Ahd-based firm inks deal with Check Point
| Israel-headquartered Check Point Software Technologies Limited, an internet security provider, has selected city-based M-Virtual Technology (M. Tech) as the distributor for its full range of products, including network and data security and security management solutions, in India. |
| “We will be continuing the successful business partnership with M.Tech in India, Southeast Asia and China. We are confident that this would help us address the increasing market opportunities and would help us maximise our sales, technical and marketing resources,” Bhaskar Bakthavatsalu, country sales manager of Check Point Software Technologies India, said. |
| Check Point is a leading player in the worldwide enterprise firewall, personal firewall, data security and VPN markets. The company’s focus is on IT security with its portfolio of network security, data security and security management solutions. |
| The company also offers data security solutions through the Pointsec product line, protecting and encrypting sensitive corporate information stored on PCs and other mobile computing devices. |
| Rajendra Shah, managing director of MTech India, said the company’s plans to set up a Dubai unit could materialise in the next two months. |
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VSNL plans WiMAX launch in January
The services will be initially offered in Bangalore, Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad. Later, it will be extended to 35 other cities. Over the next three years, VSNL expects to extend it to 125 tier II towns.
The company plans to invest $500 million to $600 million over three years to build signal towers.
WiMAX, or worldwide interoperability for microwave access, is a wide-area highspeed wireless broadband technology that has the capacity to connect remote areas. While a similar and more familiar technology, Wi-Fi, handles local areas within offices or hotspots, WiMAX has a much wider range.
VSNL is already providing WiMAX services to some enterprise customers in Bangalore.
Reliance Communications, which provides the service to enterprise customers in Bangalore and Pune, will give VSNL tough competition next year. The company is planning to extend its services to 10 more cities this fiscal.
In a pilot project, BSNL has also set up 10 WiMAX base stations in Bangalore, Chennai, Calcutta, Pune, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Hissar, Pinjore, Rohtak and Panipat. It is planning to connect over 10,000 villages with high speed wireless broadband services via an extensive WiMAX network in phases.
Industry watchers feel WiMAX will enable wireless infrastructure deployment in a cost-effective and decentralised manner, especially in a country such as India, which is inadequately covered by wireline infrastructure.
WiMAX will also allow mobile Internet access at much higher speed than is available at present, they said.
VSNL, which is undergoing a rebranding exercise to transform into Tata Communications Ltd, is looking to double its revenues to $5 billion in the next five years.
Ailing Atal has his day, too
The poor and well-off, young and old, Hindu and Muslim today lined up to greet Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his 83rd birthday.
Such a crush of visitors had looked unlikely in the morning’s cold light. The party mavens were away at Narendra Modi’s big swearing-in bash in Ahmedabad.
At 10.30am, 6A Krishna Menon Marg cast a desolate shadow before a handful of journalists, guards and a dozen supporters drawn mainly by curiosity. A group arrived from Outer Delhi to tut-tut at the “poor show”.
“It’s truly the end of the Vajpayee era,” sighed an elderly fan who had come from Lucknow.
The day clearly belonged to Modi and not a former Prime Minister who had played his innings, admirers whispered among themselves, wondering aloud if the party shouldn’t have tried to organise at least a token crowd.
As the sun cleared the mist, more and more people started arriving. Endless streams of cars suddenly appeared from nowhere. By 11.30, there were fears of a stampede. The crowd jostled near the security barrier, prompting announcements for patience and discipline.
Amid the bouquets, garlands and packets of sweets, there was a splash of green in some corners. Groups of Muslim well-wishers in traditional clothes had come to greet the BJP’s moderate face. While most carried flowers and perfumes, one group from Nizamuddin had brought a plaque bearing a message from the Quran.
Six young men had come cycling from Bangalore, crossing five states in 25 days.
Gradually, several middle-rung leaders and former ministers and MLAs trooped in, as did Sushma Swaraj who had given Gujarat a miss.
In the morning, the guards had let in news photographers but not reporters who might trouble the ailing Vajpayee by asking questions. Party spokesperson Prakash Javadekar lifted the ban on the condition that no questions would be asked.
Vajpayee was not in a position to take questions. He sat silently in a chair as the stream of visitors shuffled up to him and filed past with folded hands. He was in visible discomfort, somehow going through the rigours of the exercise.
The party bigwigs came in the evening, after the Ahmedabad celebrations were done.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, however, had dropped by in the morning, and President Pratibha Patil had sent a bouquet and a card. Modi had called up, too, before he took oath.
L.K. Advani, who had met Vajpayee last evening, was expected to come later tonight. Rajnath came with chief ministers Vasundhara Raje, Shivraj Chauhan and B.C. Khanduri. More leaders kept arriving till late evening.
BJP's old and new unite to anoint Modi as CM
A day after Modi said how can the ‘child be bigger than the mother’, referring to himself and the BJP, the entire saffron party arrived at the swearing in ceremony to embrace the victorious son, with even some of the allies making it a point to be present in Ahmedabad.
At the end of the formal ceremony, Modi bowed to the thousands of BJP supporters who had filled the 40,000-capacity Sardar Patel Stadium in the heart of the city. Flanked with the top BJP leadership, the ceremony saw the old and the new guard coming together with Modi at the helm of the affair.
Immediately after taking oath, Modi walked to the leaders to receive their congratulations. Later, accompanied by BJP leader LK Advani and party President Rajnath Singh, he took a round of the stadium in an open jeep.
The Chief Minister, who wishes to brings the entire Sangh Parivar together, on Monday made an emotional appeal to the rebels and party workers saying, “We should build bridges with those who are annoyed with us and then work together.”
And on Tuesday, as most of the NDA allies so far reluctant to share stage with Modi showed up and the transformation was clear – he was no more the pariah.
So is Modi now the connection that will hold the largest undivided Hindu family together? BJP veteran and former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee did that job earlier and now it seems the baton has been passed on to Modi.
Now looking at a larger role for himself, the Gujarat Chief Minister needs to supplement Moditva with a part of the Vajpayee legacy.
With the curtains finally coming down on Gujarat elections, this year will be remembered for Moditva, his masks and the brand that took the political stage by storm.
Rocking farewell party in Ahmedabad
Hip-hop seemed to be the mood of the party as DJ Raxit spun popular English and Bollywood chartbusters like ‘Welcome’, ‘Mauja hi Mauja’, Bhool Bhulaiyaa. But the crowd went crazy when ‘Dard-e-disco’ was played.
A novelty factor of this farewell party was that it was a mid-afternoon party, an innovation that many party animals in the city would want to follow. The juniors surely gave their seniors a farewell to remember.
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Chandrayaan-I estimated to cost Rs 400 crore
The Rs 400 crore outlay for the Chandrayaan-I, expected to be launched in the next few months, included investment for the dish antenna and other state-of-the art structures,he said
A major part of the equipment in the Chandrayaan-I has been indigenously designed, developed and fabricated, Director of Physical Research Laboratory (Ahmedabad) Prof J N Goswami said on Monday.
Some equipment have been designed and developed by other countries, he told reporters on the sidelines of the five-day workshop on `Exploration of Solar System objects` which he inaugurated at the Pondicherry University.
He expressed hope that the mission would be able to get full pictures of the chemical components of the moon.
It was planned to launch the Chandrayan 2 a few years later, he said.
The workshop, organised by the Department of Earth Sciences in the University, has attracted participation of around 35 young scientists from different institutions in the country.It is aimed at providing an up-to-date information to the participants on various scientific aspects of the planets in the solar system, a release said.
BRIEF CASE: For Love Of The Old
Customarily in India, the family and other elders are met with either obsequious deference or appalling neglect.
Mona does nothing of the sort. Her interactions with my grandparents or parents' superannuated aunts and uncles would often begin with sweet talk. But somewhere along the way she would enter a universe privy only to her and the gang of the old.
During those moments she betrayed not a hint of being burdened by social obligation. Instead, she considered this schmoozing positively fruitful. Visits to our maternal grandparents in Gujarat would get me feverishly mad as Mona charmingly set up lunch appointments over the phone with our network of mostly old relatives in obscure suburbs of Ahmedabad. I would accompany her like a child being dragged against her will and be subjected to my sister's effortless banter that had everyone scrambling for more. Mona is like tonic for the withering oldies. Even half-bent grannies sit up to share a joke with her.
One day, bemused at Mona's social routines with family geriatrics, yours truly asked her what made her hang out with the forgettable folks. After all, having passed their prime, surely they had little interesting stuff going on in their lives.
That the old might have a past that had elements of scandal, rebellion, lust and promiscuity also seemed very unlikely to me as in their present condition they looked perfectly in tune with conservative social mores.
Mona shook her head in vehement objection. She recalled a conversation with an elderly aunt to make her point. She narrated stories of veteran aunts and uncles — some alive, others dead — that had me chuckling. It sounded like a picaresque account of escapades and peccadilloes that left me gaping in disbelief.
Then, in the manner of a final revelation Mona said: "You know, just because they seem like tame, life-chastened folks does not mean they were not prodigals, wastrels or small-time sizzling divas in their own time". I haven't warmed up even today to chatting up with family fogies, but every time one is around any of them, one remembers the conversation with Mona and a naughty grin spreads within.
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Winds of change at Jaipur's Hawa Mahal
“Apart from the basic repair and conservation works, the building will undergo beautification work as well. It was in the year 1901 that the first and last renovation was done here. For long, this spectacular five-storey monument, made of red and pink sand-stone, has been looked upon as ‘outer view’ building only. We want tourists to see this architectural-beauty from inside so that they can have the spectacular view of Jaipur city with broad avenues, intersections and colourful crowds in the market. Hawa Mahal was originally conceived with the aim of enabling ladies of the royal household to watch everyday life and royal processions in the city without being seen by others.”
According to official sources, the government is also planning to convert the adjoining Ayurveda Sansthan and the in-built archaeological museum into commercial complexes where tourists can get ethnic goods, jewelleries and other articles at reasonable price.
Besides, the ‘new-look’ building would have a reception centre, cafeteria, mini craft bazar and open-air theatre for cultural evenings. Retaining the spectacle of this pyramid-shaped structure, which has 953 small casements, each with tiny lattice worked (Jali) pink windows, small balconies and arched roofs with hanging cornices, coloured fountains and lights would be added for beautification.
“Apart from jacking up the revenue, our aim is to make every tourist know more about this unique building which looks more like a delicate screen than like a palace from the roadside. At present, we earn around Rs 6.5 lakh annually from ticketing at Hawa Mahal. With these initiatives, we are likely to up the revenue to Rs 2 crore in the next fiscal from Hawa Mahal. Our revenues from Amer and Jantar Mantar would be around Rs 7 crore and Rs 3.5 crore respectively,” Mr Gupta said.
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11 cities vie for share of WB fund for green transport
Only six to eight of these cities will be able to corner the funds which are meant to help India reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, under a global agreement. The other cities which are in the race for availing funds from the World Bank progeny — Green Environment Facility (GEF) are Indore, Mysore, Ajmer, Vijaywada, Jalandhar, Thiruvananthapuram and Naya Raipur.
"The cities will be shortlisted depending upon quality of their project proposals and preparations for public transport system," urban development secretary M Ramachandran said. The funds are likely to be sanctioned by June 2008. GEF has earmarked funds for greenhouse gas reduction and a $25 million corpus out of that is slotted for public transport projects to help reduce emission of greenhouse gases.
Urban development ministry has appointed a consultant involved in the Clean Development Mechanism projects to provide technical support to civic authorities of these cities which have shown keen interest in promoting efficient and green public transport systems. A senior ministry official said that these cities, learning from successful experiment of bus rapid transit system (BRTS) by Indore, have opted for modern city bus service with state-of-the-art buses and intelligent transport system with GIS based signalling and information system.
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Gujarat Inc rides the Modi wave
“The Modi government had been hardselling the state as the number one destination for investment. With the government coming back to power, the investor community feels that the efforts to make Gujarat an investor-friendly state will continue, The high growth rate will be maintained with newer projects coming up in the state,” he added.
Be it infrastructure, power, FMCG, agriculture, capital goods, textile or state PSUs, scrips of the companies based out of Gujarat shot up registering a 3-14% jump. The recently-listed Mundra Port and SEZ scrip surged 10% closing at Rs 1,156. During intra-day trading, the Mundra Port scrip traded at an all-time high of Rs 1,192.
Companies like Adanis, Nirma and Torrent have been alert to various state government initiatives and hence the investors confidence in these group companies. Analysts feel that companies, especially those engaged in the infrastructure business like roads, power, ports and canal development will benefit. “Construction boom will help performance of steel and cement companies. Hotel, entertainment and retail too will see better days,” says investment strategist Paresh Gordhandas.
Bharuch-based Sanjay Dalmiya group company GHCL scrip recorded a big jump of 13.70%. The scrip closed at Rs 199.24. It touched its year-high of Rs 208.40 on Monday. Other companies that witnessed huge momentum in their scrips included Welspun India ( 5.71%), Adani Enterprise (5%), Sun Pharma (4.79%), Gujarat Apollo (4.14%), Gujarat Ambuja Exports (3.58%) and Torrent Power (3.15%).
Not only large-caps, but mid-caps and small-caps too performed well. Aarvee Denim (3.14%), Alembic (2.86%), Nirma (2.63%), Gujarat Gas (2.39%), Gujarat NRE Coke (1.43%) and Arvind Mills (0.7%). The scrip of Gujarat NRE Coke was expected to do better as coke prices are ruling high and the company has just completed the acquisition of the Australia-based Elouera mine from BHP Billiton a part of the Illawarra Coal Business.
The company will start mining from February. A few companies whose performance was not in tune with the leaders included Ganesh Housing Corporation, Atul, United Phosphorous, Ratnamani Metals and Torrent Pharma.
Says former president of Ahmedabad Management Association Rajiv Vastupal: “It’s a boost to the self-confidence of the business community with BJP retaining power. The clean image of the government raises optimism that corruption would further come down and the efficiency of the government machinery will increase.”
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Modi...according to women!
But what is interesting is the way women of the state perceive this charismatic leader.
Widely known by his Gujarati initials Namo, Modi has been popular among womenfolk for long, especially for taking on the 'anti-national' forces without fear. Post riots, women particularly Hindu women, have felt that things for them might have been worse if not for Modi.
''There were times when my daughter would be late from college, but I still would not worry so much because in Modi's rule, things are in control,'' said Shanta Sheth, a housewife from Ahmedabad.
The women also believe that many more Hindus would have fallen to the Gujarat violence if not for Modi. So strong has the suave leader's hold been that many will go ahead and vote for BJP simply because Modi belongs to that party.
''I admit that I was not really familiar with the name of the local candidate, but I still voted for him because he was from Modi's party,'' said Anahita Parekh, who works as an industrial psychologist in Surat.
What also attracts Gujarati women about Modi is the development in the state. ''He is the man who will work for Gujarat. He has already done a lot of work in the state and it's out there for everyone to see,'' said Hina Patel, who works as a teacher in Baroda.
But many women, from the upper echelons of society, feel that Modi exploits the communal nerve of the state to his advantage.
''I will admit that the man has great presence and influence, but I feel his attitude towards women is quite condescending. Which is why I feel his propaganda will work only amongst the illiterates,'' said Himani Desai, who works as a freelance copywriter in Surat.
In fact, a large number of women social activists recently launched a campaign to oust Modi in Maninagar from where he contested this election. The activists have also drawn a connection between the ideology of hate and crimes against women.
According to them Gujarat is no more a safe place for women and children and Modi has done nothing to address them.
But one thing that women across the state agree upon is that Modi does have a flamboyant presence.
Every time he appears on television or speaks at a rally, he does have the art of holding people's rapt attention. Women especially can't help but notice his panache. It's a major reason for his popularity among womenfolk - something that even helps him in getting votes.
''There is a lot of raw energy that he exudes. You can't help but stop to hear what he has to say. He uses his voice, his eyes and his words, for the right effect,'' said Mrinalini Mehta, a college student.
It seems clear then that whether they like it or not, women can't deny that Modi does have that ''jenais se quoi'' - if you get my drift!
Now, that's what you call a real ''feminine appeal''.
Ahmedabad-based Pathfinders Holidays to start dedicated MICE office in Mumbai
"At present, the FIT segment accounts for 95 per cent of the company's total business. But with the growing demand in the MICE sector, especially in the metros, we are now looking to focus on MICE as well. And, since Mumbai is the commercial capital of India, we plan to open a dedicated office in the city by September, 2008, for dealing with our MICE operations," offered Vakharia. Apart from that, the company also plans to venture into medical tourism by mid-2009.
At present, the company is focussing on promoting South America as a high-end tourist destination for the coming summer, along with Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Kenya, Scandinavia, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Scotland, Ireland, East Europe, among others. Currently, the company is a certified Aussie specialist and Kiwi specialist agency and expects receive similar certifications from Switzerland and South Africa by April, 2008.
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IBS A`bad to attract foreign placements
| For ICFAI Business School (IBS), Ahmedabad, which is close to wrapping up its final placements for the batch of 2008, it is time to explore foreign territory as far as placements are concerned. |
| The director of the institute and a faculty member are set to travel to the West Asia to meet trade associations, business houses and institute alumni to invite them to IBS, Ahmedabad. |
| The institute officials are looking at these visits to establish international relations and will eventually spread out to Singapore and Malaysia. This year, of the 156 students passing out from the Post Graduate programme in management, 141 have already been placed. |
| The highest package so far has been Rs 8.2 lakh offered to a student by DE Shaw India, compared with last year’s highest of Rs 7.1 lakh. The average salary was the same as last year at Rs 5.2 lakh. |
| The institute’s MoU with HDFC Bank, under which a three-month course was designed for select students, has led to the bank making offers to around 22 students. |
| HDFC was the largest recruiter on the campus this year. It now plans to ink more such MoUs with other organisations. |
| Meanwhile, the institute is organising an international conference on management, IBSA.ICON 07, from December 27-29 at Ahmedabad on ‘Globalisation:Opportunities and Challenges’. Source |
Modi sworn in as Gujarat CM
Although the official timing for the oath-taking-ceremony was 12.30 pm, BJP postponed it till 1.50 pm. Even the governor began reading out the oath after checking his watch. Mr Modi took the oath in Gujarati amid cheering supporters waving saffron ribbons.
The BJP legislative party on Monday selected Mr Modi as their leader for the 12th Gujarat Legislative Assembly. Criticised for his stand against religious groups, Modi went to seek blessings of religious leaders of various sects who were special invitees on the occasion. Notably, Avichaldas Maharaj of Satkeval Saheb (Sarsa), who was up in arms against Modi before elections for his divide-and-rule policy and even formed a force under the Hindu Dharm Jagran Manch, graced the occasion. He too was seen blessing Modi.
Surrounded by senior BJP leaders including the party’s Prime Ministerial candidate LK Advani, president Rajnath Singh, Venkaiah Naidu, Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj, George Fernandes, former Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Manohar Joshi, representing BJP’s oldest saffron ally Shiv Sena, and several BJP chief ministers, Modi took oath.
The glamour quotient was provided by cricketer-turned-parliamentarian Navjot Singh Sidhu, TV star and BJP leader Smriti Irani and actor Mukesh Khanna. All 116 newly elected BJP legislators were present on the occasion. Mr Modi had arrived at the venue 20 minutes ahead of schedule amid bursting of crackers and frenzied supporters greeting him with slogans such as “Modi Zindabad” and “Dekho Dekho Kaun Aaya, Gujarat ke Sher Aaya” (See who has come, the lion of Gujarat).
Following earlier intelligence inputs of a threat to Modi, extra security measures were in place at the venue as well as his route from capital Gandhinagar to here. Modi was the only one to take the oath and is expected to induct other ministers later.
A Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) activist who was deputed to the BJP in 1987, Mr Modi was a behind-the-scene strategist till the party made him chief minister October 6, 2001, replacing Keshubhai Patel whose popularity was declining.
In December 2002, Mr Modi had led the party to victory with its highest tally of 127 seats in the 182-member house in the elections held in the aftermath of communal violence.
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Youth's body found from Sabarmati
According to Ellisbridge police officials, the deceased was identified as Lalit Ashok Nadia, 20, resident of Gordhan Mill Compound, Rakhial in Ahmedabad. He was native of Manasan, a village near Viramgam in Ahmedabad district. According to his parents who are in Viramgam, he came to Ahmedabad to earn for his family and kid sister. He used to do stray labour work at various industrial units.
Post-mortem showed the cause of death as drowning and there were no injury marks on the body. Ellisbridge police has however questioned some of the neighbours of Nadia to find out the reason behind his death.
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The passengers, who were left stranded after Air India flight – IC 806 -- from Mumbai to Delhi was diverted to Ahmedabad, refused to deplane and have
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| The passengers, who were left stranded after Air India flight – IC 806 -- from Mumbai to Delhi was diverted to Ahmedabad, refused to deplane and have been sitting inside the parked aircraft at Ahmedabad. |
In an another case of passenger disillusionment over the numerous flight delays in recent days, an Air India flight – IC 806 -- from Mumbai to Delhi was diverted to Ahmedabad on Tuesday (Dec 25), thereby leaving over a 100 passengers stranded.
Air India flight -- IC 806 -- had a delayed departure from Mumbai at 7 am on Tuesday (Dec 25) morning. The flight was made to circle over Delhi for over an hour due to fog and was eventually diverted to Ahmedabad. The airline requested the passengers to deplane saying that they would be put on an 8 pm flight to Delhi later on Tuesday.
The passengers, however, refused to deplane and have been sitting inside the parked aircraft at Ahmedabad for over two hours. Meanwhile, the pilots along with other staff have allegedly left the plane citing duty timings. The passengers have been unable to contact airline officials and no arrangements have been made for them.
An agitated passenger – B L Sarda – spoke to TIMES NOW and said that no clear communication has been issued by the airline officials.
Passengers stuck at Ahmedabad airport
The situation got out of hand when the pilot announced at Ahmedabad that he had exhausted his flight duty limitations and could not fly back to Delhi.
Angry passengers apparently refused to deplane and sat in the aircraft for almost two hours before being told that another set of pilots would be arranged for.
According to airlines sources, IC 806 departed from Mumbai at 7.50 am, against its scheduled departure time of 7 am and was made to hover above Delhi for an hour before being diverted to Ahmedabad.
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