Archive for: July 19, 2010

The modest exteriors of the compact office in South Delhi give no clue that the owner inside recently signed the highest ever deal with a cricketer in the world. Inside, however, a giant poster of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the Indian cricket captain’s autographed No. 7 jersey, a Chennai Super Kings flag and a soft board that has ’Rhiti Sports Pvt Limited (RSPL)’ handwritten on it, proudly announce the coup of this small-time player: signing a Rs 210-crore deal with Dhoni to manage his millions.

Those who know Dhoni well, and that includes RSPL founder …

Jeevitha received her allotment letter to the Electronics and Communications Engineering in the Tirukkuvalai campus of Anna University from Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi on Sunday.The Chief Minister said that he was happy that a girl, who belonged to the Scheduled Caste and the first from her family to graduate, had chosen the college located in his hometown.

Accompanied by Union Minister A. Raja, State Higher Education Minister K. Ponmudy and State Food Minister E.V. Velu, and Higher Education Secretary K. Ganesan, Mr. Karunanidhi, in what could be the first visit of a Chief …

Ahead of the monetary review, industry chamber Assocham on Sunday asked the RBI to make changes in the base rate mechanism to provide clarity on concessional loans given to industries for their restructuring.

In a statement, Assocham President Swati A Piramal also said that the base rate mechanism should cover non-banking finance companies (NBFCs), cooperative banks and regional rural banks (RRBs).

The base rate system, a new system for benchmarking lending rates, came into effect from July 1. The new mechanism, which replaced the prime lending rate system, sets the minimum lending rate for banks.

Most …

 Indian orthopaedic surgeon, Dr. Mandeep Singh Dhillon is one of the several close friends who has been invited by Muthiah Murlaidharan to witness his farewell Test against India. He designed a special brace for Murali when the bowler was to be tested for his bowling action some five years ago. Doubts about his bowling action were cleared when Murali testified with the brace on his arm.

“After moving to Apollo Hospital in Colombo in January 2003, I was associated with the Sri Lanka Cricket team for 2.5 years as a Sports Injury consultant and …

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh may have bowed to political compulsions by retaining A. Raja as minister in the UPA II government, but correspondence between the two shows that the PM had asked Raja to explain his involvement in the 2G spectrum scam.

Singh had also asked the Union telecom minister not to take further action without his consent.

The PM’s letter, dated November 2, 2007, is strongly worded. A copy of the letter and the consequent flood of replies from Raja - defending his decision to sell 2G spectrum to operators in 2007 at throwaway 2001 …

Union Home Minister P Chidambaram has said slain LTTE leader V Prabhakaran would have been “Mudisooda Mannan” (uncrowned monarch) of the northern and eastern provinces of Sri Lanka had he accepted the 1987 Indo-Sri Lankan agreement as requested by former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

Addressing a public meeting here last night, Chidambaram said he had met Prabhakaran and talked with him for hours. “He (Prabhakaran) was not our enemy. We were opposed to the path chosen by him.”

Virudhunagar is the home constituency of MDMK chief Vaiko, a known LTTE supporter. Vaiko was defeated by …

Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa on Sunday ruled out the removal of Janardhana Reddy and Karunakara Reddy from his Ministry.

Mr. Yeddyurappa’s assertion came after a meeting with senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj in the morning. The Reddy brothers too held talks with Ms. Swaraj and had a breakfast meeting with the Chief Minister.

The meeting assumed significance in the wake of Governor H.R. Bhardwaj and Opposition parties seeking the removal of the Ministers.

Talking to journalists, Mr. Yeddyurappa virtually gave a clean chit to the Reddy brothers. He said: “The Reddy brothers are not responsible for …

At least 70 passengers were feared killed and several others injured when two trains collided at Sainthia station, about 30 km from Shantiniketan in West Bengal’s Birbhum district in the wee hours on Monday.

Railway officials said the accident took place at 1.54 am when the New Coochbehar-Sealdah Uttarbanga Express (train No-3148) rammed into the stationary Bhagalpur-Ranchi Vananchal Express (3404). Eyewitnesses said Vananchal was leaving platform No. 4 when it was hit.

At least 47 bodies have been pulled out of the mangled coaches while many more were feared trapped under the debris. The driver …