over the past decade. In late 2003, 14 Corps sent a detailed report on sightings of luminous objects to Army headquarters. Army troops on posts along Siachen had seen floating lights on the Chinese side. But reporting such phenomena risks inviting ridicule. When told about them at a northern command presentation in Leh, the then army chief, General N.C. Vij, had angrily dismissed the reports as hallucinations.

Scientists say the mysterious objects are not necessarily from outer space. "There is no evidence of 'ufos' being of extra-terrestrial origin," says reputed Pune-based astrophysicist Jayant Narlikar. "The implication of them being alien objects is fancy, not fact," he says.

There is still no explanation, however, for what is believed to be the clearest 'UFO' sighting yet, in the Lahaul-Spiti region of Himachal Pradesh less than 100 km south of Ladakh in 2004. A five-member group of geologists and glaciologists led by Dr Anil Kulkarni of the isro's Space Applications Centre in Ahmedabad were on a research trip through the barren Samudra Tapu Valley. They filmed a four-foot tall 'robot-like' figure, that 'walked' along the valley, 50 m away from them. The humanoid object then rapidly became airborne and disappeared. The encounter lasted 40 minutes. It was seen by 14 persons including the six scientists. Kulkarni then interviewed each expedition member separately to verify what the team had seen. Copies of his detailed report were circulated to the PMO, ISRO, the Army and several intelligence agencies. Kulkarni established his team hadn't seen natural phenomenon. The matter, however, was buried soon after.

Sunil Dhar, who was part of the 2004 expedition, terms the sighting of the unidentified object an unforgettable experience. Locals, he says, have reported sighting mysterious objects for many years. "These are unsolved mysteries that need more intensive study," he says. Left unexplained, the Ladakh sightings risk slipping into the crack between fact and science fiction.

Fee of Kasab counsel to go to slain cops' kin: SC

2012-10-03T09:54:00.001-07:00

New Delhi: The Supreme Court Wednesday asked the Maharashtra government to give Rs.14.5 lakh - the fee that condemned Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab's counsel refused to collect - to the kin of security personnel killed in the Mumbai attack.

The money will be distributed in equal proportion among the families of the slain security personnel, who were among the 166 killed Nov 26, 2011 by Pakistani terrorists. Kasab was the lone attacker caught alive.

Senior counsel Raju Ramachandran and Gaurav Agarwal, who assisted Kasab in his appeal against death penalty before the court, had said that they were not inclined to accept the Rs 14.5 lakh fee for their services.

They suggested that the sum could be given to the National Legal Services Authority or the Maharashtra State Legal Services Authority.

The apex court bench of Justice Aftab Alam and Justice C.K. Prasad, while appreciating the decision of counsel, directed that the amount of Rs.14.50 lakh be distributed among the slain security personnel's kin.

Issuing the direction, Justice Alam said: "We appreciate the high standards of professional ethics" shown by Ramachandran and Agarwal.

Ramachandran was appointed amicus curiae (friend of court) to defend Kasab by the apex court when it took up his appeal challenging the Bombay High Court order upholding the death sentence awarded to him by the trial court.

Senior counsel Gopal Subramanium, who appeared in the case before the apex court for the Maharashtra government, said Ramachandran and Agarwal's decision reflected the "highest tradition of bar".

The apex court Aug 29, while upholding the death sentence of Kasab, directed the state government to pay Rs.11 lakh to Ramachandran and Rs.3.5 lakh to Agarwal for rendering professional service.

Mark Zuckerberg Is So Rich, He Lives In His $6 Million House For Free

2012-07-17T05:29:00.003-07:00

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is so rich that the cost of living in his $5.95 million Palo Alto home is essentially $0.
That's to say: free.
Zuckerberg just re-financed his home with a 30-year adjustable-rate loan starting at 1.05 percent, according to Bloomberg's John Gittelsohn and Dakin Campbell.
Because 1.05 percent is below the current rate of inflation – somewhere between 2 and 3 percent – Zuckerberg is essentially "borrowing for free," Greg McBride, senior financial analyst with Bankrate Inc, tells Bloomberg.
Zuckerberg is taking the mortage because the interest rate is so low that he can invest the cash he would have spent on the house, risk-free, and get a higher rate of return than the rate at which he is borrowing.
Zuckerberg still pays the bank something every month: the principle on his loan. But that's not really a cost: he's getting equity in his home. If he ever sold his house, he'd get all that money back, and the amount of money he spent on living in the house would be close to zero. If anything, he would probably turn a profit.
Zuckerberg gets such a nice rate because he took an "adjustable rate," which means the bank can crank it up if it wants.
Bloomberg says the average rate for a 30-year fixed low is 3.56 percent. Meanwhile, the average rate for a one-year adjustable loan is 2.69 percent.
Zuckerberg's rate beats that figure because his bank, First Republic, figures he's good for the money; he is the world's 40th richest person, after all.
“First Republic, like most banks, prices its credit products based on the strength and totality of the entire client relationship,” a bank spokesperson told Bloomberg. “This is our approach with all of our clients.”
Update: An earlier version of this story said Zuckerberg's house was free. We meant his home loan is free. Apologies for the confusion.

Documents needed while filing Income Tax Returns in INDIA

2012-07-09T22:53:00.000-07:00

Typically, as a salaried tax payer you'll need to have the following items at hand for filing your Income Tax Return. This might vary on a case by case basis.

Here’s a quick guide to the documents you will need for the Assessment Year 2012-13 that will help you prepare and file your Income Tax Return.

PAN number

Verify your PAN number online with the Income Tax Department before filing your Income Tax Return by going to this link: https://incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in/portal/knowpan.do

Form-16 issued by your employer

A Form-16 is a statement issued by your employer which has details of your Salary, the taxable salary amount after various perks and allowances, the TDS deducted by your employer, the deductions you have claimed and the overall tax due. TDS is Tax Deducted at Source. Your employer will have already deducted some portion of your salary and deposited it with the Income Tax Department.

This is a good starting point to start preparing your tax return.

Bank statements / passbook for Interest Income on bank deposits.

Note that you have to declare all Interest Income earned in the Financial Year 2011-12 in your Income Tax Return. A lot of people forget to do this, so please go through your bank statements and find out the Interest received.

Statements of Interest Income besides Bank deposits

Sometimes you may have fixed deposits which may have matured, debentures which yield interest. Take a look and make sure to declare this income on your Tax Return.

TDS certificates issued to you by your bank and others

TDS may have been deducted on your Interest Income by your bank. Check whether any TDS was deducted. You can ask the Bank to issue you a TDS statement. Declare these TDS entries in your Tax Return to reduce your tax liability.

Form 26AS

This is one of the most important documents that you should look at while preparing and filing your Income Tax Return.

Form 26AS reflects all the Income Tax received by the Income Tax Department with respect to you. This is a tax credit statement which shows TDS payments, voluntary tax payments made by you.

Link to Indian Government site to view Form 26AS

This Form-26AS should match all your TDS certificates issued to you by your employer, your bank etc.

If there is a mismatch you may have a tough time getting your tax refund. In case there is a mismatch between your TDS certificates and Form-26AS, you should contact your employer or your bank. They might have to inform the Income Tax Department of the TDS they have deducted.

Proof of investment under Section 80C

Investments done under LIC, NSC, PPF, school fees of your children qualify for Section 80C deductions.

Payment towards the principal of your Housing Loan also qualifies for deductions under Section 80C. The maximum limit for claim under section 80C is Rs. 1 Lakh.

Charitable donation statements

Donations that can be claimed for tax deductions under Section 80G.

Typically the receipt issued by the charitable organization you donate to mentions the eligibility under Section 80G.

For making sure you can avail of your tax deduction, make sure you quote the PAN number of the charitable organization.

Interest paid on housing loan.

If you pay EMI towards housing loan for a house that you live in: The Interest paid on housing loan is eligible for tax saving. The upper limit for tax saving is Rs 1,50,000.

If you pay EMI towards housing loan for a property that you rent out to others: The Interest paid on housing loan is eligible for tax saving. There is no upper limit for Interest paid exemption on rental property.

Other (less common) documents:

Proof of investment under Section80CCF:

Investments in Infrastructure bonds upto Rs. 20,000 can be claimed as tax deduction under section 80CCF.

Proof of investment under Section 80E:

Interest Paid on Education loan is tax deductible and can be claimed under Section 80E.

Proof of investment under Section 80D:

Medical Insurance payments for your family and your parents can be claimed here.

Proof of Disabilities

If you have disabilities, you might want to check up on Section 80U. If you have dependents with disabilities then check on Section 80DD.

Stock trading statement:

If you have sold any stock in the Financial year 2011-12, then you might have had Capital Gain or Capital Loss. This has to be declared in your Income Tax Return. Take a look at your brokerage account and then declare your Capital Gain.

Capital gain on sale of property

In case you sold any property or house or land or anything of value, you may have had a Capital Gain or Capital Loss. You have to declare this in your Income Tax Return.

Overall the key take away is - Look at your Form-26AS to ensure that your records match those of the Income Tax Department.

ClearTax helps Individuals prepare and file their Income Tax Returns online in India. www.cleartax.in

Breastfeeding Week: breastfeeding facts

2012-06-26T10:03:00.002-07:00

Breastfeeding has many proven benefits for both you and your baby, but this doesn’t mean you’ll get the hang of it as soon as your baby is born. In fact it can be quite tricky to master at first, however with a bit of perseverance breastfeeding can become second nature to you both and you’ll never want to stop!

It’s National Breastfeeding Week this week (24th-30th June) so we’ve compiled a few breastfeeding facts for you…

-Across the world, less than 40 per cent of babies under the age of six months are exclusively breastfed

-Breastfeeding burns approximately 500 calories a day
-It reduces risks of breast and ovarian cancer later in life, helps women return to their pre-pregnancy weight faster, and lowers rates of obesity.
-Adults who were breastfed as babies often have lower blood pressure and lower cholesterol, as well as lower rates of overweight, obesity and type-2 diabetes.
-Breastfeeding aids the uterus returning to original size after birth.
-An average breastfeed last 16 minutes.
-Babies instinctively know how to get your milk quickly and efficiently.
-Your baby controls your breastmilk flow with an instinctive action that includes sucking, swallowing and breathing.
-82% of mothers use a breastpump.
-Breastfeeding exposes your baby to many different tastes and smells.
-In countries were breastfeeding rates are higher, the most common female cancers, ovarian, uterine and breast, are reduced.
-There are more than 4,000 species of mammal, and all breastfeed their young.
-Breastfeeding delays the return of menstrual periods and may aid in spacing pregnancies.
-Breastfeeding creates a strong bond between mother and child.

2012-06-08T01:59:00.003-07:00

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India's national anthem completes a century

2011-12-29T23:10:00.001-08:00

Kolkata: 'Jana Gana Mana...', India's lilting national anthem, completed 100 years Tuesday.

First sung by a choir on this date in 1911 at the 26th session of the Indian National Congress here, 'Jana Gana Mana' was composed and set to tune by Rabindranath Tagore - the first Asian to win the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913 - days after the British government annulled its plans for the partition of Bengal.

Independent India's constituent assembly adopted the first stanza of the Brahmo hymn as the national anthem on Jan 24, 1950, after an intense debate that saw Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay's 'Vande Mataram' lose out narrowly following objections, particularly from Muslims.

'It's a proud moment for us. 'Jana Gana Mana' is not only the most beautiful song, it also comprehensively describes our unity in diversity. It is the symbol of Indian unity,' said classical vocalist Ustad Rashid Khan.

In 1919, Tagore sang it at the Besant Theosophical College at Andhra Pradesh's Madanapalle town. It so impressed the college authorities that they decided to make it their prayer song.

Within days, Tagore translated the song into English and set down the notation alongside Margaret, wife of Irish poet James Cousin. The song came to be known as 'The Morning Song of India', which became India's national anthem.

Since then, the anthem has moved Indians both at home and abroad. They have sung it with passion, standing in unison, often shedding tears during intense emotional moments, be it on the sports field or even in a cinema theatre.

'It is truly the symbol of unity as it is the only song which people from east to west, north to south know and sing,' said Sahitya Akademi president and eminent writer Sunil Gangopadhyay.

However, the song has had its share of criticism.

Critics had opposed making it India's national anthem, claiming it was written as an eulogy to King George V, as the song coincided with the coronation durbar of the British emperor in New Delhi.

In 1937, Tagore, in a letter, admitted that one of his pro-establishment friends had requested him to write a paean for the emperor.

'I was stunned at that, and also angered. As a result of this catastrophic reaction, I have declared the victory of the dispenser of India's destiny in the 'Jana Gana Mana' song,' wrote Tagore, who holds the unique distinction of having his compositions as the national anthems of two countries - India and Bangladesh.

Can 1.2 bn people save the economy?

2011-12-22T22:20:00.000-08:00

One thing that India always had going for itself was its large population. The consumption needs of India's billion plus were supposedly enough to help sustain the nation. But are they really? India has been hit by bad news after bad news. Slowing GDP, lower credit offtake, and dismal IIP numbers have all disappointed markets. And now, even domestic consumption seems to have taken a turn for the worse.
Now that the festival season is drawing to a close, consumption trends have reversed. According to an article in Firstpost based on a survey by Emkay Global, inventory seems to be moving slower than usual. This is an indication of lower demand. Many popular goods in the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) basket were tracked. The findings of the survey proved that manufacturing dates of most products was about 2.5 months old. Only milk and noodles seem to be moving quickly with recent manufacturing dates of 1.5-2 months. However, this survey was only conducted in Mumbai. With a large metro like Mumbai seeing slower consumption, the situation in smaller cities may be even worse. Even the jobs scenario has deteriorated with a worsening external environment.
Even rural areas don't seem to be in the best shape. Agricultural credit is at a decade low. Plus, agricultural non-performing assets (NPAs) have also grown. Even FMCG companies are seeing slower growth in their rural counters. Plus minimum support crop prices and spending on NREGA (National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) are not up to the mark.
Indian consumers, too, seem to be running for cover. They are not stepping out and spending as much as the economy would like them to. While this works well for their end of the month cash balances, for corporates it is another story. Companies were betting on the second half of this financial year 2011-12 (FY12) in order to counter their dismal performance in the first half. But with domestic consumption slowing, this may be a tough task for them to achieve.

@YahooINFinance on Twitter, become a fan on Facebook

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India inches closer to crisis as rupee retreats

2011-12-05T09:55:00.001-08:00

RELATED QUOTES

Symbol	Price	Change
RBI.TO	0.00	0.00

MUMBAI (Reuters) - India may face its worst financial crisis in decades if it fails to stem a slide in the rupee, leaving the Reserve Bank of India (Toronto:RBI.TO - NewsRBInull) with a difficult choice over how to make best use of its limited reserves to maintain the confidence of foreign investors.
If the RBI is too timid, it risks adding fuel to the ire of portfolio investors, which India relies on heavily to cover its imports tab.
Aggressive intervention would leave the central bank open to criticism that it is wasting precious money on problems that are beyond India's control anyhow, noteably Europe's debt crisis.
Unlike most of its Asian peers, India has recently been running large current account and fiscal deficits. That means it must attract sufficient foreign money -- namely U.S. dollars -- to close the gap, and a weaker home currency makes that costlier.
This is a perennial problem for India. The current situation is so worrisome because India is grappling with big internal and external economic threats simultaneously. Growth is slowing. Inflation remains high. Political paralysis has stymied domestic reforms.
The RBI, the last line of defence against a currency meltdown, has cautiously begun to support the rupee, but its firepower may be more limited than its $300 billion in reserves would suggest.
Beyond India's borders, Europe is the biggest worry. As its banks deleverage, investment money has flooded out of India's markets. If Europe's debt troubles deteriorate, India could be hit with a balance of payments crisis as severe as the one that forced a sharp devaluation in 1991.
The rupee, which has dropped 16 percent in the past four months, got a reprieve last week after the world's big six central banks banded together to try to ease dollar funding strains, helping it to snap a four-week losing trend.
But analysts widely expect the rupee, trading on Monday at 51.26 per dollar, to resume its slide.
"The Indian currency will be the first casualty of a deterioration in the euro zone crisis," said Rupa Rege Nitsure, chief economist at Bank of Baroda in Mumbai.
If Europe's crisis deepens, India's trade deficit would widen even more rapidly, and it would have even more trouble attracting foreign capital.
"Risk appetite will obviously collapse and gradually the currency crisis is likely to take the shape of a balance of payments crisis," Nitsure said.
Worries about India have spiked in tandem with concern over Europe. UBS hosted a client conference call about India on November 29, which it announced with an email headlined "India explodes." Deutsche Bank sent out a report on November 24 entitled, "India's time of reckoning."
"Suddenly everything seems to be coming to a head in India," UBS wrote. "Growth is disappearing, the rupee is in disarray, and inflation is stuck at near-record levels. Investor sentiment has gone from cautious to outright scared."
India's current account deficit swelled to $14.1 billion in its fiscal first quarter, nearly triple the previous quarter's tally. The full-year gap is expected to be around $54 billion.
Its fiscal deficit hit $58.7 billion in the April-to-October period. The government in February projected a deficit equal to 4.6 percent of gross domestic product for the fiscal year ending in March 2012, although the finance minister said on Friday that it would be difficult to hit that target.
India relies heavily on portfolio inflows -- foreign purchases of shares and bonds -- as a means of covering its current account gap. Those flows are fickle.
Foreign portfolio investors have sold a net $50 million worth of equities so far in 2011 , in sharp contrast to the $29 billion they invested in 2010, data from the Securities and Exchange Board of India's website showed. In November alone, foreign funds pulled $661 million out of Indian stocks.
"The Indian economy is one of the most vulnerable to liquidity shocks in the region, not helped the least by deficits in its key balances," said Radhika Rao, an economist with Forecast PTE in Singapore.
WHERE IS THE RBI?
The drop in portfolio inflows and the hefty current account and fiscal deficits have been a key factor behind the rupee's decline.
The RBI appears to have intervened in mid-November to try to slow the decline. Between October 28 and November 25, reserves dropped by $16 billion to $304 billion, yet the currency still fell by 7 percent over that period.
Trading in rupee offshore forward contracts show traders are betting on the rupee declining a further 1.7 percent over the next three months, and 4.5 percent in a year.
Many economists argue the RBI has been too timid, and deserves part of the blame for the rupee's weakness.
A deputy governor said on Saturday that the central bank would use "all available instruments" to stem a downward spiral.
Other officials have insisted the RBI should avoid "undue" intervention, especially when the currency depreciation is caused by external forces, a message economist Rajeev Malik says could backfire.
"The biggest mistake RBI has made is that it has almost given an open invitation to speculators to short the rupee," said Malik, who is with CLSA in Singapore.
"It is really bizarre for any central bank to openly keep on saying that it will not intervene when there is already pressure on the currency to weaken and globally things are so uncertain."
Contrast that with Indonesia, which burned through 8 percent of its foreign exchange reserves in a single month in September to defend the rupiah from a global bout of market volatility.
The rupiah has weakened in recent weeks after Bank Indonesia twice lowered interest rates. RBI, however, has been among the most hawkish central banks in the world, raising rates 13 times since early 2010. Normally, higher interest rates boost currencies, so the rupee's weakness is all the more significant.
KEEPING POWDER DRY
If the RBI decides to step in more aggressively, its manoeuvring room is more limited than its reserves tally would suggest.
After covering the current account deficit, short-term debt and foreign investment flows, there would be less than $20 billion left over.
J. Moses Harding, head of market and economic research at Indusind Bank in Mumbai, said the RBI's immediate concern would be arresting the spread of currency woes into the money market.
India's banking system already borrows more than $19 billion from the central bank to meet reserve requirements, so if the RBI moved to prop up the rupee, it would drain more liquidity out of an already tight market.
Companies make quarterly advance tax payments around mid-December, which puts an added strain on liquidity.
In addition, a glut of foreign currency convertible bonds, issued when the rupee was much higher, falls due in the first quarter. They include a $1 billion Reliance Communications bond.
The bonds are too expensive at current levels to be converted into stock and the sharp depreciation of the rupee will leave issuers with a heavy redemption bill.
The central bank could boost liquidity by cutting the cash reserve ratio, the proportion of deposits banks must set aside with the central bank as cash. Talk of a cut has circulated in Indian markets in recent days, although some economists argue that such a move could stoke already hot inflation.
"It would be extremely difficult for RBI and the government to arrest simultaneous downward pressures from equity, currency and money markets while struggling to address low growth and high inflation issues," Harding said.
That argues in favor of RBI keeping its ammunition dry in case conditions worsen. If India is indeed heading for a 1991-style balance of payments crisis, those reserves would be vital.
Back then, India rapidly depleted its reserves, forcing a currency devaluation.
But the risk is that RBI will wait too long to act.
"While it is important for RBI to not shed its FX reserves unnecessarily, the approach of allowing such a massive pace of slide in the rupee could backfire," CLSA's Malik said.

'I did not want to wait till 40 to be a CEO'

2011-11-28T00:04:00.001-08:00

“Even when I was in college I was sitting with the new business idea every week, so the thought of doing something on my own was never out of the question” says this economic graduate who completed her MBA from IMT and is now founder and CEO of e-commerce giant 99labels.com

Leap of Faith

The brilliant entrepreneur was soon spotted by Cadbury’s soon after her MBA completed. After a three-and-a-half year stint with Cadbury, where she handled the brand management of both the confectionary division and Cadbury’s Dollops ice-cream Ishita was itching to do something on her own. Reason, there was nothing left to learn, and Ishita liked the learning curve’s upwardly movement more. So she quit Cadbury’s and teamed up with a school time friend to start up her first company called the Orion Dialogue which was going to be instrumental in the ITES sector in India and one of the first to focus solely on the Indian market.

“We did our research before jumping to the business bandwagon. Back in the 1994-95 the BPO industry was just starting out and it was a good time to venture into the same. We did our research and with as good as no money in our pockets and no backing we took a big leap of faith and founded what we called the Orion Dialogue private limited company” she tells proudly.

“Fortunately for us, the business was soon spotted by a leading international bank who wanted us to do this for them” she tells. Ishita says that they were well equipped with the expertise on the field and were lucky that the profits started rolling in much sooner than expected but it was not all as hunky dory as it sounds” she adds

There were many times when she and her business partner would approach investors with a business plan and they would turn her away asking her to get her father and then they would discuss things further or would simply not take them seriously enough.

However, in the 11-year-run that Orion Dialogue had, Ishita and her partner now were operating out of three offices from different cities in India which was quite an achievement she tells.

After leading the company to great heights she was bought out by to Aegis BPO in 2006 leaving Swarup to achieve even greater heights. While she was deciding her next venture, Ishita also helped setting up businesses but consulting other women entrepreneurs.

99labels.com

Ishita tells us that as tough as it may seem to start an e-commerce business, her creative experience at Rediff and Yahoo helped her immensely. In spite of her corporate accomplishments she opted to become an entrepreneur and eventually launched 99labels.com.

The idea of 99labels.com says Ishita made a lot of sense as a consumer. She says, 99labels offers an exclusive chance for people to buy credible, branded items from a reliable source at discounted prices and from the privacy and convenience of their own home. So from a consumer’s point of view it was a win-win situation. Swarup further adds that the timing of entering the market seemed perfect too. E-commerce was big abroad and people in India had started to accept the idea and hence there was huge potential for a site like 99lables.com here.

On being a woman entrepreneur

Ishita says that she always wanted to do something of her won. “You see I never wanted to wait till I was forty-years-old to become a CEO. I became a CEO at the age of 25, when the rest of my friends or ex-colleagues were cribbing about their unsatisfying jobs.

Ishita personally feels that being an entrepreneur itself empowers a person, and if a woman wants to build a career as an entrepreneur there is nothing that is more satisfying. She even feels that being a woman entrepreneur has more advantages than otherwise.

“Being an entrepreneur gives women the freedom to work the way she wants to, when she wants to and how she wants to. A woman sometimes struggles more in the corporate world than when she works on her own terms” she quips. As an entrepreneur gets to explore more and push her limits which is not really possible when it comes to working in a structured atmosphere. She even says that now is the time to start your own ventures, when the market is ready, investors is ready and when the mindsets too are ready to accept women who run their own show.

10 Things You Should Know About Sunny Leone

2011-11-25T10:28:00.001-08:00

Adult film actress, Sunny Leone has become a household name in India owing to her induction into the ‘Bigg Boss’ house.
By now, we all know that she is a star in the adult film industry and is an Indian born Canadian. While Sunny Leone may register as just another porn star, there are certain interesting facts about her. Here are 10 things you ought to know about Sunny Leone.
1. She was studying to be a pediatric nurse in Orange County before she was introduced to Jay Allen, a photographer for Penthouse magazine. There was obviously no looking back after she was named Penthouse Pet of the Month in March 2001.
2. When Leone signed her first contract for working in pornographic films, she maintained that she would only perform with women.
3. She made a guest appearance in the 2004 teen flick ‘The Girl Next Door’.

4. In 2004, she was part of ‘No More Bush Girls’, in which she and several other popular porn actresses including Angel Cassidy, Lisa Boyle shaved off their pubic hair in support of the anti-Bush campaign.
5. She was reportedly enrolled in a Catholic school because her parents thought it would be unsafe for her to go to a public school due to her Sikh upbringing.
6. Her first real job was at a German Bakery, when she was 15 years of age.

7. In 2005, Leone made her first mainstream appearance. She was the red carpet reporter for the MTV Awards on MTV India.
8. Her second movie, titled ‘Virtual Vivid Girl Sunny Leone’, fetched her her first AVN Award, which is considered to be the “Oscars of porn.”
9. In 2010, she was adjudged as one of the 12 top female stars in porn by leading men’s magazine, Maxim.
10. Leone was engaged to Matt Erikson, a vice-president of marketing at the famous Playboy Enterprises. The duo has broken up now, but both are, reportedly, great friends in spite of it.

Top 5 People Who Deserve Bharat Ratna

2011-11-20T00:06:00.001-08:00

Wikipedia describes Bharat Ratna as "the Republic of India's highest civilian award, awarded for the highest degrees of national service" which includes "artistic, literary, and scientific achievements, as well as "recognition of public service of the highest order." Bharat Ratna literally translates to 'gem of India' which means a person who is a prized possession of the nation. A true Bharat Ratna is a person that has brought laurels that are irreplaceable or offered services that helped in the betterment of the entire country. The Bharat Ratna awardees of the past have surely been worthy recipients but there are some people that have gone unnoticed despite having some mighty impressive work behind them. This list showcases some such personalities that are, indeed, the greatest assets of our country and deserve to win the Bharat Ratna.

5. Azim Premzi

According to Bill Gates, "If anyone personifies India's economic transformation, it is Azim Premji, chairman of the information-technology powerhouse Wipro Ltd." Premji's success story is a source of inspiration for youngsters which proves how perseverance and determination can take an individual to dizzy heights. Azim Premji is an asset to our nation not only because he helped India in becoming a significant player on the economic front but also because of his philanthropy.
Premji is deeply involved with charity, and especially dedicated to the cause of providing education to the under-privileged kids. Recently, he donated $2 billion to his foundation, which was the largest contribution in the history of charity in India. He also plans to start 2 schools in every district in India that could easily shame the public education system of the country if it succeeds.
Why he deserves it? He has not only made a great fortune for himself by his extreme dedication but has the desire to give back to the nation, always finding ways to do so.

4. M.F. Hussain

Maqbool Fida Hussain was much too accused in his home-country for people to realize his true worth. He was the gem that India lost because of a handful of people who insisted on taking away the expression of freedom from an artiste. There was never a doubt that he was, indeed, the country's most prolific painters. Not only in India, Hussain was a renowned painter across the globe, revered by art-lovers. His paintings, though controversial, had a lot of insight in them and mostly invited extreme reactions from the critics. The sharp criticism he drew in the country only led him away to another country where he breathed his last.
Why he deserves it? For being a true artiste and not bowing down to criticism while being the country's own Picasso.

3. Dr. Kurien Verghese

The man known as the 'milkman' of India' was nothing short of a magican, at least in the field of food and agriculture. He single handedly orchestrated the 'operation flood', which was the world's largest dairy development program. He was also the founder of the Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) and the man who made the food-brand AMUL such a huge success. Apart from these, Kurien, along with his team, was a pioneer in the invention of the process of making milk powder and condensed milk from buffalo's milk, which was a groundbreaking development in India. He brought about a sea of change in the segment of rural development by involving farmers in a positive way through his extraordinary leadership.
Why he deserves it? For taking something as commonplace as milk in a rural area and creating a worldwide revolution out of it, while making India the largest milk producer in the world.

2. Sachin Tendulkar

There is nothing much that hasn't been said about the ultimate cricket maestro of our country. The name Sachin Tendulkar instantly brings to mind an image of Indian cricket in all its pride and glory. There have been legends in cricket but no cricketer has had such an impact on the nation. Irrespective of whether a person loves cricket or not, it would be rare that the person is unaware of the stature of Tendulkar. Respected by people around the world, many go on to say that he is an even greater cricketer than the legendary, Sir Don Bradman. The said reason why Sachin hasn't won a Bharat Ratna is because the award cannot be bestowed on a sportsperson. This, we think, is no reason why the award should be kept from a person who is undoubtedly one of the nation's biggest assets.
Why he deserves it? Because he is the one man who can take a billion mindsets and make them one.

1. Baba Amte

Murlidhar Devidas Amte, nicknamed Baba Amte, was India's miracle worker. He was a man whose sole aim in life was to uplift the downtrodden. He exhausted his life following Gandhian principles and working for the betterment of his fellow-beings. His social activism was of another level and very few present-day activists have that kind of passion for helping others. Such was his dedication that he even offered his own body to be used as an experiment to grow leprae germs in order to find a cure for leprosy. He won several awards in his lifetime, the entire proceeds of which went to Anandwan- an ashram and community rehabilitation centre for leprosy patients.
Why he deserves it? For being the lone hope of humanity in a world lost to commercialism.

THE TAJ MAHAL

2011-11-17T20:46:00.001-08:00

February 20, 2007

HIDDEN TRUTH ABOUT TAJ MAHAL

View of sealed doors & windows in back

Vedic design on ceiling of a locked room

Typical Vedic style corridors

The interior water well

Secret walled door that leads to other rooms that leads to other room

Secret bricked door that hides more evidence

Red lotus at apex of the entrance

Rear view of the Taj & 22 apartments

Pavilion where Mumtaz is said to be buried

Palace in Barhanpur where Mumtaz died

Interior of one of the 22 secret rooms

Interior of another of the locked rooms

Inlaid pinnacle pattern in courtyard

Huge ventilator sealed shut with bricks

Frontal view of the Taj Mahal and dome

Close up of the pinnacle

Close up of the dome with pinnacle

Ariel view of Taj Mahal

A marble apartment on ground floor

A locked room on upper floor

300 foot long corridor inside apartments

BBC says about Taj Mahal---Hidden Truth - Never say it is a Tomb Aerial view of the Taj Mahal

NOW READ THIS

....... No one has ever challenged it except Prof. P. N. Oak, who believes the whole world has been duped. In his book Taj Mahal: The True Story, Oak says theTaj Mahal is not Queen Mumtaz's tomb but an ancient Hindu temple palace of Lord Shiva (then known as Tejo Mahalaya ) .

In the course of his research O ak discovered that the Shiva temple palace was usurped by Shah Jahan from then Maharaja of Jaipur, Jai Singh. In his own court ch ronicle, Badshahnama,Shah Jahan admits that an exceptionally beautiful grand mansion in Agra was taken from Jai SIngh for Mumtaz's burial . The ex-Maharaja of Jaipur stillretains in his secret collection two orders from Shah Jahan for surrendering the Taj building. Using captured temples and mansions, as a burial place fordead courtiers and royalty was a common practice among Muslim rulers. For example, Humayun,Akbar, Etmud-ud-Daula and Safdarjung are all buried in such mansions. Oak's inquiries began with the name of Taj Mahal.

He says the term " Mahal " has never been used for a building in any Muslim countries from Afghanisthan to Algeria . "The unusual explanation that the term Taj Mahal derives from Mumtaz Mahal was illogical in atleast two respects. Firstly, her name was never Mumtaz Mahal but Mumtaz-ul-Zamani ," he writes. Secondly, one cannot omit the first three letters 'Mum' from a woman's name to derive the remainder as the name for the building."Taj Mahal, he claims, is a corrupt version of Tejo Mahalaya, or Lord Shiva's Palace . Oak also says the love story of Mumtaz and Shah Jahan is a fairy tale created bycourt sycophants, blundering historians and sloppy archaeologists Not a single royal chronicle of Shah Jahan's time corroborates the love story. Furthermore, Oak cites several documents suggesting the Taj Mahal predates Shah Jahan's era, and was a temple dedicated to Shiva, worshipped by Rajputs of Agra city. For example, Prof. Marvin Miller of New York took a fewsamples from the riverside doorway of the Taj. Carbon dating tests revealed that the door was 300 years older than Shah Jahan. European traveler Johan Albert Mandelslo,who visited Agra in 1638 (only seven years after Mumtaz's death), describes the life of the cit y in his memoirs. But he makes no reference to the Taj Mahal being built. The writings of Peter Mundy, an English visitor to Agra within a year of Mumtaz's death, also suggest the Taj was a noteworthy building well before Shah Jahan's time.Prof. Oak points out a number of design and architectural inconsistencies that support the belief of the Taj Mahal being a typical Hindu templeratherthan a mausoleum. Many rooms in the Taj ! Mahal have remained sealed since Shah Jahan's time and are still inaccessible to the public . Oak asserts they contain a headless statue of Lord Shiva and other objects commonly used for worship rituals in Hindu temples Fearing political backlash, Indira Gandhi's government t ried to have Prof. Oak's book withdrawn from the bookstores, and threatened the Indian publisher of the first edition dire consequences . There is only one way to discredit orvalidate Oak's research. The current government should open the sealed rooms of the Taj Ma hal under U.N. supervision, and let international experts investigate.

Taj Mahal: Was it a Vedic Temple? The Photographic Evidence

2011-11-11T23:33:00.001-08:00

Taj Mahal: Was it a Vedic Temple?

The Photographic Evidence

A Presentation Assembled by Stephen Knapp, Available at www.stephen-knapp.com

This presents photographs (listed below in two collections) that show the Vedic influence found in such buildings as the Taj Mahal, Red Fort, and other structures in India. It also presents photos of drawings and art that have been discovered from other parts of the world, such as Arabia, Egypt, Greece and Italy, that show a definite Vedic influence. This also presents articles that explain the evidence for and against the idea that the Taj Mahal was a pre-existing structure before it was said to be built by Shah Jahan. So, no matter whether you accept all of this or not, it nonetheless makes for an extremely fascinating and interesting story. Take a look and decide for yourself what you think. The articles listed below are practically more important than the photographs that are supplied. So be sure to read them.

The point of this presentation is that we have all heard how the Taj Mahal, which is considered one of the great wonders of the world, was built as the preeminent expression of a man's love for a wife. That it was built by emperor Shah Jahan in commemoration of his wife Mumtaz. However, is this a true story? So, in our continuous effort to get to the truth, we have acquired some very important documents and information. Regardless of what anyone thinks, there is some thoughtful information that indicates that the Taj Mahal was never built by Shah Jahan. Some say the Taj Mahal pre-dates Shah Jahan by several centuries and was originally built as a Hindu or Vedic temple/palace complex, and that Shah Jahan merely acquired it from its previous owner, the Hindu King Jai Singh. This is not unlike the many other buildings that were acquired by the Muslim invaders to be used for their own purposes. The point to consider is how much more of India's history has been distorted if the background of such a grand building is so inaccurate.

PHOTOGRAPHS: COLLECTION ONE
The photographs listed below are taken from an album that was found in India. On the back of each photo there is a stamp mark that says, "Copyright Archaeology Survey of India." This signifies that they may have been the property of that institution, or that they had researched the evidence that shows the Taj Mahal and many other buildings may not have been of Muslim origin. Thus, it would be good if they could open up further research into areas of the Taj Mahal that would reveal the true nature and originality of the buildings.
These photos are black and white and except for old age and some water damage on some of them (creating white spots in areas), most are still in relatively good condition. Each photograph was accompanied by a typed caption taped in the album under or near the photo, each of which gives a very interesting explanation of the subject and the Vedic influence recognized on the building and what it means. The captions accompany the photos on the following pages just as they were written in the album, so the style of English and the explanations are kept the same. I did not write them myself. They are obviously written from an Indian perspective. Whatever I may say about the photos are displayed in brackets [ ]. Otherwise, I let the captions and photos speak for themselves. Some of these photos will show areas of the Taj where the public presently has no access, or what is rarely seen or noticed today. This collection has since traveled all across the internet after I have posted them here.
It is because of the manipulation of history by invaders that the true greatness of India and Vedic culture has been stifled or hidden. And it is time that people everywhere realize how numerous lies and false propaganda have been passed around as if it were the truth in regard to India and its past, as well as its art, archeology, and the wonder of its culture. India and its Vedic society was one of the preeminent civilizations of the world, as I explained in "Proof of Vedic Culture's Global Existence." Now, through the increasing amount of revealing evidence that is being uncovered, that greatness of India's past and its contributions to the world are gradually being recognized. It is because of this that it is now time to rewrite the history of India.
PHOTOGRAPHS: COLLECTION TWO
These photos (scroll down to find the list) provide a deeper view and a tour into the secrets of the Taj Mahal. There are also a few blueprints of the Taj Mahal to look at further proofs of the real purpose and function of the Taj Mahal. I thank Mr. V. S. Godbole for allowing me to use these photos to present them in a way so that everyone can see them through the internet.

ADDITIONAL ONLINE ARTICLES

"The Question of the Taj Mahal" (Itihas Patrika, vol 5, pp. 98-111, 1985) by P. S. Bhat and A. L. Athavale is a profound and thoroughly researched and well balanced paper on the Taj Mahal controversy. This paper goes well with the photographs listed below. It uncovers the reasons for the rumors and assumptions of why it is said that Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal, and presents all the inconsistencies of why that theory doesn't hold up. It also covers such things as the descriptions found in the old Agra court papers on the Taj; descriptions and measurements of the building in the old records; Aurangzeb's letter of the much needed repairs even in 1632 which is unlikely for a new building; records that reveal Shah Jahan acquired marble but was it enough for really building the Taj or merely for inlay work and decorative coverings; the observations of European travelers at the time; the actual age of the Taj; how the architecture is definitely of Indian Hindu orientation and could very well have been designed as a Shiva temple; the issue of the arch and the dome; how the invader Timurlung (1398) took back thousands of prisoner craftsmen to build his capital at Samarkhand and where the dome could have been incorporated into Islamic architecture; how it was not Shah Jahan's religious tolerance that could have been a reason for Hindu elements in the design of the Taj; how the direction of the mosque does not point toward Mecca as most mosques do; the real purpose of the minarets at the Taj; the Hindu symbolism recognized in the Taj which would not have been allowed if it was truly Muslim built; and even as late as 1910 the Encyclopaedia Britannica included the statement by Fergusson that the building was previously a palace before becoming a tomb for Shah Jahan; and more. A most interesting paper.

"An Architect Looks at the Taj Mahal Legend" by Marvin Mills, is a great review of the information available on the Taj Mahal and raises some very interesting questions that make it obvious that the Taj could not have been built the way or during the time that history presents, which makes it more like a fable than accurate history. This suggests a construction date of 1359 AD, about 300 years before Shah Jahan.

The True Story of the Taj Mahal. This article by P. N. Oak (from Pune, India) provides an overview of his research and lists his 109 proofs of how the Taj Mahal was a pre-existing Hindu temple palace, built not by Shah Jahan but originally at least 500 years earlier in 1155 AD by Raja Paramardi Dev as a Vedic temple. Mr. P. N. Oak is another who has done much research into this topic, and such a study is hardly complete without considering his findings. The evidence he presents here is a most interesting read, whether you agree with it all or not, or care for some of the anger in his sentiment. Mr. Oak has presented his own conclusions in his books, most notably Taj Mahal--The True Story (ISBN: 0-9611614-4-2).

The Letter of Aurangzeb ordering repairs on the old Taj Mahal in the year just before it is said to have been completed.

The Badshahnama is the history written by the Emperor's own chronicler. This page shows how Aurangzeb had acquired the Taj from the previous owner, Jai Singh, grandson of Raja Mansingh, after selecting this site for the burial of Queen Mumtaz.

Taj Mahal -- Time to Tell the Truth, an analysis by Dr. V. S. Godbole that shows how the Taj Mahal was not built by ShahJahan but was the Palace of Raja Mansingh.

The Distorted History of the Taj Mahal, by Dr. Dr Radhasyam Brahmachari shows how pervasive the false history of the Taj Mahal is and how it developed, but how it should be corrected.

The website http://veda.wikidot.com/taj-mahal has a most comprehensive and historical overview of interesting information about the origins of the Taj Mahal, which you should read thoroughly to get a good understanding of the truth of the Taj Mahal.