After winning the medal, Abhinav wrote a blog and stressed that he was still the same guy who was spending his time alone in his room before destiny knocked on his doors. He strained the need for the corporate franchise to step in and support the athletes of India rather than pumping all the money in one sport.

He also wrote that he was humbled by the great response he got from the entire nation upon winning the medal and he promised the people that he would do all that he can to groom the next generation of athletes. He ended his blog by writing, “I would like to appeal to each Indian to also do their bit in prodding us out of sporting complacency.”

The manner in which he has conducted himself even after doing something that no athlete has done so far for the country is impeccable. This goes out to show how the new India is poised to make progress by leaps and bounds with a calm head.

His blog entry on the 7th of August, shortly before he won the gold medal, talks about his state of mind upon attending the opening ceremony in the Olympics village. Needless to say, he was full of patriotic feelings and was extremely proud of the fact that the national anthem was played as their contingent marched on. But one thing that many would be interested in is the fact that his mental preparation for the final event did not include one thing…the event itself.

Abhinav goes on to say in his blog that he would rather enjoy the scenic beauty and eyeball the beautiful women in Beijing rather than constantly burden himself with thoughts of shooting and rifles!!

It is a therapy not many would recommend but the results are for all to see.

All we can say to Abhinav, the man with the golden finger is, “Right said Abhinav, and we are with you.”
 

(malathi)

Patna, Aug 12: Women's empowerment through reservation of 33 per cent seats in Parliament and state Assemblies may be one of the most hotly-debated subjects in the corridors of power, but in Bihar, which tops the states in spousal violence, the very talk of it borders inanity.

The 50 per cent quota in panchayati raj institutions, introduced by the NDA government led by Nitish Kumar, has brought little cheer to the married women with an alarming 59 per cent of them falling prey to violence by their husbands.

The national family health survey (three), whose report was released recently, shocks as it reveals that while 50 per cent of wives endure physical violence, 19 per cent sexual violence, two per cent emotional violence, a disturbing 59 per cent experience both physical and sexual violence.

The national average for violence against married women is just 37 per cent.

Giving some competition to Bihar are Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, both jointly occupying the second place with 46 per cent spousal violence. Manipur comes a close third with 44 per cent, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu (42 per cent), West Bengal and Assam (40 per cent), Arunachal Pradesh (39 per cent) and Orissa (38 per cent).

In Jharkhand, carved out of Bihar, which has a substantial tribal population, only 35 per cent married women are subjected to domestic violence, The figure being less than even the national average.

The survey, commissioned by the Union Health and Family Affairs Ministry, for which the International Institute for Population Sciences acted as the nodal agency and several national and international organisations including USAID, UNFPA, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, NACO etc.

Provident funds and technical assistance, covered 3818 women and 1214 men in Bihar between April and July 2006.

Two earlier national family health surveys were conducted in 1992-93 and 1998-99.

The NFHS report for 2005-06 found a direct correlation between illiteracy and violent wife-bashing. While 64 per cent of married women, who experienced the trauma of physical, sexual and emotional assault, were illiterate, 63 per cent of the male perpetrators had no no education.

The percentage came down where husband was better educate (59 per cent); wife better educated (49 per cent) and both equally educated (48 per cent). The survey revealed that only one per cent of married women in bihar initiated violence agai nst their husbands.

Coincidentally, barely a day after this disturbing revelation was made in the NFHS report on July 29, the Patna High Court directed the Bihar government to enforce 'in letter and spirit' the protection of women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, which took effect on October 26, 2006.

While hearing a public interest litigation filed by a women's activist and lawyer Shruti Singh, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Rajendra Mal Lodha and Justice K K Mandal asked the state government to appoint protection officers in every district by November 30, this year.

The court also directed the government to create at least one 'safe shelter' for women in each district and arrange at least once a year a training programme for the police officers to sensitise them about domestic violence to ensure its effective tackling.

The petitioner had complained that the delay in appointments of protection officers, creation of safe shelters, recording of reports of incidents of domestic violence in prescribed format as also lack of public awareness were proving major stumbling blocks for women seeking to make the legislation an effective tool for their protection and redress for the violence perpetrated against them within the four walls of their homes.
 

(malathi)

NEW DELHI: It is bad news for Bangaloreans as moral policing has hit down hard once again.

Bangaloreans protest as police ban live performances of bands in pubs in the city. Live music performances including karaokes have been banned in the city which has not gone down too well with the DJs and musicians in the city.

Noted writer and artiste Girish Karnad reacting strongly to the ban imposed, said, "You can listen to recorded music, and you cannot listen to live music is something which is not understandable. How can the police say that listening to music in a club and having a drink lead to crime. This has nothing to do with the live band. The attitude of the police should be questioned here."

Meanwhile, the police insist that they are just following the Karnataka Excise licence rule which does not permit gambling, get-togethers, dancing or any live band performances in places serving liquor.

In view of the ban, a protest is being held in the city against the ban which has also resulted in a loss for restaurants and pubs.

The 11.30 PM deadline which was earlier enforced in the city had resulted in a lot of hue and cry among party-goers.

After 11.30 PM, deadline followed by a ban on dancing now its live music performances have left the DJs, musicians and party animals high and dry.

After a ban on dancing, authorities have now banned live music performances in pubs, restaurants and lounge bars. The concession, if any, being the permission to play background music at low volume provided it's not used to organise a discotheque.

Jasmeet, a popular DJ in Bangalore, is one of those affected by the rule on live music performances and ban on dancing. He is slowly getting used to playing in empty clubs.

Jasmeet reacting to the lull in the business says, "We take so much time producing tracks, but there is no one to listen to it. Honestly, I want to go out of this city if this continues."

With a ban of all forms of live performances including karaokes, clubs, pubs and restaurants, the entertainment business in Bangalore is experiencing a 60% loss in their revenues.

Carlton Royle, General Manager of NYX club, says, "It has affected our business to about 60 to 70 per cent. Even today being Saturday my club is completely empty."

A Cinderella deadline and now a clampdown on music and dance partying in Bangalore is something that is not going down well with party animals. With a protest on the cards, looks like it could soon turn into a rebellion if authorities do not solve the issue soon. But the one question on everyone's lips - what next?

Beijing, Aug 08: China celebrates its ancient past and modern power when the Olympics open on Friday, looking to put criticism behind it as world leaders arrived in Beijing.

The opening ceremony is the culmination of seven years of hard work that reshaped the capital, and sets the seal on a sustained economic boom that has seen China emerge as a new superpower.

"It's a historic combination of a great country with a great sport event," the People's Daily said.

Guests in the head-turning "Bird's Nest" Olympic stadium will include US President George W Bush, who flew in straight after making some of his bluntest criticism on human rights.

Displaying its new economic clout, China has invested USD 43 billion on the Games. Some USD 100 million, twice the 2004 Athens bill, has gone on "big bang" opening and closing ceremonies.

The elements, though, have proved stubbornly hard to master.

Authorities have closed factories and pulled millions of cars off the road, but smog and haze enveloped the capital on Friday morning -- obscuring views of the futuristic skyline.

It all kicks off at 8 pm on the eighth day of the eighth month -- the number symbolises fortune here -- before an estimated global audience of one billion.

With less than 12 hours to go, foreign activists issued an on-air challenge to the host city with a pirate broadcast, calling for freeing of political prisoners and lifting of censorship.

Paris-based Reporters Without Borders said China's attempts to control the media "would never succeed". Their words were often drowned out by a local official broadcast.

Small groups of foreign protesters have also popped up in Beijing this week, but have been whisked off quickly by police forming part of a 100,000-strong security force.

Suspected Islamist separatists killed 16 policemen in western China on Monday, and on Thursday a little-known Islamist group issued an Internet threat to the Games.

A video dated August 1 carried pictures of the Beijing Olympics logo in flames and a speaker holding an AK-47 assault rifle and wearing a face mask, according to the SITE Intelligence Group, a US-based firm that monitor statements from militants.

In Hong Kong, a lone protester unfurled banners on the largest suspension bridge on Friday calling for human rights.

Flag Waving

The best-known face of Chinese sport, 7ft 6in NBA basketball player Yao Ming, will lead his team at the opening ceremony.

But in a move that could embarrass both China and Sudan, US athletes chose former Sudanese refugee Lopez Lomong, a victim of government-sponsored Arab militias in the south who fled at the age of six in 1991, to carry their flag around the track.

China is a major oil investor and arms seller in Sudan, and global campaigners blame it for failing to pressure Khartoum to end the conflict in its western region of Darfur.

Unfortunately for the Olympic ideal of global harmony, the two Koreas failed to agree to march at the opening as a unified team even though they managed that in 2004 and 2000.

And though Bush said he was coming for sport not politics, he gave a speech in Bangkok en route voicing "firm opposition" to China's detention of dissidents.

The finer points of global geo-politics are unlikely, however, to dampen the enthusiasm of many Chinese.

"My heart is bursting with excitement about the Games," said Zhu Shegqiang, a 22-year-old student walking through Tiananmen Square. "I want people to see what is special about China."

Some 15,000 performers and 29,000 fireworks will give the Games a sparkling start. Film director Zhang Yimou was tasked with condensing 5,000 years of Chinese history into one show.

The opening ceremony has been ensnared in politics from the outset: Hollywood director Steven Spielberg quit as an adviser earlier this year to protest against China's ties with Sudan.

Sporting action hits top gear the day after the ceremony.

After weeks of less than glowing headlines, China can look forward to a probable publicity boost. The first gold will almost certainly be awarded in the 10m air rifle contest on Saturday, and Chinese shooter Du Li is a strong favourite to win.

Former Cold War foes Russia and the United States have traditionally fought it out at the top of the medal tables.

But China, boosted by a Soviet-style training system that selects children from an early age based on physical attributes, has been creeping up. Beijing came third in the gold medal table at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and second at the 2004 Athens Games.

Now everyone is asking: can it go one better?

Soccer has been under way already this week. A Ronaldinho-led Brazil, who have never won Olympic gold despite five World Cup triumphs, defeated Belgium 1-0 on Friday. Argentina beat Ivory Coast 2-1, with Lionel Messi playing and scoring after a tug-of-war with his club Barcelona over his appearance.

"It was beautiful because it was my first in the Olympic Games but personally I don't give it much importance," the player told Argentine media in Shanghai.

(malathi)

Kolkata, July 29: Jagmohan Dalmiya emerged victorious after a long session of the 77th Annual General Meeting of Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) and regained the top post of the state's apex cricket body contesting against the present incumbent and former city police commissioner Prasun Mukhopadhyay.

The news came as a major setback to anti-Dalmiya factions in the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) while it re-instated the former chief’s dominance in the board.

Out of total 121 affiliated units under CAB, all except three are attending the meeting at Eden Gardens while a large number of media persons were waiting at the ground floor of the Dr B C Roy Club House for the outcome.

While court appointed observer and former judge Satosh Kumar Foujdar struck off Malda nominee's name on technical ground, the representative of Bata Sports, who is scheduled to attend the meeting, is out of station. Ananda Bazar, the third unit has decided to abstain from the meeting.

After confirming the minutes of the last AGM, the members discussed the annual report presented by the secretary. This was followed by passing of annual accounts and then the election procedure began.

As observed during the earlier years, when elections for office bearers were held, it became quite late in the night before the results were known. 

(malathi)

Hyderabad, July 29: With players' injury worries diminishing gradually, an upbeat national football coach Bob Houghton on Tuesday said India are all geared up for their opening match against Afghanistan in the AFC Challenge Cup here on Wednesday.

Houghton said he was happy that except for two players -- Steven Dias and Mahesh Gawli -- all others were match-fit and raring to go.

"The AFC Challenge Cup tournament is very important for India, because this kind of tournament will help improve Indian football. Also because by winning this we will directly qualify for the 2011 Asian Cup. We are looking forward to play our best and win the tournament," he said at a press conference.

"During the SAFF Cup we had six key players in the injury list but now I am happy that except for Gawli and Steven all have recovered and this is good news for us," he added.

Houghton disclosed that reserve gaolkeeper Arindam Bhattacharya and young striker Tarif Ahmed will not be named in the squad of 23 who will be registered for the eight-nation tournament, the second tier inter-nation competition of the continent.

Earlier, six players -- N S Manju, Sandip Nandi, Kuttimani, Manjit Singh, Rakesh Masih and Denzil Franco -- were left out of the original squad of 31 who attended the national camp in preparation of this tournament.

Central defender Gawli and nippy winger Dias will miss tomorrow's match against Afghanistan and in what could be a concern for the Indian team rock-solid Gawli could even miss the group matches.

"Gawli and Dias will for sure miss the first match. I hope Steven would be fit for the second match against Tajikistan on August 1. Gawli may not be fit for that match or may be the last group match against Turkmenistan. But, I think he should be fit by the semifinals," the home team chief coach said.

"I know including Mahesh in the squad is a risk but he is an important member of the squad and since he should be fit during the course of the tournament we cannot leave him out," he added.

The 60-year-old Englishman conceded that it was not "an ideal situation" with his key players getting injured in the run up to the important tournament starting from the SAFF Cup in Sri Lanka and Maldives last month.

"Surkumar Singh has not played much football. If fit in the second match, Steven would be playing for the first time after the second match in SAFF Cup, Renedy and Ajayan have just recovered and Deepak Mondal has not played much football. It is not an ideal situation but this can happen in international teams," he said trying to allay fears that the situation could be like SAFF Cup in which several top players.

The former Fulham midfielder was also critical of the AFC match schedule for the tournament and said this has been a concern.

Houghton was not sure of a good crowd would turn up at the Gachibowli stadium to cheer their national players like that in the Nehru Cup triumph in New Delhi in August last.

"Support of the home crowd would be an important factor for our hopes to win the tournament as had happened in the Nehru Cup in New Delhi. But I don't know how many people would actually turn up at the venue (at the Gachibowli Stadium)," Houghton said.

Earlier, most of the matches were scheduled to be held at the Lal Bahadur Stadium at the heart of the city which could attract large crowds but due to poor ground conditions there the AFC has shifted the main venue to Gachibowli stadium which is at the outskirts of the city.

Houghton, who was severe in his criticism yesterday about the condition of practice venues after his team was to train at a "substandard ground" at Goshamil Police Grounds but said the occasion was not right to discuss about the poor infrastructural facilities in India.

"This is not the proper forum to discuss what are the drawbacks about Indian football. I can discuss it at another time. We should now focus on the tournament," he said.

Coach of the Sri Lankan team, runners-up in the first edition of the tournament in 2006, Jang Jung said he came here with more or less the same side that played in the SAFF Cup at home last month. 
 

(malathi)