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India-pakistan-flagThe passing of intelligence by Pakistan NSA Lt. Gen. Nasir Khan Janjua that certain LeT or Huzi operatives, which could include suicide bombers, have entered India has resulted in intense debate among the security experts whether this is just a ploy by Pakistan to score marks or is a genuine change of heart. The discussion has occupied the major prime time on TV channels has seen more sceptics then otherwise. Their belief and perception must be seen in light of the past chequered history of India Pakistan relationship. It is also not known as to what details have been shared and whether these are enough to trace the intruders. There is no official version available for either of the countries and the news of intelligence sharing has trickled down through sources.

The central issue, whether there is a rethinking in the political and military establishment in Pakistan in their approach to the terrorism which has been nurtured in the back yard as an instrument of causing social and economic destabilization in India, does not beget a simple and straight forward answer. It is no doubt that Pakistan has been a victim of home grown terrorism and has seen large devastation in terms of losing number of young innocent children and citizens. The public of Pakistan, which has borne the brunt of different hues of terrorism in its backyard, is no longer in sync with the anti-India policies as it has started hurting them. There is large section of right minded thinkers and army officers who have started questioning the purpose and role played by Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in actively supporting the terrorist operations across the border. Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sarif has also to deliver the positive results of his overtures to India to the local constituents and world community at large indicating that it is he who is at the command of thing in Pakistan. On the other hand, Mr Narendra Modi Indian Prime Minister also faces a similar dilemma especially after his sudden halt at Lahore to wish Nawaz Sarif a happy birthday which was followed by Pathankot incident. The hawkish security experts in India continue to believe that these gestures provide only photo opportunities rather than anything in substance. They question the Modi’s policy towards Pakistan and often term it as confused and an example of flip flop.

One must remember that the two neighbors, who share the common heritage and many more things, have to live together and continuous bickering between the two, sporadic clashes at border, crossing of terrorist across border and LoC from Pakistan side would work as hurdles in their economic development with large amount of GDP being spend on defense and security expenditure. While it can be said that the change in conduct of Pakistan in passing this intelligence and registration of an FIR in Pathankot case and showing eagerness to investigate it may be due to pressure of American administration to do more on anti-terrorism front. But there is no harm in taking careful steps in continuing the dialogue and explore every possible diplomatic step in the fervent hope of better friendly relationship in spite of past setbacks. After all it is not a single initiative but a huge effort and vision on part of the political leadership of the two countries that will turn the dark page of history of bilateral relationship filled with bitter memories.

It may also be mentioned that given the past history of terrorist striking in parts of India with active support of the neighbor, we cannot let down our guard. The Central Government and law and order machinery of the States must be given full credit for taking all measures to ensure that no untoward incident takes place especially in the spring season of festivals.

The writer, an IPS officer, recently retired as Director General of Bureau of Police Research & Development and has earlier served for long years in CBI & NIA. The views expressed are personal.“

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It has turned out to be yet another case of one who flew over the nest of investigating agencies, bidding good bye to them in the midst of an ongoing probe. Vijay Mallya, who loved to call himself “”The King of Good Times””, liquor baron who headed the UB group and was also a Rajya Sabha member, left the country on March 2 even as a lookout notice against him had been issued. The wilful defaulter owes Rs. 7,000 crore in loans to 17 state-owned banks. In last July, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had registered a suo motu FIR against Mallya, his now defunct airline Kingfisher and its chief financial officer, alleging that the loans were sanctioned in violation of norms regarding credit limits. One such loan of Rs. 900 crore was given to him in 2009 by state-owned IDBI Bank despite a memo, stating that his company had failed to meet compliance. Other public sector banks in line to get their money back include biggies like the State Bank of India, Punjab National Bank, UCO Bank and Bank of India. The banks wanted his passport and travel frozen but little did they know that Mallya had flown away to safety.

The Supreme Court was told on Wednesday by Attorney-General of India Mukul Rohatgi that Mallya had left the country on March 2. He asked the court to demand his return. As all high-profile economic offenders do, Mallya too followed the script to the dot. A day before, he planned his flight abroad, Mallya was reportedly seen in Parliament House, meeting his friends in political circles. Though his exact whereabouts are not known, it is likely that he is in England where he has good number of assets. Even British liquor giant Diageo had recently cut a sweet heart deal with him worth Rs. 515 crore of which Rs. 269 crore has been paid to him but in a setback to him, the Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT) has ruled that he cannot withdraw $ 75 million payment which he had received from Diageo. Mallya had stated that he had directly invested Rs. 4000 crore in Kingfisher Airlines which now stands fully impaired, terming it a bad business venture owing to the economic situation then and government decisions in civil aviation sector. The high-profile airline, named after the popular brand of beer which his company makes, shut shop in October 2012, driving thousands of employees in despair and leaving them without jobs.

A cursory glance at recent high-profile offenders would reveal that they were able to turn a blind eye to India’s legal process and had managed to flee – be it Union Carbide chief Warren Anderson, a U.S. national, who was arrested in 1984 only for a few hours after a deadly gas leak from Carbide plant in Bhopal had killed thousands. Using his connections, he was able to fly out of India never to submit him to the legal process in India or be it Ottavio Quattrocchi, an accused in Bofors payoffs case, who was allowed to slip away in 1993, three years after the CBI had registered FIR in Bofors case. He could never be extradited back to India.

It took two years for the CBI to arrest Nirmal Singh Bhangoo, a little known businessman and chairman of Pearl Group, early this year who launched a ponzi scheme, managed to allegedly con about five crore people in a scam that runs into Rs. 50,000 crore, by far independent India’s biggest financial scam. He gave land guarantee to lure investors who paid a certain amount of money. He also has massive investments in Australia and his land pool runs into lakhs of acres spread across a dozen States and for the last decade legal battle went on to ascertain if any case was made out against him or not! The CBI would need massive resources to probe the scam threadbare with voluminous documents, 1300 bank accounts already frozen. His influence in political class was said to be widespread and his Pearl group was also a co-sponsor of IPL team Kings XI Punjab.

It is only under the Supreme Court scanner that Sahara group chief Subrata Roy has been lodged in Tihar jail in the Capital for the last one and a half years as his group failed to come up with refunds to the regulator SEBI. It would be a test case for the Modi government, the CBI and Enforcement Directorate (ED) which has registered a money laundering case against Mallya to track him down and make him submit to the legal process. The track record of the investigation agencies indicate that they are most likely to falter and a big, influential and powerful accused like Mallya would continue to dodge them on one pretext or the other. Economic offences, termed as serious which affect the nation’s financial health by the Supreme Court, will continue to be treated with kids’ gloves.”

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MildronateThe use of meldonium—the substance taken by tennis star Maria Sharapova—is widespread among elite athletes, reveals research published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. The findings, which draw on information volunteered by athletes and individual medical teams, and lab data on anti-doping tests from the Baku 2015 European Games, indicate that up to 490 athletes may have been taking meldonium during the competition. Maria Sharapova had admitted earlier this week that she had tested positive for meldonium after the introduction of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) ban.

The research, which was carried out on behalf of the European Olympic Committees, contributed to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) taking the decision to ban the use of meldonium in competitive sport as of January 1 this year. The research highlights that at the time of the Baku 2015 European Games at least 13 medalits or competition winners were taking meldonium while 66 athletes had tested positive for this substance. The Journal said meldonium was detected in athletes competing in 15 of the 21 sports.

A substance is considered for inclusion on the Prohibited List of WADA determines that it meets any two of the following three criteria:

• There is medical or other scientific evidence, pharmacological effect or experience that the substance or method, alone or in combination or methods, has the potential to enhance or enhances sport performance;
• There is medical or other scientific evidence, pharmacological effect or experience that the use of substance or method represents actual or potential health risk to the athlete;
• That the use of the substance or method violates the spirit of sport.

Meldonium is used medically in patients for the treatment of myocardial ischaemia with effects reported to include improved systolic function, inhibited hypertrophy and dilatation of the myocardium, improved peripheral blood circulation and increased stress tolerance. Consequently, the use by athletes enhanced personal performance and a shortening of the recovery period after physical activity. Adverse effects reported by the manufacturers include headache, agitation, tachycardia, allergic skin reaction and dyspepsia. Meldonium is reported to be registered for medical use in 7 Eastern European countries which competed at the Baku Games including Latvia, Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, Azarbaijan, Belarus, and Moldova. The number of athletes from these countries represented 23 per cent (1306 of 5632) of the entire athlete population at the Games.

The research “”Meldonium use by athletes at the Baku 2015 European Games”” was done by Stuart, Mark Campbell; Schneider, Christian; Steinbach, and Klaus.”

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365px-Subrahmanyam_Jaishankar_2014About three weeks ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s planned visit to the U.S., Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar is wrapping up his two-day visit to Washington during which he held a series of meetings with top U.S. officials, discussing bilateral ties and cooperation against terror groups, mainly operating from Pakistani soil. Dr. Jaishankar has had a meeting with U.S. National Security Adviser Susan Rice. “”Rice and Jaishankar affirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation on climate change, trade and defence, and noted preparations for the upcoming Nuclear Security Summit,”” according to a White House statement by Ned Price, spokesman of National Security Council.

They also discussed US-India collaboration against Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed and other terrorist threats,”” he said adding: “”Building on their leaders’ commitment to make the US- India partnership a defining relationship for the 21st Century, they agreed to deepen their already close collaboration on these issues.””

India and the US have discussed ongoing “collaboration” against Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed and similar threats, and reviewed other aspects of the relationship. Sources in diplomatic circles felt that Washington realizes the growing threat from terrorism and it will continue to mount pressure on Islamabad to take credible action against terror groups operating from Pakistani soil. U.S. officials, including its ambassador in New Delhi Richard Verma, have stressed that the U.S.-India security relationship is of a fundamentally different nature than the U.S. cooperation with any other country in the region, including Pakistan. President Obama had called upon Pakistan to grab the opportunity to show that it was serious about delegitimizing, disrupting and dismantling terrorist networks.

India has also voiced its displeasures over the Obama administration’s decision to sell eight F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan on the ground that Islamabad needs the combat jets for counter-terrorism operations. With terror attacks by Pak-based terrorists like the one on an air base in border town of Pathankot, India is highly skeptical of Pakistan’s intention. With mounting global pressure, Pakistan has of late shared intelligence inputs with India and also announced its decision to send its investigation team to Pathankot, a move not rebuffed by India. Though it is not on the cards, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif may have an encounter during the Nuclear Security Summit (NSS) in Washington DC. The NSS is likely to be attended by the leaders of about 50 countries. Mr. Modi will travel to Belgium, US and Saudi Arabia between March 30 and April 3. In Belgium, he will attend the India-EU Summit, then head to the US and on his return leg pay a visit to Saudi Arabia on April 2 and 3.”

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WINBuilding on the success of the inaugural India WINConference in 2013, the empowering conference is back in New Delhi. Women achievers from corporations, government, civil society and media will add knowledge, colour, and bling to the upcoming two-day Women’s International Networking Conference or WINConference starting March 17. The well-known women achievers who will attend the conference include Naina Lal Kidwai, Chairman, Max Financial Services and Senior Advisor, Advent; Rekha Mody, President, Streeshakti; Selja Kumari, former Cabinet Minister and Congress’ Rajya Sabha MP; Mia Lundstrom, IKEA India; Sonam Kalra, Singer, Composer & Founder of The Sufi Gospel Project among several others.

Organised by Women’s International Networking or WIN, an independent global women’s leadership organization, the WINConference is one of the largest global women’s network organised in more than a dozen countries providing communities, companies and individual leaders the possibility to grow and contribute to the world. It features plenary sessions, practical workshops, benchmarking forums and coaching. Kristin Engvig, founder and director of WIN (Women International Networking) explains: “”WIN promotes and models the values of a global mind-set, authentic contribution and the feminine way of leadership, collaboration and sustainability. The WINConference is the most innovative event entirely dedicated to women’s leadership and proven to not only develop women in business but also nurture them as individuals.”” “By joining WIN, companies and professionals embrace the key mix of female values, creativity and efficiency, so sought after in business and society today,” adds Kristin.

India WINConference aims to update participants on emerging trends and the latest on the current global and Indian business environment. The conference also identifies the opportunities that lie ahead for both women and men alike, championing a more inclusive business environment in India and worldwide. WINConference helps prepare a company for the future where women are arising and where companies accelerate the learning and understanding on how to better attract, retain and inspire the fastest growing talent on the planet – women, on their terms and in a way that nourishes them.

The India WINConference will witness companies sharing and exploring the global picture to understand the context in which we live and work, what they are doing to embrace women in business and how women are impacting business models and bottom lines. Participants will get to hear from women achievers whose careers stand out and discover how their courage, perseverance and feminine touch have helped them move ahead, paving the way for others. The conference would give delegates an important networking opportunity with other women leaders, social change makers and entrepreneurs. In addition, the conference is also slated to provide groups of employees with a unique development opportunity accelerate your personal journey and create an optimal balance.”

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RTE.pngDelhi topped in filling 44 per cent of the seats reserved for underprivileged students under the Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act (RTE) while in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh and Mizoram the percentage of seats filled was less than one per cent. According to a new report, “”State of the Nation: RTE Section 12(1)(c)”” brought out by the RTE Resource Centre at the Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad, Central Square Foundation, Accountability Initiative and Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy only 21 per cent of the schools mandated to fill the seats actually did it.

Section 12 (1)(c) of the RTE Act mandates 25 per cent reservation for children from economically and socially disadvantages sections in private unaided non-minority schools. According to data compiled by the report in 2014-15, roughly 3.46 lakh seats were filled out of approximately 22.9 lakh seats available under Section 12 (1) (c), resulting in a fill rate of 15.12 per cent. This is a slight improvement from 3.2 lakh seats filled out of 21.8 lakh seats (14.66 per cent) in 2013-14. The top-performing State were Delhi (44.61 per cent), Rajasthan (39.26 per cent), Tamil Nadu (37.75 per cent), Chhattisgarh (32.94 per cent), and Uttarakhand (31.96 per cent).

The worst-performing States had fill-rate less than 1 per cent with Andhra Pradesh at zero per cent, Telangana (.01 per cent), Mizoram (0.21 per cent), Uttar Pradesh (0.79 per cent) and Odisha (0.97 per cent). In 2014-15, out of 2.17 lakh schools only 45,996 schools had taken at least one student under this provision. In2013-14, there were 44,158 participating schools out of total 2.06 lakh schools. Nationally, Andhra Pradesh (0 percent), Telangana (0.01percent) and Mizoram (0.17 percent) had the lowest school participation while Delhi (51.84 percent), Tamil Nadu (51.24 percent) and Rajasthan (47.88 percent) had the highest school participation rate.

Apart from discrepancy, the report also highlights other challenges that impede effective implementation of this provision like most of the States have either unclear rules or guidelines or are not implementing this provision, says Ashish Dhawan, Founder and Chairperson of Central Square Foundation, adding that awareness was still patchy, especially in rural areas. “”Once children enter the school system, provision of supporting and child tracking is almost non-existent.””

Concurring with this, Dr. Ambrish Dongre, Senior Research Fellow at Accountability Initiative, Centre for Policy Research, and Fellow at Centre for Policy Research says, “”Of the 1466.5 crore that States require for Section (1) (c) implementation, only 250 crore was approved by the Centre. Only six States – Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Odisha and Uttarakhand received assistance from the Centre indicating that the States need to do lot more. The report concludes by providing guidelines for enhancing implementation of RTE Section 12(1)(c) through clarity on State rules, notifications and guidelines, especially in areas such as definition of economically weaker and disadvantaged sections, age criteria and entry level class, neighbourhood criteria, items included under free education (uniform, stationery, textbooks) in addition to large scale awareness campaigns through TV, newspapers, radio should be ensured to make potential beneficiaries aware of the process of admissions.

Transition from an offline paper and pen mode of application to an online end management information system (MIS) provides for a transparent admission and reimbursement process, along with post admission processes such as tracking attendance and performance of children was needed. Streamlined and prompt reimbursements to the private schools and addition of these children into state assessments for better tracking and monitoring of performance, the report suggests.”

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Mohini Giri, women’s rights activist and former chairperson of the National Commission for Women (NCW) on Thursday gave up her Gymkhana Club membership to protest against the “”extreme class distinction“” visible at the elite club. “”I am proud to be an Indian where our constitutional entitlement is of equality. It is without any regret whatsoever that I am resigning from a club where I have been a member for the last 50 years. Life is always a learning experience. Now I know that we have to still walk a long path for true democracy,”” she wrote in her letter addressed to the Delhi Gymkhana Club Honorary Secretary Air Cmde (retd) Harjit S.Sassan.

Ms Giri along with the staff of her NGO Guild of Service had on January 18 been stopped by the Delhi Gymkhana Club staff from entering the Chinese Room saying that “”maids and drivers“” were not allowed inside the club. It was only after lot of persuasion that the staff was allowed inside. Ms Giri, daughter-in-law of former President V.V.Giri, had taken up the matter with media and it was widely reported. The Delhi Gymkhana Club management imposed a monetary fine on her for this action which she refused to pay. In her resignation letter Ms Giri said that the persons who were stopped from entering the Chinese Room were her guests and goes on to give the background of the guests with her. “”It shocks me to know that the Club is still suffering from a hangover of a colonial rule and carrying forward the unfortunate legacy of a class distinction in democratic country. At 78th year of my life I am learning that in India, despite democracy, to speak out against class bias and injustice invites punitive action. This is very clear from your action which smacks of petty revenge.””

“”I am afraid most Indian may not be able to meet the criteria of the Club. Clothes and general demeanor cannot be used as indicative of status. Had Mahatma Gandhi entered the club in his famous dhoti, he perhaps would have been thrown out too,”” she wrote.”

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640px-Pakistan_China_Locator.svg.pngTop echelons of the Indian security establishment have conveyed their concern to the government over the recent Pakistani move to raise three additional brigades to protect the 3,000-km long China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), passing through Pak-Occupied Kashmir (PoK), that will connect the Gwadar port near Karachi to China’s Xinjiang region.

The additional troops, equipped with artillery and chopper support, have been raised to give protection to the CPEC by securing the highway that will pass through Pak-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and the Gilgit-Baltistan region, the area also claimed by India. It is here that China wants Pakistan to upgrade the Constitutional status of Gilgit-Baltistan region that would also bring the CPEC under some kind of a legal umbrella as Beijing does not want to put huge investments in a region also claimed by India. Top government sources say that India’s concerns stem from the fact the China’s People’s Liiberation Army (PLA) is ready for involving itself on a long-term basis in the region and would take up strategic positions to protect the CPEC. In the past also, India has voiced its objection over presence of Chinese troops in PoK.

“”At present, we are keeping a close watch on developments relating to CPEC as well as observing situation in Gilgit-Baltistan region””‘ top government sources told theindiasaga.com.

Islamabad’s decision to set up the special force of about 10,000 troops to protect Chinese personnel and enterprises along the CPEC was also conveyed by a senior Pakistani diplomat who had visited Beijing recently. Beijing has expressed its security concerns as China is involved in more than 200 projects in Pakistan and nearly 14,000 of its engineers and technicians are working there.

Gilgit-Baltistan Region

Of late, local population in Gilgit-Baltistan region has expressed apprehension about reaping benefits of development even if CPEC becomes fully operational. Protests in the region have been broken with strength and brutal crackdown on the people by the police and Pak army. The CPEC, being funded by China with massive investment of nearly 46 billion dollars, is likely to be completed in three years. The corridor would be used to transport petroleum products from the Gulf region into China.

It was during his visit to Islamabad in April last year that Chinese President Xi Jinping had displayed Beijing’s bold approach to go to any extent to put the Sino-Pakistan relationship on a firm footing and protecting Pakistan’s interests even in international bodies and forums. Describing Pakistan as its only genuine ally in the region, China has indicated it would not shy away from altering equations in the region as long as it suits and furthers its national interests. Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper had noted in January this year that Gilgit-Baltistan region was frequently in the news these days for the much-touted US $46 billion CPEC that will pass through this beautiful province in the north to reach Chinese-operated Gwadar port in the country’s south. While there is hope it will transform the economy and help bridge Pakistan’s power shortfall, CPEC has also triggered concerns that the local people might be left out of the gains, the newspaper had said.

The 3,218 kilometre corridor will connect Kashgar in China’s western Xinjiang region to the port of Gwadar. “”Currently, nearly 80 per cent of China’s oil is transported by ship from the Strait of Malacca to Shanghai, a distance of more than 16,000 km, with the journey taking between two to three months. But once Gwadar begins operating, the distance would be reduced to less than 5,000 km,” the newspaper wrote. However, it noted local concerns as well. Quoting a development consultant from the area, it said that there was a feeling that thke CPEC “”is nothing more than a “black hole” as far as the people of the region are concerned.”

“The government has not engaged with us; we do not know exactly how much or what Gilgit-Baltistan’s role will be in CPEC or how we will benefit from it,” the consultant said, fearing when the region opens up, it will give short shrift to the locals.”

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Flag-Pins-India-Nepal_1Neighbors need to rework their positions. Implementing the provisions of the Constitution very difficult.Nepal PM says document progressive without discrimination.Madhesis claim Oli’s visit to India not successful.India and Nepal must have cordial relations with each other.Impartial observers believe Oli government unlikely to last long.Efforts are on to overcome the trust deficit between India and Nepal which had hit rock bottom following the economic blockade as the Madhesis or plains people demanded a more federal framework in the Himalayan nation’s new Constitution. Irritated by the economic blockade for nearly five months Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli contemplated visiting China rather than sticking to the tradition of coming to New Delhi first.At the end of it all Oli’s first sojourn overseas for a week after being four months in office was to this country. He made it clear that he had come to mend the ties and remove misunderstandings. In an interface with intellectuals and think tanks, Oli said the Constitution promulgated by Nepal is inclusive and that the document is progressive without any kind of discrimination.

He admitted the Constitution might not satisfy everyone since it was a compromise reached between divergent people and groups.His Indian counterpart and host Narendra Modi affirmed that India desires a strong, stable and prosperous Nepal for itself and the betterment of South Asia. Similarly, when external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj called on Oli she made it clear that India considers itself Nepal’s elder brother and certainly not its “”big brother”” which is resented by the neighboring country.

No less than nine bilateral agreements were signed. Oli concluded his week long visit to India on a high in the third week of February. He specially acquainted himself with the reconstruction work connected with the massive earthquake in Gujarat and met captains of industry in Mumbai impressing upon them to invest in Nepal which will be mutually beneficial. After resisting the amendments to the Constitution, Oli relented to incorporate some of the demands of the Madhesis. This led to the easing of the blockade after the protesters backed by India called off the stir.

The standoff had an adverse effect on India’s goodwill which had rendered prompt assistance to Nepal in the wake of the devastating earthquake in 2015.Nevertheless, the Madhesis insist that Oli’s visit to India was not a success. The amendments to the Constitution leaves much to be desired in ensuring the rights of the Madhesis. On the other hand RJD’s vice president Raghuvansh Prasad Singh stressed that the Nepal government is trying to “”blackmail India”” by playing the China card. Kathmandu reacted promptly calling it a “”brazen interference in Nepal’s internal affaris.”” Most political parties including those critical of Oli ended up criticizing the Madhesi Front for taking their politics beyond the border.Impartial observers believe that the Oli government is unlikely to last long with New Delhi continuing to be seen as a destabilizing factor.

This has necessitated the two neighbors to re-calibrate their positions. Being a landlocked country Nepal’s economic dependence needs no elaboration. This stood out starkly during the economic blockade as 70 per cent of the supplies came from India. Â Kathmandu looked towards China which expressed its inability to bridge the gap because of the extremely difficult terrain by the land route to Nepal. Given the exigencies of the situation, Kathmandu and New Delhi must have cordial relations with each other which is in their own interest. In case of political instability in Nepal, the spillover effect is bound to have an adverse impact in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh having an open border with that country. At the same time India and Nepal have to reset their priorities encompassing the direly needed reconstruction assistance assured by India.

On his part Modi acknowledged that the conclusion of the Constitution writing process is an important achievement. At the same time New Delhi underlined the need for consensus through dialogue with dissenting Madhesis about their concerns on Federalism. The onus is clearly on Oli and his Communist party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) without alluding to any brinkmanship which which can have an adverse impact in the long run. New Delhi should learn lessons from the recent deterioration in bilateral relations. Tension between the two neighbours also reverberated in the United Nations. New Delhi should be well aware that Beijing will try to capitalize on every friction it has with Kathmandu to wean away the southern neighbor from India. Considering the deep historic and cultural ties, Kathmandu remains a more convenient neighbor economically and politically. Nepal and Oli have to come to terms with a Federal structure by taking India into confidence. Even as he had refused to visit India without the blockade being lifted, Nepal watchers assert that the Constitution is a problematic document in many ways even though it was voted in favor by 85 per cent in the Constituent Assembly which amounted to 78 per cent of the electorate being in favour. Â As the rights based Constitution has been drafted by politicians rather than a committee of jurists, it will be a difficult document to implement because of the promises it makes including expanding the scope of fundamental rights to cover a whole slew of economic, social and cultural rights. Any number of outstanding issues remain including the citizenship for foreign husbands of Nepali women. It was adopted on September 20 last year.Fortunately, the blockade ended before the much feared possibility of a hill-versus-plains communal flareup proving once again that the people have more sagacity than the overlords.

Mr. T R Ramachandran is a senior journalist and commentator. Views expressed are personal.”

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Srimathumitha_getting_a_prize_From_M.S.Subbulakshmi_Amma””Who am I, a mere Prime Minister before a Queen, a Queen of Music,”” said India’s first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru  about M.S. Subbulakshmi while Lata Mangeshkar called her Tapaswini (the Renunciate), Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan termed her Suswaralakshmi (the goddess of the perfect note), and Kishori Amonkar labelled her the ultimate eighth note or Aathuvaan Sur, which is above the seven notes basic to all music. The great national leader and poet Sarojini Naidu called her “”Nightingale of India””. But, right through she remained the simple Tamil lady with the shining diamond nose ring and which connoisseur of music can ever forget her many famous renditions of bhajans including the chanting of Bhaja Govindam, Vishnu sahasranama (1000 names of Vishnu), Hari Tuma Haro and the Venkateswara Suprabhatam (musical hymns to awaken Lord Balaji early in the morning).

The current year marks her birth centenary having been born on September 16, 1916, in Madurai  which was in the than Madras Presidency  to veena player Shanmukavadiver Ammal and Subramania Iyer. Her grandmother Akkammal was a violinist. Madurai Shanmukhavadivu Subbulakshmi  popularly known as M.S. was the first musician ever to be awarded the country’s highest civilian honour Bharat Ratna in 1998. Yet another honour bestowed on was that she was the first Indian musician to receive the Ramon Magsaysay award, often considered Asia’s Nobel Prize  in 1974 with the citation reading “”Exacting purists acknowledge Srimati M. S. Subbulakshmi as the leading exponent of classical and semi-classical songs in the carnatic tradition of South India.”” Known affectionately as Kunjamma to her family, Subbulakshmi had her early training in Carnatic music under the tutelage of Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer and subsequently in Hindustani music under Pandit Narayanrao Vyas.

Her musical interests were also shaped by regular interactions with renowned carnatic musicians like Karaikudi Sambasiva Iyer, Mazhavarayanendal Subbarama Bhagavathar and Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar. A child prodigy, Subbulakshmi gave her first public performance, at the age of eleven in  1927,  at the 100 pillar hall inside the Rockfort Temple, Tiruchirappalli. In 1936 she moved to Madras (now Chennai) where she made her film debut in Sevasadan in 1938 opposite F. G. Natesa Iyer who had introduced her as a child prodigy to the world of Carnatic music a decade earlier, in Tiruchirappalli. M.S. Subbulakshmi began her Carnatic classical music training under her mother Shanmugavadivu and later in Hindustani classical training under Pandit Narayan Rao Vyas. Subbulakshmi first recording was released when she was 10 years old.

Two years after her performance at Tiruchi, Subbulakshmi gave her first in Madras at the prestigious Madras Music Academy in 1929,when she was 13 years old which was a break from the tradition followed by the Music Academy and her  performance was described as spellbinding and earned her many admirers and the moniker of musical genius from critics. By the age of seventeen, Subbulakshmi was giving concerts on her own, including major performances at the Madras Music Academy. She travelled to London, New York, Canada, the Far East, and other places as India’s cultural ambassador. She was among the select Indian vocalist to sing at the UN General Assembly on UN day in 1966. After the death of her husband Kalki Sadasivam in 1997, she stopped all her public performances till she passed away on December 11, 2004 at the age of 88.”