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Nizam's famed jewels dazzles Delhi

The exhibition of the Nizam's jewels that opened in the Delhi on August 29 at the National Museum enabled the common man for the first time to get a glimpse of the treasure trove.

The collection was built over two centuries by the Nizams, who ruled Hyderabad from 1712 till 1948, when the government of newly independent India forced the seventh Nizam of Hyderabad, Osman Ali Pasha, to accede to the Indian Union. A 185-carat diamond, 22 perfect Colombian emerald drops, a seven-strand pearl necklace, rings, armbands, gem-encrusted turbans and belts are all part of the Asaf Jahi collection.

International auctioneer Sotheby's valued the 173-piece collection at $162 million in 1991. The same year Christie's of London offered to buy it for $135 million. Some of the world's richest men, including the Aga Khan and Greek shipping magnate Stavros Niarchos, were known to have eyed the collection. But the Nizam's Trust, which has been in charge of the family's assets since Osman Ali's death in 1967, wanted this part of Hyderabad's history to remain in the country. <<Read More>>

Parsis Concerned as 90 to 96% of India's Vultures Disappear

The mysterious dwindling of the Indian Subcontinent's natural, and vital, "garbage men", the Vultures have baffled many a scientist within and outside the country and has caused a concern among the small Parsi community of India, who look upon vultures as the only means of disposal of the corpses of their dead that are put in the Fire Temples.

The phenomenon has sparked an ongoing international scientific investigation; however, the reasons for the decline of the vulture population remain unclear. It is estimated that 90-96% of India's vultures have already disappeared.

In the early 1990s the Parsis started to notice that there were fewer birds at the Tower of Silence in Mumbai. At first they assumed that the vultures had simply gone elsewhere—even though large birds are unlikely to abandon a stable source of food. But researchers in other parts of India began to observe a similar condition.

In 1997 Vibhu Prakash, a scientist at the Bombay Natural History Society, recorded about forty vulture deaths in a colony in Keoladeo National Park, south of New Delhi. Many of the vultures had exhibited a strange behavior before dying, hanging their heads so low that their beaks nearly touched their bellies. In November of 1998 the BNHS sent a "vulture alert" to its patrons and to various organizations around the world, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and The Peregrine Fund, both of which joined the investigation. <<Read More>>

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It Pours Red In Kerala

The southern Indian state of Kerala is reputed as a "green land" dominated by "red politics." Now red rains and vanishing wells are sending shockwaves across the country, as scientists are yet to reach definite conclusions regarding these rare phenomena.

While the caving-in of a large number of wells has been reported across the state during the past two months, several places in central Kerala have received red-coloured rains since. In some places, people even reported having received yellow, green and black rain.

Dr M Baba, of the Centre for Earth Science Studies, said: "On the face of it, one could safely say that well-collapses and red rain are not related phenomena, as feared by some people."

I am ready to be President: Farooq

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah said he was ready to become the President of the country.

"I am ready to be the President of India," Abdullah said.

Responding to a senior Sikh Gurudwara Prabandhak Board member's desire to make him the President, the chief minister said, "I am ready... I will be non-controversial."

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"Music is the greatest form of expression" : Adnan Sami

A child prodigy of his times, Adnan Sami has the talent that many aspire for. An accomplished pianist and composer with a special command on all Western and Indian classical and semi-classical notes, he is the world's fastest keyboard player. His first album Kabhi to Nazar Milao with Asha Bhonsle was a super hit.

NRI named Ambassador-at-large in US

India appointed a leading non-resident Indian as Ambassador-at-large in Washington.

This is the first time a non-diplomat has been appointed to such a post, particularly in an important capital like Washington.

Mr Bhishma Kumar Agnihotri has been appointed adviser in the embassy of India, Washington, with personal rank of ambassador and as ambassador-at-large for NRIs/PIOs, the External Affairs Ministry announced.

Agnihotri, 68, currently working as chancellor, Southern University law centre, Baton Rouge, is expected to take up his assignment shortly.

Agnihotri is a key figure in the Overseas Friends of BJP, the overseas arm of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

His appointment is seen as a reflection of the increasingly significant role the influential Indian Americans have played in improving relations between the two countries, acknowledged both by former US president Mr Bill Clinton and Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee.

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If thieves enter our house and we do not have sufficient strength to drive them out, we should without hesitation shut them up and burn them alive..--Bal Gangadhar Tilak

A former Assam Minister, when proved guilty of raping a minor tribal girl and fathering her child, offered to marry her in atonement of his "guilt".

Should the society allow rapists to go scot-free if they offer to marry the victims of their own lust ?

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Andhra Pradesh

Brief History: According to an ancient text Aitereya Brahmana (2000 BC), the Andhras belong to an Aryan origin, who migrated to the south of the Vindhyas and inter-mingled with the local population. The Andhra desa was a part of the vast kingdom of Emperor Ashoka. After Ashoka's death it successively came under the rule of the Satavahanas, the Sakas, Ikshvakus, Pallavas, Eastern Chalukyas, Kakatiyas, Vijayanagar Empire, the Qutub Shahi dynasty and finally the Nizamshahi dynasty, the last one having ruled the State until the Indian independence in 1947.

Official Language: Telugu

Classical Dance Forms: Kuchipudi
Other Dance Forms: Andhranatyam, Bathkamma, Dappu Dance, Gurayyalu, Ghanta Mardala, Kolattam, Lambadi, Mayura dance, Perini, Puli Vesham, Siddi dance and Veer Natyam.
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THE ACHIEVERS

YOUNG MASTERS

Karthikeyan: undoubtedly, the fastest Indian on Earth!

Narain Karthikeyan is the first Indian to achieve the Formula 1 racing driver distinction. He is also the second Asian to participate in the Formula 3 championships and to be on the winning list. Born on 14 January 1977, the 23 year-old Narain has already achieved a considerable reputation in the sport.

When he was 16 he attended the Elf-Winfield Racing School in France, showing an immediate talent for the sport; he was among the semi-finalists in the Pilote Elf Competition in Formula Renault cars. He was very successful at the Spa Fracorchamps Formula Three championship in Belgium. In 1997 he competed in the Formula Vauxhall Opel and won the prestigious Donington Park race with a lead from start to finish. This amazing victory prompted the much-acclaimed Autosport magazine to declare in bold headlines - "The Indian Prince rules in the rain".
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THE NEW STAR KIDS

The Bombay filmdom was never averse to the stepping of the star sons and daughters into the shoes of their illustrious fathers or mothers. Thus, we had Rishi Kapoor following the example of his father Raj Kapoor, Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol following Dharmendra, Saif Ali Khan following Sharmila Tagore, Twinkle Khanna emulating Rajesh Khanna and Dimple Kapadia, Kajol aping Tanuja and Karishma Kapoor following Randhir Kapoor and Babita.

The latest to join the list is Suchindra Bali, the 26-year old son of yesteryear actress Vyjantimala Bali, will soon be debuting in the Hindi film Aanch, where he would be cast opposite Shabani Mukherjee.

Another youngster, Farhan Akhtar, son of Javed Akhtar and Honey Irani made his directorial debut in the film Dil Chahta Hai.

Yet another youngster to be watched is Adam Bedi, son of Kabir Bedi.

Know more about these New Star Kids.

HONOURS & AWARDS

FEATURES

'Flying Sikh' Milkha Singh rejects Arjuna Award

One of India's greatest athletes, Milkha Singh, rejected the country's prestigious Arjuna Award for sporting achievement, saying he had been put in the same basket as lesser sportsmen.

The second-highest national sporting honor, instituted in 1961, comprises a scroll, a bronze trophy and a cash award of 150,000 rupees ($3,250).

"I have been clubbed with sportspersons who are nowhere near my level," said the 72-year-old athlete, who narrowly missed the 400 meters bronze at the 1960 Rome Olympics with a time of 45.6 seconds.

Milkha thanked sports minister Mrs Uma Bharati for including his name in this year's list, but said the recognition had come too late.

"Having received the Padma Shri (a civilian award) in 1958, there is no sense in being given the Arjuna Award now. It is like getting a metric (school) certificate after a Masters degree," he said. <<Read More>>

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India's youngest GM Harikrishna wins C'wealth chess

Pentyala Harikrishna rounded up a great month by annexing the Commonwealth Chess title with a brilliant last round win over Greek Grandmaster Dimitri Anagnostopoulos.

In the final round, played as part of the Ron Banwell Mind Sports activity here, Harikrishna won the last round to take his tally to 7.5 points.

He was joined by Graeme Buckley and Daniel Gormally, but he won the title on better tie-breaks.

It capped an eventful August for the Andhra teenager, who earlier in the month unknowingly completed his GM title to break Viswanathan Anand's record of being the youngest Indian GM.

He also become the youngest Indian to qualify for the FIDE World Championships.But the final icing would come when the FIDE confirms his GM title next month at their Congress in Greece.

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The Cellular Jail in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands is a three-storeyed prison, constructed by the British in 1906 at Port Blair in the Andaman Islands. This is a virtual pilgrim destination for freedom fighters. In this colossal edifice untold tortures were inflicted on freedom fighters and they were virtually incarcerated. These brutalities led to this place being referred as the Kalapani. It is here that Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose had hoisted the Indian tricolour on December 30, 1943. This place was declared as a "National Memorial" in 1979 and is called the Mukti Tirtha.

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Fastest Asian to swim across the English Channel: Anita Sood
Earliest school of medicine known to humans was Ayurveda

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Vol. I No.4	Monthly Cultural Newsletter	September 1, 2001