After 20-year-long legal battle, former Maharaja's daughters get Rs.20,000-crore relief - India

28  july 2013

After 20-year-long legal battle, former Maharaja's daughters get Rs.20,000-crore relief

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

In this picture: Faridkot House on New Delhi's Copernicus Marg

Chandigarh: It is a royal bonanza for two daughters of a former maharaja, one they had to wait for over two decades.

A court in Chandigarh has declared a 32-year-old will "forged" and illegal" and granted inheritance of properties and assets worth a whopping Rs. 20,000 crore ($4.4 billion) to the two daughters of the erstwhile Maharaja of Faridkot, Harinder Singh Brar.

The properties and assets include the palatial Faridkot House on New Delhi's Copernicus Marg, a royal palace complex and a fort in Faridkot, a fort in Mani Majra area of Chandigarh, vintage cars (including a Rolls Royce), an aerodrome in Faridkot spread over 200 acres, properties in Hyderabad and Delhi, gold and jewellery worth nearly Rs.1,000 crore with Standard Chartered Bank in Mumbai and more.

Real estate experts and accountants put the total worth of the properties and assets at over Rs.20,000 crore. The Mani Majra fort, which is over 350 years old, is not in a very good condition. The erstwhile ruler was allowed to keep these properties after the country's independence in August 1947.

The legal battle for the assets started in 1992 after the ex-maharaja's daughter Amrit Kaur filed a case in a court in Chandigarh. Following a 21-year-old legal battle, the court of the chief judicial magistrate Rajnish Kumar, ordered Thursday that the 1981 will, purportedly drawn up by the maharaja, was "forged and fabricated".

With the court judgment, Amrit Kaur and her Kolkata-based sister Deepinder Kaur will inherit the properties and assets of the erstwhile ruler. Their third sister, Maheepinder Kaur, who was not married, died under mysterious circumstances in Shimla in 2001.

Brar had three daughters and a son, Harmohinder Singh, who died in a road accident in 1981. Following this, Brar went into depression.

In her suit, Amrit Kaur, who lives in Sector 10 in Chandigarh, alleged that the will was forged by officials and servants of the ex-ruler at a time when he was in depression. The will, which gave all his properties and assets to the Meharwal Khewaji Trust, was registered in 1982. The trust had some of his servants on board, while his two daughters were appointed chairperson and vice chairperson for a mere Rs.1,200 and Rs. 1,000 per month.

Following the death of the erstwhile ruler in 1989, the trustees took control of all the properties and assets.

Amrit Kaur challenged the will, saying that the trust members had forced her father to sign it at a time when he was in depression. She had claimed that he was not in a "fit state of mind" when the will was drawn up. She pointed out that the will had completely excluded his wife, Narinder Kaur, and mother, Mohinder Kaur, who were alive in 1981-82.

Following the court order declaring the will "illegal and void", the trustees are likely to appeal to a higher court.

India vs Zimbabwe: Shikhar Dhawan, Jaydev Unadkat power India to 58-run win - India

27  july 2013

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

Harare:  Shikhar Dhawan capitalised on three reprieves to slam his third ODI century as India maintained their stranglehold over minnows Zimbabwe with a comfortable 58-run victory in the second cricket one-dayer here on Friday. D hawan struck 116 as India recovered from early jolts to post a competitive 294 for eight and then restricted the hosts to 236 for nine to take a 2-0 series lead in the five-match series. Read: As it happened

Put into bat, India were in a spot of bother at 65 for four at one stage before Dhawan and Dinesh Karthik (69) put on 167 runs for the fifth wicket to not only restore the innings but take them to a commanding total at the Harare Sports Club. Read: Stats

The Indians could have won the match by a much bigger margin but a defiant late-order resistance by Elton Chigumbara (46) and Prosper Utseya (52 not out) delayed the inevitable with the duo adding 88 runs for the seventh wicket to frustrate the tourists.

Opener Visu Sibanda (55) also provided a rollicking start to the Zimbabwean innings which somehow lost the momentum after his departure with five wickets falling within a span of 24 runs. See in Pics: How India beat Zimbabwe

For India, Jaydev Unadkat was the pick of the bowlers with four for 41 while leg-spinner Amit Mishra accounted for two wickets.

The two teams will play the third match of the series at the same venue here on Sunday.

Zimbabwe lost opener Sikandar Raza (20) early into their run-chase as the Pakistan-born batsman, who had top-scored with 82 in the first one-dayer, went for an expensive pull-shot against Unadkat and was holed out in the deep.

Next man-in, Hamilton Masakadza and Sibanda chose to play a more patient game and rotated the strike cleverly before opening up against Vinay Kumar's medium-pace and Mishra's googlies.

Both hit Mishra early on in his spell for a six each while Kumar was pulled for two boundaries in the opening over and was taken for 16 runs in his return over in the second spell as the second-wicket partnership looked threatening on an eased out pitch.
Sibanda reached his individual fifty with a hit off Mishra over long-on for six and, in the process, also took his side's total past 100-run mark. However, Zimbabwe could not hold onto their strong position for long as Sibanda once again failed to covert his innings into a big score after dominating the Indian bowlers with his powerful hits.

Sibanda, who had escaped with a missed stumping chance after running down the pitch to Mishra, threw away his wicket and fell to Unadkat in the 21st over. His 57-ball 55 knock was laced with seven fours and two sixes.

Four balls later, Brendan Taylor (nought) ran himself out as from 109 for one, it became 109 for three for the hosts.

Zimbabwe's misery further compunded when Ravindra Jadeja had Sean Williams (5) trapped right in front of the stumps.

Next over saw the soft dismissal of Masakadza who ended up giving a simple catch to Mohammed Shami at short fine-leg going for a sweep shot. Masakadza scored 47-ball 34 which had one six over the deep midwicket.

Malcolm Waller (2) fell for Mishra's deceptive googly as the dismissal left the run chase in tatters.

Chigumbara and Utseya waged a lonely battle and showed some resistance but their efforts did not prove enough in the end.

Earlier, the Zimbabweans spilled regulation catches and their wayward bowlers conceded 28 extras as India posted a daunting target.

Dhawan was dropped twice when on 14 and 70 and the Delhi-lad also benefited from a no-ball by Kyle Jarvis in the fifth over when he had added just three runs to his name.

The 27-year-old, however, hung on and hit his third ODI ton in his 17th match to save the Indians the blushes. He hit 11 fours and two sixes.

Karthik played his part with a composed 74-ball innings which was studded with six fours as the duo denied the Zimbabweans any success for 25.4 overs.

India ended their innings in style with tail-enders Vinay Kumar (27 not out) and Mohammed Shami (6 not out) scoring 23 from the last over with the help of three sixes and a four.
Captain Virat Kohli could only score 14 runs while the other opener Rohit Sharma (1), Ambati Rayudu (5), Suresh Raina (4) and Jadeja (15) were also out cheaply.

The Indian innings was marred by Kohli's face-off with on-field umpires after he was given out to a controversial catch in the seventh over. He stood his ground even as Zimbabwe sought a review as the fielder -- Malcolm Waller --was not sure whether he had caught the ball cleanly or not.

Kohli refused to leave even after the third umpire adjudged him out. He argued his case once again with the umpires who confirmed the decision. Eventually, a visibly upset Kohli reluctantly walked back to the pavilion.

India suffered an early jolt with opener Rohit being dismissed in the second over as pacer Brian Vitori got his scalp in his first ball.

Dhawan was out when on three in the fifth over but survived as it turned out that Jarvis had bowled a no-ball. Then he was dropped on 14 in the ninth over with captain Brendan Taylor spilling a regulation catch, the unfortunate bowler being Jarvis. India were 38 for two then.

Rayudu, who came in at the fall of Kohli, was also dropped in the 10th over when the batsman was on three as Vitori spilled a caught and bowled chance.

Rayudu ended his struggle as he went for a drive without moving his feet while Raina also continued with his poor form as he was caught behind by Taylor.

Dhawan and Karthik then played the rescue act with a solid stand. They kept the scoreboard ticking by taking singles and rotating strike in the middle overs.

India took the batting powerplay in the 33rd over and scored 85 runs from the 10 overs to go past 200 in the 40th over.

After both were out in quick succession in the 43rd and 44th overs respectively, the lower order ensured that India go near the 300-run mark.

Pakistan troops fire at Indian post along Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir - India

27  july 2013

Pakistan troops fire at Indian post along Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

Poonch: Pakistani troops violated ceasefire by firing towards the Indian Army posts in Poonch sector near the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir today.

"Pakistani troops have targeted Indian posts by firing rocket projectile grenades (RPGs) and heavy machine guns along LoC in Doda Battalion forward area in Poonch district since 0730 hours today," a senior Army officer said.

Indian border troops retaliated effectively, resulting in heavy exchanges which were on for five hours, the officer said.

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There was no loss of life or injury to anyone in the firing, he said.

Top army officials are monitoring the situation in wake of the heavy firing along the border line and troops have been asked in other forward areas to intensify round the clock vigilance.


This is fifth ceasefire violation in July this year.

The wait is over. Kate gives birth to a baby boy - India

22  july 2013

The wait is over. Kate gives birth to a baby boy

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

London: It's a boy!

Prince William's wife, Kate, has given birth to a boy, a child now third in line to the British throne.

The child was born Monday, after many Britons woke up to the news that Kate had gone into labour with the couple's first child.

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The birth announcement, via a press release from Kensington Palace, said the boy was born at 4:24 pm weighing 8 pounds 6 ounces.

The royal birth recalled that of the baby's father, William, in 1982, at the same central London hospital. Many remember the moment when he was carried out in his mother Princess Diana's arms with proud father Prince Charles at their side.

William and Kate's son is expected to follow Charles and William to the throne.

No one can tell what political and personal changes the intervening years will bring, but the baby can be expected to become the head of state of 16 countries, including Britain, Australia and Canada, and possibly the head of the Commonwealth, which covers 54 nations.

The child will also eventually become Supreme Governor of the Church of England.

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

The baby represents a living link to Britain's imperial history - the infant is the great-great-great-great-great-grandchild of Queen Victoria, who ruled at the peak of British power.

Many Britons had hoped that William and Kate would start a family shortly after their gala 2011 wedding, which drew a global television audience in the hundreds of millions.

The couple waited, however, until William was nearly finished with his military work as a search and rescue helicopter pilot based at an air base in a remote island off the coast of Wales.

That allowed Kate to ease into royal life, and to become more comfortable in the spotlight, before becoming a parent. It also allowed her to play a supporting role during Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee celebrations last summer.
The first months of her pregnancy were not easy, and she was hospitalized in early December with acute morning sickness that left her weak and dehydrated.

She seemed to recover her stamina fairly quickly and made a series of public appearances until the final weeks before giving birth, drawing praise for her poise and good cheer.

The royal couple and their newborn are expected to spend much of their time in the coming years in renovated quarters at Kensington Palace, where William and Harry also spent much of their childhood.

Royal officials say Kate and William will try to give their child as normal an upbringing as possible - which may be challenging in an age when the British royals are treated as major world celebrities.

Ambassador ranked the world's best taxi - India

21  july  2013

Ambassador ranked the world's best taxi

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

New Delhi/Kolkata: It may have lost out to the more modern competitors from Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Toyota and Honda but the good old Ambassador car, which once ruled the roost in India, has just been voted as the world's best taxi by global automotive programme Top Gear.

In a show, which is being aired on the BBC, Top Gear's executive director Richard Hammond organised a world taxi shootout in which Ambassador emerged a winner, beating competitors from all over the globe.

"The winner was India's virtually indestructible Hindustan Ambassador," UK-based motor museum Beaulieu, where the 'World of Top Gear' featuring vehicles from some of the most ambitious challenges are also showcased, said in a statement.

This particular example proved just how enduring the Ambassador really is when it saw off rivals from Britain, America, Germany, South Africa, Mexico and Russia to be named the world's best taxi, it added.

The Hindustan Ambassador started life in Britain as the Morris Oxford but, with a quick name change, it went on to become one of India's most enduring vehicles.

"It's (Ambassador) so tough that, although it now lives in World of Top Gear, with a quick wash and brush up, it could be back in service tomorrow - probably," the statement said.

In 1948, CK Birla Group firm Hindustan Motors Ltd began the production of the Ambassador at Uttarpara in Hooghly district, West Bengal.

Till the arrival of the Maruti in the early 80s, the Ambassador was the status symbol in India. Gradually it lost out to various global competitors when it came to personal usage but continued to be the favourite vehicle for government officials and also in the taxi segment.

In the recent past, its sales in both the segments have shown a decline and in 2012-13, the Ambassador sold a total of just 3,390 units. This fiscal, it has sold only 709 units in the April-June period.

India strong enough to face China, says Centre after reports of another incursion - India

21  july 2013

India strong enough to face China, says Centre after reports of another incursion

Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India

New Delhi: The Centre has said the country is strong enough to face any incursion from China, after reports emerged of Chinese forces entering the Indian territory again.

According to media reports, around 50 Chinese soldiers riding on horses and ponies crossed into Indian territories in Chumar sector of Ladakh for two days on July 16 and 17, and carried placards which asked Indian forces to leave the "occupied territories".

The Army sources confirmed the incursion saying that Indian troops had intercepted a patrol party of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) in the Chumar sector and after the usual banner drill between the two sides, the PLA patrol went back into their territory.

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"Whatever China is doing is very unfortunate. The government will definitely take it up with China and will protest. China needs to stop all such activities," said Congress leader Rashid Alvi.

But it gave another change to the Opposition to attack the government. "There is no leadership in this government and that's why such incidents are taking place. And the way China is trying to position itself in Pakistan, Myanmar, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, it's a warning for India, but the government is refusing to pay attention. We condemn this failure on the government's part," said BJP leader Prakash Javadekar

This is the latest incident of an incursion by Chinese forces into the Indian territory and comes within a month of Defence Minister A K Antony's visit to Beijing where the issue was taken up in the bilateral talks.

Last Wednesday, the government, in a major boost to the Indian Army's war fighting capabilities along the Line of Actual Control, gave the go-ahead for the creation of a corps including deployment of 50,000 additional troops along the China border.

In April this year, a platoon of Chinese soldiers had slipped across the border in the middle of the night. The stand-off became a major diplomatic tangle between the two countries.

India to redeploy surveillance camera in Chumar sector on LAC - India

13  july  2013

India to redeploy surveillance camera in Chumar sector on LAC

New Delhi: Indian Army is planning to put back a surveillance camera in the Chumar area along the LAC to keep an eye on the movement of the Chinese troops which had reportedly taken away a similar device last month.

The camera was said to have taken away by the Chinese side on June 17 when it had become non-functional and was returned to the Indian side on July 3 there after a protest was registered.

The camera was used to keep an eye on the movement of the Chinese Army troops in that area. The surveillance camera would be put back there for the same purpose, highly-placed sources told PTI here.

Such cameras have been put up at several places along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and Indian troops sitting in their posts can keep an eye on the PLA troops, they said.

The particular camera in Chumar area was used several times by the Indian side to monitor and intercept the PLA patrols in the areas claimed by the Indian side as its territory, sources said.

India and China have been working towards signing a border pact to maintain peace and tranquillity along the LAC where a number of incursion incidents have been observed in the recent few months.

A Defence Ministry official said that during Defence Minister AK Antony's meetings with the Chinese leadership, the broader issue of incursion and other incidents were raised but no specific incident was highlighted.

Chinese troops last month intruded into the Chumar sector in Ladakh - the same area which had sparked off tensions in April - and smashed some bunkers besides cutting wires of cameras installed at the border post.

Chumar, located 300 km from Leh, has always been an area of discomfort for the Chinese troops as this is the only area along the China-India border where they do not have any direct access to the LAC.