ఆత్మహత్య?హత్య? అని తెలియని కొందరి సెలబ్రెటీల మరణాలు

ఒక సెలబ్రెటీ యొక్క జీవితం కీర్తి మరియు గ్లామర్ మాత్రమే కాదు, వారి జీవితంలో కొన్ని తప్పుడు సంబంధాలు, ఒంటిరితనం మరియు శక్తిలేని నిర్జీవమైన రొటిన్ గా ఒంటిరి జీవితంతో కలిగి ఉంటారు. వారికి కోసం కొన్ని వేల్లో వారి అభిమానులు ఉంటారు. దాంతో ఈ సెలబ్రెటీలు ఒక సాధారణ జీవితం గడపడం కోసం యాచిస్తుంటారు. సెలబ్రెటీల యొక్క జీవితం ఒక పజిల్ లా ఉంటుంది. అది పరిష్కరించడం చాలా కష్టంగా ఉంటుంది. వారు నిజజీవితంలో ఏమి ఎదుర్కొంటున్నారో మీకు వాస్తవంగా తెలియదు. కొందరు సెలబ్రెటీలు మరణాల వెనుక ఆధ్మాత్మిక జీవితం ఉంటుంది మరియు మరికొంత మంది సెలబ్రెటీల యొక్క మరణం వెనుక కొన్ని తెలియని రహస్యాలు కూడా ఉన్నాయి. ఇటువంటి రహస్య హత్యలు పాత కాలం నుండినే ఉన్నాయి. ADVERTISEMENT అటువంటి కొన్ని మిస్టీరియస్ మరణాలు పొందిన కొంత మంది ప్రముఖ సెలబ్రెటీల క్రింది ఇవ్వబడ్డాయి. ఈ మరణాలు ఎప్పటికీ అర్ధం కావు, లేదా ఒక వేళ వారి కుటుంబసభ్యులు దాచి ఉండవచ్చు. ఈ గ్లామర్ ప్రపంచంలో రహస్యంగా ఉంచబడినవి.

జియా ఖాన్ - మోడల్ , ఈమె ఒక మోడల్ అయిన ఒక నటిగా మారింది అమితాబ్ బచ్చన్ సినిమాలో నటించారు. ఈ సంవత్సరం జూన్ లో 3 తన పడకగదిలో ఉరివేసుకొని, ఆత్మహత్య చేసుకోడం జరిగింది, ఇది మొదట్లో ఒక ఆత్మహత్యగా అన్నారు. కాని ఇప్పుడుమళ్ళీ ఓపెన్ చేసి, జియా ఖాన్ బాయ్ ఫ్రెండ్ సూరజ్ పచోలికి ఈ ఆత్మహాత్యకు ఏదో సంబందం ఉన్నట్లు విచార జరగుతోంది. ఇది హత్య లేదా ఆత్మహత్యా అని తెలియకుండానే ఒమ మిస్టిరీగా మారిన సెలబ్రెటీలో జియా ఖాన్ ఒకరు.

దివ్య భారతి - 19ఏళ్ళ సూపర్ స్టార్ హీరోయిన్ ఈమె. ఈమె ఏప్రిల్ 5 1993లో ముంబాయ్ లో వెర్సోవాలోని 5స్టార్ బిల్డింగ్ నుండి పరిడి మరణించింది. ఈ నటి యొక్క మరణం ఒక ఆత్మహత్య ప్రయత్నం , అనుకోకుండా జరిగిందా , ఆమెకు వ్యతిరేకంగా కుట్ర లేదా ఒక హత్య అని భోగట్టా ఉంది. మిస్టీరిస్ గా మరిణించిన ప్రముఖ సెలబ్రెటీలలో ఆమె ఒకరు.

పర్వీన్ బాబి - వెటర్నరీ నటి. 20 జనవరి , 2005 న తన ముంబై ఫ్లాట్లో చనిపోయాడు . మూడు రోజులుగా పాలు మరియు న్యూస్ పేపర్స్ తన డోర్ వద్దనే అలానే పడిఉన్నాయి. వీటిని ఆమె స్వీకరించలేదు. అని తన పొరుగువారు పోలీసులకు చెప్పారు. ఆమె మరణానికి కారణం కూడా తెలియరాలేదు. మరియు స్పష్టంగా లేదు.

 

 

సిల్క్ స్మిత - ది ఏరిటిక్ సౌత్ యాక్టర్స్ , ఈమె స్ర్కీన్ ప్రెజెంటేషన్ తోనే చాలా ఫేమస్ అయ్యింది. శృంగార నటిగా దక్షిణాది సినిమాల్లో ఒక వెలుగు వెలిగింది. ఈ నటి ,1996 సంవత్సరం, 23 డిసెంబర్ న చెన్నై లో ఆమె నివాసం లో చనిపోయింది . ఆమె వృత్తి పరమైన సమస్యలు మరియు వ్యక్తిగత సమస్యల కారణంగా ఆత్మహత్య చేసుకొన్నది అంటారు.

నఫీసా జోసెఫ్ - మోడల్ మరియు MTV VJ ముంబైలోని తన నివాసంలో ఆత్మహత్య చేసుకుంది . ఆమె ఆత్మాహుతి వెనుక కారణం స్పష్టం తెలియదు . ఇది ఆమె తన కాబోయే భర్త కారణంగా చనిపోయిందని చెబుతారు . అనుమానాస్పదంగా మరణించిన ప్రముఖ సెలబ్రెటీల్లో ఆమె ఒకరు.

గురుదత్ - ఒక మంచి నటుడు నిద్రమాత్రలు అధికంగా వేసుకోవడం మరియు దానికితోడు ఆల్కహాల్ సేవించడంలో 1964సంవత్సరంలో అక్టోవర్ 10న మరణించారంటారు. కానీ, అది ప్రమాదవశాత్తు జరిగిందా లేదా ఆత్మహత్యా అని ఇప్పటికీ మిస్టరీగానే ఉంది.

 

 

ప్రియ రజ్వాన్స్ - నటి 27 మార్చి , 2000 న మరణించింది. ఆమె మరణానికి కారణం స్పష్టంగా లేదు . ఆమె మరణించిన తరువాత ఒక గందరగోళం ఉంది . తరువాత , ఆమె తన భర్తే హత్య చేశాడని ధృవీకరించబడింది .

ఖుల్ జిత్ రంధ్వా - ఈ యువ నటి ఆమె ఎక్కువ కాలం ఒత్తిళ్లతో బ్రతకలేనని ఒక నోట్ వ్రాసి మరి ఆత్మహత్య చేసుకుంది.

ప్రిన్సెస్ డయానా - ప్రపంచ ప్రఖ్యాతి చెందిన ప్రముఖ సెలబ్రెటీ. ఆమె అందంతో మరియు వినయపూర్వకమైన ప్రవర్తనతో కొన్ని మిలియన్ల మనస్సులను గెలిచుకొన్నది. ఆమె ఆగష్టు 31,1997 న మరణించింది . ఆమె మరణం ప్రమాధవశాత్తు జరిగిందని, అంటారు .

 

 

మార్లిన్ మన్రో - అనేక మంది మనస్సులను దోచేసి, వారిని మంత్రముగ్ధులను చేసే ఒక దేవత మార్లిన్ మన్రో. ఆమె 1962లో మరణించింది. ఆమె మరణానికి స్పష్టమైన కారణం లేదు. మొదట ఒక ఆత్మహత్యతో చెబుతారు కానీ తరువాత ప్రజలు ఒక హత్య ఇది యొక్క ఆలోచన.

 

 

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LPG price hiked by Rs 16.50 per cylinder; ATF by 0.6%

New Delhi: Price of non-subsidised cooking gas (LPG) was Tuesday hiked by Rs 16.50 per cylinder and that of jet fuel by over half-a-percent after international oil prices surged due to the ongoing Iraq crisis.

The increase in rates of non-subsidised LPG and ATF accompanies the Rs 1.69 a litre hike in petrol and 50 paisa a litre in diesel announced yesterday.



The price of non-subsidised LPG, which customers buy after using up their quota of 12 subsidised cylinders, was raised by Rs 16.50 per 14.2-kg cylinder, the first hike in six months.

Each non-subsidised 14.2-kg cooking gas cylinder will now cost Rs 922.50 in Delhi, up from Rs 906, according to Indian Oil Corp (IOC), the nation's largest oil firm.

Non-subsidised LPG rates were last month cut by Rs 23.50 per cylinder.

A subsidised LPG cylinder in Delhi costs Rs 414.

Today's hike breaks the declining trend that started in February with a Rs 107 cut in rates to Rs 1,134 per cylinder.

It was followed by a Rs 53.5 per cylinder reduction in March to Rs 1,080.50, by Rs 100 to Rs 980.50 in April, by Rs 52 in May and by Rs 23.50 cut last month.

IOC said losses on LPG have risen to Rs 449 per subsidised cylinder from Rs 432.71 in the previous month. The loss was Rs 762.50 in January.

Separately, the price of jet fuel or aviation turbine fuel (ATF), at Delhi was increased by Rs 413.78 per kilolitre (kl), or 0.6 percent, to Rs 70,161.76 per kl.

The increase follows three straight monthly reduction, the last one of Rs 1,285.89 per kl, or 1.81 percent, which came into effect on June 1.

In Mumbai, jet fuel costs Rs 72,411.21 per kl as against Rs 71,940.36 per kl previously, IOC said. The rates vary because of differences in local sales tax or VAT.

Jet fuel constitutes over 40 percent of an airline's operating costs and the price hike will increase the financial burden of cash-strapped carriers.

No immediate comments were available from airlines on the impact of the price increase on passenger fares.

The three fuel retailers -- IOC, Hindustan Petroleum Corp and Bharat Petroleum Corp -- revise jet fuel and non-subsidised LPG prices on the first of every month, based on the average international prices in the preceding month.

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Bang Bang Poster Stars Hrithik Roshan, Katrina Kaif, a Gun and Exploding Sea

Hrithik and Katrina on the poster of Bang Bang

The first poster of Bang Bang starring Hrithik Roshan and Katrina Kaif has been unveiled.

The poster shows a multi-tasking Hrithik scooping up Katrina with one hand and firing a gun with the other. The chemistry between Hrithik and Katrina, semi-submerged in water, is crackling. (Also Read: Bang Bang Will Have Visual Effects Courtesy Los Angeles' Fox Studios)

Behind the lead couple, jet skis and airplanes explode into action, promising high voltage thrills with romance thrown in for good measure. The movie is the official Bollywood remake of the Hollywood film Knight and Day which starred Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz. Directed by Siddharth Anand, the desi version has Hrithik and Katrina playing the roles of a secret agent and his accidental partner.

The film has been produced by Fox Star Studios and will hit the screens on October 2.

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Samsung Galaxy Tab S launched in India: A worthy high-end rival to the iPad

It’s easy to see why Samsung made a big hoopla about their new Tab S launch, now that we’ve seen them. This is no run of the mill Tab refresh that Samsung ritually performs year after year. The Tab S is Samsung’s way of telling the Android competition why they are the one to beat. With a tighter control of the hardware and software than ever before, the Tab S is at long last, a Samsung tablet that can actually go toe to toe with Apple’s offering, now that it has been launched in India.

Both the 8.4-inch and 10.5-inch tablet sport 2560×1600 pixel resolution screens

Samsung had the iPad Air and mini with Retina clearly in its crosshairs when designing the Tab S series. The display is the talking point of the new tabs and when compared to Apple’s Retina displays side by side, the colours are noticeably richer and punchier. Black levels are as inky you’ll ever get and the new display modes like adaptive display, prevents colours from looking oversaturated, which is an easy trap to fall in when it comes to Super AMOLED displays.

Samsung has designed flip cover accessories

The 8.4 and 10.5 models are pretty much identical spec for spec except for the battery size of course. They are both lighter and thinner than Apple’s offerings. As far as premium feel goes, we will say that they are an upgrade from their existing Tab series but it’s really hard to make plastic feel anything close to actual aluminium. The Tab S is lighter but you sacrifice the feel of cold metal for plastic.

Perforated plastic back, like the Galaxy S5

The perforated back is intentionally designed to look like an S5 since both devices are flagships in their own right. The two circular buttons are just that, physical push buttons which make attaching the smart cover a lot easier without adding bulk. The Tab S is not waterproof like the S5 however, it does inherit the fingerprint scanner. Both tablets have IR blasters and the same 8MP rear camera and 2.2MP front facing.

Thinner than both the iPads

One of the biggest additions is the new software features like SideSync 3.0 and Remote PC. The former is similar to Apple’s Continuity and Handodd, except that instead of just reciving calls through the tablet, SideSync actually creates a virtual image of your S5 on the Tab S and lets you use all the functions as if you were physically using the phone. Both devices connect over Wi-Fi Direct which allows you to transfer files as well with good speed. This also comes in handy in MultiWindow mode.

The 8.4-inch variant has a very real chance of dethroning the iPad mini

The UI is surprisingly quick and fluid. In fact, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say this is the fastest we’ve seen TouchWiz on any Galaxy device. The Magazine UX interface is similar to the Tab Pro and Note Pro but tweaked a bit.

Samsung has tweaked the Magazine UX slightly for the new tabs

The aggressive pricing from Samsung is what got everyone in the audience really excited. The Tab 10.5 and Tab 8.4 start at $499 and $399, for the 16GB, Wi-Fi only models. Sound familiar? Samsung is ruthlessly going after Apple’s turf by offering a better spec’d tablet with a similar look and feel (thinner and lighter in fact) for the same price. Not only that, Samsung is throwing in a whole bunch of freebies by signing up exclusive partnerships with folks like Marvel, Conde Nast, Netflix and many others. Samsung is not leaving any stone unturned as it’s covering its bases very well in terms of content for consumption.

Here’s a short video hands-on with the Galaxy Tab S 8.4:


The Tab S series is quite something. It’s nothing like Samsung’s previous or current offerings which is why this gets its own special launch event. Our only fear is, can Samsung commit to the Tab S in terms of regular updates and bug fixes? We’re confident that the Tab S is convincing enough to sway prospective iPad buyers. However, in doing so, you’re also inadvertently buying to Samsung’s own little ecosystem. In order for some of the biggest features like SideSync 3.0 to work, you’ll need a high-end phone like the S5 or at least a relatively high-end Samsung device (we’re presuming at this point).

Could sway potential iPad buyers

Stay tuned for our full review of the new Tab S, which will be coming soon.

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TMC's rape response playbook: How Mamata created a Tapas Pal

Audiences in Bengal were introduced to Tapas Pal as a baby-faced innocent-looking simpleton in 1980 in the wholesome comedy film Dadar Kirti (The Antics of the elder brother).
Almost 35 years later, Pal has become a real neighborhood Dada and his kirti is no longer good wholesome fun.
His June 14 comments about rape have gone viral after being aired on Bengali television.

"Ekta jodi kono birodhi aajke Trinamuler kono meye, kono baap, kono bachchar gaye haat dey, tader gushti ke ami jaa taa kore chole jabo. Amaar chheleder dhukiye debo rapekore chole jabe, rape kore chole jabe…. (If anyone from the Opposition dares touch a daughter of Trinamul, a father from Trinamul, a child from Trinamul, I will do whatever I can to their entire clan. I will set my boys on them, they will rape them, they will rape them.)"

Tapas Pal at a rally. Screengrab from YouTube video.

Pal’s first defence is the Amit Shah defence. Find an innocuous rhyming word. Shah famously split hairs between badla and badlav after the Election Commission pulled him up for an incendiary speech in Uttar Pradesh. Pal is trying to weasel his way out of this controversy by saying he meant “raid” not “rape”. A trained film actor should really be more particular about his diction.
Next we have the Abhijit Mukherjee duck. Find a woman in the family who can face the media. When Mukherjee was lambasted for his comment about “painted and dented” women protesting rape, his sister Sharmishtha apologized on his behalf. Now Pal’s wife Nandini, a popular cooking show host and Big Boss Bangla contestant, has told the media “On behalf of him, I am saying sorry”.
And finally we have the statute of limitations excuse. That boils down to this is old news being dug up for political vendetta. Pal tells The Telegraph “The speech happened sometime back. I think during the elections. (The elections were long over by June 14). It was around the time when (CPM workers) were kicking pregnant women. Commandos had to be called in for the elections… I really don’t know why they are telecasting it now.”
Stay tuned for the if-anyone-was-offended-my-apologies non-apology.
Confronted with actual footage, Trinamool has reacted with alacrity. Though Didi has kept mum, she has demanded a written explanation from Pal. Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien condemned Pal’s speech with “all the authority at my command".
That’s commendable but it’s not clear how much authority O’Brien has at his command. Trinamool, as a party, has shown little sensitivity to the issue of rape though O'Brien has written on his blog that every rape "is a crime too many" and there should be "no question of which party the rapists may or may not belong to".
As an Opposition leader, Mamata rightly excoriated the CPM when Jyoti Basu dismissed a rape case as just as an incident “that happens”. Bantala, Birati, Nandigram are all blots on the CPM’s record when it comes to gang-rape and assault. In government, however, Didi has treated rape not as crime but as part of a political conspiracy to defame her government. Her party leaders have played follow-the-leader. The Trinamool playbook on rape seems to have a few set rules.
Politicise: Mamata infamously tried to frame the 2012 Park Street rape case as a “shajano golpo” or concocted story. That has pretty much set the tone going forward. When a woman alleged that a group of robbers gang-raped her on a train in Burdwan, Mamata said it was “false” because “she happens to be the wife of a CPM supporter". As a matter of fact, the woman had been widowed 11 years.
Disparage: After the infamous Park Street rape case, Trinamool MP Kakoli Ghosh Dostidar was hauled up by the state’s Human Rights Commission for saying the Park Street rape case “was not a rape at all” but a “misunderstanding” between a “woman and her client”. What kind of mother would be out at a discotheque so late at night wondered another of Mamata's ministers.
Dismiss: “Ami shuney niyechhi. Apni beshi kotha bolben na, chope! (I’ve listened to everything. You don’t talk too much, shut up),” Mamata snapped at the village women in Kamdhuni who were crowding around her with anguished grievances about unlit roads and liquor dens after a horrendous gang-rape there. At a rally in Minakhan, Mamata thundered,“Are all women in the state being raped?”
Quibble: When the NCRB report showed Bengal as having the highest share of crimes against women in 2012, Mamata did not take it as a challenge to improve. She chose to focus on one statistic that Kolkata had 68 rape cases which was lower than other cities. Her government complained that rapes had come down and “the NCRB refused to publish our disclaimer despite our communication”. Even in a story where there were actual sexual assault victims, Mamata's government could not resist playing Victim-in-Chief.
Trivialize: Tollywood action hero and now MP, Dipak Adhikari or Dev got into hot water on the campaign trail when he joked to the Bengal tabloid Ebela about the media attention his campaign was getting. “Enjoy…! It’s just like being raped, yaar. You can shout or you can enjoy.” For Dev, rape was just a joke. He quickly tweeted out an apology: I m new in politics. My heart is clean. No offence meant 2 any1. I respect Maa,sis al women n brothers. . Dint mean 2 hurt any1. SINCERE SORRY.” It had little impact on his campaign. He won by a huge margin.
Pal is just the latest and most egregious offender. And his misfortune is he has been caught on tape because cellphones are everywhere.
Pal, one of Tollywood’s earliest converts to Trinamool has had apparently been on the outs with Didi for appearing at an event with Saradha-stung MP Kunal Ghosh. Before the 2014 elections there were rumours he would not get a ticket. The BJP had been hopeful about picking up his Krishnanagar seat. Some are seeing his extra-strong braggadocio as a way to curry favour with Didi. He didn’t just talk about rape. He bragged about carrying a revolver to finish off Trinamool’s enemies. “Rangbaji Tapas Pal korechhe,” he boasted. (Tapas Pal too has been a toughie). Rape is just part of a larger threat of violence for Pal. Fighting words he no doubt hoped would warm Didi's heart?
Social activist and former IPS officer Kiran Bedi says “Onus is on Mamata Banerjee to throw him (Tapas Pal) out of party, suspend him from Parliament and register FIR.”
Trinamool might in fact make an example of Tapas Pal. He will be no great loss to the party. But there is a larger rot that’s becoming increasingly visible which is more disturbing than whether a Tapas Pal stays or goes. Pal’s rant comes in a culture where his comments are not booed by the crowd which hoots and hollers and cheers.
It comes in a state where rape has become common political parlance. In 2012 senior CPM leader Anisur Rahman criticized Mamata’s policy of compensating rape victims by saying, “We have told the chief minister in the Assembly that the government will pay money to compensate rape victims. What is your fee? If you are raped what will be your fee?”
At that time Partha Chatterjee, Mamata’s Parliamentary Affairs minister had said “We hang our head in shame. It has tarnished Bengal’s culture.” This time, even as he distanced the party from Pal's remarks, Chatterjee said "It has to be seen in what context he has said those words. It needs to be seen if any of the people or women were subjected to any attack."
Chatterjee is right in a way. It is about context. The context is Pal is hardly the exception to the rule. Trinamool should crack down on Pal but in making an example of Tapas Pal, will the party let itself off the hook?

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ఎన్‌ కన్వెన్షన్‌ వివాదం: నాగ్ కి ఆ నిర్మాత సాయిం?

హైదరాబాద్‌: గురుకుల్‌ ట్రస్టు భూమిలో ఉన్న నాగార్జునకి చెందిన ఎన్‌ కన్వెన్షన్‌ సెంటర్‌ నుంచి బయిటపడటానికి దిల్ రాజు సాయిం చేస్తున్నాడని ఇప్పుడు టాలీవుడ్ లో వినిపిస్తుంది. తెలంగాణా ప్రాంత ముఖ్యమంత్రి కేసీఆర్ తో ఆయన మాట్లాడనున్నారని చెప్పుకుంటున్నారు. రెండు రోజుల క్రితం విడుదల అయిన ఆటోనగర్ సూర్య చిత్రం విడుదలకు సైతం దిల్ రాజు సాయిం చేసారని చెప్తున్నారు. దిల్ రాజు, నాగార్జున మంచి స్నేహితులు కావటంతో ఈ సహాయం చేస్తున్నాడని అంటున్నారు. అయితే ఇది నిజమా ...కేవలం ఫిల్మ్ సర్కిల్స్ లో వినపడుతున్న రూమరా అనేది తెలియాల్సి ఉంది. ఇక హైదరాబాద్‌ మహానగరపాలక సంస్థ(జీహెచ్‌ఎంసీ) అధికారులు దృష్టి సారించారు. ఇక్కడ పురాతన చెరువు ఒకటి ఉంది. ఈ చెరువు స్థలం కూడా సినీ నటుని భూమిలో కలిసిందని కొన్నేళ్ల కిందటే అధికారుల దృష్టికి వచ్చింది. ఇప్పుడు ఇక్కడ చెరువు పూర్తిస్థాయి నీటి మట్టం (ఎఫ్‌టీఎల్‌) నిర్ధరించేందుకు అధికారులు సిద్ధమయ్యారు. ఇందులో భాగంగా ఆక్రమణ ఉందని తేలితే నోటీసు ఇచ్చి వీటిని తొలగించడానికి గ్రేటర్‌ అధికారులు ఏర్పాట్లు చేస్తున్నారు. మరోవైపు శుక్రవారం అయ్యప్ప సొసైటీలోని 11 ఆస్తులను సీజ్‌ చేశారు. కార్యక్రమాన్ని కొనసాగించాలని నిర్ణయించారు. అయ్యప్ప సొసైటీలోని పెద్దల అధీనంలో ఉన్న భూములను ఒక్కోదానిని స్వాధీనం చేసుకోవాలని ప్రభుత్వం నిర్ణయించింది. దీనిలో భాగంగా శుక్రవారం జీహెచ్‌ఎంసీ అధికారుల నేతృత్వంలో రెవెన్యూ, ఇరిగేషన్‌, సర్వే ఆఫ్‌ ల్యాండ్‌ రికార్డ్స్‌ విభాగాలకు చెందిన అధికారులు హైటెక్‌ సిటీకి దగ్గరలోని తుమ్మిడికుంట చెరువు సర్వేను మొదలుపెట్టారు. ఎన్‌ కన్వెన్షన్‌ వివాదం: నాగ్ కి ఆ నిర్మాత సాయిం? మొత్తం చెరువు విస్తీర్ణం, ప్రస్తుతం ఎంత మేరకు ఉందనే అంశాలను అధ్యయనం చేసి ఆ తర్వాత ఎఫ్‌టీఎల్‌ను మార్కింగ్‌ చేయనున్నారు. శనివారం నాటికి సర్వే పూర్తి చేసేందుకు సిద్ధమవుతున్నారు. చెరువు చుట్టు పక్కల బడాబాబులు పెద్ద ఎత్తున నిర్మాణాలు చేపట్టారు. దీంతో ఇప్పుడు మళ్లీ అధికారులు కొత్తగా సర్వే మొదలుపెట్టడంతో వారిలో ఆందోళన మొదలైంది. ముందుగా రెవెన్యూ, ఇరిగేషన్‌ అధికారులు ఎఫ్‌టీఎల్‌ను నిర్థారించనున్నారు. ఆ తర్వాత అక్కడి వరకూ మార్కింగ్‌ చేసిన తర్వాత పూర్తి వివరాలను బల్దియా అధికారులకు నివేదించనున్నారు. ఇలా మార్కింగ్‌ చేసిన తర్వాత అక్రమ నిర్మాణాలకు నోటీసులు జారీ చేసేందుకు జీహెచ్‌ఎంసీ సిద్ధమవుతోంది. దీంతో ఇక్కడ ఉన్నటువంటి ఆక్రమణలను తొలగించేందుకు ఆస్కారం ఉంటుందని అధికారులు చెబుతున్నారు. మూడింతలు అధికంగా నీరు, విద్యుత్‌ ఛార్జీల విధింపు: ఇప్పటికే అయ్యప్ప సొసైటీలో ఇళ్లు నిర్మించుకుని నివసిస్తున్న వారి నుంచి భారీ ఎత్తున జరిమానా వసూలు చేయాలని అధికారులు నిర్ణయించారు. విద్యుత్తు, మురుగు, తాగునీటి ఛార్జీలను కూడా మూడు రెట్లు అధికంగా వసూలు చేయాలని సంబంధిత శాఖలకు జీహెచ్‌ఎంసీ ఆదేశాలు జారీ చేసింది. గురుకుల్‌ ట్రస్టు భూముల్లోకి ప్రవేశించే ప్రధాన మార్గాల్లోని 20 ప్రాంతాల వద్ద ప్రత్యేకంగా ఫ్లెక్సీలను సైతం ఏర్పాటు చేశారు. ప్రతి స్వాగత ద్వారం వద్దా హెచ్చరిక బోర్డులు ఏర్పాటు చేస్తున్నారు. ఇక్కడ 610 కట్టడాలు నిర్మించగా ప్రతి ఒక్కదానిపైనా అక్రమ నిర్మాణమని ఎర్ర రంగు అక్షరాలతో జీహెచ్‌ఎంసీ అధికారులు రాయించడం ప్రారంభించారు. ఇప్పటికే తొలగించిన ఆక్రమ కట్టడాలకు విద్యుత్తు సరఫరా నిలిపివేశారు. భవిష్యత్తులో ఎటువంటి విద్యుత్తు, మంచినీటి కనెక్షన్లు మంజూరు చేయవద్దని సంబంధిత శాఖల అధికారులకు లేఖలు రాశారు. గురుకల్‌ ట్రస్టు భూముల్లో భవిష్యత్తులో ఎటువంటి అక్రమ నిర్మాణాలు చేపట్టకుండా నివారించేందుకు జీహెచ్‌ఎంసీ అధికారులు ప్రత్యేక చర్యలు చేపట్టారు. పోలీస్‌, జలమండలి, విద్యుత్తు, హైదరాబాద్‌, రంగారెడ్డి జిల్లా కలెక్టర్లతో సమన్వయం ఏర్పర్చుకొని అక్రమ నిర్మాణాలపై ఉక్కుపాదం మోపేందుకు సిద్ధమవుతున్నారు. మరోవైపు అక్రమ కట్టడాలను నిర్మించినా, కొనుగోలు చేసినా వారిపై కఠిన చర్యలు చేపడతామని హెచ్చరిస్తూ విస్తృత ప్రచారం చేపడుతున్నారు. అక్రమ నిర్మాణాలు చేపడితే జీహెచ్‌ఎంసీనే క్రిమినల్‌ కేసులు నమోదు చేయవచ్చని, మూడేళ్ల పాటు కస్టడీకి తీసుకుసేందుకు వీలుందనే అంశాన్ని ప్రజల్లోకి తీసుకెళ్లనున్నారు. గురుకుల్‌ ట్రస్టు భూముల్లోని ప్రతిఇల్లూ అక్రమ నిర్మాణమేననే విషయాన్ని ప్రజలకు తెలియజేసేందుకు అధికారులు చర్యలు ప్రారంభించారు.

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Oscar Pistorius trial: Blade runner not mentally ill during Reeva Steenkamp's shooting, experts conclude

South African track star Oscar Pistorius was not suffering from a mental condition that would have impaired his ability to distinguish between right and wrong when he shot dead his girlfriend, a psychiatric report has found.

The Olympic and Paralympic sprinter has admitted to shooting model Reeva Steenkamp, but maintains he mistook her for an intruder hiding in his toilet in an upmarket Pretoria suburb.
The trial, which began in March, took a month-long break to allow the 27-year-old to undergo a mental evaluation after a forensic psychologist brought by the defence testified that Pistorius had an anxiety disorder.
Judge Thokozile Masipa said it was important to find out whether or not the condition affected his criminal responsibility.
"At the time of the alleged offences, the accused did not suffer from a mental disorder or mental defect that affected his ability to distinguish between the rightful or wrongful nature of his deeds," prosecutor Gerrie Nel read from a report submitted to the court.
Both Mr Nel and defence lawyer Barry Roux accepted the findings of a panel of psychiatrists and psychologists after 30 days of evaluation.
Pistorius's defence team has now resumed putting forward its version of events.
There are only a few witnesses left to give evidence, so the trial should finish this week, when judge Thokozile Masipa will retire to consider a verdict.
During the trial, prosecutors have tried to paint a picture of a self-obsessed Pistorius who knowingly killed his law graduate girlfriend as she cowered behind a locked bathroom door.
Pistorius has denied he killed Steenkamp in cold blood, saying he shot four times at the toilet door to protect himself from what he thought was an intruder.
If convicted the 27-year-old faces life in prison.
Pistorius competed against able-bodied sprinters at the London Olympics, on carbon-fibre prosthetics, becoming one of the most recognised names in athletics.
He won a clutch of Paralympic medals and reached the semi-finals of the 400m at the London Games.

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Users angered at Facebook emotion-manipulation study

AFP/Getty Images

News that Facebook manipulated users' News Feeds to see if it made them feel blue now has some users seeing red.
Facebook is seeing backlash after participating in a study that involved the social media giant manipulating content seen by more than 600,000 users for a psychology experiment.
In January 2012, Facebook tweaked News Feeds to show statuses that were particularly positive or negative and found that the emotions of others can affect your mood. The findings were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in an article called "Experimental evidence of massive-scale emotional contagion through social networks."
Researchers did not inform users that the manipulation of the News Feeds would be taking place, however, Facebook's action is legal due to terms laid out in the user agreement when a person signs up for the site.
Adam Kramer, one of the authors of the study, has since taken to his personal Facebook page to apologize for the way the research was described in the paper:
"I can understand why some people have concerns about it, and my coauthors and I are very sorry for the way the paper described the research and any anxiety it caused. In hindsight, the research benefits of the paper may not have justified all of this anxiety."
What do you think of Facebook controlling users' timelines for a study like this? Weigh in in our poll below and tweet us using #OrangeRoom.

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Finance ministry may double tax exemption limit under 80C to Rs 2 lakh

NEW DELHI: Seeking to boost household savings, the finance ministry is considering doubling the exemption limit for investments by individuals in financial instruments to Rs 2 lakh.

Presently the investments and expenditures up to a combined limit of Rs 1 lakh get exemptions under Sections 80C, 80CC and 80 CCC of the Income-Tax Act.

Sources said the revenue department is assessing the burden on the exchequer in case of increase in the benefit limit. The announcement is expected in the Budget.

The budget for 2014-15 will be presented by finance minister Arun Jaitley in the Lok Sabha on July 10.

There have been demands from bankers and insurers to hike the tax exemption limit from Rs 1 lakh per annum to encourage household savings.




The savings rate has come down from over 38 per cent of GDP in 2008 to 30 per cent in 2012-13.

The hike in the exemption limit, sources said, would provide much needed relief to the salary earners who are reeling under the impact of high inflation.

The Direct Taxes Code (DTC) too has recommended that the combined ceiling for investments and expenditures be raised to Rs 1.5 lakh per annum.

The financial instruments which enjoy exemption include life insurance premium, public provident fund, employees provident fund, National Savings Certificates, repayment of capital on home loan, equity linked saving schemes sold by mutual funds and bank FDs of five year maturity.

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Sensex up 314 pts as oil falls, Budget optimism rises

Fall in global oil prices and optimism over the first Budget of the Narendra Modi-led government pushed up the benchmark Sensex on Monday by 314 points to close at 25,413.78, wrapping up one of the best quarters in recent years.
Power, capital goods, PSUs, banking, consumer durables, healthcare, metals, auto and IT led the rally on expectations of strong reforms in these sectors in the next week's Budget.
After a higher start, the 30-share BSE index rallied to touch intra-day high of 25,460.96 before settling at nearly two-week high of 25,413.78, clocking a rise of 313.86 points, or 1.25 per cent. Of 30 Sensex scrips, 24 scrips rose.
The gauge had gained 37.25 points on Friday.

For the quarter ended June 30, the Sensex rose 3,027.51 points or 13.5 per cent on the back of robust inflows as the BJP government stormed to power at the Centre after polls.
The BSE index gained about 1,196 points in June month.
Brokers said besides easing global crude oil prices as fears of supply disruption from Iraq receded, expectations that the reform measures in the next week's Union Budget will boost the country's economic growth, bolstered sentiments.
"Volatility and profit booking is visible ahead of upcoming Budget for 2014-15," said Rakesh Goyal,Senior Vice President,Bonanza Portfolio.
The 50-share Nifty of the National Stock Exchange reclaimed the crucial 7,600 mark by rising 102.55 points, or 1.37 per cent, to close at 7,611.35. It touched a high of 7,623.65 and a low of 7,531.60.
Global oil prices eased on softer US demand, traders say.
US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for August delivery fell 26 cents to $105.48 and Brent crude eased 22 cents to $113.08 per barrel.
Stocks of state-run oil companies saw good activity. BPCL climbed 5 per cent, HPCL gained 4.7 per cent, IOC was up 3.7 per cent and GAIL rose 1.4 per cent. The ONGC counter finished over 3 per cent higher.
Stocks of power and capital goods were among top gainers.
Buying in small-cap and mid-cap shares among investors helped prop up the market, brokers said.

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Apps that help children make maths a game

years old, he explained.
I was hugely proud of his reasoning and maths skills. He hasn't learned them exclusively at school. His maths learning has happened, in part, on a tablet running educational maths apps that we've found for him. He's learned addition and subtraction, and as he gets older he'll be learning even more complex maths this way, too.
The most impressive maths education app I've seen has to be DragonBox Algebra 5+. What impresses me is that its clever design can teach all sorts of complex algebra concepts without making children feel as if they are learning mathematics.

In Yodel­Oh Math Mount­ain, the player must answer questions against a clock.

The app is like a game, and it starts at an abstract level: The player has to match small cartoon icons with their matching "dark" alternatives, eventually arranging the pieces on the playing board so that only the magical "box" of the game's title is left on the board. As the child plays through the levels, the abstract cartoon icons are eventually replaced with numbers and proper mathematical symbols, but with the same gameplay and sound effects.

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It's fun, and the graphics and sound effects are attractive enough to keep children playing. And while they're playing, they are unknowingly learning some of the same maths principles that you need when you're doing algebra - addition, subtraction, balancing an equation, even concepts like parentheses. Play it yourself and you'll see how much fun it is.
Perhaps the main drawback to this app is its complicated menus. If you're going to use it with 5-year-olds, it's probably best to keep them company so they don't get frustrated by instructions they cannot read. It is also surprisingly expensive, at $6.49, but you get over 200 puzzles for your money. The app is on iOS and Android.

Mathboard users choose the answer to an equation from a list of possible solutions, and can use a chalkboard to work it out.

The adorable YodelOh Math Mountain app also stays within the learning-through-games genre, but for a more introductory level of maths. This app involves a cartoon yodeller who ascends a graphical mountain over time - if he gets to the top, he yodels his way to his doom over the edge. To keep the yodeller from climbing the peak, the player has to answer maths questions against the clock.
For example, the question may be "10 x 15 = ?" and the five options are "0, 1, 50, 150, 200". Tapping the right answer saves the yodeller, whereas taking too long or tapping the wrong answer makes him take a step up the mountain or get butted uphill by a cartoon ram. The idea is that by keeping the entire app lighthearted and full of amusing sounds and images, children do not notice that they're being tested on their arithmetic skills.
The app offers a less extensive learning experience than DragonBox, but it still has the ability to hone specific maths skills because you can choose whether to test just basic subtraction, addition and so on. It's $2.99 on iOS.
For an alternative app, try Madagascar Math Ops - a game filled with characters from the "Madagascar" cartoon movie franchise. Like Math Mountain, the app has a multiple-choice mental maths quiz, but Math Ops has more animation. Winning moves are rewarded with a short in-app game - flying penguin fun that will remind you of Angry Birds. There is a free edition with limited levels on both iOS and Android; the full version costs $2.99
For a slightly more traditional route, try MathBoard. It has gamelike elements, but it's based on a simulated old-fashioned school chalkboard. The app's screen is split into a quiz area and a work area. In the quiz area, a maths puzzle is posed using traditional notation, perhaps something like 47 - 5 = ? Players choose the answer from a list of numbers to solve the puzzle, and they can use the faux chalkboard on the other side of the screen to work out the solution. If they get stuck, a "problem solver" window that shows each stage required to correctly work out the answer can be brought up. It's like help from a private maths tutor.
There are other game options available in this app, like choosing which number is greater than another. Because you can adjust the difficulty of the puzzles, and the problem-solver teaches the player about maths, this app is a great way for children to practice their maths skills. My chief complaints are that MathBoard could be more fun without distracting from the learning aspects, and that it has a $5.49 price tag on iOS.

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కొత్త కాపురం చేస్తున్న సమంత... వివాహమయ్యిందా!

సమంత లవ్‌ ఎఫైర్‌పై గత కొద్ది కాలంగా కోలీవుడ్‌.. టాలీవుడ్‌లో రూమర్లు వస్తున్న విషయం తెలిసిందే. నటుడు సిద్ధార్థ్‌తో పీకల్లోతు ప్రేమలో మునిగి బయటికి రానంత బిజీగా ఉన్నదనే టాక్ గత కొంత కాలంగా వినిపిస్తున్నదే. ఇద్దరు త్వరలోనే పెళ్ళిపీటలెక్కుతారని టాలీవుడ్‌లో ప్రచారం జరుగుతుండగా.. కోలీవుడ్‌లో మాత్రం ఇప్పటికే ఆ తంతు కూడా రహస్యంగా జరిగిపోయిందని మరో టాక్‌.

అంతేకాదు సమంతా-సిద్ధూలు రహస్యంగా కాపురం కూడా చేసేస్తున్నారంటూ ఇంకోరూమర్‌. ఇదే విషయాన్ని సిద్ధార్ధ్‌‌ను అడిగినా ఖండించకపోవడం మాత్రం సమర్ధించడం లాంటిదే అనుకోవాలి. సిద్ధూ ఖండించకుండా ఏమైనా అడిగితే వ్యక్తిగత విషయాలెందుకంటూ తప్పించుకుంటున్నట్లు సినీవర్గాలు చెబుతున్నాయి.

ఇక సమంత అయితే తమపై వచ్చే రూమర్లను తెగ ఎంజాయ్‌ చేస్తోందట. తమఇద్దరి గురించి పేపర్లలో వచ్చిన రూమర్లు షూటింగ్‌ గ్యాప్‌లో చదువుకుంటూ సమంత ఎంజాయ్‌ చేస్తుందట. అంతేకాదు గతంలో పెళ్ళంటే ఖండించిన ఈ చెన్నై సుందరి ఇప్పుడు ఈ విషయాన్ని ఖండించడంలేదట. మరి ప్రేమలో పీకల్లోతు మునిగి ఉన్నప్పుడు కాదని ఎలా చెప్తారు!

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టెండూల్కర్‌కు భారతరత్న: రాష్ట్రపతి ఆఫీస్ ప్రకటన

న్యూఢిల్లీ: క్రికెట్ దేవుడు, మాస్టర్ బ్లాస్టర్ సచిన్ టెండూల్కర్‌ను భారత అత్యున్నత పౌర పురస్కారం వరించింది. సచిన్ టెండూల్కర్‌కు అత్యున్నత పురస్కారం భారతరత్నను కేంద్ర ప్రభుత్వం ప్రకటించింది. దీనికి సంబంధించిన ఓ ప్రకటన శనివారం రాష్ట్రపతి కార్యాలయం నుంచి వెలువడింది. క్రికెట్‌లో ఎన్నో రికార్డులను తనపేరున లిఖించుకున్న మాస్టర్ సచిన్ టెండూల్కర్ భారత దేశానికి చేసిన సేవలను గుర్తించిన ప్రభుత్వం ఈ నిర్ణయం తీసుకుంది. మాస్టర్ బ్లాస్టర్ సచిన్ టెండూల్కర్ ముంబైలోని వాంఖేడే స్టేడియంలో వెస్టిండీస్‌తో జరిగిన తన 200వ టెస్టు మ్యాచ్ అనంతరం అంతర్జాతీయ క్రికెట్‌కు స్వస్తి పలికిన అనంతరం కేంద్ర ప్రభుత్వం ఈ నిర్ణయం తీసుకోవడం గమనార్హం. ప్రభుత్వం తీసుకున్న నిర్ణయంతో భారత అత్యున్నత పౌర పురస్కారం పొందిన తొలి క్రీడాకారుడిగా సచిన్ టెండూల్కర్ చరిత్ర సృష్టించారు. 


తల్లికి అంకితమిస్తున్నా: సచిన్ భారత రత్న రావడం ఆనందంగా ఉందని సచిన్ టెండూల్కర్ అన్నారు. ఈ సందర్భంగా కేంద్ర ప్రభుత్వానికి ఆయన కృతజ్ఞతలు తెలిపారు. ఈ పురస్కారాన్ని తన తల్లి రజనికి అంకితం ఇస్తున్నట్లు సచిన్ ప్రకటించారు. భారతరత్న అవార్డు అందుకున్న అతి పిన్న వయస్కుడిగా సచిన్ టెండూల్కర్ రికార్డు సృష్టించారు. 24ఏళ్ళుగా భారత్‌కు క్రికెట్ ఆడుతూ విశేష సేవలందించిన సచిన్ టెండూల్కర్‌కు కేంద్ర ప్రభుత్వం భారతరత్న ఇవ్వడం పట్ల ఆయన కుటుంబ సభ్యులు, సన్నిహితులు, అభిమానులు హర్షం వ్యక్తం చేస్తున్నారు. మాస్టర్ సచిన్ టెండూల్కర్‌తోపాటు ప్రముఖ శాస్త్రవేత్త, ప్రధాని సాంకేతిక సలహాదారు అయిన ప్రొఫెసర్ సీఎన్ రావుకు కూడా కేంద్ర ప్రభుత్వం భారతరత్న ప్రకటించింది.

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Sachin Tendulkar says goodbye with tears, emotional fans scream thank you

Wife Anjali said Sachin Tendulkar was good at hiding emotions. She was in for a surprise as the quintessential team man could not hold back his tears as he was given a guard of honour by Team India in front of emotional fans at Wankhede.

Mumbai:  Time waits for no one but it did stand still precisely at 11:47 at Wankhede Stadium on Saturday. Sachin Tendulkar was finally saying goodbye to cricket, with never-before-seen tears on his face. The West Indies only hastened Tendulkar's swansong by some poor cricket as the Caribbeans lost by an innings and 126 runs for the second straight time in this hurriedly arranged series. But the Mumbai Test has been all about Tendulkar's farewell and it was time to say a big thank you to the 'God' of cricket for entertaining the world with 24 years of extraordinary cricket.
The Master Blaster finally ends with a total of 34357 runs in international cricket and 15921 runs in Tests. These numbers, in all likelihood will never be replaced. (Also see: Pics: Emotional Sachin battles past tears!)
There were already many moist eyes and choked voices on Friday after Tendulkar walked back to the pavilion scoring 74 runs. On Saturday, there must have been countless more as a visibly emotional Tendulkar walked into the shadows of folklore. He has after all been a great ambassador of the sport and touched the lives of a billion people. He has been the single biggest inspiration to Indian cricket over three generations after making his Test debut against Pakistan on November 15, 1989.

In his final appearance on the cricket field on Saturday, the quintessential team man Tendulkar walked to the middle, uprooted a stump, hugges MS Dhoni and joined his fellow players who too were clearly battling back tears as they gave a guard of honour to the maestro. It was time to bid the legend a formal goodbye as Wankhede rose on its feet and chanted "Sachiin, Sachiiin" for one last time. Their hero made it a point to thank everyone who helped him build a successful career. (Read his full message here)

Dhoni too raved Tendulkar and his experience of having played in his final Test. "It was the biggest match in cricket history and one we will never witness again," said Dhoni. Opposition skipper Darren Sammy too was overawed by the occasion. "Indian fans have set a benchmark in how to treat a champion," he said at the post-match ceremony.

As Mohammad Shami scalped the final wicket, every single Tendulkar fan in the stands, and on the field, stood as one to bid adieu to Tendulkar. Today, Team India did not have eleven players - it had a billion. And the signboard at Wankhede read: You will always be remembered!

Honours for Sachin Tendulkar after the match:

* Tribute from the host broadcasters

* Tribute from the Sri Lanka government

* Tribute from Mumbai police

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క్రికెట్ లేకుండా సచిన్‌ను ఊహించలేం: అంజలి

ముంబై: క్రికెట్ లేకుండా సచిన్ టెండూల్కర్‌ను ఊహించేలేమని మాస్టర్ బ్లాస్టర్ సచిన్ టెండూల్క్రర్ సతీమణి అంజలి టెండూల్కర్ అన్నారు. సచిన్ టెండూల్కర్‌కు క్రికెట్ తప్ప మరో ప్రపంచం తెలియదని ఆమె అన్నారు. తనతో సుదీర్ఘంగా చర్చించిన తర్వాతనే అంతర్జాతీయ టెస్టు క్రికెట్ నుంచి తప్పుకోవాలని సచిన్ నిర్ణయించుకుిన్నట్లు తెలిపారు.

 

 ఈ రోజు సచిన్ 24 ఏళ్ల అంతర్జాతీయ క్రికెట్‌కు తెరపడుతోందని, ఇక ఇంట్లో వ్యవహారాలు పూర్తిగా మారిపోతాయని ఆమె అన్నారు. క్రికెట్ క్రీడను సచిన్ ఆరాధించాడని, ఇక క్రికెట్ ఆడకపోవడమనేది సచిన్‌కు మాత్రమే కాకుండా కుటుంబ సభ్యులందరికీ ఉద్వేగపూరితమైందని ఆమె శనివారంనాడు మీడియాతో అన్నారు. సచిన్ లేకుండా క్రికెట్‌ను తాను ఊహించుకోగలనని, అయితే క్రికెట్ లేకుండా సచిన్‌ను ఊహించుకోవడం కష్టమని అంజలి అన్నారు. క్రికెట్ లేకుండా సచిన్‌ను ఊహించలేం: అంజలి క్రికెట్ స్థానంలో సచిన్ జీవితంలో ఏది వస్తుందో చెప్పలేనని ఆమె అన్నారు. ఉద్వేగాలను సచిన్ టెండూల్కర్ నిలువరించుకుంటాడని ఆమె చెప్పారు. ఉద్వేగాలను దాచుకునే విషయంలో సచిన్ ముందుంటారని, ముఖంలో ఒత్తిడి ఛాయలు కనిపించవని, ఇంట్లో కూడా ఉద్వేగాలను బయట పెట్టబోరని ఆమె అన్నారు. తన కూతురు సారా కూడా సచిన్ లాగే వ్యవహరిస్తుందని, క్రికెట్‌కూ అభిమానులకు తమ తండ్రి ఏమిటో ఇప్పుడు తమ పిల్లలకు అర్థమవుతోందని ఆమె చెప్పారు. వందశాతం క్రికెట్‌కు ఇవ్వలేనప్పుడు తప్పుకోవడమే మంచిదని సచిన్ భావించారని, ఓ రోజు తనకు చెప్పి నిర్ణయం తీసుకున్నాడని అంజలి చెప్పారు.

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అక్క బ్యాట్ ఇచ్చింది, భార్య త్యాగం: ఉద్వేగంతో సచిన్

ముంబై: 24ఏళ్ల పాటు తనకు మద్దతుగా నిలిచిన వారందరికి కృతజ్ఞతలు తెలుపుతూ తన అంతర్జాతీయ క్రికెట్ మ్యాచ్ ముగిసిన అనంతరం ఉద్వేగంగా ప్రసంగించారు మాస్టర్ బ్లాస్టర్ సచిన్ టెండూల్కర్. ఈ సందర్భంగా తనకు సహకరించిన తన కుటుంబ సభ్యులకు కృతజ్ఞతలు తెలిపారు. తను ఈ స్థాయికి వచ్చేందుకు తన తండ్రి ప్రోత్సాహమే కారణమని ఆయన అన్నారు. ప్రస్తుతం అతను లేకపోవడం బాధగా ఉందని చెప్పారు. తన తల్లి తన కోసం ఎంతో చేసిందని. తన ప్రార్థనలే తనను ఈ స్థాయికి చేరుకోవడానికి సహకరించాయని మాస్టర్ అన్నారు. తన క్రికెట్ జీవితం సాఫీగా కొనసాగడానికి తన భార్య అంజలి ప్రోత్సాహం మరువలేనిదని ఆయన అన్నారు. తను ఒక వైద్యురాలని అయితే అద్భుతమైన వైద్య వృత్తిని వదిలి, తన కోసం కుటుంబ బాధ్యలను చూసుకుంటానని చెప్పిందని తెలిపారు. తన సహకారం లేకపోతే ఇన్ని రోజులు ఆటను కొనసాగించేవాడిని కాదని ఆయన అన్నారు. తనకు వజ్రాల్లాంటి ఇద్దరు చిన్నారులున్నారని... వారే కూతురు సారా, కుమారుడు అర్జున్ అని చెప్పారు. అక్క బ్యాట్ ఇచ్చింది, భార్య త్యాగం: ఉద్వేగంతో సచిన్ కొన్ని సందర్భాల్లో వారి బర్త్ డే లాంటి కార్యక్రమాలకు హాజరుకాలేకపోయేవాడినని ఆయన అన్నారు. సచిన్ కుటుంబం గురించి మాట్లాడుతన్న సమయంలో ఉద్వేగానికి గురైన అంజలి కన్నీళ్లు పెట్టుకుంది. తన సోదరుడు అజిత్ టెండూల్కర్ ప్రోత్సాహం లేనిదే తాను క్రికెట్‌లో ఇంతగా రాణించేవాడినే కాదని అన్నారు. తన క్రికెట్ ఆటను కొనసాగించేందుకు ఆయన ఎంతో సహకరించారని అన్నారు. తనకు మొదటి క్రికెట్ బ్యాట్ తన సోదరి ఇచ్చిందని ఆయన గుర్తు చేసుకున్నారు. 22 గజాల పిచ్ లో 24ఏళ్ళపాటు ఆనందంగా గడిపానని మాస్టర్ సచిన్ అన్నారు. చిన్నతనం నుంచి కష్టపడడాన్ని అలవాటు చేసుకున్నానని ఈ సందర్భంగా ఆయన తెలిపారు. 11ఏళ్లకే తను క్రికెట్ ఆడటం ప్రారంభించానని మాస్టర్ అన్నారు. తను క్రికెట్‌లో ఇంత ఘనతను సాధించేందుకు తన గురువు అచ్రేకర్ ప్రోత్సాహమే కారణమని ఆయన అన్నారు. అచ్రేకర్ ఎప్పుడూ తన మ్యాచును టీవీలో చూసేవారని, తన చివరి మ్యాచ్ కావడంతో ప్రత్యక్షంగా చూసేందుకు ఇక్కడికి వచ్చారని మాస్టర్ తెలిపారు. విజయాల కోసం అడ్డదారులు వెతుక్కోవద్దన్న నియమాలను పాటించానని ఆయన అన్నారు. తనకు ఎప్పుడూ సహాయ సహకారాలు అందించడంలో ముందున్న ముంబై క్రికెట్ అసోసియేషన్, భారత నియంత్రణ మండలికి కృతజ్ఞతలు తెలుపుతున్నట్లు ఆయన చెప్పారు. కుటుంబానికి దూరంగా ఉన్న సమయంలో తనతోపాటు ఉన్న ఆటగాళ్లనే కుటుంబ సభ్యులుగా భావించేవాడినని ఆయన అన్నారు. మ్యాచ్ జరిగిన వాంఖేడే స్టేడియంలో ఉన్న రాహుల్ ద్రావిడ్, సౌరవ్ గంగూలీ, వివిఎస్ లక్ష్మణ్‌లను చూపిస్తూ ఇలాంటి మంచి స్నేహితులు తనకున్నారని ఆయన తెలిపారు. తనకు కొందరు భారత సీనియర్లతో ఆడే అవకాశం దక్కలేదని అన్నారు. తనకు 24ఏళ్లపాటు సహకరించిన బిసిసిఐకి ఈ సందర్భంగా సచిన్ కృతజ్ఞతలు తెలిపారు. ఇదే తన చివరి ప్రసంగం కాబట్టి సుదీర్ఘంగా మాట్లాడుతున్నట్లు ఆయన తెలిపారు. తన ఆరోగ్యాన్ని పర్యవేక్షించిన వైద్యులు, తన మేనేజర్లకు ఆయన కృతజ్ఞతలు తెలిపారు. మాస్టర్ సందేశం భారత క్రికెట్ సభ్యులతో ఈ సందర్భంగా ఓ సందేశాన్ని ఇవ్వదలచుకున్నాని తెలుపుతూ.. భారత క్రికెట్‌లో తామూ భాగస్వాములవుతున్నందుకు ఆటగాళ్లందరూ గర్వపడాలని ఆయన అన్నారు. సరైన విలువలతో దేశానికి సేవ చేయాలని ఆయన ఈ సందర్భంగా ఆటగాళ్లను కోరారు. ఆటగాళ్లు ఎప్పుడూ క్రీడా స్ఫూర్తిని కలిగి ఉండాలని అన్నారు. కొంత ఉద్వేగంతో తన కళ్లల్లో నీళ్లు తిరుగుతుండగా.. ఆటగాళ్లందరికి ఆల్ ది వెరీ బెస్ట్ అని చెప్పిన తర్వాత గుడ్‌బై అని తన ప్రసంగాన్ని ముగించారు మాస్టర్.

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Doodle 4 Google 2013 winning entry featured on Google India homepage

Doodle 4 Google 2013's winner is being featured on the Google home page in India on the occasion of Children's Day. The winning entry is by a class 10 student from Pune.
Doodles are the decorative changes that are made to the Google logo to celebrate holidays, anniversaries, and lives of famous artists and scientists.
The doodle titled "Sky's the limit for Indian women" has been designed by Gayatri Ketharaman for the fifth edition of Doodle4Google competition with the theme celebrating Indian women.
"Each letter of the doodle depicts the trait of Indian women. She is graceful and elegant, adept at balancing work and home. She is a go-getter and also personifies motherhood," said Gayatri Ketharaman, a student of Bishop's co-education school in Pune.
The winner was selected from among 12 finalists chosen from different parts of the country by the national jury comprising actress Kirron Kher and political cartoonist Ajit Ninan.
"The theme this year is something so powerful and rich, so it has really enabled the youngsters across the country to showcase their talent and also bring to life the incredible diversity of the Indian women," said Kirron Kher while awarding the winner.
Along with the national winner, three students grouped into different categories were also awarded.
Madhuram Vatsal from Lucknow won the prize in Class one to three category, while Binita Biswajeeta from Odisha with her doodle 'Women are future, empower them better' won in Class four to six category, and Akash Shetty from Bangalore with doodle titled 'Indian women leading our country' won in the Class seven to ten category.
"The competition is the perfect platform for the Indian youth to showcase their talent on an international platform. It allows youngsters not only from the metro cities but tier II, III and even IV to participate, which is evident from the entries seen this year," said Rajan Anandan, managing director, Google India.
This year the competition received 1.5 lakh entries in the contest held across 100 cities and 1,500 schools.

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Sachin's pranks as effortless as his cricket

Playing with Sachin Tendulkar was a dream come true but getting to know him as a person was a humbling experience, writes former India cricketer Deep Dasgupta.

By Deep Dasgupta

For us mere mortals, it is difficult to even imagine how it feels to become a man at 16 with a million eyes scrutinising your every move.

Now, as a 36-year-old, having played for India, I sit back and find there are two categories of cricketers - one is Sachin Tendulkar and the other group is like us, who were certainly "Not Sachin Tendulkar."

I am not Sachin Tendulkar and here is why.

When I was 16 and played those age-group national level tournaments, I came back home after my matches and had to diligently complete my homework before being sent to bed.

When Tendulkar was 16, he was facing Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Imran Khan!

At 17, I was able to share a laugh with my friends and stand for a plate of 'fuchkas' (Kolkata's version of the popular Indian snack paanipoori) by the roadside and break into the junior state side besides sneaking in a Valentine's Day card for that beautiful girl in school.

But Tendulkar had no such luxuries. At 17, he was scoring a Test century and saving his country from defeat in rather hostile English conditions.

The differences are stark and way too many.

But that is precisely the reason why all of us, who were fortunate enough to wear that India crest at some point of time, take so much of pride in it.

When my kids grow up and start to understand what Sachin Tendulkar means to our country and the impact the great man had on cricket the world over, they would be probably proud that their father played with the greatest of them all.

As a kid myself, I would fantasize batting with Sachin on the non-striker's end on my roof-top and we would win matches for India. And then came that moment, that moment when I first met the legend for real and in flesh. Everything seemed so surreal.

The memories are still fresh, just like they were from yesterday.

It was just before my first Test series in South Africa back in 2001. I had walked in to one of the nets, without realising that 'Master' was having a knock at the adjacent net. Also I did not realise, that he was keenly observing the way I batted.

A little later, Tendulkar walked over to me and for the next one hour spoke to me on various facets of batting, even feeding me balls in the areas he wanted me to work on. That one hour with the greatest batsman in the world was priceless.

Trust me, he did not need to do that but then true greatness makes you humble and I was certainly not the only one who gained from the legend's magnanimity.

In my debut Test at Bloemfontein as I awaited my turn to bat, Tendulkar gave a lesson in batsmanship. Against a potent pace attack, 'Master' cracked a stroke-filled 155 as I watched transfixed from the dressing-room, observing and realising how he executed the basic tenets of what he had explained to me in that training session and what a knock to witness in my first appearance for India.

Tendulkar made batting look easy, even against the fiercest of attacks. That was for everyone to see and admire. But as his teammate, I also saw another side to him, that left me floored. There was this little child in Sachin, that wanted hos share of fun without being rude or bratty.

Being loud and funny is very easy but pulling off a prank with a poker face is really a task. And trust me, Sachin can do it as effectively as he hits a sharply turning delivery out of the park.

Flashback 2002. In Trinidad.

Sachin joined me and Shiv Sunder Das for lunch. We took a cab and Sachin decided to sit at the front with the driver while Das and I sat at the back.

When the driver asked us, where we had come from, Sachin told him, "We have come from the US for a holiday" and guess what, the cabbie believed him!

Sachin and the cab driver started talking about sports in the Caribbean and he asked our new friend about which game to follow in the West Indies.

"Cricket," pat came the reply from the cabbie.

Sachin replied: "Cricket? What is that? Back in the US, we only follow baseball." By then, we had had enough and were about to burst laughing but Sachin was not done yet and proceeded to ask the driver about the rules of the game and the guy explained that a cricket game needs two teams with 11 players in each side and so on and so forth.

Sachin was relentless and he asked the driver about the best player in the sport. "Brian Lara and Sachin Tendulkar," the totally unsuspecting 'victim' replied and went on give us a brief about both these gentlemen. S.S and me were were in splits but the Little Master was just as focused as he is on the field.

The driver recommended the India-West Indies Test match highly and insisted we watched out for this guy called Tendulkar and the battle with Lara.

Master saved the cabbie some embarrassment by not revealing his true identity

As Sachin retires and my beloved 'City of Joy' braces up to give him a fitting farewell, a part of me has suddenly become void. With a clamor for tickets and various other requests, yours truly's cell phone is going kaput. I only want wish that he walks into the sunset with all the flair, dignity and poise he has shown all these years.

For us, who love to give the red cherry a thwack, Sachin's cover drives were the colours of Holi while his picture perfect pull-shot was like watching that beautiful Goddess Durga at a South Kolkata pandal.

The sixes Sachin hit off Shane Warne were liking bursting rockets during Diwali. He was a part of me and I don't know whether my romance with cricket will ever be the same, come November 18th.

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When Achrekar slapped Sachin

It is not for you to come and watch others play, if you practice hard, other people will come from across the world and watch you, the legendary coach Achrekar had told a young Tendulkar.

By Praveen Amre

I have known Sachin Tendulkar for exactly 30 years now. We had met for the first time at Ramakant Achrekar's nets when he had come along to Shivaji Park with his brother Ajit. 'Sir' had first said no to Ajit because Sachin was considered too young at first glance. Sir had in fact asked him to come back a few months later. Thereafter when Ajit suggested to Sir that he should observe Sachin from a distance and that the young boy was nervous, Sir agreed to do so.

What we all saw, startled us. The young boy was timing the ball brilliantly and was playing with utmost confidence. In fact, Sachin has the unique distinction of having earned real praise from Achrekar Sir.

The strictest disciplinarian, Sir hardly ever said 'well played' to anyone. The same person used to call Sachin a hero. He was and continues to remain a hero not only for Shivaji Park or Mumbai but hero for India and also the entire cricketing world.

I may also add that Achrekar Sir had done everything he could for Sachin. At one point, he got Sachin to play four of five matches on a single day and would then drive him across Mumbai on his scooter. Besides, Sir must be the only person alive, who has slapped Sachin on one occasion.

The story goes like this. Saradashram English and Saradashram Marathi schools had made it to the finals of the Harris Shield and the match was to be played at the Wankhede Stadium. Sachin, then under-14, was a Giles Shield player and had nothing to do with the Harris Shield. Knowing that he would want to go to the ground and watch the game, Sir had instructed him not to go to the Wankhede, missing his own practice.

Sachin, however, landed up at the Wankhede after he had finished practice and as luck would have it bumped into Sir! Agitated on seeing young Tendulkar there, Achrekar Sir slapped him and said it was not for him to come and watch other people play for if he practiced hard, people from across the world would come and watch him play someday.

In hindsight these words seem prophetic to me!

The one incident which I want to share and one which I think sums up Sachin's ability as a leader is his agreeing to bowl the last over against South Africa at the Hero Cup semi-final in Calcutta at the Eden Gardens.

South Africa needed just six runs to win and Sachin stepped up to bowl the last over. He stopped a marauding Brian McMillan on his tracks and scripted a famous victory for India. His presence of mind under pressure was amply demonstrated before he bowled the final delivery. He was cool and composed and managed to win us the match by two runs. In fact, it was the second occasion that he and I were part of a memorable win against the South Africans at the Eden Gardens.

The first was on the occasion of their comeback match in November 1991. Chasing a meager South African total, we had been reduced to 60/4 on account of a vicious spell from Alan Donald. When I walked out to bat, Sachin helped calm down my nerves and just asked me to play over by over. We put together a match winning partnership for India and it allowed us to take a 1-0 lead in the series.

Again, in the four months in Australia in 1992 and subsequently in South Africa in the same year, Sachin and I were room partners. We had dinner together in Durban when I got my debut hundred against the Proteas and it was another memorable moment for me. Who better than Sachin to share my joys with!

Interestingly, it is the same Sachin twenty years down the line who played against Haryana in the Ranji Trophy for Mumbai in Lahli. Having coached Mumbai for five years, I have seen the impact he has on the dressing room and must say that he has been brilliant in helping the youngsters grow.

Such humility is rarely seen in an individual who has achieved so much and it once again reminds me of Achrekar Sir's word for him. "Hero".

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'Tendulkar second only to Bradman'

Australia Test captain Michael Clarke says retiring Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar's greatest achievement is playing international cricket for almost a quarter of a century.

Clarke said Tendulkar, who is playing in his 200th and final Test, ranked second only to Australia's Don Bradman as the best batsman of all time.

The 40-year-old is ending an international career which began in 1989 and during which time he became the all-time leading Test and one-day batsman and the only man to score 100 international centuries.

"So much has been said and written about Sachin's achievements over years," Clarke wrote in The Daily Telegraph Friday.

"His record number of Test and one-day runs, his century of international centuries. They are achievements that may never be bettered.

"However I believe his greatest achievement is playing international cricket for almost a quarter of a century. That is phenomenal. To be lining up for his 200th Test is mind boggling.

"It highlights an undying affection for the game that goes way beyond just playing."

Clarke, who will lead Australia in five Ashes Tests against England getting underway in Brisbane next week, said Tendulkar had been the greatest constant in world cricket for a generation.

"I was still at primary school when he began his Test career and later scored two centuries on his first tour of Australia as an 18-year-old," he said.

"I played my first Test series against him almost a decade ago and through my whole career have never really thought about him as an ageing player. I can't believe he is 40.

"Sachin has done it all carrying an unimaginable weight of expectation."

Clarke said Tendulkar ranked as the second best batsman behind the "incomparable" Bradman.

"I've been lucky enough to play with and against some great batsmen but there have been none better than Sachin in my time," he said.

"Given everything he has done, Sachin would have to be the second best batsman of all time after the incomparable Bradman.

"You would never know it speaking to him."

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