Cognizant Strikes Wipro. Infosys Next?

s India’s top two technology services exporters — Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. and Infosys Ltd. — compete to be the face of India’s outsourcing industry, a seemingly lower profile competitor,  Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp., is sneaking up on the two.

Daniel Acker/Bloomberg News

According to Cognizant CEO Francisco D’Souza, demand for outsourcing technology services remains strong, despite ongoing macroeconomic uncertainties.

Cognizant, which is based in the U.S. but has most of its operations in India and a largely Indian workforce, has pinched the slot for the country’s third largest software exporter by sales, replacing incumbent Wipro Ltd. in the pecking order. That means it’s now likely to position itself against Infosys.

Overtaking Wipro was an expected development given the guidance issued by the two firms for the April-to-June quarter, but the stellar numbers Cognizant reported late Tuesday — revenue of $1.48 billion compared with Wipro’s nearly $1.41 billion — confirmed it.

Its April-to-June revenue was only about $186 million short of Infosys’s $1.67 billion revenue for the same period. Revenues for TCS, India’s biggest outsourcing company by sales, were at $2.41 billion for that period.

We’ve previously called Cognizant the dark horse of Indian outsourcing. Although it’s listed in the U.S., on the Nasdaq, Cognizant competes directly with its India-listed peers for a share of the global outsourcing market.

It’s certainly picking up the pace.

Cognizant posted 8.3% revenue growth from the preceding quarter. That compared very favorably with sequential growth of 7.4% for TCS, 4.3% for Infosys and just 0.5% for Wipro’s IT business.

The firm has a cheery outlook too, unlike India’s No. 2 software exporter Infosys. In a conference call with investors and analysts on Tuesday, Cognizant CEO Francisco D’Souza said demand for outsourcing technology services remains strong, despite ongoing macroeconomic uncertainties.

Cognizant has forecast at least 32% growth in revenue in 2011 to $6.06 billion. The company follows a January to December financial year; Indian firms follow an April 1 to March 31 financial year. Analysts estimates Infosys revenue at $6.34 billion from January to December 2011.

Cognizant and TCS have consistently maintained that the challenging macroeconomic environment throws new business opportunities to Indian outsourcing companies. Infosys meanwhile has voiced greater concern about macroeconomic uncertainties, as has Wipro. Both firms, which have posted results for April-to-June that have disappointed analysts, are also suffering the pains of management restructuring earlier this year.

“In our view, the current demand environment is strong, but the top four India-listed IT companies differ materially with respect to their ability to capture growth opportunities,” Credit Suisse said in a note.

Executives at Infosys weren’t immediately available for a comment. The new CEO of Wipro’s IT business, T.K. Kurien, has previously dismissed the significance of the pecking order in comments to Dow Jones Newswires. Wipro has also previously attributed the slow pace of growth at its outsourcing arm to its limited exposure to certain key markets–especially the financial services segment.

Cognizant received about $613 million, or 41% of its revenue for the quarter from the banking and financial services segment–the fastest growing industry segment in IT services. That was better than Infosys’ $592 million in revenues Infosys got from the financial business in the June quarter, with Wipro trailing further behind at $376 million. TCS is well ahead of the other three, with over $1 billion in revenue from banking and financial services.

Sachin's 100th century would be bigger than 99.94: Sourav Ganguly

Sourav Ganguly has developed a reputation with his sharp comments and in-depth analysis of the game. He spoke to DNA at Lord’s where he made Test debut in 1996. Excerpts:

How is it coming back to Lord’s where you kick-started your career with a bang 15 years ago?
Lord’s is a special ground and I always enjoy coming here. The atmosphere is excellent; the support is equal for both teams. It is actually great to see so many Indian supporters here.

Is there a sense of deja vu for you? Did it occur to you that you should rather be in the middle than in the commentary box?
No, no. I’m done with cricket and I’m very happy about it. I’ve enjoyed my game and I’m enjoying my time in the commentary box.

How do you do it? Do you prepare for it as well?
No great preparation. I go out there and say what I think of the action in the middle. It’s quite easy, in fact.

Does the team have the bowling depth?
Yes, why not? Zaheer has been in tremendous form. It is unfortunate that he is not fit but Ishant (Sharma), I thought, has turned into a tremendous bowler. We bowled very well in the second innings yesterday (Sunday).

Do you think India will be able to win the series with the current bowling strength?
Why not? There is fire power. Sreesanth can be an ideal replacement if Zaheer is not fit. Ishant has been doing well any way. And Praveen (Kumar) has come off very well. I don’t see to many concerns in the bowling.

What is your prediction for the series?
It is difficult to predict. The teams are evenly matched. Any result is possible. I’m expecting a very keenly-fought series.

India started winning abroad under you. What does it take to win overseas?
First thing is self belief. You cannot go out there without thinking that you can win. I tried to instill that in the players and I’m happy that is continuing. Of course, belief alone cannot get you wins. You have to prepare and perform well.

How has the team changed since you left?
Not much at all, I think. Almost the same players are there. Only Anil Kumble is missing.

How is Dhoni doing as a skipper?
The results are there for everyone to see. His real test will be how he handles the situation once Sachin, Rahul and Laxman retire. I’m sure he will have the team ready to face the situation.

Who after Sachin & Co? Does that worry you?
I’m not exactly worried. Indian cricket did not feel any vacuum after Gavaskar, Viswanath, Vengsarkar. There were Sachin, Dravid, Ganguly and Laxman. So, Indian cricket is robust enough to find the right personnel.

Rahul Dravid, finally, got his century after missing it in that 1996 Test...
I’m happy for him. He is batting as well as ever. Centuries at Jaimaica and Lord’s have been superb. I’m hoping he will go on.

What about Sachin Tendulkar? How can one stay motivated for such a long time?
Motivation is not an issue for him, for that matter for any player. If you are playing for India, motivation will come automatically. The key is to stay fit.

How do you look at the possible 100th international?
It’s an unthinkable phenomenon. I have never imagined such an achievement is possible in the game.

So, where do you place that record among other cricketing records?
At the very top. There cannot be a bigger record than this. I rate this even higher than 99.94.

Did Infosys Catch the ‘Tendulkar’ Bug?

“The market expects us to be like Sachin Tendulkar,” Infosys Ltd.’s Chief Financial Officer V. Balakrishnan told reporters at the presentation of the company’s April-June results on Tuesday. “When we score a 100, they expect us to score 200,” he added.

Infosys, which posted a 16% growth in net profit for this period, almost met the Street’s expectations and handsomely beat its own forecast. It also maintained its growth outlook for the current fiscal year.

But that wasn’t enough for the market. Investors are peeved with the company for not raising the dollar revenue growth outlook and the earnings per share estimate for the year. As expected, they hobbled to exit the stock.

In afternoon trading the stock fell 4.3% to 2,792.27 rupees ($62.4), but not before touching the day’s low of 2,749.35 rupees, in a weak Mumbai market. The benchmark Sensex is down 1.7%. The muted outlook from Infosys dragged fellow technology-players also down. Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. was down 0.8% at 1,147.00 rupees, Wipro Ltd. was down 1.0% at 416.40 rupees and HCL Technologies Ltd. was down 0.7% at 490.00 rupees.

A sharp cut in stock prices after the announcement of quarterly results seems to be the new normal for Infosys: Over the last three successive quarters, it has consistently disappointed investors either with a poor performance or with a muted growth outlook. This time was no exception.

India’s largest outsourcer TCS has been insisting that outsourcing demand is strong, raising expectations on the industry more broadly, including on Infosys. Long-touted as the sector’s bellwether, many investors still believe there is no reason this kind of optimism shouldn’t apply to Infosys, too.  Perhaps not for much longer.

Over the last few quarters,  Infosys has been complaining about its clients’ unpredictable spending habits and about their delays in decision-making on spending. This seems to apply mainly to Infosys, rather than to other companies in the industry.

“There are no cuts in [clients' IT] budgets,” current chief executive and incoming executive chairman S. Gopalakrishnan said. “There may be some volatility in their spending.”  Analysts seem puzzled as to why, and point at Infosys’ conservative stance. Infosys has been blaming the uncertain global economic environment as the main culprit behind the behavior of its clients.

Surprisingly, these challenges didn’t seem to be weighing on the financial performance of global outsourcing bigwig–Accenture PLC.–or TCS and HCL Technologies closer home.  Both TCS and HCL Technologies have been outperforming Street expectations in the last several quarters. Both companies are set to report the April-June results in coming days.

After Infosys’s disappointing performance in the last few quarters, analysts are now waiting for the results of TCS and HCL Technologies to check the pulse of India’s outsourcing sector. “We expect TCS and HCL to clearly outperform expectations this quarter,” said one analyst. This could well mark the end of Infosys’ status as the sector’s bellwether.

Source: http://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2011/07/12/did-infosys-catch-the-tendulkar-bug/?mod=google_news_blog

Sachin on Maken's mind for Bharat Ratna

New Delhi: A day after reports emerged that Sports Minister Ajay Maken has written to the Home Ministry asking it to consider including sportspersons in the list of Bharat Ratna awardees, it is clear that Sachin Tendulkar is on his priority list for the honour.

In an exclusive chat with NDTV, Maken, when asked in a rapid fire round about what comes to his mind when he thinks of Bharat Ratna, the master-blasters name came the prompt reply.

While fans, players and eminent sports personalities have already expressed their opinion supporting the highest civilian award for Tendulkar, the Sports Minister's opinion is sure to hasten the process of including sportspersons in the gambit of personalities awarded with the Bharat Ratna, which is currently reserved for artistic, literary, and scientific achievements, as well as "recognition of public service of the highest order.
Source:http://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/news/item/175773-sachin-on-makens-mind-for-bharat-ratna

Actor Vijay gets standing ovation in Shanghai film fest

Chennai, : Actor Vijay was given a standing ovation at the Shanghai film festival. His recently released Kavalan was screened on June 11 with  Chinese subtitles. Later addressing the gathering Vijay said,” I am a great fan of International Super Star Jackie Chan. Tamil Nadu from where I come from has a very big fan following for his films. I am honoured to address  you  from this great country,”.

Speaking about his experience in attending an International Film Festival he said,” The film was enjoyed by the Chinese audience who liked the comedy sequences. There was pin drop silence toawards the last 20 minutes of the film. There was lot of moist eyes. Many Chinese viewers came out and addressed me by the character name. This shows that a good film can be liked irrespective of the language. The moment will remain unforgettable,”

Chinese box office takings surged 64 percent over 2009 to more than 10 billion yuan (US$1.5 billion) last year and the country added 313 movie theaters and 1,533 new screens, for a current total of about 6,200 screens. The number of screens is projected to reach 20,000 in five years.

“China’s box office grows at an average rate of more than 40 percent every year,” said  Rupert Murdoch. “There is no more exciting film market in the world.” China maintains import restrictions that effectively limit the country to 20 foreign blockbusters a year. Film imports are still controlled by the state-owned China Film Group.

“This presents significant challenges,” Murdoch said, adding that limited access to foreign content encourages piracy.

http://truthdive.com/2011/06/14/actor-vijay-gets-standing-ovation-in-shanghai-film-fest.html

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I can relate to Tendulkar in dedication and aggression: Bolt

NEW DELHI: Yearning to see Sachin Tendulkarplay, Olympic and world champion sprinter Usain Bolt on Tuesday said he can relate to the Indian cricket icon when it comes to dedication and aggression.

Asked about the qualities he admires in Tendulkar, Bolt said, "Tendulkar is obviously dedicated. He is aggressive but calculated and knows how to make runs."

"He (Tendulkar) also plays for the fans ... really similar to what I do," Bolt said.

Tendulkar recently met tennis great Roger Federerduring the ongoing Wimbledon Championships inLondon and Bolt said he would be game for a similar meeting with the Indian.

"I hope to be able to watch him play sometime in future but I don't have any plans to meet him at the moment. He is always welcome to come and watch me run," said the Jamaican triple Olympic and World Championships gold medallist.

Bolt described Tendulkar as one of the greatest cricketers but picked fellow West Indian Vivian Richards as the greatest of all time.

Asked to take his pick among Tendulkar, Brian Lara, Vivian Richards, Garfield Sobers and Shane Warne, Bolt said, "That is a difficult one, they were all great in their time, but I think I would give the edge to Sir Vivian Richards."

Bolt said just like Tendulkar, he also has to deal with the expectations of millions of his fans but the adulation motivates him.

"I use it (pressure of expectation) as a positive. It is nice when so many people are interested in what you do and concerned by the outcome. I find it motivating," said Bolt, the world record holder (9.58secs) in 100m.

Bolt's famous 'bow and arrow' celebration pose was imitated by the Indian cricket team during the recent World Cup and he said he felt honoured.

"It is a great honour when someone else copies my pose. I have seen it in cricket and football and it makes me smile every time," he said.

Bolt explained that his running schedule was the reason he skipped the Commonwealth Gameshere last year but would look forward to run in India in future.

"The Commonwealth Games could not have been part of my schedule due to the time of year when they were staged. I normally end my season in September, rest in October and then start training in November for the following season. I would like to run in India in the future," he said.

"My coach and agent make all decisions about where I race. We look at the overall picture taking into consideration our major goals. Nobody tries to influence us to run in competitions that are not part of the schedule." 


Source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/more-sports/athletics/I-can-relate-to-Tendulkar-in-dedication-and-aggression-Bolt/articleshow/9036243.cms

Want to meet Sachin? Here's how

New Delhi:  You don't have to be in the Indian playing XI to get up, close and personal with the Master Blaster.

In a nationwide initiative launched a Life Insurance company, the Aviva Young Scholar Hunt, five lucky winners get an opportunity to meet Sachin Tendulkar in the UK and visit the prestigious Oxford University with their parents. Besides, 20 children will receive scholarships and another 4000 will get Sachin branded merchandise.

Talking about the initiative, Sachin Tendulkar said, "I believe that education is the best form of insurance for one's future. This is an exciting initiative that will give children an opportunity to visit the prestigious and aspirational Oxford University, and win scholarships."

Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/want-to-meet-sachin-here-s-how-115278?cp

M.F Husain's gift to Sachin tendulkar

Shahrukh Khan 'breaks a leg' at IIFA, ends up with bleeding knee

King Khan Shahrukh never fails to charm his fans.

Despite stern medical advice from his doctors and wife Gauri Khan, SRK set the stage on fire with his usual high-voltage performance on day three at IIFA, Toronto.

The 45-year old actor gave an enthralling performance on the last day of IIFA and managed to make the audiences dance to his tunes. However, after finishing his action-packed act, Shahrukh limped out of the stage with his knees bleeding.

The organizers and his choreographer Shaimak Davar had modified the dance steps keeping his injury in mind. But Shahrukh made sure that his injury doesn’t bother him and he completed his dance with much elegance and like a professional. However, after the performance, he just limped out of the stage, revealed a source. 

Meanwhile, Shahrukh threw another surprise to the viewers when he chose to perform on the title track of his frenemy Salman Khan’s ‘Dabangg’, which was the highlight of the night.

SRK, who is now nursing his knee injury, confirmed the news on his microblogging site as he tweets, “London summer...looking forward to some rest time for a few days. Get rid of tan...grow hair...get knee to stop creaking..and shop for toys. (sic)”

http://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/news/item/175062-shahrukh-is-like-a-brother-to-me-says-ganguly

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Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' jacket sells for $ 1.8 mn

LOS ANGELES: The iconic red and black leather jacket worn by Michael Jackson in his 'Thriller' music video has fetched a whopping USD 1.8 million at an online auction. 

The jacket was estimated to fetch at least USD 200,000 at the Sunday's auction, overseen by Julien's Auctions in Beverly Hills . The auction house called the winning bid a "record", the Hollywood Reporter said. 

Julien's said that Milton Verret of Austin, Texas, was the winning bidder; he plans to display it at Austin's Dell Children's Hospital and hopes to raise money for children's charities and hospitals around the world in the spirit of Jackson. 

The jacket was given by Jackson, who died in 2009, to his longtime costume designers Dennis Tompkins and Michael Bush. The inside lining is inscribed "To Bush and Dennis, All My Love, Michael Jackson," and the sleeve is signed "Love Michael Jackson." 

A portion of the proceeds from the jacket's sale will benefit the Shambala Preserve, where Jackson's Bengal tigers Thriller and Sabu have resided since 2006. 

'Thriller' went on to become the top-grossing single of all time and the 1982 album of the same name is the biggest-selling of all time. 

'King of Pop' died on June 25, 2009 from an overdose of the sedative Propofol. He was 50-years-old.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/newsbyindustry/etcetera/Michael-Jacksons-Thriller-jacket-sells-for-18-mn/articleshow/9012572.cms

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Shun drugs, Tendulkar says

Mumbai: Cricket maestro Sachin Tendulkar is now asking the youth to shun drugs.

Messages and posters endorsed by Tendulkar have been displayed on local trains and railway stations, according to Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) zonal director Yashodhan Wanage.

Sunday is the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

Targeting the 18-30 age group, Tendulkar's simple messages reads: Think Health, Not Drugs.

This is the second major public awareness activity taken up by the cricketer. Last year, he promoted the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's save water campaign.
Source:http://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/news/item/175067-shun-drugs-tendulkar-says

Esmail Darbar accuses A R Rahman of theft. Music director Esmail Darbar claims Oscar-winning tune Jai Ho is not an original work

 

Dubai: Bollywood music director Esmail Darbar has accused Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman of bribing Academy officials and of stealing compositions.

In a report in Tuesday's edition of the Indian tabloid Mid Day that the Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam composer also claims that he has proof that the Oscar-winning tune Jai Ho is not an original work.

"Rahman is a very good businessman, he knows how to handle his public relations. I will yet again say that he has bought the Oscar," Darbar was quoted as saying.

"I have proof that Jai Ho is not his. It has been done by someone else. All the big film-makers like Subhash Ghai, Mani Ratnam know about it," he added.

Though the music maestro hasn't responded to Darbar's allegations, Vijay Iyer, a member of his musical team, has come out in support of him.

"If someone says he has bought the Oscars, how does he explain his Oscar nomination for 127 Hours? We are all proud of everything that he has done," Iyer was quoted in the same daily.

Rahman received two Oscars in 2009 -- Best Original Score and Best Original Song for his music in Slumdog Millionaire. In 2011, he was also nominated in the same categories for Danny Boyle's 127 Hours.

The Chennai-based music director is one of the most in-demand composers in India today.

Source:http://gulfnews.com/arts-entertainment/celebrity/esmail-darbar-accuses-a-r-rahman-of-theft-1.815267

MS Dhoni's Rs 645 tax cheque bounces

Bank sends back Dhoni's cheque due to wrong account number

PTI Jun 25, 2011, 07.27pm IST

Tags:

• Mahendra Singh Dhoni

RANCHI: Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni's cheque of Rs 645 to pay house tax was returned by a nationalised bank due to wrong account number.

The cheque was in favour of Ranchi Municipal Corporation and the payment to be made towards holding tax for Dhoni's house at Harmu under Doranda circle.

"It was not bounced. The cheque dated March 15 was returned (by the bank) due to wrong account number. It's a human error," Ranchi Municipal Corporation's Chief Executive Officer Vinay Chowbey told PTI today.

SOURCE:  http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-06-25/off-the-field/29702440_1_cheque-mahendra-singh-dhoni-harmu

Telugu film review: 180 is emotional torture

Film: 180
Director: Jayendra Sarma
Cast: Siddharth, Priya Anand, Nithya Menon, Mouli
Rating: *1/2

180 is two and a half hours of emotional torture that is so brutally assaultive in its determination to extort sympathy from viewers that it practically leaps off the screen and into their laps in order to get to it. This film is completely contrived and uneven; by the end we are screaming to yank our eyes and ears away from all that overtly dramatic music, glycerin tears, the super sensitive subject choice and the crushing lack of sensibility. Siddharth’s heartfelt performance and the exquisite cinematography can't redeem the dramatic fallacies surrounding this mess.

Mind you, 180 has a rather intriguing first act, but by the end it just left me mourning the movie that might have been.The idea of a young character facing death can’t help but be compelling in a way, but director Sarma and his writing collaborator Umarji Anuradha aren’t satisfied with telling the story in a clean and straightforward manner. Instead, they adopt a structure that tells the story from the shifting memories of the central character, (though on close inspection it’s a technique they ignore as often as they follow it).

A stranger who calls himself Ajay (Siddharth) arrives in Kasi on a spiritual journey. After a super duper ultra slow motion bath in the river, he moves to Hyderabad and stays as a paying guest with an elderly couple (Mouli and Geetha). Ajay indulges in weird things like selling moong falli on the streets, helping slum kids deliver newspapers and standing up for the common man. Photo journalist Vidya (Menen) is smitten by Ajay’s saintly attitude, and she wastes no time in expressing her feelings for him. Ajay, who hides a traumatic past, rejects her and suddenly leaves the city – it’s when Jayendra pulls the rug from under our feet by involving one of the characters in a terrible accident.The frightening escalation of Ajay’s past is glimpsed in vivid flashbacks, but the result is a laughable jumble.

Moreover, Jayendra and Anuradha ratchet up the mawkish quotient mercilessly. It’s not simply that they go for the jugular in scenes like the inevitable one where the hero wants to make one last visit to his lady love.It’s that they ladle on the plot holes with grotesque profusion. A character who suffers from a broken spine is shifted from Hyderabad to San Francisco for an emergency surgery. Another sees death – which is portrayed as a sidey black man wearing trench coats and carrying ropes. And while a patient battles life and death, we’re transported to the romantic flashback between Ajay and Renu (Anand), which includes a picturesque joyous song sequence, then an obligatory sad cameo from Ajay’s mother who dies, which is almost immediately followed by a wedding and another romantic number.

Tonal inconsistencies be damned, 180 suffers from sheer sloppiness of script that results in scenes of comedic frivolity.The dramatic turns in the second half are so conceptually off-kilter that they really succeed as unintentional hilarity. A prime example of the latter would be a scene where ‘Death’ (the black dude) stands on a flowing river, and points and laughs. Not to mention the big reveal – the scene is hysterically overlaid with a dramatic song so as to dampen its persuasive power. It's as if Siddharth had to convince even the filmmakers of his plight.

Priya Anand’s performance — talk about people going overboard in an effort to make an impression. I can understand why she would want to take this role, but her work here is so shrill and overbearing (even beyond the demands of the character) that it just becomes embarrassing. Nithya Menen comes off as painfully forced for most part of the film. The best performance is given by Balasubramaniam’s high speed camera that captures some truly amazing, detailed slow-mo nuggets (although why those sequences existed in the movie remains a mystery).

180 feels like there was an explosion at the sob story factory and little pieces from dozens of different films were jammed together into one dreadful mutant. The whole terminal illness melodrama attacks your chest so relentlessly, that by the time it's over you’re forced to beg for a defibrillator.

Source: 

http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/review_telugu-film-review-180-is-emotional-torture_1559024

Kashmir problem is Nehru's special gift to India: Advani

NEW DELHI: As India and Pakistan restored peace talks over pending issues including Kashmir, veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L.K. Advani Sunday slammed the country's first political family of late prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru whose "lack of courage" led to the Kashmir issue remaining unresolved. 

In the latest entry on his blog, http://blog.lkadvani.in, the BJP leader also slammed late chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah whose ambition to be the leader of independent Kashmir also contributed to the issue. 

Advani said neither the government of Nehru in New Delhi nor the government of Abdullah in Srinagar believed that Jammu and Kashmir needed to be fully integrated into the Indian union. 

"In the case of Abdullah, the problem was his ambition to become the unquestioned leader of a virtually independent Kashmir. In the case of Nehruji, it was a matter of lack of courage, firmness and foresight," Advani said. 

He said that Article 370, which gives a special status to Jammu and Kashmir in the Indian constitution, had "emboldened" secessionist forces in the state to carry out their "poisonous propaganda that (Kashmir's) accession to India is not final and that Kashmir, in particular, is not a part of India." 

Advani wrote that India had lost two opportunities to settle the issue once and for all with Pakistan -- one in the 1947 war when Nehru ruled the country and the other in the 1971 Bangladesh war when Nerhu's daughter Indira Gandhi was at the helm. 

"Our countrymen should know that the Kashmir problem is Nehru family's special 'gift' to the nation," he wrote in a sarcastic vein. 

"Nehruji's blunder was totally avoidable. The consequences of this 'gift' are Pakistan's export of cross-border terrorism and religious extremism, thousands of lives of our security personnel and civilians and tens of thousands of crores of rupees spent on military and paramilitary defence." 

The BJP leader's comments come days after India and Pakistani in foreign secretary level talks in Islamabad discussed a range of issues relating to peace and security, Jammu and Kashmir and the promotion of trade. 

Advani also warned against giving any autonomy to the state because "the implications must be understood".

Source:

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/kashmir-problem-is-nehrus-special-gift-to-india-advani/articleshow/9002820.cms

Hillary Clinton adviser compares internet to Che Guevara

Hillary Clinton's senior adviser for innovation at the US state department has lauded the way the internet has become "the Che Guevara of the 21st century" in the Arab Spring uprisings.

Speaking at the Guardian's Activate summit in London on Wednesday, Alec Ross said "dictatorships are now more vulnerable than ever" as disaffected citizens organise influential protest movements on Facebook and Twitter.

The US has pledged to back the pro-democracy movements that have swept the Middle East and north Africa since January. Ross welcomed the "redistribution of power" from autocratic regimes to individuals, describing the internet as "wildly disruptive" during the protests in Egypt and Tunisia.

"Dictatorships are now more vulnerable than they have ever been before, in part – but not entirely – because of the devolution of power from the nation state to the individual," he said.

"One thesis statement I want to emphasise is how networks disrupt the exercise of power. They devolve power from the nation state – from governments and large institutions – to individuals and small institutions. The overarching pattern is the redistribution of power from governments and large institutions to people and small institutions."

Ross said that the internet had "acted as an accelerant" in the Arab spring uprisings, pointing to the dislodging of former Tunisian president Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali in little over a month. The internet had facilitated leaderless movements, Ross added, describing it as the "Che Guevara of the 21st century".

However, he said it was a "bridge too far" to describe the Egyptian uprising as a "Facebook revolution".

Ross added: "If hierarchies are being levelled then people at the top of those hierarchies are finding themselves on much shakier ground. What's remarkable is the speed, this is lightning fast change taking place and I've got to be honest, I think this is fun. It's going to be wildly disruptive in the next few years and net-net I think this is a good thing."

US president Barack Obama, whose 2008 election campaign Ross helped co-ordinate, threw US support behind the pro-democracy movements in a landmark speech in May. "The status quo is not sustainable," he said, describing the movements as a "historic opportunity".

Ory Okolloh, the manager of government policy and relations at Google Africa, speaking in the Guardian Activate session, said: "A lot of these uprisings underline that young people not only frustrated – they've been frustrate for a long time – but the internet brings you closer to what your life could be and should be like.

"We have this revolution, but what happens after the revolution? Technology cannot answer that question: it won't give you jobs or financing, and won't help rebuild the economy. If we get too caught up in the role of technology we will be missing a huge opportunity."

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/jun/22/hillary-clinton-adviser-alec-ross