BestDesi.comPure Desi Stuff for the masses…

Indian girl born with eight limbs takes first stepsFiled Under: Indians, baby, rare

The two-year-old Indian girl Laxmi (please read earlier article written on her in Bestdesi.com) who was born with four arms and four legs has took off her first assisted steps, after three months after long-drawn-out partition surgery.

Lakshmi Tatma has charmed all with her recovery in Jodhpur wherein her family shifted after the operation.  She started pushing herself backwards with her legs and burst into laughter with a huge grin on her face while she was put on the baby walker.  Laxmi can now sit up without difficulty.

The operation was carried out in Bangalore, which costed approximately 2.4 million rupees was performed free at a private hospital and was the first of its kind to be performed in India.

Now Laxmi is accommodated at the Sucheta Kriplani Shiksha Niketan charity  which provides boarding and education to 500 children with disabilities declare that Laxmi will need another two operations.

According to the doctor attending her “Lakshmi is still facing some major urinary problems and her legs are bent to some extent,” . He also diagnosed that the operation was probably to be conceded out in the next two months.

“We are very happy that our brave baby survived such a complex surgery. It feels like beginning a completely new life,” said the proud father of the baby.

Tags: Best, born, Car, Cover, day, desi, draw, family, Fat, First, Girl, in, India, Indian, Indians, laughter, limbs, Lion, of, Old, rare, Star, steps, takes, ties, Today, UP, with, Year

Valentine’s DayFiled Under: Valentines Day

One of the main legendry story of Valentine’s Day is named after a  Roman priest called Valentine in the period of the birth of Christianity in Rome during the third century. The Emperor at that time, Claudius II, regimented the Roman soldiers not to marry or get engaged as he was of the view that an unmarried or affianced man would be more trustworthy to the defence force. Valentine nonetheless, did not accept this as true in this new rule and thus he secretly allowed many to get married  and was witness to it. He was in the long run caught, detained and beheaded by the emperor’s supporters. Valentine was beheaded on the 14th February. He was ultimately made a saint and Valentine’s Day is in memory of him.

Valentines Day  is basically a Christian festival, occupied by the English folks to America, popularised in America, and the so called privileged Indians, due to their canopy adoration of anything western, singled out this one up also and in full swing started celebrating this. This was further aided by unashamedly western media and the gifts and other related commercial folks - who found a good economic sagacity in encouraging the carnival.

Many times we see anti-Valentines Day protests witnessed annually in India.  Hundreds of protests take place across the country on February 14th against the celebration of Valentines Day. Valentines cards were burnt, slogans shouted, and in some cases, couples were beaten up who were found making shows of liking that the protesters deemed out of place. Without knowing the heads and tails of this sacred day, the hindus make a fuss of in all these activities . In Christianity the sacred days of great Saints are celebrated by observing prayers, fasting and feasting. Nowhere it is written that couples should adore on this day or exchange expensive gifts and other paraphernalia associated with it. To know the origins of Valentine day, you have to be a Christian first.

I would say Hindus are a copy cat race or they suffer from failure complex. I am yet to see the Indian Christians or even the English celebrating diwali, holi, navratri or any other hindu festivals , with so much trumpet blast and embellishment, although the English ruled India for 250 years.

If you are really in affection in any kind of relationship, whether it is husband-wife, brother-sister or even in an ordinary friendship you don’t really need any unique day to celebrate.

Tags: 2008, 25, ads, Ali, Ash, Best, Car, Card, case, Christians, day, desi, Don, Feb, Festivals, First, hindu, in, India, Indian, Indians, King, Men, of, Old, Secret, Star, ties, UP, valentine, valentines, Valentines Day, wed, win, with, Year

The force behind InfosysFiled Under: Indians, Infosys, Mr. Narayanmurthy

Before  returning to India and setting up his company Infosys, its Chairman Mr. Narayanmurthy worked in Bulgeria.  He had a very horrific time during his preceding days of staying there. Civil war cropped up there and Mr. Murthy had to proceed to his homeland. The money he possessed was also limited. He somehow caught a train to Paris. In the train journey he got acquainted with a girl and started conversing with her in French.

Thinking that they were talking against communism, the  Communist soldiers on the platform seized and put him into jail. When the soldiers were sure that he is in Indian and thus they allowed to him after 48 hours. Two days of hunger and a long walk on the highway to grab hold of some transport to railways, he learnt his lesson of life.

It was at this time that he decided that not communalism but free enterprise with a flexible bend for ill-fated will resolve the predicament and removal of poverty to an extent.

Tags: 2008, ads, Ali, Best, day, desi, Fat, Girl, Hai, home, in, India, Indian, Indians, Infosys, Jail, Journey, King, Men, Mr. Narayanmurthy, of, Old, rich People, Star, talk, train, UP, wed, with

Shah Rukh earns a smaller amount from movies than endorsementsFiled Under: Bollywood, Shah Rukh Khan, Tax

If tax figures are to be believed, King Khan  is a bigger king of the marketing world too.

 
A major share of his advance tax money has gone into paying for his income from endorsing a swerve of products and other sources, which is a whopping amount of Rs.270 million. Sources in the advertising agency for which the superstar has worked divulged that his income from endorsements fetches him Rs.1.5 billion ($38 million) a year, the highest for any Indian advertising “model”.

King Khan does not augment his fees unlike his contenders. It is implicit that he is not avaricious on this part.  Even though his latest movie OSO is a super duper hit, he does not intend to increase his fees. That’s the star excellence he has, and that’s why he is victorious.

“Shah Rukh chooses his movies carefully. First, the subject matter must appeal to him and, if it does, his opting to star in the movie would largely depend on the credibility and antecedents of the producer and the director,”said an executive of the star’s production banner, Red Chillies Production.

Is King Khan, then, robbing Peter to pay Paul? As one advertising agency executive put it: “He is, but his breaking and entering seem like a communal deal.” 

Tags: ads, Amitabh, Amitabh Bachan, Amitabh Bachchan, big, bolly, Bollywood, Car, compare, Continue, day, film, First, fit, home, in, India, Indian, Indians, Khan, King, King Khan, latest, Lion, marketing, Men, movie, Movies, of, Old, pay, rich, Sen, Shah Ruk Khan, Star, Star Plus, Superstar, Tax, Today, TV, UP, Year

Brief reminiscence on Sarla Thakral, India’s first lady pilotFiled Under: Delhi Flying Club, India, Indians, Sarla Thakral

The British in 1929 opened Delhi Flying Club to Indians and not many joined the Club. One of the student was P.D. Sharma, Sarla’s husband. After he became a full fledged Pilot, Sharma and Sarla got married.Sarla was 16 at that time.

But instead of giving kitchen as endowment to his wife, as a normal Indian husband, he convinced her to join Flying Club. You are talking about 1936, when you were fictional about women becoming pilot, they don’t expect the women to go out the kitchen. I mean it is a men’s world all the time, there are husbands who do not like their wives even to drive their personal car, it was awe-inspiring on the side of Cap. Sharma who persuaded his wife to join the Aviation Flying Club—standing ovation to him.

[polaroid=17,320,240]

Sarla had taken only 9 hours of  flying lessons, but she was successful in  ingoing the cockpit of a Gypsy Moth and flew into the blue skies, and made a history as India’s first lady pilot in the year 1936.  That’s why Sarla Thakral’s accomplishment had got no more analogs. There was no barricade for Sarla from accepting that unaccompanied flight. She is so dashing and courageous, at a time when the flying was like dream, flying in air was like phenomenon.

On that point comprised entirely a fistful of manly pilots in India. For women, of course aviating constituted ludicrous.” I used to hand over my chunni to my flying aide before I sat in the cockpit. One day Rai Bahadur Roop Chand who later went on to become the Indian ambassador to America, told my husband to scolded me and told me not to be such a be-sharam and that I should not take off my chunni while flying,” she says with an express amusement.

In those days she could take flying lessons for Rs. 30 an hour. ” Learning flying was cheap because not many wanted to risk their life. Sarla obtained her ‘A’ license when she accrued over 1000 hours of flying.

Sarla  was now gearing up herself to apply for the group B license that would permit her to fly as a commercial pilot, but the destiny did not cooperate, the  Jodhpur club closed down soon afterwards with the outbreak of World War ll.

To append supplementary catastrophe, she was widowed at the tender age of 24.Her husband died in a crash. She had a four year old daughter too. Her parents got her re-married. But her new husband too very cooperating and did not stand up in his wife’s way of evolution. He took his wives interests also in view.her previous husbands’ bereavement ruined her. She did not want to become a pilot any more.  Sarla abandoned her plans to adapt a commercial pilot and divulged into various fields much in advanced at that time. She joined the Mayo School of Arts in Lahore. Along with paintings she also began designing clothes and costume jewelery.

She had also started textile printing and her sari prints were a frenzy with the designer mass and one of the clients was Vijaylaxmi Pandit.Sarla Thakral is 91 years old young lady still flying high in her life.

She had later shifted to Delhi and now she stay put in Bengali market, a place where only the privileged lives. She supplied her jewellery designs to several cottage industries for over 20 years.

Sarla was in recent times honoured for being the oldest yet the fittest person in her neighbourhood. She is 90+ now. Women of today should take the epitomize life of this prototypical lady who had  a dynamism and energy other than the far side that of the kitchen and office  and attending the cockpit flying high; I salute the first lady pilot.

Sarla Thakral is all the same flourishing and thriving till date.  May God make her more hale and hearty and prosperous life, she is a superwoman indeed, because success is being able to spend your life your own way.

[Show as slideshow]

Tags: Ali, Ash, British, Car, coming, daughter, day, Delhi Flying Club, desi, Don, EMI, Endowment, First, fit, in, India, Indian, Indians, join, King, kitchen, learning, Lot, Men, of, Old, Pilot, Sari, Sarla Thakral, Star, supple, talk, Today, UP, Vijay, wed, with, Woman, Women, Year

Veeru (Dharmendra in film Sholay) enacted by Murugesh of Dubai in real lifeFiled Under: Chennai, Dubai, Indians, Suicide, UAE

The 40 year-old man, identified as Murugesh, had climbed up the pole and made wild demands.

High-voltage suicide excitement ends safe and sound

• A suicide attempt by a 40-year-old Indian was thwarted by Dubai Police on Friday afternoon after over 15 hours of dialogue. Murugeshan, a helper from the southern Indian city Chennai, was rescued at 12.45pm. He was detained by the Dubai Police for interrogation.
• The high voltage drama began on Thursday evening around 9.30pm when Murugeshan climbed atop a 30-metre, 32 KV cable tower after drinking alcohol.

• Electricity through the cable was cut off and officials from the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) rushed to the spot along with Civil Defence personnel, police and para-medics.

“It was nerve-racking. The weather was chilly. The man had perched himself on top of the cable tower. We tried to persuade him to get down and not to try something foolish. He was just not in a mood to listen. Senior officials from Dubai Police, Dubai Civil Defence and a team of paramedics kept vigil under the tower,” said Captain ,Air and Fire rescue, Dubai Civil Defence.

“Murugeshan wanted to speak to his relative. He was making wild demands and changing his mind in minutes,” said Al Rahoomi.

• Murugeshan has been working in the UAE for three months and consumed alcohol. He is married with four children. Murugeshan had first demanded a piece of land on which he wanted to built a factory.
• After smoking two cigarettes, speaking to a relative on the mobile and sipping some water, Murugeshan finally agreed to be rescued at 12.45pm.
• He was brought down handcuffed and was immediately whisked off to the Bur Dubai police station.
• Consuming liquor in this part of Arab country is itself outlawed, and Murugesh has wrecked the law by ingestion of liquor and used public possessions with no good reason for his imprudent demands, he is probably likely to get a good reprimand for the action, as this is UAE where each person is accountable for their action and conduct, dissimilar to India where citizens are left scot-free for all deeds of these stuff.

Tags: 2008, actor, ads, Arab, Best, Chennai, day, desi, Dubai, Esha, Excitement, film, First, in, India, Indian, Indians, King, list, Men, of, Old, safe, Sen, Suicide, Team, top, UAE, UP, wed, win, with, Year

Mast TATA Nano Rs 1Lakh CarFiled Under: Cars, India, Indians, Tata Motors, Tata Nano

(NEW DELHI) — India’s Tata Motors on Thursday unveiled its much anticipated $2,500 car, an ultra-cheap price tag that brings car ownership into the reach of tens of millions of people. But critics worry the car could overwhelm the country’s roads and create an environmental nightmare.

“The four seater has a 624cc gasoline engine mounted under the rear seat. The manufacturer claims that the 33hp engine meets current Euro 4 emissions standards and is cleaner than most of the scooters running around on Indian streets right now.” They also claim that the Nano can achieve 54 mpg (U.S.) and has passed frontal and side impact tests. (No mention of what standard they are using for the testing.)

Deluxe version to have AC

On being asked whether the standard car also have air conditioner, Ratan Tata, Chairman of Tata Sons said that the standard car will have not have AC.

“The deluxe version that we displayed on the podium today will have AC and of course somewhat higher price which will be disclosed at the time we launch the vehicle. So the standard car will be as I said Rs 1 lakh +VAT + transport as the customer price” he added.

Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: 2008, 25, ads, Ali, Ash, Best, Car, Cars, case, day, desi, EMI, engine, First, fit, Hai, in, India, Indian, Indians, Lion, Men, most, New Delhi, of, safe, Sen, Tata Motors, Tata Nano, ties, Today, train, TV, UP, win, Year

Conversation with Vidya BalanFiled Under: Bollywood, India, Indians, Interviews, Movies, Vidya Balan

After a double merriment recently, New Year and her birthday on January 1, Vidya Balan is back to work. Her link-up with Shahid Kapoor and the undisclosed new glam look are the gossip of Bollywood today. Vidya reveals all!

• How did you celebrate your birthday this year?

I spent it at home with my parents and close friends. I’m not the late-night “partying” kind of girl; I’d rather spend time with my folks. This is how I’ve been celebrating my birthday and the New Year ever since I can remember. I believe what you do on the first day of the New Year, you end up doing the same for the whole year, so I spent the day reading, exercising and listening to my favorite music.

• Tell us about your new look in Aziz Mirza’s Lucky Charm?

It’s a classy look – that of a sophisticated young city girl. I have consciously worked hard on changing my appearance and I hope my fans like it. In the past, I have received a lot of criticism for my looks, but I’ve taken these in my stride. I was lazy once but I don’t want to give my fans a chance to criticize me anymore.

• What’s going on with your Lucky Charm co-star Shahid Kapoor? Is it true you have been watching films and spending lots of time together?

I have been reading a lot in the newspapers about my relationship with Shahid. I don’t know where people get such information. There’s no truth to all these stories. I think I’m slowly becoming a most wanted with the buzz mills; and when it comes to me, they start working overtime. I’m not the kind of girl who would ever hide her relationship. If I were in love, I’d be very proud of it.

Which guy in Bollywood comes closest to your idea of Mr. Right?

• What changes do you see in yourself today?

I think I’m not as guarded as I used to be when I was a newcomer. During my Parineeta days, I was still exploring the industry and was fortified, but now I’m more aggressive.

Tags: bolly, Bollywood, Buzz, coming, day, Don, film, First, Girl, home, in, India, Indians, Interviews, Kapoor, King, list, Lot, Men, most, Movies, Music, New Year, News, of, reveals, Shahid Kapoor, Star, Today, UP, Vidya Balan, with, Year

Happy Lohri, Happy Pongal and Happy Makara SankrantiFiled Under: Festivals, India, Indians, Lohri, Pongal, Sankranti, Videos

Happy Lohri, Happy Pongal and Happy Makara Sankranti to all readers. Wish you good harvest and lots of happiness around!

Rejoice festival season to fullest and enjoy shopping, shopping on and near after Makra Sankranti is promising!!
Significance of Lohri and Pongal

Lohri is a festival connected with the solar year In the night, winter savouries are served around a bonfire. Celebrated devotedly in Haryana, Punjab and parts of Himachal Pradesh, it also signifies the beginning of the end of winter.
Children visit homes in the neighbourhood and sing songs. One of the famous ones is :

Sunder mundriya..ho, Tera kaun vichara..ho
Dulla Bhatti walla..ho, Dulle ne ti viahiyi..ho
Saer Shakar payi..ho, Kudi de boje payee..ho
Shallu kaun samete..ho, Chacha galee dese..ho
Chache choori kutee..ho, Zamindaran lutee..ho
Zamindara sidaye..ho, Gin-gin pole layee..ho
Ik pola reh gaya..ho, Sipahi farh ke lei gaya..ho
Aakho mundao taana.., Mukai da dana..
Aana lei ke jana..

A bonfire is lit and everyone gathers around it. Snacks, collected from each house, go around the party and are also thrown into the fire.
A trendy belief in this region is that if someone seeks a radish roasted in the bonfire lit by a family that has reason to make merry, then blessings are bestowed on the family of the seeker as well.

Geographically speaking, the earth leans towards the sun along the Tropic of Capricorn (Makara rekha) from the day following Lohri, also known as Winter Solstice. The earth, farthest from the sun at this point of time, starts its journey towards the sun along its elliptical orbit, thus heralding in the onset of spring. It is this transition which is celebrated as Lohri in northern India, Makara sankranti in the central part of the country and as Pongal-Sankranti in South India.

The festival is extended over three days in South India and also signifies the commencement of harvesting. A rath yatra is taken out from the Kandaswamy temple in Chennai on Pongal.

The day is celebrated as Ganga-Sagara in West Bengal and according a belief, Hindus purify their sins by taking bath in the Ganges. A big fair is also held on the Sagara Island, 64 km from the Diamond harbour where the Ganga meets the Bay of Bengal.

Call it Lohri, Pongal or Sankranti, the festival conveys the same message — the bond of brotherhood and the strength of oneness should triumph in spite of all probability.

Check Out Some Related Videos:

YouTube - Lohri

YouTube - Pongal, la fête des moissons en Inde du Sud

YouTube - Maghe Sankranti Festival (माघे संक्रान्ति) in Hong Kong

Tags: 2008, 25, ads, aka, Ash, Best, big, Chennai, day, Desh, desi, Fair, family, Festivals, hindu, home, House, in, India, Indians, Journey, King, Lohri, Lot, Men, of, pay, Pongal, Punjab, Sankranti, Star, UP, Video, Videos, wed, win, with, Year

Rendezvous with Sarah Jane, Miss India 2007Filed Under: Femina Miss India-World 2007, Indians, Interviews, Miss World pageant, Sarah-Jane Dias

• She’s gorgeous, intelligent and very much her own person. Sarah-Jane Dias, Pantaloons Femina Miss India-World 2007, talks on her preparations for the Miss World pageant.

Age:24 yrs
Height:5’9’’
Stats:35-27-37

Was the Femina Miss India contest always part of the larger plan in life, or was it just something you decided to enter?
It was unquestionably not on a impulse. I’d always wanted to be a Femina Miss India since I was a little girl. Then I read an ad in the paper this year and knew it was time. I was 24… I didn’t want to look back at 60 and regret not having given it a try.

You dreamt of being famous?
Yes. I enjoy being famous. Initially, it was a attraction, now it’s a job.

How do you feel being among the Femina’s 50 Most Beautiful Women in India?
I can’t believe it. For someone as low profile as me, it was overwhelming.

You are thinking of getting into Bollywood?
For now, I’d really like to stay focused on the contest. But I also want to do a lot of things in the future, Bollywood, etc. And I definitely want to have an album of my own some day.

What is your dream role?

Any role in ‘Shantaram’. I’d have the best of both worlds. I mean, it’s Johnny Depp and Amitabh Bachchan!

Tell us your fitness mantra.

I’ve been in training for about three months now. Deanne Pandey is my trainer and she is really the best. She’s extremely dedicated and constantly updates my workout so that I don’t get bored. I do a bit of kick boxing, yoga,weight training and cardio and I eat healthy.

Your advice to the young girls who would like to experience Femina Miss India.

Young girls out there should not let anyone control their minds. If you give up your autonomy, you’ve lost a massive part of yourself.

The worst analysis you have received so far?

Bodily criticism is the easiest way to affect a girl. I got a lot of that during the pageant. I decided to get healthy, and lost six kilos in three weeks.

The secret to your beauty..
Water. I try to drink at least three to four litres a day. It’s wonderful and flushes out all the toxins.

What do your carry in your make up box?

I always carry some sort of gloss, because my lips tend to get chapped a lot. So I have my gloss from The Body Shop.Also, transparent mascara and of course the Bobbi Brown eye shadow, blusher and bronzer in one.

The obsession you disgust about yourself..
I’m very hard on myself…

Do you have boyfriends?

I’m single… but have no time for a relationship. I’m dating a couple of
guys though.

The biggest support you have..
My family.Although they live in Muscat, I know they are always there for me. I gain my strength from them.

Where do you see yourself after an year?
Travelling around the world, hopefully as Miss World!

*****************************************************************

I find her UGLY! she is not going to win MISS WORLD FOR SURE! She is the worst to happen to The Miss Indian contest since..umm ever?

Quote of the day:
We have so much time and so little to do. Strike that, reverse it. - Roald Dahl

Tags: 2008, ads, Amitabh, Amitabh Bachchan, Best, big, bolly, Bollywood, Car, Card, day, desi, Dil, Don, EMI, family, Femina Miss India-World 2007, fit, Girl, Girls, Health, in, India, Indian, Indians, Interviews, IPS, King, Lot, Men, Miss World pageant, most, of, Sarah-Jane Dias, Secret, talk, train, Trainer, Travel, Ugly, UP, updates, win, with, Women, won, Worlds, Year