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ORKUT is the Pepsi-MTV Youth Icon 2007!

As the fierce battle of the ‘Pepsi & MTV Youth Icon 2007’ comes to end, it’s time to crown the winner of the much coveted title! The youth of India have voted ‘ORKUT’ - the biggest youth social networking forum, as the undisputed winner of the Pepsi & MTV Youth Icon 2007. Orkut joins the league of Mahendra Singh Dhoni (in 2006), Shah Rukh Khan (in 2005), Rahul Dravid (in 2004) and Anil Ambani (in 2003) as the winners of Pepsi-MTV Youth Icon.

VJ Nikhil, who was rooting for ORKUT this year says, “Orkut has not only been a mode of communication to the youth but has literally given them the power to expand their horizons! The award is definitely well deserved, validating Orkut’s immense popularity.”

Named after Orkut Buyukkokten, its Turkish creator, Orkut was launched in early 2004. It is the biggest youth social networking forum which helps users meet new friends and keep up with the old ones.

Motherjane’s home coming tour at Nishagandhi in Trivandrum was truly an adrenaline rushing experience.
The songs mindstreet and brocken were really cool. They also sang some songs from their new album ‘Maktub’.
The show was organised by Rosebowl, the youth concept channel.

About Motherjane :

motherjane is a Cochin based five piece progressive rock band which started in 1996. The band consists of Suraj (Vocalist), Baiju ( lead guitarist), John ( Drummer), Clyde ( Bass Guitarist) and Deepu (Rythm Guitarist). Motherjane is the only Indian rock band to have their music played in American, Japanese and Mexican radio stations and has a cult following all around India.
The band was put together on 16th March 1996 by John who was a very famous figure in Cochin’s music scene. To start with, the group had Laji George as the vocalist who continued to be with motherjane till year 2000. The lead guitarist was Mithun who continued till year 2000. Guitarist Rex worked with the band till 2002. Suraj Mani, who is a mechanical engineer by profession joined Motherjane in the year 2000.

Kishore Biyani, (CEO, Future Group) says

In retrospect, what I find was crucial was the attitude to rebel against the obvious. I was born at a time when everyone believed in socialism and control. Our generation rebelled against this. Today, I find youngsters to be conformists, they totally believe in ideas that are given or have been told by their parents. If they rebel, they won’t get the privileges they are getting, which are much more than what they really should be getting. Without rebelling, one doesn’t learn anything in life.

Former BAARC Cheif, Dr A N Prasad says on The Hindu

The agreement to operationalize the Indo-US civil nuclear deal has “compromised India’s case to a large extent and the United States could “remotely drive our atomic programmes in the long run,” former Director of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Dr A N Prasad, said here Sunday night.

He said the draft text of the 123 agreement, reached in Washington last month, clearly tried to accommodate diverging interests and constraints of both India and US by clever use of the language.

“We are now in effect reduced to a mere recipient state mandated by the Henry Hyde Act (passed by the US Congress) to carry out a set of do’s and don’ts and strive to earn a good behavior report card to become eligible to continue receiving what they can offer,” he said.

“In the process, slowly but surely, they (US) could gain control and remotely drive our nuclear programmes in the long run,” Prasad said.

Prasad, who was active in IAEA inspections in Iraq, said “this deal, through the Hyde Act, gives far too many opportunities to penetrate deep into and interfere even in our 3-stage programme to slow down realization of our goal to harness our own vast resources of thorium for long-term energy security.”

Prasad pointed to two points in support of his view: first revelation by Nicholas Burns, US Under Secretary of State, during his interview to the Council on Foreign Relations and secondly the duration of the 123 agreement coinciding with the time India intending to take thorium use to a commercial reality.

He pointed to Burns’ remark that “it had been an easy ’strategic’ choice for Washington when faced with the question - should we isolate India for the next 35 years or bring it in partially now (under safeguards inspection) and nearly totally in the future.”

Left on 123 agreement:

Left parties, supporting allies of the Government, today rejected the Indo-US civil nuclear agreement and asked the Government not to proceed with operationalising it.

The four-party alliance also decided to press for a constitutional amendment for bringing international treaties and certain bilateral agreements for approval in Parliament.

After “careful assessment” of the text of 123 pact released on Friday and studying it in the “context of burgeoning strategic alliance” with the US, the Left parties said they were “unable to accept the agreement.”

“The Left calls upon the Government not to proceed further with operationalising of the agreement,” a statement issued by the four parties here today said.

“There has to be review of the strategic aspect of Indo-US relations in Parliament,” it said.

Much to gain from the 123 of nuke power (on Economic Times)

Private sector nuclear energy is going to be introduced in four phases in India in the wake of the 123 agreement with the US. To begin with, private sector companies like Tata Power and Reliance Energy will have to form joint ventures with the government-owned Nuclear Power Corporation.
In the next phase, Indian private sector companies will be allowed to set up plants on their own. The third phase will permit foreign investors to come in as JV partners with Indian players. And finally, at least a decade later, foreign investors may be allowed to set up nuclear plants on their own.
In India, the three companies that have already declared an interest in setting up nuclear power plants are Tata Power, Reliance Energy and National Thermal Power Corporation. But others are lurking in the background and may consider entering the fray too.

Capt GR Gopinath, Executive Chairman, Deccan Aviation says

Start by taking a long, hard look at rules and behaviours inside your organisation that might be scuttling innovation in the first place. Don’t hesitate to challenge outlined assumptions. Do not restrict innovation only to the business product, work on your processes, structure, business model and even the market. Ask questions like “What if we do this differently?” or ” What if we target a different consumer base?” During the course, you can identify processes that will enable you to inch closer to your objective. Look for innovation from diverse and multiple sources. Innovation can stem from employees, partners, suppliers and also consumers, make sure that you are not ignoring any of them.

I was born in a remote village in Karnataka where my father was a school teacher. I studied in a Kannada medium school till class 7 .After graduating from the National Defence Academy I fought in the 1971 Bangladesh war and later served in the Indian Army for eight years. I knew I had to leave my sheltered army life and explore new opportunities but I hadn’t figured out what I wanted to do. I took premature retirement in 1978 and with Rs 6,000 in my pocket left for my village with plans to till my ancestral land. That decision turned out to be the turning point of my life. As luck would have it, a dam built on River Hemavathy had submerged our lands in exchange for which the government allotted us 40 acres of barren land which no one in my family wanted, due to its inaccessibility. I decided to live on the land and give it a try.

With loans from family and friends I started with agriculture which proved to be a constant struggle leading to perpetual debt. I learnt about sericulture and decided to move away from the traditional techniques and adopt modern sericulture practices which are cost effective, environmentally safe and sustainable in the long run. Finally, the gamble paid off, I made profits and was able to pay off my debts. The eco friendly technique of silk farming also earned me the Rolex International Award in 1996.

While there is no recipe for success, you should keep in mind that sometimes innovation is first met with hardship. Many times there is a lot of push back. It is important to remember why you started the business in the first place. If the dream inspires you keep on fighting, if not, it is better to change course. Most importantly, learn to assimilate failure. No failure or disappointment is a closed chapter. It is an invaluable opportunity to rectify errors, and move forward.

(courtesy : The Economic Times )

Mahatma Gandhi believed that we must be the change we want to see in the world. This was well demonstrated when he helped India gain its independence. Gandhi was a revolutionary man, but he accomplished India’s emergence as a nation without starting a revolution. In fact, he advocated no violence. One of the most powerful countries in the world yielded to the commitment of one man and the dream of millions.

What change can we effect? What’s the difference we want to make in the world?

Gandhi said, “In a gentle way you can shake the world.” Here are some things to think about how to do just that …

1. Know that all significant change throughout history has occurred not because of nations, armies, governments and certainly not committees. They happened as a result of the courage and commitment of individuals. People like Joan of Ark, Albert Einstein, Clara Barton, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Edison and Rosa Parks. They might not have done it alone, but they were, without question, the change makers.

2. Believe that you have a unique purpose and potential in the world. It’s not so much something to create as to be discovered. And it’s up to you to discover it. Believe that you can and will make a difference.

3. Recognize that everything you do, every step you take, every sentence you write, every word you speak-or DON’T speak–counts. Nothing is trivial. The world may be big, but there are no small things. Everything matters.

4. To be the change you want to see in the world, you don’t have to be loud. You don’t have to be eloquent. You don’t have to be elected. You don’t even have to be particularly smart or well educated. You do, however, have to be committed.

5. Take personal responsibility. Never think “it’s not my job”. It’s a cop-out to say, “What can I do, I’m only one person.” You don’t need everyone’s cooperation or anyone’s permission to make changes. Remember this little gem, “If it’s to be, it’s up to me.”

6. Don’t get caught up in the how of things. If you’re clear on what you want to change and why you want to change it, the how will come. Many significant things have been left undone because someone let the problem solving interfere with the decision-making.

7. Don’t wait for things to be right in order to begin. Change is messy. Things will never be just right. Follow Teddy Roosevelt’s timeless advice, “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”

8. The genesis for change is awareness. We cannot change what we don’t acknowledge. Most of the time, we aren’t aware of what’s wrong or what’s not working. We don’t see what could be. By becoming more aware, we begin the process of change.

9. Take to heart these words from Albert Einstein–arguably one of the smartest change masters who ever lived: “All meaningful and lasting change starts first in your imagination and then works its way out. Imagination is more important than knowledge.”

10. In order for things to change, YOU have to change. We can’t change others; we can only change ourselves. However, when WE change, it changes everything. And in doing so, we truly can be the change we want to see in the world.

Several states has banned pepsi and coke after the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) finding on pesticide contamination on soft drinks.

Highlights of the 2006 CSE study on pesticides in colas

• A cocktail of 3-6 pesticides was present in all samples.
• Lindane (a confirmed carcinogen) levels were over 54 times above the BIS standard; in one Coca-Cola sample from Kolkata, it was 140 times higher.
• Chlorpyrifos (a known neurotoxin) levels were 47 times higher; a Coca-Cola sample from Mumbai had a 200 times higher level.
• Heptachlor, banned in India, was found in 71 per cent of the samples, at levels 4 times higher than BIS standards.
• Average amount of pesticide residues found in all the samples was 11.85 parts per billion (ppb) — 24 times higher than the BIS standards for total pesticides in soft drinks (0.5 ppb).
• Pepsi cola contained 30 times higher residues on an average.
• Coca-Cola contained 27 times higher residues on an average.

Yes, i am back . I started working regularly on the world’s most beautiful company - a company of my dreams - TNGiCube and just finished my first major project.Produt details will be availble soon.

With barely three days left before The Da Vinci Code hits cinema halls across the globe, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry has said that clearance won't be given to the movie till it's screened before the Catholic Churches' Association of India (CCAI).

Over 200 Catholic organisations have submitted a petition against the screening of the film to Information and Broadcasting Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi.

An Information and Broadcasting Ministry official has said that Dasmunsi will sought the opinion of the concerned organisations before relasing the movie in India.

Dasmunshi will see the movie on Wednesday and will clear it only after consultation with the CCAI.

Speaking against the controversial film, Father Donald D’Souza of the Catholics Bishop’s Council said, “In a country where people are still learning about Christianity, such films can be quite harmful. We don’t want people to imbibe a wrong view of this religion in India.” Da Vinci Code, which is scheduled for release soon in India, has been opposed by Christian groups in other parts of the country also.

The Best Selling Book:

With The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown masterfully concocts an intelligent and lucid thriller that marries the gusto of an international murder mystery with a collection of fascinating esoteria culled from 2,000 years of Western history. A murder in the silent after-hour halls of the Louvre museum reveals a sinister plot to uncover a secret that has been protected by a clandestine society since the days of Christ. The victim is a high-ranking agent of this ancient society who, in the moments before his death, manages to leave gruesome clues at the scene that only his granddaughter, noted cryptographer Sophie Neveu, and Robert Langdon, a famed symbologist, can untangle. The duo become both suspects and detectives searching for not only Neveu's grandfather's murderer but also the stunning secret of the ages he was charged to protect. Mere steps ahead of the authorities and the deadly competition, the mystery leads Neveu and Langdon on a breathless flight through France, England, and history itself. Brown (Angels and Demons) has created a page-turning thriller that also provides an amazing interpretation of Western history. Brown's hero and heroine embark on a lofty and intriguing exploration of some of Western culture's greatest mysteries–from the nature of the Mona Lisa's smile to the secret of the Holy Grail. Though some will quibble with the veracity of Brown's conjectures, therein lies the fun. The Da Vinci Code is an enthralling read that provides rich food for thought.