AHMEDABAD: In a show of solidarity, Gujarat University (GU) has decided to take a token amount of Rs 1 lakh from state government for using its
ground for 20 days during Vibrant Gujarat Navratri festivities this year.
The daily rent of university ground comes to around Rs 51,000, amounting to Rs 10 lakh for the duration of the event. This move is likely to prompt protest from syndicate members who had opposed last year as well when GU had acted in similar manner.

“The event is not being organized for generating charity for the poor. It is a platform of interaction for rich and affluent industrialists and NRIs,” said a syndicate member. Students are also irked over the fact that invitation cards of this event mention GU ground as that of Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation (GMDC). “I’ve registered strong protest with the government, urging it to mention the name of university in the invitation and asked government not to make this mistake again next year,” said GU vice-chancellor Parimal Trivedi.

About the issue of token fee, Trivedi cited cooperative attitude towards the government. “Had the function belonged to any NGO or private organization, GU would have charged it Rs 51,000 per day. But as this event belongs to the government, we have to be reasonable,” he said.

AHMEDABAD: A super hero of our own, zipping through the dark aisle of Manek chowk or Raikhad to fight the evil or help needy. This might soon
become a reality as the animation film making department of the National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad prepares for ‘Chitrakatha’ - the three-day animation festival hosted by the institute.
This year the theme for the festival is - Ahmedabad. “Across the world festivals of all sorts are known from the city they are hosted in. We plan to make this animation festival a festival of the city where work from the city and about the city is brought out. Be it illustration, animation films or comic books, artists taking inspirations from the stories of the city can create world class animations,” said Shekhar Mukherjee, the coordinator of the animation film making department.

Chitrakatha, will start from October 29. “The Ahmedabad Heritage Cell and other private and public bodies are being roped in so that the city reaps most from the event. The festival includes exhibitions, workshops, panel discussions and screening of select animation films from across the world,” said Mukherjee.

“This year there will be three categories - national students, international students and teachers’ work and under which various competitions will be held. From what we have seen in the last event, we feel Indian students and international students have different criteria for them. We have also introduced a category for teachers’ work so that this also becomes a part of their self development process,” added Mukherjee.

Gujarat Global News Network, Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad is the tenth most affluent of the country according to a survey of lifestyle and consumption habits of people of different cities. The survey has Delhi as number one followed by Bengaluru. The glamour city Mumbai ranks third in the survey.

The survey Upper Middle and Rich (UMAR) has been conducted by the Nielsen. The others in the top ten in the survey are Chennai (4th) and Hyderabad (5th).Kolkata (6) Kochi (7) Pune (8) and Jaipur (9).The survey has initiated a new method of defining ‘affluence’, based on lifestyle and consumer durables’ ownership of a household rather than monthly income and education.

Three distinct segments of affluence emerged by such lifestyle and consumer durables mapping - upper middle, upper-upper middle and rich and are quite distinct in their consumption habits, the survey said. The grouping was based on the ownership of a car, a computer, an LCD, and a holiday abroad, the survey said.

Ajay Devgan and Sanjay Dutt are keen to own the Ahmedabad
After reports that Salman Khan is keen to own an Indian Premier League (IPL) team, comes the news that close friends Sanjay Dutt and Ajay Devgan
too are in the process of buying a team.

According to a source, Sanjay and Ajay have become good friends after starring together in Ajay’s home production All The Best. “They have decided to own a team together as they are ardent cricket fans. They are keen to own the Ahmedabad team. Since Ajay was busy travelling, he informed Sanjay about being unable to meet IPL Commissioner, Lalit Modi. It was Sanjay who met Modi and expressed their interest to own a team. Modi and Sanjay met at a suburban five-star on Wednesday to understand the bidding process. Sanjay made it very clear that whenever the auction begins, they are ready to invest in the Ahmedabad team.”

Earlier, it was Salman who had met Modi and there were reports that he is interested in either owning the Nagpur or Kochi team.”

Ajay’s spokesperson said, “No comments.”

At present, Shah Rukh Khan and Juhi Chawla, Preity Zinta and Shilpa Shetty are associated with the high-profile Twenty20 cricket tournament.

AHMEDABAD: Foreign students who are scheduled to visit the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A), as a part of the exchange
programme, have been directed to get medical certificates declaring their swine flu status. Institute authorities are keeping pace with the preventive arrangements in view of the swine flu scare on the campus. The institute has had three positive cases of, two of which were detected on August 22.
“We have asked exchange students to bring health certificates from their home countries. This is just a precautionary measure. Once they arrive on campus, the institute’s doctor will conduct a thorough check-up. Once all cleared, they will be allotted rooms and the session will start for them. This process is being followed for students already residing on campus as well,” said a member of the student exchange committee. “There have been no cancellations yet,” said Karan Varmani, the student coordinator of the exchange programme cell. Exchange students mostly come from the partner institutes in the UK, US, south America and some Asian countries. Students from swine flu-infected countries have become a worry for the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC).

A senior AMC official said, “IIM-A will have many students coming from foreign countries in the next two to three months. This will require strict swine flu checkups. We have advised IIM-A authorities to keep a complete history of the students. In case, any exchange student is found of complaining of flu-like symptoms, he should be immediately isolated and given medical treatment.” “We had a detailed discussion with the campus doctor on the swine flu-cases and on the precautionary measures to be followed for next few months.” added the official.

In an attempt to enter the Guinness Book of World Records, Rajendra Prasad, protagonist of upcoming south Indian flick “Quick Gun Murugan”, made a 32.5 feet long dosa, a delicacy popular in southern parts of the country.

The attempt is also aimed at promoting the movie.

Sixteen chefs helped Prasad made the dosa at the Sankalp restaurant in Ahmedabad in less than 40 minutes.

Speaking on the occasion, Prasad said that by making the world’s longest dosa, he wants to promote the importance of promoting vegetarian lifestyle.

“The main subject of the “Quick Gun Murugan” is the epic battle between the vegetarian and non-vegetarian. But in this we are highlighting the importance of vegetarian in today’s time. So we wanted our vegetarian food to be into the world. So that’s why we are promoting this dosa,” said Prasad.

“Quick Gun Murugan”, the protagonist, is a cowboy fighting for the virtues of vegetarian food while the villain advocates non-vegetarian dishes. The film is a satire on the war between vegetarian and non-vegetarian food enthusiasts.

The movie is set to hit the theatres on August 28. (ANI)

Ahmedabad: Connectivity will not be a problem for commuters on the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) in Ahmedabad.
The Ahmedabad Janmarg Ltd (AJL) has ensured quick connections with buses of the Ahmedabad Municipal Transport System (AMTC), while there will be autorickshaws and feeder buses just outside the BRTS stations.

The AJL has ordered around 480 buses to provide a feeder service and also the revamp of the AMTS bus service. For smart connectivity, it has planned autorickshaw stands near the BRTS stations.

The commuters will be able to catch buses of the Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC) from Nehrunagar, for AMTS buses from nearby stands as well as autorickshaws from the special parking and feeder buses.

This plan is being worked out considering the fact that the BRTS will run on a 12.5-km main trunk line from the RTO to Pirana. For example, those intending to travel from Ranip to Shyamal crossroads can take a BRTS bus to Shivranjini and then a connecting AMTS bus to Shyamal crossroads, this making such intra-city journeys cheaper and swifter than a comparable journey in an autorickshaw.

The AJL has also planned to increase the number of internal routes of the AMTS buses, while withdrawing their service along the main trunk line of the BRTS.

“AMTS buses will cross the BRTS at crossroads, but they will not meet on the same line,” a senior AJL official said. This move will leave commuters with two options, of taking an autorickshaw on the trunk line or opting for the BRTS. The officials believe that the economical and swifter journey on the BRTS will appeal to the commuters.
The feeder buses, apart from the AMTS buses, will cover the interior areas of the city for the commuters’ convenience.

Bus stands from RTO to Pirana
Ranip crossroads
Vyaswadi
Akhbarnagar
Pragatinagar
Shastrinagar
Jaimangal
Sola crossroads
Shree Valinath chowk
Memnagar
Gujarat University
Andhjan Mandal
Himmatlal Park
Shivranjini
Jhansi ki Rani
Nehrunagar
Manekbaug
Dharnidhar Derasar
Anjali crossroads
Chandranagar

BRTS timings for the first month
7 am to 10 pm BRTS hours
7 am to 8.30 am Bus every 10 minutes
8.30 am to 11.30 am Bus every five minutes
11.30 am to 5 pm Bus every 10 minutes
5 pm to 8 pm Bus every five minutes
8 pm to 10 pm Bus every 10 minutes

VADODARA: The developments in Rajasthan over the royal property of Rajmata Gayatri Devi of Jaipur are coming as a bitter reminder of the similar tussle in Vadodara after Rajmata Shanta Devi of Baroda passed away in 2002. As granddaughter of the erstwhile Baroda state’s Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III and Maharani Chimnabai Rajmata Gayatri Devi had a distinct connection with the Gaekwad’s of Baroda. Just like Gayatri Dev’s stepsons and grandchildren are expected to enter into legal battle to make their claim over the royal property running into hundreds of crores that she has left behind, the scions of erstwhile rulers of Baroda great grandsons of Sayajirao, Sangramsinh Gaekwad and Ranjitsinh Gaekwad, are still fighting legal battles over the royal property which is estimated at Rs 10,000 crore.

Gayatri Devi’s mother was Princess Indira Raje of Baroda, the only daughter of Sir Sayajirao Gaekwad III who was engaged at a young age to Madho Rao Scindia, the then Maharaja of Gwalior, but later got married to Maharaja Jitendra of Cooch Behar. As second daughter of the Maharani of Cooch Behar, Gayatri Devi who even as Princess of Cooch Behar had attained celebrity status, got married to Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II of Jaipur as his third wife which in turn made her Rajmata of Jaipur.

When Maharaja Sawai Man Singh in 1970 died, the title of Maharaja was passed on to Bhawani Singh, the son of his eldest wife. Now, after Gayatri Devi passed away at 90, the fate of her legacy including stakes in around 17 palaces, forts, hotels and houses plus a famous jewellery collection (roughly estimated at Rs 4,800 crore) is unclear even as suspense is growing over her will.

“The royal feud of Jaipur is almost similar to that of Baroda. It was in early 1990’s that first signs of dispute over ownership rights between royal scions and grandchildren of Sayajirao Sangramsinh and Ranjitsinh emerged,” said a lawyer, who is well conversant with the royal feud of Baroda scions.

It was after Rajmata Shanta Devi passed away at the age of 88 in May 2002 that the dispute took ugly turns with series of litigations filed over Shanta Devi’s will. Even in the case of Jaipur’s royals, Rajmata Gayatri Devi’s son Jagat Singh had a dispute with the new Maharaja Bhawani Singh over ownership dispute that went to high court and resulted in some royal belongings being placed in care of receivers in 1992. Now even as Jagat Singh has passed away, the ownership issues are set to take ugly turns as Rajmata’s will is yet to be read out, he said.

Many might not know that the last years of both Rajmata Shanta Devi and Rajmata Gayatri Devi’s life were soured by disagreements and legal battles within the family.

Gandhinagar, Aug 11 (IANS) Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has called for an all-party meeting here Wednesday to discuss measures to prevent the further spread of the deadly H1N1 virus that has claimed two lives in the state.

The state government wants all parties to come together and discuss issues to prevent the situation from worsening further, a senior official in the chief minister’s office said.

The state government has asked all government and private schools to immediately report any symptoms of fever, cough or cold among the children to the civil hospitals or the primary health centres.

The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has decided to send a medical team to all schools in the city to carry out the screening of children.

The swine flue claimed the first victim in the state when Pravin Patel, a non-resident Indian (NRI) from Atlanta, the US, died in the Ahmedabad civil hospital early Sunday.

A seven-year-old girl named Arya died Tuesday in Vadodara, about 150 km from here.

In Vadodara, the Delhi Public School (DPS) was the first school to announce closure as a preventive measure.

There are a total of 14 swine flu positive cases in Gujarat. The latest among them is a 22-year-old man from Vejalpur locality of Ahmedabad who contracted the infection from his Pune-based relatives.

Cases of swine flu are increasing in Gujarat with the total number of those being tested positive rising to 15 today and one person succumbing to the deadly virus in Vadodara city.

“So far, 84 suspected cases have been registered in the state, out of which 15 have been confirmed with swine flu while 45 have tested negative,” State Health Minister Jaynarayan Vyas told PTI.

One patient tested positive in Ahmedabad today, Vyas said.

He added that results of 24 persons are awaited while 10 patients are hospitalised currently.

According to him, admitted patients are in government hospitals in Ahmedabad, Surat and Vadodara.

“The condition of all the admitted patient is stable and nobody is on ventilator,” the minister said.

Two people who have died in Gujarat due to the H1N1 virus include an NRI Pravin Patel and a girl Arya Borde from Vadodara.

Meanwhile, State Chief Minister Narendra Modi has called an all-party meeting tomorrow to discuss the action plan for tackling the disease, which is rapidly spreading in the country.