Supermodel-turned-actress Shubra Aiyappa is all set to enter Sandalwood finally. The Bengaluru girl, who is already working in Telugu and Tamil films, will be seen in a special role in choreographer-turned-director A Harsha’s Vajrakaaya.
The director says, “This is a very special appearance, where she will be seen in the first 15 minutes of the film. The song, sung by Dhanush, will be picturized on her and Shivarajkumar.
Shubra is one of the most dignified artistes I’ve worked with till date.
It has been a pleasure.” Shubra says, “I’ve enjoyed shooting for the film so far. It has been very exciting.
We will be headed to Venice to shoot for the song this month end.”
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> Entertainment> Kannada> Movies / by Sunayana Suresh, TNN / March 20th, 2015
CMC President Zulekabi, CMC Commissioner B B Pushpavathi and CMC Assistant Executive Engineer K M Ravikumar inspected the re-asphaltation work of the Rajaseat road from Mangerira Muttanna circle to Kundurumotte temple in Madikeri on Thursday. Zulekabi meanwhile sought the cooperation of public for various road and drainage works in different parts of the city.
She warned that the illegal constructions in the city will be cleared. She told people to leave space for road and drainage works, before constructing houses.
CMC Commissioner B B Pushpavathi said that the reasphaltation and widening of the Raja seat road is being taken up at a cost of Rs 10 lakh, under the second stage of Nagarottana project.
CMC Assistant Executive Engineer K M Ravikumar said that the tender process towards the UGD connections in the city is over and the work will be started next year.
He further said that the reasphaltation is under progress at Gowlibeedi, Masjid road, Ranipet and Bhagavathi Nagar. Also construction of concrete drains is being carried out at the road from Vijaya Vinayaka Temple to College road, widening and reasphaltation from junior college gate to district stadium and Gowda Samaja to Chian gate.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> District / Madikeri , DHNS – March 20th, 2015
Baba Motion Pictures pvt ltd launches their second poster of the movie “Direct Ishq” where Television chocolate hero Arjun Bijlani making his debut in the movie. Bollywood’s glamour has been a perpetual source of magnetic charm for most television actors. While we have TV stars making big in Bollywood likes Shah Rukh Khan, Ayushmann Khurana, Sushant Singh Rajpoot, Vidya Balan, Yami Gautam, Pulkit Samrat, Prachi Desai and Aditya Roy Kapoor. Array of televison stars making their Bollywood debut, from the world of TV up for their film debut. Now Arjun Bijlani after winning hearts with his romantic lover-boy image earlier in television he is all set to hit the 70 mm screen.
In the poster Actor Arjun Bijlani seen romancing with Actress Nidhi Subbaiah in the “Guns and Roses” avatar. The poster shows action as well as the naughtyness component hidden inside the characters. The second poster displays Arjun and Nidhi riding on a hefty bike, with a gun in Nidhi’s hand from where rose is coming out and flaunting a full on bhai style look. Arjun is looks cute in this with a casual T-shirts and jeans and had an quirky smile on his face, while Nidhi is looking as gorgeous and sexy in her cool top and skimmed jeans.
“Direct Ishq” which is produced by Pradeep k sharma and Directed by Rajiv S Ruia starring Rajneesh Duggal, Nidhi Subbaiah and others. This poster talks the tagline as “A Desi Love Story” called Direct Ishq.
source:http://www.nagpurtoday.in / Nagpur Today / Home> Filmi Baatein / Thursday – March 19th, 2015
40 years back, on 15 March 1975, the Indian men hockey team accomplished a historic feat against Pakistan in the finals of the 1975 Hockey World Cup wherein they beat the opponents 2-1 to earn the title of ‘Champions’. It was a moment of pride that day and it is a moment of pride for every Indian today. Remembering the occasion and the achievement, Hockey India congratulates the team who made this possible.
Led by Captain Ajit Pal Singh, the team left no stone unturned to ensure that they got the Cup home. The team was placed in Group B of the tournament where they played against West Germany, Australia, England, Argentina and Ghana. Winning 3 matches, losing 1 and drawing 1 in the pool phase, India advanced to the semi-finals to play against Malaysia wherein they beat them 3-2. They had a close contest against Pakistan in the finals and it was Ashok Kumar the all important winning goal helping India win the title that year.
Speaking on the proud occasion Dr. Narinder Batra, President, Hockey India said “After 40 years I still feel proud of the moment when we earned the title of Champions. I would like to congratulate each member of the winning squad and would like thank them that they made this day possible for every Indian. It is this feat 40 years back, which gives us the motivation that we can repeat history and win the title again.”
Ajit Pal Singh captained and led the team to victory during the 1975 World Cup. He even has to his credit of representing the prestigious tournament on three occasions where he represented the team for 1971 World Cup, Barcelona wherein the team bagged the Bronze and in 1973 World Cup, Amsterdam where they bought back the Silver. He even was part of two Olympics Games in Mexico 1968 (Bronze) and 1972 (Bronze). He won the Arjuna Award in 1970 and Padamshree in 1992 for his contribution to the sport from the Government of India.
Ashok Kumar, son of legendary Late Major Dhyan Chand is the first of two Indians who represented India for 4 World Cup tournaments which included Barcelona 1971 (Bronze), 1973 Amsterdam (Silver), Kuala Lumpur 1975 (Gold) and Buenos Aires 1978. He was also instrumental in scoring the winning goal for India against Pakistan in the finale of the 1975 World Cup. Mr. Ashok Kumar also participated in the two Olympic Games in Munich 1972 (Bronze) and Montreal 1976.
Mohd. Aslam Sher Khan, defender and his contribution during the 1975 World Cup cannot be forgotten. He even represented India during the Olympic Games in Munich 1972 (Bronze), Brig.
Harcharan Singh VSM also represented India at three World Cups in Barcelona 1971 (Bronze), Amsterdam 1973 (Silver) and Kuala Lumpur 1975 (Gold) alongwith one Olympic bronze medal in Munich 1972.
Leslie Fernandez whose goalkeeping is still talked about after so many years was also part of the World Cup winning squad.
Dhyan Chand Life Time Achievement Awardee Varinder Singh was also part of the Indian Team that won Silver Medal at the World Cup in Amsterdam 1973 and represented India at two Olympic Teams in 1972 (Bronze) and 1976.
Ashok Diwan a Dhyan Chand Life Time Achievement Awardee in 2002.
Michael Kindo who played at the full back position and was honored with the Arjuna Award for his achievements. He represented India at 3 World Cups which also included Barcelona 1971 (Bronze) and Amsterdam 1973 (Silver) alongwith one Olympic Games in Munich 1972 (Bronze).
BP Govinda, current Chairman of the Selection Committee of Hockey India apart from being a part of the winning team in 1975 was also in the team of World Cup in Amsterdam 1973 (Silver) alogwith two Olympic Games in Munich 1972 (Bronze) and Montreal 1976, Brig.
HJS Chimni who played at the centre forward position during the World Cup and whose contribution was vital for the win.
V J Phillips who captained India at the Buenos Aires World Cup in 1978 was crucial member of 1975 World Cup winning team and also represented India at the two Olympic Games in Munich 1972 (Bronze) and Montreal 1978.
Onkar Singh, youngest member of the World Cup 1975 winning team, later participated in the 1981 World Cup held at Mumbai.
Kaliah P.E. the talented inside forward was also a part of the winning squad.
Late Surjit Singh who played three World Cups in Amsterdam 1973 (Silver), Kuala- Lumpur 1975 and Mumbai 1982 finally has to his credit of ensuring that the team won the tournament in 1975. He also played two Olympic Games in Munich 1972 (Bronze) and Montreal 1976, he was one of those players who scored 4 Olympic goals and which a player will be proud of on any given day. He even was part of the 1978 Asian Games and where the team bagged the Silver medal.
Late Shivaji Pawar the great center forward was also instrumental in the win of the 1975 World Cup. Late Mohinder Singh was also one of the key player of the 1975 winning squad.
source: http://www.indiansportsnews.com / Indian Sports News / Home> Hockey / March 15th, 2015
Actor Gulshan Devaiah, who plays a sex addict in the forthcoming film “Hunterrr”, says as a child he had lots of fantasies but it’s now only that he is getting the chance to live them up in films.
Actor Gulshan Devaiah, who plays a sex addict in the forthcoming film “Hunterrr”, says as a child he had lots of fantasies but it’s now only that he is getting the chance to live them up in films.
Gulshan, who is a theatre actor, started his Bollywood journey with 2010 film “That Girl in Yellow Boots” and has done varied films like “Shaitan”, “Hate Story”, “Goliyon Ki Raasleela – Ram Leela” and others.
“As compared to real life I am more naughty on screen. I used to fantasize in my childhood like ‘oh this girl is very cute and let me go and meet her’ but I didn’t have guts to actually do that,” Gulshan said in an interview here.
“So there were fantasies in my mind as a child but now I am getting the chance to live them through films,” he added.
“Hunterrr”, directed by Harshavardhan Kulkarni, traces the lustful journey of Gulshan’s character in the film and it will hit theatres on March 20.
source: http://www.indianexpress.com / The Indian Express / Home> Entertainment> Bollywood / by Indo-Asian News Service / Mumbai – March 13th, 2015
Robin Uthappa emerged the highest run-getter in the country this Ranji season with 912 runs at 50.66 with two hundreds and five fifties. But that hardly makes for news. Uthappa has always been expected to score runs on his each visit to the crease. This season there was this unmistakable calmness about him, determined to make every outing count.
Uthappa spoke about the new angles of his batting and his role in the Karnataka dressing room in an interaction.
The highest run-getter of the season, your thoughts on a successful season?
It’s been good, But for me, I had set up a goal for myself of which I’ve fallen a few hundred runs short. I think I let myself down in a few innings. I got four zeroes this season and that kind of proved costly. But I’ve performed at a time when the team needed it and they have been important performances, so I’m happy. I am pretty happy to be the leading run-scorer in the Ranji Trophy. It’s something that was definitely a goal that I can strike off.
Now, do you feel settled as batsman after a few experiments last season?
Absolutely. I brought (Pravin) Amre sir three years ago, but now the batting is definitely settled. And that’s why I’m able to focus on wicketkeeping and put my energies in different areas and aspects of my game. I feel pretty confident about my batting and I just think it’s going from strength to strength. I just need to keep working, with my game and my skills. The focus has been to improve on aspects that are finer and I’ve been working on them. I think my work ethic has really improved over the last couple of years. I work pretty hard with my batting and my skills, and I spend a lot of time batting. Now, I put a value on my wicket.
Have you made an effort to understand the science of your batting?
It’s been a conscious decision to understand what I do when I bat. I want to understand what the method is to my madness. I think I’ve done that and I’ve figured out what my method is. I’ve spent time understanding that science. If I’ve made a mistake I know exactly where I’ve made a mistake. Sometimes I don’t even need to look at a video to understand what I’ve done wrong. You learn as you pay attention.
Is it good to analyse that deep or be more instinctive for someone who is a strokemaker?
See, I don’t over-analyse my innings. But I try to understand what went wrong and what I need to improve. If you want to remain consistent, you need to understand your batting and I think that’s what I’ve done. I’ve been pretty flexible. When it comes to T20s I play a lot of shots, when it comes to one-day cricket I monitor the way I go about the innings and I think I’ve kind of cracked how I want to approach four-day cricket.
So, how do you feel being part of two successive Ranji Trophy triumphs?
Last year was special because we won it after years. There was a little more pushing needed. This year, we were a lot more sure of our abilities and a lot more confident about winning. We knew we wanted to defend it and prove to ourselves and the other non-believers that it wasn’t just a one-off victory. So, I think we’ve got that stuff now. This bunch of boys, we have it in us to win domestic tournaments for a good five-seven years.
What is the guiding force behind this team’s success?
This team is like a family. We have each others’ backs. You will have 16-17 guys after your life if you say one thing to us. I think you got an example of that in the league match against Mumbai. When Siddhesh (Lad) threw the ball on C M Gautam, we had 15 of us standing there and said: ‘you just come in and bat, we’re going to eat you up.’ That’s the kind of unity we have in our side. We care for our unit. We’ll protect it no matter what. Staying together is what makes this team really successful.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Sports / by G. UnniKrishnan / DHNS / March 14th, 2015
A sprightly heroine from hilly region of Coorg district Deepika Kamaiah has missed one but gained another. She was chosen for ‘Ugraksha’ but she accepted ‘Sakkath Love’. Such a scenario was found earlier too in Deepika Kamaiah career. She was picked for ‘Kolara’ Kannada cinema but her stay in ‘Big Boss 2’ snatched that role.
Deepika of ‘Chingari’ and ‘Auto Raaja’ is playing lead role with Sandeep Shetty. The story of ‘Sakkath Love’ impressed her immensely.
Deepika Kamaiah most expected movie to come is ‘Neene Bari Neene’ in Deepak Thimmaiah direction for Ashok Kheney production.
source: http://www.indiaglitz.com / IndiaGlitz / Home> Watch Movies / Friday – March 13th, 2015
Dr Mona Al Bahar speaks passionately at an FNC session in Abu Dhabi. Delores Johnson / The National
Abu Dhabi :
Determination has been a major drive in Dr Mona Al Bahar’s career.
As a freshman at UAE University in the 1980s, she was keen to join the social services sector to help revive a profession where there was little or no enrolment of Emirati women.
And at age 18 established a society to assist Emiratis with special needs in Sharjah. Later she became the first Emirati social worker with a doctorate from a US university.
“There is a very negative view in the western world of Arab and Gulf women,” she said.
“They view women as opinionless and weak. I first felt this [while studying for her doctorate] at Ohio State University at the social service college.
“I felt they were all questioning if I could compete with other students as an Arab and a Gulf woman. Some asked me ‘Do you feel you can compete and continue?’ That was a big challenge and I took a decision to be an example and to prove not only myself, but the Arabic, Emirati women.”
In 1997, Dr Al Bahar obtained her doctoral degree and was awarded the Morris Cornell Distinguished Researcher Award. Her name was engraved at the university’s entrance alongside those of other winners.
Once back in the UAE, Dr Al Bahar returned to UAE University, where she worked as an assistant professor for several years.
Later, she returned to her home emirate of Dubai, where she joined the Dubai Foundation for Women and Children, which provides refuge and support to the most vulnerable.
In 2011, Dr Al Bahar then received an unexpected phone call. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, chose her as a Federal National Council member.
She is now one of the most vocal women on the council.
“Entering the FNC was a turning point in my career,” she said.
“It widened horizons and provided experience I would not have gained in any other entity or job.
“Working in the FNC carries its own challenges. And I, in all honesty, am thrilled with this experience because it helped me to discover sides of myself and my abilities I would not have been introduced to without this experience.”
She was one of the first to ask to join the council’s education, media and youth committee, where she was later elected chairwoman.
She also supported the country’s first children’s rights legislation and pushed the council to pass a controversial clause in the law allowing specialists unprecedented power to remove children from their homes if found to be in imminent danger. With the public, she has repeatedly tried to keep herself available to those who need her, even taking part in a public majlis to allow as many Emiratis to approach her as possible. As much as her profession has helped her in the FNC, her former students’ words serve as a testament to how important her decision to join her field was all those years ago.
“When a student comes to me and says ‘Thank you doctor, you changed a lot in my life’, I consider that a crown,” she said. “It is a drive and reassures me that my profession was the right choice.
“When I see a positive change in these students, either in their thinking or their personal life, that makes me love my profession more.” With her four-year term of office near its end, she is unsure of what life post-FNC will bring, but is confident it will involve academia and coffee.
“My passion for coffee drove me to establish a coffee museum with a few friends in Dubai,” she said.
“This project was an idea and a dream. With work, the dream became a reality.”
The museum is the first of its kind in the UAE and the second in the Middle East, in Al Fahidi, Bur Dubai, where visitors can learn about the origins of coffee.
source: http://www.thenational.ae / The National / Home> UAE> Arts & Lifestyle / by Ola Salem / March 07th, 2015
It seems Robin Uthappa knows a thing or two about playing World Cup cricket since he has been a part of two dramatically different ones within a single year. From the ignominy of a first knock out round in West Indies to the joy of being crowned champions of inaugural T20 World Cup in South Africa, he has experienced it all at the age of just 21.
A year into international cricket, Robin went on to play in the two World Cups in 2007. He subsequently lost touch and his India’s place but now attempts to get his chequered career back on track.
From being this season’s Ranji top scorer with 912 runs averaging above 50 to leading the run scoring charts in last year’s IPL with 660 runs averaging 44, Robin is churning down numbers everywhere.
Uthappa is so determined to earn back his Team India cap that donning the gloves in test match cricket is also a possibility he doesn’t want to discount. “Keeping has been a lot of fun and I have been enjoying it. MS has just retired. So I am fancying myself there. Never know what comes in. I believe I have the kind of fitness that is needed to play at that level. I am hopeful my performances would be taken note of,” he says.
Till he makes a comeback Robin is keeping his fingers crossed for Dhoni’s men who are on a roll in Australia. If 2007 was forgettable, 2015 promises to be a year to remember, much like 2011. “It’s important to take the defending champs tag off your back which they have done. India is doing great, growing from strength to strength. To see the bowlers bowling so well and the bowlers fielding so well is fantastic. They are playing well as a team with MS leading beautifully as usual. It is also great to have Shikhar back in form at top of the order,” he analyses.
And Robin isn’t surprised with the team’s resurgence after the drubbing they received earlier in tests and the tri series in Australia. “Whenever you have a dampening sort of tournament before World Cup this can happen. In 2003 we had a dampening tour of New Zealand just before the Cup and the boys picked themselves up. Cricketers motivate themselves from losses. Our bunch of boys have desire to win and excel. Hopefully it will be good enough to win back the trophy. So three more games and we should have it back here,” he speaks with infectious optimism. India waits with bated breath for Robin’s prophecy to come true.
source: http://www.indiatoday.intoday.in / IndiaToday.in / Home> Sports> World Cup 2015> Updates / by Rasesh Mandani, Mumbai / March 16th, 2015
Is it enough to preserve the past or do we also need to maintain its particularities with informed respect?
Architect and restoration expert H C Thimmaiah, who is part of The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) in Bengaluru says, “It is heartening that we are at least talking about Bengaluru’s heritage but we must be careful with how we maintain it. The Government Museum is a beautiful building. The brick red colour of such classical buildings must not be tampered with. The museum has very specific features right from the details on its pillars to its windows that have been maintained well but all old structures require an understanding of historical and architectural context. And sensitivity towards just how they must be painted, how the flooring, ceilings, the facade must be treated.”
Restore with sensitivity
As the debate about the need to retain and maintain heritage structures in Bengaluru warms up, we are told by a source that The Bowring Institute was considering a facelift sometime back. Thankfully, the plan to replace the original flooring with marble was met with some resistance within the circle of influential members who asked for Attangudi tiles or something more contextual considering it is hard today to reproduce the classic mosaic from the past.
Thimmaiah, who built a house in Kodagu with upcycled elements taken from destroyed old homes, is passionate about authenticity and recalls, “A few years ago when Bangalore Club was being repainted, a paint manufacturer scratched the walls to take a sample of the signature greyish blue paint and recreated it for a fresh coat. He later told me that the paint colour would be called Bangalore Club Blue from now on.”
Prominent buildings like the Bangalore Club and the Government Museum may be better off but the architect wishes that INTACH was more active in the city for the sake of other structures. After the death of convener H R Pratibha, INTACH has been keeping a low profile. He says, “Today, bodies like INTACH and The Archeological Survey of India (ASI) must come together to guard even the lesser known aspects of our heritage and not just the showpieces. In Bengaluru, you won’t find even a single space like Mumbai’s Dadabhai Naoroji Road.”
Are private spaces not our heritage?
Architect and urban planner Dyan Belliappa is happy that the city is looking with fresh appreciation at buildings like the Government Museum and says, “The interest in Bengaluru’s public buildings post the Balabrooie Guest House debate is welcome but the city also has a built heritage of private structures some of which were a lot older than the Guest House and have been demolished with nobody even coming to know about them. While we will probably continue to revere a Vidhan Soudha, there are private structures in the Ulsoor area, around Majestic which are going with not one voice raised in protest.”
To the right of the new Airport Road, he shares, there was a fantastic old structure built with stone masonry. He says, “That kind of stone masonry will be hard to find or duplicate and yet it was destroyed. In Begur, there is a temple linked to a lake. The temple may outlast change but will the lake be treated as part of our heritage too? Even the Malleswaram Market is a heritage sprawl but will BBMP treat it as such? One building or two or just a few are not our heritage. Our lakes were our heritage too but they were just treated as water bodies and so many are gone, as are our trees.”
He adds, “Mumbai has a structured approach towards the preservation of spaces. Some private buildings cannot be touched. Others can be modified but with sensitivity. The fact that an independent body like the Bangalore Urban Art Commission was dissolved in 2001 says a lot. Today the BMMP reflects what we value in our city but our heritage was our way of life. How does one codify that or our memories? How does one resist the haste to acquire and sell land and knock off structures because they get in the way of ‘urban development’? Our priorities are misplaced and we need to rethink the meaning of heritage.”
Contextualise the past
Organic architect professor A R Jaisim has the last word, “The Bengaluru Museum is a beautiful building. Attara Kacheri has been beautifully preserved too. Our city’s present must make space for its past because if the past is erased, we will have no memories. Heritage must be contexualised and included in the present because without it, we have no stories to pass on to the next generation.”
Trivia
The Government Museum on Kasturba Road is a reminder of Bengaluru’s colonial heritage. In 1851, after the Madras Government Museum was established, Bengaluru got its own museum in 1865 and is today, the second oldest in South India. E G Balfour, a medical officer of the Madras Army, came to Bengaluru in the 1860s and with his support, the Chief Commissioner of Mysore State, L B Bowring established the Government Museum or the Mysore Government Museum on August 18, 1865. The museum was originally housed at the Cantonment’s jail building but then a site in Cubbon Park was selected. Col R S Sankey, the Chief Engineer of Mysore planned and built the museum in 1878.
Fun facts: The museum was once known as ‘Thamashe Bungalow’. On Mondays, women in purdah visited the museum and men were not allowed.
Collections: The museum has two exhibition floors which are divided into 18 galleries covering sculpture, natural history, geology, art, music and numismatics. It has a collection of archaeological, geological artefacts and artefacts belonging to the Neolithic period.
Timings: 10 am to 5 pm (except on Wednesday when it is closed)
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bengaluru / by Reema Moudgil / November 03rd, 2014
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