India News Clips

India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in Toronto for the G20 summit. Interveiw by By Haroon Siddiqui of the Toronto Star Excerpt: India's booming economy emerged relatively unscathed by the economic meltdown and is expected to grow at 9 per cent. This helped India lift nearly 200 million people out of poverty. But millions more remain destitute. Singh, an economist, has made a mission of implementing “inclusive growth.” I asked him where he visualizes India to be domestically in five years. “As the fruits of our economic growth reach larger and larger sections of our society, we will see greater prosperity. I hope to see a more empowered, more educated and more skilled population, where there is equal opportunity. We can never be satisfied till we have eradicated poverty, disease and hunger from our society.” And where does he visualize India to be regionally and on world stage in five years? “I am optimistic that in the next few years India will continue to witness robust economic growth. This will have a significant transformational impact not only on the lives of our people but also on the global economy.” Click here to read full interview Pic by H. Satish from http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article487659.ece Read also: Canada must root out Sikh militancy from its soil: Manmohan http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article487659.ece

The King of Bollywood joins forces with the Canadian Tourism Commission Akshay Kumar signs on as the Canadian Tourism Commission's Ambassador for India VANCOUVER, June 28 /CNW/ - Bollywood megastar Akshay Kumar will leverage his celebrity status in India to promote Canada as a premier four-season destination in his new role as the Canadian Tourism Commission's (CTC) Ambassador for India. "King" Kumar, as he is lovingly called by his fans, carried the Olympic torch for Canada in Toronto during the 2010 Olympic Torch Relay. "We're thrilled that Akshay Kumar has agreed to be the CTC's Ambassador for India," says Michele McKenzie, president and CEO of the CTC. "Having a superstar like Akshay on board to boost Canada's profile within his country will help turn the spotlight on the extra-ordinary experiences that visitors can enjoy here." Kumar, who has enjoyed a strong relationship with Canada since his first visit in 1995, will act as the CTC's Ambassador for India until summer 2012. The partnership will involve familiarization trips ("fams") across Canada, which will be captured for local and Indian media in video and blog posts. Says Kumar, "I am very honoured and privileged to have been asked to represent the CTC as their Ambassador for India. Canada is my second home and I am truly proud to encourage and promote Canadian tourism in India. I have an extremely strong connection to this great land and its warm people." The CTC entered the Indian market in 2009 as part of its emerging markets strategy to inspire high-yield travelers to visit Canada. India is characterized by an aspirational lifestyle, fuelled by a growing middle class and sustained economic growth. In 2009, Indian leisure travellers injected $82 million into the Canadian economy. About Akshay Kumar Throughout his career, Akshay Kumar has amassed a global following and built a reputation as one of India's most trusted, bankable and likeable entertainers. Kumar began his career in 1993 and has since made over 140 films. He has been lauded as everything from India's Jackie Chan, to one of the Sexiest Men Alive. His rugged good looks and dare-devil persona have allowed him to introduce martial arts to Bollywood cinema, thus becoming one of Bollywood's first true action heroes. Kumar has seen multiple box office successes throughout his career, earning him a number cinematic awards and the nickname "King Kumar." He has spent a great deal of time in Canada and supports many Canadian causes, including the Trillium Health Centre in Toronto. In May 2008, Kumar received an honourary Doctorate of Laws degree from the University of Windsor for his exceptional work in the film industry and his philanthropic endeavours. About the CTC The CTC is Canada's national tourism marketing organization. Our vision is inspiring the world to explore Canada. With our partners in the tourism industry and the governments of Canada, the provinces and the territories, we advertise and market Canada in 12 countries around the world, conduct industry research and studies, and promote product and industry development. For regular updates on CTC initiatives, subscribe to CTC News, available through RSS feeds and by e-mail.

Indian Owned Company ArcelorMittal One of Canada's Top Corporate Citizens HAMILTON, ON, June 22 /CNW/ - Corporate Knights Magazine has ranked ArcelorMittal Canada as one of the country's most sustainable corporations. The recognition comes in Corporate Knights annual ranking of Canada's largest and most influential companies. Corporate Knights recognized ArcelorMittal for its focus on managing its business according to the principles of sustainability. The annual listing highlights global corporations most proactive in managing environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues. More than 3,000 companies were assessed against 10 baseline indicators including tax generation, leadership diversity, carbon productivity and innovation capacity. "Clearly, the ArcelorMittal group is delighted to be named and recognized for its leadership in managing its business according to the principles of sustainability," said Juergen Schachler, Country Manager for Canada and President and CEO of ArcelorMittal Dofasco. "Making the list this year, particularly after going through challenging economic times, this shows our commitment to sustainability continues to be a priority and is a strong endorsement of ArcelorMittal's approach to managing its business in Canada." Elizabeth E. May, O.C., Leader, Green Party of Canada attended the award ceremony. "Congratulations to ArcelorMittal for gaining Corporate Knights' recognition for achievements in sustainability," May said. "ArcelorMittal's national operations have continued to build on the company's longstanding accomplishments. ArcelorMittal Dofasco was an early adopter using an electric arc furnace on a blast furnace site, which netted major improvements in air emissions in steelmaking at the Hamilton site." Corporate Knights', Editor-in-Chief Toby Heaps said the company ranks in the top 10% of companies in the metals and mining sector. "Amid the growing ranks of globalized companies at the heart of Canada's economic and social fabric, ArcelorMittal Dofasco stands out among a select few as one of Canada's Top Foreign Corporate Citizens," he said. Corporate Knights Inc. is an independent Canadian-based media company that publishes the world's largest circulation magazine focusing on corporate social responsibility. The Corporate Knights mission is to 'humanize the marketplace' and to foster responsible corporate culture for a more livable world by highlighting the environmental and social impacts of marketplace decisions. ArcelorMittal is the world's No. 1 steel company with 290,000 employees in 60 countries. ArcelorMittal Dofasco is a leading North American steel producer and supplier of high quality flat rolled steels. To find out more about what ArcelorMittal is doing in the area of sustainability in Canada, visit www.arcelormittal.com/hamilton/dofasco  and www.communitystrength.ca.

Two Indian women among billionaire heiresses to watch http://www.asiantribune.com/news/2010/06/23/two-indian-women-among From R. Vasudevan - Reporting from New Delhi | New Delhi, 23 June (Asiantribune.com) Two Indian women - Roshni Nadar and Nisa Godrej - have been listed among Forbes magazine's list of "a breed of heiresses who choose to live a lower-key life... and working to make a difference behind the scenes." In its latest annual list of notable heiresses, the US business magazine said it "focused on these impressive women, placing more emphasis than in the past on their passion to make a difference, in their industries and elsewhere, rather than their fame or fabulousness quotient." "Are these women simply trying to set good examples or will some eventually rise to the top of their family's billion-dollar businesses?" Forbes asks and notes "At least one, Roshni Nadar, daughter of Indianbillionaire Shiv Nadar, is already on her way." The 28-year-old graduate of Kellogg School of Management was appointed CEO of the HCL Group, a $5 billion technology company, in April last year, while her father remains chairman. Alongside her CEO duties Roshni oversees the education initiatives of the Shiv Nadar Foundation. She has been involved in the VidyaGyan Schools initiative since inception and helped launch their first school in July 2009. "These women to a degree illustrate that being the relative of a billionaire is not just about the money or the lifestyle so commonly associated with it. It's about the high standards, set by their family that they aspire to reach," says Forbes. "Being the daughter of a billionaire is unimportant; being the daughter of parents who are superlative in their achievements is truly the best part. To live with, learn from and have access to parents who are role models to many is a blessing," Roshni is quoted as saying. The other Indian woman on the list is Nisa Godrej, 31, daughter of Adi Godrej with a family net worth of $5.2 billion. Nisa Godrej, who received her undergraduate degree from Wharton and has an MBA from Harvard, started at the Godrej group a decade ago as a management trainee at Godrej Sara Lee. She was recently appointed president of Human Capital and Innovation at the Godrej group. In this role, she will be in charge of managing more than 20,000 employees. Forbes said she is very involved in the cause of educating girls and has collaborated with the Dasra organization. She is also a member of the Indian Philanthropy Forum, an exclusive club of India's leading philanthropists. Two Indians among Forbes billionaire heiresses http://www.southasianfocus.ca/international South Asian Focus | Wednesday June 23 2010 WASHINGTON - Two Indian women - Roshni Nadar and Nisa Godrej - have been listed among Forbes magazine's list of "a breed of heiresses who choose to live a lower-key life... and working to make a difference behind the scenes." In its latest annual list of notable heiresses, the US business magazine said it "focused on these impressive women, placing more emphasis than in the past." The 28-year-old graduate of Kellogg School of Management was appointed CEO of the HCL Group, a $5 billion technology company, in April last year, while her father remains chairman. Alongside her CEO duties Roshni oversees the education initiatives of the Shiv Nadar Foundation. She has been involved in the VidyaGyan Schools initiative since inception and helped launch their first school in July 2009.

Alternative Publishers' Meet In Bangalore‏ - Links From: goanet-news-bounces@lists.goanet.org on behalf of Frederick Noronha (fredericknoronha@gmail.com) Sent: June 28, 2010 5:39:18 PM To: Goa's premiere mailing list, estb. 1994! (goanet@lists.goanet.org) Last week, I got a chance to join an alternative publishing conference in Bangalore, and here are some reports from there. Not Goa-focussed, but this might be of interest to potential authors among us. Leonard Fernandes is an interesting young man, working out of Gogol, Margao. He (and his wife Quennie) returned from the US and the UK respectively, even while in their 20s, to take to the challenging world of business in Goa. See their dogearsetc.com (a second-hand online bookshop) and their print-on-demand options at http://cinnamonteal.dogearsetc.com Ruben DCruz, despite his strongly familiar-sounding name, is a Malyalee and an interesting one at that. (It's amazing to find our "colonial cousins" scattered in diverse places, with Portuguese and almost-Goan sounding names, and I've known Paul Gonsalves from West Bengal, Colin Gonsalves originally from Kerala and so on....) Bhatkal, the publishers mentioned below, are pioneers in Mumbai, and trace their roots to the coastal Karnataka villlage of the same name. They have been behind Popular Prakashan, and published books like BG D'Souza's on Goa and many others. Please check the links below for useful links... FN The Tulika Story Indira Chandrasekhar of Tulika Books in New Delhi tells of her experiences with alternative publishing, and more. Tulika Books is one of the founder-members of the IPDA, the Independent Publishers' Distribution Alternative of India. Tulika can be contacted at 35 A1 (Third Floor), Shahpur Jat, New Delhi 110049 Ph 91-11-026491625 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plxIdxCbohg Keep Left! In book publishing for sure... LeftWord Books is a publishing venture that seeks to reflect the views of the left in India and South Asia. It publishs "critical and analytical works on a range of subjects, and pay special attention to works on Marxist theory" and "projects the interests of the working people and movements for social transformation." Sudhanva Deshpande of Leftword explains the logic of this niche but politically committed venture. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snPTQiZrKxo Reading... for the young ones, Kerala style The Kerala State Institute for Children's Literature [http://www.ksicl.org] is a State-run institution that promotes the reading habit at this level. Here, it's director, Rubin DCruz, explains the logic, achievements and challenges of this institution in a part of India where reading has struck deep roots. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSLAsiQOwuI IPD Alternatives, what's that? Amrita Akhil is Director for Marketing of the IPD Alternatives. This is an unusual venture, meant to row into the choppy seas of the uncertain market, and promote books brought out by independent publishers in India. Akhil explains what the Independent Publishers' Distribution Alternatives is all about. It's based at 35 A1 Shahpur Jat, Ground Floor, New Delhi 110049, tel 91-11-26492040 or 26491448 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KbFAEOrMPc Stree, Samya and Mandira Sen Mandira Sen is director of Stree (an imprint of Bhatkal and Sen) and Samya. This publishing venture is based at 16 Southern Avenue, in Kolkata 700026 At its websit e [http://stree-samyabooks.com] it explains: "Stree and Samya are two imprints of Bhatkal and Sen, a joint partnership of the Bhatkals of Popular Prakashan and Mandira Sen. Founded in 1990, Stree publishes on gender studies, focusing on the status of women in India, in English and in Bengali. It publishes on the workplace, class relations and political subjection, marriage, the family, the impact of religion, culture and ideology. It translates women's writings, fiction and nonfiction, from the Indian languages into English...." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FnEtn7pJIA Books, and the culture of publishing Samskriti (which means 'culture') is the name of Indian publishing veteran M Sengupta's book publishing venture. It's based at C9020 Vasant Kunj in New Delhi 220070 Phone 26137390 and calls itself a "house of education" promoting art, culture and heritage. Listen to the walk down memory lane. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_-PQ7N_fuw What exactly is e-publishing? Engineer turned publisher Leonard Fernandes of Goa runs the Dogears.etc (a site for second-hand book sales) and also his print-on-demand services and supplies initiative called Cinnamon Teal. Here, he gives an introduction to the potential of e-publishing, specially to those in alternative publishing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PAshekKwh4 Other Books, Kerala... other models in publishing books from India Other Books is based in Kozhikode/Calicut in Kerala, South India (P.O.Box 620, Calicut, Kerala - 673 002, Ph:0495-2306808 E-mail: otherbooks@post.com) They have an interesting model of getting 'sponsors' to support their books and invest in them. For a list of their titles published, see http://www.milligazette.com/Advertise ... Shameer KS is one of the editors at this initiative and can be contacted at otherbooks at post dot com http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DO8nFxnGgc Regards from Goa, where the monsoons greeted me back in full force :-) FN Frederick Noronha +91-9822122436 +91-832-2409490 Journalism, editing, photography http://photosfromgoa.notlong.com