Unemployment Claims Rise Again

The number of people seeking unemployment benefits rose last week after three weeks of decline. 

Even with the gain, applications remained at a level consistent with modest hiring. And the broader trend over the past month suggests job growth could pick up further in the new year.

Weekly applications increased by 15,000 to a seasonally adjusted 381,000, the Labor Department said Thursday. 

The four-week average, a less volatile measure, dropped for the fourth straight week to 375,000. That's the lowest level since June 2008. 

"Despite the rise in the weekly claims data, the longer-term trend ... suggests that the recovery in the labor market is maintaining its momentum," said Michael Gapen, an economist at Barclays Capital, in a note to clients. 

Applications generally must fall below 375,000 — consistently — to signal that hiring is strong enough to reduce the unemployment rate. 

While layoffs have fallen sharply since the recession officially ended two and a half years ago, many companies have been slow to add jobs. 

Economists caution that the figures can be volatile around the holidays. The data for seven states, including California and Virginia, were estimated because of the Monday holiday, a Labor Department spokesman said. Those estimates have in the past proven reliable, the spokesman said, and haven't required major revision. 

Hiring has improved in recent months. Employers have added an average of 143,000 net jobs a month from September through November. That's almost double the average for the previous three months. 

Next year should be even better. A survey of 36 economists by the Associated Press this month found that they expect the economy will generate an average of about 175,000 jobs per month in 2012.

More small businesses plan to hire than at any time in three years, a trade group said earlier this month. And a separate private-sector survey found more companies are planning to add workers in the first quarter of next year than at any time since 2008. 

In November, the unemployment rate fell to 8.6 percent from 9 percent. Still, about half that decline occurred because many of the unemployed gave up looking for work. When people stop looking for a job, they're no longer counted as unemployed. 

The pickup in hiring reflects some modest improvement in the economy. Growth will likely top 3 percent at an annual rate in the final three months of this year, economists expect. That would be better than the 1.8 percent growth in the July-September quarter. 

Europe is almost certain to fall into recession because of its financial troubles. And without more jobs and higher incomes, consumers may have to cut back on spending. Both could drag on growth next year. 

Congress removed one potential threat last week when it agreed to extend a payroll tax cut and to keep emergency unemployment benefits for two additional months. Both programs were scheduled to expire at the end of this month. Economists worried that ending the tax break and the extended unemployment benefits program would have left Americans with less money to spend. 

About 7.2 million people are receiving benefits, as of the week ending Dec. 10, the latest data available. That's an increase of about 80,000 from the previous week. 

That figure includes about 3.5 million laid-off workers that are receiving benefits under an extended benefits program put in place during the recession.

Bank of America to Pay $335 Million Discrimination Claim

Bank of America agreed to pay $335 million to resolve allegations that its Countrywide unit engaged in a widespread pattern of discrimination against qualified African-American and Hispanic borrowers on home loans.

The settlement with the U.S. Justice Department was filed Dec. 20 with the Central District Court of California and is subject to court approval. The DOJ says it's the largest settlement in history over residential fair-lending practices.

According to the DOJ's complaint, Countrywide charged over 200,000 African-American and Hispanic borrowers higher fees and interest rates than non-Hispanic white borrowers with a similar credit profile. The complaint says African-American and Hispanic borrowers were charged higher fees and rates because of their race or national origin rather than any other objective criteria.

"These institutions should make judgments based on applicants' creditworthiness, not on the color of their skin," said Attorney General Eric Holder. "With today's settlement, the federal government will ensure that the more than 200,000 African-American and Hispanic borrowers who were discriminated against by Countrywide will be entitled to compensation."

Charlotte, N.C.-based Bank of America Corp. bought the nation's largest subprime lender, Countrywide Financial Corp., in 2008.

Dan Frahm, a Bank of America spokesman, said in a statement that the bank does not practice lending based on race.

"We discontinued Countrywide products and practices that were not in keeping with our commitment and will continue to resolve and put behind us the remaining Countrywide issues," Frahm said.

The U.S. complaint says Countrywide was aware that the fees and interest rates its loan officers were charging discriminated against African-American and Hispanic borrowers but failed to impose meaningful limits or guidelines to stop it.

By steering borrowers into subprime loans from 2004 to '07, the complaint alleges, Countrywide harmed those qualified African-American and Hispanic borrowers. Subprime loans generally carried costlier terms, such as prepayment penalties and significantly higher adjustable interest rates that increased suddenly after two or three years, making the payments unaffordable and leaving the borrowers at a much higher risk of foreclosure.

"Countrywide's actions contributed to the housing crisis, hurt entire communities and denied families access to the American Dream," said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the civil rights division.

The settlement amount will be used to compensate victims of Countrywide's discriminatory mortgage loans from 2004 to '07, when Countrywide originated millions of residential mortgage loans as the nation's largest single-family mortgage lender.

Letter details sexual harassment claim against Ex-HP CEO

Former Hewlett Packard CEO Mark Hurd made increasingly aggressive romantic advances over several years toward an independent contractor who later accused him of sexual harassment, according to claims in a letter from her lawyer obtained by Reuters.

The letter, ordered unsealed and allowed to be made public for the first time since the scandal emerged last year, outlined in intricate detail accusations by TV starlet and HP contractor Jodie Fisher that Hurd had wined and dined her, then allegedly sought sexual favors in return for employment.

Fisher retained celebrity lawyer Gloria Allred, who sent the letter in June 2010 accusing Hurd of hiring her with amorous designs. He tried repeatedly to "engage" her by asking Fisher to his hotel room and kissing her on the lips, according to a copy of the letter provided by a source close to the situation.

The letter is at the heart of a scandal that transfixed Silicon Valley in 2010 and culminated in the firing of Hurd, who was popular with investors on Wall Street and is now a president at HP rival Oracle Corp. Hurd, Oracle and even Fisher herself have said Allred's letter contained unspecified inaccuracies.

Still, its release threatens to revive the scandal as Hurd looks to put the dispute behind him and focus on his new job at Oracle, where one of his key responsibilities is selling high-end computer systems that compete with products from HP.

Hurd was ousted from HP on August 6 after Fisher - who was hired as a hostess for corporate events - accused him of sexual harassment, a claim an internal probe later dismissed.

"It is appalling that you would use HP revenues for the purpose of procuring female companionship and romance under the guise of HP business," Allred's letter read.

"She continually had to put you off, make excuses, scurry away or simply leave."

Upheaval

Hurd's legal team had fought to keep the letter under seal, but a Delaware appeals court ruled this week it should be made public, though some portions would be redacted.

Sources had leaked details of the June letter to Reuters and other media in 2010. These included a claim that Hurd revealed details about HP's impending acquisition of Electronic Data Systems Corp before the deal was announced in 2008. Hurd has also denied that allegation.

Allred declined comment, as did a spokeswoman for HP.

The fresh revelations have re-focused the spotlight on Hurd's controversial firing, which preceded a period of instability at HP.

Outspoken Oracle CEO Larry Ellison blasted HP's board for being "cowardly" and promptly hired Hurd, who is married with children. Former SAP CEO Leo Apotheker replaced Hurd at the helm of the world's top computer maker, but lasted barely a year before Meg Whitman took up the baton.

The computer services giant missed Wall Street targets for several quarters, killed its much-touted TouchPad tablet, and first considered then backtracked on a plan to hive off its personal computer division, the world's largest.

Allred's claims

The eight-page missive penned by Allred, well known for representing women accusing celebrities such as Tiger Woods and politicians of sexual misconduct, blasts Hurd for reducing Fisher to a "nervous wreck" as he continually sought sex with the former actress during meetings from Madrid to Los Angeles.

It detailed claims that the advances began after Hurd was "taken with" Fisher after spotting her on the short-lived TV series, Age of Love. At their first two meetings at hotels after Fisher was contracted, Hurd shared personal details about his life and sought the same from her.

According to the letter, matters escalated when Hurd invited Fisher up to his hotel room at the Atlanta Ritz and asked her to stay the night, kindling a one-sided pursuit that would last till 2009 and span cities around the world.

"This was the beginning of an uncomfortable dance that went on for almost two years," Allred wrote. "You would relentlessly attempt to cajole her into having sex with you."

Over the next year or so, Allred's letter described in detail various instances when Fisher allegedly fended off his advances, though she claimed she had dinner with Hurd several times out of fear for her job.

At one point, the HP CEO stopped at an ATM during a walk and showed Fisher that his checking account balance was over $1 million, which Allred claimed was an attempt to impress her.

Fisher stopped getting contracts for corporate event appearances shortly after a final meeting with Hurd in Idaho, during which Allred said the then-CEO had grabbed and kissed her, but was again spurned.

"She knew that if she did not have sex with you soon, her job was over, which is exactly what occurred," the letter said.

ફૂડ સિક્યુરિટી કાયદો - આના કરતા વહેલા ઘડપણ આવે એ સારું.

ફૂડ સિક્યુરિટી કાયદો ઘડાયો છે, પણ કાયદો ઘડી કાઢવાથી વિતરણવ્યવસ્થા સુધરવાની નથી. લાગવગવાળા દુકાનદારો, લાંચિયા અમલદારો અને લાચાર પ્રજાજનોનાં ત્રેખડના કારણે સરકાર અનાજનો કોથળો મોકલે તેમાંથી ગરીબ સુધી તો મિઠ્ઠીભર અનાજ પણ પહોંચતું નથી.અનાજ આપવા સહુ તૈયાર છે, પણ અનાજ પહોંચાડવાની વ્યવસ્થા તદ્દન સડેલી છે.

ફેશનની અને કાયદાની ભાષા એટલી અટપટી હોય છે કે તેનો સાદીસીધી ભાષામાં તરજુમો કર્યા વગર તેનો અર્થ સમજાતો નથી. છેલ્લાં બે વરસથી ખોરાક સલામતી ધારાની ચર્ચા ચાલ્યા કરે છે, એમાં ખોરાક અને સલામતી બંને શબ્દો આમ જનતાને સમજાય તેવા નથી. સાદી ભાષામાં કહીએ તો ભારતના તમામ નાગરિકોને પેટ પૂરતું અનાજ આપવા માટે કાયદો ઘડવાની મથામણ ચાલે છે.

કાયદો ઘડવાથી અનાજ પેદા થતું નથી અને સમાજમાં યોગ્ય વ્યવસ્થા ન ગોઠવાય તો છેવાડે ઊભેલા ગરીબ માણસ સુધી અનાજ પહોંચતું નથી. લોકશાહીમાં અપાતા અધિકારોની હાંસી ઉડાડતા એક ફ્રેન્ચ લેખકે (મોટા ભાગે અના તોલા ફ્રાંઝે, પણ ભૂલચૂક લેવીદેવી) લખેલું કે લોકશાહીમાં દરેક નાગરિકને સમાન અધિકાર અપાય છે. દરેકને મોંઘામાં મોંઘી હોટલોમાં જમવા જવાનો અધિકાર છે, પણ દરેક ગરીબ માણસને તો ભૂખે મરવાનો અધિકાર જ અપાય છે.

અધિકાર હોય, પણ સગવડ કે શક્તિ ન હોય તો અધિકાર વાપરી શકતા નથી. પોષણ મેળવવાનો હક અપાયો છે, પણ જરૂરી અનાજ ખરીદવાનાં નાણાં ન હોય તો પોષણ મળતું નથી. આપણા દેશમાં તો પરિસ્થિતિ અતિશય ખરાબ છે. આપણે ત્યાં અનાજની અછત નથી. સરકાર ઠરાવેલા ભાવે ઘઉં, ચોખા ખેડૂતો પાસેથી ખરીદે છે અને ખેડૂતો બજારમાં વેચીને નાણાં મેળવે છે. સરકારી ભંડારોમાં અનાજ છે, પણ અનાજને સાચવવા માટે ગોદામો નથી. ખુલ્લામાં પડી રહેલું અનાજ સડી જાય છે ત્યારે દારૂ બનાવનારી પેઢીઓ મફતના ભાવે અનાજ ખરીદી જાય છે. ખોરાકની કોઇ પણ ચીજ સડી જાય ત્યારે તેમાંથી દારૂ બને છે.

બીજી તરફ આપણે ત્યાં લગભગ ત્રીસેક કરોડ લોકો એટલા ગરીબ છે કે ખાવા માટે અનાજ ખરીદી શકતા નથી અને ભૂખ્યા પેટે અથવા અડધા ભૂખ્યા પેટે જીવે છે. રોગી બને છે અને વહેલા મરી જાય છે. અનાજ સડી જાય છે અને લોકો ભૂખે મરે છે તેવી ઘટના માત્ર આપણા દેશમાં જ જોવા મળે છે. આ હકીકત સર્વોચ્ચ અદાલતના ધ્યાનમાં આવી ત્યારે અદાલતે સલાહ આપી કે આ અનાજ ગરીબોને મફત અથવા મફતના ભાવે આપો.

શિખામણ સારી છે અને જરૂરી પણ છે, પણ વહેવારમાં તેનો અમલ કરવો અઘરો છે. અનાજ આપવા સહુ તૈયાર છે, પણ અનાજ પહોંચાડવાની વ્યવસ્થા તદ્દન સડેલી છે. ગરીબોને અનાજ આપવા માટેની સંખ્યાબંધ દુકાનો છે અને સરકાર તેમને નજીવા ભાવે અનાજ આપે છે. આ અનાજ મેળવવાનાં હકપત્રો, રેશનકાર્ડ પણ ગરીબોને અપાયાં છે, પણ માનેલા દુકાનદારો સસ્તું અનાજ ગરીબોને આપતા જ નથી અથવા ઓછું આપે છે અને બાકીનું અનાજ મોંઘા ભાવે બજારમાં વેચી નાખે છે.

આ સમસ્યાના ઉકેલ માટે ફૂડ સિક્યુરિટી કાયદો ઘડાયો છે, પણ કાયદો ઘડી કાઢવાથી વિતરણવ્યવસ્થા સુધરવાની નથી. લાગવગવાળા દુકાનદારો, લાંચિયા અમલદારો અને લાચાર પ્રજાજનોનાં ત્રેખડના કારણે સરકાર અનાજનો કોથળો મોકલે તેમાંથી ગરીબ સુધી તો મિઠ્ઠીભર અનાજ પણ પહોંચતું નથી.

ગરીબોને અનાજ મેળવવાના હક્કનો ખ્યાલ નથી. વેપારીઓ-અમલદારો સામે પગલાં ભરવાની ત્રેવડ-આવડત નથી અને હવે ખેડૂતોએ નવો વાંધો કાઢ્યો છે. ખેતી ખાતાના મંત્રી શરદ પવારે વાંધો કાઢ્યો છે કે સરકાર ત્રીસ કરોડ માણસોને મફતના ભાવે અનાજ આપે તો બજારમાં અનાજના ભાવ તૂટી જાય અને ખેડૂતોને ઓછા ભાવ મળે, તેથી અનાજની વહેંચણી ગરીબોના લાભમાં છે, પણ ખેડૂતોનું હિત જોખમાય છે.

અધિકાર આપવાથી કશું વળતું નથી. અધિકારની સમજ હોવી જોઇએ અને અધિકાર વાપરવા જેટલી શક્તિ હોવી જોઇએ. સમાજમાં આ શક્તિ સંગઠન સિવાય આવતી નથી. તેથી ભૂખે મરતા લોકોને સંગઠિત કરીને તેમનો અવાજ બુલંદ કરવામાં આવે, ત્યાર પછી જ સસ્તું અનાજ પૂરતા પ્રમાણમાં તેમના ઘરમાં પહોંચે.પણ આવું સંગઠન આપણા દેશમાં નથી. સદીઓથી કચડાયેલી પ્રજા પાંગળી બની ગઇ છે. લાંબા સમય સુધી પાંજરામાં પુરાયેલો વાઘ પણ ત્રાડ પાડવાનું ભૂલી જાય છે, તેમ પ્રજા બોલવાનું કે અવાજ ઉઠાવવાનું ભૂલી ગઇ છે.

ગરીબોને અનાજ મળવું જ જોઇએ તેવું બધા કબૂલ કરે છે, પણ ગરીબોનો અવાજ મજબૂત બનાવવામાં રાજકીય આગેવાનોને રસ નથી. સંગઠિત અને શિક્ષિત સમાજને અવાજ માટે બોલતાં આવડી જાય તો આગેવાનોની મનમાની સામે અવાજ ઉઠાવતાં, પણ શીખી જાય. આગેવાનોને લોકશાહીની વાતો કરવી છે, પણ તેમને સવાલ ઉઠાવનાર મતદારો જોઇતા નથી. મૂંગા ઢોરની માફક લાકડીના ઘોદે મતદાનમથકે આવીને તેમના મુખિયા કહે તેમ મતનું પતાકડું નાખી જાય અથવા મતયંત્રની ચાંપ દાબી જાય તેટલું તેમને જોઇએ છે.

આપણા રાજપુરુષો આગેવાન નહીં, પણ શાસક બની ગયા છે. આગેવાને પોતાના કાફલાને સમજાવીને સાથે રાખવો પડે છે, શાસક ચાબુક ફટકારીને કામ કઢાવી જાય છે. અનાજના વિતરણની સરસ ગૂંથણી આપણા દેશમાં છે જ, પણ તેનો ઉપયોગ સાચી રીતે કરવામાં આવતો નથી. ફૂડ સિક્યુરિટી કાયદા ઘડવાથી અનાજ ગરીબોનાં ઘરમાં પહોંચી જાય તેવું માની લેવામાં આવે છે, પણ આ નરી ભ્રમણા છે.

રેશનની તમામ દુકાનો સીધી રીતે વહેંચણી કરે અને લોકોને હકસરનું અનાજ પહોંચાડે તેવી વ્યવસ્થા ગોઠવાતી નથી. અનાજ વહેંચણીમાં અફરાતફરી કરનારને જડમૂળથી ઉખેડી નાખવામાં આવે તો આ વ્યવસ્થામાં તે જ પુરાય બાકી તો કાયદાનાં થોથાંમાં ઉમેરણો કર્યા કરવાથી આગેવાનોને જશ મળે, વડીલોને કામ મળે અને આપણને કશું કર્યાનો વાંઝિયો સંતોષ મળે.

એક માણસને પણ ફરક પડે તો કામ કરતા રહેવું જોઇએ : અભિષેક

‘તમારા કામથી એક માણસની જિંદગીમાં પણ ફરક પડતો હોય તો પછી અટકવાનો તો સવાલ જ નથી પેદા થતો. મને મારા દર્શકો જ આગળ વધવાની પ્રેરણા આપે છે. આપણે ક્યારેય કામ કરતાં ન અટકવું જોઇએ કારણકે તમે જે પણ કરો તેની પ્રભાવ એકાદ વ્યક્તિ સુધી તો પહોંચતો જ હોય અને આપણી જાતને આગળ વધવાની પ્રેરણા અને કામ કરતા રહેવાનું પ્રોત્સાહન તેમાંથી જ પુરું પડે છે.’ હિટ્સ અને ફ્લોપ્સની વચ્ચે અમિતાભ બચ્ચન જેવા મહાનાયકના પુત્ર હોવાનું વજન ખભે લઇને ચાલતા અભિષેક બચ્ચને પોતે નિષ્ફળતા કેવી રીતે પચાવી જાણે છે તે જણાવ્યું હતું. 

અબ્બાસ મસ્તાનની આગામી ફિલ્મ પ્લેયર્સના પ્રમોશન માટે શહેરના મહેમાન બનેલા અભિનેતા અભિષેક બચ્ચન, બિપાશા બાસુ, નિલ નિતીન મુકેશ અને સોનમ કપુરે મિડીયા સાથે વાતચીત કરી હતી. પંચવટી ખાતે આવેલા રિલાયન્સ ડિજીટલના શો રૂમમાં ધીરૂભાઇ અંબાણીની જન્મતિથિ નિમિત્તે તેમની તસવીરને પુષ્પાંજલી અર્પણ કરી હતી. 


અભિષેકે પોતે ગુરુ ફિલ્મમાં ધીરુભાઇનું પાત્ર ભજવ્યું હતું તેના સંદર્ભે તેણે કહ્યું કે, ‘ધીરુભાઇ બહુ પ્રેરણાદાયી પ્રતિભા છે અને તેઓ પિતાના ખુબ જ સારા મિત્ર હતા. પરિવાર સાથે તેમને ઘનિષ્ઠ સંબંધ હતો. તેમણે ઉદ્યોગ જગત માટે અને દેશ માટે જે પણ કર્યું છે તે બહુ મોટી બાબત છે.

M²JäíÞë ±ëÝðWÝ ÜëËõ 137 ÀßùÍ äæýÞí ÔëßHëë Àßí±õ Öù ÔßÖíÞð_ ±õÀë±õÀ ìäçÉýÞ ×´ Éåõ ±õÜ ÜëÞäë ÜëËõ Àù´ ÀëßHë Þ×í. ÕþáÝ ±_Ãõ çÜÝõ çÜÝõ ÛìäWÝ ÛëÂäëÜë_ ±ëäõ Èõ, Õß_Öð ±ëäí ±_Ôl©ëÜë_ ìärëç ßëÂÖë_ Õèõáë_ TÝã@Ö±õ ÕùÖëÞí ½ÖÞõ É ±ë ±_Ãõ Õþ‘õ ÕñÈäù ½õ´±õ. ´ãLÍÝÞ ´ãLVËËÝñË ±ùÎ ËõÀûÞùáù° (±ë´±ë´Ëí). ÜÄëçÞë ÕþùÎõçß ØõäØëç ÜõÞÞ ÉHëëäõ Èõ Àõ, ÒÒM²Jäí Õß ÀßùÍù äæý×í °äÞ eáõÎëáõ Èõ. ±ë ÔÚÀÖð_ °äÞ É ÕþÝá ìäåõ ±Þõ ÛìäWÝäëHëíÞõ ÂùËí çëìÚÖ Àßäë ÜëËõÞù ÚùáÖù Õðßëäù Èõ.ÓÓ

ì×ÝùçùìÎÀá çùçëÝËíÞë 136Üë ±ë_ÖßßëWËÿíÝ ç_ÜõáÞÜë_ ¿ìÜÀ ìäÀëç ±Þõ iëëÞùØÝ ìäæÝ Õß TÝëAÝëÞ ±ëÕÖë_ ØõäØëç ÜõÞÞõ ÉHëëTÝð_ èÖð_ Àõ, ÒÒÔßÖíÞë ±ãVÖIä ÕëÈâ ±õÀ ÀëßHë çÜëÝõáð_ Èõ. ±ë ÀëßHë FÝë_ çðÔí èÝëÖ èåõ. IÝë_ çðÔí °äÞ ÞöÝë äèõÖí ßèõåõ.ÓÓ ÖõÜHëõ ÇõÖäHëí ±ëÕÖë_ ÉHëëTÝð_ Àõ, ÒÒÔßÖíÞë ±_ÖÞí ÇÇëýÞõ ÀëßHëõ ìÞßëåëÞí ÃÖëýÜë_ ÔÀõáë´ ÉäëÞí Éwß Þ×í. çÜÀëáíÞ ìäiëëÞ çIÝ ÕþIÝõ äëVÖäØåa ±ìÛÃÜ Ôßëäõ Èõ.ÓÓ ±IÝëßõ ÕHë ìç© Õðßðæù ±ãVÖIä Ôßëäõ Èõ, Éõ±ù çëÇë ±×ýÜë_ ±ëKÝëìIÜÀÖëÞõ äßõáë èùÝ Èõ. ÛÃäëÞ Úð©Þë iëëÞÞð_ ÜëÕ ÀëÏäëÞð_ ÀèõäëÜë_ ±ëäõ Öù äöiëëÞí±ù Üë×ð_ Â_Éäëâäë áëÃåõ, Õß_Öð Úþ›iëëÞÞí ¼ãW˱õ ½õ´±õ Öù Àèí åÀëÝ Àõ ÛÃäëÞ Úð©õ Àõâäõáð_ ±_ÖßiëëýÞ ÛúìÖÀ ßíÖõ ×Öí ÕþëìMÖ ÀßÖë_ ÉßëÝ ¶b_ ¶ÖßÖð_ Þ×í. ØßõÀ äëÖ áõÚùßõËßíÜë_ Õðßäëß ×´ åÀõ ÞèÙ. äöiëëÞí±ùÞõ ÕHë çIÝÞí åùÔÜë_ ÕìßÀSÕÞëÞí ÒµÍëÞÓ Ûßäí ÕÍõ Èõ.

Five Top Visiting Places of India in Winter

There are several beautiful places in India that draw the attention of tourists worldwide. While some are good to visit in Summer, some other are really good for the Winter season. We have listed five places that are good for this Winter.

1. Jaipur (Rajasthan)

Jaipur, also popularly known as the Pink City, is the capital of Rajasthan. Jaipur is one of the finest planned cities of India, located in the semi-desert lands of Rajasthan.

The city which once had been the capital of the royalty now is the capital city of Rajasthan. The very structure of Jaipur resembles the taste of the Rajputs and the Royal families. Jaipur is a very famous tourist and education destination in India.

At present, Jaipur is a major business centre with all requisites of a metropolitan city. Tourism is a significant part of Jaipur’s economy. Some of the world’s best hotels are located here. Lots of people go to Jaipur to view the various forts and monuments in Jaipur which reflect its glorious past. Some of the remarkable forts and monuments that you can visit in Jaipur and Udaipur are mentioned below.

Forts & Monuments

• Hawa Mahal

• Amber Fort

• Jaigarh Fort

• Nahargarh Fort

• City Palace

• Jantar Mantar

• Jal Mahal

• Rambagh Palace

• Chandra Mahal, The City Palace, Jaipur

• Diwan-e-Aam, City Palace

• Central Museum, (Albert Hall Museum)

2. Kerala

Wedged between the Western Ghats on the East and the Arabian Sea on the West, the narrow strip of land known as Kerala is a destination of a lifetime. The timeless beauty of the palm fringed beaches of Kovalam and Varkala, the majesty of the undulating hills of Munnar and Vagamon, the serenity of the pristine backwaters of Kumarakom & Kuttanad and the enchanting woods and forests of Thekkady and Silent Valley will blow your mind in Kerala.

God has generously bestowed this land with the bounties of nature and so it only seems natural when Kerala is referred to, as God’s own country.

3. Goa

Goa is Famous for its pristine beaches; in fact 90% of all the tourism in Goa happens only for its beautiful beaches in Coastal Areas. In the winter time, tourists from abroad (mainly Europe) come to Goa to enjoy the splendid climate. In fact, many foreigners have made Goa as their home for its laid-back and relaxed lifestyle!

Goa - the land of enchanting beaches is a winter destination which is second to none in India. The getaway beaches of Calangute, Baga, Vagatore and Palolem can help you escape winter and warm your spirit in the sun and relax your mind. Goa is a host to numerous winter festivals.

You can indulge yourself in Goan festivities like the Goa Heritage Festival, Feast of the Three Kings, the Konkani Drama Festival and enjoy all the fun and frolic that happens. Goa is a heaven for ocean-lovers who could indulge in – sunbathing, swimming, yachting, surfing or simply recline on a lounger on the golden sand with a drink.

4. Auli (Uttarakhand)

Auli is a renowned destination for skiing and sightseeing in Uttarakhand, India. Auli has excellent snowy slopes and is equipped with the best skiing facilities which make it a favorite of ski lovers from across the world. You can also come here if you want to learn skiing.

There are Skiing courses and professional instructors available for beginners. Steep snowcapped mountains, frequent snowfalls, hot springs, and ancient temples make Auli a fabulous trip for trekkers and nature lovers who do not intend to ski.

Tourists and Trekkers are rewarded with magnificent views of taller Himalayan peaks - Nanda Devi, Kamet, Mana Parvat, Chhang Bhang, Lampak, Dunagiri and snow covered beautiful alpine forests dominated by Golden Oaks, Pines, and Rhododendron trees. Thus Auli proves to be a perfect combination of a sightseeing tour and an adventure trip.

5. Ooty (Karnataka)

Ooty also known as Udhagamandalam is the "Queen of hill stations" and the capital of Nilgiris district. It is one of the most popular tourist resorts in India. Nilgiris means "Blue Mountains". It is a land of picturesque picnic spots.

An added attraction for the tourists to Udagamandalam is the mountain train journey on a ratchet and pinion track which commences from Kallar, near Mettupalayam and wends its way through many hair-raising curves and fearful tunnels and chugs along beside deep ravines full of verdant vegetation, gurgling streams and tea gardens.

One can notice a marvelous change in vegetation, as one goes from Kallar to Coonoor. The establishment of numerous tea estates made Ooty famous. Lofty mountains, dense forest, sprawling grasslands and miles and miles of tea gardens greet the passengers on most routes. The annual Tea and Tourism Festival attracts crowds in huge numbers.

Don’t Worry About Your First Job

Recent graduates, take note: Few people start their work life in the right place. So don’t stress about your first job out of college. Chances are it’s not going to predict your future field, income, or career path. Instead of looking for the perfect job, look for these three things:

• Opportunities to learn. Whatever job you take, you should acquire new skills and experience. 

• Enough money. You don’t have to be a banker. Waiting tables is perfectly respectable if it affords you the time and flexibility to do what you care about

• Chances to contribute. Everyone wants to feel a sense of purpose. Find a position that allows you to be a force for good. If you can’t find a job that fits the bill, volunteer on the side.

કંપનીમાં નોકરીઓનું વાવાઝોડું, મળશે 1 લાખ લોકોને નોકરી

આ સમયે જ્યારે અમેરિકા અને યૂરોપ મંદીના સમયમાંથી પસાર થઈ રહ્યું છે, ત્યારે એક પણ કંપની છે જે તેના જોરે 1 લાખ લોકોને રોજગારી આપવા જઈ રહી છે.

આ કંપની છે ફૉક્સકૉન અને આ એપલના સ્માર્ટફોન આઈફોન અને આઈપેડનું નિર્માણ કરે છે. ચીનના ચેંગચાઉ પ્રાંતમાં સ્થિત આ કંપનીમાં આટલી સંખ્યામાં અગાઉથી લોકો કામ કરી રહ્યાં છે.

- આ કંપનીઓ પાસેથી તેમના સામાન બનાવવાનો કોન્ટ્રેક્ટ ખાસ્સા ઓછા વળતરે સાઇન કરે છે
- ચીનમાં મોંઘવારીના કારણે હવે વર્કર ઓછા પૈસામાં કામ કરવા નથી માંગતા

તેની ખાસીયત એ છે કે આ કંપનીઓ પાસેથી તેમના સામાન બનાવવાનો કોન્ટ્રેક્ટ ખાસ્સા ઓછા વળતરે સાઇન કરે છે. ચીનની આ કંપની ઓછા પૈસામાં પ્રોડક્ટ તૈયાર કરી આપે છે અને એટલા માટે જ તેની ખાસ્સું નામ છે.

ચીનમાં મોંઘવારીના કારણે હવે વર્કર ઓછા પૈસામાં કામ કરવા નથી માંગતા. પરંતુ આ કંપની ઓછા મહેનતાણા વાળા કર્મચારીઓ શોધી લાવે છે.

ફૉક્સકોનનું ચીનના પ્રાંત ચેંગચાઉના વિકાસમાં ખાસ્સું યોગદાન છે અને અહીંયાથી 15 અબજ ડૉલરની નિકાસ થતી હોય છે. આ પ્રાંતમાં ઇન્ટેલ, ફોર્ડ વગેરે કંપનીઓ પણ કામ કરી રહી છે.

Courtesy: Divya Bhaskar

Samsung to buy Sony's Stake in LCD Joint Venture

In a significant deal, Korean major Samsung Electronics will acquire Japanese firm Sony's entire stake in their liquid crystal display (LCD) joint venture.

Samsung will pay 1.08tn ($939m/£600m) in cash for purchasing an entire stake of Sony.

The deal will respond to the slowing global demand of Sony technology and the two majors have agreed to make a new shift in their LCD business alliance.

Sony has been facing a huge loss for the past seven years since the financial crisis in 2008. The two companies had established a joint venture in LCD in 2004 after the global economy as well as the demand for consumer electronics declined.

With the deal, Sony will get LCD panels from Samsung without taking the credit as the manufacturer.

Skip the Mr. and Mrs.

Forget what your parents taught you, it’s not always prudent to use a formal salutation, especially in today’s more informal business world. Addressing people by their first name is now the norm in corporate America. Use first names to address colleagues, clients, and bosses. If you are a junior employee, this will level the playing field so that you are perceived as more of an equal. 

Confidently addressing people by their first names establishes you as mature and self-assured. If you are a seasoned manager, it will convey accessibility. Today’s workers see hierarchies as stiff and outdated. 

Demanding that subordinates use a formal title comes off as pompous. Note that this informality is not the global norm — learn the local customs before you travel.

Toyota recalls over 40,000 Eitos and Liva Models

The Toyota has received a major setback ahead of the New Year, as it was forced to recall over 40,000 units of Etios and Liva to fix the fault issues with these cars.

The Etios sedan and Liva hatchback models manufactured before October 8, 2011 will be recalled and checked for the cracks found in the hose pipe and the fuel pipe.

The Toyota India clarified it noticed the faults on its own and decided to recall the cars to fix the issue to restore confidence among its customers. The replacement repair will take less than a hour, reducing the inconvenience to the customers, it said.

Three Tips for Conducting an Internal Interview

Internal interviews are often thought of as something to simply check off on a hiring to-do list. Yet, these interviews can be a valuable source of information and the key to helping you make the right hiring decision. Here are three tips for getting these interviews right:

• Dig deeper. Even if you already know the candidate, you can learn more. Ask about experience outside of the company, either in previous jobs or through volunteer work. 

• Assess role readiness. Because the candidate will be moving into a role she is already familiar with, ask specific questions about what she plans to do with the role.

• Make it real. Too often, internal interviews are done out of courtesy. If you aren't serious about the candidate, don't bother with the interview.

Evaluate Your Future Manager

Almost every job interview ends with an opportunity for you, the candidate, to ask questions. Don't treat this time as another chance to impress. Instead, use this time to assess your future boss. Ask your potential manager about a past project. 

This should give you a sense of how she works. Inquire about customers or colleagues. Her attitude toward others may reveal how she treats people. Watch how she answers the questions. Does she talk about herself a lot? Does he take credit for accomplishments? 

This data can help you better understand the manager you are getting along with the job offer.

How to Talk About Your Weaknesses in an Interview

One of the most hated, yet frequently asked, interview questions is, "What is your greatest weakness?" We all have faults, but the last place we want to talk about them is in a job interview. Next time you are up for a job, take these three steps to prepare for this dreaded question:

• Prepare an answer. Yes, you need one. Make it brief, honest, trivial, and not a fault. If possible, use something out of your control. For example, "My biggest weakness is that my professional network is in Boston, but I'm looking to relocate to Los Angeles."

• Get input. Run your answer by a few friends and colleagues to make sure it sounds reasonable.

• Ask a question back. In the interview, deflect the attention away from you by ending your response with a question for the interviewer.

Three Tips for Acing an Interview

During a job interview, it's important to explain what you can do for the company, but it is just as imperative to build trust with the person interviewing you. Here are three ways to align yourself with the interviewer:

• Mirror body language. Even if you aren't comfortable, portray yourself as poised and friendly. When the interviewer uses open body language -- leaning in toward you or keeping her arms open -- do the same. 

• Find common interests. Look for ways that the interviewer and you are alike. These may be shared interests or experiences. Ideally they are work-related; for example, you may both have a passion for solving tough problems. 

• Tell stories with a moral. Every anecdote you tell should have a point. Well-shaped stories with a purpose can convey your most desirable qualities -- loyalty, work ethic, or trustworthiness.

Promote Yourself without Being Self-Promotional

Explaining why someone should hire you, or introduce you to a friend who is hiring, can be uncomfortable. You need to sell yourself, but you don't want to sound like a salesperson. Instead of detailing what's so great about you, tell a story that covers the following:

• Situation. Explain the problem or situation that you, your unit, or your company faced. 

• Tasks. Outline what your responsibility was in solving the problem. 

• Achievements. Make clear what you did to meet your responsibility.
• Results. What happened as a result of your achievements? Did revenues increase? Did customer satisfaction improve? Use specific examples to pique your audience's interest.

Three Steps to Make Your New Hire Productive

The traditional approach to "onboarding" -- sitting your new hire down with a stack of reading or a series of trainings -- doesn't do much to explain how the organization truly functions. Take these three steps to help your new hire understand how work gets done and what he can do to add immediate value:

• Start early. Onboarding starts with hiring. During interviews, expose all candidates to the organization's culture. Don't oversell your company; be honest about who you are and how you work.
• Introduce him to the right people. Identify key stakeholders that your new hire needs to know. Broker early introductions so that he can begin building relationships right away.
• Get him working. This shouldn't be a sink or swim approach. Put him on projects where he is supported by others and can start contributing right away.

Know When Multitasking Works

Numerous studies show that multitasking doesn't help you get more done. In fact, it impedes productivity. But in today's fast-paced world, it may seem impossible to only focus on one thing at a time. Here are two times when multitasking might be more effective: When information needs to flow fast. If others are waiting on you before they respond to a customer or move a critical project forward, it can be frustrating if you're not available. 

Picking up the phone or responding to email -- even while you're working on something else -- can be important, especially if you have information others don't. When you're stuck. Sometimes it can be useful to focus on a difficult task. 

But when you reach a roadblock, it can be equally valuable to walk away and do something else while your mind ponders the issue. When you return to the task with fresh focus, you're more likely to be able to push through.

Get Things Done by Deciding When and Where

Managing your workload with a to-do list can be a productive way to organize your work and keep yourself on task. But don't let your list become a collection of everything you want to do but will never have time for. Make sure each item on your list has a time and place attached. Don't add "write management presentation" without including the day and time slot in which you'll do it. 

Consider foregoing the list and scheduling items on your calendar instead. You may still want a place to write down things you hope to get to, but be sure that each day you know what you need to accomplish and when.

Three Rules for Making Your Writing Clear

In business writing, you get points for clarity, not style. Instead of trying to wax poetic about your division's plans for the next 60 days, just make your point. Here are three ways to do that:

• One idea per paragraph. Novels hold several complex ideas and emotions in a single paragraph. In business writing, limit your thoughts to one per paragraph. When you have another suggestion, thought or idea, start a  new paragraph.

• Put your point in the first sentence. Don't entice your readers with background information and build-up. No one has time for that. Make your primary point first. Then go into supporting detail.

• Make it "scannable." Few people read every word in an email. Use headers and bullet points so that your audience can quickly scan your message and understand your point.

Three Ways to Tighten Your Writing

Writing today—a report, memo, or email—must be short if you want people to read it. But succinctly expressing yourself can be tough. Here are three ways to trim your writing and say what you want in fewer words:

• Refine it. Take a hard look at the structure of your writing. Only include sections that are necessary to support your points.

• Consider an informal tone. Just because you're writing a report doesn't mean you need to be formal. Writing like a bureaucrat makes you use longer words and a complicated sentence structure. Adopting a more informal tone often helps you be direct and concise.

• Cut and then cut more. Look over your document sentence by sentence. If a sentence doesn't serve an important purpose, get rid of it.

Decide What You Think First

When working on a challenging task — writing a speech, preparing an important presentation, or developing a new idea — it's helpful to get feedback from others. Do they think it's any good? In what direction do they think you should take it? But sometimes, too much feedback can drown out the most important opinion: your own. 

If you feel like you're getting too much input or are no longer sure what you think of your own work, take a break from the feedback. Decide what you think. This will build your confidence and trust in yourself. Once you've articulated and refined your own perspective, reach back out to your trusted advisors to get theirs.

Three Tips for Responding to Failure

Everyone reacts differently to failure: some immediately accuse others while some take the heat themselves, even if undeserved. Next time you and your team fail, resist the temptation to place blame. Take these three steps instead:

• Think before you act. Don't respond immediately or impulsively. Doing so can make matters worse. Take the time to consider several possible interpretations of the event and how you might react.
• Listen and communicate. Never assume you know what others think. Gather feedback and then explain your own actions and intentions.
• Search for a lesson. Mistakes happen. It may be that you're to blame, someone else is, or no one is. Create and test hypotheses about how and why the failure happened to prevent it from happening again.

Stop Making Decisions That Waste Time and Money

Many managers rely on gut instinct to make important decisions, which often leads to poor results. On the contrary, when managers insist on incorporating logic and evidence, they make better choices and their companies benefit. Here are three ways to introduce evidence-based management at your company:

• Demand evidence. Whenever anyone makes a compelling claim, ask for supporting data. Don't take someone's word for it.

• Examine logic. Look closely at the evidence and be sure the logic holds up. Be on the lookout for faulty cause-and-effect reasoning.

• Encourage experimentation. If you don't have evidence, create some. Invite managers to conduct small experiments to test the viability of proposed strategies and use the resulting data to guide decisions.

Don’t Rush Into a Job Change

Bad boss, dysfunctional co-workers, slowing business: Multiple things can make you run screaming from a job. But those circumstances often apply artificial urgency to a job hunt. Panic may make cause you to skimp on researching potential employers or fail to look inside your organization for more promising opportunities. Slow down. 

Consider how your feelings would change if your incompetent boss left or if the company secured an exciting new client. Ask people you trust for their advice, explaining that you’re worried about making a rash decision. When searching, don’t look for “any place better than here.” Instead, wait for the right offer.

Know Your Unwritten Plan

When preparing for the future, you need two plans--one you write down, and one that's unwritten, fluid, and evolving. This blueprint exists in your mind as a living, changing understanding of where you're going, why you're going there, and how you're going to get there--all based on your current understanding of how the future will unfold. 

While your written plan includes specific objectives, action steps, and clear assumptions, the unwritten one consists of gut feel, general direction, and broad priorities. Over time, as you gather information and test ideas, you'll move many of these elements from hazy and unspoken to focused and written.

Don’t Stay Late. Go Home.

Do you control your work hours or do they control you? More people are staying late at work and suffering because of it. Before you have dinner at your desk (again), do these three things:

• Know your priorities. When deciding whether to stay and finish a task or put it aside until the next day, remember what your priorities are. If the task furthers your professional and personal goals, then it may be worth putting in the extra time. 

• Agree on expectations at home. Discuss your work hours with the people closest to you — your partner, spouse, or friends — to be sure your expectations are aligned.

• Talk about it at work. Make it clear that you are willing to stay late if there is a legitimate reason, such as a client deadline. But emphasize that this should be the exception, not the rule.

Why US Call Centre Bill may hurt Indian BPOs

The US Call Centre Bill may hurt Indian BPOs because the bill aims at bringing the large employment opportunity in BPO industry back to US, for which huge number of BPO employees in India will lose their jobs.

Although the proposed legislation, titled 'Call Centre Worker & Consumer Protection Act’ does not pin pointedly target Indian BPOs, still India’s IT and BPO industry has again been the target of such legislation, which seek to curb outsourcing as a means to protect jobs in the US.

Unemployment being a major concern for several countries, US has also faced the same. Again, when other countries are taking the benefit of large employment generated from outsourcing companies of US itself, why they will miss the chance when they are also going through a not so good time in respect of employment.

Tim Bishop, one of the representatives who have tabled the bill argues "Outsourcing is one of the scourges of our economy and why we are struggling so to knock down the unemployment rate". The bill has strong backing from the Communications Workers of America (CWA), a union which represents 150,000 call centre workers in the US.

The bill also aims to make companies that move call canters overseas (including India) ineligible for grants or guaranteed loans from the federal government. This seems a move aimed at stemming the tide of jobs heading to nations like India.

Under the protectionist legislation, not only would customer service representatives working overseas for US corporations have to disclose their locations upon request, they would also have to offer callers the option of being transferred to call canters back in America. The result will be great loss of business in the overseas countries like India and reshuffling profit to US.

In India There are hundreds of thousands of people who make their living off the industry either directly or through support functions. The support functions or related Industry includes Catering, BPO training and recruitment, transport (home pick up and drops for night shifts being the norm in the industry) Security agencies and Facilities management. The industry has been growing rapidly. It grew at a rate of 38% over 2005.

India only has some 5-6% share of the total Industry, but a commanding 63% share of the offshore component when The global BPO Industry is estimated to be worth 120-150 billion dollars, of this the offshore BPO is estimated to be some US$11.4 billion.

Again, a lot of employees in the BPO segment of India are in the 35 age bracket and will not find it easy to obtain another job if the call center industry were to collapse. Summing up all these, it is certain that if the bill is not repudiated, it will hurt the Indian BPOs.

Why HR Really Does Add Value

In light of today's economic volatility and uncertainty every aspect of business is being re-examined for its value in creating and sustaining profitable growth. I've worked in human resources for over 25 years, the past six with Newell Rubbermaid, and this is not a new endeavor for me. Throughout my career, I have consistently faced the question, "How does HR add value in a business?" In many cases, this question is not asked politely. 

Adding legitimacy to this skepticism are new technologies that enable automation of routine transactions, offshoring and shared service organizations that specialize in managing many tactical elements of HR. Outside vendors are handling classic HR functions like payroll, staffing and recruiting, and even equal employment opportunities investigations, often at a lower price and higher quality than companies can manage for themselves. Even sacred and often arcane areas of HR such as executive compensation are now largely guided by outsourced providers who are experts in current tax and SEC regulations. 

In this world flush with cheaper ways to fulfill traditional HR tasks, is HR becoming obsolete?

Early in my career I was fortunate to help a large manufacturer and distributor of construction and agricultural equipment change the way it went to market in North America. In the mid-1990s the small businesses that dominated both construction and agriculture were being replaced by much larger corporate competitors. As a result, procurement specialists who were much more sophisticated than the small farmers and family construction owners became my firm's target, which required a change in the way we sold. The company's relationship-based salespeople needed to become business people who understood the applications of the machinery in their areas, the competitor's equipment, the company's strengths and weaknesses, and the economics of our distributors and customers in order to put together multi-million dollar deals that delivered financial benefits to all parties.

By utilizing basic HR tools like business process redesign, organizational redesign, job redesign and competency model development, we were able to more effectively align our selling and support processes to the changing business realities of large-scale farming and construction. Within the first year of our effort net sales increased 27 percent while fixed costs were reduced by 40 percent. Not all fixed cost reductions were people. We eliminated a number of decades-old field offices built to accommodate railroads (which were no longer the dominant distribution method,) and we redeployed 33% of our sales personnel who were not able to execute the new selling process. As would be expected, many of our sales people were very good at support, but not as good as we needed them to be at business.

This success is an example of how, when properly applied and executed, HR can have a significant and measurable impact on a company. It's important to note that the value added by HR in this instance had little to do with what is classically considered core HR work such as payroll, benefits administration, staffing, and recruiting. Instead, the work was strategic in nature and created a structure that allowed the business to succeed.

In order to add significant value to a business, HR must be able to support and enable the execution of strategy through building organizational capability. This is a role that cannot be automated, shared as a service, offshored or outsourced. It comes from an intimate knowledge of a business's strategy and the existing capabilities of the organization. The great advantage that HR has in this area is that, ultimately, all strategy is executed by people - people who need to be supported, trained and equipped to fulfill the strategic vision. This is the real role of HR, and even though some people remain skeptical of its bottom-line importance, in fact its relevance cannot be underestimated.

In my current position at Newell Rubbermaid, we have gained consensus among our senior leaders that the primary role of HR is to build organizational capability to support the execution of business strategy. Our leaders are so excited by this shift that they want us to be able to execute against the new model of HR as soon as possible.

From my experience, however, I've learned that this is not a simple shift that happens overnight--it takes some time. To get there, our HR department is applying the same principles of business process redesign, organizational redesign, job redesign and competency model development to our own function. We have mapped competencies to each job and started to understand the gaps between where we are today and where we want to be in the future. We have also started to lay out a long-term development process for our HR associates to teach them everything from financial basics to strategic workforce planning. We're also using technology to relieve our staff from doing more routine HR work so they can focus on building capabilities.

Our approach is to not replace our current HR team with new people or technologies, but to teach them the new skills required for HR's new role in today's business environment. We understand that this is a multi-year journey, but feel it is the right approach for our business.

50 Most Important Events in India 2011

India witnessed a series of ups and downs throughout the year 2011. As we approach 2012, let’s take a look at the most important events occurred in the country this year.

1. January 24 – Bharat Ratna Bhimsen Joshi dies: A legendary singer of Hindustani classical music, Pandit Joshi died in Pune, aged 89.

2. Feb 4 – According to secret diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks, terror training camps, though not directly run by the Pakistan Government, continue to operate along India-Pakistan border creating potential for conflict with India and instability in the region.

3. March 30 - India and Pakistan PMs watched cricket: PM Manmohan Singh and his counterpart in Pakistan, Yousuf Raza Gilani watched the Indo-Pak World Cup semi-final and hold bilateral talks.

4. March 31 - Census 2011: India's Population rises to 121 Crore. As per the census 2011, India's population increased to 1.21 billion (121 crore).

5. April 2 – India wins the 2011 Cricket World Cup: On April 2nd, India won the 2011 Cricket World Cup, defeating Sri Lanka by 6 wickets in the final, played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai in presence of 33,000 spectators. India got world cup after 27 years.

6. April 4 - Anna Hazare initiated anti-corruption movement from Jantar Mantar in Delhi. It gripped the whole nation during the 12-day hunger strike. The movement has been named among the top 10 news stories in the world for the year 2011 by Time magazine.

7. April 24 – Sri Sathya Sai Baba, the spiritual leader & educator died on 24 April at 7:40 IST, aged 84. On 28 March 2011, Sathya Sai Baba had been admitted to the Sri Sathya Sai Super Specialty Hospital at Prashantigram at Puttaparthi, following respiration-related problems.  After nearly a month of hospitalization, he died.

8. April 30 – Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh Dorjee Khandu died: On 30 April 2011, the helicopter carrying Khandu and 4 others on a trip from Tawang to Itanagar disappeared. On 4 May 2011, at around 11 am, remnants of the crashed helicopter were found by tribals near Tawang. Home Minister confirmed the news on the morning of 5 May.

9. May 25 – Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced of Rs. 22,500 Crores for African countries to develop infrastructure facilities on the eve of 2nd Indo-Africa summit.

10. June 5 - Police arrested Baba Ramdev and beat up his supporters brutally.  The Delhi Police used tear gas shells and baton charge to end Baba Ramdev's yoga camp and fast at around 1:30 - 2 AM in the night. At least 30-40 people, including women and children were injured in the clash. An injured Rajbala, a 53 year old woman was killed later.

11. June 7 - A widow, identified as Aitwari Devi, 45, accused of practicing black magic, was killed and her body cut up, roasted and eaten by her murderers in Jharkhand's Gumla district.

12. June 9 - M. F. Hussain, one of India's best-known artists, died in Royal Brompton Hospital in London, of a heart attack at the age of 95 in exile from his homeland in India. In 1990s some of Husain's works became controversial because of their portrayal of Hindu deities in the nude or in an allegedly sexual manner.

13. June 11 – Senior journalist and Investigations Editor with leading Mumbai tabloid MiD DAY, J Dey was shot dead in afternoon, outside the Spectra Building near DMart at Powai in Mumbai. He sustained five bullet wounds.

14. July 13 – The 2011 Mumbai bombings: A serial bomb blast took place between 18:54 and 19:06 IST. The blasts occurred at the Opera House, Zaveri Bazaar, and Dadar West localities killing 21 persons.

15. July 19 - Hillary Clinton meets SM Krishna in Delhi: To hold the second round of Indo-US strategic dialogue, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met External Affairs Minister S M Krishna at Hyderabad House in New Delhi. They discussed on the current situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan and cooperation in counter-terrorism.

16. July 22 - Lesbian Couple marry in Gurgaon Court: For the first time in India, a lesbian couple married inside a court and the marriage was considered legal in accordance to the law. The lesbian couple married in Gurgaon court. Beena (20) and Savita (25) hail from Bagpat in Uttar Pradesh.

17. July 25 - President Dr. Pratibha Patil declares her Assets: President Pratibha Patil for the first time made her assets public by declaring her movable and immovable properties, which worth over Rs 2.49 crore.

18. July 25 - Research in Motion (RIM), maker of BlackBerry smart phones fired 2,000 employees. The company had suffered a huge loss as Android and iPhones had become more popular and widespread.

19. July 27 - Harish Hande and Nileema Mishra win Magsaysay Award: Two Indians Harish Hande and Neelima Mishra made the country proud by winning the prestigious Magsaysay Award. The award is considered as Asia's Nobel Prize.

20. September 2011 – Flood in Odisha and Bihar : Flood's fury in Mahanadi and other rivers  wreaked havoc in Orissa submerging about 2,600 villages spread over 19 districts and affecting 11 lakh people.

21. Sept 7 - Bomb Blast in Delhi: At least 10 people were dead and 65 were brutally injured with the bomb blast in the Delhi High Court premises.

21. September 12 -  Narendra Modi gets clean chit in Gulbarg case: Supreme Court directed the lower court to decide whether Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi can be probed or not in the Gulbarg murder case.

24. September 13 - Trains collide near Chennai: 15 people were killed and 85 others injured when a passenger train was hit by another train near Arakkonam, 80 kms from Chennai at 9:30 PM on 13th September.

25. September 16 - Azharuddin's son Ayazuddin dies after road accident: 19 year old son of former Cricketer Mohd. Azaruddin dies on 16th September in the Apollo Hospital, Hyderabad, after being critically injured in a severe road accident on 11th September, when his bike crashed on Hyderabad's outer ring road. Ayazuddin had played in the under-13, under-15 and under-19 Cricket and was considered a promising talent.

26. September 18 - A powerful earthquake measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale occurred at 18:10 IST on 18 September. It rocked Sikkim and other parts of Northeastern states killing 116 people.

27. September 24 - Ruling BJD MLA shot dead in Odisha: Ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MLA, Jagabandhu Majhi from Umerkote was shot dead by suspected Maoists in Odisha's Nabarangpur district.

28. September 25 - Nuclear-capable Missile 'Shaurya' test-fired: The DRDO test-fired the nuclear-capable surface-to-surface medium range missile, 'Shaurya' from Chandipur-on-Sea off the Odisha Coast at 2:30 PM today.

29. September 29 - Abdul Kalam frisked at New York Airport: Indian Ex-President Dr. Kalam while boarding an Air India flight at New York's JFK Airport, the U.S. security officials came and asked for his jacket and shoes, claiming that these items were not checked according to prescribed procedure during the “private screening” applicable to him.

30. October 10 - Renowned ghazal singer Jagjit Singh died at the Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai after he suffered a brain hemorrhage at the age of 70. Golden voice, Jagjit Singh made his mark with hits like Yeh zindagi kisi aur ki, Mere naam ka koi aur hai, Patta-patta boota-boota haal hamaara jaane hai, Hontho se chhoo lo tum, Tum ko dekha, Hazaar baar ruke ham and hazaar baar chale.

31. October 13 - Prashant Bhushan Attacked: Eminent lawyer Prashant Bhushan, one of the key members of Team Anna, was attacked inside his chamber in the Supreme Court. He was assaulted by Bhagat Singh Kranti Sena activists for his alleged comment on Kashmir issue.

32. October 16 - Mayabati inaugurated Rs 650 crore parks: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati inaugurated the 33-acre Dalit Prerna Sthal or the Ambedkar Park in Noida. Rs 650 crore was spent to build the park. The waste of money was highly criticized. Many environmentalists alleged that the project is being constructed on the city's green belt with the loss of 6000 trees.

33. October 26 - Sushil Kumar, a computer operator and tutor who earns Rs.6,000 per month, went on to win the top jackpot prize of Rs 5 crore rupees in ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’ hosted by Amitabh Bachchan.

34. October 26 - Ra-One released: Ra.One is the most expensive Bollywood film of 2011. 52 crore rupees was spent on marketing through various partnerships, which set the record for the largest marketing budget in India. The film released across 3,100 screens in India and 904 prints overseas in both 2D and 3D and was also dubbed in Tamil and Telugu, making it the largest Indian cinematic release in the world.

35. October 30 – For the first time Indian Grand Prix, the 17th race of the 2011 Formula One season took place at the Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh. Germany’s Sebastian Vettel from Red Bull won the race.

36. November 2 – Pakistan grants MFN to India: Pakistan granted the 'Most Favored Nation' (MFN) status to India to take the bilateral trade relations to the next level.  This is the first time India received this status from Pakistan.

37. November 5 - Bhupen Hazarika died: Padmashree Bhupen Hazarika, who was on the ventilator for four months passed away at 4.37 p.m.at Kokilaben Hospital in Mumbai. Lyricist, musician, singer, poet and film-maker from Assam Bhupen ji  is acknowledged widely in the Hindi film industry for introducing Hindi film to the sounds and folk music of Assam and Northeast India.

38. November 8 - Haridwar Stampede: 22 people were crushed to death and many others injured in a stampede at a religious ceremony close to the holy river Ganges in Haridwar.

39. November 9 - Har Gobind Khurana, the first India-born person to win the Nobel Prize after Independence, died of natural causes in Concord, Massachusetts, on 9th November morning. He was 89 and is survived by his daughter Julia and son Dave.

40. November 16 - Kolaveri D: The song was officially released on 16th November. Within a week of the official release of the video, it received more than 1.3 million views on YouTube, more than 1 million shares on Face book, while trending in India on Twitter the whole time. By 30 November it had more than 10,500,000 YouTube views. It is most popular for its funny Tanglish lyrics.

41. November 16 – Baby born to Aishwarya Rai : Former Miss World and Bollywood actor Aishwarya Rai Bachchan gave birth to a girl at Seven Hills Hospital, in Mumbai on 16th November at around 9.50 A.M. Amitabh Bachchan, tweeted at 10, 'I am Dada to the cutest baby girl !'

42. November 23 - Tata announced Cyrus Mistry as successor: India’s leading Industrial house Tata named Cyrus Pallonji Mistry the successor to Tata Group Chairman Ratan Tata. At 38, he was one of the youngest directors of the company, set up as a trading firm in 1868.

43. November 24 – Top Maoist Leader Kishenji was killed: Top Maoist leader Koteswar Rao alias Kishenji was killed at Burishol village in Junglemahal area of West Bengal. The CRPF confirmed that 207 Cobra Battalion, 184 CRPF battalion and Bengal state police killed the Maoist leader in a joint operation.

44. November 24 - Sharad Pawar got slapped: Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar was slapped by a man at the NDMC centre in New Delhi. The attacker, identified as Harvinder Singh, reportedly blamed Mr. Pawar for rising prices of essential commodities.

45. December 4 – Padma Bhusan Dev Anand Died: Dev Anand died at The Washington Mayfair Hotel in London at the age of 88 on 3 December 2011 (4 December 2011 by IST) of a cardiac arrest. Indian film actor, writer, director and producer Dev have acted in 140 films and is a national award winner. He was considered as the top romantic hero of his time.

46. December 6 - Union Telecom and HRD Minister Kapil Sibal warned the social networking sites of uploading the defamatory content, particularly those related to Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh, on their sites.

47. December 7 - FDI in Retail suspended: Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee declared on 7th December that government suspended the proposal of 51% FDI in multi-brand retail till a consensus is reached among all parties.

48. December 8 – Sehwag’s record: On 8 December 2011, he hit his maiden double century in ODI cricket, against West Indies, becoming the second batsman after Sachin Tendulkar to reach the landmark. His score remains the highest individual score in ODI cricket - 219 off 149 balls. He is the only player in world to score a double hundred in ODI and a triple hundred in Test Cricket.

49. December 9 - AMRI Hospital Kolkata Fire Accident : A tragic fire broke out in the AMRI Hospital in Kolkata in which 91 persons have died, making it one of the worst tragedies in any hospital in India.

50. December 15 - West Bengal Hooch Tragedy: 160 died: After consuming illicit liquor in Sangrampur area of South 24 Parganas District in West Bengal people fell ill. The tragedy occurred as the locals consumed methyl alcohol.

50. December 15 - Indian Rupee value goes down to 54: The Indian rupee falls short by Rs 54.17 per US Dollar; record lowest by 46 paisa in the trade business and hence is the weakest currency note in Asia in 2011 now.