McleodGanj

Nashaaaaa haiiii - shaitaan

oOo YAAAraaaaAA - shaitaan (movie rating ***1/2)

Awesome Way To Propose.........

kuch meetha ho jaaye :)

Dooriyan song - Love Aaj Kal

tere bin......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqQhbs1q4-E&feature=player_detailpage

MF Husain, The 'Picasso Of India,' Died In Exile

Maqbool Fida Husain, the artist who earned fame and controversy over his paintings, died in a London hospital early this morning. He was 95. Dubbed the 'Picasso of India', Husain's work is a blend of cubism and classical Indian styles that fetches millions of dollars on international art markets.

His depictions of naked Hindu goddesses enraged zealots who attacked his house, vandalised shows displaying his work and drove him to flee India. For years, galleries were too frightened of protests to display his work.

 He first began by hand-painting Bollywood film posters and later joined the Bombay Progressive Artists' Group in the late 1940s after Indian independence from Britain. They tried to create a new art for a new country, combining Indian traditions with modern Western avant-garde styles.

 Famous for walking barefoot and carrying a large paintbrush like a riding crop, Husain grew from a struggling commercial painter creating cinema hoardings in the late 1930s to one of India's leading artists.

 In 1967, his first film, "Through the Eyes of a Painter", won the Golden Bear award at the Berlin Film Festival. Four years later, he met the Spanish painter and sculptor Pablo Picasso at the Sao Paolo Art Biennial.

 He was part of the Progressive Artists Group, a collective that broke tradition to create avant-garde art. He was awarded the Padma Vibhushan, India's second highest civilian honour, in 1989 and nominated to the upper house of parliament in 1986.

By then, Husain was more famous for controversy after a series of paintings from the 1970s depicting revered goddesses in the nude were published in a Hindi-language magazine in 1996. Further controversy came in 2006 over Husain's "Bharatmata" or Mother India, depicting a nude woman posing across a map of the country with the names of various states on her body.

Bajaj Auto launches Kawasaki Ninja 650R at Rs 4.57 lakh

This is could be the best news yet for the motorcycle enthusiasts this year craving for a suitable motorcycle...

This is could be the best news yet for the motorcycle enthusiasts this year craving for a suitable motorcycle which is not so powerful like litre-class motorcycles or the slightly underpowered quarter litre motorcycles. India’s second largest two-wheeler company Bajaj Auto and Kawasaki on Wednesday launched the highly anticipated Ninja 650R.

The famous motorcycle deftly combines ample power (72 PS), serious torque (66 Nm), perfect ergonomics, nimble handling and supersport styling. It will be sold and serviced exclusively through Bajaj Probiking, India’s largest dealership network for premium motorcycles. At a price of Rs. 4.57 lacs (ex-showroom Delhi) the Ninja 650R is expected to create a new market for riding enthusiasts seeking a premium sports motorcycle. Already the motorcycling forums are abuzz with the great pricing strategy from Bajaj.

The motorcycle is already expected to heat up the things for the mid-size sportsbike segment and apart from its inimitable road presence and performance the Ninja 650R comes with a host of features such as triple petal disc brakes, MotoGP display, daylight running lights with hazard indicators, under-slung exhaust and a twin cylinder engine tuned for 91 Octane fuel to make it best suited for India and its diverse riding conditions. The motorcycle has a proper 649cc liquid-cooled twin cylinder motorcycle that aims to balance sportiness with every-day ridability and long distance comfort. The motorcycle is a liquid-cooled, DOHC, eight-valve fuel-injected twin cylinder engine with focus on ridability and is also equipped with a 180-degree crankshaft-driven balancer shaft.

According to reports, Rajiv Bajaj, Managing Director, Bajaj Auto said "We conceived Bajaj Probiking 6 years ago with the objective of making it the default destination for motorbike enthusiasts looking for looking for premium and performance bikes. The Ninja 650R is the next step in realizing that objective." He added, "The Kawasaki Ninja 250R has been a success with 1500 of these speed machines sold to date. It is now joined by its larger sibling to rule the roads."

Yoshiro Segawa, Managing Director (designate), India Kawasaki Motors, stated "After setting up a wholly owned subsidiary in India, we have chalked bigger plans for the performance aficionados of the country. We are pleased to present the stylish Ninja 650R for the Indian performance bikers. With the launch of this bike, we together with Bajaj Probiking are set to redefine the premium sports bike market in India." Available exclusively through Bajaj Probiking showrooms in 30 cities, the Kawasaki Ninja 650R will be backed with Probiking service capabilities and spare parts availability.

''Made-in-Tihar'' products set for bigger retail play

New Delhi, June 8 (PTI) Food items, clothes and other products made by inmates of the country''s biggest jail, Tihar, are set for bigger retail play, with jail authorities gearing up to bring the brand ''TJ''S'' closer to consumers.

The jail authorities are talking to several organised retailers, including Mother Dairy and some leading private chains, to make the ''Made-in-Tihar'' range of products available to modern shoppers.

To capture the general trade, the authorities will soon finalise a set of distributors that will supply the products to small retailers across Delhi and the NCR.

"We are just awaiting a final go-ahead for our products to be retailed at Mother Dairy outlets," Tihar Jail Deputy Superintendent (Factory) Prateek Sharma told PTI.

Once the nod is granted, the TJ''S range of products will soon be available at Mother Dairy outlets across Delhi and the NCR, he added.

When asked if discussions were on with private retailers, he said: "We are in talks with a few big private organised retailers, but they are asking for more margins that we are not willing to give. The proceeds from the sale of these products are used for the welfare of the inmates, victims and their families." Besides tapping the organised retail sector, Tihar Jail has also invited applications from interested parties for wholesale distribution.

"Within the next ten days, meetings will be held with the applicants to finalise atleast 5-6 big distributors, who will supply these products to the retail market, making it easily accessible to the end consumer," Sharma said.

According to him, the TJ''S range of products -- which includes bakery products, namkeens and other food items, handloom and textiles, furniture and home decor items -- registered a total sales turnover of Rs 15 crore last year.

"The bakery items alone had a total sales of Rs 2.5 crore," he added.

With the increase in the retail network and distribution, the jail authorities have set bigger sales targets, he added, without giving details.

At present, TJ''S products are sold at about 35 retail points in Delhi and NCR, which includes kiosks at court complexes, government-operated Kendriya Bhandars and a few hospitals.

The brand is being promoted through advertisements on FM radio channels in the NCR region.

Asked about the plan to take brand TJ''S national, Sharma said: "We will be definitely be interested to sell these products nationally, but currently, the production capacity is limited." PTI

HC feels 18 too early for girls to fall in love

A division bench of the High Court was of the view that girls should not be allowed to choose their partners on their own till they turn 21

AGE of marriage for girls may be 18 but they are not mature enough for love before 21! The Karnataka High Court has proposed that the law be amended to allow arranged marriage for girls at 18 and love marriage only at 21. A division bench of the High Court was of the view that girls should not be allowed to choose their partners on their own till they turn 21.

“ In our opinion, the girls below the age of 21 years are not capable of forming a rational judgment as to the suitability of the boy, with whom they are in love. It is relevant to mention that those girls, who are suffering from hormonal imbalance easily fall prey to the boys and fall in love, marry and repent at leisure,” the judges said in an order last month.

Justice K Bhakthavatsala and Justice K Govindarajulu stressed that the Parliament had not taken into account love marriages when the Bill was introduced. “ Since the Hindu Marriage Act does not deal with love marriages, in our view, it is high time that the Parliament take note of the sufferings of such girls and their parents and amend the law suitably,” the judges said.

They suggested that run- away marriages of girls under 21 be declared void or voidable.

India's Most Iconic Godmen

Article on Indian godmen. About India's most iconic godmen who have millions of followers around the globe. Includes how India is besotted by these godmen and mentions godmen like Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Mata Amritanandamayi Devi or Amma, Baba Ramdev and Sathya Sai Baba.

According to Wikipedia, a godman "is a colloquial name for a particular type of charismatic guru who has a high-profile presence, is capable of attracting attention and support from Indian society, and makes claims of spiritual attainments.

Godmen sometimes claim to possess paranormal powers, such as clairvoyance, or healing abilities."

We're sure this definition would ring many bells in your head, as India abounds in such kinds of godmen who command a huge following for themselves.

Sathya Sai Baba, who died very recently was a self-proclaimed godman. Though his life was riddled with controversies, he touched the lives of millions of devotees around the world. There are many such godmen in India who have influenced people to change their way of life.

Here are some of the most iconic godmen of India.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is one of the most recognized spiritual leader around the globe and is the founder of the famous 'Art of Living Foundation'. His main area of teaching is spirituality irrespective of religion.

According to Shankar, his Art of Living and meditation techniques are open to all which is how he defends his conducts workshops for opposing parties around the world.

Putting his international fame to good use, Shankar has initiated a number of humanitarian projects which help people in need. His techniques are unique and apparently provide 'individual healing' to all.

Mata Amritanandamayi Devi

Better known as 'Amma' or 'the hugging saint', Mata Amritanandamayi Devi has pledged her entire life for making the world a better place by wiping away all sorrow and stressfulness. This, she does by hugging people all around the world, which she spontaneously started doing since she was fourteen.

Unlike other godmen, she doesn't make tall claims of having done a lot of things for people's welfare. She has received people almost every day since she started out and there are times when she gives her 'darshan' (ritual of receiving a hug from Amma) for more than 20 hours.

It is this relentless urge to ease the suffering of others that draws her so close to the hearts of her devotees.

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's main claim to fame, apart from his teaching of the Transcendental meditation(TM) technique, had been his association with the Beatles. He became their Guru and guided them through their public and spiritual growth.

However, he had a fall out with the Beatles after he was rumoured to have made sexual advances towards    actress Mia Farrow and other women.

Following this, the Maharishi stopped all his public activities and began training TM teachers at his global headquarters. He ran various campaigns in different countries before giving it all up in 2008 and going into 'mauna' or spiritual silence for three weeks until his death.

SWAMI RAMA

Supposedly born in 1925, Swami Rama was an orphan who was reportedly adopted by "one of the greatest masters of the Himalayas," Bengali Baba. After holding the position of Shankaracharya of Karvirpitham for two years, Swami Rama moved West where he spent a major part of his life teaching, especially in the United States and Europe.

Swami Rama allowed himself to be examined by scientists who studied his miraculous ability to control various aspects of his autonomic nervous system like heartbeat, blood pressure etc.

Though he successfully established his teachings of yoga in the western community, his 'holiness' was put to question by charges of sexual assault against him.

Baba Ramdev

Well, he is the main man who has redirected our focus to the many God men in our country following his recent debacle of his fast-unto-death stand. The fact that so many people are standing up in his support, stands proof of his stronghold in the country.

The man who made a fortune of over Rs.1,100 crores from his famous teachings of various asanas and pranayama, has also been criticised by many for his political aspirations.

He is one of the most influential godmen of India presently, who seems to have a knack for picking up controversies every now and then.

A Day Out in Munnar

Munnar, which means confluence of three rivers, was the summer resort of the erstwhile British rulers in the colonial days. In the late 19th century, A.H. Sharp planted the first tea bush and since then tea has been the main agricultural crop in the region. Today, the hills around Munnar are blanketed with best-in-class green tea bushes. With its sprawling tea plantations, pristine valleys and mountains and cool air, it’s no surprise that Munnar has been rated the second-best Asian travel destination for 2010.

Bristling with wildlife and crystal clear streams, the enticing charm of Munnar is simply irresistible. The area has many attractions within a short distance of the town of Munnar, including the Sandalwood Forest of Marayoor and the Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary.

On the way to Munnar, some 22 kms before reaching there, I stopped by Anayirankal dam, a vast expanse of water surrounded by green carpeted hills covered with tea gardens. The distant view of the reservoir follows you for another 15 kms and it’s an excellent location for photography.

At every other corner you will find women with baskets full of locally grown fruits and vegetables. Don’t forget to bargain and buy tender carrots, passion fruits and wild tomatoes, all farm fresh and delicious.

Anamudi is the highest peak in the Western Ghats situated at a height of 2,695 metres (8,842 feet) above mean sea level. It is located in the southern part of Eravikulam National Park, fifty kilometers from Munnar. It is also the ideal place for wildlife travelers and nature lovers. It literally means “Elephant forehead”.

13 kms away from Munnar, Mattupetty is famous for its highly specialised dairy farm, the Indo-Swiss project. More than 100 varieties of high yielding cattle are reared here. The Mattupetty Lake and Dam, just a short distance from the farm, is a gorgeous picnic spot. The sprawling Kundala tea plantations, Kundala Lake and the echo point are other attractions in the vicinity. A boat cruise on the lake is the best way to enjoy the leisure.

If you are a true admirer of nature who has a passion for driving, Munnar is your dream destination and cruising along winding smooth roads across mist-sheeted lush green tea gardens is the finest experience you can ever have.

Does this picture suggest land’s end? It virtually is. This is Top Station, which is 41 kms uphill from Munnar. Located at the border of Kerala and Tamilnadu, this spot offers an ‘awebreathtakingsome’ panoramic view. Strolling down this pathway with steep abyss on both sides is adventurous, rather risky, but the view you get there is one of a kind.

The dude who poses here is Varayadu or Nilgiri Tahr, stocky goats with short, coarse fur and a bristly mane. Nilgiri Tahr is an endangered mountain ungulate listed in schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972. Eravikulam National Park which has the highest density and largest surviving population of this species is situated hardly 14 kms from Munnar town. Know more about this endangered species

Around every corner is another stunning view. You do not need a map or a guide; all you need is a good pair of shoes and the curiosity to see what is around the next curve. You need not necessarily be a shutterbug; random clicks can get you incredible photographs. 

Tata Manza clocks an incredible mileage of 46.33 km per litre to join Limca book of records

The Tata Manza (Quadrajet Aura ABS) has clocked an incredible mileage of 46.33 km per litre. This feat has been achieved by Narayanan Menon, a resident of Coimbatore who has zoomed into the Limca Book of Records.

Narayanan R Menon, Managing Director of Aromen Engineering Company and a proud owner of the Tata Manza has been certified for the remarkable drive on the Coimbatore- Avinashi by-pass on 25th of May 2011. Menon’s Tata Manza covered a long stretch of 72.3 kilometer on road by consuming only 1.58 liters of diesel, which translates to an incredible mileage of 46.33 km per litre.

A mechanical engineer, Menon himself does not credit an amazing mileage to a ‘magic foot’ rather a combination of good driving and car maintenance. For a country where fuel efficiency is a significant factor for automobile ownership and with fuel prices increasing, the feat certainly bodes well for the mileage conscious customer.

Cocktails: What You Need to Know About Them

About the contents and calories of cocktails. Tips on how to prevent hangover, what to eat after having cocktails and how to detoxify your body. Includes all about cocktails like bloody mary, kiwi margarita, cosmopolitan, mojito, island knockout.

When you have a fetish for cocktails, you must know what they consist of, i.e., their contents and calories; what you should eat after having those drinks; how you can detoxify your body to get out of that hangover.
Take a look at your favourite cocktails and find out all you need to know about them.

BLOODY MARY

Contents: Tomato juice, vodka, tobacco, lime juice, salt.
Rescue: Have foods containing starch like potatoes, breads or proteins like chicken, grilled fish.
Detoxify: Plain coconut water
Calorie count: 157

KIWI MARGARITA

Contents: Kiwi, lime juice, triple sec, sugar, tequila
Rescue: green salads, nuts go well with it.
Detoxify: Papaya, fresh orange juice, avoid caffeine
Calorie count: 151

COSMOPOLITAN

Contents: Vodka, lime juice, triple sec, sugar, cranberry juice.
Rescue: have a snack before gulping it down the throat
Detoxify: Indulge in bananas.....provides energy and makes up for the potassium loss.
Calorie count: 151

MOJITO

Contents: Mint leaves, lemon wedges, lime juice, sugar, white rum, mojito mix.
Rescue: fruits, nuts
Detoxify: Lots of water to flush it out.
Calorie count: 136

ISLAND KNOCKOUT

Contents: Gin, vodka, tequila, rum, triple sec, cranberry, lime juice.
Rescue: give a gap of at least an hour between the drinks.
Detoxify: Fruits, yogurt...make it a healthy breakfast to get you over with it.
Calorie count: 457

Going green on a lean budget

Fuel prices have skyrocketed in the past few weeks.

To make things worse comes the further talk of increasing the price of diesel at fuel pumps. In such times, one should look at fuel-efficient options which use alternative fuels like Compressed Natural gas (CNG) and Electric Hybrid cars.

CNG costs Rs 29 per kilogram, and is mainly used to run commercial vehicles in Delhi.

Maruti has specially designed and modified nine different vehicles starting from the Eeco van, Alto, Wagon R, Estilo, SX4 etc. to run on CNG using advanced twin computer technology.

The new generation of CNG cars will definitely offer you better performance compared to their older counterparts where you had to start pushing the accelerator a day before you actually started driving. The new cars come with integrated cylinders and piping as well as computers which monitor engine performance. Says I. V.

Rao of Maruti, "Today's generation of specially designed CNG vehicles give you almost the same performance as their petrol powered counterparts at half the cost." Maruti is not the only vehicle manufacturer with CNG vehicles.

Many others have jumped on to the CNG bandwagon as well. Toyota offers an excellent Innova and Corolla Altis in CNG.

General Motors India has an Aveo model in CNG on offer. At the launch of the Aveo CNG, Managing Director of General Motors in India, Karl Slym said, "Its (Aveo CNG's) running cost is approximately 54 per cent lower than a similar vehicle powered by petrol and 25 per cent lower than a similar vehicle powered by diesel."

He added: "Because of the lower operating economics and the growing number of CNG stations being built across India, this offering is expected to appeal to both individual and fleet customers."

CNG is a clean and green fuel which is quite light on your pocket. If you desire to go the unconventional way (and have the moolah for it) you can of course opt for a hybrid car.

A hybrid, as the name implies, is a vehicle that uses two sources of power — a conventional petrol or diesel engine and an electric motor.

Honda was the first company in India to make a hybrid version of the Civic available, though it did not do very well.

Toyota has not fared much better either with its globally popular Prius — thanks to the huge import duties imposed on all such cars by the government.

One hybrid vehicle which has done surprisingly well in India is the Porsche Cayenne SUV.

This is simply because it is placed in a segment in which people do not mind spending a little extra.

If you want to be green and are lean on the budget, do opt for a new generation CNG vehicle.

Your running costs will be half of petrol and at least 30 per cent cheaper than with diesel.

The only drawback is the long queues at filling stations and the fact that filling stations are only located in the Delhi and NCR areas.

You would also have to pick your way between auto-rickshaws and taxis— but with the savings you make at the end of the day will make it worthwhile for you.

And if you have the money — go for a Hybrid.

I am not satisfied yet: Tendulkar

London, Jun 3 (PTI) Sachin Tendulkar has almost every batting record that is there to be made under his belt but the iconic Indian cricketer says he is still not satisfied with his career as he considers satisfaction the beginning of stagnation.

"When you win something or score a century you say you are happy, but not satisfied. Satisfaction is like engaging the handbrake and hoping a car moves forward," Tendulkar told the latest issue of 'Sky Sports Magazine'.
"I am not satisfied yet with my career and what I have done, not at all. I feel the moment you start to feel satisfied, then it is only natural that you begin to cool down and lose it," he explained.
Tendulkar reiterated that he is not even thinking of retirement despite completing more than two decades in international cricket.
"I still love cricket as much as ever. It is my job, but it is also my passion. Cricket remains in my heart, I don''t need anything else to motivate me. I dreamed of playing for my country when I was young and it is still my dream, it is still fun for me," the 38-year-old right-hander said.
"Life without cricket is unthinkable," he added.
Tendulkar attributed his longevity and recent success to a stricter fitness regime, not playing Twenty20 Internationals and bowling only sparingly.

Super 30 founder to start school!

We bring to you an exclusive interview with the man behind the success of Super 30. Pioneer, visionary and guru, Anand Kumar.

by Anisha Oommen

Super 30, a distinctive programme that coaches students for the IIT entrance exam, has seen unparalleled success in the number of students that make it into the prestigious IITs each year. Its founder, Anand Kumar, selects 30 students from economically weaker families, provides them with food and boarding, and tutors them for a year as they prepare for the IIT JEE.

By 2011, 236 out of 270 Super 30 students made it into the IITs. We bring to you an exclusive interview with the man behind the success of Super 30. Pioneer, visionary and guru, Anand Kumar, as he talks of his inspirations, his plans for the future, his take on education in India, and the Indian Teaching Service he hopes to see become part of India’s blueprint for education.

How does it feel to see the running success of Super 30?
It makes me extremely happy. Many of these children left their homes, their villages, to come follow their dream; and to see this kind of result makes me very glad. This is the chance they need to break out of poverty and build a future for themselves.

What has been your inspiration to set up Super 30?
Growing up, I had a keen interest in Mathematics, and spent many hours working on my subject. After graduation, I applied and got admission into the University of Cambridge. But my financial situation, and my father’s medical condition were factors that held me back, and I had to let go of the opportunity. It made me realize that there were many students in India facing the same situation. Despite being gifted students, with a strong academic inclination, poverty and inaccessibility to quality education held them back. If there was a way to help them, I knew I had to find it.

Who has been your role model?
There have been many, but most outstanding in my memory, remains my father, Rajendra Prasad. He passed away around the time that my admission into Cambridge came through. He always said – Son, whatever you do, do it wholeheartedly. Put your heart and mind into it. He had a good heart, and encouraged in us, the idea of giving back to society.

What advice would you give our readers that are aspiring IIT-ians?
I would advise them to read voraciously, and be thorough with the basics. One must never memorise or “ratto”; that is not learning. Instead, study the basics, and understand them fully. As you develop on this, use your imagination and then apply to new learning.

If you could be India’s Education Minister, what changes would you bring into the system?
To begin with, everyone must understand that education is not a commodity to be bought and sold. Right now, there are expensive private schools, and there are Government schools, and there is a great divide between them. Quality education is being sold to the highest bidder. That has to change. Education - quality education - must be accessible to everyone. Government schools must impart education of the same standard available at private schools. And excellence in quality of education must begin right from primary schools.

Secondly, the IITs that now allow only 2 attempts at entrance admissions, must make allowances for children from less privileged backgrounds, and give them 3 attempts at clearing the IIT entrance exams. You spoke of primary schools; what changes do you think we need to see in this sphere of education? As I said, the quality of education must improve, and this begins right at primary school level. Most importantly, we have to attract and retain good teachers. It is the teacher that can transform a student, and it is imperative our schools have good teachers. We need to change the existing policies, and re-look at the salaries we give them, the facilities and tools to aid them in the classroom. Why don’t we have something similar to the IAS, and IFS? The ITS – Indian Teaching Service. Something as prestigious, to attract and build talent in the education sector.
In your opinion, why aren’t there more schools like yours? Is this a difficult model to replicate?
Super 30 is a school that takes no donations. In this sense, yes it can be hard to sustain. But we have created a prototype, and we encourage the government, and corporate business, to replicate this model. In fact, several State governments have expressed interest in setting up something similar, drawing inspiration from the success of Super 30.

Any plans to expand Super 30 into Super 50 or Super 100?
Yes, why not? Super 30 started as an experiment with 30 students who showed potential. We had no idea the name would become so popular. If there are more children with the talent and determination, then there is always room for more.

What do you see yourself doing over the next few years? Any plans beside Super 30?
Well, it has been a dream of mine to run a school for children from lower income families, and from villages where quality education is not available. I plan to set up this school, for children from the 6th to the 12th standard. I am looking for land right now, for the school premises, and for a hostel for the children to stay. I want to give them a chance to think of going abroad, to study medicine, to attend Olympiads, and meet other students excelling in different fields of academics

Universities reel as Indian students ditch Australia

Australian education institutes have reported a further fall of 8.7 percent in international enrollments in the first quarter of the year compared with the same period last year.

by IANS - 02 Jun, 2011

Melbourne, June 2 (IANS) Australian universities and vocational training providers are in serious worry mode. More dismal international student enrollment figures are coming out, with the number of Indians in particular reporting a sharp fall.

Australian education institutes have reported a further fall of 8.7 percent in international enrollments in the first quarter of the year compared with the same period last year. Indian student numbers, according to an article in The Age newspaper, have decreased by over 30 percent.

Indian students continue to be a serious reason for the downturn in Australian international education export industry. The fall in Indian students willing to study in Australia is in continuation of the downward trend triggered by reports of violence against youth from the South Asian country.

India was the second largest source of international students for Australia. Even though India has maintained its second position, there has been a drastic decline in numbers.

China has maintained the top position as the country of origin of international students studying in Australia.

Two other South Asian countries, Nepal (down 19 percent) and Sri Lanka (17 percent), have also followed India in the downward spiral.

A number of Australian experts have blamed the decline in South Asian student numbers on the hardened immigration laws.

Even though the Australian Immigration Department has relaxed student visa rules for India from April 2 this year, the industry is yet to experience the kind of 'gold rush' as before the laws were tightened.

Another reason for the massive drop in Indian students opting for higher education in Australia was a scare created by the Indian electronic media which whipped itself into a frenzy over the so-called 'racial' attacks on Indian students.

An Australian National Audit Office report on the programme published Tuesday has also criticised the Australian Immigration Department's processes which were 'not sufficiently robust' to keep the industry growth in correct perspective while making laws to ensure integrity of the student visa programme.

Shah Rukh khan is in no mood to support Baba!

Shah Rukh Khan says he will not support Baba Ramdev's fast as it is politically motivated!

Now Baba Ramdev geared up for some action

After Anna Hazare's anti-corruption movement, Baba Ramdev will begin fast unto death to bring back black money from abroad!

iPhone 4: To Buy or Not to Buy?

The much-hyped and the much-awaited iPhone 4 is here with a hell lot of features and also with a lot of criticism.

While the gadgets freaks can't resist its charm, the list of its critics is also growing.

When the iPhone was first launched in 2007, it easily outsmarted all its rivals. But now, as The Telegraph says, “The handset is a triumph of marketing over functionality”. Tell this to a die-hard iPhone fan and chances are that he can get pretty nasty with you. It is often said that you can negotiate with a terrorist but not with an Apple product user.


So is the newest iPhone overrated or is it still way ahead of its counterparts from Samsung, HTC, Nokia and BlackBerry?

Here are top 5 reasons to buy and to not to buy the iPhone 4. Decide yourself what outweighs the other.

Reasons to Buy the iPhone 4
It's beautiful and cool. It's bold, sleek and classy; an absolute pleasure to hold in the hand. There are no two ways about it.

The revolutionary features like FaceTime, Retina Eye, HD recording and editing, etc. are absolute killers.


23000+ apps for the phone are available in the App Store and thousands are being added each day. Whatever's there in your mind, chances are that you will be able to find an app related to that.

This baby is powerful. With the new A4 processor and double the RAM of iPhone 3Gs, iPhone 4 is lot faster. It is often said that iPhone 4 is as powerful as the supercomputers of the 80s.


Thanks the new Retina Display technology which gives four times more pixels than iPhone 4's ancestor, you a get a crystal clear screen that can perfectly render the sharpest details.

Reasons to not Buy the iPhone 4
The phone is way too expensive. Extortionate is the word used by its critics. Buy the best-in-its-range BlackBerry or Android handset and chances are that you'll end up paying a lot less.


The iPhone 4's battery doesn't last for very long. Yes, the battery life of iPhone 4 has been reviewed to be terrible by users. Many HTC phones are brilliant when it comes to battery performance.

Other competitors of iPhone have been able to install 8 and even 12 mega pixel cameras in their devices but iPhone 4 has just 5 MP to offer!

Owners of the iPhone 3GS won't miss much. Your iPhone will be able to fully enjoy version 4.0 of the iOS, the biggest benefit of which is multitasking, though you'll miss out on FaceTime.


Apple's hot new iPhone video calling feature, Face Time, comes with limited applicability. The other person has to have a Wi-Fi connection and must be a user of the same application. This limits the applicability of it against global service providers like Skype.

1 out of 3 cricketers ready to put IPL ahead of country

Nearly a third of players said they would retire early from international cricket to play exclusively in the Indian Premier League, citing fears over fixture clashes curbing their participation in the money-spinning event.
"The Indian Premier League continues to be popular with the players, and its superior pay structures for the players, continue to challenge players' priority over international cricket," May said.
"When players are able to earn over ten times their annual salary from their Boards, for just seven weeks cricket in the IPL, it would be foolhardy of Boards to continue to schedule international matches during IPL and expect players to remain loyal to the Board and international cricket," he said.
The survey also found that 54 percent of the players would retire from one or more formats of the game because of too much international cricket.
Players cited the major issues facing the game as governance, corruption and an overkill of international cricket, while only a single-figure percentage said decisions made at ICC Board level were in the wider interests of the game.

Google Android smart phones top as Nokia, BlackBerry sink

New York/Toronto, June 1 (IANS) Google's Android devices have become most popular smart phones in the US, said a Nielsen survey Tuesday, a day when Nokia shares tanked more than 15 percent on weaker quarterly outlook.

Nielsen said Tuesday its April survey of 65,000 users showed that 36 percent mobile consumers now use an Android device, compared to 26 percent who use Apple iPhones and 23 percent who use Blackberry.

If current mobile data usage is also any indicator, Google Android smart phones are set to leave Apple iPhones way behind. Android smartphone owners use an average of 582 MB of data each month, compared to 492 MB for iPhone owners, said the survey. Google's Android operating system (OS) is also proving to be the most popular, according to the survey.

The Neilsen survey came yet another bad news for BlackBerry maker Research In Motion (RIM) which was dragged down more than four percent as Nokia shares tanked more than 15 percent in New York after the global handset leader warned of lower sales in the second quarter.

Jittery investors also abandoned RIM stock which closed at $41.35 - the lowest levels not seen since 2006 - on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

While RIM has lost more than 60 percent of its value since 2008, Nokia's value has shrunk 43 percent since the last year. At $7.02 Tuesday, Nokia stock is at its 13-year low.

'Nokia's warning this morning is probably just the prelude to another RIM warning that investors have learned to get used to,'' analyst Jon Ogg told the Globe and Mail.

He said merger was the only solution for RIM and Nokia.

'We do not like mergers but this may be the only shot for these companies to stop the bleeding. Admittedly, this is a long-shot deal. A RIM-Nokia merger might encounter too many problems before getting off the ground. Still, what choices to these two companies have today?' the analysts said.

RIM, whose current stock is a pale shadow of $150 seen in June 2008, is currently valued at about $23 billion.

The presence of Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer at RIM's BlackBerry World annual conference of customers, developers and partners in Florida last month fuelled speculation that the cash-rich software giant could soon buy the BlackBerry company to make a mark in the smart phone market. Microsoft, which is sitting on a $48-billion cash pile, has already partnered RIM to adopt its Bing as the default search engine on BlackBerry smart phones.