India's Tata unveils 'Nano', world's cheapest car

India's Tata motors, which owns Jaguar and Land Rover brands of automobiles today launched 'Nano', the world's cheapest car in Mumbai. Nano, the one lac-rupees (about $2,000)car is an ultimate dream for Indians, where about a quarter of the population live on $2 a day. , said the car was cheap enough to allow Indian families to trade in their motorbikes. Nano is inspired by the philosophy as Ratan Tata, the chairman of Tata Motors says "My fear for the safety of lower-middle-class families who ride four and five to a bike on India's dangerous roads, often with Sari-clad women sitting side-saddle while bouncing babies on their knees."

It is a stripped-down car for frugal times; the car measures 10.2 feet long, has one windshielf wiper, a tiny 624 cc engine capable of a top speed of just over 60 miles per hour, and no air bags or antilock brakes. Consumers seeking air conditioning, a radio, or power steering will have to pay extra.
The company also announced a State Bank of India-backed scheme which will allow poor buyers to drive home a Nano with an initial payment of around £40.

Mr Tata said he hoped the no-frills car would reach beyond India: the company plans to offer the Nano for sale in the UK and Europe by 2011.

Management professor investigates finds more Satyams in India

The battered outsourcing firm Satyam might have been caught red handed, or rather confessed itself about the financial irregularities, but many more have balancesheets that don't show where the money went. In a recent analysis, Sanjay Bakshi, a New Delhi-based management professor has found many more Indian firms with inexplicable financials. The recent issue of Outlook Profit magazine carries investigation into balancesheets of firms like Aftek, GTL Infra, HTMT etc.

Outlook Profit writes
Satyam may not be the only company that has siphoned off cash from its
balance sheet. Some cases where the numbers look suspicious

Jai Ho Slumdog, Danny Boyle, secular India

Saudamini Acharya

India must hail Oscars for “Slumdog Millionaire” and Smile Pinki and its non-Indian director, producers. For some time before the Oscars these two films, especially Slumdog has been discussed as not being an Indian movie. It has been criticised as portraying India in a bad light by showing ist dirty underbelly. Majority of the critics come from Bollywood, the local film industry and are big names here. Let’s listen to some of their arguments. Amitabh Bachhan, India’s most adorable movie star said Oscar is not the ultimate destination for any film and had it not been for a British filmmaker, Slumdog wouldn’t have achieved such success. He may be true, but only partially. True, Slumdog exposes India’s poverty, inhuman living, and suffering children. But would one say this doesn’t happen in India. Yes it does and should be brought to global focus. This film is not a shame for the country rather is a tool which will eradicate some inequality in our society. True, Danny Boyle didn’t cast big Indian stars in the film, but he did something with real Indian stars, the kids of the Dharavi slums in Mumbai and the vulnerable strugglers Dev Patel and Freida Pinto. He chose one big name from India, Alla Rakha Rahman, who was needed for printing the emotion of Indian slums on a global scale.
Boyle made India proud by taking the service of Rahaman and Rasool Pookutty, two Indian Muslims for his film. Both of them shined and applauded by the billion plus Indians, of which more than 80 percent are Hindu. “This is a Shiv ratree (a Hindu religious festival) gift,” in after winning Oscars. Through this Boyle managed to tell the world about India’s secular fabric effectively. Boyle still did more he got the kids from the slum to walk the red carpet, which most Indian actors dream of. Jai Ho (two Hindi words which mean let’s hail) became the global entertainment anthem for 2009. What more do we need? India and we Indians dreamt of Oscar for years. We finally got it. We should be happy rather than cribbing. Jai Ho Danny Boyle.
(Saudamini Acharya is a Mumbai-based writer)

Woody Allen finds his new star in Slumdog's Freida Pinto

Freida Pinto , the nubile Indian actor, who's riding high on the Oscar success of her debut film Slumdog Millionaire , has been been spotted and lapped up by Hollywood oldie Woody Allen for his next flick.
In an interview to a U. S. morning news programme, the 24-year-old actor thanked director Danny Boyle for landing her a role in sex and comedy magician Allen's new venture.
"Yes, it''s up (begins) in July," the Daily Express quoted her as saying.
Allen's distinctive films, which run the gamut from dramas to screwball sex comedies, have made him one of the most respected living American directors.
Allen is also credited with romancing with young actors, whom he casts in his film.
Slumdog Millionaire swept the 81st Academy awards by winning 8 honours including the Best Film.

Oscar glory puts Mumbai slums among world's favourite tourist spots

Oscar to 'Slumdog Millionaire'has brought 'Dharavi', the slum town of Mumbai into global focus. Mumbai slums have been long depicted in Bollywood movies, but the Hollywood attention has attracted international celebrities, art lovers, journalists and filmmakers into the city.

India's Economic Times writes ancouver-based art dealer Richard Trout, Dharavi is an amazing tourist spot. He watched "Slumdog Millionaire" a month ago and is now in Mumbai for five days making his way through the dingy bylanes of the Asia's largest shantytown - 175-acre Dharavi, home to more than 600,000 people.

A global online tourism vendor, Expedia.com., which has unveiled a Oscar holiday destination package, is promoting Dharavi and the city of Mumbai as one of the hottest tourism destinations this spring and summer.

Satyam up for sale; nod for management control to strategic investor

Battered software services firm Satyam board has opened the option of a strategic investor acquiring management control in it. The board of India's fourth largest outsourcing firm decided on Sunday to allow strategic investor to buy up to 31 percent equity through a preferential allotment and an additional 20 percent through a mandatory open offer as permitted by the federal Company Law Board.

'Slumdog' actress Freida Pinto dumps husband after tasting sucess, thinks moving to U.S

Freida Pinto, the female lead of 10 Oscar nomination winner, Slumdog Millionaire dumped her husband Rohan Antao, whom she wedded secretly in Goa in December 2007, a Mumai based Tabloid reported on Tuesday.
"Freida is like her film which rubbishes India," said a close friend of both Freida and Rohan. "She now finds everything about India so unacceptable..the city..the media and her husband, with whom she was deeply in love," her friend said.
Freida in another interview told Times of India thats she is planning to move to New York because Big Apple "just feels like home."
Freida earlier told Bombay Times that her small frontal assets cost her an anchor's job in a local Indian television.

Kashmir gets air connectivity, first fly to Dubai

Kashmir, the north Indian Himalayan state joined international aviation mapon Saturday. The state is a constant source of discontent between India and Pakistandue to territorial dispute. The state, which is hit with Pakistan sponsored cross-border terrorism since last two decades, is considered as one of the best tourist locales across the globe. The first Air India flight that connects Srinagar with Dubai in the Middle East, hopes to boost tourism in the state.

India wants Mahatma Gandhi's spectacles, sandals & pocket watch from New York auction

Indian politicians have waged a new age movement to save some national pride. They are trying to get back Mahatma Gandhi'sspectacles, sandals and pocket watch all up for grabs in a New York auction to be held in March.
India politics and present day culture relies heavily on Gandhiji's principle of non-violence and secularism. Gandhiji's personal articles will remain important parts of the country's political history, politicians from across different parties claim.
Mahatma Gandhi is credited with winning India's Independence from Britain in 1947. The father of the modern Indian nation was killed in 1948 by a right wing Hindu activist blaming him of appeasing Muslims and triggering the division of India and creation of Pakistan.

Petrol bomb thrown into Shahrukh Khan's house; Khan accused of Blasphemy

Shahrukh Khan, India's most celebrated movie actor tasted another wave of protest on Friday, when a petrol bomb was thrown into his house accusing him of blasphemy. Certain Islamic organizations had blamed him of inappropriately using Prophet MOHAMMED's name in a song Marjani in the recently released movie Billu.

Khan earlier had to chop the word barber from his film Billu barber, due to objections from the barer community. Khan has largely been a people's actor and immune to controversies. But since last year is in troubled waters since fighting with Salman Khan, another contemporary actor over his relationship with Aishwarya Rai, a former Miss World and Bollywood actor.