Ergo February 9

A BYTE OF LIFE

FREE CIRCULATION

Monday, February 9, 2009

Vol. 3

No. xx

TEAMS AND SPIRIT

NAAN KADAVUL, AT LAST Director Bala’s three-years-in-the-making film hits screens. A review » PAGE 10

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MARRIED TO WORK My spouse as business partner!

Corporate teams dive, climb, pitch tents and race at Adventure Zone in Madhuranthakam as part of ‘Sadya’, the annual fundraising event in aid of Vidya Sagar.

» PAGE 03

02 NAMMA CHENNAI

ERGO Monday, February 9, 2009

Outreach is one year T

o mark the completion of the first year of Outreach, Cognizant’s social participation programme, the company celebrated ‘Outreach Week’ in Chennai from January 25 to 31. Associates celebrated the spirit of goodwill by taking stock of their community outreach work over the past year and embarking upon new initiatives. Outreach was launched in 2007 when Cognizant crossed the second billion-dollar revenue mark. As part of this programme, Cognizant adopts orphanages and educational institutions working for underprivileged children and helps them raise the required infrastructure and meet their training needs. From talent search competitions to a science expo, many events were conducted during the week. A group of volunteers visited the Government Higher Secondary School in Thoraipakkam for tree plantation. Other initiatives included: Donating footwear to nearly 2,500 students of Government Higher Secondary School in Sholinganallur, organising sports day for the students of FAP Primary School, Kannagi Nagar, Thoraipakkam, hosting a session titled ‘Education Vs Career’ and a personality development workshop at Panchayath Union Middle School, Navalur, to name a few. Also, between January 31 and Feb 1, the Outreach volunteers helped spruce up the physics and chemistry lab at Somangalam High School. The lab was lacking in many essential equipment. The team also explained to the students how to utilise the lab effectively. A one-year course was designed to ensure that children are wellversed with the basics of English language. ■

Hip-hop is dialogue What happens when hip-hop meets theatre? An interview with Alexandra Morales, assistant director of recently-staged ‘Extended Teenage Era’ by Germany-based Renegade Theatre Company

A rehearsal in progress:

PHOTO: S.R. RAGHUNATHAN

VIPASHA SINHA

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Students at the newly-opened lab at Somangalam High School

Correction Some facts furnished in the cover story ‘My Bike, My Style’ on Friday, February 6, are erroneous. The World War-inspired motorcycle with trench nets mentioned as green was, in fact, painted matte black. Similarly, the duo custom-made dirt bikes were from Bangalore and the motorcycle themed ‘Alcatraz’ was from Delhi. The errors are regretted.

eenage blues remain the same around the globe, be it in India or Germany. Turning the pages of the regular teenager’s diary, Germany-based Renegade Theatre Company performed their hip-hop dance drama fusion named ETE (Extended Teenage Era) at Sir Mutha Venkatasubba Rao Concert Hall, Chetpet, on Saturday. Created and directed by popular choreographer and producer Samir Akika, ETE was a huge hit in Germany and is now being stage in various Indian cities. Alexendra Morales, assistant director of the theatrical comedy, talks about ETE. A trained dancer, she has been working with Samir Akika since 2002. An interview:

Director’s cut Hip-hop is the in-thing today

and through the fusion of it with various other dance forms we have tried to portray today’s youth. It is a modern-day perception of 21st-century youth. In this drama we have no dialogues or stage settings as such; the performers sketch their mind through an assortment of dance movements. To relate it with the masses better, real life instances are taken on stage. The artistes play games, tell stories and also interact with the audience. In one part of the play, the seven artistes who play the students are asked to build their favourite thing on stage and with each object they relate their own story.

Just for India The original drama had a nude scene and a few blatant insults but we have removed them for the Indian audience. We came

In this drama we have no dialogues or stage settings as such; the performers sketch their mind through an assortment of dance movements

here to show some modern dance to the Indian audience and aim to do it in the best way possible. We have tried asking some questions through our play. We hope that the Indian audience goes back with something from us. ■ After Chennai, the 10-member German troupe will perform in Bangalore, Delhi and Mumbai.

03

Monday, February 9, 2009

SEASONS IN THE SUN Participants sweat it out at Sadya, the annual inter-corporate adventure competition at Adventure Zone, Madhuranthakam, in aid of Vidya Sagar

SHALINI SHAH [email protected]

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icture this. The team captain is seated in a raft held afloat with ropes in the middle of a 30-ft-deep well. Two of his team-mates, oxygen cylinder, et al, are busy underwater trying to join together a few planks with nuts and bolts. The rules are simple: the captain in the raft gets a glimpse of the pattern in which the planks need to be arranged underwater, while his team-mates don’t. With the help of instructions given by the captain, the others need to complete the task in the shortest possible time. The underwater men are busy fidgeting with the plans and bolts. “Have you given them the design?” the liaison officer from Vidya Sagar suddenly asks the captain. “Errrr… no.” We’re at the inter-corporate adventure challenge, Sadya, being held at Adventure Zone in Madhuranthakam, 90 kms from Chennai, on February 7 and 8. The ninth edition of Sadya, the annual fundraising project in aid of Vidya Sagar (formerly The Spastics Society of India), saw eight companies participating: ThinkSoft Global Solutions, Computer Age Management Services, Vestas Wind Technology, Ajuba Solutions, Odyssey, IVRCL Infrastructure and Projects Ltd., Grundfos Pumps and Datamark Prodapt. A team of four from YMCA – Karthik, Krishnamoorthy, Soundar and Bala – have been making the above-mentioned scuba-diving event possible since the past few years. The rock-climbing wall at the facility is witnessing intense activity,

(Clockwise from top left): Scuba-diving, blindfold tent-pitching and rockclimbing at Adventure Zone, Madhuranthakam. PHOTOS: S.R. RAGHUNATHAN

too. While a team is busy scaling the wall Spider Man style, another team is coming down. The latter is called rappelling (the climber, with the help of a rope, has to come down in a controlled descent while constantly being perpendicular to the wall). On the other side of the rather busy wall, one-ft-long cars are the stars. Make no mistake; each costs anything between Rs. 18,000 and Rs. 22,000. While the special fuel cars run at 100-120 kmph, the electric one can go up to 65 kmph. Remote Possibilities is the firm that is organising the event, with a bunch of IIT-Madras students assisting. Each team is allowed three drivers and each is allowed three minutes of driving with the same car. The measure of victory is the total distance covered in nine minutes. A few crash landings and trial-anderrors later, the cars look set to race on. Somewhere else, teams are busy trying to pitch their respective tents. Only, all team members except one have their heads stuffed in paper bags and have no idea what they’re doing. Something like the three blind men feeling an elephant. The only one allowed the use of his sight in each team is the captain, who has to bark out instructions and see that the end result is something close to a tent. Glinting in the sun and being eyed by many, though, are the trophies. The 4-ft-tall Vidya Sagar Adventure Trophy is the centrepiece, designed by artiste Nandagopal of Cholamandalam Artisans’ Village. While this is for keeps, the others are rolling. And no shields and cups here. Owl, rhino and others are welcome substitutes. ■

04 KALEIDOSCOPE

ERGO Monday, February 9, 2009

Ask your query With recession and the threat of losing a job looming large, what is the best investment option? Newton Adhithiya, Nungambakkam

The best avenue to protect you in these difficult times is to conserve cash. Rather than look at investment avenues, it is better to look for savings tools that do not lose out on the capital. Short-term bank deposits, liquid mutual funds are the better options during these troubled times. Also, reduce your expenses. Postpone or neglect the exchange offers for mobile phone, white goods, jewellery, TV, cars. Look for discount stores, super markets for your shopping.

Mini Quiz 1. PE Ratio is the acronym for Profit – Expense Ratio Price – Earnings Ratio Public – Private Expenditure Ratio Private Equity Ratio 2. COD is good for health, financially too. What does this mean? Certificate of Deposit Common Discount Cancellation of Debt Company Debenture Send your answers to [email protected] or SMS 92813 98889. Example: If you choose A as the answer to question 1 and B as the answer to question 2 type it as 1A2B. Winners get a free executive diary

Choosing the right mutual fund Keep these pointers in mind V. RAMCHANDRAN [email protected]

News you can use Some FD options ■ National Housing Bank and Tata Motors have launched a new FD schemes – these provide an alternative avenue for investments with attractive interest rates. ■ NHB offers 9.25 per cent interest for one year. Senior citizen will get 0.50 per cent extra. Minimum deposit amount is Rs. 50,000. ■ Tata Motors is offering 10, 10.50 and 11 per cent for one, two and three-year terms respectively. Minimum deposit amount is Rs. 20,000 with additional deposits accepted in multiples of Rs.10, 000.

Forthcoming debenture issues

■ Companies like Tata Capital and IIFCL have planned debenture issues. This will liven up the bond markets for retail investors and give them the shelter required in a falling equity market.

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utual funds are one more investment vehicle for those seeking alternative investment avenues other than in banks or post office deposit schemes. There are many schemes available in the market, but the key challenge is to choose the right fund. One has to devote time to select the right option. Here are some tips for selecting the right fund: Evaluate the risk: If the investor is upset about the downswing in the value of the investment in the short run, then aggressive equity fund is not his cup of tea. He has to settle for a debt or liquid fund, which may not give negative return. Keep a time horizon for the investment to grow: If the investor wishes to get a substantial return, say Rs.10,000 to become Rs. 40,000 in around four to five years time, then equity fund would be the right pick. Understand the fund: One has to study the investment portfolio and the fund manager’s commentary,

which will give a fair idea of the strategy followed by the fund to achieve the stated objective. This will also help to assess the potential risks involved. Generally, large cap value funds carry lesser risk than small cap funds since large cap funds bounce back sharper when the market picks up. Go for diversified funds: It is always advisable to go for diversified funds, instead of sectoral funds, as the later is subject to more volatility when compared to diversified funds. Sectoral funds also comprises of various segments of the industry. Study the past performance of the fund: It would be wiser to choose funds which have been in existence for over a period of five years. Analyse how the fund has fared during that period and compare its performance with that of its peers, which will give a broad idea as to how the fund has delivered given the same type of investment objective. Stick with them: Keep the fund for a reasonable period to reap better returns, instead of shuffling the funds which might result in fall in the expected yield for the investment. ■

Know these jargons Equity fund: A mutual fund that invests only in stocks Debt fund: It invests only in debt instruments. Debt instruments are ones which give a guaranteed but low return mainly in the form of interest Liquid funds: A type of very short term (1-3 days) investment. They are highly encashable but give measly guaranteed returns Capitalisation: The total number of shares of the company multiplied by its current price Large cap: A company with a capitalisation of over 1000 crores Small Cap: A company with a capitalisation of below 200 crores Diversified fund: A fund that invests in stocks of many industries or sectors of business. So, if one sector fails others will help sustain growth Sectoral funds: A fund that invests only in stocks of a single industry or sector. Example, pharma sector or auto sector

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Monday, February 9, 2009

‘‘ Knot bad at all ‘‘ ‘‘ ‘‘ If we are together nothing is impossible. If we are divided all will fail. Winston Churchill

It’s an inspiring and meaningful journey, as there is so much to learn from and share with each other.

For these start-up couples, finding a business partner in their spouse is just the start of a successful business

Smita Ram and Ram N.K., founders of RangDe

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Managing two babies – Pringoo and Neily (our daughter) has been the biggest challenge. But we are confident if we can handle them, then we can manage many more babies (read business).

Jai Kumar and Arpana Priyadarshini, founders of Pringoo

We enjoy working together as we get to learn a lot about each other and also to challenge each other to come up with creative solutions.

Arjun Shetty and Rati Rajkumar, founders of BankBazaar

ard work, luck, money and other factors play crucial roles while running a successful business. Now, imagine having your spouse as the business partner and managing a company. It can be even tough, as some would say. Some even detest finding a partner from the same profession. But, not all agree. Many start-ups teams have committed to sharing the same business-related interests and respecting the other, not just in personal life but professionally, too. And looks like in the start-up world, where there is a difficulty in hiring, getting funds, office space and a horde of other issues, the easiest way to start off is by finding a like-minded spouse who is ready to sail with you whatever be the circumstances. Jai Kumar and Arpana Priyadarshini’s love story began when they were pursuing their higher studies in the same university in the U.S. Jai was doing his Masters in Engineering, while Arpana her MBA. Entrepreneurship was clear on both their minds, Jai, in fact, had bootstrapped a company when in the States. “I am the technical guy and I always had difficulty in putting presentations before clients,” recalls Jai, saying how he found Arpana good as a strategy player, writing proposals and finance. PringOO.com – their joint venture that offers a place to buy and personalise gift items – was thus born after a brief stint at work.

Ironing out differences

Many entrepreneur couples will vouch for that. Sameer Guglani and Nandini Hirianniah also consider it a huge advantage working together as cofounders of start-ups – Madhouse earlier and now Morpheus Venture Partners (MVP). “Our key strengths are that we approach everything logically and

we have complimentary skills. Not to say that there were no teething problems, but we were quick to iron out any initial differences and we have turned things to our advantage,” says Nandini. “One main advantage when we started Madhouse was the high degree of trust and understanding we shared, which made way for us to function pretty much like a hand in glove. This is most important for any start-up founding team to exhibit. This made way for faster execution of things, logical analysis of mistakes and confidence in ownership of tasks, which was dictated by us sharing similar vision and transparency in thoughts and actions.”

Mutual like

It was mutual inspiration for the social sector that brought Ram N.K. (a software consultant) and Smita Ram (who worked with various community development initiatives) to come together – as a couple and as business partners. “In fact, one of the main reasons for us being together is our passion to work in the development sector. It has worked very well for us – when one of us is down, the other takes charge,” says Smita. Don’t problems experienced at work get carried home? Isn’t there a conflict in job roles? Isn’t it difficult to strike a balance between work and personal life? Having your spouse as a business partner can have its own pitfalls. Jai and Arpana recall how they used to fight over ideas. “Arpana believed in hers and I in mine and we used to argue about it,” Jai says. So, who wins the battle? “Well, Arpana has always been the winner. She brings strategic ideas and I execute them,” he laughs. Another disadvantage which start-up couples rue about is that there is no financial stability when the two are involved in the same business. These are problems likely to crop up even if your business partner is your parent or friend, but if both partners are clear on their goals, there is nothing like a strong partnership. ■

06 VILLAGE

ERGO Monday, February 9, 2009

Sword swallower A Chinese sword swallower ended up in hospital after he attempted to swallow a curved sword for the first time

Brit couple hires psychics to track down missing pooch! A Brit couple has gone to extraordinary lengths to find their missing dog. Jon and Shelley Haggerwood have taken time off work, bought vision goggles and even hired psychic investigators to track down Jacob that disappeared in January after chasing deer. The couple is so desperate to find their missing 1,200-pound bracco Italian Hound that they have made an appeal for information on Radio 1 and even taken to the skies. ANI

About 20,000 Indian workers to fly out of UAE in March About 20,000 Indian construction workers are being flown out of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by their employers on bulk-booked flights on Indian airlines next March, according to report in Emirates Business. This is due to the fact that more than half the construction projects in the UAE, which were estimated at 1.28 trillion dollars, had been put on hold as a result of the global financial crisis. The Indian workers are either being sent back home on long leave, or are being redeployed to work on projects in other Gulf countries, such as Qatar and Abu Dhabi. Venu Rajamony, Indian Consul General in Dubai, said the bulk bookings indicated that the financial crisis was now impacting on the one million Indian workers currently employed in the UAE.

Severed tongue leads to thief’s arrest In a weird case, a piece of tongue of a burglar, bitten off by a Sri Lankan school girl whom he tried to rape, has led to his arrest. The suspect was caught in the fishing town of Negombo near the Sri Lankan capital, where he was hiding, and has been remanded to custody till February 16. The incident occurred on January 31 when the middle aged man broke into the house in Negombo, where the 13 year-old grade nine student was alone, as her brother and sister-in-law had gone to the market. Threatening her with a knife, saying she will be killed if she shouted for help, the man had asked the girl for the almirah keys. Angered after failing to find any valuables, he made an attempt to rape her. However, despite being stabbed, she bit off his tongue forcing him to flee. The severed piece of tongue found on a bed in the house eventually led to the arrest of the burglar who was seeking treatment in one of the local hospitals, which were alerted by the police. PTI

Now, a giraffe named after Malia Obama! After dolls, it seems the animal kingdom is inspired by the First Family - a Buffalo Zoo has named a newborn reticulated giraffe Malia, after Obama’s daughter. And, according to a report in the New York Daily News, they aren’t denying the connection. The development has invited criticism from many areas, with people suggesting it’s insulting that the zoo has named the giraffe after the first daughter, reports the Politico Malia the giraffe joins other giraffes named after Goldie Hawn and Clint Eastwood.

ANI

ANI

Soon, cars may run on beer! A brewing company is planning to make high-quality ethanol fuel from discarded beer yeast

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brewing company in the US is adapting a new system that will make its own high-quality ethanol fuel from discarded beer yeast. According to a report in Live Science, the company, known as the Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., in Chico, California, has developed the new system, in collaboration with E-Fuel Corporation. The company will start testing the system in the second quarter of this year, and hopes to move to full-scale ethanol production in third quarter. “This has the potential to be a great thing for the

environment and further our commitment to be becoming more energy independent,” said Ken Grossman, founder and president, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Currently, Sierra Nevada resells almost 1.6 million gallons of unusable “bottom of the barrel” beer yeast waste to local farmers to be used as dairy feed. The waste contains 5 to 8 percent alcohol content, including enough yeast and nutrients to enable the ethanol system, the MicroFueler, to raise that level to 15 percent alcohol, allowing for an increased

ethanol yield. “Creating ethanol from discarded organic waste is an excellent example of how the MicroFueler can help eliminate our reliance on the oil industry infrastructure. This is especially true when considering Americans reportedly discard 50 percent of all agricultural farmed products,” said Tom Quinn, E-Fuel founder and CEO. “Using a waste product to fuel your car is friendlier to the environment and lighter on your wallet, easily beating prices at the gas pump,” he added. ANI

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Monday, February 9, 2009

Websites of the day Interested in the history of music? Then head to this website: http://library.thinkquest.org/15413/history/music-history.htm For those interested in criminal history: http://www.crimelibrary.com/

No more Orkut, Facebook for Indian diplomats The officials are also discouraged from using services like G-mail, Yahoo! or Hotmail for official communication

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ndian diplomats now cannot open a Facebook account, use external e-mail services, or write blogs, thanks to new rules and much stricter firewalls aimed at preventing cyber attacks and leakage of classified information. Over the past eight months, the Ministry of External Affairs has been overhauling its computer network security, putting up layers of barriers against intrusions into the network, officials associated with cyber security said. There are almost 600 computers at its headquarters at South Block, about half of which are connected to the Internet. Classified work is typically done on stand-alone computers, usually with the external drives removed. “We have set up a unified threat management system for

the ministry. This simultaneously uses eight levels of protection like firewalls and spam mail filtering,” said a senior official. “We are also requesting and encouraging more responsible behaviour from our staff when working online,” the official told IANS, requesting anonymity. A circular issued last week asked officials not to log on to social networking sites, specifically citing Facebook, Orkut and Ibibo as examples. The other prohibited practices include download of peer-to-peer music using sites like Kazaa and sharing of photos through Flickr and Picasa. The circular also discourages using services like G-mail, Yahoo! or Hotmail for official communication. A similar circular, officials said, had been issued in the Prime Minister’s Office in December.

But the matter is even more critical for the foreign office as officials posted in Indian missions abroad or on foreign tours tend to use web-based mail rather than the ministry’s own mail system. “We have had cases of senior officers using G-mail or other similar accounts abroad for official work, only to find some form

Most wanted

of tampering when they return,” the official said, adding people have been told to change their web-mail passwords if they had opened the account during foreign tours. The missions have been told to use their official mail ID issued by the National Informatics Centre for communication. But several

missions have complained that the mail home page was inaccessible due to port blocks by local Internet service providers. They have been asked to contact their service providers to unblock the site. "We want to secure communications with Indian missions through private networks. This may be implemented in the next few months," said an official working with the technical team in the ministry. Not all online behaviour guidelines are the result of potential security threats - some are merely to caution officials. Like late last year, some officials got a circular advising them to stop writing blogs. The order came after a Saudi Arabia-based official’s personal website created a controversy for carrying an advertisement on writer Salman Rushdie, which was posted automatically as the site was hosted on a free server. “Now we have mailing communities to keep in touch with each other - no blogs.” ■

- 5 degree centigrade

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Saudis launch hunt for 85 most wanted; list includes Osama’s son-in-law

l Qaeda mastermind Osama bin Laden’s son-in-law is among 85 men listed as most wanted by the Saudi Arabian Government. According to a Washington Times report, documents profiling the 85 wanted men – 83 Saudis and two Yemenis – reveal that many of them either took part in planning attacks targeting oil, security and other installations in the kingdom or providing al Qaeda members with weapons, safe haven, false documents and money. The documents reveal the extent of Saudi participation in the shadowy extremist networks struggling to rebuild in the Arabian Peninsula after a series of harsh crackdowns in past years. All men on the list are hiding abroad, many in neighbouring Yemen. The men on the list came from throughout the kingdom, according to the documents. The youngest, 16-year-old Abdul-Ilah al-Shihri, was only nine around the time of 9/11, and he was smuggled into Yemen to join al Qaeda there by his uncle, the documents claim. ■ ANI

쒀 A man swims in icy-cold water during the 21st winter swimming Championship of Finland in Imatra, outside of Helsinki, on Saturday. More than 2,000 people of all ages and from nine countries swam a 25-metre distance at a minus five degrees centigrade water temperature. AFP PHOTO

IANS

08 SPORT

ERGO Monday, February 9, 2009

Insults overshadow Fed Cup Former world number one Amelie Mauresmo and Italy’s Flavia Pennetta clashed in an ugly row over sportsmanship as the Fed Cup was plunged into controversy. Mauresmo insisted the Italian should have been kicked out of their opening rubber before going on to lose 2-6, 7-6 (9/7), 6-4 in Orleans on the first day of their World Group I clash. Mauresmo was furious that Pennetta appeared have mouthed an insult at the chair, flicking her middle finger for good measure.

Beckham set for recordequalling 108th England cap David Beckham was handed the opportunity to win a record-equalling 108th cap for England when Fabio Capello named his squad to face European champions Spain in a friendly in Seville on Wednesday. The 33-year-old Beckham, currently enjoying a successful loan spell at AC Milan from Los Angeles Galaxy, needs just one more appearance to match Bobby Moore’s best mark for an outfield player. West Ham striker Carlton Cole and Phil Jagielka, the Everton midfielder, are in line for their first caps after also being named in the squad on Saturday while Aston Villa’s James Milner has been elevated to the senior squad. England goalkeeping great Peter Shilton holds the record for the most England caps, with 125. Capello believes that the style of play that helped Spain lift the European title will be very different to England’s last encounter with Germany. “(The game with Spain) is very important because it will be a different style of play,” Capello explained. “Against Germany they were the runners-up in the European Championship, but this will be a different. I’m very interested in this game because Spain play fantastic football, very quick.” AFP

Hooker aims to eclipse Bubka Australian Olympic champion Steve Hooker became the world’s second-highest indoor pole vaulter when he cleared 6.06 metres at the Boston Indoor Games on Saturday. Only Ukrainian Sergei Bubka, whose world record is 6.15 metres, has jumped higher. After clearing 6.06m, Hooker made three unsuccessful attempts at 6.16m in a bid to eclipse Bubka’s record. “There is no one between me and the world record,” said 26-year-old Hooker, whose shin was bleeding after his vaults. “It’ll happen, I think. If things keep progressing as they are and I stay healthy.” The Australian, whose previous best was the 6.01m he cleared in New York last month, won the competition at 5.87m, then cleared 6.06m on his third attempt to surpass the 6.02m jointly held by Russian Radion Gataullin and American Jeff Hartwig. Gataullin cleared 6.02m in 1989, while Hartwig did it in 2002. Bubka set the world record at Donetsk, Ukraine on Feb. 21, 1993 and has cleared 6.03 or higher 10 other times indoors, according to the International Association of Athletics Federations. American Olympic silver medallist Jenn Stuczynski cleared 4.82 metres in the women’s pole vault, breaking Stacy Dragila’s 2004 national record of 4.81 metres. Only two women have jumped higher than Stuczynski – Russian Yelena Isinbayeva, whose 2008 world record is 4.95 metres, and her compatriot Svetlana Feofanova who cleared 4.85 metres in 2004. Reuters

Dokic comeback gathers momentum

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resurgent Jelena Dokic believes her time away from the game allied to her mental strength will help her climb the rankings after helping Australia reach the next stage of the Fed Cup. The former world number four shocked the tennis world when she returned from the wilderness to reach the last eight at the Australian Open as a wildcard in only her second Grand Slam appearance since 2004. The 25-year-old admitted she was worried about how she would follow her stirring comeback in Melbourne but she won all three of her singles matches here in straight sets, including her clash in Saturday’s final against New Zealand. Her performances helped the host nation to victory in Asia/ Oceania Zone Group I of the women’s team tournament, earning Australia a tilt at promotion to World Group II in April. Speaking after beating littleknown New Zealander Dianne Hollands, Dokic said her performances since the start of the year showed she was handling the pressure of her comeback. “Especially the first two matches (here), I think I played well,” said Dokic,

who was appearing for Australia in the Fed Cup for the first time since 2000.

Positive side “Even when you don’t play well there are a lot of positives to take out of matches,” the world number 91 said. “Today I was able to come back. That is what I have been doing since the Australian Open and I did it again today. I am on top of it mentally and really strong mentally.” But she remained wary. “I can still have a couple of bad months, no one plays well every week,” she said. Dokic renounced citizenship in her adopted country to represent Serbia and Montenegro and has put her decision down to her domineering father Damir, describing it as the worst mistake of her life. An initially indifferent Australian public was won over when Dokic bared her soul after surviving the first round in Melbourne, describing how her career spiralled out of control and she was left depressed and estranged from her family.

Hungry for sucess Dokic, who reached the Wimbledon semi-final in 2000, is

Liverpool’s Fernando Torres celebrates after scoring during their Premier League match against Portsmouth at Fratton Park in Portsmouth. PHOTO: AFP

throwing herself into an arduous schedule this season but said she is hungry to play every week. “I will try to play as much as I can. I have no injuries and I think I have really kind of preserved myself for the last four years, so I am really a lot fresher than some of the other players. As long as I am there with my head and doing it right the game can always come,” added Dokic, who reached her careerhigh ranking of number four in August 2002. Dokic now heads to the United States but is eyeing the French Open in May, the season’s second Grand Slam. Importantly for Dokic, her rapid ranking rise from 178 in the rankings at the end of 2008 after the Australian Open will ensure her a spot in the main draw at Roland Garros. “I have a long year ahead of me. The French Open is the next Grand Slam and I am in the main draw, which is great, which was one of the main aims this year to be in the main draw for the French or Wimbledon,” she said. “I have put myself in a great position to be in the main draw in most of the tournaments and you take it week by week and keep on working hard.” ■ AFP

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Monday, February 9, 2009

‘‘

It’s very clear where we went wrong – our batting in the second innings was pretty poor - and there are no excuses for it. Jerome Taylor had a fantastic spell of bowling, but the pitch was not misbehaving terribly, so as a batting unit we have to hold our hands up and admit that we were not good enough. Andrew Strauss after England’s humiliating innings and 23-run defeat against the West Indies

Comeback trail PHOTO: AFP

Reds down Pompey

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ubstitute Fernando Torres produced a stoppage-time winner at Portsmouth to send Liverpool back to the Premier League summit as Chelsea’s fading title hopes faltered further with a home draw against Hull. Despite clinching last weekend’s win over Chelsea with late goals, the striker was only deployed by manager Rafa Benitez in the last 14 minutes at Fratton Park on Saturday. After twice coming from behind, the Reds were lucky to claim the three points when Torres headed home Yossi Benayoun’s cross. “He’s really important, we are very happy he’s back from injury,” winger Dirk Kuyt said.

Man U on the prowl Manchester United can wipe out Liverpool’s one-point lead at West Ham

in one of the club’s two games in hand over its title rivals. Aston Villa, meanwhile, is emerging as a title challenger, registering a club record seventh consecutive away win at Blackburn to snatch third place from Chelsea, which was held 0-0 by Hull. “Hopefully we will turn the corner. You cannot give up on the title when you see the talent that we’ve got within the club,” said Chelsea’s assistant manager Ray Wilkins. “We will keep plugging away until it is mathematically impossible to catch anybody. It is going to be difficult to catch Manchester United but we will try.” Sam Allardyce’s first loss in 10 matches as Blackburn manager means that Rovers remain in the relegation zone alongside Middlesbrough, which lost 0-1 at Manchester City, and West Bromwich Albion, which was beaten 2-3 by

Newcastle. Everton is within three points of fifth-placed Arsenal after a 2-0 victory over Bolton ahead of the Gunners’ game at north London rival Tottenham.

Last-ditch effort Sunderland enjoyed a 2-0 victory over 10-man Stoke and Fulham drew 0-0 at Wigan. On the south coast, Benitez’s selection gamble, starting with Torres, Kuyt and Xabi Alonso on the bench, appeared costly in the 62nd minute when David Nugent put Portsmouth ahead by shooting under the advancing Pepe Reina. Fabio Aurelio levelled within seven minutes, blasting home from Alonso’s indirect free kick inside the penalty area. Kuyt was then harshly ruled offside after finding the net before Hermann Hreidarsson headed Pompey back in front. Liverpool’s substitutes combined

to equalise again, with Kuyt turning in a cross from Torres, who went on to snatch the winner. Benitez defended his decision to rest Torres due to concerns about his match fitness since coming back from hamstring problems. “Torres is part of the squad, but without the other players we would not be where we are,” Benitez said. “We showed the quality we have in the squad. We could have lost but we deserved to win it.” Villa found the net four times at Ewood Par - but goals from Emile Heskey and Gabriel Agbonlahor were disallowed either side of James Milner’s 27th-minute opener. Milner fired a leftfooted shot through a crowd of players and Agbonlahor’s angled strike found the net after taking a deflection off Ryan Nelsen in the 90th. ■ PTI

Liverpool reclaims top spot

10 FLICK

ERGO Monday, February 9, 2009

Karunas’ son to act Actor Karunas’ son Ken enters tinsel town through Rajadhi Raja, the upcoming movie of Raghava Lawrence.

Film: Naan Kadavul Director: Bala Cast: Aarya, Pooja, Krishnamoorthy

While Aarya’s role in ‘Naan Kadavul’ is a disappointment, Pooja reaches the high point of her career

V. HARIPRIYA [email protected]

T

he long wait for Bala’s Naan Kadavul has finally ended. The movie that took more than three years in the making is a disturbing tour into the dark world of people with deformities who are made to beg for a living and their search for God. Naan Kadavul, meaning ‘I am the God’, makes one question the very existence of God. The story opens with a father coming to Varanasi in search of his son Rudran, whom he had left there 14 years ago following an astrological prediction. Rudran (Aarya) grows under an aghori guru into an angry young man following the preaching of his guru. According to myth, a person blessed by an aghori won’t have to go through the cycle of births and deaths an ordinary human being is destined to. He accompanies his father to Tamil Nadu, only to severe his relationship with his family and return to Kasi. He lives an isolated life in a cave temple smoking weed and blowing conch at unearthly hours. The temple also hosts a group of beggars employed by a local goon. The scenes which show the dungeons where the beggars live and the brutal treatment unleashed on them by the goon are disturbing. Amsavalli (Pooja), a blind girl, is forcefully separated from her foster father and brought to the gang. The cry for help of these poor people never reaches the ears of God but Rudran, who declares himself God ‘Kaala Bhairav’, the destructor of evil. Coincidentally, Rudran becomes Pooja’s saviour. How he saves her forms the climax of the story. Aarya, despite being the protagonist, has few dialogues and, contrary to what was expected, has little to perform, too. It is Pooja as Amsavalli who gives an extraordinary performance. This movie will be a milestone in her acting career. Another person who has given a noteworthy performance is comedian Krishnamoorthy (remember the man who once asks Vadivelu the way to Osama Bin Laden’s house?). Krishnamoorthy as Murugan is a surprise package for the audience. Naan Kadavul is a typical Bala movie, on the lines of Sethu, Nandha and Pithamagan. His movies always deal with subjects not discussed often. The movie, which received U/A certification, is certainly not for kids to watch. Dialogues penned by Jayamohan are sarcastic and touching. Music by Illayaraja is ordinary, except for two songs. An extraordinary movie with a complex subject that it is, Naan Kadavul could have been dealt with only by Bala. ■

11

Monday, February 9, 2009

Back to work The film set for the latest Harry Potter movie, Harry Potter and the HalfBlood Prince, has been given permission to reopen after an accident that left a stuntman badly injured. Brit actor Daniel Radcliffe’s stunt double, David Holmes, who suffered serious back injury on the set in an accident that took place on January 28, is still in hospital. ANI

‘Dancing is quite like a stunt for me’ Kay Kay Menon on why jumping off trains is easier than shaking to a tune

H

e enthralled audiences with his carefree dancing style in Honeymoon Travels Pvt Ltd and has now pulled off a brave stunt by jumping off a moving train in forthcoming film, The Stoneman Murders. Actor Kay Kay Menon, however, says that for him, dancing is the same as performing a stunt. “I am quite comfortable with stunts. I have been an active sportsperson so they (stunts) have never really been a problem for me. But, yes, dancing is quite like a stunt for me,” says Kay Kay. The actor, who danced on-screen for the first time in Honeymoon Travels..., admits he dances best when he is “let loose”. “I can just about move around. In fact if I’m let loose like Shammi Kapoor-ji, I would perform best. But doing the aerobic style dance and learning all those steps is not my cup of tea.” In The Stoneman Murders, which releases February 13, Kay Kay plays a police inspector – a role he last played in Anurag Kashyap’s controversial film, Black Friday. The Stoneman Murders

I can just about move around. In fact if I’m let loose like Shammi Kapoor-ji, I would perform best. But doing the aerobic style dance and learning all those steps is not my cup of tea

comes after the 2008 box-office debacle Drona, a film that saw Abhishek Bachchan play superhero and Kay Kay featured as Riz Raizada, the villain. But the actor has no regrets about having signed on for the flop. “I don’t regret doing Drona at all. It was a wonderful experience shooting for the film. I got to do a lot of things like playing this cynical and weirdly comical villain. And then, I also did horse-riding, which I had never done before,” he says. Asked what went wrong in Drona, Kay Kay says: “Most of the time one gets very engaged with the script and then you can’t predict how the film would eventually turn out to be. When a film is made, the actors, director and producer – all of them work with their best intentions to make the film work, but one doesn’t know what’s in store. The same happened with Drona.” As of now, the actor has a bunch of films in his kitty that includes Anurag Kashyap’s Gulaal, UTV Spotboy’s Aage Se Right and comic caper Sankat City. ■ IANS

Keira Knightley loves Indian curry

K

eira Knightley has revealed that she’s a die-hard fan of Indian curry. For the 23-yearold actress, the idea of a perfect night in is lashings of Indian curry along with some beer. When asked about the Atonement star’s best things in life she replied: “An Indian takeaway on the sofa – chicken tikka jalfrezi and dhingri mutter (mushrooms and peas), washed down with a bottle of Cobra.” Knightley also shot down rumours that she is an anorexic and has also taken legal action over allegations. “The rumours could potentially ruin my career because, if I had been ill, there is no way I would be able to do the action movies that I do,” the Daily Express quoted her as saying. “I wouldn’t be hired,” she added. ■ ANI

‘Tongue-tied’

D

rew Barrymore blames her new tongue piercing for being unlucky in love. The Charlie’s Angels star, who underwent the painful decorative procedure after splitting from ex-boyfriend Justin Long, fears that her bejewelled mouth organ makes potential suitors turned off. She revealed on Ellen DeGeneres’ chatshow: “I have had it for nine months, I got it and I have been single ever since. I don’t know what the deal is with that… I luckily did it for myself. I had always wanted to get one.” The beauty admitted she couldn’t eat or drink for weeks after the piercing, reports the Sun. She added: “After it was done I was like, ‘Oh my God why wouldn’t people do this? It doesn’t hurt at all,’ and the guy said, ‘What I didn’t tell you is that for the next two weeks it is going to be a little uncomfortable.’” “Two hours later I couldn’t eat or drink for two weeks, it was a great diet in a weird way, a sick and sadistic diet and after that it was fine.” ■ ANI

12

ERGO Monday, February 9, 2009

Friday’s Question: If you were to direct a movie, whom would you cast as hero and heroine? Why? ■ Vijay and Sangavi. Vijay for his mind-blowing performance in action sequences in recent films, Sangavi just because they are evergreen duo of Kollywood.

Elango, Vivek, Wipro

■ Surya and Jyotika as they make a good pair and will love to see them together again on the screen. Aruna, CSS

■ Shahrukh and Preity Zinta. Mittal, TCS

■ Shahrukh-Kajol, because they look perfect together. Sanjula, TCS

■ Satyaraj + a new face, because I may get one more ’9 Rupai Nottu acting to enjoy. Sivaprakasam G, Birlasoft

■ Ramarajan-Kanaka as they make a wonderful pair and their combination has always ensured super hit films. Padma Gopal, CTS

■ Next month I have to submit Income Tax proofs so I have to show some loss, so I will rope in Nayan and Puratchi Kalaingar Vijaykanth. Dhilip RR, Cognizant

■ Koundamani-Nayanthara (same as Billa get up) and Senthil as villain, a full action packed romantic thriller. Note: no comedy. Rajeshkumar P, TCS SNR

■ Kamalhaasan-Nayanthara for their best talent. Hema, Indus Rsystems

■ Kamal-Asin because Kamal will take care of the direction and I’ll take care of Asin. Suree, TCS

■ Mr&Mrs. Ajith this is the awesome pair ever in Tamil industry. The subject will be love story of an FBI officer. Sebanto, Aravindhan,

Mike, Cognizant

■ Suriya-Asin because both are great performers and a successful combination. R.Prabhu, Nittany Technologies

■ Vijay as both hero and heroine, as this would definitely give him the opportunity for performing different role for the first time. Yacub, Patni Computers

■ Kamal Hassan and Angelina Jolie, Kate Winslet. Prem Kumar, HCL

■ Surya and myself. Amritha, TCS

Raajsekar from Enoah has nominated his team at Partners in Crime. This pic was clicked in Mahabalipuram.

■ Ajith and Sadha, Bhavana or Tamanna. LM.Kaushik, Infosys

■ Chiyaan with Meera Jasmine. Both are national award winners, versatile. Mohan Kumar TCS

■ Bhoomika because good looking girl and impressive. Surya because smart and suitable. Priyang A, TCS

■ Arya & Pooja. Because of the extreme dedication shown by Arya in his latest movie and Pooja, because of her simplicity & homely face. R. Nagarajan, InfoView Technologies

■ Anthony Hopkins and Jodie foster. They already shown their dexterity.

John Alex B from Financial Software Systems has nominated his team as Partners in Crime.

Guhanathan, CSS Corp

■ Ajith and Charmi. He is not just an ultimate star, he is truly ultimate in acting but not used well by most of the directors. Charmi, my favourite. Safeer, TCS

Today’s Query: If you are asked to buy one expensive accessory with a 75% discount, what would you like to buy and why?

Jagadeesh from TCS has nominated his team members as Partners in Crime.

13

Monday, February 9, 2009

Sundarraman V.R. has been nominated as Office Angel by Deepa M., team member IPB BAU Support, Polaris Software Labs Limited. He is our jovial, bubbly and sweet colleague who has a great craze for acting. We won’t be surprised if we see him in movies in future!!! He does mimicry of various artists very well. He makes our work environment very lively and active. He never hesitates to help others. With numerous outstanding qualities which make him the real Sundarraman. He is Smart, Unique, Naughty, Dazzling, Amiable, Ravishing, Rocking, Agile, Motivating, Amazing, Nimble.

Art featured in this column will receive gift coupons from Fruit Shop on Greams Road. Send in your addresses so that we can post the coupons.

■ Dear Merlin, Wish you a many more happy returns of the day. May God bless ur future with lots of surprises. Lots’ of good wishes & all blessings.!! From your ever loving team. Aghi, Albert, Charu, Karthika, Krithika, Lawrence, Luxmi, Manik, Mani V, Rajesh, Rekha, Rohini, Samu, Sathisk, Sathis (MBA), Shankar, Sudha, Suganthi, Vidhya, Tamil, VijayB, VijayC, Vimal., TCS

■ Hi Indira, Wish you a Happy Married Life.May joys overflow in ur Life. All the best for ur joyful Journey. Best Wishes, FRAME TEAM - Cognizant

■ Dear Uma, Wish you many more Happy returns of the day. May all your dreams come true. With Love, Hema, TCS.

■ Hi (Remo) RAMADEVI, Birthday wishes. Wish u many many more happy returns throughout this year. Though our wishes r late but still its straight from our heart. Make this Birthday unforgettable by giving us a very big treat Best wishes from- Hidden Friends, Team- MVOP, Perot Systems.

■ Dear Ambika, We wish u Many Many More Happy Returns of the day. May all your dreams come true. Have a fabulous day as always. And advance marriage wishes. Have a Delighted Birthday.. Best Regards, Kalai, Geetha, Siva & Jaya, HCL-CODC.

■ Dearest Shyams, As u celebrate ur day. We celebrate U & the beautiful FRIENDSHIP we share. HAPPY BIRTHDAY With lots of luv, Nithi, Kirthi & Jaffe, CTS

■ Hi Bidhut, Wishing u a very happy first wedding anniversary... by ever loving, Anandhi, Mahi, Sangari, PaviOn behalf of whole team(BSP). Wipro Technolgies

Chiranjoy Chattopadhyay from Tata Consultancy Services doodled this.

■ Dear Princy On this special day we wish you a very happy birthday. May it bring you with loads of joy. Have a great year ahead! Regards, Shalini.M

Belated Wishes ■ Ciao Deepa, Eniya PiranthaNaal Nal Vaazhthukkal. May God showers his blossoms on you and your family along with Good Health,Wealth and Happiness. Cheers Sella Synergy India lLmited

■ Dear Saravanan Thangavel, Wish you belated Birthday Wishes With best wishes, Geeta B

1. School testla bit adikkalaam; College testla bit adikkalaam; Aanaa blood testla bit adikka mudiyaadhu!

■ Hi Bala, We wish you a advance Happy Birthday. May God Bless u & ur family with Good Health & Happiness. May your joy last through the year.

2. Chairman chair mela ukkaralaam; Aanaa watchman watch mela ukkaara mudiyumaa? Saravanan V, HCL

With Cheers, iRonicz SpideRs, TCS

14 TRAFFIC JAM

ERGO Monday, February 9, 2009

Oldie on trial A 99-year-old ’fraudster’ has become the oldest person ever to stand trial in Beijing, China.

sudoku

Tilak Daniel from RR Donnelley spotted this eagle at Anna Zoological Park, Vandalur

KAKURO So you think you would make a terrific photographer but never really had the platform? Mail us your best work and we’ll publish it in this space, with credit. E-mail: [email protected]

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Sr Dy Chief Designer: J.A. Prem Kumar Dy Chief Designer: R. Ravi Kannan Illustrator: R. Venugopal Technical Support: V.R. Vasudevan, K.G. Gurumurthy N. Ravichandran, E. Baskar

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Printed and Published by S. Karthik on behalf of KASTURI & SONS LTD., at Plot B-6 & B-7, CMDA Industrial Complex, Maraimalai Nagar, Chengleput Taluk, Kancheepuram Dist., Pin: 603209 & at Kasturi Buildings, 859 & 860, Anna Salai, Chennai-600002. Editor: S. Karthik (Editor responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act). RNI No. TNENG/2007/24553

15

Monday, February 9, 2009

Drastic dieting

Word’s worth

A Croatian man has lost eleven-and-a-half stone in just six months - on a diet of garlic and onions.

“Defluvium” (duh-floo-vee-uhm) the shedding of some body part because of disease. Before you picture people dropping arms, legs, and ears left and right, let us reassure you that the parts lost are usually hair and fingernails.

B.C ARIES MARCH 21 - APRIL 20 It’s a power day for you, says Ganesha. You will be full of vitality, vigour and creativity. You will be ready to take initiative. You may be assigned new projects at office. A positive turning point in your love life may add to your happiness.

TAURUS APRIL 21 - MAY 20 You may start your day at a very dull note as you are not in a mood to put in much effort. However, at office circumstances may be very demanding hence you might have to deal with them. Love life may remain passionate.

GEMINI MAY 21 - JUNE 20 You may be in a position to lead discussions or meetings. Your performance at work will be appreciated by others. You may discuss some important matters with your superiors. Your beloved one may shower love on you.

BORN LOSER

CANCER JUNE 21 - JULY 20 You will be thinking about career progress and related matters throughout the day. Your efforts will be appreciated by others. You may have hot discussions with your spouse or beloved, over very trivial matters, feels Ganesha.

LEO JULY 21 - AUG 20 Your luck is shining today hence you will be ready to take any kind of risk. Office work may be handled very well and you may be given due credit by others, as appreciation of your work. Lovers may enjoy togetherness in quite environment.

VIRGO AUG 21 - SEPT 20

FREE RANGE

WORKING IT OUT

Your mind may be thinking about unresolved issues today. Willingness to finish off pending activities may be high. Before starting anything new, you may think twice. Love life may not be charming provided you put in lot of effort to woo the beloved.

LIBRA SEPT 21 - OCT 20 You may face strong opposition from someone, specifically regarding work. You may not be in a position to prove your points, so don’t confront much. However, your partner or lover may treat you so nicely that you will forget all the tensions.

SCORPIO OCT 21 - NOV 20 You might have to put in back-breaking hard work at office today. You will not be interested in any side talks, chatting or playing games, but may just concentrate on work. You may be so engrossed in work that you may even forget your family life.

SAGITTARIUS NOV 21 - DEC 20 Your mind will be full of new and creative ideas that you would want to implement at work. You will develop new professional skills today. Lovers may enjoy a ball time together and may also wish to go for a movie.

CAPRICORN DEC 21 - JAN 20 Your day may start with a small discussion about a domestic matter. You may reach office in a little strange mood but you will get over it as soon as you start working. There may not be any remarkable event in your love life.

PREVIOUS ISSUE’S SOLUTIONS

AQUARIUS JAN 21 - FEB 20 Your complete concentration may remain on important communications related to work. You may be dealing with new things with new approach. It’s favourable day to talk to or tie up with service providers. You will handle love life very easily.

PISCES FEB 21 - MARCH 20 Ganesha finds you highly sensitive and almost emotionally attached to your work. You will have good time at work and may finish your job with complete dedication. A romantic evening awaits you, smiles Ganesha. Predictions by Bhavesh N. Pattni

16 !

ERGO Monday, February 9, 2009

ONE LOOK IS ALL IT TAKES

Singer Katy Perry

Arrivals at the 2009 PreGrammy Gala & Salute to Industry Icons event in Los Angeles on February 7. The event, held on the eve of the 51st Grammy awards, is presented by three-time Grammy winner Clive Davis and The Recording Academy and is attended by artistes and industry VIPs in music, film and television.

Singer Rihanna

Singer and actor Miley Cyrus

The Jonas Brothers Singer and American Idol judge Paula Abdul