Wonder how this will work out...

Two-way channel for The Hindu's readers from The Hindu

THE READERS' Editor of The Hindu will be functional from March 1, 2006. The key
objectives of this appointment are to institutionalise the practice of
self-regulation, accountability, and transparency; to create a new visible
framework to improve accuracy, verification, and standards in the newspaper; and
to strengthen bonds between the newspaper and its millions of print platform and
online readers.
The Readers' Editor will be a two-way channel for readers'
suggestions and grievances relating to accuracy, fairness, standards, good
taste, and the highest values of journalism in whatever is published in The
Hindu . Complaints will be enquired into and follow-up action taken by
publishing corrections or clarifications; by replying to the complainant; and by
enabling corrective action to be taken, as needed.

This experiment will depend on how responsible readers are.

Time to leave

Few hrs from now I will set on to something new. I don't know what awaits me but I do know that I am leaving some precious friends... and as sad as that makes me I am sure that we will manage to keep in touch.

To meet and to part is the story of life,
To part and to meet is the glory of life.

thank god!

India bird flu tests 'negative' from BBC

Indian health officials say 94 out of 95 samples collected from people with flu-like symptoms have tested negative for bird flu.

Results from one final sample are expected on Saturday.

Hundreds of thousands of birds have been slaughtered after the deadly H5N1 bird flu strain was found in Navapur town in Maharashtra state last week.

The authorities have now completely sealed the town, which has a population of 30,000, and 19 nearby villages.

Holly-Bolly

Smith builds links with Bollywood from BBC

Actor Will Smith has called for closer links between Hollywood and Bollywood during a visit to India.

I, Robot star Smith said Hollywood could find a winning combination by joining up with the "beauty, colour and depth of Indian cinema".

He said he hoped to work with India's top producers and actors, adding: "I really feel there is a marriage to be made between Hollywood and Bollywood."

Indian cinema has one of the world's largest audiences and output of films.

Mr Smith met with Bollywood producers, directors and actors and visited film studios.

'Blown away'

He said: "I am meeting with these people to make artistic connections and come up with a new thing."

The actor said he had been "blown away" by the performance of Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan - also known as Big B - in the film Sarkar.

He said: "I was very impressed with his acting and have decided that from today onwards, I will be known as Big W."

I bow to thy

India's feisty untouchable woman from BBC

After leading a spirited drive to root out alcoholism and get the government to work for her community in the troubled state of Bihar, she has become the first woman from her community of rat-eaters to address a United Nations convention.

Musahars are so poor that their staple diet often comprises mice.

On 27 February, the unlettered Girija Devi will lead five women from India at the international meeting to talk about the status of women. She will speak in her local Bhojpuri dialect.

This is simply marvelous. She has helped make 125 villages alcohol free WOW!

Finally

I am moving back to India :) So this blog is going to be not as regular for the next few days. Once I get settled I am sure I will have tons to say.

But for right now I am really looking forward to going back. All this while when I had not made the decision I was wondering if going back to India is the right thing. But now that I have decided I think I was stupid not take this step before espically since that is what I wanted to do all this while. What will I leave behind. For the last few days days my mind has been bubbling with thoughts I will put it down once I am done with packing. PACKING I better finish it before I leave :)

Bird Flu in India

Bird flu hits India from The Hindu

NEW DELHI: The dreaded pathogenic H5N1 bird flu has hit the country — about 50,000 birds are suspected to have been infected in the tribal Nandurbar district of Maharashtra. As a precaution, two lakh birds being reared in 16 commercial farms within 3 km radius of the affected area would be culled (killed), the Secretary, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, P.M.A. Hakeem, told The Hindu .

A red alert has been sounded in the adjoining Surat district in Gujarat, which has many commercial farms. India has about 490 million poultry of which 60 per cent is in the commercial sector. The rest is backyard poultry.