Manasvi Mamgai wins Femina Miss India crown

The winners of the country’s biggest beauty pageant were announced before a select gathering in Mumbai on Friday. The coveted title of Pantaloons Femina Miss India (PFMI) World 2010 went to Andheri girl Manasvi Mamgai.

This year the title of PFMI Universe has made way for PFMI International 2010 and the lucky winner was Neha Hinge from Pune. Bangalore girl Nicole Faria was crowned PFMI Earth 2010.

Moving indoors from the summer heat, the open-air pageant shifted to the airconditioned environs of the National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA).

The pageant formalised its tie-up with the Hindi film industry, often the final destination of aspiring beauty queens. Film-makers Madhur Bhandarkar and Vipul Amrutlal Shah shortlisted six finalists, of whom two lucky girls will be crowned Pantaloons Femina Miss India 2010 Bollywood Diva. Each will feature in a film by these directors. However, the wait for these winners will take just a while longer - the announcement will be made on May 16.

Of the 18 finalists, most were from the metro cities - six from Mumbai and five from New Delhi-but the odd participant from Jammu, Dewas and Raipur did leave a mark as well.

Soon after hosts Rohit Roy, who looked particularly dashing in a maroon sherwani, and Mandira Bedi, who shimmered in an orange sari, welcomed the guests, the 18 beautiful girls clad in golden two-piece ensembles performed to a medley of hits. Then it was the turn of contestant director and fashion director Marc Robinson to take a bow as the girls walked the ramp wearing the Timeless Collection by Anita Dongre and accessorised by jewellery from Collection G with Gitanjali and World Gold Council and shoes by Tresmode.

For the final round, the ladies were dressed in the Cocktail Silver Collection by Ritu Kumar.

Making mental notes in the front row was a high-profile bench of judges including tennis star Sania Mirza Malik, who was making her first public appearance after her cross-border marriage with Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Akhtar. Sharing the dais with her were Olympian boxing medallist Vijender Singh, actors Shilpa Shetty-who looked ravishing in a backless LBD-and Kunal Kapoor, director Anurag Basu, fashion designer Ritu Beri and author Chetan Bhagat.

True to tradition the successors were crowned by the previous years’ winners. Doing the honours was PFMI World 2009 Pooja Chopra, PFMI Earth 2009 Shriya Kishore and 2002 winner, actor Neha Dhupia. Ekta Choudhary, PFMI Universe 2009, was also present. PFMI 2008 World and Miss World 2008 first runner-up Parvathy Omanakuttan felicitated Dr Sonal Shah of the Richfeel Group for its 10-year association with the Miss India pageant.

Fiat India president and CEO Rajeev Kapoor awarded the Fiat Linea as the grand prize to each of the three winners. The threesome will fly to the picturesque Fiji Islands courtesy Air Pacific, Fiji’s international carrier. The audience cheered as actor Anupam Kher who had trained the finalists in acting through his academy, An Actor Prepares, announced that Pearl Verma had won the scholarship for a three-month diploma course in acting.

Since being shortlisted for the final, the 18 contestants have undergone a rigorous 40-day in-house training session at Hotel Novotel, Juhu Beach. As always, the best professionals have been grooming and mentoring them. Marc Robinson is fashion director and contestant director, Mickey Mehta, India’s leading holistic health and fitness guru is mentor, Sabira Merchant is diction expert, Alecia Raut their ramp walk trainer, Prasad Bidappa the contestant advisor, Rukhsana Eisa the grooming and etiquette expert and Dr Purnima Mhatre the wellness expert. Dr Sandesh Mayekar contributed as smile designer, Seema Hingorani as clinical psychologist and of course, Richfeel trichologists Dr Sonal Shah and Dr Apurva Shah who have been official hair care experts to the contest for the last ten years. Jitu Savlani is the fashion photographer, Vipul Bhagat did the hair and make-up for the unveiling and grand finale while Sabanand Paira oversaw the training sessions.

The opening acts and the Bollywood segments were choreographed by Shiamak Davar. The event was managed by 360 Degrees Experience and the show scripted and directed by Sol Entertainment.

Thanks are due to the partners and sponsors of the Miss India pageant. Pantaloons is title partner, Streax is hair colouring and styling partner as well as associate sponsor, Voice of India is associate sponsor, Collection G with Gitanjali and World Gold Council is the crown and jewellery partner and associate sponsor. Bhandarkar Entertainment and Blockbuster Movie Entertainers are our talent partners, Kingfisher Airlines is the official airline partner, Lavasa destination partner, Novotel Mumbai Juhu Beach is the hospitality partner and Radio Mirchi 98.3 FM is the radio partner. Gorgeous Skincare Clinic is the wellness partner, Richfeel the hair care partner, Himalayan is natural mineral water partner, Zoom the reality series partner, Sony Entertainment Television the telecast partner. Fiat India is the grand prize sponsor while Air Pacific, Fiji’s international airline, is airline partner.

ApnaCircle.Com is the pageant’s online partner; An Actor Prepares the talent mentor. Shiamak Davar also mentored the girls as the guru of modern dance. Bright is the outdoor partner, Alexandre De Paris is the hair accessories partner, Saint is nutrition partner, Whyte & Mackay the beverage partner and HP is lifestyle partner. The event is produced by 360 Degrees, Tresmode is footwear partner and the gifts are sponsored by Sula Wines, Malaga by Malini Agarwalla, Corelle, Hallmark, Jean Claude Biguine, Titan, Ria’s and Remanika. The English news partner is Times Now, talent partner Shoot Talent Management, ground transportation partner Harshaan Travels and stage and wardrobe management by On Cue.

TOI

After Thimphu talks, focus on format of India-Pakistan dialogue

New Delhi, April 30: A day after India and Pakistan decided to resume their peace process at the level of foreign ministers without making much fuss about composite dialogue, the spotlight on Friday shifted to the contours and content of the talks between the two neighbours in the future. At the end of Thursday’s talks between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani in Thimphu, India studiously avoided any mention of ‘composite dialogue’, saying both sides should move beyond nomenclature to introspect on the trust deficit entrenched in their relationship and chart the way forward.

The two leaders mandated their foreign ministers and foreign secretaries to work out the modalities of restoring trust, paving the way for substantive dialogue covering all issues between them. “The days of the composite dialogue are over. Its relevance is over,” Lalit Mansingh, former foreign secretary, told IANS when asked to comment on the future form of dialogue in the aftermath of the thaw in Thimphu.

Manmohan Singh, Sachin Tendulkar feature in 'Time 100'

WASHINGTON: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar and economist Amartya Sen are among nine Indians figuring in Time magazine's annual list of 100 most influential people while Bollywood sensation Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan tops its 100 Alumnae list.

Manmohan Singh finds himself in the 19th spot in the Leaders list headed by Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva with US president Barack Obama in the fourth place.

As India's finance minister from 1991 to 1996, Manmohan Singh "released India's potential for the benefit of its people. Now, as Prime Minister, he is guiding India into the ranks of the great powers," wrote PepsiCo's Indian American chairperson Indra Nooyi.

Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar gets the 13th place among 25 "Heroes" headed by former US president Bill Clinton who is recognised for his work as a fund-raiser and anti-poverty activist.

Writing about Tendulkar's double century in a One Day International match, new age guru Deepak Chopra says: "To millions of Indians and countless fans around the world, this act, which caps a career of record-breaking feats, arouses a sense of awe."

"The Alchemist" is the favourite book of Time Alumnae Aishwarya, who lists "certainly my mother and father" as the two people who had the most effect or influence on her.

Sixth placed among heroes Dr Perumalsamy Namperumalsamy, 70, was recognised for performing cataract surgery at the Aravind Eye Care Hospitals since 1976 and having treated 3.6 million surgeries to date-a new one every 15 minutes.

Indian entrepreneur Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw gets the 16th spot among 'heroes' for donating $2 million to support health insurance coverage for 100,000 Indian villagers and another$10 million for creating the 1,400-bed Mazumdar-Shaw Cancer Centre in Bangalore.

A paramedic from Toronto, Rahul Singh in 22nd place is recognised for his relief work in Haiti in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake that hit the poor Caribbean nation on Jan 12. In 1998, Singh founded GlobalMedic to provide disaster relief using volunteer professional emergency workers.

Chetan Bhagat, author of bestsellers, "One Night @ the Call Centre" and "Five Point Someone" is the lone Indian in the list of Artists headed by extravagantly outfitted singer Lady Gaga.

"I've seen the effect Chetan has on his readers," writes Academy Award winner Indian composer AR Rahman. "He often writes about following your dreams and not bowing to others' expectations. That isn't easy in India, where family opinion matters and some professions are regarded as more serious than others."

Nobel prize winner economist Amartya Sen is 20th on the "Thinkers" list. "Occasionally loquacious, often ironic, usually genial, always brilliant," Sen's notion of measuring human development is now central to the work of the United Nations and the World Bank, notes Harvard University history professor, Neil Ferguson.

Indian-America doctor and Harvard professor Atul Gwande is fifth on the list of 'thinkers' for his contribution to medicine. "In this historic time for health policy, the need for smart, creative thinkers is greater than ever. Gawande certainly is one and it is equally certain his influence will grow," wrote former US State Senator, Tom Daschle.

Humanitarian worker, Sanjit Bunker Roy's Barefoot College has trained more than 3 million people for jobs in the modern world, in buildings so rudimentary they have dirt floors and no chairs, Time said.

"Roy combines humanitarianism, entrepreneurship and education to help people steer their own path out of poverty, fostering dignity and self-determination along the way," it said.

TOI

Sensex closes up 55 points

MUMBAI: The Bombay Stock Exchange benchmark Sensex on Friday advanced further by over 55 points, completing its third monthly gains on sustained buying by funds.

The Sensex, which had gained 123 points in the previous session, rose further by 55.24 to 17,558.71, after shuttling between 17,646.61 and 17,503.47 points.

Similarly, the wide-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty rose by 23.85 points to 5,278.00 as stocks of IT and financial companies recorded handsome gains. Of the 30 shares in the BSE index, 17 edged higher while 13 closed with losses.

Stocks of Tata Motors, the owner of Jaguar Land Rover, gained the most in more than three years. The stock jumped 3.56% to Rs 872.85, its highest close since January 22, 2007.

The realty sector index gained 1.77% to 3,491.18 followed by auto index that gained 1.51% to 7,799.85.

Healthcare index rose by 1.12% to 5,344.71 and consumer durable index by 1.02% to 4,645.34.

TOI

Sebi moves SC over ULIP; notices issued to centre, 14 insurers

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday issued notices to the Centre and 14 life insurers on a petition by market regulator Sebi seeking transfer of cases from High Courts relating to Unit Linked Insurance Products (ULIPs).

Sebi is locked in a turf battle with insurance regulator IRDA over who has jurisdiction over ULIPs.

A bench headed by Justice S H Kapadia also sought response from some PIL litigants who have raised the issue concerning ULIPs in various High Courts.

During a brief hearing, when the petition filed by Sebi was mentioned by Attorney General G E Vahanvati, the bench questioned Sebi's move to file the petition before the apex court.

Sebi is in Mumbai, insurance companies are in Mumbai, LIC is in Mumbai," the bench remarked and indicated that the matter could have been heard by the Bombay High Court.

Vahanvati, in his submission, said that the issue of jurisdiction too has to be settled by the apex court.

The bench said, basically, both the regulators are fighting and wondered "why not appoint a super regulator." It later posted the matter for hearing on July 8.

The dispute over jurisdiction of ULIPs between Sebi and IRDA snowballed into a major controversy after the market regulator banned 14 life insurers, including those belonging to SBI and Reliance Anil Ambani Group, from raising any further money from ULIPs unless they are registered with the market watchdog.

Responding to Sebi's directive, IRDA asked insurance companies to ignore the order of the market regulator and continue with business as usual.

Amid the conflicting orders, the Finance Ministry brokered peace between the two regulators and asked them to jointly seek legally binding order from an "appropriate" court over jurisdiction on ULIPs. Till then, status quo ante was restored.

Following the government directive, Sebi allowed insurers to raise money from existing ULIPs, but asked them not to issue fresh ULIPs after April 9, the date when it issued the order banning 14 life insurance companies from raising funds through ULIPs.

ULIPs are insurance products but part of the premium raised through them is invested in stock market. While Sebi regulates the stock market, the working of the insurance companies is overseen by IRDA.

TOi

Sarosh Homi Kapadia appointed new Chief Justice of India

NEW DELHI: Supreme Court Justice Sarosh Homi Kapadia has been appointed the new chief justice of India. Kapadia will assume charge May 12.

Kapadia takes over from Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, India's first Dalit chief justice.

A press release from the ministry of law and justice stated: "In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (2) of Article 124 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Justice Sarosh Homi Kapadia, judge of the Supreme Court, to be the Chief Justice of India with effect from May 12, 2010."

TOI

Two CRPF jawans among four held for 'supplying' arms to Naxals

LUCKNOW/NEW DELHI: The Uttar Pradesh STF today arrested four people including two CRPF jawans in the state for allegedly stealing arms and ammunitions and supplying the same to the Naxals.

UP police said the arrests were made following an operation based on a tip off received in the aftermath of the Dantewada massacre, in which 76 security personnel were killed by the Naxals.

Official sources said the STF carried out searches in Moradabad, Rampur and Jhansi and arrested Vinod Paswan and Dinesh Singh of the CRPF.

They said one retired sub-inspector of Provincial Armed Constabulary, identified as Yashodhanad Singh, was seen moving in different armory centres of the CRPF and PAC and collecting empty shells of bullets fired during the training.

These shells were later replaced at the main Rampur armoury with live bullets and finally supplied to Naxals, sources said.

Over 5,000 live cartridges, 16 magazines of INSAS rifles, .25 bore guns, SLR and AK 47s were recovered besides 245 kg of empty shells.

The CRPF, meanwhile, has suspended both its personnel arrested by the STF and ordered an immediate Court of Enquiry.

"We have suspended both the personnel and have also ordered an immediate Court of Enquiry. We are in constant touch with the UP police and are extending all help to them," CRPF Director General Vikram Srivastava said.

Later, addressing the media, Additional Director General of UP police Brij Lal said, "We have also recovered large number of arms components, mobile phones and Rs 1.76 lakh in cash."

He said the network of the racket was large and has been running for more than six months and the police is questioning the four to look at the possibility of involvement of more persons.

TOI