Dill Toh Bachcha Hai Ji, croons Digvijay Singh

This song is dedicated to Digvijay Singh

In a series of tweets, senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh and journalist Amrita Rai have accepted their relationship.

Rai, who is an anchor with the Rajya Sabha TV, tweeted that she has already filed for divorce with her husband and she plans to marry Digvijaya.

Singh’s acknowledgement came a few days after his pictures with Rai were leaked on the internet.

A video featuring the two had also gone viral on Tuesday.

Confirming his relationship in the tweet, Digvijaya condemned encroachment upon their private lives.

Digvijaya, whose wife Asha died in February 2013, has a son and three daughters.

I have no hesitation in accepting my relationship with Amrita Rai. She and her husband have already filed a mutual consent divorce case.

Once that is decided we would formalise it. But I do condemn encroachment in our private life.

I have separated from my husband and we have filed a mutual consent divorce papers. After which I have decided to marry with Digvijaya Singh

We wish to bounce back on home turf: Gayle

Bangalore, Apr 30 (PTI) After winning just two of the
five matches played in the UAE, Royal Challengers Bangalore
batsman Chris Gayle is hoping for a turnaround of his team's
fortunes in the Indian leg of IPL-7.
     Out of nine remaining matches, RCB will play five matches
at Chinnaswamy stadium and are hoping to fare better on home
turf.
     "Hopefully we wish to bounce back as quickly as possible.
We are back home now and know the conditions well here. Still
a long way to go," he told reporters at an event conducted by
WHAM Infocom here.
     However, Gayle said the team is disappointed with losing
last three games on the trot after having a great start by
winning first two matches.
     "We had a good start by winning first two games and
thereafter lost three. We were disappointed, but that is
cricket," he said.
     Asked whether there is any missing link for their dismal
show in the last three games, Gayle said "I don't think there
is any missing link ... Everybody is capable of winning."
     On the question of the team being under any pressure,
Gayle said there is always pressure in any of the matches they
play.
     On his fitness, Gayle said he is working with his physio
and hopes to be fully fit in next two days. "There is slight
discomfort. In next two days I will be fully fit. I am working
with the physio - make a comeback and take it from there for
RCB," he said.
     The destructive batsman also spoke about Sachin
Tendulkar's retirement, saying that it was his choice, but he
is still the best and greatest ever in the history of the
game.
     "It is his choice ... he is still the best and
remembered. One of the greatest ever in the game ... Still
good enough whether he is here or there," he said.
     On the association with WHAM Infocom, Gayle said he was
excited to be with the company and added it stands for high
quality products with latest technology.
     "Within a short span of time they have reached out to one
million users in India and I am proud to be associated with a
successful brand as WHAM," he said.
     WHAM Director L Subhash Chandra said, "We are thrilled to
unleash the famous 'Gayle Storm' on our WHAM! customers. We
couldn't find a better connect to our brand than Chris.
     "WHAM! is an all-rounder just like our brand ambassador
Chris Gayle, providing the ever evolving Indian customers with
the latest innovation, the finest features and the most
stylish products at an affordable price," he added.
     WHAM! Mobiles is one of the fastest growing Indian
handset manufacturers, Chandra said. 

Jaya case: Lex's plea seeking stay on case dismissed by HC

B D Narayankar reports

Bangalore, Apr 29 (PTI) The Karnataka High Court today
dismissed the petition filed by Lex Property Developers,
seeking stay on the disproportionate assets case against Tamil
Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa and three others.
        Justice Satyanarayan dismissed Lex's plea, observing that
it was an attempt by the company to delay the main case, in
which Jayalalithaa has been charged with accumulating Rs 66
crore wealth disproportionate to known sources of income from
1991 to 1995 when she was Tamil Nadu Chief Minister.
        The judge also imposed Rs one lakh penalty on the company.
     The Lex Property, of which Jayalalithaa and other accused
were directors, approached the High Court after the special
court here on March 14 dismissed its plea with Rs 10,000 as
cost. Aggrieved, the company came back to the Madras High
Court seeking certain clarifications to its order.
     However, the Madras court made it clear to Lex that it
must work out its remedy before the Karnataka High Court if it
was aggrieved.
    The disproportionate wealth case against Jayalalithaa was
being heard at a special court in Chennai after it was
registered in 1996.
     However, the case was transferred to special court here
by a Supreme Court order on November 18, 2011, on a petition
filed by DMK general secretary K Anbazhagan.
     Among the assets attached/seized by the prosecution were
the properties of Lex. When Lex moved the Madras High Court
for appropriate orders, the court in 2011 directed it to
approach the special court in Bangalore.
        Meanwhile, in the special court Special Public Prosecutor
Bhavani Singh resumed the final arguments in Jayalalithaa
case. The court posted the matter for hearing for tomorrow.

HC sets-aside TN Rs 2,400 crore tax notice on Nokia

PTI Chennai Bureau

Chennai, Apr 29(PTI) In a relief to Finnish-handset maker
Nokia, the Madras High Court today set-aside the Tamil Nadu
Government's Rs 2,400 crore VAT demand and directed the
authorities to review the tax assessment "afresh".
    Justice B Rajendran who allowed the petitions filed by
Nokia challenging the Sales Tax department assessment for
period 2009-10, 2010-11, 2011-12 and slapping notice for
Rs 2,400 crore TNVAT, set aside the order and directed the
company to deposit 10 per cent of the tax demand amounting
Rs 240 crore within eight weeks "as a precondition to review
the assessments".
    The Judge also directed the Deputy Commissioner (CT) of
Enforcement (South) to give an opportunity to Nokia for
hearing, peruse the documents and then pass orders on "merits"
in accordance with law upholding the handset makers'
contention that the order was passed without being heard.
   The Judge, while declaring that the demand notices issued
by the authorities are still valid, in his order said "the
effect of quashing the assessment orders will not totally take
away the right of the authorities to proceed further in this
matter."
    The Judge rejected the contention of Advocate General A L
Somayaji that there was no need to give personal hearing and
observed said "when such an opportunity of hearing is
specifically sought, it has to be extended to the petitioner.
Non-consideration of the same vitiates the impugned orders."
    Tamil Nadu Government slapped the Rs 2,400 crore tax
notice accusing Nokia of evading tax, but the company disputed
the claim.
    On March 28, Nokia moved the High Court and prayed for
restraining the Sales Taxes Department from taking any
coercive steps in any manner whatsoever in pursuance of the
impugned order.
    The state government had issued the notice to Nokia
charging the company had been selling the products produced
from Chennai plant to the domestic market, instead of
shipping them overseas.
    Nokia management had responded to the notice, saying that
it was a "baseless" claim by the Sale Tax Department. 

Manipal Univ celebrates Suri's appt at Nokia

Bangalore, Apr 29 (PTI) After Satya Nadella, Manipal
University is celebrating another alumni's rise to the global
boardroom, Rajeev Suri, who has been appointed as the CEO of
Finnish firm Nokia.
     Both Nadella and Suri are graduates in Electronics and
Communications at the Manipal Institute of Technology (MIT),
Manipal University.
     Suri was tipped to take over as the CEO when Nokia
finalised sale of its mobile handset business to software
giant Microsoft.
     "Satya is just a year senior to Suri at MIT. Both went
through the same grind and walked through the same corridors.
Today, both are heading top companies of the world clearly
indicating that MIT is as good an engineering institute as any
in the world," the institute said on its website.
     In February, Microsoft had announced that Nadella will
become the third CEO (after founder Bill Gates and Steve
Ballmer) of the organisation that sells the world's most
popular computer operating system.
     "Satya and Suri provide strong testimony to the fact that
at MIT the emphasis is on holistic development of students.
Students who leave the portals of this engineering institute
are quality products. Therefore, it is no coincidence or
accident that these two MITians have made it big," MIT
Director Vinod V Thomas said.
     The overjoyed director quipped that two of the top
Fortune 500 companies being led by MIT alumni is indeed a
noteworthy achievement.
     Simantika Mohapatra, a sixth semester student of E&C
said, "Year 2014 will, perhaps, be the most rewarding year
with two MITians reaching the zeniths of their career. He has
set a goal for all of us at MIT."
     Another student at the institute, Shashank Sarbada, said
it was "most motivating" to know that the former students of
MIT are scaling such heights.
     "It will make us strive to match, if not surpass, the
footprints of our seniors," he said. 

About 70 % voting in repolling at 12 booths in Karnataka

Bangalore, Apr 29 (PTI) An estimated 70 per cent of the
electorate today cast their vote in the re-polling held at 12
polling stations across nine Lok Sabha constituencies in
Karnataka.
        "We have estimated 65 to 70 per cent voter turnout at
re-polling held in 12 polling stations today," Karnataka Chief
Electoral Officer Anil Kumar Jha told PTI.
        "Polling was normal and peaceful," he added.
        The CEO had recommended re-polling at 11 polling stations
due to technical problems in EVMs and polling station at
Turuvekere in Tumkur Lok Sabha constituency because of human
error committed by election officials.
        Re-polling took place in polling stations in Lok Sabha
constituencies of Tumkur, Haveri, Bagalkot, Bijapur, Gulbarga,
Raichur, Bidar, Shimoga and Hassan.
        All 28 Lok Sabha constituencies in Karnataka went to
polls on April 17 in a single phase, registering an overall
67.28 per cent polling.
        CEO had earlier suspended four election officials for
trying to handle the voting machine in violation of electoral
laws. PTI KSU 

Imran Khan-backed T20 league gets PCB nod

PTI Karachi-Pakistan Bureau

Karachi, Apr 29 (PTI) Cricketer-turned-politician Imran
Khan's party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has been given the
green signal by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to organise a
Twenty20 league next month.
     A PCB spokesman said that the organisers have been
given a No-Objection Certificate (NOC), revealed the Express
Tribune.
     The league named 'Love Pakistan Peace Cricket League
2014' is expected to be played across five cricketing centres
including Karachi, Lahore and Peshawar between May 3-18.
     The T20 league is expected to not only rope in current
Pakistan stars but also invite veterans to play in an
exhibition match.
     Names like West Indies' legend Vivian Richards and former
India captain Ravi Shastri, who are close friends of the
former Pakistan skipper, are doing the rounds to feature in a
promotional game at the Gaddafi stadium in Lahore.
     After PCB's approval, the organisers are hoping to catch
national stars such as Misbah ul Haq, Shahid Afridi and Umar
Gul among others for selection in various teams.
     Apart from teams from the four provinces, a team from the
Federal Areas and Afghanistan would also feature in the event.

68 child labourers from Bihar, Nepal rescued

       
Bangalore, Apr 29 (PTI) City police have rescued 68 child
labourers from Bihar and Nepal who were forcibly employed at
bag making units near here and arrested seven persons in
connection with the case.
        Raids were conducted at four places along with NGO called
Justice & Care, yesterday on receiving compliant that children
from other states were being forcefully employed without
providing any basic amenities, City Crime Branch (CCB) said.
        Seven persons - four from Bihar, two from Nepal and one
from Bangalore - have been arrested and cases registered
against them under Child Labour Act, Juvenile Justice Act,
Bonded Labour Act and Right to Education Act.
        Search is on to arrest 13 other accused involved in the
case, currently in hiding, they said in a statement.
        CCB officials said the accused are said to have brought
children between 10 to 18 age group from Bihar and Nepal after
paying minimum amount of money to their parents some months
ago, and they were forced to work from 9 am to midnight.
        The children were made to live in inhumane working
conditions without any basic amenities like proper food and
toilet facilities and no proper remuneration was paid
to them, the statement said. PTI KSU 

Volvo India appoints Kamal Bali as Managing Director

       


Bangalore, Apr 29 (PTI) Volvo India has appointed Kamal
Bali as managing director with immediate effect.
     The ambitious targets of the Volvo Group now make it
necessary to reinforce the structure of the joint company -
Volvo India Private Limited (VIPL) - and to develop a strong
presence in the Indian context, the company said in a release.
        Bali, based in Bangalore, would report at the Volvo Group
level to Niklas Gustavsson, EVP, Corporate Sustainability and
Public Affairs, and Chairman of the Board of Volvo India, and
operationally to Philippe Divry, President VIPL, it added.
     Prior to joining Volvo India, Bali was working as the
President and CEO of LeeBoy India Construction Equipment
Private Limited, the company stated. PTI KSU 

MCI team to inspect six new govt med colleges in Karnataka

B D Narayankar reports

Bangalore, Apr 29 (PTI) A team of Medical Council of
India will visit six new government medical colleges in
Karnataka for inspection in a week's time to take stock of
facilities available for medical students, Medical Education
Minister Sharan Prakash R Patil said today.
        The team would visit the colleges at Gulbarga, Koppal,
Chamrajnagar, Karwar, Madikeri and Gadag, he told reporters
here.
        The state government is unable to increase the quota
of medical seats in its pool as MCI is yet to inspect the six
new medical colleges, Patil said. The government will try its
best to get the MCI nod for the new colleges, he added.
        The recruitment process for the new medical colleges has
already begun and infrastructure work is underway, Patil said.
        The government is also committed to set up six more
medical colleges as announced in this year's state budget, he
said. The colleges will be set up in Tumkur, Chitradurga,
Chickballapur, Bagalkot, Haveri and Yadgir, Patil said.
        Besides, the government plans to set up super-speciality
hospitals in Mysore, Hubli, Gulbarga, Belgaum and Bellary to
make healthcare affordable.
        Lands have been identified in all these districts, except
Yadgir and Chickballapur. "We have directed the deputy
commissioners of these two districts to identify the land," he
added.
        These colleges will be established in collaboration with
the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Patil said.

We are all monkeys: Neymar after racial abuse on Barca star

PTI London Bureau

London, Apr 29 (PTI) Frustrated that racism is still
prevalent in world football, Brazilian sensation Neymar has
called himself and the ones subjected to discrimination on the
basis of skin colour, nationality and ethnicity, "monkeys",
following Barcelona defender Dani Alves' sensible handling of
abuse during a La Liga game.
     Coming out in support of Alves, club team-mate and
compatriot Neymar posted a photograph of himself on Instagram
holding a banana while writing "We are all monkeys".
     FIFA chief Sepp Blatter has issued a stern warning that
no act of racial discrimination will be tolerated in the World
Cup, following the incident for which Alves is receiving
support of the global football community.
     "What Dani Alves tolerated last night is an outrage. We
must fight all forms of discrimination. Will be zero tolerance
at World Cup," Blatter wrote on his twitter handle.
     The incident happened during the Catalan giants' away
game at Villareal in the Spanish League last Sunday.
     Just as he was about to take a corner kick, a section of
crowd at El Madrigal threw a banana onto the pitch in front of
Alves.
     In an unconventional response, Alves picked up the
banana, peeled it off and took a bite before proceeding to
take the corner kick.
     The football community rallied around Alves after the
unfortunate incident.
     Manchester City star Sergio Aguero turned to twitter to
support Alves and so did former England striker Gary Lineker,
who described Alves' response as "brilliant".
     Argentina striker Aguero posted a picture of him and
Brazil women's superstar Marta taking a bite from bananas,
accompanied with the message: "With my colleague Marta from
Brazil we say #NoToRacism. We are all equal".
     Togo and Tottenham striker Emmanuel Adebayor wrote on his
Twitter account: "Massive respect to danid2ois, there is no
place for Racism in Football. £saynotoracism."
     Alves himself had said he was "now used to the abuse
after 11 years in Spain" and tends to treat such incidents
"with a dose of humour".
     Compatriots Hulk, Fred and Lucas Leiva extended their
support too, with the Liverpool midfielder writing on twitter:
"Congratulations on your attitude yesterday. We are together
on this fight against racism." PTI AH CM
CM
04291510
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TDSAT upholds telcos 3G intra-circle agreement,quashes fines

PTI Delhi Bureau

New Delhi, Apr 29 (PTI) In a major relief to Bharti
Airtel, Vodafone and Idea Cellular, Telecom tribunal TDSAT
today upheld their plea to provide 3G intra-circle roaming
services, while also quashing the cumulative penalty of Rs
1,200 crore imposed on them by Department of Telecom.
     "We are allowing all the petitions," said a TDSAT bench
headed by Justice Aftab Alam.
      The bench said that 3G ICR agreement signed by Airtel,
Vodafone and Idea Cellular is not violative of licence
agreement.
     Airtel, Vodafone and Idea Cellular had approached TDSAT
against Department of Telecom order to stop 3G intra-circle
roaming agreement under which they had also agreed to acquire
customers in area where they did not win spectrum.
    Airtel, Vodafone and Idea Cellular won 3G spectrum in 2010
auction. Airtel won 3G spectrum in 13 out of 22 telecom
service area for Rs 12,295.46, Vodafone in 9 for Rs 11,617.86
and Idea Cellular in 11 circles for Rs 5,768.59 crore.
    DoT issued notice to Airtel, Vodafone and Idea on December
23, 2011 asking companies to stop 3G ICR within 24 hours and
report compliance but the order was challenged by telecom
operators.
     Tata Teleservices and Aircel too had signed 3G ICR but
immediately called off their agreement after DoT issued notice
to them.
    Airtel sought access to Vodafone's 3G network in four
service area- Maharashtra, Kolkata, Haryana and UP East.
    Vodafone accessed six 3G circles of Airtel- Assam, Bihar,
Karnataka, North East, Rajasthan and UP West besides 7 circles
of Idea Cellular- Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and
Kashmir, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, UP West and Punjab. Idea is
yet to start 3G service in Punjab.
    Under the agreement, Idea Cellular secured right to
provide 3G service using Vodafone's network in Delhi, Tamil
Nadu, Chennai and Kolkata.
    In July 2012, TDSAT gave split verdict where one of the
bench member ruled in favour and other member ordered against
it.
    DoT again issued notice to telecom operators asking them
to stop 3G ICR service along with penalty cumulatively
amounting to about Rs 1,200 crore which was quashed by the
tribunal.
    Telecom operators-Airtel, Vodafone and Idea Cellular then
approached Delhi High Court which ruled in favour of DoT's
decision to hold the 3G roaming pact of the telecom major as
illegal.
    Telecom operators then moved the Supreme Court against
order of HC and sought that the case be transferred to TDSAT.
The Apex court allowed telecom operators to move their
case to TDSAT in September 2013.
        "TDSAT had recognised the stand of telecom operators on
the basis of which they made aggressive bids for 3G spectrum.
    "The judgement also benefits customers who will have more
choices now besides operators, who can now freely invest in
network coverage," Industry body Cellular Operators
Association of India Director General Rajan S Mathews told
PTI.
    He played down apprehension of the decision affecting
value of spectrum in future auction and selective bidding by
operators in some circles.
    "We know there is not enough spectrum available. Though
telecom operators may go for spectrum sharing or this kind of
agreement but everyone wants to be on drivers seat. If there
is level playing and spectrum auctions are made reasonable,
people will go for it," Mathews said.
    In 2010, there was no pan-India bidder for 3G auctions
while wireless broadband spectrum auctions held immediately
after this saw Infotel Broadband Services, now Reliance Jio
Infocomm, emerging as only pan-India winner.
    There had been no successful pan-India bidder during
spectrum auctions held in November 2012, March 2013 and
February 2014.
    Mathews sees possibility of 3G ICR kind of agreement with
other type of spectrum as well.
    "If a technology allows to deliver some kind of
benefits, I don't see it makes sense to put any obstacles in
efficient use of technology," Mathews added. 

RIL asks Oil Min to announce new gas price on May 13

PTI Delhi Bureau

New Delhi, Apr 29 (PTI) Reliance Industries has asked Oil
Ministry to announce a new natural gas price immediately after
polling ends on May 12, saying this was necessary to avoid
irreparable loss to all parties, including the government.
        While a new formula for pricing of all domestically
produced natural gas was notified on January 10 and published
in Gazettee on January 17, the Election Commission last month
asked the government to defer its implementation till general
elections are completed.
        The new pricing formula, that almost doubles the price of
natural gas to about USD 8.34 per million British thermal
unit, was to be implemented from April 1 but following the
directive of the poll watchdog, was put in abeyance till model
code of conduct for elections is in place.
        "... the new price as per the guidelines (approved by the
Cabinet twice last year) must immediately be intimated once
the model code of conduct is not in force i.e. on May 13, 2014
which is after the last day of polling on May 12, 2014," RIL
President & COO B Ganguly wrote to the Oil Secretary.
        RIL said the USD 4.205 per mmBtu price for gas from its
eastern offshore KG-D6 field was valid for the first five
years of production, which ended on March 31.
        But since the poll watchdog deferred implementation of
the new pricing, the company continues to sell gas at old rate
on "provisional basis," Ganguly wrote on April 3.
        He said immediate intimation of the new rate after poll
code ends on May 12 was "necessary to avoid extended dispute
and irreparable loss to all parties to the Production Sharing
Contract (PSC)."
        "Any other course of action would be in violation of the
PSC," RIL said.
        RIL has asked fertiliser companies, its sole consumers,
to provide payment guarantees at new rate. Fertiliser
companies have, however, refused to do so saying no new rate
has so far been intimated.
        "We are seeking adequate comfort in the Gas Sale Purchase
Agreements (through letter of credit or otherwise) to ensure
that once the price is notified, we, on behalf of all the
parties to the contract, are able to recover the revised price
with effect from April 1, 2014," the company said.
        RIL said whenever the government notifies the gas price
effective from April 1, it would recover the differential
price from its customers. 

Karna accepts K'rangan report to stop mining, but not quarrying, sand mining

B D Narayankar reports

Bangalore, Apr 28 (PTI) Karnataka today said it has
accepted the Kasturirangan committee report on the Western
Ghats to stop mining but said it would not stop quarrying and
sand mining in the ecologically sensitive area.
     "We have accepted the recommendation to stop mining in
Western Ghats but disagreed to stop quarrying and sand mining
in the ecologically-sensitive Western Ghats," Law and
Parliamentary Affairs Minister T B Jayachandhra told reporters
here.
     He said the state cabinet had taken the decision as lack
of sand supply had already crippled developmental and
infrastructural activities across the state.
    The government is not against Kasturirangan report but
against demarcation of ecologically-sensitive areas in the
Western Ghats, the minister said.
    "Instead of including 1,580 villages in ecologically-
sensitive areas of the Western Ghats, the cabinet has decided
to include 850 villages," he said.
     The Kasturirangan Panel had recommended a ban on
development activities in 60,000 sq km ecologically-sensitive
area spread over six states of Gujarat, Karnataka,
Maharashtra, Goa, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
     Jayachandra said the state is confident of convincing the
Centre to delete those recommendations that would 'adversely'
affect the people.
     He also said the cabinet has decided to give Rs 40,000
assistance for one hectare to farmers who were hit by untimely
rains and hailstorms."The amount is more than what Maharashtra
government has announced, Rs 25,000 per hectare," he added.
    Asked why the government has decided to provide aid to
only one hectare, the minister said most farmers hold one to
two hectares of land.
    Government would utilise the fund released from National
Disaster Response Fund to compensate farmers and others who
had suffered crop and property loss due to hailstorm,he said.
     The hailstorm had damaged rabi crops, including wheat,
pulses, oilseeds and horticultural crops in over two lakh
hectares in Yadagir, Gulbarga, Bijapur, Bagalkot, Raichur,
Koppal, Tumkur and Chitradurga districts.
    The minister said government had submitted a memorandum to
a central study team, which toured the state in March, and
urged the Centre to calculate financial aid on the basis of
the extent of loss. 

IPL 7: RCB replace injured Nic Maddinson with Rilee Rossouw

B D Narayankar writes

Dubai, April 28 (PTI): South African batsman Rilee Rossouw has replaced an injured Nic Maddinson in the Royal Challengers Bangalore squad, the Indian Premier League technical committee announced on Monday.

Left-handed Australian batsman Maddinson, 22, opened the batting for RCB in two games, scoring 4 and 12 respectively but was forced to fly out due to an injury. Roussow, 24, has been a regular in the South Africa A squad since 2010 and has been a heavy scorer in the domestic circuit as well.

The IPL Event Technical Committee had approved the replacement of injured players in this edition after Maddinson, Delhi Daredevils pacer Nathan Coulter-Nile and Chennai Super Kings all-rounder Dwayne Bravo had to opt out of their respective teams.

South African batsman Rossouw has replaced an injured Maddinson in the RCB squad, the Indian Premier League technical committee announced on Monday. (Getty Images)

Chennai may also seek a replacement for Bravo, who hurt his shoulder while attempting a catch on the boundary in the team's first match against Kings XI Punjab. According to the IPL player regulations, the three franchises can choose replacements from among the players who registered for the 2014 auction but were not bought.

I-League champions Bengaluru end season on a high

PTI Goa Bureau

Margao, Apr 28 (PTI) Super sub Beikhokhei Beingaichho
scored in stoppage time today to give Bengaluru FC a 2-1
victory over Sporting Clube de Goa and end their dream
I-League season where they emerged champions on debut.
      After Boima Karpeh (42nd) put Sporting Clube de Goa in
the lead, Bengaluru fought back in the second half and
equalised through Robin Singh in the 59th minute before
substitute Beingaichho scored the winner in stoppage time to
take the champions' tally to 47 points from 24 matches. They
earned a cash prize of Rs.70 lakhs besides the winners trophy.
       East Bengal who beat United today, finished second in
the standings with 43 points and Rs.40 lakhs for their
efforts.
       Salgaocar, who lost to Churchill Brothers today,
finished third with 38 points and Rs.25 lakhs in prize money.
       Sporting Clube de Goa, who are satisfied after
finishing among the top five, showed promise at the start as
they moved the ball among themselves with Kalu Ogba
orchestrated the moves from the middle and finally breaking
the deadlock in the 42nd minute.
       Bengaluru, who clinched the I-League title with a match
in hand, lacked the thrust upfront without Sean Rooney. John
Menyongar who kept the attack going in the previous match too
was not playing and they struggled to dictate terms in the
midfield, relying mostly on counter moves. Sporting led 1-0 at
half time.
       After the change of ends, Sporting tried to retreat
into its own half with Bengaluru trying to find the equaliser.
They were cheered by their fans who came all the way from
Bangalore. The equaliser was found in the 59th minute when
John Johnson gave a pass to Robin Singh who sprinted down and
after getting past a rival defender, shot home from close.
      With both the teams heading for a draw, Beingaichho
scored with a low header off a cross from Keegan Pereira to
give Bengaluru FC full points. 

Bangalore to host India-Serbia World Group play-off tie

PTI New Delhi Bureau

New Delhi, Apr 28 (PTI) India will face off with
formidable Serbia in the Davis Cup World Group play-off tie in
Bangalore, it was announced today.
     The AITA officials also discussed Delhi as a venue for
the crucial play-off tie, to be held from September 12-14, but
on the insistence of the players Bangalore was finally
selected to host the matches.
     It was in Bangalore that India thrashed Indonesia 5-0
last year.
     "We consulted the captain and also the players before
deciding the host city. Maybe the players like the slow courts
there, so they wanted matches in Bangalore," Bharat Oza, AITA
Secretary General, told PTI.
     India defeated Korea 3-1 in an away Asia/Oceania Group I
second round tie to reach the play-off stage while Serbia lost
2-3 to Switzerland in the World Group first round.
     The last time India and Serbia clashed was in 2011 when
the visitors lost 1-4 in Novi Sad.
     It will be humongous task for the struggling Indian side
to contain a team, which has top-class players such as World
No.2 Novak Djokovic in its ranks. 

Infosys Board member Ann Fudge says no to re-appointment

   
Bangalore, Apr 28 (PTI) Country's second largest software
services firm Infosys today said its independent director Ann
Fudge will not seek re-appointment to the Board after her term
expires in June this year.
     "Ann Fudge, Independent Director, who is scheduled to
complete her term on the Infosys Board on June 14, 2014, has
conveyed her intention not to seek re-appointment owing to her
busy schedule," Infosys said in a statement.
     Currently, Infosys Board has seven Independent Directors
and six Executive Directors.
     "Due to increasing time commitments on other Boards, I
have decided not to seek re-appointment on the Infosys Board.
With the addition of new Board Members and a solid succession
plan in place, I know the company is well-positioned for
success," Fudge said.
     She had joined the Infosys Board in 2011.
     Recently, the company had announced the appointment of
Carol M Browner, Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Center for
American Progress and Counselor to the Albright Stonebridge
Group, as an Additional Director on the company Board.
     Her appointment shall be effective on the date Ms Browner
receives her Director Identification Number from the Ministry
of Corporate Affairs, the company said.
     "I thank Ann for her seminal contribution to Infosys. The
Board will miss Ann's wisdom, insight and analysis. We wish
her all the best for the future," Infoys Executive Chairman NR
Narayana Murthy said.
     The Bangalore-based firm has witnessed a number of senior
level exits over the last two years with Senior Vice President
and General Counsel Nithyanandan Radhakrishnan being the
latest to resign earlier this month.
     Others in the list include Board members V Balakrishnan
and Ashok Vemuri, and executive council member Chandrashekar
Kakal.
     Fudge was the chaiperson and CEO of Young & Rubicam
Brands, a global network of pre-eminent companies across the
full range of marketing communications.
     Previously, she has also served as the President of the
Beverages, Desserts and Post Division - a US$ 5 billion unit
of Kraft Foods.
     She has also served on Boards of General Electric,
Novartis and Unilever. PTI KSU

Bill on compulsory rural service for docs, awaits Prez nod

B D Narayankar reports

Bangalore, Apr 28 (PTI) Karnataka government was awaiting
President Pranab Mukherjee's assent to a bill to enable it to
take strict action against doctors not serving in rural areas,
Health and Family Welfare Minister U T Khader said today.
    The state assembly in August 2012 had passed the Karnataka
Compulsory Training by Candidates Completed Medical Courses
Bill hoping to solve the problem of shortage of qualified and
specialised doctors in rural areas.
     Khader said he had already led a delegation to Delhi
along with Union Minister Mallikarjun Kharge to seek
Mukherjee's assent for the bill. "Twice the President of India
had sought clarifications on the bill," he said.
    As per the provisions of the bill, besides hefty fines,
doctors not complying its provisions would not be given
permanent registration to carry out their profession.
    Khader said inspite of many doctors and postgraduates
completing their courses, there was a scarcity of medical
professionals in rural areas.
    "There is a scarcity of 336 MBBS doctors and more than
1500 specialists in state hospitals," the minister said.
Inspite of salaries in the range of Rs 1.25 lakh, the
government is not getting specialists in backward areas of the
state, Khader said.
    He said the government will launch a door-to-door campaign
to create awareness among the people on contagious diseases.
"Health officials will go on a door-to door campaign to create
awareness about contagious diseases like dengue, Malaria,
Kyasanur forest disease (monkey disease)," he said.
    The government will launch the campaign in next few
days, Khader said, adding, officials who err in their duties
would face stern action.
    The district administration should take all necessary
steps to control the spread of contagious diseases by taking
preventive measures, the Minister said.