HUMAN PLAY-NET

By Rupesh Dutta New Delhi, June 2 (IANS)  As India's population continues to grow and threatens to overtake that of China, a campaign started by a group called Taxpayers' Association of Bharat wants every state in the country to execute a two-child policy so that the resources and taxpayers' money can be utilised properly. But critics wonder if that's the right path to tread. The two-year-old campaign, which now has over two lakh members -- including celebrities such as Ajay Devgan , Suniel Shetty , Priyanka Chopra and Virendra Sehwag -- has also written to all the chief ministers to come up with a population control policy on the lines of Assam. Assam in April announced a draft population policy, which suggested denial of government jobs to people with more than two children and making education up to university level free for all girls. According to the campaign, since independence citizens have been paying tax so that the country could be developed in...

By Nirmal Anshu Ranjan New Delhi, March 9 (IANS)  If you are planning to apply online to get your name included in the electoral rolls for a Voter ID Card, hold on -- chances are your efforts may come to naught since the Election Commission (EC) says it is not accepting applications online, at least for now. This digital disconnect of the top election body of the country comes at a time when the Narendra Modi government at the Centre is betting big on its "Digital India" programme by putting more and more people-centric services online. An RTI application filed by me to know the fate of two online applications, including my own, threw up the startling revelation about one of the premier institutions of India, which claims to provide several citizen services at their doorstep. I had applied online for inclusion of my name about six month ago -- on September 2, 2016, precisely -- through the National Voters' Services Portal (www.nvsp.in), touted as the "...

By Nirmal Anshu Ranjan   Nashik (Maharashtra), Feb 9 (IANS)  At a time when there is talk of introducing prohibition across the country, a top Indian wine-maker says the concept has never worked and never will. Rather, efforts should be made to promote wine and beer to wean the people away from hard liquor. "Some states have imposed prohibition in the past and the move has been a massive failure. When will the governments realise that to enjoy a social drink is not same as gulping down liquor," Rajeev S. Samant, CEO of Sula Vineyards, told IANS in an interview. "If there are five million people in a state, out of which one million are alcoholics, that can't be a reason to tell one and all that you can't have drinks. Imposing a blanket ban is a stupid idea," he asserted, mincing no words. Reinforcing his contention, he said that imposing prohibition also means the loss of thousands of crores of rupees in taxes, which help in raising infrastructure, prov...

By Nirmal Anshu Ranjan Nashik (Maharashtra), Feb 4 (IANS)  As winter goes on the wane to make way for spring - a 'tipsy' gourmet music festival here has 12,000 Indian and international visitors flocking to not only tickle their 'wine buds' but also enjoy a rare mix of music genres. Amid the lush green landscape, the 10th edition of the SulaFest 2017 opened to a grand start on Friday in the foothills of Sahyadri mountain range.  The event, that had started as a one-day event in 2008 with 300 visitors, has burgeoned to a three-day festival that attracts a huge gathering of connoisseurs of wine, music and food from far and near. The weekend is set to see around 17,000-18,000 visitors, according to organisers. This year being the decadal year, the festival has been scaled up with more stalls of wines and a stellar musical lineup. At the SulaFest Bazaar - where people buy their preferred wine and liquor from the counters, Bruno Vanzan - the brand ambassador of Antica S...

By Nirmal Anshu Ranjan/IANS New Delhi, Jan 12 (IANS)  Just as most of us were tempted to believe that the winter won't be that cold this time round, a sudden change in weather conditions across north India has sent a chill down the spine. Of all the cities experiencing the cold bite, Leh in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir remained frozen at minus 17.7 degrees overnight, while the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir shivered at minus 5 degrees Celsius on Thursday. Manali and Lahaul-Spiti district in Himachal Predesh, Narnaul in Haryana, Churu and Mount Abu in Rajasthan, Nainital Mussoorie and Haridwar in Uttarakhand were some of the other cities across the country that saw sub-zero temperatures. "Leh town recorded the coldest night of the season at minus 17.7 degrees Celsius and Kargil town with minus 15.6 degrees today (Thursday)," said the weatherman, adding that night temperatures could drop further due to clear night sky. "It's so cold her...

No matter six or sixty, a melodious soulful song makes every heart dance in sync with the tune and feel of musical numbers. And much of the credit for creating this magic goes to the Indian film industry and its music maestros, who have come up with tuned expressions for every single occasion dotting human life. Starting with the first Bollywood sound film Alam Ara in 1931 that featured seven songs, the film music today has come a long way, indeed. Since the days of actors singing live and the musicians playing the instruments from outside the frame to the modern times of hi-tech digital recording studios…it all looks simply incredible. Inspired by and cashing in on mostly the diverse culture and traditions of India, it grew from strength to strength. However, what apparently contributed most to the making of the Indian cine music as it stands today is probably its capacity to accommodate all forms of dance and music – both Indian and foreign – as well as their manifestations...

Given the present-day life fraught with uncertainties, all-round pulls and pushes, and human limitations to see the tomorrow, it is only natural that people nurse a desire to know what lies ahead for them. And this is true of one and all, without any exception, with only a difference of intensity to unravel the future. Although the ‘science’ of astrology, or the art of looking beyond the astrological data have been severely abused at the hands of ill-informed soothsayers, the authenticity of astro-predictions has been proven time and again. In this backdrop, the UGC approving the certificate diploma, undergraduate, postgraduate and Ph.D study programmes in Jyotish Vigyan is a welcome move. Once part of academia, this Vedic knowledge will get the right platform to prove the veracity of its claims and assertions. Let’s not forget that Ayurveda – the Vedic science of medicine – was also subjected to similar scepticism by vested quarters. But with the passage of time, t...

PATNA: Defying call for a poll boycott by Maoists , around 52 per cent of the 98.44 lakh electorate cast their votes in 45 Assembly constituencies in Bihar in the second phase of elections which was marred by stray incidents of violence. The second phase of voting in crucial Naxal -affected districts of Bihar came to an end on Sunday. Minor incidents of violence though have caused some disturbance as three polling officials have been reported to be missing from a booth in the Sitamarhi district in Bihar. The overall voter turnout was 52 per cent. East Champaran saw the highest voter turnout at 58 per cent. Stray incidents of violence occurred in Sitamarhi, Muzaffarpur and Darbhanga districts. The Naxals who had called for a boycott of the polls set fire to an electronic voting machine and other poll material including voter identity cards. Heavily-armed Naxals raided a polling centre at Subaigarh in Runisaidpur constituency and burnt down the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) b...

WHAT do you make out of the Thackerays versus Shahrukh Khan controversy, which has been holding Mumbai to ransom for over 10 days now? Well, it’s all about politicking in the family, which has now spilled on to the public arena. In fact, what we are witness to is a desperate bid of survival at the cost of non-parties. Be it Shahrukh Khan , management guru Arindam Chaudhary , helpless taxi-wallas, hapless cinema hall owners or the innocent cinegoers…all are turning victims of Shiv Sena ’s bid to reclaim the ground lost to Sena chief Bala Sahab Thackeray’s nephew, one-time family member and now his arch rival Raj Thackeray , who has beat Sena at its own game. Post- Maharashtra Assembly election , while the stocks of Raj’s party Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) soared following better than expected gains at the hustings, Bal Thackeray and his son Uddhav were left biting their nails and chewing their fingers in view of the relatively poorer performance of Shiv Sena. Since existence...

When I feel lonely, yet in a crowd When all the voices seem too loud When I am searching and feel unloved When I am jostled, pushed and shoved When there is darkness, in spite of light When my very existence feels like a fight When everyone is smiling, yet I cry When my barriers are my only protection When negative is my only projection You lovingly whisper We will be there... The clouds uplift The sun shines through My fears no more exist I feel protected I know I am safe I surrender myself to your loving grace... I know in that instance, I am never alone...