Ergo March 2

A BYTE OF LIFE

Monday, March 2, 2009

09 WORLD CUP Eves ready to take on the world FREE CIRCULATION

Vol. 3

02 Ad Club-Business Line Quiz TCS employee part of winning team

No. 39

PHOTO: S.THANTHONI

PHOTO: N.SRIDHARAN

Farm fresh

THE

OUT-OFBOX ACT

Veteran playwright N.Muthuswamy of Koothu-p-pattarai is back with Arjunan Thabasu » PAGE 03

In this week’s First Innings, we profile entrepreneur couple, Venkata Subramanian and Srivalli, whose agri supply model links farmers to suppliers.

» PAGE 05

02 NAMMA CHENNAI

ERGO Monday, March 2, 2009

Classic comics on your phone Now get to listen to folk stories, read Amar Chitra Katha comics and download ring tones and wallpapers on Vodafone Essar. The service is available through a voice portal and through Vodafone Live.

Strings attached A senior IPS officer was all set to make good of his very lucrative recent posting but to his dismay some string pulling at the political level saw him shunted out immediately after. Infuriated by the “injustice,” the officer took out his frustration on the poor orderlies. According to sources the orderlies had a tough time to sway out of the way of innumerable office stationeries that were thrown at them.

The last laugh There’s at least one policeman who keeps to his words. A senior IPS officer was recently transferred out and while grudgingly leaving the man had promised to be back at his position anytime soon. True to his words he is back and is indeed having the last laugh as others watch in awe and envy.

Hoax, hoax Journalists were in for a rude shock at the state top cop’s office recently. Eagerly waiting for a scheduled press conference the reporters were in for a rude shock when the visibly irritated IPS said it was a hoax call and shooed them out of his office.

Join the club The policemen in the city are all set to form their own union to protect their rights. Few of the top officers who were rudely awaken from their slumber during the recent High Court clashes, where they were literally manhandled by the advocates, are pressing for a Police Union. If the move comes through it will be a first of its kind in the state.

TCS associate part of winning team R. Jayakanthan of TCS partnered Gopal Kidao of MMS to form the winning combination at this year’s Ad Club-Business Line Quiz ERGO CORRESPONDENT [email protected]

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t a competition that had questions that were more cerebral than trivial, Tata Consultancy Services associate R.Jayakanthan combined forces with Gopal Kidao of Madras Metallurgical Services (MMS) to be crowned the winners of Ad Club – Business Line Quiz 2009. The competition that was held at Hotel Savera on Saturday evening was a marked departure from regular popular quizzes as quiz master Mitesh Agarwal chose to put to test the grey cells much more than ever before. It was hard and serious quizzing, and several participants savoured it as a welcome change. Agarwal unleashed as series of mindbending visuals for the teams and there were also some absolute

Quiz Master Mitesh Agarwal with Gopal Kidao and R.Jayanthan. PHOTO: BIJOY GHOSH stunners. Sample this: Which was the most emailed attachment in recent times, pushing aside even the likes of the King Khan? There was some one in the audience that got that right – it was Satyam’s Ramalinga Raju’s confessional letter. Needless to say, it

was a Satyam employee. The winners took home a cash award of Rs. 25,000, LCD TVs from Samsung, watches from Helvetica, mobile phones from Wavetel, printers from Modern Computers and several other gift hampers. ■

Jai Ho!

쒀 Governor Surjit Singh Barnala felicitates A.R. Rahman for his Oscar win at Durbar Hall, Raj Bhavan on Sunday. PHOTO: R. RAVINDRAN

03

Monday, March 2, 2009

The out-of-the-box Act V. HARIPRIYA [email protected]

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n a delightful departure from norms, that in hindsight probably not all got, Koothu-p-pattarai over the weekend debuted its play ‘Arjunan Thabasu,’ in which all the actors took turns to play the role of the protagonist and the jester in different scenes. Veteran playwright and director of the play N.Muthuswamy explained the inter-change of

Arjunan Thabasu, a new experience. PHOTOS: S. THANTHONI

WHAT WHEN WHERE What: Arjunan Thabasu When: On till March 15 (Weekends only) between 7p.m. and 9 p.m. Where: Koothu-ppattarai, No.1 Vaikasi Street, Chinmaya Nagar, Virugambakkam Donor pass available at the venue. For details contact Devi @ 9941446543

roles as a modern licence. “As it is a modern play we can bring in lot of innovation. Here the story and characters never change; only actors change. This is a new attempt from me and the audience has also received it well.” The neatly-packed play was all about Arjuna’s journey to Himalayas to receive the Paasupathaasthra from Lord Shiva and the obstacles that he overcomes before getting the weapon, with new interpretations

and a different narrative style. The play portrayed that from time immemorial mankind has indulged in the arms race and countries continue to horde weapons for war. It also gave equal importance to all the actors to perform the role of Arjuna and the kattaikaaran (jester). Though a bit confusing in the beginning, the play in due course of time helped the audience travel along the story easily. The eleven actors took turns and per-

formed more than two characters each, displaying dexterous change in body language and voice modulation. In a way, the actors got to perform more than one role, stretching their skills to the extremes. And as the koothu-p-pattarai’s current crop of artistes performed at the group’s auditorium at Chinmaya Nagar in Virugambakkam, the group’s veteran and actor Pasupathi watched from the shadows. ■

04 KALEIDOSCOPE

ERGO Monday, March 2, 2009

Ask your query Is it beneficial to buy the new housing loans, which says that the interest rate will be fixed at 8 per cent for one year? Since this is lower than what other banks are offering my friend suggested that it’s a good deal. Ravi Kumar, Cisco

From a broad perspective the idea of paying a lower interest rate seems to be a profitable one for the borrower. But when we look deeply into it we need to realise that no bank will give you a loan on loss. What it means is that any loan has to be lent at a rate higher than the rate at which banks borrow money. Thus what will happen is that they will try to recover the lost amount by adjusting for it in the balance years of the tenure. Also there will be a lot of “small text” which could have other clauses like no change in interest rate even if the rates go below the 8 per cent level and such which need to be prudently checked before taking the loan. Mail your queries to [email protected], with subject line ‘Doctor’.

Mini Quiz 1. ETF stands for: a) Exchange Traded Funds b) Electronic Transfer of Funds c) Exchange and Trade Finance d) Equity Traded Fund 2. PFRDA stands for: a) Pensioners Fund for Research in Debts and Assets b) Provident Fund Regulatory Development Authority c) Pension Fund Regulatory Development Authority d) Prudential Franklin Reliance Deutsche Association Send your answers to [email protected] or SMS your answers to 92813 98889. Example: If you choose ‘a’ as the answer to question 1 and ‘b’ as the answer to question 2, type 1A2B. Winner get a free book on mutual fund and will be chosen by lucky draw from all correct answers.

Answers for last week’s quiz: SEBI – Securities and Exchange Board of India NBFC – Non Banking Finance Company

It’s good bye to all the paper work required to claim your travel allowance. PHOTO : NISSAR AHMED

No bills required for LTA The SC’s rule comes as a sign of relief for all those who are used to producing fake bills or spending money to get them SNEHA BAJAJ [email protected]

News you can use New pension scheme The Pension Fund Regulatory Development Authority has announced its intention to appoint fund managers for the new pension scheme. It has been reported that there are six fund managers who have been short-listed. These fund managers will be responsible for handling the funds invested in the pension funds of the NPS, which is for the unorganised sector.

NHAI bonds The National Highways authority of India is offering non-convertible bonds that will give benefits for individuals who want to park their long-term capital gains. The bonds will give the investor a return of 6.25 per cent per annum and will be fully taxable. NHAI will repay the entire investment amount at the end of three years. If you are an investor who will be receiving any capital gains from sale of land/house or other means then you need to pay a minimum LTCG tax of 10 per cent, but if you invest it in the bonds you will not be taxed.

RBI puts the safety net The Reserve Bank of India has said that keeping in view the growing number of credit cards and debit cards and also the high levels of usage of the Internet for financial transactions, it’s imperative to have stronger safety norms. The newly devised safety measures would ensure higher safety for online transactions and also ensure that online alerts be sent to card holders when card is used.

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recent verdict of the Supreme Court could bring a sigh of relief to employed individuals all over the country, especially those in the taxable brackets. The SC has said that employees need not show bills or vouchers to claim their LTA while filing their tax details with their company. This in one shot takes away the entire headache associated with maintaining those small tickets and related bills to show proof of your travel. Leave Travel Allowance (LTA) is the reimbursement paid by the employer to the employee, for any travel expenses within India, but for this two conditions need to be satisfied. (a) The expenses can be claimed only for travelling within the country; (b) The expenses can be claimed only if the employee travels with the family and not if the family travels alone and (c) This allowance is paid to the employee every year but can be claimed only for two travel journeys every year. In the recent past, to claim the expenses, it was necessary that the employee shows his bills (hotel, train

ticket, taxi voucher, etc.). This also meant that if the bills were not produced, the employee would have to pay a tax and if he produced bills worth just a certain amount, then he would be exempted from tax only for that amount regardless of the total LTA amount for which he/she is eligible. This meant that your hard earned money went to the tax man because you did not have the time to spend on maintaining those travel papers. The court said: “The beneficiary of exemption under Section 10 (5) (of the Income Tax Act) is an individual employee. There is no circular of Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) requiring the employer under Section 192 to collect and examine the supporting evidence to the declaration to be submitted by an employee(s).” In simple terms, why should the company spend its resources/money on verifying the veracity of something which is a direct benefit to its employees? This has indirectly also benefited the employees. The bottom-line for both the organisation as well as the employees is drastic reduction in paper work related to claiming the LTA. Probably henceforth, your company would directly credit it to your account at the end of the year rather than waiting for you to send in the claims. ■

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Monday, March 2, 2009

In the bazaars of … Venkata and Srivalli are more than your next-door vegetable vendor. They left their plush corporate jobs to start a supply and distribution system that links rural and urban market

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heir home and their car are a mini-godown of perishable commodities. On weekends (6.30 – 9.30 a.m. and 5 – 8 p.m.) they are out on the Thiruvanmiyur Beach running their weekend bazaar selling organic fruits and vegetables. The next time you spot an eFarm van stopping from street-to-street or an enterprising couple taking orders from customers, sourcing vegetables or, for that matter, even counselling others on how to run a mandi, make sure you shop there. Venkata Subramanian (Venky) and Srivalli Krishnan are more than your next-door vegetable sellers. The duo left their well-paying corporate jobs and years of industry experience to tap agri supply between rural and urban market, with a model linking farmers to suppliers.

Ideas to Implementation: Venky and Srivalli on Thiruvanmiyur Beach.

Matchbox Solutions is a social enterprise, which is based on the “bottom of the pyramid engagements”. Besides consultancy, the start-up is involved in building core competency in niche areas, including eFarm. “The regular perishable commodity you shop from the retail shops goes through three to five jumps before it reaches the consumer,” explains Venky about the community-driven farm-to-home supply chain that makes buying vegetables more transparent and economical. “Here, we bring it to you within one or two jumps.” To facilitate the supply, eFarm is in direct touch with 10 to 15 farms in Tamil Nadu, 200-odd self help groups and micro finance institutions.

Entrepreneurial call A B.Arch graduate from IITKharagpur, Masters in Computer Science from the U.S. and over 12 years of IT experience, Venky decided to seize the opportunity when it knocked. “I had the experience of working in various domains in IT, especially in crisis-driven situations. As an entrepreneur I was keen on working in a

niche area,” recalls Venky about how the idea struck him when the farmer crisis was at its peak. Venky’s homework started with “setting the process right,” studying different buying patterns, linking up with farms, training the ground staff and above all building a data system. Venky’s search for a business partner yielded more than he bargained for. He met Srivalli, a Business Management with over eight years experience. “All my life I have been an entrepreneur, selling biscuits, crafts, textiles and all things branded. But, I never thought of selling vegetables,” Srivalli says how her current profile “adds value” into the venture. It took Venky a month to convince Srivalli about the potential in the market. “We have complementary skills and are very clear on each of our roles,” says Srivalli, who taps clients through social networking sites, online marketing, etc.

Vegetables on the go The couple say eFarm has grown from pilot to growth stage, though it still concentrates on selling vegetables to

PHOTO: N. SRIDHARAN

pockets in Valmiki Nagar, Taramani, Besant Nagar, Indira Nagar, among others, via its mobile van. “We get people from different strata of society and our perishables our sold accordingly. Around four to six tonnes of vegetables and fruits are sold a week,” they say. So, why should you buy? “It is 10-20 per cent cheaper than shopping from a retail shop, but as our volumes pick it will get even reasonable. We are as cheap as going to Koyambedu market,” says Venky. eFarm’s revenue model is “cash and carry”. Plus, it has received a grant this January from the Government of India. Venky is new in the market, but he considers those pricking questions and convincing his family about his decision as

his greatest hurdles. Until then, it is late night delivery trucks, early morning distributions that will keep this couple awake! ■ (This column celebrates the spirit of entrepreneurship.

Alert In the coming issue of First Innings, we are featuring start-ups who share an office space. So if you know of a friend/ colleague who would like to be featured in these columns, do mail us his details to [email protected]

In a Minute Company: Matchbox Solutions Started: 2007 Founders: Venkata Subramanian and Srivalli Krishnan Team: 10 Funding: Self (friends and alumni) Know Me Better: www.matchboxsolutions.in Email: [email protected]

06 VILLAGE

ERGO Monday, March 2, 2009

Scary school trip A school bus driver in Australia grew so fed up with rowdy passengers he drove them to a police station. The students angered Graham King by throwing a lollipop at his head.

Computer desktops mirror your personality

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ersonalised desktops can displaying their past successes, reveal a lot more than just meanwhile, risk revealing their your ‘fun side’, claims a egocentric side to colleagues. new study, which suggests A list of desktop personality inthat people’s personalities, habits dicators from the report includand ambitions could be laid bare ed: by analysing their computer 1. Desktop with icons strewn screens. across the screen - the owner is The study into desktop psy- muddled and tends to lose focus chology was conducted by Win- easily. dows Vista. 2. Even icons on each side - the To reach the conclusion, Don- owner values balance and prona Dawson, a psychologist spe- portion and tends to keep a cool cialising in personality head in tricky situaand behaviour, re- Having too tions. Likely to be orgaviewed a selection of ofnised and dislike fice workers’ desktops many icons clutter. and identified several may suggest 3. Desktop with many clues that could indi- a person is rows of icons - reflects a cate a person’s persoperson who needs evenality, reports The disorganised rything to hand, likes to Telegraph. and possibly feel in control and on She also said persotop of their life, while at nalities could be divided insecure. the same time revealing into categories: Generic, a tendency to be slightly Specific place; Goal-orientated; disorganised. Trophy; Escapist; Artistic and So4. Personal photos as wallpaper ciable. - indicates the kind of person you She said: “Our desktops are our are and what priorities you have. personal space and as such pro- Often a parent will have a phovide a fairly accurate personality tograph of their child, or a keen description of an individual. traveller will have a photo of an My belief is that everything exotic location. Photos of friends says something about what we’re show popularity, which is useful like. You may not consciously be in work environments where you aware of it but once you know, need good people skills. then your desktop can be used to 5. Plain blue wallpaper - suggive off a positive message about gests the kind of person who likes who you are.” to keep their personal life private. The expert said, for instance, 6. Trophy photos as wallpaper having too many icons may sug- can suggest a big ego and somegest a person is disorganised and one who revels in their past sucpossibly insecure. cesses. ■ ANI People with desktop pictures

Recession creates 50,000 police jobs in US Economic downturn has wiped off thousands of jobs from hundreds of the American companies, but the same crisis has prompted the US administration to announce a massive hiring of 50,000 police personnel. In its first budget, the Barack Obama government has proposed necessary funding to begin hiring 50,000 additional police officers. “Supporting the hiring of police nationwide will help States and communities prevent the growth of crime during the economic downturn,” the Office of Management and Budget said in the government’s budget proposals for FY2010. PTI

Michelle Obama’s dream guests Guess who US first lady Michelle Obama is “dying” to meet? Hollywood couple Will Smith and Jada Pinkett, reports contactmusic.com. When asked who she was still ‘‘dying’’ to meet, Michelle told People magazine: ‘‘Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith. He strikes me as a very interesting and conscientious individual with a very strong family.’’ The first lady is keen to entertain her “dream guests” - Smith, his actress wife and their three kids. The Smiths, who married in December 1997, are parents to 10-year-old son Jaden, eight-year-old daughter Willow, and the actor’s 16-year-old son, Trey, from his first marriage. IANS

Neo-Nazis plotting ‘Fourth Reich’ in Germany A defector from Germany’s hard-core neo-Nazi party, the NPD, has given a chilling picture of the rise of new Hitler worshippers and their plans to build the “Fourth Reich”. Uwe Luthardt, who was a senior member of the NPD, quit to inform on the party that Germany tried unsuccessfully to ban several years ago. The Telegraph quoted him as telling about weapons stores and how members greet each other with “Heil Hitler” salutes, sing the banned songs of the Third Reich and relish the idea of a new Holocaust against the Jews. Last year neo-Nazi attacks in Germany reached an all-time high and the authorities are battling to stop youngsters from being attracted to the politics of the right, particularly now that Germany is in a deep recession and jobs are being lost by the thousands every day. ANI

Photographer Leibovitz pawns her life’s work to pay debt Celebrity photographer Annie Leibovitz, who shot Michelle Obama’s picture for this month’s cover of Vogue magazine, has pawned her life’s work to pay the mortgages on her property. The 59-year-old artist has reportedly approached Art Capital with her art as collateral to borrow 10 million pound to pay the impending debt. Leibovitz, who is famous for taking the picture of John Lenon and Yoko One just hours before his death, is concerned about the mounting debt on the properties that she inherited after the death of her lover Susan Sontag. PTI

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Monday, March 2, 2009

Websites of the day

Frogs for dinner

Want to keep track of your calorie intake? www.sparkpeople.com Read all sorts of interesting facts about the Fab Four at the BeatlesArchive: www.beatleslyricsarchive.com

Scientists in Belarus are breeding edible frogs in a bid to revive the former Soviet state’s poor economy. Belarus is home to the marsh frog, the pool frog and the edible frog, considered delicacies in many countries around the world.

World’s oldest steam engine ride D

espite recession and slowdown in tourists’ inflow to the country, travel by the world’s oldest working steam locomotive on the DelhiAjmer route has gained momentum with the heritage train running to full capacity. Plying only eight times a year during the first and the last quarters, the ’Guinness Book of World Records’ recognised train christened "Fairy Queen" ran with its full capacity of 60 passengers on Saturday when it left the Delhi Cantt station. Among the passengers of the 154-year-old train, 30 were foreigners, a senior Railways official said. The official said passengers can now book a ticket of

Giant Panda fever still grips Taiwan

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iant panda fever continues to grip Taiwan as the bears received their 500,000th visitor on Saturday. The Taipei zoo awarded a primary school student from Changhua County with a stuffed animal, stationary and a book to celebrate the occasion.

Jason Yeh, the zoo’s director, said the panda pair remained in good physical condition despite their big audience which is limited to 22,000 people per day. The male weighed 108 kg while the female, “Yuan Yuan,” lost some weight as it just finished its fortnight oestrus period that started in mid February, he said. “Yuan Yuan” now weighs 103.6 kg. The two pandas, named “Tuan Tuan” and “Yuan Yuan” (when linked, their names mean “reunion” in Chinese) arrived at the zoo on December 23 last year. They made their public debut on January 26. ■ Xinhua

the train through Internet on the Railways website. "Fairy Queen" train was rolled out for the first time by the East Indian Railway in 1855. The locomotive of the heritage train is the oldest working engine in the world. On January 13, 1998 it was recognised by the ’Guinness Book of World Records’ as the world’s oldest working engine. A comprehensive two-day tour package with ’Fairy Queen’ is being offered by Railways and includes on-ground catering, lodging, boarding, transfer facility, a visit to Sariska National Park and cultural programme, the official said. ■

High-flying

쒀 A member of Japanese ski jump team Noriaki Kasai soars through the air during the Large Hill Team event of the Nordic Skiing World Championships in Liberec. AFP PHOTO / MICHAL CIZEK

PTI

08 SPORT

ERGO Monday, March 2, 2009

Modi humbled BCCI vice-president and IPL chairman Lalit Modi lost the Rajasthan Cricket Association top job to IAS officer Sanjay Dixit by five votes. Modi received 13 votes while Dixit bagged 18 votes to come out as a winner on Sunday.

Practice game for Sachin & Co. Six Indian Test cricketers will get match practice in New Zealand’s domestic competition under an arrangement that avoids any conflict over the Indian Cricket League (ICL), officials said on Sunday. Test specialist batsmen Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman and Murali Vijay along with bowlers Amit Mishrah, Lakshmipathy Balaji and Dhawal Kulkarni will make guest appearances to acclimatise to New Zealand conditions. The Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) demanded the six players get time in the middle before the Tests start on March 18, but there was to be no contact with any player linked to the Indian Cricket League (ICL). The BCCI’s opposition to the so-called “rebel” ICL league was underlined last week when it barred Sachin Tendulkar and Dinesh Karthik from an exhibition Twenty20 game because a former ICL player was also involved. Under the pre-Test deal, five of the Indian players will join New Zealand teams with no ICL connection and playing teams without any ICL players. The exception is Dravid who will play for Canterbury but their ICL players Chris Harris and Shane Bond will not be involved. New Zealand Cricket chief executive Justin Vaughan said he was pleased they were able to meet the Indian requirement for game time for the players. “There have been a number of issues to work through, including the involvement of ICL players, NZC’s rules around overseas and qualifying players, player allocation, scheduling and travel arrangements,” Vaughan said. AFP

India down Kiwis India downed New Zealand 2-0 in Auckland on Sunday, giving them a series win by the same margin. India’s Dilip Tirkey and Sandeep Singh stepped up after a scoreless first half. Tirkey nailed a penalty corner strike in the 43rd minute and Singh followed suit in the 67th minute, flicking the ball into the top left of the goal. New Zealand felt they should have been ahead just before the interval when the ball hit an Indian body, stopping a certain goal, but India successfully appealed on the grounds that the ball first hit a New Zealand player’s foot. The Indians were then spectacular on the counter-attack in the second half, exposing the inexperience of the New Zealanders who were frequently punished for turnovers. India won the second Test 2-1, while the first and third Tests were drawn 1-1. AFP

Real roll on Real put pressure back on Barcelona

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eal Madrid reduced the gap on bitter rivals Barcelona at the top of the Spanish League table to four points when substitute Guti and veteran skipper Raul scored in a 2-0 win at Espanyol. Espanyol, who had defeated Barcelona last weekend, were in charge at the Olympic Stadium through Ivan de la Pena’s promptings in midfield, but their inability to create clear-cut chances was to prove crucial. An impressive run from De la Pena from the midfield and a strike from Nene, which went close, were all that Espanyol had to show for their possession in the first half.

Top notch Real soaked up the pressure before Guti put them ahead from a free-kick conceded after a rare attack in the 67th minute. He curled a left-footed shot from 30 yards into the top corner and five minutes later Raul slotted home to give Real the three points and extend their winning run to ten matches. Real coach Juande Ramos singled out Guti for special praise. “We knew that the game was not going to be easy but we were very motivated,” said Ramos whose team had been stunned by a home midweek Champions League defeat to Liverpool. “There was little difference between the teams in the first half but after the break Guti changed the match and after his goal Espanyol had to take risks which led to the second goal.” Espanyol coach Maurico Pochettino felt his side deserved more. “We knew that the only way they would get a goal would be from something like a set-play. It was the only way they could break us down,” said Pochettino. “We tried to play football and we had chances to score but the game changed with the free-kick. In basically one and half chances they have scored two goals against us.”

Late comeback Earlier, a Frederic Kanoute

Real Madrid skipper Raul Gonzalez celebrates his goal against Espanyol at the Olympic Stadium in Barcelona on Sunday. PHOTO: AFP

brace helped Sevilla come from behind to beat Athletic Bilbao 2-1 in a dress-rehearsal of the Copa del Rey semi-final on Wednesday. Sevilla are third in the table, but 13 points behind leaders Barcelona. Mali international striker Kanoute scored either side of halftime to see off the challenge of Bilbao who took the lead through Inaki Gabilondo. Both sides started with weakened sides but while Sevilla were dominating it was Gabilondo who made the breakthrough

after the visitors’ defence made a hash of clearing a corner and the left-winger fired home from 12 yards. Kanoute deservedly brought the sides level, bringing the ball down inside the area before beating the keeper in the 38th minute. Just before the hour mark, he calmly finished in the corner as Sevilla continued to take the game to Bilbao whose coach Joaquin Caparros defended his decision to leave out players with on eye on the Spanish Cup. ■ AFP

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Monday, March 2, 2009

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It seems that, at the minute, everybody is going on about the IPL. It’s a hot topic. But I want to play for England. The IPL is still a few weeks away and my goal is to play for England and, after that, the IPL will take care of itself. It’s something I want to play in, but my ultimate goal is playing for England. Andrew Flintoff

Eves ready to take on the World Members of India’s women’s cricket team before their departure to Australia for the ICC women’s Cricket World Cup. PHOTO: PTI

AYON SENGUPTA [email protected]

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yeing to end Australia’s dominance in world cricket Indian eves left for Down Under for the ICC Women’s World Cup on Sunday. Led by Jhulan Goswami, the fastest woman on the cricket field, the Indian side will be trying to usurp the mighty Aussies who had defeated them in the last Cup final. “We are confident and we had a long conditioning camp in Mumbai. All our players are in good knick and we will also play two practice games before our first match against Pakistan in March 7,” Goswami says. “Our primary aim is to reach the Super Six stage and take it one game at a time from there.” The other

teams in India’s group are Sri Lanka and England. Goswami will be aided by Anjum Chopra and Mithali Raj and feels the perfect blend of youth and experience will hold the team in good stead in alien conditions. “Our team is very balanced with the right mix of experience and youth. Only three players have not played overseas. This is the World Cup that comes every four years and every team would be eager to do well. We are not taking any team lightly,” Goswami says. “I am glad that I have players like Anjum Chopra and Mithali Raj on whom I can rely for suggestions and advice. Mithali is our Sachin Tendulkar and every opposition fears her.” Mithali also understands her role in the squad and says: “In the series against England and Australia, the batting line-up had flopped and we were constantly being bowled out for totals between 120 and 130s. Bowlers hardly had any chance to defend the score. You cannot win with such totals; we have to score at least 200 runs to ensure a competitive total. But few days back in a practice match against a men’s team, we

were successful in scoring over 200 runs. Once you start scoring runs, you get the confidence of taking on any team.” Despite their dismal showing during their Tour to Australia in November, Goswami thinks the experience will help them to tackle the Australian conditions better. “Even if we played badly in Australia last year but all of us have a fair idea about the pitches and conditions there and that is a positive. Accordingly we have chalked out our plans and made the required adjustments.” Mithali also sounds optimistic about the team’s chances and says: “Our openers were getting out quickly last time we toured there. But now it’s the end of the season and the wickets won’t be too bouncy. If anything they will keep low and we are used to those conditions.” ■

“I am glad that I have players like Anjum Chopra and Mithali Raj on whom I can rely for suggestions and advice. Mithali is our Sachin Tendulkar and every opposition fears her.”

10 FLICK

ERGO Monday, March 2, 2009

Mickey Rourke to play baddie in fifth Rambo Although actor Mickey Rourke lost the Oscar to Sean Penn, his career seems to be back on track, and that too in a big way-he has been offered a role by pal Sylvester Stallone in the next Rambo film.

Priyanka goes de-glam for Kaminay S

he donned trendy mini skirts and a bikini in Dostana and was an absolute stunner on the ramp in Fashion, but Priyanka Chopra is going the de-glam way for Vishal Bharadwaj’s Kaminay. “In terms of look, it’s definitely not glamorous. In fact, you don’t really see me wearing too much make up in the film,” Priyanka told IANS. Kaminay will be her first release of 2009 as a leading lady after a hectic 2008, which saw her featuring in six back-toback releases - Love Story 2050, God Tussi Great Ho, Chamku, Drona, Fashion and Dostana. What makes Kaminay special is that she has got to

work with Bharadwaj, a master story teller known for giving his leading ladies a very ‘real’ lived-in look. Speaking about her character in the film, Priyanka says: “Sweety is a very real character. She is a college-going girl in her early 20s and we have tried to keep her extremely believable.” “We tried to ensure that the look fits the characterisation,” she adds. Since she was seen in a glam avatar in both Fashion and Dostana, did she have any apprehensions about donning an entirely distinct look in Kaminay? “Not at all. It was a conscious decision. I have always striven to do different

Hrithik, Priyanka bag Filmfare Awards Bollywood stars Hrithik Roshan and Priyanka Chopra were declared the best male and female actors respectively at the glittering 54th Idea Filmfare Awards ceremony here late Saturday night. Hrithik won the award for essaying the role of Emperor Akbar in Jodhaa Akbar, while Priyanka walked away with the black lady statuette for her performance in Fashion. Jodhaa Akbar pipped Dostana, Ghajini, Jaane Tu…Ya Jaane Na, Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, and Rock On!! to bag the best film trophy, while the best director award went to Ashutosh Gowariker for Jodhaa Akbar. Held at the Yash Raj Studios here, the evening saw a plethora of Bollywood’s Who’s Who dressed in their fanciest best walking the red carpet at the event. IANS

things in each and every film of mine, be it with the character or the look. That’s visible in films like Don, Love Story 2050, Fashion and Dostana. “In continuation of that, Kaminay and What’s Your Rashee (by Ashutosh Gowariker) will see me essaying different characters, far removed from what I have ever played. I am very excited about both!” Priyanka stars opposite Shahid Kapur in Kaminay and the actor too is said to have a distinct look. Shahid, known for his chocolate boy image, plays a double role, and one of the characters played by him not just stammers but also keeps an unkempt look. But audiences will have to wait to see their makeovers until June 5, when Kaminay is set to release. IANS

Oscar-winner Penn hopes to take ’Milk’ to White House Hollywood rebel Sean Penn, winner of the best actor Oscar for his role in Milk, said Friday he hoped the film would soon get a showing before President Barack Obama. “Eventually we are hoping for a White House screening,” the 48-year-old told reporters ahead of the French launch of the acclaimed biopic about gay San Francisco politician Harvey Milk. As California’s Supreme Court prepares to rule on whether to annul a referendum that banned same-sex marriages last years, Penn said he expected the movie would weigh on the debate. “I think this film will be one of the steps forward,” Penn told reporters. AFP

Priyanka stars opposite Shahid Kapur in Kaminay and the actor too is said to have a distinct look.

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Monday, March 2, 2009

Look, who’s in car? Sameera Reddy’s run with Kollywood continues. After the success of Varaanam Aayiram, these days she is busy shooting for Asal. Late night movie goers were recently surprised to see the pretty actress resting on a car, parked at the Sathyam Cinema Complex, after the shooting. The movie has Ajit in the lead role.

Pierce Brosnan’s hi-tech home

Cine City

The 6.5 million pound mansion to be built in California will be equipped with modern technology

I am not Sita of Ramayana: Ash Actor Aishwarya Rai, who is busy shooting for Mani Ratnam’s upcoming flick Ravana, has said that the name of the character which she plays in the movie is not Sita. But she is playing a woman who has similarities with that of Sita of Ramayana. Ash, who is acting with her hubby Abhishek Bachchan in Ravana, has added that they have never played a conventional couple on-screen so far, when asked whether she is paired opposite Abhi in the film.

REUTERS

F

ormer Bond actor Pierce Brosnan is all set to build a high-tech home which will even rival 007 films. The 55-year-old actor, who handled many gadgets while playing the iconic spy on screen, is building a 6.5 million pound mansion in Malibu, California. The mansion will be equipped with modern technology. “Pierce has always loved technology and playing Bond only cemented that love. He says this will be his dream house and it will have every possible boy’s toy imaginable, plus a few for his wife,” a source told Daily Mail. “It will have a high-definition home theatre which

Pierce says will rival anything out there for clarity and sound. And the security system is going to revolve around pressure sensors in the flooring and infrared lights,” the source added. Brosnon will have a basement gym, music room and games room in his two-storey building complete with wireless and bluetooth connectivity. The master bedroom will have blinds that rise at the touch of a button to reveal ocean views, with adjoining separate bathrooms and walk-in closets for Brosnan and his 46-year-old wife Keely Shaye Smith. PTI

Arasan to hit the screens Good news to Rajini fans who are eager to watch their Thalaivar on-screen soon. Rajinikanth’s yesteryear Hindi film Khoon Ka Kaarz is being dubbed and released as Arasan in Tamil. The background score and songs of the film are made in the Qube UFO format and have been remixed in 5.1 DTS Surround Sound. Rajinikanth appears in three songs and three fights in the film, which also stars Sanjay Dutt, Vinod Khanna, Dimple Kapadia, Sarika and Sangeeta Bijalani. The film has been cleared by the Censor Board and will hit the screens across India during the third week of March.

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ERGO Monday, March 2, 2009

Friday’s Question: Your favourite childhood fairytale and why? ■ "Paati vada sutta kathai" that’s the only fairy tale I know. Senthil Kumar.P, RRD, Sowsheelya, CSS, Mukund SCB Scope International, Padhu, Sify

■ Woodcutter and angel told by my grandma because I didn’t tell lie after hearing that story (not now) Kalaivani, Perot Systems

■ Vikramadittan and vedalam for giving a thrilling experience and for the interesting questions and answers between them.

Jayalakshmi M. from Cognizant Technology Solutions has nominated her team members as Partners in Crime. The picture was clicked in Yelagiri.

Arun Kumar, Beny Raja Jerome, Babu, Allsec Technologies Limited

■ Peter pan - because I’m too fascinated by fairies and their glowing wings Amritha, Tata Consultancy Service

■ Beauty and the Beast because a love which melts the heart and soul of every one Senthil Arjunan, Calsoft, Sridhar.R, STG, Manimozhi, TCS

Senthil, Raja and Puru have nominated the Hexaware Internal Cricket Tournament Final Winners as Partners in Crime.

■ Jungle book I like that Mowgli and the share khan character in it. Sathyaraj, Allsec Technologies Limited

■ Cindrella with her magical beauty, shoes n the princes. Hashim, Allsec Technologies Limited

Today’s Query: February 3rd is ‘I want you to be happy day’. Whom would you wish to see happy.

Prakash from Wipro Ltd has nominated his friends as Partners in Crime. This photo was taken during team trip to Wayanad.

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Monday, March 2, 2009

Mr.Pichu Mani of Allsec Technologies Limited has been nominated as Office Angel by Dennis Miller, Team Manager and his team. He is a wonderful and a fun loving person to be with on the floor. He prefers to be a “Man of Action” rather than a man of words. A perfect example of a down to earth person.

■ Dear Cargo Ravi, Belated B’Day Wishes.....!!! Chemoil-ODC Team California Software(Calsoft)

■ Hi Revz, For idli, chatney is d correct match, For chappati, chicken is d correct match, For friend, you are d correct match, For you we are d correct match Long live our friend KAPPAL Happy birthday Revz. Yours kappal friends, Mythili, S.Kavitha.M, Vino, Karthi. Wipro Technologies

■ Hi Anu, Wish u Many more Happy Returns of the day :-)

Loving Wishes, COAF LS Team, Wipro Technologies

■ Hi Senthil nathan, Sorry I missed your Birthday, Hope you had a wonderful time and wishing you for many more to come. Love you, Your Best Friend.

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.

Wishes from the Heart, P. Jayasri TCS.

A.Kamalika Krishmy had doodled this.

■ Dear Gopal, Thinking of you and the good times we spent!! me smile! HAPPY BIRTHDAY to friend who is always close to my heart. Wish you many more happy returns of the day. May God bless your future with lots of surprises. Keep Rocking!! We wish for you that whatever you want most in life, it comes to you, just the way you imagined it or better. With Love, Manivannan, Vasant, Prabhu, Merlin, Krithika. Team TCS.

Dad : If u pass in the exam, I will present u 1 cycle. Son : If I fail ? Dad : I will present 10 cycle Son : why ??? Dad : hmmmm…. to open cycle shop Shiva Kumar . A, Accenture

■ Dear Jansi jenifer, Hope your BIRTHDAY is a day that makes you feel full of ZEST and ENTHUSIASM,

Because YOU’RE really wished all the THINGS in life that will give you HAPPINESS. HAPPY BIRTHDAY Wishes from the Heart, Prabhu, Amala, Glory, HCL

■Hi Muthu, (lal) Many More happy returns of the day & God bless you. " We turn not older with years but newer every day. May your every day successful!"

Rockers! Bilal, Shakeer & Balaji PerotSystems

■Dear Victor, May the new year that opens ahead be filled wid happiness n joy.. Wishing you a very Happy Birthday and many more to come... Cheers, Shaji & Divya, TCS

Belated Wishes ■ Hi Gayathri, Wish you Many more happy returns of the day. Let all your dreams come true. Have a great year ahead. Happy Birthday ! from your beloved friends , HCL Technologies Ltd

■ Hi Anitha, Wish You happy birthday. May all yours dreams come true. Have a great and fun year ahead. Keep smiling always!!! Best Wishes From, Susi & Anu, Wipro Techonologies.

■ Dear Kirti Kathuria Wishing many more happy returns of the day to this fun loving, rocking, lazy freak From Shrikanth N C (The S.P.E.C buddies) Infosys

■Dear Vidhya, Wish you many more happy returns of the day. Best wishes,

Anand, Prem, Balaji iNautix Technologies.

14 TRAFFIC JAM

ERGO Monday, March 2, 2009

Thief’s heist foiled An Australian car thief was caught by police after he accidentally locked himself in the vehicle he was trying to steal.

sudoku

S.N Saraswathi of TCS clicked this picture in Kuala Lumpur with her Canon G5. Hobbies: Sketching, stitching

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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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

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Monday, March 2, 2009

Life’s a beach at Uni

Word’s worth

A university in the U.K. is offering a two-year, full-time course teaching teenagers how to surf.

Quadragesimarian (kwah-druh-djess-uh-mair-ee-un) an obsolete and rare word meaning ‘someone who observes Lent.’ This certainly applies to those people who observe Lent only as an opportunity for a Friday fish fry as well as to those who take the more traditional and spiritual ascetic approach.

B.C ARIES MARCH 21 - APRIL 20 Logical thinking is fine, but incessant brooding or pondering might not prove to be useful. Do not try to push yourself for something which is practically impossible. Try to streamline your thoughts in a proper direction. Love life will be smooth today.

TAURUS APRIL 21 - MAY 20 Achieving targets won’t be difficult at all. You will be able to meet the deadlines very easily today. Pay equal attention to all the pending work or it may pile up into a huge mess. Lovers may spend a wonderful evening in the company of their beloved.

GEMINI MAY 21 - JUNE 20 You may wish to establish proper work routine and schedule in order to perform better at workplace. You may want to devote equal time to your life partner too. Lovers may find a positive turning point in their romantic life, by the Grace of Ganesha.

BORN LOSER

CANCER JUNE 21 - JULY 20 On the work front, the day is going to be very hectic. More than productive work, you may have to spend a great amount of time for solving queries and problems. Romance on the whole can be smooth and satisfying, but watch your temper.

LEO JULY 21 - AUG 20 You need a break. So finish off the pending work and select a time when there is nothing major happening and then finally go and ask for a leave. Once that is sanctioned, you may want to take off on an adventure trip or a romantic cruise. Try it.

VIRGO AUG 21 - SEPT 20

FREE RANGE

WORKING IT OUT

Hard work has wonderful rewards and there is no doubt about it. However, Ganesha advises you to be patient. Things may not work according to your plan or schedule.The Grace of Ganesha will bestow upon the lovers like there is no tomorrow!

LIBRA SEPT 21 - OCT 20 Not all days will be as fruitful as yesterday, but there is always a tomorrow. Don’t let your mood affect your performance or behaviour towards other people. Even on the personal front, avoid stress and take it easy.

SCORPIO OCT 21 - NOV 20 It is best day to have a look at past and finish off pending social and official work. At office, you may interact with others in order to find solution to some long-pending issues. Love life may remain almost uneventful today, feels Ganesha.

SAGITTARIUS NOV 21 - DEC 20 “Why worry?” asks Ganesha. Everything will have a solution. It is just a matter of time that things seem to be so difficult and impossible. Plan everything in advance. This includes everything from your official tasks to fixing up a party.

CAPRICORN DEC 21 - JAN 20 You may be very verbal while at work so Ganesha finds you giving suggestions to everyone around you. Ensure that you are not hurt if your suggestions are not accepted by others with due grace.

PREVIOUS ISSUE’S SOLUTIONS

AQUARIUS JAN 21 - FEB 20 There is no weapon more powerful than words. Ganesha wants you to realise that and take proper advantage of the same. Since you are capable of impressing others with your speech, you should use that on the professional front as well.

PISCES FEB 21 - MARCH 20 Ganesha feels you will wait for your lucky charm to show wonders today. Hence during the second half of the day, you might find yourself wasting time. Lovers might feel a pinch when the beloved doubts his/her integrity. All will be well soon. Predictions by Bhavesh N. Pattni

16 !

ERGO Monday, March 2, 2009

Foxes up a tree A family of foxes has made an unlikely home at the top of a tree in Suffolk, England.

Sky-high costs to use a toilet Ryanair’s chief executive said Europe’s largest budget carrier might start charging passengers for using the toilet while flying, but his spokesman cautioned Michael O’Leary often just made things up at will. “One thing we have looked at in the past and are looking at again is the possibility of may be putting a coin slot on the toilet door so that people might actually have to spend a pound ($1.43) to spend a penny in future,” O’Leary told BBC television. Reuters

Makeup seller is YouTube star

A

27-year-old Brit mum has become a YouTube sensation with her make up application videos. Lauren Luke’s YouTube channel, pancea81, has drawn more than 4.5 million viewers, and Luke moves between the first and second most watched YouTuber slots in Britain. Luke, a single mother living with her mother and sister, decided the time had come to try something that would allow her to work during her son’s school hours. She began selling makeup on Ebay. She also started posting tutorials on proper makeup application for her Internet customers. The turning point, Luke says, was when she posted a tutorial on

how to recreate Leona Lewis’ make up from her Bleeding Love music video. “That’s when things really started to go berserk,” CBS News quoted her as saying. The video shows her in her bedroom applying makeup to herself while looking straight at the camera. Many of the videos demonstrate how to create celebrity looks - musicians like Miley Cyrus, Britney Spears, Taylor Swift, and actresses like Kim Kardashian and all of the stars of Sex and the City. “I’m over the moon about it,” she said. “It didn’t dawn on us until people started to come up and say, ‘Aren’t you the girl of YouTube?’ she added.

The Brit mom’s video is among the most watched slot Luke has also been approached by gaming mogul Nintendo for creating a makeup game centred on her for the Nintendo DS. “It’s mad to think I’ll be on a Nintendo game,” laughs Luke. She’s set to launch a cosmetics line in the beginning of April, and a book is also being published in October. ■ ANI