Is LTTE chief really dead?

Media reports say Prabhakaran has been killed but recently we received this picture/photo of him in our email that shows him sitting comfortably and watching his own dead body on a news channel! He is also holding a Tamil daily.

We were not sure about the picture, whether it is doctored or real.

If you have anything to say on this please leave it on the comment box.

Agatha Sangma: Youngest, hottest minister in UPA govt

Nationalist Congress Party general secretary and for former Lok Sabha Speaker P A Sangma’s daughter Agatha Sangma is to become the youngest minister in the UPA governmmnet today (May 28, 2009).

The 28-year-old lady who had won from the Tura LS constituency in the recently concluded election has become a sensation even on the internet with thousands looking up Google for ‘Agatha Sangma’.

Agatha is not only the young face of the UPA government but also the hottest among them. Besides, being the first woman MP from Meghalaya also works in her favour. We will be seeing her more and more in the coming days, for there are many media houses following her every moves.

A rare opportunity given to a woman Memeber of Parliament from northeast India is definitely a welcome step.

We too nod our head in agreement that she is indeed the hottest among all MPs in the Indian Parliament. Hema Malini and Jaya Prada are now history!

However hot and happening she is, we looked forward to the quality of her work in the days to come.

Webtalkies Short Film Awards 2009

Webtalkies invites films, both fiction and non-fiction, across genres and languages. The only constraint would be in terms of the film duration which will have to be between min 3 to max 15 minutes. The shortlisted films will be screened on nautanki.tv and simultaneously judged panel of judges including filmmakers like Paromita Vohra and Amol Gupte, film editors like Deepa Bhatia and cinematographers like Mahesh Aney.

The best three films will be chosen by the jury as per the following categories and will be awarded prize monies as follows:

• Best Short Film : Rs 50,000
• Best Editor : Rs 25,000
• Best Cinematographer : Rs 25,000

In addition, the film that gets the highest number of views on nautanki.tv will be awarded the

• Audience Choice Award and a cash prize of Rs. 30,000.

Entries open 1st June, 2009 to 15th July, 2009.

There is NO entry fee.

The shortlisted films will be notified by mail on 1st August, 09 and the films will be put up on www.nautanki.tv

The best three films will be declared on 7th September, 09 and they will be screened at INOX, Nariman Point on the 27th of September 09 and the jury will present the cash prizes. For Further Information - Click here.

Do we need another nuclear-armed nation?

With North Korea announcing its second 'successful nuclear tests' yesterday the Korean peninsular crisis became much more complex rather than easing the ongoing reconciliation process.

North Korea proudly claimed: “The successful nuclear test is greatly inspiring the army and people of the DPRK [North Korea].”

“The test will contribute to defending the sovereignty of the country and the nation and socialism and ensuring peace and security on the Korean Peninsula,” it added.

The question the world community should now be asking is whether we need nuclear weapons to root-out our enemies. Also, why should we destroy the world as well as our enemies at the same time. We can at least be good to 'mother earth' who had given mankind so much. If we really wanted to settle score points with our enemies we can just keep the conventional ways, like, using our AK-47s or even kungfu fighting?

We have one world and now over seven nuclear-armed states all set to destroy it whenever they wanted to. Even in times of peace nuclear weapons are a danger. It is time leaders of the world seriously contemplate on behaving like a 'nuclear family' and sort out their differences in amicable ways without threatening the other.

[Image: joongangdaily.com]

LTTE admits Prabhakaran’s death

Colombo, May 24: Ending its stoic silence over the death of Tamil Tiger supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran, the LTTE on Sunday said the top rebel leader was killed in last week's final battle with the Sri Lankan military in the north.

 

We announce today, with inexpressible sadness and heavy hearts that our incomparable leader and supreme commander (Prabhakaran)... attained martyrdom fighting the military oppression," the LTTE's head of International Relations Selvarasa Pathmanathan said in a statement today.

"For over three decades, our leader was the heart and soul and the symbol of hope, pride and determination for the whole nation of people of Tamil Eelam," Pathmanathan said.

The Sri Lankan Army had on Monday last said it has killed Prabhakaran when he tried to flee in an ambulance. But, the LTTE immediately rejected the army claim, saying Tamil Tiger supremo was alive and safe.

The Tigers had dismissed the announcement by the Sri Lankan government about Prabhakaran's death as "engineered rumours".

"These rumours have been set afloat to confuse the global Tamil community which has been voicing support for the liberation of Tamil Eelam," a pro-rebel website had said, quoting Arivazhakan, the 'Head of International Secretariat of the Intelligence wing' of Tamil Tigers.

However, in today's statement, Pathmanathan said 54-year-old Prabhakaran died fighting military but did not give details of the circumstances that led to his death.

He also announced a week of mourning for their dead leader, starting tomorrow.

The statement calls on Tamils all over the world to "restrain from harmful acts to themselves or anyone else in this hour of extreme grief."

"Since the failure of the peace process and the escalation of the war forced upon the Tamil people, the LTTE was faced to confront the Sri Lankan military that was supported by the world powers.

"This deliberate bias and position taken by the international community severely weakened the military position of the LTTE," he said.

"Our leader confronted this threat without any hesitation. He would not waver in his desire to be with his people and fight for his people till the end," he said.

"His (Prabhakaran) final request was for the struggle to continue until we achieved the freedom," Pathmanathan said, adding "his legend and the historical status as the greatest Tamil leader ever are indestructible."

The Sri Lankan troops recovered Prabhakaran's body near a lagoon in the 'No Fire Zone' in the Wanni region. The Army had yesterday said that they have cremated the body.

I met one-handed rickshaw puller and I died with shame...

[From Deepshikha Shanker*, Mangalore University]

I met this guy who pulls rickshaw for a living and guess what I was never more ashamed about complaining on my status (complains about life)... I know most would kill for what I have while others would scorn, but this guy who lives by a rickshaw when he can beg and make better money.

 

Oh yes! I forgot to mention that he has just one hand.. So??? I found a new found dignity in lives of people who make their living every day...I have nothing more to say than that but i was not just ashamed of what he did, I was ashamed of why he had to resort to it... why he didn't have a system supporting his kind.. I don't know but will at least soon find out...

 

[*Deepshikha is now a journalist working with CNN-IBN, New Delhi]

 

Google Chrome 2.0 released!

Google chrome 2 has been released from beta version. Google claims that Google Chrome 2.0 is not only "Better, faster, Stronger from the previous version" but even from other browsers. If you want to update your Google Chrome to Version 2.0 you can also download it at http://www.google.com/chrome.

Prabhakaran's death is 'engineered' rumour: LTTE

May 23, 2009: Five days after the Sri Lankan government claimed that it had killed leader of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Velupillai Prabhakaran, Head of International Secretariat of the Intelligence Wing of the LTTE, Arivazhakan, on Friday said that Mr. Prabhakaran is "alive, totally safe" and he will emerge at an "appropriate time".

This is the second time LTTE has rubbished the Sri Lankan government's claim to pro-LTTE website Tamilnet.com.

Mr. Arivazhakan alleged that the Rajapaksa government through its media is spreading false propaganda and rumours about the death of the LTTE Leader only to misguide the people in Sri Lanka and the International Community.

Urging the global Tamil community not to believe such “engineered rumours”, Mr. Arivazhakan said, “Our beloved leader is alive and monitoring the situation. He will again emerge and contact with his people in appropriate time”.

“Time is coming when it will be proved that Colombo government is spreading false propaganda,” he further said, but did not reveal his location due to security reasons.

Other reliable LTTE intelligence sources said Pirapharan along with Pottu Amman and Col. Soosai had escaped through Kanchikudicharu a dense jungle in Mullaithivu.

The LTTE sources however had accepted that Charles Antony, B. Nadesan and Pulledevan were shot dead by Sri Lankan military.

Mirrors

English(A)
Cast: Kiefer Sutherland,Paula Patton, Cameron,Boyce, Erica Gluck, Amy Smart
Director: Alexandre Aja

Despite several flaws, the film is terribly good when it comes to the musical score. The music builds up an eerie feeling, and you are sure to end up with goose bumps every now and then. To supplement the excellent score are the visuals and the right camera angles by which the mirrors present a creepy feeling all around...

Read Full Review

My Mom's New Boyfriend

English (A)
Cast: Meg Ryan,Antonio Banderas,Colin Hanks, Selma Blair
Director: George Gallo

The stuffs in ‘My Mom’s New Boyfriend’ are simply not good enough to tickle your funny bone. Nonetheless, it may be good for people who are comfortable with cocktail movies...

Read Full Review

Mayawati can't be Queen! But...

With the Bahujan Samaj Party getting a mere 21 seats in the just concluded Lok Sabha elections, Mayawati who was the Third Front’s front runner for the prime ministerial post now has no choice but to offer support to the United Progressive Alliance government led by Dr Manmohan Singh.

Earlier, the BSP chief was embroiled in a political gamble with both the mother and son duo of the Gandhi family. She first tried to prevent Ms Sonia Gandhi from holding a rally when the Gandhi ‘bahu’ was to inaugurate a new rail coach factory in Reaberalli. Then she categorically criticized the young turk Rahul Gandhi as nothing but a Congress’ ‘gimmick’ to woo young voters bound for 'failure'.

Now, with the results clearly in favour of the Congress, not only in the Centre, but in Uttar Pradesh, Maya besides biting the dust has to offer “unconditional support” to the Congress.
Why she suddenly changed her mind is few of us can keep guessing. Looking back at her track record in forging alliances and breaking it later, she can surely spring another surprise any minutes; in fact, any seconds. Watch out for her... there’s still some more ‘maya’ in her!

LTTE chief 'is' Good and Bad as Dead

The ‘killing’ of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) chief V Prabhakaran has evoked mixed response even among those who hated him most for being a ‘ruthless and adamant’ man whose incessant quests for the Tamil Eelam brought tragic end to the lives of thousands.

Prabhakaran had set out with a single mission of creating a separate state for the Tamils in Sri Lanka’s East and that mission remained ultimate throughout. Several rounds of peace talks were here under the Norwegian initiatives but Prabhakaran wanted nothing less from what he called “the exploitative Sinhalese Lankan government”.

After the peace talks failed in the 1990s there was no looking back for him. He strengthened the LTTE with the most sophisticated weapons and also commissioned a rudimentary LTTE air force which conducted air raids on the Sri Lankan capital several times.

Accused for killing India’s prime minister Rajiv Gandhi and Sri Lanka’s president Ranasinghe Premadasa, Prabhakaran took the path “most violent” in modern revolutionary warfare. Had he been more flexible the ending to the so-called ‘Eelam War IV’ could have been much more rewarding for the Sri Lankan Tamils.

On the personal front, there is no denying that Phabhakaran ‘was’ a brave and determined person. From a band of boys, he transformed the LTTE into one of the most feared “revolutionary” force. His love for the Tamils who were “ill-treated” by the Sinhalese government can never be doubted but the means he adopted finally put the life out of his body in a gruesome manner.

On the other side, Prabhakaran ‘dead’ is good as well as bad news for Sri Lanka. Good because it has eliminated the man who single-handedly run the LTTE according to his whims. At the sametime, Prabhakaran ‘dead’ will only elevate him to a martyr status, which the Tamils needed badly. There is also a possibility of splinter groups trying to fill the vacuum left by Prabhakaran. These groups in trying to emulate their ‘late’ leader could even be more violent and difficult to deal with.

It is now up to President Rajapaksa and his government to immediately and sincerely implement a political solution in the war-ravaged Tamil areas. Any delay could provide time for rebels on the run to regroup and start another ‘Eelam War V’.

Pride and Glory

English (A)
Cast: Edward Norton, Colin Farrell, Jon Voight Director: Gavin O’Connor

The film’s serious theme is tightly knit with the plot never revealing itself too much. Besides, the director’s decision to use a moving camera also generates enough tension and suspense till the very end.

Read Full Review

What Just Happened

English (A)
Cast: Robert De Niro, Bruce Willis, Sean Penn Director: Barry Levinson

Overall, ‘What Just Happened’ is slow, funny and yet tiresome because it lacks that punch to knock you off guard and take notice of the endless satires centred around the life of a Hollywood film producer...

Read Full Review

Goal.com Logo Contest

Here's some good news for football lovers and those good in graphic/image designing. The site www.goal.com is holding their company's logo contest on May 2009.

For the winner's design will be placed on their webpage www.goal.com plus a cash prize of US $2,500, and for further incentive, 20 other entrants will receive a $100 gift certificate for Goal.com Shop.

This Goal.com Logo Contest, will get started on 18 May 2009. if you are interested in participating this contest, you can Register Here.

Please read carefully the regulations, terms and conditions, and find out what they value your design to be chosen as the winner.

44 years after Satyajit Ray's Ang, India gets the Zoozoo

[Partner source: IndianewsUpdates.Com]

The Zoozoos also have one of the largest fan bases on the social-networking circuit Facebook with two sites, one official and one unofficial, featuring more than 100,000 Zoozoo buffs.

Forty-four years after legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray created the iconic dwarf Ang, which was adapted by Hollywood director Steven Spielberg as the E.T., a crew of 25 admen has given India a new cult of queer beings - the Zoozoos.

The dwarf egg-heads who are almost everywhere - on television, billboards, at the Indian Premier League venues and in the minds of millions of viewers - are Vodafone's new brand ambassadors with one of the highest TV viewership ratings during this poll and IPL season.

Thanks to the aliens created by an Ogilvy and Mathers (O&M) crew, Vodafone with a share of 12 percent is leading the top five commercial brands that have contributed to 26 percent of the overall commercial advertising share, according to television audience measurement (TAM) figures.

The Zoozoos also have one of the largest fan bases on the social-networking circuit Facebook with two sites, one official and one unofficial, featuring more than 100,000 Zoozoo buffs.

But the Zoozoos, who resemble aliens, are not Ray's ET from the planet Cranius who befriended the Bengali school teacher Banku Babu.

For one, the Zoozoos are real beings in body suits who shot the commercials over 10 days in Cape Town, South Africa. And they are up to something new each day. Vodafone will release 30 Zoozoo commercials thoughout the IPL season.

"The Zoozoos are not animated characters. They are human beings in body suits made of foam so that they stay in shape. We used young women of slight build, mostly ballet and theatre dancers," Rajiv Rao, the executive creative director of O&M, told IANS from Mumbai.

Ad-filmmaker Prakash Varma of Nirvana Films, who directed the commercials for O&M, says Zoozoos were a big challenge to create. "The practical aspect of how they would talk, gesticulate and emote were very important. It took me three weeks of pre-production work to understand how it would work."

There were two fabrics that were considered for the body suits. One had too many wrinkles and was shiny.

"The wrinkles would have shown when the characters moved. So, we chose the more practical thicker fabric," Varma said. The production team divided the fabric into two parts - the body and the head. The body parts of the outfit were stuffed with foam, while the head was attached separately.

"To make it look bigger than the human head, we used a material called Perspex. We wanted to keep the hands and the legs thin, which was why we cast women," the filmmaker explained.

The objective of the campaign was to refresh the consumer's memory every day during the IPL season with one commercial a day. "We wanted to make one film a day and create a common character, which would come and go every day but have a steady recall. The verdict was that a cartoon character would be the most inspiring," Rao said.

The makers of Zoozoo might return with a fresh lot of ads - if the ratings climb. "But we have not given it any specific thought," Rao said.

Feel the Noise

English (A)
Cast: Omarion Grandberry, Zulay Henao, James McCaffrey, Kellita Smith, Malik Yoba, Melonie Diaz
Director: Alejandro Chomski

‘Feel the Noise’ has been rightly titled as a note of caution for you. Have you ever spent money to ‘hear’ some noise in your own backyard?

Read Full Review

mGinger: Earn Extra by Receiving Free SMS

EAT, SLEEP, PLAY and let your mobilephone work for you! This phrase seems to be the strategy of the innovative guys at mGinger.com. The company, perhaps the first in India, to revolutionised core mobi-ads recently announced that it has given out Rs 1 Crore 32 lakh to its users. It's quite a big amount, don't you think so?

Well going by the feedbacks and the personal experience mGinger business plan appears to be authentic. (Note: 'Nahai' too has an account at mGinger and some rupees have already been credited but haven't make a request for the cheque).

To join this Free to Earn program, all you have to do is receive Free SMS on your mobilephone... at the time specified by you. So the problem of unwanted SMS during work is also solved! The SMSes will include your area of interests you have given at the time of signing up.

Interested? You can simply Sign Up Here

Unlike other paid SMS service which requires you to pay some amount before joining their programs mGinger is 100% Free to join (Click Here to see payment proof). Beware of those sites or plans asking you to pay money to earn money. They are in most cases scams.

mGinger Member benefits:
* You get paid to receive SMS on your mobile
* Atleast 10-20 ads daily
* Get paid 20 paise(indian currency) per ad
* Get paid for your referrals as well as their referrals
* minimum threshold is RS. 300
* get paid in standard cheques!!
* guaranteed payout(see payment proof below)
* Earn more by inviting.

What you earn..
1. 20 paise for every ad you receive.
2. 10 paise for every ad your friend's receive.
3. 10 paise for every ad you friend's friend's receive.
4. 10 paise for every ad youfriend's friend's friend's receive.
5. So earn lot and mahe huge sums of money

Extra features:
* Get Paid!
For receiving SMS on your mobile Accumulate Rs. 300 and receive a cheque
* Be informed!
On various events, deals & discounts In your city & locality
* Get Free SMS!
Send SMS to friends Use messenger and save on your mobile bill
* Get mCoupons!
Download & avail assured discounts Show mCoupon in stores & save on bills
* Get Great Offers!
In your locality On variety of brands & save tons of money
* Free Mobile Games!
Browse & download favourite games Play and have fun with your friends

Ready to join? CLICK HERE

Swine Flu Claims its First US Victim

Even as India tries to prevent any outbreak of the dreaded swine flu, elsewhere in the world people are bidding goodbye to their beloved. Mexico has been the worst hit country with over 20 deaths.

To prove that we lived next doors and and not world's apart the disease took its first toll on a US citizen Judy Trunnell First, who is mourned not only by the Americans but the world over. She has sort of become a mascot of swine flu victim party because of her rendering story.

"his week should have been a joyous time for Judy Trunnell, a 33-year-old schoolteacher who had just given birth to a healthy baby girl.

But the friends and relatives whose cars lined the quiet street in front of her home in a quiet subdivision Tuesday instead were mourning her, the first American with swine flu to die.
"We're grieving now," said a woman with tear-streaked eyes who declined to give her name.

In Maryland, her cousin told WMAR-TV in Baltimore that Trunnell had died after spending two weeks in the hospital. She slipped into a coma, and her baby was delivered by Cesarean section, Mario Zamora said.

"She was just a beautiful person, warm at heart. She worked with disabled children as a teacher," Zamora said. "Those that knew her will always remember her."

Texas health officials stopped short of saying that swine flu caused Trunnell's death. State health department spokeswoman Carrie Williams said the schoolteacher had "chronic underlying health conditions" but wouldn't give any more details.

She died early Tuesday after being hospitalized since April 19, said Leonel Lopez, Cameron County epidemiologist."

Watch A Video

Photo Caption Contest: Get Free Book

Dear reader, Write a caption for the photo below, and you could win a book DERANGEMENTS by Rajorshi Chakraborti worth Rs 295 which is published by HarperCollins!

We are giving away this book (as good as new) with FREE postage as well. We are sure you would want to take a look at the work of an internationally aclaimed novelist and commentator.

Reviewers say:
'A writer so promising and committed that one suspects he cannot help doing too many things too well.' The Statesman

'He seems to suggest that it is only through the prism of an absent identity that the world can accurately be described...for originality it's hard to beat.' Edinburgh Review.

Anyone in India can enter the contest. Leave your caption in the comments box/section. If you're not a Blogger member, you can comment anonymously and leave your name or your initials/nickname; when we announce the winner, you'll know if you won and all you have to do is e-mail us to claim your prize.

The deadline for captions/entries is Saturday, November 28, 2009, 11:59 PM, and it is one caption/entry per person. We will select the best caption at that time which will be final.

To Enter the Contest
CLICK HERE

New Deccan Herald Website Design

Karnataka's favourite newspaper Deccan Herald which adopted a new print design on March 7 this year has come up with a new look for their website as well.

The new portal will be formally launch today for access by the public. [Picture on the left is the new web layout]

Last heard from a person in the know-how was that this new portal www.deccanherald.com (visit later in the day as there might be some launching formalities) will be sleeker and trendier than the current web layout.

Some of the new features are:
1. Comments facility.
2. Easy navigation.
3. Article ratings
4 Article Sharing tools...This will allow bloggers to share the news items posted in the portal with their friend.
5. Dedicated sections for videos, photos, etc
6. Bookmaking facilities.
7. You will also be able to access interactive games like Sudoku and crosswords, etc.

Back to my life...at Nahai

It's been many months...or was it a year...I couldn't exactly remember the last of my 'personal life' here at 'Nahai'.

Over the last few months, I've been preoccupied with work besides searching for the perfect blog template for 'Nahai'.

Now that I have finally settled for this (tomodachi) design which I feel is light and loads quite fast...Now you don't have to wait too long trying to read my film and book reviews.

Last week was one of the most hectic weeks I have known in a long time. Watching four films! Reading four books! and trying to read four newspapers daily....woa... The outcome: Three film reviews written, two books completed and not a single paper browsed.


OK,,,,back to business...


Lookout for Mukul Deva's Salim Must Die, 26/11 Attack on Mumbai, Piercing the Heart (Unheard Voices of 26/11) and Pablo De Santis's The Paris Enigma...which are coming this month.

Civil Services Exam Result 2008

The Union Public Service Commission on Monday evening announced the Civil Services Exam 2008 result in which three women top the list.

 

Below is the link where you can check out the names of the sucessful candidates.  

 

Result: View the List

 

Press Information Bureau Press Release:

Results of the Civil Services (Main) Examination 2008 have been announced. Based on the results of the written part of the Examination, held by the Union Public Service Commission in October-November, 2008 and the interviews for Personality Test held in March-April, 2009, candidates have been recommended for appointment to the Indian Administrative Service; Indian Foreign Service; Indian Police Service and Central Services, Group 'A' and Group 'B'. ( The result in order of merit is attached).

A total number of 791 candidates have been recommended for appointment including 364 General (including 13 Physically Challenged candidates), 236 Other Backward Classes (including 07 Physically Challenged candidates), 130 Scheduled Castes and 61 Scheduled Tribes candidates.

The number of vacancies reported by the Government for the Indian Administrative Service is 120 (60 General, 33 Other Backward Classes, 17 Scheduled Castes and 10 Scheduled Tribes); for the Indian Foreign Service is 26 (13 General, 08 Other Backward Classes, 04 Scheduled Castes and 01 Scheduled Tribe); for the Indian Police Service is 130 (65 General, 36 Other Backward Classes, 20 Scheduled Castes and 09 Scheduled Tribes); for the Central Services Group 'A' is 546 (282 General, 146 Other Backward Classes, 81 Scheduled Castes and 37 Scheduled Tribes) and for Central Services Group 'B' is 59 ( 34 General, 13 Other Backward Classes, 08 Scheduled Castes and 04 Scheduled Tribes). This includes 20 vacancies for Physically Challenged candidates.

In accordance with Rule 16 (4) & (5) of the Civil Services Examination Rules 2008, the Commission is maintaining a consolidated Reserve List of 180 candidates which includes 90 General, 74 Other Backward Classes, 11 Scheduled Castes and 05 Scheduled Tribes candidates ranking in order of merit below the last recommended candidate under respective category.

UPSC has a "Facilitation Counter" near Examination Hall in its campus. Candidates can obtain any information / clarification regarding their examinations / recruitments during working hours in person or over telephone Nos. 23385271 / 23381125 / 23098543. Result is available on PIB website i.e www.pib.nic.in and also on the U.P.S.C. website i.e. www.upsc.gov.in.

Appointment to the various services will be made according to the number of vacancies available with due consideration to the provisions contained in Rules 2 and 19 of the Rules of the Examination and subject to the final decision of the Supreme Court / High Court / C.A.Ts. on the S.L.Ps. / R.As/ W.Ps. O.As. pending therein.

Important highlights of Civil Services Exam 2008 are:

A total number of 3,18,843 candidates applied for this examination. 1,67,035 candidates appeared for the Preliminary examination. 11,849 candidates qualified for the Main written examination held in October-November, 2008. 2140 candidates were selected for the Personality Test conducted in March-April, 2009. The successful candidates include 625 male and 166 female candidates.

Miss Shubhra Saxena (Roll No.159306), has topped the Examination. She has done B.Tech from IIT, Roorkeee. This is her 2nd attempt. The second ranker is Miss Sharandeep Kaur Brar (Roll No.307085). She has done M.A. from Punjab University.

Mr.Varinder Kumar Sharma (Roll No.170034), is the topper among male candidates. He has secured overall 4th rank. He has done B.E. from Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh. This is his first attempt. Incidentally, Shri Sharma is a physically challenged candidate.

The top 25 candidates include 15 males and 10 females. Educational qualification-wise they comprise of 12 candidates belonging to Commerce, Mangement, Humanities, Science & Social Sciences; 9 candidates belonging to Engineering and 4 candidates belonging to Medical Science background.

Of these, 22 took the Examination in English medium; 2 in Hindi medium and 1 in Punjab medium. Of the top 25 candidates, 11 appeared from Delhi; 3 each from Chandigarh and Chennai; 2 each from Bhopal and Hyderabad and 1 each from Kolkata, Jaipur, Jammu and Thiruvananthapuram centers.

Is Jaagore ad campaign for real?

You may have seen Jaagore.com ad campaign about the need for educated politicians...the need to exercise your vote and other creative ads. We guess nobady doubt about their sincerity...

...as the organisation has proudly claims in its website: Jaago re! One Billion Votes is a nonprofit, nonpartisan campaign and does not support or endorse any political candidate or party.

What do you thing about this statement?



What ad campaign is this...Tata Tea or...Awareness campaign?

4 Months 3 Weeks and 2 Days

‘4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days’ is one amazing film that probes the instinctive judgment of men. Brilliantly directed by Christian Mungiu, the film centres around a woman who helps her friend undergo an illegal abortion in the 1980s Communist-ruled Romania.

We have a university student Otilia (Marinca) arranging an abortion for her friend Gabriela (Laura Vasiliu), even as the two know that they could be in jail for the offence. Everything appears to go in the right direction until the girls realise that the abortionist, Bebe, has his own plans.

The script offers the actors an excellent role, and Anamaria brings out the best for her portrayal of Otilia who tries to balance time for boyfriend Adi and her friend.

The director has successfully managed to inject a sense of realism into the frame and the plot. The dark realities of the period are also very well reflected in shadowy sets. The experiments with long uncut shots detailing every move of his characters also bring out their moods. This abortion drama is also notable for not having any background music.

The natural sound gives a sense of realism which further provokes a reaction. And unlike the typical American teen-pregnancy flicks, this must-see film offers an intriguing look at certain issues like abortion within our limited outlook.

Romanian (English subtitle)
Cast: Anamaria Marinca, Vlad Ivanov, Laura Vasiliu, Alexandru Potoceanu, Luminita Gheorghiu, Adrian Carauleanu
Director: Christian Mungiu

Meet Bill Review

English (U/A)
Cast: Aaron Eckhart, Jessica Alba, Elizabeth Banks, Timothy Olyphant, Logan Lerman, and Marisa Coughlan
Director: Melisa Wallack and Bernie Goldmann

For the more serious kind, there are many ‘stupid’ scenes with equally ‘senseless’ and ‘poorly’ executed script to provide ‘real’ entertainment. However, ‘Meet Bill’ is light and fun stuff if you are ready to let fantasy take its own path....

Read the full review...

One Man Army (Ong-Bak-2)

‘Ong-Bak 2’ or ‘One Man Army’, has only two things in common with the original ‘Ong-Bak’- the elephants and extremely stunning fight sequences. The sequel is just an attempt to cash in on the 2005 smashing performance by Tony Jaa.

There is not much even in the storyline. We are taken back to medieval Thailand when the cruel warlords once ruled. And to challenge their might, a hero, our ‘one man army’, Tien (Tony) is born. The rest of the story is predictable with raw violence and gore shots.

This film would not have mattered much had it not been for Tonny Jaa, who made a comeback not just as an actor but director, co-producer and co-writer. There is no denying the fact that he still got those crazy moves for which he is no less than Jackie Chan or Let Li. But, the fun is missing in ‘Ong-Bak 2’.

However, there is a particular action sequence which is worth mentioning. It’s where you see Tien (Tony) fighting the entire army all alone. The hardcore stunts last for some 13-15 minutes which should be good news for fans.

Overall, ‘Ong-Bak 2’ (One man Army) is all serious business — plot, set and action, with the first being a total failure. It is like kicking a sack with no hay in it. Good for those wanting to get a few extra martial arts moves.
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Thai English subtitle (U/A)
Cast: Tony Jaa
Director: Tony Jaa