Gudi Padwa - A new year celebration

The Gudi Padwa festival marks the beginning of the Hindu new year in Goa. Also known as Sansar Padwa, it is considered one of the most auspicious
days to start new business ventures. The Hindu calendar year begins with the onset of Vasant season (spring) in Chaitra.

In some parts of Goa, Shigmo festival concludes on the day of Gudi Padwa. Once many villages situated in the remote corner of the Sahyadri hills were involved in the performances of Ranmale, a popular form of folk drama. Besides, Sattari and Sanguem, villages from Karnataka and Maharashtra bordering these talukas have performances of the Ranmale during the 5-day celebration of the Shigmo or on the Gudi Padwa's night.

In various parts of Goa, the new year celebration is observed with various cultural performances on the previous day of Gudi Padwa. In Nanoda, Bicholim, a folk dance called ghodemodni is performed besides the performance of virbhadra.

In Gaondongri, unmarried youth from the Velip community take part in Dinya Jatra'. The carry a stick of dino (Leea indica) decorated with flowers.


Source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/

EC holds Varun guilty, asks BJP not to nominate him

The Election Commission's verdict on Varun Gandhi is out and it has found him guilty of breaching the model code of conduct.

In an order issued late on Sunday night, the commission said that it condemned the young politician
and also asked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) not to nominate him as a candidate.

Highly derogatory, provocative and totally unacceptable - that's how the Election Commission describes Varun Gandhi's speech. In the order, the commission said Varun doesn't deserve to contest elections, along with the instruction to the party.

"The EC's decision has been unprecedented. Till now no political party has been asked not to field a candidate," said BJP spokesperson Balbir Punj.

The Commission had issued notices to Varun and the BJP. Now it says none of the replies filed by Varun is convincing.

In his response, Varun had questioned the genuineness of the CD, but the commission says it's convinced that it is not tampered with.

Varun had also raised doubts over the timing of the CD. The Commission feels that's of little consequence, as it does not mean the tape was doctored.

Varun says the CD is from an unknown source and could have passed many hands before it reached the poll panel. But the Commission says that doesn't lessen the gravity of his offensive remarks.

And finally, Varun says his opponents are using the media to conspire against him and the Commission doesn't buy that logic as well.

Two criminal cases have already been lodged against Varun, but the EC cannot bar him from contesting, till he's convicted by a court of law, for a period of over two years. But it did condemn him saying his speech had stirred the conscience of the country - the world's largest Democracy.

Source:http://www.ndtv.com/convergence

Zardari gets 24-hr ultimatum to end deadlock

Pakistan army and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani have asked President Asif Ali Zardari to go if he does not accept a new deal hatched by them in consultation with foreign powers.

The new political deal, backed by Washington, London and the army establishment, has quietly been conveyed to Pakistan PM Gilani, to bring down the political temperature in the country.

As part of the deal, the PM has been asked to immediately convince Zardari to demonstrate the flexibility required to break the present deadlock, before the 'Long March' reaches Islamabad.

Gilani has reportedly been given 24 hours to convince Zardari into agreeing to the new political and constitutional arrangement, as further delay will not produce any positive results for the political forces currently on the warpath.

The ball is now firmly in the court of President Zardari, who has to take a decision swiftly on endorsing the agreement brokered by powerful international actors.


If Zardari does not accept the new deal then:

* Army, foreign powers will be left with no option but to implement 'minus-one formula'

* Presidents office will be completely marginalised, Zardari will be removed

* Gilani will take over as power will be restored to PM office

* Nawaz Sharif's PML(N) will join the cabinet

* Deposed SC chief Justice Iftikar Chaudhary will be reappointed.

Terms of the deal are:
* Pak PM Gilani has been asked to convince Zardari to accept the new political and constitutional arrangement

* The deal also states the removal of Punjab governor Salman Taseer, who is an obstacle to good relations between the PPP and the PML(N)

* Implementation of the new Constitutional package through the Parliament

* The deal also demands the restoration of Supreme Court Justice Ifthikar Chaudhary.

Since March 11, there have been a series of meetings that have shaped this deal.

The Pakistan army chief General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani met PM Gilani in Islamabad on March 11, where in the ninety minute meeting the former essentially told the latter to set the deal in motion.

On Thursday, the US ambassador to Pakistan Anne Patterson met former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. The reason ostensibly was after Sharif alleged that there was a plot to assassinate him.

Meanwhile, the PM has not met the president after he returned from his trip to Dubai. He has however been talking to the President over the phone.

UK foreign secretary David Miliband also telephoned President Asif Ali Zardari to discuss the present situation on Thursday.


News from:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/

Give us desi jobs, say IIM grads

Dollar salaries and international postings are no longer the flavour at Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs). Even as the final placement season is on in full swing, ‘desi’ offers have emerged as the hot favourite.

Collapse of the Wall Street and global investment banks - who were big campus recruiters - is the major reason. Also, global recession has made Indian placements look more secure. Mismatch in locational preferences whenever global postings have been offered, is another.

Last year, the talk was all about the eight figure salaries offered by investment banks with London, New York postings. This year, the scene is dramatically changed. IIMs said a few students have rejected lucrative international offers in favour of local jobs. An IIM-Kozhikode student said, "People with similar offers, one international and one local, opted for the latter. About seven students rejected global offers.''

While foreign investment banks didn't come, a few domestic investment banks visited the campus.

"This year the offers made by the investment banks are 50% less compared to last year,'' a student said, adding that there's drastic decline in number of offers made so far.

A fact corroborated by Prof Sushil Kumar, chairman (placements) IIML, who said, "The placement will continue till March 12-13. But what we are noticing this time is the individual requirement from companies has gone down drastically.''

At IIM-Calcutta some students have said ‘No’ to international offers. An IIM-C student said one of the reasons could be the US government's decision to ask companies who are beneficiaries of the bailout to hire US citizens.

External Relations Secretary of IIM Calcutta, Paul Savio, said some students have rejected international pre-placement offers due to the curbs on H1-B visas proposed by the US government and in a few other cases due to differing location preferences. The international offers were made by banking and consulting sectors. Last year there were 70 international offers.

However, it isn't as if all international offers are being rejected. At IIM-Bangalore only one has said ‘No’ so far while in IIM-Lucknow, no foreign offer has yet been rejected. Saurav Mukherjee, chairperson, IIM-B placements said this was due to location preference. "Otherwise most people who were offered have taken it,'' he added.

The IIM insiders feels that in the present scenario students are being extra cautious about international offers with strict due diligence being conducted on the prospective company. All's not lost. "The offers made at IIMs are mostly by big MNCs with strong global presence so there is job security for students,'' a faculty member said.

Interestingly, international media reports that highlighted Indians returning from the US, put down the phenomenon to ‘growing demand for their skills and shining career opportunities back home'. This was cited by 79% of Indians who also put the lure of being close to family and friends as another major influencing factor.

Source:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Pakistani helicopter evacuates Sri Lankan team

A Pakistani air force helicopter on Tuesday evacuated the Sri Lankan cricket team from Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium following a deadly ambush, an AFP reporter said.

Sixteen members of the team ran towards the military aircraft on the pitch under guard of security officials, said the correspondent.

The helicopter then took off.

"The helicopter will take them straight to the Lahore airport from where they will fly home this afternoon," a Pakistan Cricket Board official told PTI.

The two injured Sri Lankan players -- Thilan Samaraweera and Tharanga Paranavitana who were hit by gunshots -- will be taken to the airport straight from the hospital as they are out of danger.

PCB chairman Ejaz Butt and other Board officials were present at the Gaddafi stadium ground from where the helicopter airlifted the players and officials. PTI reported.

Sri Lanka’s tour to Pakistan was called off immediately after the attacks. At least six Sri Lankan cricketers were injured when unidentified gunmen opened fire at them killing five police personnel escorting the team to the Gaddafi stadium for the third day of the second Test.

Source from:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com