Appeal seeking stay on release of Don 2 filed in Bombay HC

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Two days before the release of Farhan Akthar's Don 2, starring Shah Rukh Khan and Priyanka Chopra, an appeal has been filed seeking stay on the movie alleging copyright infringement.

A division bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice Roshan Dalvi has kept the appeal for hearing tomorrow.

Legal heirs of Nariman Hirani, who had originally owned the rights of the film Don released in 1978, had filed a suit before a single judge who dismissed it on December 19 citing delay in approaching the court.

An appeal was Wednesday filed by Nariman Films and Hirani family challenging the single judge's order and seeking a stay on the release of the movie Don 2 saying it has violated copyrights by adopting the Don signature tune, songs of the original 1978 movie and also the script and characters.

Nariman Hirani has claimed that the rights for remaking Don was shared in 2005. However, it was valid only till 2009.

They have claimed that the director and producers, including Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan, of Don 2 did not buy any rights for making the sequel.

The single judge had refused to stay release of the film but kept the prayer for damages to be decided at a later stage. Nariman Films have claimed damages to the tune of Rs200 crore.

Lindsay to re-shoot Playboy pictures

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By Babu Ram : Lindsay to re-shoot Playboy pictures Sanaya Chavda Lindsay Lohan who was recently awarded a 30-days jail sentence after she infringed her probation, has been asked to re-shoot her Playboy pictures after magazine executives decided they wanted a new theme for the nude spread. The 25-year-old posed nude for the famous magazine barely a week back and was paid about $1 million for the same. However, now the Mean Girls star may have to shoot again. A source said, Lindsay was told the Playboy executives wanted to go in another direction with her shoot so they asked her to come back for a second time. The first pictures of Lindsay weren't exactly what they wanted so they have a new theme that they want to shoot. The magazine cover featuring the actress is due to hit stands in January 2012. The source added, There is never a guarantee that everyone will like the photos or that they will be of high enough quality to use for the cover but Playboy wanted to make sure that Lindsay's pictures were exactly what they wanted.

Review: Even Salman Khan can't save this Bodyguard

By Babu Ram : Film: Bodyguard
Director: Siddique
Cast: Salman Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Raj Babbar and others
Rating: ?

I was made familiar with the story of the original Bodyguard (in Malayalam) about a year ago and couldn’t help but wonder how silly it was. When the Hindi remake was announced, I hoped the story would be tweaked (especially the way it ends) to make it a better, more enjoyable film. As I watched the Hindi version, I realised the plot had been left untouched. And it was still just as silly.

Eid is the time for a Salman Khan blockbuster and you expect a film replete with dialoguebaazi, maardhar and some outrageous moments that are made enjoyable due to Salman’s ability to pull off the zaniest scripts. Bodyguard has none of these. For a change, there’s a more definite story than usual but it’s so convoluted and stupid, you’d have actually settled for a film with a lesser story, but which entertained more.

Talking about the story would be futile, so these are some things about Bodyguard you may want to keep in mind: The humour isn’t funny, although the attempts never cease. The ‘emotional’ scenes, on the other hand, are hilarious (check out Raj Babbar hamming it up in the climax; Nasir Hussain would have been proud). The romantic track doesn’t strike a chord because the setup is implausible. The action is good, but not good enough to salvage the rest of it. What’s left of Bodyguard is its charming lead pair — and they can do little with weak roles that do nothing for their personas.

Salman, for example, plays a seedha character taken for a ride by not one, but two women. Repeatedly. It’s okay to have Salman play a simpleton with a heart of gold, but the character comes across as utterly daft. To his credit, Salman is charming as ever, and the fact that he’s playing a slightly different character would have actually worked to the film’s advantage if it was backed by a better script. Kareena looks ravishing, but does little than whine and whimper through most of the film. The duo’s chemistry crackles onscreen, though.

If there was a way to pass a law that would ban someone from acting, I would want Rajat Rawail to come under it. As the portly Tsunami, Rawail grates on nerves, fiercely competing with the annoying ‘tyaon tyaon’ ringtone on Salman’s phone.

The film is technically sound. Fefsi Vijayan’s choreography of the action is among the plusses. Himesh Reshammiya’s music is good; ‘Teri meri kahaani’, especially, stays with you for a long time.

It’s amazing that writer-director Siddique has made a success of the same story twice before (He remade it in Tamil as Kavalan, starring Vijay), and the Hindi Bodyguard seems set to strike big too. But unquestioning Salman fans — who turn out in hordes to watch his films, ensuring producers laugh all the way to the banks in the process — deserve better. But sadly for them, even Salman Khan isn’t reason enough to endure Bodyguard. Pity.

Two train accidents kill 39, injure over 300

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By Babu Ram : New Delhi: At least 35 people were killed and over 200 injured on Sunday when over dozen coaches of two superfast Express trains got derailed in Uttar Pradesh and Assam, raising concerns once again about the patchy safety record of Indian Railways.
Thirty-five have been confirmed dead and over 140 injured as the Howrah-Delhi-Kalka Express got derailed near Fatehpur Malwa in Uttar Pradesh. The incident took place around 12:30 pm. Approximately 1200 people were travelling on board Kalka Mail.
The train was travelling from Howrah to New Delhi and was moving at the speed of 108 Km/Hr when the driver used emergency brakes to slow it down, which led to the derailment, sources claimed.

The accident occurred when the driver of the train applied emergency brakes, said AK Jain, additional director general of the railway police.
Jain said he feared the death toll would go up, as injured passengers were being admitted in nearby hospitals.
Meanwhile, some coaches of the Guwahati-Puri Express got derailed at Nalbari district in western Assam Sunday, officials said, adding that casualties were feared. Nearly 50 people were injured in the incident.
The accident occurred near Ghograpara at around 8:30 pm as the train was on its way to Puri. Police and railway teams were rushing to the spot.
An IED blast on the railway track caused the derailment of the train.
In Uttar Pradesh, local sources confirmed that gas cutters arrived at the accident spot and that the mangled bogies were being cut open to take out the injured.
Seven bogies were badly mangled while three more bogies have capsized. The badly damaged bogies are - three AC 3 tier cars, one pantry car, five sleeper cars and two general cars.
The train driver is said to be among the injured. Reports also claim that the count of injured will rise as some bogies have not yet been cut open for the rescue efforts.
The Ministry of Railways has announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh for the families of those dead, Rs 1 lakh for those critically injured and Rs 25,000 for those with minor injuries. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh condoled the death of the victims.
The train was passing through Malwa station when its engine and 12 bogies got derailed, sources said. The injured have been taken to the Fatehpur District Hospital.
Sources say that three rescue trains including one from Allahabad and Kanpur have rushed to the spot. One relief train reached the spot. The National Disaster Relief Force said it was sending three teams from Delhi, even as the Army was being called in for medical support.
Mukul Goel, IG National Disaster Relief Force, said, Three teams of total 100 people are going to the accident spot. These teams are specialised in collapse structure rescue. We are waiting for the Indian Air Force plane."
The Commissioner of Railways Safety PK Vajpayee will conduct an enquiry into the derailment of the train.
The busy Delhi-Howrah route has been hit and many trains on the route have been cancelled or diverted. Twelve trains were cancelled and 23 trains were diverted.
On July 7, at least 31 people were killed when a train rammed into a bus driving over a level crossing which did not have a gate or an attendant, typical of several such crossings in India.
Latest government data showed that 336 people were killed and 437 injured between April 2010 and mid-January 2011.
Railway authorities have given out a railways helpline number for the Kalka Express derailment - 033 - 26413660.
The other helpline numbers for the Kalka Express derailment are:
New Delhi: 011-23342954 , 23341074
Delhi: 011-23962389, 23967332
Allahabad: 0532-2407353, 2408128
Fatehpur: 05180-222025, 222026, 222436
Kanpur: 0512-2323015, 2323016, 2323018
Khurja: 05738-253084, 253085
The helpline numbers for the Puri-Guwahati derailment are:
Rangia: 03621-240238, 03621-2731621, 2731622, 2731623
(With additional information from agencies)
Map: Kalka Express derailed in Uttar Pradesh



Map: Puri-Guwahati Express derailed in Assam


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Google+ takes on Facebook Search giant Google has begun its most serious challenge to social network Facebook with the launch of Google+

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By Babu Ram : Google has launched a range of new products that introduce social elements and will see it take on Facebook.
The company’s new plan is built around four separate features called Circles, Sparks, Hangout and Huddle. Google is keen to stress that the new products do not form a new, single social network that rivals Facebook, but it is the search giant’s most serious attempt to incorporate social elements into its products to date.
Writing on the Google blog, senior vice president of engineering Vic Goduntra said that “Today, the connections between people increasingly happen online. Yet the subtlety and substance of real-world interactions are lost in the rigidness of our online tools. In this basic, human way, online sharing is awkward. Even broken. And we aim to fix it.”
Initially, Google is conducting a ‘field trial’, inviting select journalists, bloggers and other organisations, and it has not said when the products will launch more widely.
Circles is the closest product to Facebook; it allows users to drag in contacts to individual groups. The aim is to allow people to share different things with different groups of people more easily. Google users will be able to add their contacts, or import them from Yahoo or Microsoft. Facebook does not permit the export of contact information to Google.
Sparks lets users share content from around the web, and suggests more content. The company calls it a ‘sharing engine’, like a search engine. Goduntra writes “Thanks to Google’s web expertise, Sparks delivers a feed of highly contagious content from across the Internet. On any topic you want, in over 40 languages. Simply add your interests, and you’ll always have something to watch, read and share”.
Hangout encourages users to share content within groups, being able to watch a YouTube video together, at the same time, despite not being in the same room. Goduntra likened it to a shared space, such as a pub, or a chance conversation with a neighbour.
Huddle is a group messaging application, that combines allows messages to be sent to large numbers of people, and is aimed at groups trying to, for instance, organise a night out.
The new services can be used via a new toolbar that Google is rolling out, aimed at encouraging people to share their status as they would via Facebook. Mobile elements also work with Android phones and Apple’s iPhone. The company has also introduced a new feature that immediately uploads photos and videos taken with Android devices. If users wish, any update can also be tagged with a location.
Initial reaction online to Google+ was either mixed or positive, largely because users have had little opportunity to try out the new services. Search Engine Land wrote that “As for a wider release, and possible success, it’s anyone’s guess. If you’re happy using Facebook, there seems relatively little to make you want to switch over to Google Plus, at the moment. Perhaps with further Google +1 integration, that might change. Perhaps if there are people who want a Facebook alternative, Google’s now got a core to build on for them.”
Technology blog TechCrunch said that “As it is unveiled to the world, Google+ sounds and looks great. But we’ve seen that before from Google. Now comes the hard part
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Ready (2011) – Hindi Movie Watch Online

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By Babu Ram : Movie Review: It's hard to understand why Anees Bazmee makes films. There generally is no logic to it... Thank You, No Problem... But then again, it's easy to understand why Anees Bazmee makes films: to celebrate the illogical and the non-sensical which could be therapeutic for a high-stress audience. Ready, mercifully, has another reason too: Salman Khan. The film is an unabashed ode to Salman Khan, the entertainer rather than the actor. And yes, it works at that level. Sit back for a one-man show by an actor who is becoming increasingly unapologetic about his larger-than-life image on screen and you'll get all the bang for your buck you desire.

So you have Salman doing everything he loves to do -- and you love to see. He talks in cheesy dialogues, breaks into rumbustious, and extremely well choreographed songs and dances, romances the girl in brazen fashion, becomes the invincible hit machine whenever desired, never let's go of his popular family boy avatar (remember the original Prem of Maine Pyaar Kiya) and tries to make you laugh by consistently playing it over the top. And yes, he does do what he's supposed to do: removes his shirt, bares his perfectly sculpted body and vainly asks `mazaa aaya kya?'

Yup, bahut mazaa aaya. But only if you set aside all pretensions of going for a regular, mind-teaser movie. The rest of the characters too are all a crazy bunch. The umpteen men, women and boys -- you lose count of them -- speak silly, speak shrieky. The music (Pritam) plays at deafening decibel levels. The canvas and the colours of the film are garish and loud. And there isn't a moment of repose to allow you to think....

Go celebrate the cornball comic display by Salman Khan. You won't get bored.

2G scam: No bail for Karim Morani, sent to Tihar Jail

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By Babu Ram : New Delhi: Bollywood bigwig Karim Morani, an accused in the 2G spectrum allocation scam, was on Monday sent to Tihar Jail by a Delhi court which rejected his bail plea and ordered his arrest.

"Bail is dismissed. Take him to custody," Special CBI judge OP Saini said while pronouncing the order.

Morani, Cineyug Films Pvt Ltd Director, now joins a long list of multi-crore 2G scam accused who have been sent to Tihar jail.

The court said Morani, who is accused of facilitating the transaction of Rs 200 crore from DB Realty to DMK-run Kalaignar TV, in which DMK MP Kanimozhi holds 20 percent stake, has "failed to make out a case for bail."

The court also questioned his conduct and said the apprehension of the CBI that he may influence the witnesses if not arrested cannot be ruled out.

"Considering the magnitude of the crime, nature and anormity of allegations, character of evidence on record and the apprehension that the witnesses may be influenced in case the accused is released on bail, I have no hesitation in holding that accused (Morani) has failed to make out a case for bail.

"The bail application is without merit and the same is dismissed," Special CBI judge OP Saini said.
Morani is accused of facilitating the transaction of Rs 200 crore from DB Realty to DMK-run Kalaignar TV, in which DMK MP Kanimozhi holds 20 percent stake.

The Special Judge, in its 67-page order, also observed that Morani used every possible legal subterfuge by filing various applications to delay the proceedings.

The court said that allegations against Morani are of very serious nature and the case involves alleged loss to the state exchequer amounting to about Rs 30,000 crores.

"In the end, I may add that allegations against the accused are of very serious nature, which are supported by evidence on record and in cases of such magnitude, the danger of witnesses or evidence being tampered with is always there and cannot be dismissed with this disdain as remote, far fetched or imaginary," the court said.

The CBI had alleged that Morani took six crore for facilitating the Rs 200 crore transaction.

Morani had filed his regular bail plea on May 24 after the court had denied anticipatory bail and directed him to appear before it.

CBI, in its second charge sheet in the 2G case, had alleged that Swan Telecom and Dynamix Realty Promoters Shahid Usman Balwa and Vinod Goenka channeled Rs 200 crore to DMK-run Kalaignar TV through Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables Pvt Ltd and Morani's Cineyug Films Pvt Ltd.

PTI

Gang war in Mumbai: Dawood pays for footprint; brother shot at, aide dead

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By baburam
  

Mumbai: Fugitive don Dawood Ibrahim’s younger brother Iqbal Ibrahim Kaskar escaped death after two assailants opened fire at the crowded area of Pakmodia Street near J J Marg, Mumbai couple of hours ago.

Ironically, the Pakmodia Street happens to be the den of Dawood Ibrahim and family since he resided in the area since his childhood days till he was in Mumbai.

According to sources, Kaskar’s personal bodyguard Arif Ali Baig sustained two bullets and was killed in the firing. His driver too had a brush with death as two rounds fired on him escaped him narrowly.

However, Ibrahim was coming out of his building when the assailants carried out the attack.

Sources said that it could be a rival gang attack and a repercussion of the killing of Farid Tanasha, a close aide of don Chhota Rajan.

Dawood's close associate Haneef Kutta, who handles Dawood's businesses in Mumbai, present at the spot plunged on the two assailants and nabbed them.

They have been taken to the Pydhonie police station and will be handed over to the crime branch later.

One of the assailants was later identified as Iqbal Khatri from Nepal.

Reacting to the attack, Dawood's trusted aide Chhota Shakeel activated all his links in Mumbai within hours and asked his men to kill everyone involved.

A close associate of Chhota Shakeel based at the Pakmodia Street discloses, “Bhai ne farmaan zaari kiya hai, Koi bhi bachna nahin chahiye”.

If sources from the Mumbai Police are to be believed, Khatri has revealed Pujari’s hand in the killing.

The Supari seems to be a retaliation since Dawood Ibrahim had shot dead two of Pujari’s aides in Nepal last July.

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By Babu Ram

Game (2011) Hindi Movie Watch Online

Game (2011) Hindi Movie Watch Online Information:
Genre:Action/Drama/Thriller
Director:Abhinay Deo
Star Cast:
Abhishek Bachchan…… Neil Menon
Kangna Ranaut…… Sia Agnihotri
Sarah Jane Dias…… Maya
Jimmy Sheirgill…… Vikram Kapoor
Gauhar Khan…… Samara Shroff
Shahana Goswami…… Tisha Khanna
Boman Irani…… OP Ramsay
Anupam Kher…… Kabir Malhotra
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Human Rights Commission will examine Greater Noida atrocities

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By Babu Ram
  

New Delhi: The recent violence over land acquisition and police atrocities in Greater Noida has "pained" the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), which said it will send an investigation team to the affected villages.

The panel said it has received complaints about police trespassing into villagers' houses, outraging women's dignity and mercilessly lathicharging farmers demanding more compensation for their land acquired for a road project.

"The NHRC is pained to see complaints and media reports alleging large-scale violence in village Bhatta and other nearby areas in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh leading to loss of life and injuries to several persons, including the officers on the state government's duty," it said.

In view of the "gravity of the situation", the commission has decided to depute its investigation team for conducting an on-the-spot inquiry in the matter, the NHRC said.

"In several complaints received in the Commission, it has been alleged that the police mercilessly lathicharged the farmers who were demanding more compensation for their land which is being acquired by the state government.

"Incidents of stone-pelting of government officials by the agitating farmers, and the police personnel trespassing the villagers' houses, outraging women's dignity and burning crops were alleged. Allegedly, fire was also exchanged between the police and some agitators," it said in a statement.

Four persons, including two policemen, were killed in farmers-police clashes and firing in Bhatta-Parsaul villages on Saturday last. Political parties have condemned the police action while villagers alleged that most of the male residents have either gone missing or are in hospitals.

The Opposition has flayed the UP government for its land acquisition policy while Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who sat on a dharna at the village before being arrested late last night, alleged that the government has "unleashed atrocities on its own people."

The incident has reopened debate over acquiring land for development projects in the country, even as the Centre today said it has plans to introduce a bill in this regard in the next session of Parliament.


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MI vs DD: Delhi Daredevils need 179 runs to win against Mumbai Indians

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By Babu Ram
  
NEW DELHI: Ambati Rayudu and Rohit Sharma added quick 50-run partnership to lead Mumbai Indians innings against Delhi Daredevils in their Indian Premier League match at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai on Saturday.

Click here to watch Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Daredevils at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai

Morne Morkel claimed Rohit Sharma after the later scored a quick-fire 49 of 32 balls.

Scorecard

Mumbai lost Sachin Tendulkar (14) and Aiden Blizzard (37) in quick succession after giving a flying start against Delhi.

Shahbaz Nadeem got rid of Aiden Blizzard for 37 of 23 balls. Nadeem bowled a quicker delivery, Blizzard mistimed the pull shot, and the ball went straight to Sehwag's hands at mid wicket.

Irfan Pathan dismissed Sachin for 14. It was a short of length delivery that curled into off stump, Sachin missed the ball and the off stump was pegged back.

Earlier, Delhi Daredevils captain Virender Sehwag won the toss and elected to field first.

Mumbai retained the same eleven that defeated Pune Warriors in their previous game while Delhi Daredevils brought in opener David Warner and all-rounder Colin Ingram in place of Aaron Finch and Travis Birt besides replacing Avishkar Salvi with Shahbaz Nadeem.

Teams:

Mumbai Indians: Sachin Tendulkar(c), Aiden Blizzard, Ambati Rayudu(w), Rohit Sharma, Tirumalsetti Suman, Kieron Pollard, Andrew Symonds, Harbhajan Singh, Lasith Malinga, Munaf Patel, Dhawal Kulkarni

Delhi Daredevils: Virender Sehwag(c), David Warner, James Hopes, Venugopal Rao, Colin Ingram, Naman Ojha(w), Yogesh Nagar, Irfan Pathan, Ajit Agarkar, Morne Morkel, Shahbaz Nadeem
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Arunachal CM Dorjee Khandu killed in chopper crash

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Babu Ram
  
NEW DELHI: The ministry of external affairs confirmed on Wednesday that Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Dorjee Khandu has been killed in a chopper crash, according to Times Now.

The chopper crashed between Kyela and Lobothang near Tawang district.

SM Krishna said he is deeply pained by the demise of Dorjee Khandu.

Three bodies were on Wednesday sighted along with wreckage of an aircraft at a place on the path the helicopter carrying Dorjee Khandu and four others had taken.

Earlier in the day, breaking information that is "not encouraging and not good news", Home minister P Chidambaram said at a place between Kyela and Lobothang a party sent by circle officer sighted what appears to be an aircraft.

"They have sighted three bodies. This sighting has been made from a height. They have not been able to go down to the place where the aircraft is (lying) crashed. The message has been given to the nearest Army post which is sending a team," he had told reporters.

On Wednesday morning, search operation for missing helicopter carrying Khandu focussed on in three areas along Indo-Bhutan border.

"Based on inputs received from the ISRO satellite and the Sukhoi-30 aircraft, as well as information provided by some local people, the search operations are now going inNagar GG, District Tawang; immediate south of Sela Pass known as Eagle's Nest Reserve Forest and district Phangrong in Bhutan", said home ministry joint secretary Sambhu Singh.

Singh had said, "The search operations are being carried out by teams from the Army, ITBP, SSB, Arunachal Pradesh Police, NDRF and grazers from Arunachal Pradesh. The Government of Bhutan has also deployed search teams on its side of the border".

The Pawan Hans AS350 B-3 helicopter carrying the chief minister took off from Tawang at 9.50 am on Saturday. The last radio contact with the ground was about 20 minutes after take off as it flew over the Sela Pass along the Chinese border perched at an altitude of 13,700 feet.

There were about 3,500 personnel deployed in the search operations.

Hopes for Arunanchal Pradesh's Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu and four others are fading fast. It's been more than 72 hours since their chopper went missing and so far search operations have yielded no clues.

Lankan players fixing matches since 1992, claims Tillakaratne

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By Babu Ram:Dropping a bombshell, former Sri Lanka skipper Hashan Tillakaratne has claimed that match-fixing is common in his country since 1992 and promised to reveal names of those involved, soon. Tillakaratne, who played 83 Tests and 200 ODIs for Sri Lanka, made the sensational claim while appearing in a TV


show.
"I can tell this in agreement with my conscience. Match fixing is not something that started happening yesterday or today. According to my knowledge, it happened since 1992. I say this with great responsibility," Tillakaratne said.

Tillakaratne, who was Sri Lanka's captain between April 2003 and March 2004, said people involved in the menace have been successful in burying the issue with money power but promised to expose them soon.

"There were threats of this issue being exposed during various times. But it was pushed down by giving money to various people. If the people who were responsible for that are listening to this, I state this today with great responsibility, I will shortly reveal the names of those responsible," he said.

Tillakaratne, who led the side in 10 Tests during his tenure as captain, stopped short of calling the World Cup final between India and Sri Lanka a fixed match but had some reservations about selection.

"I am not saying that this match (The world cup final) was fixed. But anyway match fixing is something which has been in this country over a period of time. This has spread like a cancer today," he said.
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BJP backs Joshi, accuses govt of stalling probe into 2G scam

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By Babu Raam:NEW DELHI: Standing firmly behind PAC Chairperson Murli Manohar Joshi against the onslaught by Congress and DMK members, the BJP today alleged that these were "calculated, deliberate and sponsored" attacks by the ruling coalition to stall the investigation into 2G scam.

"The BJP strongly condemns the attacks on the PAC chairperson. These are calculated, deliberate, concerted and sponsored attacks," BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

Joshi had faced stiff opposition from Congress and DMK members in the PAC meeting today, when they alleged that he was trying to destabilise the government. They opposed the draft report and said it had been outsourced.

Supporting its senior leader and former president against these barbs, the BJP alleged that when the probe reached the top levels of power like PMO and Finance Minister this "sponsored campaign" started.

"There is a design behind this attack," Prasad said, adding that the attempt was to forestall the report.

"Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had earlier said Joshi is a seasoned politician and a senior parliamentarian. He had also offered to appear before the PAC. The Congress members had also praised the PAC earlier," Prasad said.

He recalled that during the April 4 meeting of the PAC, the panel had unanimously decided that it should submit its report on 2G spectrum issue by April 30.

The BJP objected to the manner in which some Congress members of PAC commented in the press against Joshi.

"We want to ask the Congress a question that when the Prime Minister had praised Joshi how has he now been painted as a villian?" Prasad said.

The main opposition also charged the UPA government with attacking government institutions one by one.

"First Kapil Sibal attacked the CAG, then the others also attacked him. Then came the appointment of a person (with a tainted record) as CVC . Now a Parliamentary committee is being attacked," Prasad said.

The Rajya Sabha MP alleged that Parliamentary Affairs Minister P K Bansal had visited some PAC members from other parties to influence them.

"The government does not want the PAC report. It had no objection when industrialists or editors were called. The whole hungama started when officials from the PMO and the Attorney General were called," Prasad alleged.

"Regardless of repeated rebuffs from the media and the judiciary, the government has shown dogged determination to stall a fair investigation (into 2G scam)," Prasad said.
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Sathya Sai Baba's last rites begin

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By Babu Ram:PUTTAPARTHI: The last rites of spiritual leader Sathya Sai Baba began with full state honours at Prashanti Nilayam here Wednesday morning amid the chanting of Vedic hymns.

The ceremonies began at 9 a.m. in Sai Kulwant Hall, where the Baba used to give 'darshan' to devotees and deliver discourses.

As the rituals began inside, policemen outside Prashanti Nilayam gave a gun salute. Baba's nephew R.J. Ratnakar performed rituals like sprinkling of holy water on the mortal remains before the burial.

Only 600 selected people, including family members of Baba, members and officials of Sathya Sai Central Trust, his close disciples and VIPs, were attending the last rites, being telecast on various television channels.

Earlier, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) senior leader L.K. Advani, Punjab Governor Shirvraj Patil, Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, Andhra Pradesh Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan, Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, former chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and several ministers from Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka paid their last respects.

Thousands of devotes had last 'darshan' of Baba till Tuesday midnight. The 85-year-old guru died Sunday, 28 days after he was admitted to hospital with multi-organ dysfunction. Since then, the body has been kept in Prashanti Nilayam to enable people to pay their last respects. 
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2G scam: Kanimozhi, 4 others summoned on May 6

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By Babu Ram:The CBI on Monday filed its second charge sheet in the 2G spectrum case naming Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi’s daughter and MP Kanimozhi and four others as accused.

However, the CBI has not named Mr. Karunanidhi’s wife Dayalu Ammal, whose name had figured in the 2G probe, as the accused in the supplementary charge sheet filed before Special judge O.P. Saini.

Others who have been charge sheeted along with Ms. Kanimozhi are Kalaignar TV Managing Director Sharad Kumar, Swan Telecom promoter Shahid Usman Balwa’s cousin Asif Balwa, Rajeev Agarwal — Directors of Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables Pvt Ltd, and Karim Murani of Cineyug Films (Pvt) Ltd.

The special court summoned Kanimozhi, Sharad Kumar and Karim Morani to appear before it on May 6 as accused in 2G spectrum case saying “there is enough incriminating material on record” to proceed against them.

Ms. Kanimozhi has been charged with section 7 and 11 of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The sections deal with acceptance of alleged gratification.

Ms. Kanimozhi, Mr. Sharad Kumar and Mr. Murani have not been arrested by the CBI but Mr. Asif Balwa and Mr. Agarwal are in judicial custody.

The charge sheet said the investigation into the case disclosed that money had travelled from DB Realty to Kalaignar TV.

Ms. Kanimozhi, Ms. Dayalu Ammal and Mr. Sharad Kumar have 20, 60 and 20 per cent shares in the channel respectively.

The CBI told the court that Rs 200 crore connected with the 2G spectrum scam had travelled from a partnership firm of Swan Telecom Promoter Shahid Usman Balwa to Kalaignar TV Pvt. Ltd.

The agency, which in the first charge sheet had said the money travelled through a “circuitous route” through Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables Pvt Ltd, a DB group company and Cineyug Films Pvt Ltd, has maintained the position in the second charge sheet.

“Investigations have revealed that in furtherance of the conspiracy, Dynamix Realty, a partnership firm of DB Realty Ltd and other DB group companies, paid Rs 200 crore to Kalaignar TV Pvt. Ltd during December 2008 to August 2009, following a circuitous route through Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables Pvt. Ltd and Cineyug Films Pvt Ltd (DB group holds 49 per cent equity in it),” CBI had said in its first charge sheet filed on April 2.
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PWI vs MI: Mumbai Indians beat Pune Warriors by seven wickets

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By Babu Ram:NEW DELHI: Mumbai Indians pulled off a thrilling seven-wicket victory over Pune Warriors in their IPL clash at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Wednesday.

Click here to watch Mumbai Indians vs Pune Warriors India at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai

It was one of the rare games where a side chasing is in full control despite the match going into the final over and the final ball.

A walk in the park for Mumbai and they have bounced back in style after the loss to Kochi.

Sachin played the sheet-anchor once again and though he fell, the others took them home. Mumbai played at their own pace and the game dawdled along after Rayudu fell. Pune needed to take wickets early on, once they failed to do so, the game was all over.

After the early loss of James Franklin, Sachin Tendulkar and Ambati Rayudu steadied the Mumbai Indian innings.

Mumbai Indians lost their first wicket early in pursuit of 119 runs to win against the Warriors.

James Franklin (6) got forward and just chipped the leg stump full ball down mid on as Mithun Manhas took a simple catch.

Robin Uthappa smashed a quick-fire 45 but top-order of Pune Warriors India put up a pathetic display and were shot out for 118 in 17.2 overs against Mumbai.

Uthappa cracked a six and six fours in his 27-ball knock to help Pune rally from a sorry-looking 17 for four and get past the 100-run mark which may not be enough on the good batting track.

The initial damage was done by Assam seamer Abu Nechim Ahmed, who replaced an injured Harbhajan Singh in the playing XI today.

He took two wickets in three balls in the fourth over before Munaf Patel also grabbed a couple in three balls to leave Pune on the ropes at 17 for four.

Uthappa's cameo ended, courtesy an outstanding catch in the deep by West Indian Kieron Pollard.

Although there weren't any big partnerships but Uthappa was involved two such efforts which yielded 35 each. First one was for the fifth wicket with Mohnish Mishra (12) and the next for the sixth wicket with Murali Kartik (11).

Munaf Patel was easily the pick of the bowlers for Mumbai, ending up with three for 8 in 14 deliveries.

Abu Nechim grabbed two for 13 while Ali Murtaza made ample amends for his costly 19th over during the defeat against Kochi Tuskers Kerala last week by opening the bowling and returning with figures of two for 18.

Warriors, who are eager to get back to winning ways after losing to Delhi Daredevils three days back, made a reasonable start after opting to bat when openers Jesse Ryder and Tim Paine put on 16 with the former being the aggressor.

But things went horribly wrong in the fourth and fifth overs when they lost four wickets in the space of just 7 balls, including that of in-form opener Ryder for 12.

Former India U-19 pacer Abu Nechim, came on to bowl the third over was the unlikely hero.

Ryder mistimed a pull-shot as Nechim fed him with short stuff and Tendulkar took a smart overhead catch running backwards.

If that wasn't enough, Mithun Manhas (0) followed suit when he edged one to Ambati Rayudu who kept today instead of Davy Jacobs.

From 17 for two, it suddenly became 17 for four with Tim Paine (2) and skipper Yuvraj Singh (0) were sent back by Munaf. While Paine got one that climbed pretty fast clipping the off-stump as he tried to pull, Yuvraj had minimal footwoork as he nicked it to give Rayudu his second catch.

Uthappa, who came in at the fall of the second wicket then started a repair job with Mohnish Mishra.

Uthappa hit a four and six off Pollard to provide some momentum to the team's total however Mishra who hit two boundaries was holed out in the deep off Ali Murtaza's bowling with Warriors tottering at 52 for five.

Then it was Kartik who joined Uthappa as they added another 35 runs to take the total to 87 before Kartik chipped a fuller delivery from Malinga to Andrew Symonds at mid-on.

Uthappa who looked good enough and deserved a half century was finally gone when he tried to hit Murtaza but Pollard's acrobatic effort cut short his innings.

At 98 for seven, it was difficult for the Warriors to put up a respectable T20 score. Leggie Rahul Sharma (13, 9 balls) hit a six and four off James Franklin to take the score past 100 but Munaf got his third wicket as he was caught bu Murtaza at deep point.

The worst part about Pune's batting was they failed to utilise 16 deliveries in the end which could have meant another 25 runs if they had wickets in hand.

Teams (from):

Pune Warriors: Jesse Ryder, Tim Paine(wk), Mithun Manhas, Robin Uthappa, Yuvraj Singh(c), Mohnish Mishra, Abhishek Jhunjhunwala, Murali Kartik, Rahul Sharma, Shrikant Wagh, Alfonso Thomas

Mumbai Indians: Sachin Tendulkar (c), Ambati Rayudu (wk), Abu Nechim, Rohit Sharma, James Franklin, Andrew Symonds, Kieron Pollard, Rajagopal Sathish, Lasith Malinga, Ali Murtaza, Munaf Patel
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Buoyant Daredevils cross swords with Deccan

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By Babu Ram:After experiencing the high of India’s World Cup triumph, the country’s cricket crazy fans were expected to take time to warm up to the Indian Premier League.

If the IPL managed to ignite the interest of the followers sooner than expected, it has a lot of do with one peculiar trend that emerges from the results so far. The defeat of a pre-match favourite in T20 is not all that surprising. But what catches the eye is the uniform manner in which the underdogs have inflicted defeats on previously unbeaten teams by chasing down targets in excess of 180. Indeed, the script could not have been better.

After two losses, Kochi Tuskers Kerala brought down the mighty Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab shook off an embarrassing defeat in its opener to stun defending champion Chennai Super Kings. Delhi Daredevils, following two defeats, is the latest to join the ‘club’ in opening its account at the expense of then leader Pune Warriors.

These results ensured there were no unbeaten teams in the fray and also, no team was without a win. Remember, so far, less than a third of league matches have been played.

Perhaps, this unpredictability was needed to bring the cricket watchers back to the stadium in good numbers. Armed with just one big victory, even those placed among the bottom-four in the league table have ensured that their ‘fans’ pack the stadium during the home games.

Two such teams, Delhi Daredevils and Deccan Chargers, face off at the Ferozeshah Kotla here. Deccan, the 2009 champion, has lost three games, including the first two, but recorded a jinx-breaking triumph at its home ground by stopping Royal Challengers Bangalore after setting up a target.

Daredevils, pounded by Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals, is understandably upbeat following its praiseworthy run chase over the Yuvraj Singh-led Warriors. Arguably, Daredevils relies far too heavily on skipper Virender Sehwag and left-handed David Warner, the two survivors from the team that lost to Deccan here precisely a year ago. Upfront, the pair is most destructive in the competition but also, always, offers the opposition the hope of a breakthrough.

Venugopal Rao is looking increasingly confident, unlike the rest in the middle-order. James Hopes, the man who put the finishing touches after being drafted in at the last minute, is a handy all-rounder. But the bowling resources make Daredevils a vulnerable team.

Deccan Chargers must be licking its fingers in anticipation of facing the new-ball attack in the hands of an inconsistent Ashok Dinda and an off-form Irfan Pathan, the all-rounder bought for a whopping $1.9 million! Morne Morkel, who missed the last game due to injury, is without doubt a better option.

Some among the untested bowlers like Avishkar Salvi, Ajit Agarkar, Rajesh Pawar, Yogesh Nagar and Vikas Mishra, among others, may have to be summoned at some point because the current attack is, perhaps, the weakest in the competition.

The talent-hunters from Daredevils, including its manager Aashish Kapoor, could well be left red-faced should the bowlers continue to concede more runs than their strong batting line-up is capable of scoring.

The Deccan line-up, including skipper Kumar Sangakkara, the talented Jean-Paul Duminy, Delhi lad Shikhar Dhawan, in-form Bharat Chipli and Ravi Teja, can combine to exploit the home team’s weakness.

The attack, including speedster Dale Styen, Delhi boy Ishant Sharma and former Daredevils leg-spinner Amit Mishra, Pragyan Ojha and an unpredictable medium pacer Manpreet Gony, gives Deccan a more balanced look.

However, both teams lack the look of assurance. Though these are still early days in the competition, it is also time to score over the unsettled formations before they find their feet. By the looks of it, the decisive phase of the match could well be how Deccan bowls to Daredevils. Yet, no clear favourite here.
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the new experimental color reading in blog

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Babu Ram-If your blog content is abundant, then the blogger as the new experimental color reading- in terms of reading is very good and effective
For example, the blog and see the new link click http://hindiwebdunianews.blogspot.com/view/  .You see the contents of this blog will find the following 5 options -

Aflipakard
Mozacka
Sidebar
Snapshot
Taimslaead

Composers such as blogs and even then it's great. The facility should be open to fullfeeds of your blog.

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Japanese PM Says Nuclear Plant Stabilizing

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By Babu Ram-Japan's prime minister says the situation is stabilizing at the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant even though his government has elevated the level of the crisis on an international scale.

Prime Minister Naoto Kan offered the assurances Tuesday in a nationally televised news conference, hours after his government designated the accident as a level seven - the highest level on the nuclear incident scale formulated by the International Atomic Energy Agency. That puts it on the same level as the 1986 disaster at Chernobyl.

A series of strong aftershocks is hampering efforts to repair systems at the Fukushima plant, including a 6.0-magnitude quake Tuesday that forced workers to evacuate the site for the second time in two days. The plant's operators said there were no immediate signs of new damage from the aftershock, which followed a 6.2-magnitude quake on Monday.

Officials raised the crisis from a five to a seven on the international scale, indicating a major accident with widespread health and environmental effects. But they stressed that radiation released since an earthquake and tsunami destroyed the plant's cooling systems on March 11 is only 10 percent of what was released at Chernobyl.

Kan said at his press conference that the levels of radiation leaking from the plant are now decreasing and that the situation is moving "one step at a time" toward stability.

He also said it is time for the country to turn to the task of reconstruction, saying it must regain the determination it showed in rebuilding after World War II. He said Japan should not just restore things as they were before but build a better future than before.

Kan urged citizens to abandon the self-restraint they have shown out of respect for the victims of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, which has left about 28,000 people dead or missing. He said they should help the survivors by buying good including food products from the areas most affected by the disasters.

Officials with Japan's nuclear safety agency said the decision to raise the accident level was based on a detailed assessment of how much radiation has escaped from the plant over the past month, especially in the first days after the tsunami knocked out its cooling systems.

A similar assessment led to a decision Monday to evacuate residents from five communities outside the existing exclusion zone and urge residents between 20 and 30 kilometers from the plant to be prepared to move quickly.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano stressed that, unlike the Chernobyl accident in what is now Ukraine, there has so far been no "direct health hazard" from the Fukushima accident. The Chernobyl disaster is believed to have killed about two dozen people within days and thousands more over the ensuing years.

Safety agency officials also noted that, in Chernobyl, radiation spread over a wide area when a reactor exploded. So far at Fukushima, most of the radiation has been contained within large concrete chambers, though they may be leaking.

SBI-led consortium picks up about 23.3% stake in Kingfisher

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By Babu Ram-Mumbai, Apr 6 (PTI) As part of debt recast process of Kingfisher Airlines, a consortium of banks, including SBI and ICICI Bank, has converted debt of Rs 750 crore into equity shares amounting to over 23 per cent in the company. Kingfisher Airlines owed about Rs 7,600 crore to 13 banks which was restructured last year. As many as 11.6 crore shares were alloted to banks for Rs 750.09 crore. A conversion price of Rs 64.48 a piece was arrived on March 1 as per a SEBI guideline. The market value of these shares at today''s closing price of Rs 48.05 per share is Rs 557.38 crore. SBI was alloted 2.8 crore equity shares on preferential basis on account of conversion of compulsorily convertible preference shares under corporate debt restructuring, the bank said. By virtue the conversion, State Bank of India (SBI) holds 5.67 per cent in the airline. Another lender ICICI Bank was allotted 2.6 crore shares and the lender owns 5.3 per cent in the airline. Both the lenders together hold about 10.97 per cent in the carrier. The allotment of shares was done on March 31, 2011. This cashless transaction is a part of corporate debt restructuring agreed by banks and the airline company. Other large lenders like IDBI Bank, Bank of Baroda and Punjab National Bank have also got some stake in the airline after conversion of a portion of the debt. While IDBI Bank has got about 3.4 per cent stake in the second largest domestic airline company, Punjab National Bank holds about 1 per cent. After the debt restructuring, the combined shareholding of Kingfisher''s promoters has declined to 58.6 per cent from earlier level of 66.2 per cent, Kingfisher Airlines Director Ravi Nedungadi told PTI over phone from Bangalore. Nedungadi is also Chief Finance Officer (CFO) of UB Group, promoter of Kingfisher Airlines. The paid-up equity capital of the company has increased to Rs 497 crore from Rs 265 crore as allotmnet include fresh equities as well. "We have issued 5.68 per cent new equity shares to SBI, which is our largest lender, under the master debt recast plan which we accepted late last year," he said. This move by the lenders follows a decision taken during end-November 2010 on a debt recast package, effected after a one-time relaxation in restructuring guidelines sanctioned by the Reserve Bank of India. The consortium had given loans to UB Group''s Kingfisher Airlines which was restructured last year as the airline companies found difficult to repay loans hit by global meltdown. Shares of Kingfisher Airlines closed at 48.05, up 4.57 per cent on the Bombay Stock Exchange. .
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US death row injection comes from Mumbai firm

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By Babu Ram-MUMBAI: Correctional services in the US are buying sodium thiopental from a little-known firm in Borivli (West) for use in lethal injections to execute death sentences.

Kayem Pharmaceuticals Pvt Ltd, at Marian Colony, shipped a 500-gram consignment of the yellow powder, packed in a hefty 25-kg strongbox, on December 8, 2010, to the Nebraska department of correctional services. Sodium thiopental is generally used along with pancuronium bromide and potassium chloride to create a cocktail with which several states in the US carry out the death sentence by lethal injection. In February this year, Kayem sold another consignment to the South Dakota department of corrections. Executions are yet to be carried out by Nebraska or South Dakota with the drug purchased from Kayem.

Sodium thiopental has been in short supply in the US for about a year after the sole American company that manufactured it ceased production. That has forced American prisons to look abroad. For Nebraska and South Dakota, that search led to the residential Greenfield Cooperative Housing Society in Borivli (West), where Kayem is located. Kayem is a two-room set-up — office and storeroom — with a balcony that doubles as a kitchen.

American prisons have taken flak for purchasing sodium thiopental, used in lethal injections, from overseas. An earlier purchase from the UK apparently degraded by the time it reached American shores, said Clive Stafford Smith, director of Reprieve, an international charity assisting people around the world facing the death penalty. "The failure of the sodium thiopental purchased in the UK has thus far caused the excruciating and torturous death of three people, one in Arizona and two in Georgia," Smith said.

That prompted a lawyer in Nebraska — where the execution of Carey Dean Moore, 53, is pending — to move court there against the use of the sodium thiopental bought from Kayem. There were also questions raised about whether Kayem is properly registered in the US.

Officials in the Nebraska corrections department did not respond to queries emailed by this newspaper. However, replying to the court in the Nebraska case, state solicitor-general J Kirk Brown said: "The state of Nebraska has duly enacted a new statutory method of execution (lethal injection) and adopted an execution protocol pursuant to the statute, which together satisfy all currently understood requirements of our state and federal constitutions."

Kayem, a small-scale Indian company, may now be in a position to increase its business. "Several American states have now approached us for sodium thiopental," said Navneet Verma, director, Kayem Pharmaceuticals. Verma said he sold the first consignment of 500 grams to the Nebraska correctional services at $3.50 a gram. That works out to $1,750, or around Rs 78,000. When officials at the South Dakota department of corrections evinced interest to buy the same drug, Kayem jacked the price up to $10 a gram.

Derived by mixing sodium and thiopentone, the drug sodium thiopental doesn't really require a huge facility to manufacture and goes for around Rs 35 a gram in the Indian market.
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Sachin Tendulkar rules out immediate retirement

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By Babu Ram-NEW DELHI: Batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar on Monday made it clear that he has no immediate plans of quitting ODIs, saying he was enjoying the game even more now and still has the "desire and the passion" to play for India.

Tendulkar said that the thought of retirement had not crossed his mind and he would let everybody know when he decides to call it a day.

"I have not thought about all that (retirement). If I have ever think about it, what is there to hide. I will tell you openly that day, whatever I decide to do, now I want to enjoy the game," he said, scotching speculation that the champion batsman may quit the shorter version of the game to prolong his Test career.

"The passion of cricket has not died. The love of the game is very much alive and I have played such a long time because of that I don't see any reason why that would change now. It is time to enjoy the game even more. I'm looking forward to it and continue. It is a wonderful moment and I should cherish it," he said in media interviews.

Asked where he saw himself five years down the line, Tendulkar said, "I don't know I'll still be Sachin Tendulkar... I don't think I'll be playing in the next World Cup but I am enjoying right now and I want to enjoy the moment."

"This is a rare moment and we have to appreciate the fact that something special has happened to this nation and just enjoy this moment," he added.

Asked what is the difference between this side and the teams of the past, he said, "This side has more match-winners, guys who can win a match on their own. There is a fine balance in the team."

In a career spanning 21 years, Tendulkar has played in 177 Tests and 453 ODIs so far, scoring a record 14,692 and 18,111 runs respectively.
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World Cup 2011 Cricket Team India

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By Babu Ram-MUMBAI: When Mahendra Singh Dhoni lofted Nuwan Kulasekara for the winning six against Sri Lanka, he stood gazing at the ball as it flew through the Mumbai night sky, soaking up the sweet moment and the reward for four years of hard work and the introduction of a work ethic and team bonding not seen in previous Indian teams.

Four years ago, the team was in ruins after crashing out in the first round of the World Cup in the Caribbean, with fans baying for the cricketers' blood.

But the transition in the next four-year cycle has been outstanding, the picture completed with the six-wicket victory at the Wankhede Stadium, when Dhoni anchored the run chase with his knock of 91.

The three characters who stand out for India in the transformation of the team's approach are Dhoni, low-profile coach Gary Kirsten and the indefatigable Sachin Tendulkar.

If Dhoni has marshaled his resources well, Kirsten has been the facilitator of systems and Tendulkar the biggest inspiration for younger players.

These three have transformed the team into a powerful unit that has done well in different conditions around the world and also come back from the brink to achieve impressive victories.

Tendulkar, who has played with many top players in his 21 years of international cricket, said Saturday he was enjoying playing like never before.

"This team shows a lot of self belief and is extremely consistent," Tendulkar said after the victory. "It is a great honor to be part of this team."

The Indian team, already enjoying top ranking in Test cricket, is now also atop the one-day table.

In the past few years, India has come back undefeated from Test tours of Australia and South Africa, won a Test series in New Zealand as well as one-day series in Australia and Sri Lanka, all considered difficult feats for any team.

But the one event that triggered the cycle was the Twenty20 World Championship victory in South Africa four years ago, which offset the despair of the 2007 World Cup and refreshed the side.

Dhoni gave the first glimpse of his charismatic qualities as a leader of a young team and slowly took over as captain of one-dayers and test matches too.

Dhoni conceded the other day that he does not believe in too much planning and likes to give players freedom as well as responsibilities.

"I don't even attend the bowlers' meeting. I'm happy to let them come up with strategies and keep that out of my mind," he said about the Zaheer Khan-led attack.

But Dhoni, like most others, accepts that South African Kirsten's contribution has been immense, specially in removing the insecurities that have dogged players in the past.

"Everyone knows what he has done for the team. He knows our players very well and is probably the best thing to happen to Indian cricket," Dhoni said of him.

Supporting Kirsten has been South African Paddy Upton, credited with the players' better mental conditioning.

The team management has also thought out of the box and been inspired by the likes of high altitude climber and Arctic explorer Mike Horn.

"Mike is an adventurer and the stories that he tells of his experiences are simply outstanding. He has given us insight into what the human mind can do for us," Dhoni said of him.

India opener Virender Sehwag, like many of his teammates, said the team had been wanting to win the World Cup for Tendulkar and revealed that the team had been aiming for the win for over a year.

"For more than one year, we have been aiming to do this. It has been a team effort with even a 38-yer-old Tendulkar diving on the boundary line today," Sehwag said after the victory.
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