Six Rajasthan hill forts on Unesco heritage list

JAIPUR: Six of Rajasthan's hill forts have made it to Unesco's World Heritage List: Chittorgarh Fort, Kumbhalgarh Fort (Rajsamand), Ranthambore Fort (Sawai Madhopur), Jaisalmer Fort, Amber Fort (Jaipur) and Gagron Fort (Jhalawar).

"The selection of these forts is a reflection of our past work," said tourism, art and culture minister Bina Kak. The listing of the forts was approved at the 37th meeting of the World Heritage Committee in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on Friday.

Kak said the selection of these forts, located in different cities, as a serial cultural property, was the first of its kind ever by Unesco. She said with this selection the six forts would receive enhanced international recognition — the way Jantar Mantar in Jaipur did after being selected in the World Heritage List in 2010.

Five of the forts had been nominated last year too, but Unesco had rejected them. This year the government added Jaisalmer Fort, reworked the documents and re-nominated the other five. Four of the forts are protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and two by the Rajasthan State Archaeological Survey.

The state government had sent the nomination dossier of the forts to the World Heritage Site centre in January 2011. A two-member team from the advisory body of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) had met state government and ASI officials in Jaipur in November 2012. Following this, the ICOMOS recommended that the hill forts be made part of the World Heritage Site list.

All the forts represent Rajput military architecture. The structural remains or ruins range from the eighth to the 19th Century and comprise multi-gated approaches through massive and high fortification walls, palaces, temples, memorials and water reservoirs.

Scholarship for girls taking up ITI courses

AURANGABAD: An NGO has come forward to promote technical education among girls from villages in Gansavangi taluka in Jalna district by offering Rs 5,000 to each one of them taking admission in the Industrial Training Institute (ITI).

Somanth Khade, joint convenor of Swamy Vivekanand Shadh Shati Samoroh Samiti, confirmed the development and said the scheme would be available for girls from this year.

Mukund Kulkarni, principal of the institute, said, "The aim is to encourage girl students to take up ITI courses and create awareness about its benefits. Since the institute is located in the rural area, the response from the girls is not very encouraging. Hence, the scheme has been launched from this year to increase inclination of girls."

"Since the last two years, no girl has taken admission in the institute. Earlier too, the response was poor with only 7-8 girls taking ITI courses. People from rural areas believe that ITI courses are suitable for boys only," he said.

"To clear this misconception, the institute is spreading awareness among the students by conducting workshops and by distributing pamphlets in villages in Gansavangi taluka. The college is contacting every school principal and have put up posters in schools," Kulkarni said.

"The institute runs one-year and two-year courses. Girls enrolling themselves for any course would be eligible for the scholarship. The online admission process will begin from June 24. We have received at least 20 inquiries from girl students. We hope to admit all of them this year," Kulkarni added. 

Four from Andhra Pradesh make it to top 10 in IIT-JEE Advanced

HYDERABAD: Two students from Hyderabad secured the top two ranks in the Joint Entrance Examination (Advanced), which guarantees admission in the IITs across the country. Two others from the state, including a girl student, made it to the top 10 out of the 1.15 lakh candidates who sat for the exam on June 2.

Seventeen-year-old P Sai Sandeep Reddy, a resident of Prakasam district who studied in a school in Madhapur, secured the first rank with 332 marks out of 360, officials said. He was followed closely by A Ravi Chandra, a resident of Hyderabad, who got 330 marks, securing him the second rank.

"I am a big fan of Harry Potter and I love to read story books whenever I get time," said an overjoyed Sai Sandeep Reddy. Son of a school teacher, Sandeep prepared hard for the exam by devoting 12-14 hours per day in the three months leading up to the JEE exam. "I am still dazed. I never thought I would top the exam," Sandeep said. The tall lanky boy, who dreams of carrying out research in robotics in IIT Mumbai, said he was immediately heading to the Shirdi Sai Baba temple with his parents to offer thanksgiving prayers.

Ravi Chandra, son of a central government employee, said he wants to carry out research in computer sciences. "I expected to be among the toppers but never did I think that I would be able to secure the second rank," said Chandra, who studied in the same Madhapur institute as Sandeep. Asked what he did to blow off steam, he said he loved to watch films and added that his inspiration was his brother who is studying in IIT Madras.

Out of the 1,15,971 candidates who took the exams, around 21,110 qualified. Two female candidates, including S Leena Madhuri from Tirupati, made it to the top 10 ranks for the first time. Leena, who stood eight with 314 marks said she studied for 15-16 hours leading up to the examination. "I also love playing chess and watch television," she said.

Meanwhile, M Viswa Virinchi, a resident of Kukatpally, who secured the first rank with in the JEE (Mains) with 345 marks, had to be contended with seventh rank in the advanced exam. Virinchi, who secured 315 marks, said he used to spend his free time taking piano lessons and wants to be an engineer.

The JEE Advanced results were declared two days in advance, but officials said the admissions would be done only from June 24 as planned. The examination had two objective papers comprising physics, chemistry and mathematics. Candidates have to qualify the exam to get admission into any of the 15 IITs in the country including IIT-Hyderabad.

The JEE (main) scores were an eligibility test for the advanced exam.

Modi rocks, even in the Himalayas!

During a visit to China's countryside outside Beijing last week, one found many places on the highway which had warning signboards which said 'Rockfall site'. The most fragile hill slopes were, however, properly treated with a plaster binding and tightly covered with a steel mesh which would have checked a landslide. Also met during the trip, two Nepalese journalists who were all praise for Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi and had heard some of his inspiring speeches on YouTube. A devout Hindu and chief editor of a leading Nepalese daily, one of them had felt blessed when he came to India some years back for the 'Char Dham' yatra, the route of which now lies devastated in the Uttarakhand flash floods.

Had met Modi for the first time in Ahmedabad sometime in mid-1999 at the official bungalow of the then mayor of Ahmedabad. Was struck by the number of rings this persona non grata for the Keshubhai Patel regime was wearing on his fingers. The meeting with Modi was arranged by Anil Balooni, officer on special duty to the governor, late Sundar Singh Bhandari. The conversation was off the record. What came out amply clear was Modi's frustration at the state of affairs in Gujarat and his inability to do anything about it. Except, vent his exasperation before the media and give them leads about what was going wrong in the Keshubhai regime, in the hope that they would write something against a non-performing chief minister.

Have been more in touch with Balooni, now a BJP leader in Uttarakhand, than with Modi. Called him up to inquire about his well-being after the devastation. He had by then spoken to some trapped Gujarati pilgrims and said: "Pilgrims are saying they won't be in this sorry state if Modi was the chief minister of Uttarakhand." Indeed, nature has been kind to Gujarat during the last 12 years or so that he has been in power. Quite unlike the three years of acute drought, two strong cyclones and an earth-shattering earthquake that Keshubhai had to face, which eventually cost him his job. During the decade of good rains in Gujarat, the only time his disaster management was seriously tested was in the 2006 Surat floods when the city was submerged for three days and he was roundly booed by marooned Surtis as he waved out from a speed boat. Even in 2012, a few months before the last assembly elections in December, his opponents were hoping that an impending drought would mar his chances of becoming CM for the fourth time - till the heavens showered a late monsoon and handed him his third successive political landslide win. People in Gujarat have come to believe that nature's recent kindness is because of what they see as an illusionary halo behind their chief minister.

Was reading about L K Advani loyalist Sudheendra Kulkarni calling Modi an 'autocrat' and BJP chief Rajnath Singh as someone 'foxy' and under "astrologically induced delusions" (of becoming PM). Actually, Modi's popularity among people is because of his autocracy. And no prizes for guessing who is the fox and who are the rabbits in this Modi-Rajnath-Advani triangle. As for astrology, the stars seem more on Modi's side. To make sure his Himalayan ambitions do not crumble, some say he constantly performs some tantrik rituals to neutralize his adversaries. And, of course, the rocks on his fingers are still there.
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No netagiri in transfers anymore

BANGALORE: The Congress government has come out with a new transfer policy, which limits the interference of politicians and empowers department heads to shift officers. The policy is a deviation from what was followed by the previous BJP government.

According to the policy adopted by the Siddaramaiah government for 2013-14, transfers should be done only during May-June. There is a rider, however: The chief minister can, in public interest and to ensure good administration, order transfers anytime.

"The new policy will help in better administration and ensure that transfer and appointments of officials are done in public interest. It will also revive the confidence of government servants, who had been questioning the frequent transfers done during the previous regime,'' Siddaramaiah explained.

The new guidelines have been framed on the recommendations of the Karnataka Administrative Reforms Commission headed by former minister Haranahalli Ramaswamy.

Welcoming the new policy, Karnataka State Government Employees' Association president L Bhyrappa said: "The policy is good, provided the government implements it in right earnest."

A routine affair

When Yeddyurappa took over as CM in 2008, the BJP government had, in fact, instituted a similar transfer policy covering Class I to IV government employees. The government had then set June 30 as the last date for completing the process. However, transfers continued unabated, even after the deadline, with three chief ministers ruling the state in five years.

After the Congress government took over, transfers of IAS and IPS officers continued, with around five such orders being issued on an average every week. In administrative and police circles, the chief minister's ways are being compared with that of Yeddyurappa, who kept bureaucrats on tenterhooks with the musical-chair policy.

What it says

Some of the highlights of new transfer policy are: Six per cent employees in each department can be transferred; all Group A and B (IAS, IPS, secretaries, chief engineers, etc.) should be shifted from their posting at the district or divisional levels only after completing three years/ In case of Group C and D employees, they can be transferred if they have completed four and seven years respectively.

The rules, however, are not applicable to employees coming under the Police Establishment Board and teachers falling under Karnataka Civil Service Rules, 2007. Teachers will henceforth be transferred through counselling.

During counselling, employees concerned will be asked to give three preferences. If more than staffer opts for a particular place, preference will be given to the one who has served longer in a particular place.

185 flight cadets, including 21 women, inducted into IAF

Hyderabad: As many as 21 women are among the 185 flight cadets joined the fraternity of the Indian Air Force on Saturday, after completion of their successful one year rigorous training in different branches.

At an impressive combined graduation parade held at the Air Force Academy,  Dundigal near Hyderabad, Chief of Army Staff General Bikram Singh presented the Commission to them, on behalf of the President of India.

Besides 4 Indian Navy officers and 1 Indian Coast Guard officer were also awarded flying brevet on the the occasion. The passing out parade was culmination of the completion of  the one year rigorous training of the cadets in different branches at Air Force Academy, Air Force Administrative College, Coimbatore, Air Force Stations at Hamikpet and Begumpet.

 Addressing the cadets after reviewing the parade, the Army Chief called upon them to continue to work hard and create their own professional qualities with confidence, courage, integrity and compassion, make them good leader.  He hoped that the newly commissioned cadets will perform their  duties well and bring glory to the service and motherland. He said that the ascendancy of Air Power has been amply displayed in recent wars and inter-service cooperation will continue to remain a key element in future operations.

He told the cadets, "You are going to join a elite force that is going to play a major role in future conflicts.  There can be nothing more satisfying than participating in the defence of our own country".

General Bikram Singh was received by the Air Marshal Rajinder Singh, AOC-in-C Training Command and Air Marshal RG Burli, Commandant , Air Force Academy.

General Bikram Singh presented 'President's Plaque and Chief of Air Staff''s 'Sword of Honour' to flying officer Amandeep Arey, Commander of the parade, for standing firsing in overall order of merit in the pilots course. Flying officer Ravi Ranjan and flying officer Anshu Kumar Singh were awarded 'President's Plaque' for standing first in overall order of merit in ground duty and navigation branches respectively.

Traditional fly past by Kiran, Hawk, newly inducted Pilatus aircrafts and Chetak helicopters, while An-32 and Dornier aircrafts flew the crisp “Small Boy” formation kept the audience spell bound.  An exhilarating low level aerobatic display by Su-30 aircraft, kept Parade spectators enthralled.  A breath taking performance by Akash Ganga Para Jump Team & Air Warrior Drill Team was appreciated by one and all.  

On the penultimate night, the Army Chief attended as chief guest a ceremonial guest night with passing out flight cadets and their parents wherein he presented trophies and medals to cadets, excelled in their respective branches.

IIT entrance exam: Underprivileged children of 'Super 30' make it big again

Patna: The underprivileged students of 'Super 30' here have yet again made it big at the IIT entrance examination with 28 out of the total 30 students qualifying. The result of JEE(Advance) was declared on Friday.

Chandan Kumar, son of a landless farmer of Gaya district and one of the students of the famed institute told PTI that he had managed to study till matriculation by borrowing books from friends. "I have been reborn after my days in 'Super30'," said Abhishek Kumar, the son of a small shopkeeper.

"My father and mother gave me birth but Anand Sir has granted us another life," said Shivangi Gupta, daughter of a book seller in a small township of Rasoolpur in Kanpur, said.

For Alok Ranjan, the youngest of four sons of a private school teacher who manages to sustain family by giving tuitions, it is a joyous occasion. "I have never purchased a new book in my life. My joy knows no bounds now that I have cleared entrance to IIT."

'Super 30' is the brainchild of noted mathematician Anand Kumar who founded the institution in 2002 and provides free of cost coaching for IIT entrance examination to students belonging to economically weaker sections. The students are also provided with free food and accommodation.

"Due to lack of resources I could not go to Cambridge. I wish to see my reflection in all these students who hail from similar backgrounds," Kumar told PTI.

'Super 30' has attracted praise from world over and Tokyo University has announced to sponsor one of its students to study there. The institute was heaped with praises and lauded as the best in India by Rassad Hussain, the special envoy of US President Barack Obama who visited it in 2011. Bollywood mega star Amitabh Bachhan had enacted the character of Anand Kumar in the film 'Arakshan'.