Can T&T stop Mumbai Indians?

Having pulled off an amazing victory against defending champions Chennai Super Kings in their first match of the ongoing Champions League T20, Mumbai Indians will look to enhance their position in group ‘A’ when they take on qualifiers Trinidad & Tobago on Monday.
    That three wicket win, with a ball to spare, on Saturday, left Chennai stunned and should have given the Mumbai Indians a tremendous morale boost.
    A match that was lost was turned on its head and won with ease. It should have its advantages and Mumbai Indians will no doubt look to cash in on that. It would be prudent to expect the MI batting line up to fail a second time in succession. As also for Harbhajan Singh and Lasitha Malinga to get together and pull off another bunny from the hat, the way they did against CKS.
    A lot will depend on openers Aiden Blizzard and Davy Jacobs apart from regulars, Ambati Rayudu, R Sathish, T Suman, Kieron Pollard and Andrew Symonds. 

    T & T, having gone through the qualifiers know that Mumbai Indians will be more than a handful. Despite the absence of Sachin Tendulkar, Mumbai still have batsmen who can win them the match.
    Malinga, Polard and Harbhajan form a formidable bowling combination in a side which does not have a single player from Mumbai in the line up. T & T squeezed through to the main draw with some tough games and skipper Darren Ganga will be hoping his team stands up to the test on Monday.
    Players who have donned the Caribbean colours will be expected to chip in with their experience. The likes of Ganga, Samuel Badree, Adrian Barath, Darren Bravo, Sherwin Ganga, Denesh Ramdin, Ravi Rampaul and Lendl Simmons are capable of lifting the team.
    The side will miss the services of the hard-hitting Pollard, who opted to play for the MI and it will be interesting to see whether the team from the Caribbean or the player with MI will get the better of the other.

Sachin Fears to facing me: Shoaib Akhtar

Sachin vs Shoaib Akhtar


Hurling thunderbolts, some would say, is a typically Shoaib Akhtar thing to do. On the day of the launch of his autobiography, aptly titled ‘Controversially Yours’, some of India’s leading cricketers discovered that retirement hadn’t mellowed the former Pakistan fast bowler’s feisty and confrontational ways.
    On Friday, Akhtar again found himself — like so many times in his career — in the midst of a raging row. He was left arguing that snide remarks in his book on the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid had been misconstrued. The book attempts to temper Akhtar’s image as the impudent, hot-headed spoilt brat of Pakistan cricket by portraying his humourous, honest-togoodness sensitive side. Some brash comments about Tendulkar and others, though, have been deliberately left open to interpretation. 

    At one point in the book, Akhtar writes, “When we got back on the field, I bowled a particularly fast ball which he (Sachin), to my amazement, didn’t even touch. He walked away! That was the first time I saw him walk away from me – that, too, on the slow track at Faisalabad. It got my hunting instincts up.”
    Is Shoaib insinuating that Tendulkar was scared of him? Sachin, on his part, refused to offer any shot to this bouncer, saying simply that it was beneath his dignity to respond to such remarks.At another point, Akhtar suggests that Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid lack match-winning capabilities because they are not adept in the art of finishing off a game.
    Even as these excerpts from the book went viral on the internet and dominated news channels, a beaming Akhtar was at his affable best at the launch, peppering his side-splitting anecdotes of early strife and dressing room shenanigans with typically earthy Punjabi humour. He was also at pains to insist he had the utmost respect for Tendulkar.
    “Tendulkar is the greatest, the greatest to play the game, who am I compared to him? Please read the book before jumping to conclusions. I am talking about a particular match, a particular instance when Tendulkar was suffering from tennis elbow and couldn’t hook or pull. This happens, on certain days they target you, at other times you target them. He had a scare that day. You have to analyse the body language. On certain days you are not comfortable with the ball. That doesn’t mean you are acoward or scared.”
    On Tendulkar and Dravid’s lack of match-winning capabilities, Akhtar said, “Dravid was an absolute nightmare in Tests because you couldn’t get him out. But he transformed his game in the ODIs and became a match-winner. Tendulkar too in the past six years has been amazing.”
    While cleverly sidestepping these controversies, Akhtar, tongue firmly in cheek, offered some other extremely interesting insights: Match-fixing is rampant (“it happens in every part of the world”), ball-tampering should be legalized, and lack of player unity is the single biggest cause of Pakistan cricket’s downfall. There were times when the patriot burst through too. Asked about the many controversies in the Pakistan dressing room, Akhtar shot back, “At least we confined it to the dressing room. Your Harbhajan slaps on the field!”
    Clearly, the inimitable Shoaib is in no mood to go gently.

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GENTLE MEN’S CLUB

These men from various walks of life have one thing in common — all were accused of domestic violence and were subsequently acquitted. Now, they’ve formed a group that advises other men how to fight the charge

    They are doctors, lawyers, IT professionals. They are demanding a ministry for men’s welfare on the lines of those for women & child development and environment and forests. They are men with standing in society who have lost in love and landed in court after being accused of domestic violence under IPC section 498, pertaining to domestic violence. Now acquitted of the domestic violence charge, 25 of them have come together to form the city’s first Men’s Rights Association, thanks to the initiative taken by software engineer Atit Rajpara. The Association now advises other men fighting domestic violence charges with tips and tricks to come through unscathed.
    The 32-year-old says he has just been to hell and back, thanks to his wife. Speaking to Mirror, he said, “We had opted for a test tube baby, but my wife filed a case of domestic violence against me, demanding custody of the yet-unborn child. I was arrested and humiliated by the Gujarat police and then by Pune police because of this false complaint. She then demanded maintenance of Rs 50 lakh claiming that I hold property worth Rs 1.5 crore. I stay in a rented house.”
    Rajpara, a Magarpatta City resident, added: “However, she could not prove any of the allegations in court. I was acquitted, but it took seven years. I lost my mental balance, almost lost my job. Now, afraid of getting trapped in her own cases, she is withdrawing them one by one.”
    He also demands to know if it is equality of gender when a mere complaint by a money-minded spouse lands an entire family in jail for several days, and that too without any evidence. “It was just a simple complaint, but such a spouse can ruin one’s life, he said.
    Yerwada resident Kailas Khairnar, employed with Tata Communications, has a similar story to tell. The 42-yearold said his wife of 13 years, a techie with a reputed company, was earning four times his salary.
    “In August 2009, I caught my wife while she was busy chatting with her ex-boyfriend on her laptop. She admitted she had been having an affair since her college days. I was somehow trying to cope with the shock. But my wife, fearing exposure, filed a complaint under Section 498(A) of the Domestic Violence Act along with sections pertaining to harassment and torture. She also claimed my flat showing she has no income. I was arrested along with my mother. My sister was also arrested with her husband. I lost my job. I was forced to leave Pune and had to shift to Mumbai,” Khairnar said.
    He added: “However, in court, my wife could not prove her lack of source of income. I proved in court that she had had an affair before marriage. Fearing trouble, she withdrew her case. She stopped attending hearings of other criminal cases filed by her against me. The court ruled in my favour. I joined this group to share my experience with others. I lost important years of my career and the happiness of family life. I do not want that any other should suffer like this.”
    Another victim from Pune, working with MSEDCL, said, “Despite knowing the fact that she could not conceive, my in-laws forced me to stay with her. I have been living in a veritable hell since 12 years and struggling to escape. She changed her medical reports to prove me wrong before the court. The court also rapped me for harassing my wife. But a second medical opinion proved that I was right. The court acquitted me but she is still filing cases in three different courts with the same complaint. I have been thinking of committing suicide and am hoping for guidance from this association.”
MRA OBJECTIVES » To break the myth of the male-dominated society » Learn tactics and tricks to fight social mindset that assumes men to be born criminals » Legal guidance for men to fight matrimonial disputes and false accusations » Lowering suicide rate among men » Forming a Men’s Welfare ministry as men contribute 82 per cent of taxes » Fight for fathers’ rights like winning child custody and living life with dignity
SUICIDE STATS MRA claims that men are more victimised than women when it comes to domestic violence. As per the National Crime Records Bureau’s (NCRB) 2009 report, every year, 58,000 married men in India are committing suicide. It means every nine minutes, a man commits suicide. In comparison, some 28,000 married women commit suicide every year, or a woman every 19 minutes

THE VIKRAM A SARABHAI COMMUNITY SCIENCE CENTRE, AHMEDABAD WINS THE TOI SOCIAL IMPACT AWARD FOR ITS CONTRIBUTION TO THE FIELD OF EDUCATION (NGO CATEGORY)

Where they teach you to have fun with science and numbers

Ahmedabad: On a Friday afternoon Kush Saluja, a Class VII student, carefully dissects a bright pink flower so that he can study pollen under a microscope. He is part of a group of children which spends evenings at Ahmedabad’s Vikram A Sarabhai Community Science Centre (VASCSC) to explore the magic of science beyond textbooks.
    Community science centres across the country have their roots in this small 1966-born institution which has an annual budget of a tad less than Rs 4 crore. In an era when there was no television– leave alone Discovery Channel – VASCSC launched its mission to
inspire children to learn mathematics and science using innovative methods. Science educators here began using working models to give children an opportunity to conduct their own experiments. Learning science became fun. 

    “At school, a teacher shows us how a microscope works,” Kush says. “Here, I work the microscope myself.” The centre has over the years, transformed generations of Ahmedabad children. In 1974, Arvind Patel failed miserably in his Class VIII science exam. That summer, he spent evenings at the centre. Today, he runs a company in Ahmedabad. It develops lasers for cutting diamonds and metal and holds at least 20 patents. “The centre turned my life around,” he gushes.
    VASCSC was the brainchild of Vikram Ambalal Sarabhai, the father of India’s space programme. On the one hand, he envisioned sending satellites into space, on the other he worked to build a scientific temperament among schoolchildren. His wish: To see a new generation of thinking individuals with a scientific bent of mind. This gave birth to VASCSC 45 years back, the first of its kind in the country. Since then, thousands of bright minds have passed through its doors and lost their fear of numbers and testtubes filled with volatile chemicals. It is science, hands on.
    The VASCSC board of governors has some impressive names, including Sam Pitroda as chairman, director of the Institute of Plasma Research P K Kaw, director of Isro’s Space Application Centre R R Navalgund and senior officials of the state and central governments. Sarabhai’s illustrious children – Kartikeya and Mallika – are also on the board.
    “Earlier, it would take a week to fill up seats in the summer programme for schoolchildren. Now they are all taken up in a few hours. We have had to increase our seats in many programmes because of the rush,” Kartikeya Sarabhai, the sibling more inclined towards science, says.
    In recent times, the institution’s biggest achievements have been the Science Express train and the pioneering maths lab concept. Today, it is mandatory for every CBSE and ICSE school to have such laboratories. Since 2007, the Science Express, with interactive laboratories on board, has covered 221 towns and cities, drawing 63.5 lakh visitors – mostly students in areas where schools don’t have well-equipped labs.
    But VASCSC director Dilip Surkar insists numbers don’t show impact. The idea is to inspire. “The Science Express was initially an Indo-German project. Within a year of its launch, the number of Indian students enrolling for a PhD in science in German universities went up from 15 to 65,” he says. The Science Express was developed by the Department of Science & Technology (DST) and the Max Planck Society, Germany. It has around 300 large-format visual images, 150 video clips and multimedia exhibits. It showcases India’s achievements in science and technology. The best part of the train, the ‘Joy of Science Hands-on Lab’, has been developed by VASCSC. This is a state-of-the-art classroom on wheels where students get to do things themselves.
    Chander Mohan, director DST, says: “Despite its small budget, VASCSC stood by me when I wanted to start the unique train. Other organizations with much bigger budgets were not ready to take responsibility of running the train. I salute VASCSC.”
    Back at the maths lab, a group of Class VI students is learning about integers, natural numbers and the number line. Number-crunching has not made them sullen. Instead, they cheer their ‘science educator’ as he explains how minus one and one are equidistant from zero. “I get great tips that help me remember things I would otherwise forget,” Purvansh Shah says. “This has helped me stay ahead of the rest of the kids.”
    “What is this,” asks a teacher, picking up a piece of wood. “Cuboid,” the excited children shout. “No,” says the teacher. “This is a square prism. Cuboid is its pet name,” and the kids have a good laugh.
    The maths lab was developed by professor A R Rao, a leading mathematician of his time, who completed 100 years on September 23, 2008 and passed away recently. He designed a set of mathematical models, puzzles and games that made learning numbers fun. Today, VASCSC helps set up such labs across the country.
Vikram A Sarabhai Community Science Centre | Born 1966 Founder | Vikram Ambalal Sarabhai, father of India’s space programme
Pioneering concepts | Concept of the Maths Lab and Science Express Budget | Around 4 cr THE SCIENCE EXPRESS Launched in 2007 Indo-German venture Train has 16 coaches with interactive labs and classrooms Has covered 221 towns & cities Has drawn 63.5 lakh visitors

Anna threatens indefinite fast near Pune over Lokayukta Bill

Crusader Demands Stronger Bill In Winter Session Of Legislature

Pune: Social crusader Anna Hazare on Thursday threatened to go on an indefinite hunger strike at the temple town of Alandi, about 20 km from Pune, if the state government does not pass a bill providing for a strong Lokayukta on the lines of the Lokpal, by the end of the winter session of the state legislature.
    Hazare sent a letter to chief minister Prithviraj Chavan on Thursday saying that a statewide jail bharo agitation would be launched on the seventh day of his planned indefinite fast at Alandi. Copies of the letter have been sent to all ministers and the state chief secretary.
    When contacted, a top bureaucrat from the CM’s office told TOI, “Chavan has seen reports in the electronic media but has not seen the letter. His office too has not received any communication from Hazare. Under such circumstances, it will not be appropriate for Chavan to comment on an unseen and unread letter.”
In his letter, Hazare stated, “I had sent you a letter on July 18 demanding a strong Lokayukta on the lines of the Lokpal but received no explanation. When I started an indefinite hunger strike at Ramlila grounds in Delhi from August 16 to press for a strong Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayukta in the states, people from across the country joined the agitation. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh gave me a written assurance that the bill will be introduced in the coming session of the Parliament, so I stayed my hunger strike.” 

    Hazare further said that the Union government sent letters to all state governments seeking their views about passing the Lokayukta bill. “You conveyed to the Union government that the decision of the party high command would be acceptable to you in this regard. Now, the Union government is saying that the decision about passing the Lokayukta bill has to be taken by the respective state governments. Through this letter, I request you to pass the Lokayukta bill to curb corruption in the state,” the letter reads.
    The crusader said he expected the bill to be passed in the winter session of the legislature. “If the bill is not passed by the last day of the winter session, I will have no option but to start an agitation. My hunger strike will start at Alandi and our workers will start an agitation in their respective districts. After seven days, there will be a state-wide jail bharo agitation,” he said.
    Hazare has attached a copy of his July 18 letter and draft of the Lokayukta bill to his letter.
    In his July 18 letter, Hazare had said that money meant for developmental projects and the people did not reach them because of corruption. A strong, independent and powerful Lokayukta on lines of the Lokpal is needed to curb corruption, the letter had stated. HAZARE KHWAISHEIN
IN MUMBAI Govt to consult Hazare on toll policy revision While The DF Is Treading With Caution, Shiv Sena’s Equation With The Activist Remains Uneasy Sandeep Ashar TNN
Mumbai: After the Congress-led central government caught flak in the showdown against anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare, the Democratic Front (DF) government in the state is keen to avoid any conflict with him.
    It has decided to consult Hazare before finalizing changes in the
norms for collection of toll tax on state roads. According to information, the state public works department (PWD) has written to the activist seeking time for a presentation on findings of study groups appointed to evaluate measures for an overhaul of toll collection system.
    Toll is collected on entry points of roads that have been improved under the public-private partnership (PPP) model. Revenue thus collected is used to pay the developer for the road work. In December 2010, the PWD appointed three study groups for recommending measures to improve transparency and efficiency in toll collection. The committees, each of which was headed by a chief engineer level officer, were appointed following a protest by Hazare. Alleging corruption in toll contracts, Hazare had threatened to sit on an indefinite strike, which was called off after the government announced the formation of the study groups. The government had even asked the committees to take inputs from independent experts named by Hazare.
    Chaggan Bhujbal, minister, PWD, has now directed the department to seek Hazare’s views on the findings. The activist is yet to revert to the request.
    The finding will be placed before chief minister Prithviraj Chavan and the Cabinet, after consulting Hazare, sources said. Many in the government, however, believe that such an exercise would set a wrong precedent. Bhujbal saw nothing wrong in the exercise.
    While one committee was asked to recommend measures to improve infrastructure at toll nakas and suggest changes on the minimum distance between collection points, another examined the feasibility of setting up digital screens at the nakas to display toll collection details. The third committee, meanwhile, was set up to evaluate the possibility of using smart cards at toll nakas.