PUBLICATION OF THE CONSULATE GENERAL OF INDIA IN DUBAI

◆ Bank of Baroda celebrates its102nd anniversary

◆ Financial Open House helpsexpat Indians

◆ 39 Indian firms figure in newForbes Asia list

◆ India’s passenger vehicle industry in top gear

VOL. 2 ISSUE 8 AUGUST 2010

INDIANS IN UAE celebrate 64th I-Day

PRIZE QUIZ

INSIDEBank of Baroda’sBank of Baroda’s102nd anniversary102nd anniversary

INDIANS IN UAE celebrate 64th I-Day

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INDIA MATTERSAUGUST 2010

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64th Indian I-Day celebrated in UAE

39 Indian companies made it to this year’sForbes ‘Asia’s Best Under A Billion’ list, upfrom just 20 last year making India thebiggest gainer in the region.

The •Ministry of Human ResourcesDevelopment has unveiled a new laptoppriced at just $30 designed specificallyfor students and is being described as theworld’s cheapest laptop.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

39 Indian companies innew Forbes list

INDIA-UAE

Bank of Baroda celebrates102nd anniversary

11

COMMUNITY

Financial Open House tohelp expat Indians

12

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

New $30 laptop designedfor students unveiled

19

16

20

CHAMBA

The 64th Independence Day of India was celebrated in the UAE with hundredsof expatriate Indians turning up for the flag hoisting ceremonies at the Embassyin Abu Dhabi and the Consulate in Dubai.

contents

4

India Mattersis a monthly publication of theConsulate General of India

(CGI) in Dubai. All rightsreserved. No part of this journal

may be produced, stored or transmitted in any form or by anymeans – electronic, mechanical,

photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the

permission of the CGI Dubai.

Editorial correspondence and manuscripts can be addressed to

indiamatters2009@gmail.com

Content and design by IANS(www.ianspublishing.com)

on behalf of Consulate General of India in Dubai.

FROM THE CONSUL GENERAL’S DESKDear Reader,

India is the cradle of the human race, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history, the grandmother of legend, andthe great grandmother of tradition. Our most valuable and most instructive materials in the history of man are treasured up inIndia only – Mark Twain

The 64th Independence Day was celebrated with fervour all across the UAE, with functions held at both theEmbassy in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate in Dubai. People from all walks of life attended the events, which are coveredin this issue of the magazine.

The President and the Prime Pinister expressed our national ideal of inclusive growth, culture of conciliation and dia-logue in their address to the nation. The President, in her address, recalled that India was ranked as the world’s fourthlargest economy based on purchasing power parity

“But our task will be complete only when no one sleeps on a hungry stomach, when no one sleeps on footpath andwhen every child is in school,” the President added.

Bank of Baroda, our only bank with a retail licence in the UAE, celebrated its 102nd anniversary. On this occasion,it launched its online internet banking service by offering its customers a facility to do banking anytime, anywhere.Congratulations to the bank and here’s wishing them all the success in their future endeavours.

Two blood donation camps were held on August 13 and 17, one at Our Own English High School, which wasorganised by the Friends of India, a social organisation, and the other in the Consulate auditorium organised by theIndian Community Welfare Centre (ICWC) respectively. The response to both the events was good. Donating bloodscores on two counts: saving a life and revalidating that humans are one irrespective of man-made divides.

There are Open Houses and there are Open Houses. An Open House was held at the Consulate on August 20 toexclusively address financial issues. The Financial Open House catered to 150 people who were given professional helpto address financial concerns with banks and other lenders. The Financial Open House was the first of its kind initiativeand, seeing the response and feedback, we intend to extend it to the Northern Emirates. The success of the FinancialOpen House rested solely on the Indian Institute of Management Alumni in Dubai, Mr. Shamsuddin, Mr. Abdul Aziz,the financial lawyer, and our Counsellor, Mrs. Shailaja Menon.

Happy Reading.

INDIA MATTERS ON AIRThe Consulate General of India in Dubai has re-launched its

weekly radio programme, India Matters, with the purpose ofinforming the public about various Consular services, events relat-ing to India and about what matters to Indians in the UAE.

India Matters is aired every Saturday between 6 pm and 7 pmon FM 105.4 Radio Spice and repeated every Friday between 5 pmand 6 pm.

FM 105.4 Radio Spice caters to the South Asian community inthe UAE, broadcasting mainly in Hindi and English.

Sanjay Verma

The winner of the July 2010 monthly quiz contest is

Ms. Rose Mitchell. She wins a gift hamper.

Congratulations!

said.Pupils from Abu Dhabi Indian School

and Eduscan Institute performed musicaland cultural programmes at the Embassy.

Mr. Sanjay Verma, Consul General ofIndia in Dubai, unfurled the national flagon August 15 at the premises of the IndianConsulate in Dubai in the presence of the

Indian community.Addressing hundreds of Indians assem-

bled at the Consulate , Consul GeneralVerma said, “We should celebrateIndependence Day as a festival”.

“The young Indian’s strive for excellenceis the new age patriotism. You mustdemonstrate your nationalism through

your excellence at work, wherever you maywork,” he added.

“India has been called the engine ofglobal growth, so show it through yourwork that you are an Indian,” he said,adding that the strength of the Indiancommunity is the ability to portray the realscenario of the country and admit mis-

People from all walks of life – stu-dents, teachers, businessmen,architects, construction workers,bankers and others – attended the

functions in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Livingaway from their homeland only seemed tohave instilled stronger national pride inthem as hundreds of expatriates were pres-ent as the tri-colour flag was hoisted at theIndian diplomatic missions to the accom-paniment of the national anthem.

The festivities were muted due toRamadan, but the expatriate Indians herewere excited that the messages delivered bythe Indian President and Prime Ministeron the occasion of Independence Dayupheld the values of equity and tolerancewhich are at the core of the sacred tenets ofRamadan.

Indian Ambassador to the UAE, Mr.M.K. Lokesh, hoisted the national flag atthe Embassy in Abu Dhabi to mark the

beginning of the celebrations onIndependence Day.

The Ambassador then read out theaddress to the nation delivered by IndianPresident Pratibha Patil on the eve ofIndependence Day. Indian expatriates inthe UAE are more attached to their rootsthan their compatriots in other countriesbecause of the favourable atmosphere hereand have put their hard work and becomeprosperous and successful, the Ambassador

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COVER STORY

Indians in the UAE celebrated India’s64th Independence Day with greatfervour and pride on August 15

64th Independence DayCELEBRATEDACROSS UAE

(Right) Consul General of India in Dubai, Mr. Sanjay Verma, hoisting the Indian tricolour at the Consulate premises on August 15 tomark the 64th Independence Day of India; and (left) the Consul General addressing the gathering on the occasion.

takes, “but our flaw lies in our criticalnature”.

Consul General Verma also praised thestrong bilateral relations between the UAEand India as he spoke in Hindi and Englishto a crowd that spilled out of an auditori-um decorated with saffron, white andgreen streamers.

The Indian population in the Emiratesis more than 1.5 million strong, many ofwhom came to Dubai in the 1950s to setup businesses and search for employment.

The restaurant delivery man, Abdul

Kalam Azadh, who pulled survivors fromburning cars after a fatal crash, was alsofeted at the Indian Consulate during thecourse of the celebrations.

Mr. Azadh was greeted by several hun-dred Indian expatriates and given a mobilephone. People clapped and cheered whenhe was called on stage by Consul GeneralVerma.

“Not caring for your safety, you success-fully rescued a number of accident victims,”said Mr Verma. “By your selfless act youemerged a real-life hero. You have made us all

proud.” Mr Azadh, who was also awarded acertificate of recognition by the consulate,said the crowd’s appreciation took awaysome of his bad memories of the incident.

“I did feel a little happy when I went onstage,” he said. “There were so many bigpeople, big men who were clapping forme.” The Indian choir Malhaar gave a 15-minute recital as part of the festivities thatfeatured traditional musical instrumentssuch as the tabla, a small drum; the mri-dangam, a barrel-shaped drum; and theharmonium, a small organ. v

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COVER STORY

(Above) Expatriate Indians gathered at the Consulate premises in Dubai to celebrate the 64th Independence Day; and (below) the Indianchoir group Malhaar performing on the occasion.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on

August 15 said that a a new India was

being built “in which every citizen

would have a stake”.

“Today, India stands among the fastest

growing economies of the world. As the

world's largest democracy, we have become

an example for many other countries to emu-

late,” the Prime Minister said in his

Independence Day address.

“We are building a new India in which

every citizen would have a stake, an India

which would be prosperous and in which all

citizens would be able to live a life of honour

and dignity in an environment of peace and

goodwill.”

The Prime Minister said there were indeed

problems like high prices of food items like

grain, pulses, vegetables and fruits, which

were hurting the poor the most, and under-

lined that he shared the people's concern.

“I would certainly like to say we are mak-

ing every possible effort to tackle this prob-

lem. I am also confident we will succeed in

these efforts,” he said in his seventh such

Independence Day address to the nation.

The Oxford-educated economist Prime

Minister also justified the recent hike in

prices of petroleum products and said there

was no option before the government given

the high cost of crude oil, of which India is a

major importer.

“The subsidy on petroleum products has

been increasing every year. It had become

necessary therefore to hike the prices of

petroleum products,” he said, adding it

would have otherwise limited the funds avail-

able for welfare schemes.

“If this had not been done, it would not

have been possible for our budget to bear

the burden of subsidy and our programmes

for education, health and employment of the

poor would have been adversely affected.”

The Prime Minister said his government

laid special emphasis on the welfare of farm-

ers and farm productivity, after finding that

agriculture had poor growth for about eight

years until he took power in 2004.

He accordingly announced a new institu-

tion named after Nobel laureate Norman

Borlaug – who ushered India’s Green

Revolution in the 1970s – to develop new

seeds and farm technology, with the aim of a

4 percent farm growth.

“Our country has not witnessed any big

technological breakthrough in agriculture

after the Green Revolution. We need tech-

nology which would address the needs of

dry land agriculture.”

Poor physical infrastructure was another

area on which Manmohan Singh expressed

concern and said private sector had to be

roped in as in the case of the “excellent”

new terminal at the Delhi airport.

“There is a large deficit in our physical

infrastructure and affects economic develop-

ment adversely,” the Prime Minister said,

adding that large funds needed for improve-

ment demanded a partnership between the

government and private sector.

“About a month and a half back, I dedicat-

ed a new terminal of the Delhi airport to the

nation. This is an excellent terminal which

has been completed in record time. We will

continue to make such efforts to improve our

infrastructure.”

Overall, the Prime Minister expressed sat-

isfaction over the progress the Indian econo-

my was making, especially in the light of

severe drought-like situation last year and

the worst global slowdown since the 1930s.

“I am happy to say we have acquitted our-

selves well in difficult circumstances.

Despite many problems, the rate of our eco-

nomic growth has been better than most

other countries in the world. This shows the

strength of our economy.”

A NEW INDIA IS BEING BUILT, SAYS PM

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COVER STORY

President Pratibha Patil on August 14

called for speeding up of projects to

fill the “infrastructural deficit” that

impedes India’s economic growth and was

not in sync with its image of an emerging

global player.

Addressing the nation on the eve of

India’s 64th Independence Day, the

President also laid importance on expan-

sion of industries and encouraging and pur-

suing cutting-edge technologies, research

and development.

“The categorisation of nations as rich

and poor, developed and developing may

well be overtaken by a new definition of

those nations that innovate rapidly, as

opposed to those which do so on a lower

scale.

“To be in the forefront of cutting-edge

technologies, research and development in

all fields must be encouraged and pursued

in the country,” she said.

“We must also speed up the construction

of physical infrastructure. We need new

roads, ports, airports, power projects as

well as reinforcement of existing facilities.

BRIDGE INFRASTRUCTURAL DEFICIT: PRESIDENT

The augmentation will fill the infrastructural

deficit that impedes overall economic growth

and is, in many ways, out of sync with our

image of an emerging global player,” she

said.

She also emphasised the importance of

education in building a India of tomorrow.

“I believe that empowerment through edu-

cation is important as it opens many doors

of opportunity. The Right to Education Act

has made free and compulsory primary edu-

cation for children a fundamental right. It is

important that secondary education is also

universalised, as we seek to increase enrol-

ment levels in higher education.

“This will provide the ‘brain power’ for the

nation. We are living in an age where innova-

tion is shaping many areas of human activity.

New technologies can enhance our agricul-

ture and industrial productivity,” she added.

Noting that industries should continue to

grow, the President said, Indian companies

should persist with efforts to be efficient and

globally competitive.

She also said a “fresh perspective” is

required for agriculture to steer it towards a

second green revolution.

But, she added, that it cannot be looked in

isolation and needs to be connected with

other sectors of the economy.

“Linking industry with agriculture would

provide a basis for growth of industry in the

rural areas and also promote agriculture

business,” Patil said.

She said support to the rural poor and

farm labour through skill development, voca-

tional training and social welfare pro-

grammes, must be a priority.

On January 26, 1930, the Indian

National Congress adopted the

‘Poorna Swaraj’ resolution at its

Lahore session – a call that was deemed as

the first step to India’s midnight rendezvous

with freedom on August 15, 1947. All this

and more comes alive through typewritten

sepia-toned documents at the National

Archives of India in New Delhi.

An armful of such documents – some fad-

ing with age – grainy, black-and-white pho-

tographs and press clippings at the

National Archives of India bear testimony to

the events that led to the creation of a free

India 63 years ago and a sovereign repub-

lic three years later in 1950.

A two-month exhibition, ‘Independence To

Republic’, at the National Archives of India

that opened on August 14 captures India’s

journey from ‘Poorna Swaraj’ to a sovereign

republic in 1950 with the adoption of the

Constitution in an ode to the country’s 64th

Independence Day.

“The exhibition highlights the tortuous

career of our Independence and the

remarkable journey to a Republic. It is not

so much about Independence, but about

the Republic of India. This is the third exhi-

bition in two months,” Mr. Mushirul Hasan,

Director General of the National Archives of

India, told IANS newswire.

“We are planning a series of exhibitions.

The next one will be on Commonwealth

Games. It will exhibit documents related to

the Games held in the Commonwealth

nations. The Commonwealth showcase will

be followed by two more exhibitions on

Rajendra Prasad and Dadabhai Naoroji,” he

added.

“We have just received the Manuben

diaries (papers) in Gujarati from a private

collector. They have a large number of let-

ters from Gandhiji,” Hasan said.

Manuben was the wife of Mahatma

Gandhi's grand-nephew Joysukhlal Gandhi.

The exhibition is a virtual walk through

unusual nuggets of India’s freedom strug-

gle.

“Some of the exhibits have not been dis-

played before,” Hasan said.

For instance, in 1946, the question of

seating arrangements in the Constituent

Assembly’s Hall presented some “difficul-

ties”.

Rajendra Prasad directed that the seating

plan should be arranged in the order in

which the provinces were listed in the

Government of India Act, 1935.

The Press Gallery Committee suggested

that the foreign correspondents admitted to

the Constituent Assembly should be segre-

gated from the domestic media.

B.C Rao, the constitutional advisor to

Rajendra Prasad, thought that the sugges-

tion was kind of in retaliation to the dis-

courteous treatment of the Indian press

correspondents at certain foreign confer-

ences.

Rajendra Prasad disapproved of the pro-

posal because “it was contrary to Indian

hospitality”. The controversy is documented

in a bunch of frayed missives.

A handwritten letter dated January 14,

1950, from Nagpur-based astrologer N.K.

Behera, “forwarded the horoscope or janamkundali of India to Rajendra Prasad saying

January 26, 1950, was an auspicious day to

declare India a republic under an ascen-

dant Aries in the full moon period".

On January 23, 1950, then prime minister

Jawaharlal Nehru wrote to Rajendra Prasad

that “...we have laid down a formal dress

code for our own ambassadors... The dress

is a black ‘achkan (bandhgulla)’ and ‘churi-

dar payjama’ (tight pants). Personally, I

wear it at night and on other occasions. The

practice is growing...”

Among other exhibits are copies of the

judgement of Justice Khosla on the

Mahatma Gandhi murder trial and a

January 30, 1948, FIR on the assassination

of the Father of the Nation.

The highlights also include dogeared

copies of the Government of India Act,

1935, a message of the viceroy dated May

17, 1946 on the proposal of the Cabinet

Mission delegation, a 1947 confidential let-

ter announcing the swearing-in of Lord

Mountbatten, the minutes of the first

Constituent Assembly meeting, a letter

from Nehru to Rajendra Prasad on the

promulgation of the Republic and several

more.

The exhibition is divided into five sections

– Poorna Swaraj, Foundation of the

Constitution, Transitional Turmoil,

Independence At Last and Making of the

Republic in a chronological sequence.

NATIONAL ARCHIVESTELL INDIA’SINDEPENDENCE STORY

INDIA-UAE

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Bank of Baroda’s 102nd anniversary

Bank of Baroda on August 29 cel-ebrated its 102nd foundinganniversary with huge fanfare.On the occasion, the bank’s

online internet banking service in theUAE was launched by HH SheikhNahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, UAEMinister for Higher Education andScientific Research.

In his address, Sheikh Nahyan congrat-ulated the bank for completing 102 yearsand complimented it for its sustainedgrowth and impressive success it hasestablished. He also noted the transparen-cy, the innovations, the continuousimprovement in banking and financialservices achieved by the bank and laudedthe reputation of Bank of Baroda amongstindividuals and community.

Sheikh Nahyan also referred to the cru-cial role played by the UAE in the region’strade, the cutting edge it offers in thisinterdependent world and the importanceit has gained in the overall global econo-my. He further referred to the changeswhich the global financial market is expe-

riencing and the ability of the UAE toface the same.

Mr. M.K. Lokesh, Ambassador ofIndia to the UAE, congratulated the bankfor completing 102 years and the trust ithas built across the globe over these years.He wished the bank a very bright futureand success in the next 100 years tocome.

Mr. Sanjay Verma, Consul General ofIndia in Dubai, lauded the bank’s support

to entrepreneurs in the country and serv-ices offered by it. He also congratulatedthe bank for completing 102 years.

Mr. Ashok K. Gupta, Chief Executive(GCC Operations), Bank of Baroda,expressed his sincere thanks to SheikhNahyan for gracing the occasion by hispresence and also thanked the UAE gov-ernment and the Central Bank of UAEfor guiding the bank to such splendid per-formance in the UAE, especially duringthe challenging market conditions.

With the launching of online internetbanking, the bank has taken a big leapforward by offering its customers a facili-ty to do banking anytime, anywhere inthe world, according to their convenience.Customers can transfer funds, get SMS/email alerts for major withdrawal, requestfor cheque book, get account balances,and transaction history through this newservice. It is a part of the bank’s endeavourto take the banking to the doorsteps of itscustomers. The bank also has plans tostart remittance and bill payment throughinternet, mobile and ATMs. v

Ablood donation camp wasorganised on August 14 by theFriends Of India, a social organ-isation based in Dubai, at Our

Own English High School to commemo-rate the 64th Indian Independence Day.

The event was inaugurated by ConsulGenral of India in Dubai, Mr. SanjayVerma, and presided over by Mr. K.Kumar,

Convener of Indian Community WelfareCommittee (ICWC), Dubai. ConsulGeneral Verma inaugurated the event bybecoming the the first donor.

The response to the event was exception-ally good with more than 200 donors show-ing up. This was highly appreciated by AlWasl Hospital authorities, who providedthe medical team and equipment on site.

The event also assumed siginificancegiven the fact that, during the holymonth of Ramadan, there are lesser blooddonations as those who are fasting are notsupposed to donate blood during thisperiod.

The Friends Of India has been conduct-ing such camps regularly each month forthe past two years. v

Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyanspeaking at the function.

A cake being cut inDubai to mark the102nd anniversary ofBank of Baroda.

A scene from the blood donation camp held by the Friends of India in Dubai to mark Independence Day.

FoI holds blood donation camp

ICWC BLOOD DONATION CAMP

The Indian Community Welfare Committee (ICWC),in association with the Dubai Health Authority andthe Blood Donation Centre in Al Wasl Hospital,

organised a blood donation camp on the August 17, 2010, atthe Indian Consulate in Dubai.

More than 50 persons volunteered to donate blood. Mrs.Sangeeta Matta Verma, wife of Consul General of India Mr.Sanjay Verma, and ICWC Convenor Mr. K. Kumar were thefirst few donors.

The hospital is in need of blood continuously for transfu-sions for children suffering from thalassemia. In addition,blood is also required for patients undergoing surgery for vari-ous illnesses and accident victims.

Members and patrons of ICWC provided light refreshmentto donors at the camp. v Volunteers and organisers at the ICWC blood donation camp.

There were also a lawyer and a psycholo-gist to address issues arising out of finan-cial matters.

Bounced cheques and continuousdefaults on credit card and personal loanspayments are a criminal offence in theUAE, unlike in India, and is likely to landthe defaulter in prison.

And a financial problem is not agonis-ing just for the individual but also thefamily.

Credit card debts are the most expensiveloans that lead to a vicious circle of finan-cial liabilities, experts warned. While per-sonal and mortgage loans come at an inter-est rate of 18 to 20 percent per annum, acredit card’s interest rate is almost 36 per-cent annually which leads to a bigger debttrap.

“Credit card debts are the most expen-sive,” said Nita Mathur, chairperson ofSavera.

“Many people hold up to 12 credit cards

with mounting debt on all of them,” shesaid.

“People need to be aware that if they justkeep paying minimum balances they areputting themselves into’a big trap.”

Consul General of India in Dubai, Mr.Sanjay Verma, told the gathering that herealised the magnitude of the problem aftervisits to prisons and emails from Indianexpatriates.

“We felt there was a need for this openhouse,” he said.

“This was a proactive measure on theconsulate’s part to inform the communityand make them aware of financial issuesand solutions,” Ms. Mathur said.

Savera is looking forward to organisemore counselling sessions in other emi-rates and also to work with the consulateto develop a programme for labourcamps.

“Those in labour camps have been givencredit cards but with low salaries they ulti-mately find themselves in a tight spot whenthe debt begins to grow,” said the chairper-son.

For people who have already fallen intothe credit card web, she suggested to takeout a personal loan to settle the debt as itcomes at a lower interest rate and can bespread over a longer tenure.

Cardholders can also approach thebank to transfer additional outstandingcharges to a low interest short to longterm loan.

The move comes after reports that theeconomic crisis led to several Indians in theUAE facing imprisonment for not keepingup with their debts.

Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs,Mr. Vayalar Ravi, had recently said thatthere were 1,361 Indians in UAE jails.

Many were being held for financialcrimes such as bounced cheques andunpaid credit card dues. v

Indian nationals, who wished to seekthe opinion of experts in financialmatters, particularly debt and invest-ments, were invited to a Financial

Open House on August 20 at the IndianConsulate auditorium.

More than 140 people turned out forthe open house, organised to raise financialawareness and to counsel those strugglingwith debt and related legal and psycholog-ical issues. For most of the families andindividuals who came in, the overridingissue involved liabilities arising out of mul-tiple credit card usage and taking out per-sonal loans.

There were a few who had questionsabout their mortgage loans availed for theproperties that have been delayed orstalled. Some others had questions aboutinsurance covers they bought with an

investment option tied into it.The session brought together a group

of banking executives, who offered coun-

seling services under the auspices ofSavera, an NGO run by the alumni of theIndian Institute of Management (IIM).

INDIA-UAE

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12| INDIA MATTERS

Financial Open House helps expats

n Talk to your friends and family and see if

they are willing to loan you money to pay

off some of your immediate payments to

avoid a cheque from bouncing or miss-

ing a credit card payment.

n Approach you bank and try to restruc-

ture your personal loan extending the

tenure that would allow you to reduce

your monthly installment.

n Compare your credit card interest rates

and get rid of the ones with higher inter-

est rates by balance transfer or taking a

personal loan if you are eligible, which is

usually of a lower interest rate and pay

off your credit cards and close them.

However, beware that some balance

transfers come with a fee.

n If you can neither do a balance transfer

nor take a personal loan because of your

financial situation, you have to force your-

self a drastic lifestyle change by cutting

down on your day to day expenditures,

including moving to cheaper accommo-

dation, giving up on your car; sending

your family back home if they are here;

and if possible, have a second income.

WHAT TO DO WHEN DEBT IS MOUNTING

FINANCIAL DO’S:

n Pay balance in full monthly. If not possi-

ble, try to pay more than the minimum

and stop using the credit card until bal-

ance is paid in full.

n Pay on time.

n If your payment begins to fall behind,

contact a counsellor/friend and the credit

card institution.

n Ask questions and shop around for the

best interest rates before taking a credit

card.

n Limit the number of cards.

n Stay within 30 percent of your credit limit.

That will ensure that your debt stays with-

in manageable limits.

n Use the card only in emergencies and

avoid making unnecessary purchases.

n Avoid identity fraud by reviewing your-

monthly statements for accuracy

FINANCIAL DON’T’S:

n Don’t pay late. Late fees are high as well

as interest is charged at 3 percent on the

outstanding.

n Don’t ignore a credit card bill. Get some

help instead.

n Don’t fall for gimmicks and do not take

the first card offered.

n Don’t get more cards to pay off debts.

n Don’t withdraw cash against your credit

card.

n You pay 3 percent instant fee on cash

withdrawn and start paying interest at 36

percent per annum.

n Don’t spend the maximum offered.

n Don’t throw away your receipts until you

have compared them to your statement

(As advised by Nita Mathur, chairman ofSavera, an NGO run by the alumni ofIndian Institute of Management)

The fragrance of roses and rajni-gandha fill the air as templebells ring in the background. Atrip to the flower market

in Connaught Place is an overwhelmingexperience for the senses, with the pave-ment sellers doing business worth lakhs ofrupees every month.

The Hanuman Temple flower marketcommences business at around 5 a.m. andcloses at 9 a.m. It is India’s biggest whole-sale cut-flower market and has beenaround for 20 years, claim shopkeepers.

Sellers set up temporary stalls outsidethe Delhi Tourism and TransportationDevelopment Corporation (DTTDC) cof-fee house, put up for sale of flowers (fakeand fresh), ferns, decoration items, beauti-ful bouquet baskets et al.

Rasheed Hussain’s stall does brisk busi-ness daily. When he opens shop, the city isasleep and when it is time for him to call ita day, the city dwellers are just beginningtheirs.

Raham Ali has a stall of artificial flowersand decorative items like motidaane andmotijhaadu which are made of paintedscraps and twigs of tree bark.

“We earn around Rs.500,000 permonth in the peak seasons — Novemberto February and March to May,” Ali said.

According to the shopkeepers, there areover 200 varieties of flowers in the market.

“Flowers like lilies, carnations and ger-beras are the hot sellers. Their demandremains strong all the time,” said AjabSingh, a wholesaler for the last eight years.

Kiosks selling coloured sprays, ribbons,decorative tapes, fancy wrapping papers,scissors and other things complement theflowers.

Vipin Aggarwal, the owner of a kiosk,said: “These items help in enhancing thelook of the flowers and bouquets. We selleverything at wholesale price and the busi-ness is booming.”

The market exports flowers worth lakhsof rupees every month worldwide.

“We export to Russia, Holland, Japan,Bangladesh, Pakistan and other countries.We are a force to be reckoned with in theexport market,” said Ajay Barua, vice pres-ident of the market association.

Overall, while the number of sellers,customers, quality and quantity of flowershave increased, issues like permanent shopsand licences are still troubling the market,according to Barua.

“Out of around 2,000 wholesalers here,only 260 have licences. Moreover, the gov-ernment has allotted us land in Ghazipurbut we are reluctant to shift because there

are no concrete structures ,” he said. Every seller opined that if properly built

shops at a permanent location are allotted,the business will increase manifold.

The Commonwealth Games are roundthe corner, and the wholesale market iseagerly eyeing the mega event. They antic-ipate strong sales and huge profits.

“The government is planning to buyflowers from Himachal Pradesh, Dehradunand other places. But I am sure the hugedemand will not be met completely,”opined Barua.

“It is here that we come in. We are hope-ful that the flowers from our mandi (mar-ket) will also be used in the Games,” headded.

“The best part is the wedding seasonwhich is just after the Games. It will beanother golden opportunity to increaseprofits,” Barua said.

Harish Bansal, 41, who has been a regu-lar at the market for the last eight years,said: “I visit the Hanuman Mandir everyTuesday morning and buy fresh flowersfrom this market.

“The bargain you get is just unbeliev-able. A carnation which sells outside forRs.15-20 can be bought here for a mereRs.5. This market is just irresistible,” headded. v

SPECIAL FEATURE

|15AUGUST 2010

INDIA MATTERSAUGUST 2010

14| INDIA MATTERS

Pan-African e-Network Phase 2 launched

A feast for the senses

India’s Minister for External AffairsMinister, Mr. S.M. Krishna, inaugu-rated the second phase of the Pan-African e-Network Project covering

12 countries at TCIL Bhawan, NewDelhi, on August 16 in the presence ofHigh Commissioners and Ambassadors ofAfrican countries and senior officers ofMinistry of External Affairs. The 12 coun-tries include Botswana, Burundi, Cote d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Libya,Malawi, Mozambique, Somalia, Ugandaand Zambia. Minister Krishna held anonline interaction on bilateral matterswith senior ministers and other high-rank-ing dignitaries in each of the 12 countriesindividually through the network. Heurged all the countries to take full advan-tage of the complete range of servicesoffered by India in the tele-education andtele-medicine fields. After the inaugura-tion, Minister Krishna addressed the par-ticipants, including members of themedia, when he described the Pan-Africane-Network Project as one of the finestexamples of the growing partnershipbetween India and Africa. He noted thatthis is the biggest project of distance edu-cation and tele-medicine ever undertakenin Africa. The project is also equipped tosupport e-governance, e-commerce, info-tainment, resource mapping and meteoro-logical and other services in the Africancountries, besides providing VVIP con-nectivity among the heads of state of theAfrican countries through a highly secureclosed satellite network.

A total of 47 countries have alreadyjoined the project. The network alreadycovers 34 countries and the remainingwould be progressively brought within itsscope. The first phase of the Pan Africane-Network Project was inaugurated inFebruary 2009 for 11 countries by thethen External Affairs Minister. Thesecountries are Benin, Burkina Faso,Gabon, the Gambia, Ghana, Ethiopia,Mauritius, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal andSeychelles. The basic objective of the Pan-African e-Network project is to assistAfrica in capacity building by way ofimparting quality education to 10,000students in Africa over a five-year period

in various disciplines from some of thebest Indian universities and educationalinstitutions. Besides, this would providetele-medicine services by way of onlinemedical consultation to the medical prac-tioners at the patient-end location inAfrica by Indian medical specialists in var-ious disciplines and specialties selected bythe African Union for its member States.The Pan African e-Network Project wasconceived by former President Dr. A.P.J.Kalam and approved by the UnionCabinet on July 5, 2007, at a budgetedcost of `542.90 crore ($125 million)which covers the cost of supply, installa-tion, testing and commissioning of hard-ware and software, end-to-end connectiv-ity, satellite bandwidth, O&M support,and providing tele-education and tele-medicine services to 53 African countriesfor five years. The Ministry of ExternalAffairs is the nodal ministry for the proj-ect while TelecommunicationsConsultants India Limited (TCIL) isimplementing the project on a turnkeybasis.

Regular tele-medicine and tele-educa-tion services have already been started on

this network. At present, the tele-medicineconsultations are regularly being conduct-ed from super-speciality hospitals fromIndia to the African countries on needbasis. Moreover, regular ContinuedMedical Education (CME) sessions havebeen started with effect from April 29,2009, from 11 Indian super-specialty hos-pitals. So far, 654 CME sessions have beenconducted on this network. Regardingtele-education services from India, morethan 2,000 students from Africa have beenenrolled in five different top ranking uni-versities in India in various disciplines likeMBA, masters in finance control, PGdiploma in IT, M.Sc. in IT and bachelorsin finance and investment analysis andmany others. Regular tele-education livesessions are being conducted from Indiaand students have shown great interest inthe courses. TCIL has established the net-work with a data centre in TCIL Bhawan,New Delhi, that acts as a gateway to thehub station in Dakar for connectivity ofIndian institutions on the African side.Complete details on the project are avail-able on Pan-African websitewww.panafricane-network.com v

A scene from the inauguration of Phase 2 of the Pan African e-Network.

Business blooms at the Hanuman Templeflower market, Connaught Place, New Delhi

Most of the country’s manufac-turing industries have registered double-digitgrowth in the first quarter of

this fiscal year, a survey conducted by theConfederation of Indian Industry (CII) andASCON said.

According to the report, out of the 110industries covered, 30 recorded growth ratesof more than 27.3 percent as compared to10 industries which registered a growth of 9percent during the like period last fiscal.Even the number of industries registeringhigh growth rate went up to 28.2 percent(31 industries) from 16.4 percent (18 indus-tries) in April-June 2010.

The share of industries registering negativeand moderate growth also declined to 15.5percent (17 industries) and 29 percent,respectively, as compared to the growth in thecorresponding period of the previous year –41 percent (45 industries) and 33.6 percent,

respectively. “The industry can do even bet-ter, provided an even more conducive envi-ronment for the industry is created,” TataSteel Vice-Chairman B. Muthuraman said.

According to the survey, out of 38 indus-tries reporting for sales, 16 recorded excel-lent growth, eight high growth, eight regis-tered moderate growth and four reportednegative growth. The industries that regis-tered excellent growth include air condition-ers (50 percent), vehicles (33.2 percent) andrefrigerators (32 percent). v

In the quarter ended June, exportsjumped by 32.25 percent, reaching $51billion, compared to $35.4 billion in

the corresponding period last year. Importsrose by 34 percent to $83 billion, as against$50.9 billion in the same period of 2009-10. The trade deficit in the first quarter ofthis year widened to $32.2 billion owing toa significant rise in domestic demand from$28.64 billion in April-June 2009-10.

“There is a visible improvement in thefigures. The trade deficit level is what wehad expected,” said Commerce SecretaryRahul Khullar, while releasing the esti-mates. He said that the growth in exports

had mainly come from newer markets andnot the traditional destinations of theUnited States, Europe and Japan, whichtake 40 percent of the country’s exports.

Export of engineering goods, petroleumproducts, iron ore, gems, precious andsemi-precious stones, and chemical prod-ucts rose significantly while that of ready-made garments, textiles and man-madefibers had fallen, according to the esti-mates.

Meanwhile, exports from special eco-nomic zones (SEZs) reached $13 billion inthe first quarter of 2010-2011, up 67 per-cent over the period in 2009-10. v

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

|17AUGUST 2010

INDIA MATTERSAUGUST 2010

16|INDIA MATTERS

n IN SHORT n

Energy from renewable sources can

meet the 10 percent target set by the

National Action Plan on Climate Change

by 2015. “A study conducted by the

Central Electricity Regulatory Commission

(CERC) has revealed that the supply from

renewable energy resources could exceed

47,720 MW by 2015 and the share of solar

power alone would be around 4,000 MW,”

CERC Chairman Pramod Deo said. Deo

said the government was offering a gener-

ation-based incentive for the solar power

industry in order to help meet the National

Solar Mission target of 20 GW by 2022.

Renewable energy to meet target

The broadband subscriber count in the

country is likely to rise to 275 million

by 2015 from the current 9 million, says a

report.

The growth in submarine cable capaci-

ty, with the adoption of wireless broad-

band (BWA), is expected to drive the

expansion in the subscriber base.

The overall broadband market is seen

to be significantly under-penetrated, says

the report titled ‘Dawn of the Digital

Decade,’ jointly brought out by the

Associated Chambers of Commerce

and Industry (ASSOCHAM) and Frost

and Sullivan.

Broadband users to grow to 275 mn

The country’s largest public sector

lender, State Bank of India (SBI), has

raised $1 billion through an issue of

bonds to qualified institutional buyers.

SBI, acting through its London branch,

successfully priced an offering of $1

billion of senior unsecured bonds due

2015. “This is a signature deal, despite

market turbulence and volatility. In terms

of deal size, order book multiple, diversi-

fication into new investors in the US,

we achieved our objectives with this

issuance,” said SBI Chairman O.P. Bhatt.

State Bank of India raises $1 bn via bonds

Manufacturing in top gear

June exports rise to $17.75 bn

India’s industrial output was up 11.5 per-

cent in May, powered by a 12.3- percent

expansion registered by the manufactur-

ing sector, giving the central bank the

much-needed comfort level to look at hiking

key rates upward to tame inflation. The

cumulative growth for the period April-May

2010-11 stands at 14 percent over the cor-

responding period of the previous year. The

growth rates for the mining, manufacturing

and electricity sectors for the month of May

2010 are 8.7 percent, 12.3 percent and 6.4

percent, respectively, compared to May

2009. The cumulative growth during April-

May 2010-11 over the corresponding period

of 2009-10 in the three sectors have been

10.2 percent, 15.1 percent and 6.6 percent,

respectively.

With 39 Indian companiesmaking it to the Forbes‘Asia’s Best Under a Billion’list, up from only 20 last

year, India was the biggest gainer as theregion grew at “blistering rates” after theglobal economic crisis.

“More Indian companies made it to thelist this year as the country is less open thanmany other Asian economies and wastherefore less affected by the global downturn,” the influential US businessmagazine said announcing the list toppedby China with 71 companies.

“Prime Minister Manmohan Singh hassaid investment and savings rates in India’seconomy make economic growth of 10 percent a year an achievable target in themedium term,” it said, noting “that wouldbe gravy for the winners on our list, whichaveraged an 89 percent total return in the

last year.” China-Hong Kong companiespredominate, with 71 on the list, thoughthis is down from 78 last year despite the

mainland's $590 billion stimulus package. Indian companies making it to the list

include Jindal Drilling & Industries,Emami, Allied Digital Services, ExideIndustries, Jubilant Organosys, SpiceMobility, Zydus Wellness, Amara RajaIndustries, Compact Disc India, EveronnEducation and Micro Technologies.

Among other Indian firms on the list areAshiana Housing, Banco Products (India),Bliss GVS Pharma, Deep Industries,Glodyne Technoserve, KNR Constructions,ELGI Equipments and ICSA (India).

Forbes’ ‘Best Under a Billion’ list is chosenfrom nearly 13,000 publicly-listed Asia-Pacific companies with actively tradedshares and having sales in the range of $5million-$1 million. The selection is basedon earnings growth, sales growth, andshareholders’ return on equity in the past12 months and over three years. v

39 Indian firms on Forbes’ Asia’s Best list

IMF lifts India growth forecast

The International Monetary Fund(IMF) has raised its India growthforecast for 2010 to 9.4 percent

from 8.8 percent estimated in April. In itsJuly update of the World EconomicOutlook (WEO) projections, theWashington-based multilateral agency,however, kept unchanged its 2011 Indiagrowth forecast at 8.4 percent.

In another report, the IMF said thatIndia’s GDP growth was expected to accel-erate to 9.4 percent in 2010 as robust cor-porate profits and favorable financing con-ditions fuel investments.

The government expects the country’seconomic growth to be over 8.5 percent in2010-11 (April-March). However, thegrowth forecasts take into account differentmonths for arriving at an annual period.While the IMF forecast is for the calendaryear 2010, the government makes itsgrowth projection for the fiscal year 2010-2011.(April-March).

Reacting to the IMF’s forecast upgrade,T.C.A. Anant, Chief Statistician of India,told the media that this was a “positive sig-nal” and that it reflected their confidence

in the economic growth outlook for Indiain the near term. “IMF is an independentbody monitoring India. It is a positive sig-nal,” Anant said.

Dr. Pronab Sen, Principal Advisor,Planning Commission, said the IMF moveto raise India GDP growth forecast to 9.4percent “was on expected lines given thatwe had a strong GDP performance inJanuary-March 2010 (Q1 for IMF’s calcu-lation) and will also have good one inApril-June (Q2 for IMF’s calculation) dueto the base effect,” he said. Dr. Sen addedthat the January-March quarter had thehighest weightage in GDP calculation.There was also stronger than expectedgrowth performance in that quarter. v

The Indian econo-

my was set to

grow at 8.5 percent

this fiscal and 9

percent the next year,

even though the recovery globally after the

financial crisis would be anemic, the Prime

Minister’s Economic Advisory Council

observed in a press conference on July 23.

The Council also predicted the annual

inflation rate based on wholesale prices.

Estimated at 10.5 percent for June, it was

expected to fall to around 7-8 percent by

December and further to 6.5 percent by

March next year.

“We predict the agriculture sector to grow

at 4.5 percent, industrial production at 9.7

percent and services by 8.9 percent this fis-

cal, for an overall growth of 8.5 percent,” C.

Rangarajan, Chairman of the Council, said.

“The 4.5 percent growth in agriculture after a

decline of 0.2 percent last fiscal year is, of

course, on the presumption of a normal

south-west monsoon,” Rangarajan, a former

governor of India’s central bank (Reserve

Bank of India), said.

INDIA TO GROW AT 9%NEXT FISCAL YEAR

India’s factory output up 11.5%

BUSINESS & ECONOMY SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

|19AUGUST 2010

INDIA MATTERSAUGUST 2010

18|INDIA MATTERS

Passenger vehicle industry in top gear

An expert panel has asked themarkets regulator to hike theminimum bid for corporatetakeovers from 15 percent to

25 percent, which according to experts,would have far-reaching implications. Therecommendations by the TakeoverRegulations Advisory Committee (TRAC)headed by noted tax and corporate lawexpert C. Achuthan was submitted to theSecurities and Exchange Board of India(SEBI) Chairman C.B. Bhave in Mumbai

on July 19.The regulator has posted the report and

its recommendations on the website andgave time till August 31 for stakeholders tosend in their comments. The suggestionsmade by the committee have sought tocompletely re-write the existing law govern-ing substantial acquisition of shares andtakeovers of companies, including hostilebids for control.

“The committee has recommended that‘creeping acquisition’ be permitted only to

acquirers who hold over 25 percent of thevoting capital, subject to aggregate post-acquisition shareholding not exceeding themaximum permissible non-public share-holding,” the report said.

“If these amendments finally becomerules, it will be a defining moment in merg-ers, acquisitions, takeovers and private equi-ty deal-making in India,” JagannadhamThunuguntla, equity head of leading bro-kerage and market advisors, SMC Capital,said. v

With new capacities beinginstalled, the Indian passengervehicle industry is making sig-

nificant strides. India’s installed passengervehicle manufacturing capacity thatincludes sport utility vehicles (SUVs) andmulti-purpose vehicles (MPVs) has crosseda significant benchmark – the 3-millionmark – and is close to 3.5 million now.Vehicle makers are optimistic about growthprospects as they foresee sales growing indouble digits.

Over the next two years, with fresh ven-tures being planned by various firms,including Maruti Suzuki, the installedcapacity is expected to be about 4.75 millionunits a year. According to R.C. Bhargava,Chairman, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd, “It cer-tainly shows that all manufacturers are opti-mistic of the growth of the car industry.”Production in 2010 will be about 2.2-2.3million units, translating into almost 70 per-cent capacity utilization, he added.

In 2009-10, the industry rolled out2,351,240 passenger vehicles, a 28 percentincrease over the previous year.

The carmakers sold 2,395,922 units,including 446,146 units exported, a 27-per-

cent increase over the previous year’s figures. “I think the industry will have to add

more capacity as we go along becausepotential in the country is large,” accordingto Bhargava. v

Takeover code in for big overhaul

PSLV launches five satellites at one go

Five satellites, including theadvanced high resolution cartogra-phy satellite Cartosat-2B, wereplaced in orbit on July 12 after

India’s space agency ISRO successfullylaunched its Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle(PSLV) rocket from Sriharikota spaceportin Andhra Pradesh, about 80 km northeastof Chennai.

“I am extremely happy to say that PSLV16 was a successful flight. All the satelliteswere injected precisely,” Indian SpaceResearch Organisation (ISRO) ChairmanK. Radhakrishnan said.

The five satellites together weighed 819kg. Apart from its main cargo – theCartosat-2B weighing 694 kg – the othersatellites were the Algerian remote sensingsatellite Alsat-2A (116 kg), two nano satel-lites (NLS 6.1 AISSAT-1 weighing 6.5 kgbuilt by the University of Toronto and onekg NLS 6.2 TISAT built by the Universityof Applied Sciences, Switzerland) andSTUDSAT, a pico satellite weighing less

than one kg, built jointly by the students ofseven engineering colleges in AndhraPradesh and Karnataka.

“Two more launches are planned inthree months time. One will be PSLV andanother will be GSLV (Geosynchronous

Satellite Launch Vehicle),” Radhakrishnaninformed.

Congratulating ISRO scientists,Minister of State for Science andTechnology Prithviraj Chavan said thelaunch was “textbook perfect”.

Planning Commission Deputy ChairmanMontek Singh Ahluwalia, who was presentduring the launch, congratulated the ISROscientists for the “perfect launch”.

Immediately after the ejection of thesatellites, the Spacecraft Control Centre atBangalore with the help of ISTRAC (ISROTelemetry Tracking and Command)Network of stations there and in Lucknow,Mauritius, Bearslake (Russia), Biak(Indonesia) and in Svalbard (Sweden) start-ed monitoring their health.

The satellite’s imagery can be used forthe preparation of detailed forest- typemaps, village/cadastral-level crop invento-ry, rural/urban settlement mapping, plan-ning for development and for rural con-nectivity. v

India on July 26 successfully tested for the

fourth consecutive time a ballistic missile

interceptor from a defence base in Orissa

as part of its endeavor to create an impreg-

nable shield against incoming enemy mis-

siles.

The indigenous interceptor was fired from

the Wheeler Island off the Orissa coast

near Dhamra in Bhadrak district, about 170

km from the state capital Bhubaneswar.

The single-stage interceptor, fitted with a

directional warhead and other advanced

systems, neutralized the target at an alti-

tude of 15 km in the endo-atmosphere (up

to a height of 30 km).

“It was a very successful flight. The inter-

ceptor destroyed the target,” S.P. Dash, the

Director of the Integrated Test Range at

Chandipur, said. The interceptor missile

was fired a few minutes after the target

missile had been fired. The interceptor neu-

tralised the target missile, breaking it into

fragments.

Ballistic missileinterceptor tested

Government unveils $30 laptop

An Indian laptoppriced at just $30and described as

the world’s cheapest one isconsidered as a godsendfor students for whom ithas been specificallydesigned.

The laptop, unveiled by HumanResource Development (HRD) MinisterKapil Sibal on July 22 in New Delhi, hasall the basic features, including a built-inkey board, a 2 GB RAM memory, Wi-Ficonnectivity and USB ports, and is pow-ered by a 2-watt system for use in power-deficit areas. The device is likely to be avail-able by next year. The seven and nine-inchLinux-based touchscreen gadget can alsobe run on solar power, besides batteries.

The computing device will supportfunctions such as video web conferencingfacility and multimedia content viewing.

The HRD Ministry, under whose initia-tive the computer was designed and devel-oped, hopes to bring down the price to $10

after the device isproduced on a massscale. Accordingly,the Ministry isreported to be indiscussions withentrepreneurs, pri-

vate firms and industries. “If more compa-nies decide to manufacture a similar device,prices will come down automatically,”Sibal said after unveiling the laptop.

Teams of experts, students and profes-sors drawn from the Indian Institutes ofTechnology (IIT) at Kharagpur, Kanpur,Chennai and Mumbai, and the IndianInstitute of Science, Bangalore, offeredtheir skills and expertise to bring out thedevice in collaboration with the HRDMinistry.

The low-cost computer fulfills a missionof the Union Government to provide e-content free to learners under the NationalMission on Education throughInformation and CommunicationTechnology. v

MAJOR ATTRACTIONS OF CHAMBABhuri Singh Museum: Bhuri SinghMuseum was opened on September 14,1908, and is named after Raja BhuriSingh who ruled Chamba from 1904 to1919. This museum is nearby Chamba'sChaugan.Kalatope Khajjiar Sanctuary: It’s possibleto trek 30-km from Dalhousie to Chambaalong the eastbound road from GandhiChowk. A short but steep ascent leads tothe Kalatope wildlife sanctuary, fromwhich one can walk into a pleasant track.Lakshmi Narayan Temple: To the northof the palace at Chamba, there is a groupof six stone Sikhara temples arranged in arow from north to south. Three of thesetemples are dedicated to Vishnu and threeto Shiva. The northern most is that ofLakshmi-Narayana – the principal templeof Chamba.

Lamba Dal: Held sacred to Lord Shiva,this lake lies amidst bare rock. Lamba Dalmeans “a long lake”.Pangi Valley: Pangi Valley in the upperpart of Chamba district is a remote worldin itself. This hidden valley, locatedbetween Pir Panjal and the GreaterHimalayan Zanskar ranges, is cut off fromthe rest of the world.Parbati Valley: Hemmed in by giant pin-nacled mountain peaks, the Parbati valley,twists west from the glaciers and snowfieldson the Spiti boader. Picturesque hamletsperch precariously on its sides, amid lushterraces and old growth pine forestsRang Mahal: In Chamba, situated is thebeautiful Rang Mahal palace, which wasbuilt by Raja Umed Singh in the mid 18thcentury. The palace walls here are linedwith exquisite examples of wall paintingsin the Punjab Hills style, all of which

depict the life and times of Lord Krishna.Chamba Minjiar Mela: The Minjiar fairwas started in 935 AD when the Raja ofChamba defeated the ruler of Trigarta,now known as Kangra. On his return, acelebration was held, and he was greetedby people with sherfs of paddy and maize.Chaugan: This public promenade situatedin the heart of the town is a grassy maid-an less than one kilometre in length andabout seventyfive metres wide is a busylocal trading centre for villagers from thesurrounding hills. Each year, Chaugan isthe site for the ‘Minjar’ procession, a fairthat lasts a week and comprises a largenumber of sports and cultural activities.Katasan Devi Temple: Another populartemple of the Chamba district, it is about30 km from the town near Baira SiulProject. This calm and peaceful spot isideal for picnic lovers. v

Perched at an altitude of 996metres, on the south bank of riverRavi, Chamba Valley in HimachalPradesh, is a land of antiquity,

amazing art and spectacular scenic beauty.It is a wonderful package for every tourist.A hidden paradise is in store for you in thisancient Pahari capital founded in 920 A.D.by Raja Sahil Verma, who named it afterhis favourite daughter Champavati.

Chamba valley is noted for the magnif-icence of it’s scenery – touching the fringeof the Shivaliks and having three well-defined snowy ranges, the Dauladhar,constituting the outer Himalayas, the PirPanjal or the mid Himalayas, and theZanskar range or the inner Himalayas.

Chamba’s serene beauty makes it theideal holiday retreat. The land of mysticserenity, enchanting vistas, refreshing air,lofty mountain passes and slopes, it pro-

vides ample opportunities for naturelovers. The place and adjoining areas haveimmense scope for leisure pursuits. Thewaters, hills, plateaus and the snowline,which can be sighted from any of thebuildings and the main square, make aspectacle that can become an inspirationfor many painters and poets.

An ever popular tourist destination, theChamba Valley is a photographer’s dreamand certainly worth an artist’s pencil. Thestunning valley is laced by the river Raviand adorned by the colourful wild flowers.

The stunning landscape is a big drawwith the tourists. The quaint town is alsoendowed with several splendid temples thatdate back to antiquity. The Laxmi NarayanTemple, the Brajreshwari Devi Temple, theSui Mata Temple, the Chamunda DeviTemple and the Surara Temples are someof the eminent temples of the valley.

Another popular tourist attraction ofChamba Valley is Chowgan, the mall areaof the little town that plays host to all thefairs and festivals of the town.

The other noteworthy tourist attrac-tions of the spectacular valley include theRang Mahal. The Himachal Emporiumthat sells an exquisite range of handicraftitems is housed within the premises of theRang Mahal. Tourists can also get aninsight of the history of the town by visit-ing the Bhuri Singh Museum that is arepository of priceless artefacts and treas-ured manuscripts, which recount the sagasof a bygone era.

St. Andrews Church and the GandhiGate are some of the other renownedtourist attractions of the Chamba Valley.Tourists visiting the valley can also under-take a sojourn to the panoramic hill stationslike Bharmaur, Dalhousie and Khajjiar.

TRAVEL

|21AUGUST 2010

INDIA MATTERSAUGUST 2010

20|INDIA MATTERS

A land of antiquity, amazing art and spectacularscenic beauty, Chamba valley in Himachal Pradeshis a wonderful package for every tourist

CHAMBA VALLEY:A land of antiquity CHAMBA VALLEY:A land of antiquity

By Air: The nearest airport is at Gaggal in Kangra valley, 180 km from Chamba. IndianAirlines operates its flights on the Delhi-Dharamsala sector.By Rail: Chamba town is 122 km from Pathankot, the nearest broad gauge rail head, whichis linked by direct trains to Amritsar, Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata. Chamba is well-connectedwith places in and outside the state.By Road: Daily bus service is available for Dalhousie and jeeps on hire are also availablebut it is relatively expensive.

HOW TO REACH

QUIZ

AUGUST 201022|INDIA MATTERS

1. Which epoch-making event of India’s freedommovement forms the backdrop for the booksWar of Civilisations by Amresh Mishra andRecalcitrance by Anurag Kumar?

2. Which annual event, organised by theGovernment of India, is inaugurated every yearon January 9, because that was the day whenMahatma Gandhi returned to India from SouthAfrica in 1915?

3. Born on January 26,1915, at village Longkao inManipur, she joined the freedom movement atthe young age of 13. She was arrested in 1932at the age of 16 and imprisoned for life. Shewas freed in 1947 after India gained independ-ence. A recipient of the Padma Bhushan, theGovernment of India also issued a stamp onher. She passed away in 1993. Can you nameher?

4. Which national political organisation was found-ed in 1916 to lead the demand for self-govern-ment, and thus obtain dominion status for Indiawithin the British empire as enjoyed by Australia,Canada, South Africa and New Zealand?

5. The Indian National Congress and the Muslim

League signed an agreement in December1916 to pressure the British to adopt a more lib-eral approach to India and give Indians moreauthority to run the country. How is that agree-ment referred to?

6. “Our nation is like a tree of which the originaltrunk is swarajya and the branches areswadeshi and boycott.” To which Indian free-dom fighter is this quote attributed?

7. What was the agenda of the HunterCommission that was instituted in 1919 on ordersfrom Britain’s then secretary of state for IndiaEdwin Montagu?

8. What is based on a design created by PingaliVenkayya of Andhra Pradesh in 1916 for theIndian National Congress?

9. Since when did Mahatma Gandhi start wearingthe cap that has come to be known as Gandhicap and was a great symbol of India’s freedomfighters?

10.The flag of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’sIndian National Army was first hoisted on Indiansoil at a place in the Northeast in 1944. Can youname the place?

THE PICTURE QUESTION

Can you name the place where this memorial associated withIndia's freedom movement is located?

Readers are invited to answer the questions given in the column which will make them eligible towin a prize to be given by the Indian Consulate in Dubai. Write in the answers to claim a prize. Allanswers should be e-mailed to indiqtive@gmail.com and the first person to email all the correctanswer will win the prize. Please mention your postal address, mobile phone number and e-mailaddress clearly in the mail. This week’s contest is an Independence Day special.

1. Andaman and Nicobar Islands, 2. The Santosh Trophy. (It is so called because the Maharaja was the ruler of a place called Santosh, now in Bangaldesh.),

3. Amitabh Bachchan, 4. Wainganga, 5. Majrooh Sultanpuri, 6. Moon Mineralogy Mapper, 7. Mundaka Upanishad, 8. Indigo Airlines 9. The Indian national flag

10. Teesri Kasam, starring Raj Kapoor and Waheeda Rahman.

The Picture Question: D Udaya Kumar. He designed the new symbol of the Indian rupee.

ANSWERS TO indiQtive, JULY 2010

DELHIGEARS UP

Consulate General of IndiaP.O. BOX 737, DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Tel: +971 4 3971222/ +971 4 3971333, Fax: +971 4 3970453, Tlx.: 46061 CGIND EMEmail: cgidubai@cgidubai.com

CONSULATE HOTLINE NUMBERS: +971 50 9433111 (For women/housemaids in distress and counseling for stress and depression)

+971 50 7347676 (For death formalities on holidays and after office hours)Passport: 04-3070741 Visa: 04-3070743 Consular: 04-3070782 Labour: 04-3070716

Embassy of India, Abu DhabiPlot No. 10, Sector W-59/02, Diplomatic Area, Off the Airport Road

P.O. Box 4090, Abu Dhabi, United Arab EmiratesTel: +971 2 4492700, Fax: +971 2 4444685 / +971 2 4447768

Email: indiauae@emirates.net.ae

Children in tricolour formation at the historic Red Fort in Delhi on the occasion of the64th Independence Day of India on August 15, 2010.

64th Independence Day in Delhi

Consulate General of India, Dubai’s very own radio show, ‘India Matters’, is now back in a new way. Tunein every Saturday from 6 pm to 7pm on 105.4 Radio Spice FM.