The Nehru Memorial Museum and Library

cordially invites you to a Public Lecture

(in the ‘Science, Society and Nature’ series)

at 3.00 pm on Friday, 16^th January, 2015

in the Seminar Room, First Floor, Library Building

on

‘Zoology and the Raj’

by

Dr. John Mathew,

Indian Institute of Science Education and Research,

Pune.

                                                                                     

Abstract:

This talk examines the development of taxonomic zoology in India between the very late eighteenth and mid-twentieth centuries, largely coincident with British colonisation of the region. In so doing it draws into question conventional dyads of colonising and colonised nations where the vectors of influence are deemed deterministic in one direction, by suggesting instead that the flow of information is in fact reciprocal, if asymmetrical. While early natural history studies of the region involve French ‘voyageurs-naturalistes’ who come for relatively brief periods to the Indian subcontinent as part of larger expeditions to return material to the central dispatching body, ‘Le Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle’, thus contributing to France’s domination in the field during the early nineteenth century, it is functionaries from or working for Great Britain, first employees of the East India Company and after the Great Mutiny of the 1857, of the Crown, given to such disparate lines of occupational activity as medicine, religion, administrative surveys and the military, that come to dominate the study of the increasingly specialised disciplines of zoology, botany and geology over the following century, their expertise predicated upon intimate knowledge of the ground under study at first hand, which will play a pivotal role in writing the zoological treatises of South Asia particularly in relation to large faunal groups, especially the vertebrates. However, along with the metropolitan taxonomist in London, the voice of the ‘native’ gets belatedly recognised in the twentieth century through a complex and involved series of taxonomic texts numbering eighty one volumes and grouped under the heading The Fauna of British India.

Speaker:

Dr. John Mathew is an Associate Professor in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Pune. Prior to joining IISER in late 2014, he was a visiting faculty associate at the University of Pennsylvania, following teaching appointments at Harvard University, the University of Massachusetts Boston and Duke University, USA.  After obtaining B.Sc., M.Sc. and  M.Phil. degrees in Zoology at the Madras Christian College, he pursued a doctorate in Ecological Sciences at Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia, which he completed in 2003. He also holds an A. M. in Medical Anthropology (2006) and a Ph.D. in the History of Science (2011) from Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts. 

BJP Power Companies Nexus‬ 

Aam Aadmi Party - Delhi

3 hrs · 

BJP Delhi President Satish Upadhyay and another BJP leader Ashish Sood were exposed by Arvind Kejriwal in today's Press Conference.

Satish Upadhyay owns 6 companies. All work with power discoms. His companies install and replace electricity meters.The same meters which were under scrutiny for inflated electricity bills.

Mr.Satish Upadhyay and Ashish Sood, must answer the following questions:

1) Is it correct that the companies of Delhi State BJP President and Vice President are involved in supplying meters and other equipment to BSES?

2) Since when have they been supplying, installing and replacing meters and conducting metering work for BSES?

3) From where did they procure the meters, and other equipment that were being supplied to BSES and at what cost? At what cost did they supply these meters to BSES and at what cost did BSES supply these meters to consumers?

4) Were they installing these meters in Delhi households, and also carrying out Meter Reading and maintenance services for these meters?

5) Why is BJP silent on the alleged corruption and fudging of accounts by discoms? Why is BJP silent on the issue of audit of discoms and the privatization scam of DVB?

6) Can Mr.Satish Upadhyay explain the transactions that were undertaken by his two companies- NCNL Transomedia Pvt. Ltd. and NCNL Power Pvt. Ltd. - which have now become untraceable? Is it true that major payments from Reliance group companies and BSES were made to these two companies?

7) NCNL Infomedia Pvt. Ltd. appears to have two TIN numbers and we are hereby attaching the Dealer Credentials as per Depart of Trade and Taxes, NCT ; the letter of the whistleblower written to the department of DVAT; and another internal letter for acceptance of the complaint. What is the reason for having two TIN in the name of the same company at the same place? The whistleblower has alleged that the intention behind this is ‘making dubious bills and receiving payments from dubious bills in undeclared bank accounts’ and ‘sales declared in VAT returns is mismatching with the sales shown as per the Income Tax and ROC returns’.

He should come clean on the conflict of interest.

Here all the documentary evidences:

1) Press Release Hindi: https://app.box.com/s/avwcrnd2j8jnxfyryuvw/1/…/24976025965/1

2) Press Release English: https://app.box.com/s/avwcrnd2j8jnxfyryuvw/1/…/24975926477/1

3) Expose- Documents: https://app.box.com/s/avwcrnd2j8jnxfyryuvw

MEDIA RELEASE

INDIA

14^th January 2015

NOVAK’S NEXT HIT

Novak Djokovic and Jacob’s Creek release ‘Made By’ films series #MADEBY

Novak Djokovic announced as Global Ambassador for Jacobs’ Creek

Novak Djokovic (@djokernole), world number one tennis player and three-time consecutive Australian Open winner, and iconic Australian wine brand, JACOB’S CREEK (@jacob’screek), have released the new ‘Made By’ film series today. Novak Djokovic is the new global ambassador of Jacob’s Creek tennis sponsorship and associated marketing platform.

Jacob’s Creek has a long-standing affiliation with professional tennis and Novak personifies the authentic spirit that Jacob’s Creek celebrates. 

Unscripted and raw, the films show a side of Novak the world has perhaps not seen before. We see the real Novak, recounting the never before told life stories from Belgrade, Serbia, celebrating the people, places and passions that have made him the tennis champion he is today.

Titled ‘Made By Determination’, the documentary style film series takes viewers back to the beginning of Novak's journey, from growing up in war-torn Serbia, to the dedication and commitment of his first coach Jelena Gencic, to his pivotal Grand Slam wins in the Australian Open and Wimbledon.

Commenting on the films at the Global Premiere, held in Melbourne, Australia last night, Djokovic said: “Everything I experienced growing up has led me to become the person I am today. Creating the Jacob’s Creek ‘Made By’ film series has allowed me to tell my story, in my own words and share it with the world.

My path to success has by no means been easy, but the people, places and passions that have shaped me are integral to my success. These films have given me the chance to acknowledge what I am made by.”

Derek Oliver, Global Marketing Director of Jacob’s Creek, said:”Novak’s ‘Made By’ story brings to life the authentic spirit that Jacob’s Creek celebrates.

Novak’s ‘Made By’ story is powerful, and the determination, dedication and effort he has put into his career is similar to the craft of our winemakers and the people behind Jacob’s Creek. Our partnership has been truly collaborative, working together to create a film series that celebrates authenticity, and that we are truly proud to take to the world”.

Kartik Mohindra, Business Head – International brands, Pernod Ricard India, says “Jacob’s Creek has a long-standing affiliation with professional tennis and Novak personifies the authentic spirit that Jacob’s Creek celebrates. It is this authentic spirit that reflects the effort and dedication we invest in crafting premium quality wines.”

The ‘Made By’ films series has three chapters, Birthed by Serbia, Shaped by Jelena and Inspired by Dreams.

Birthed by Serbia

Being raised in war-torn Belgrade, Serbia, it was Novak’s family that kept him strong. All of the hardships he faced during these times taught him about strength, resilience and the importance of having a strong support network.

Shaped by Jelena

It was on tennis courts near his parents’ restaurant that Novak first met legendary tennis coach, Jelena Gencic. She saw a 5 year old Novak hanging on the court fence, watching as she trained kids from the Belgrade tennis camp and invited him in to have a hit. From that invitation to come and play, a tennis legend was born, and Jelena’s generosity, dedication and commitment still shapes the way Novak plays tennis.

Inspired by dreams

In the final ‘Made By’ film, we see Novak passionately discuss his pivotal Grand Slam win in Wimbledon, the goal he is been aiming for since he first watched Pete Sampras win the tournament in 1993. It was this challenge that inspired Novak, as an aspiring tennis player, to make a replica Wimbledon trophy which still sits in a prime position alongside his other awards.

The ‘Made By’ film series, which was directed by Keith ‘Keef’ Ehrlich, launched ahead of the Australian Open with a Global Premiere held at The Luminaire in Melbourne, Australia.

The ‘Birthed By Serbia’, ‘Shaped By Jelena’, ‘Inspired By Dreams’ and ‘Made By Determination’ films plus outtakes and behind the scenes can be viewed online at www.madebyjacobscreek.com

The ‘Made By’ films are the next evolution of the extremely successful Jacob’s Creek ‘Open Film Series’ starring tennis legend Andre Agassi.

The partnership with Djokovic is part of Jacob’s Creek’s global tennis sponsorship platform, which includes the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the China Open.

The ‘Made By’ film series forms part of the new Jacob’s Creek ‘Made By’ global campaign which celebrates the people, places and passions that go into crafting every bottle of Jacob's Creek wine.

Napolitano steps down as Italian president

Italy’s president, Giorgio Napolitano, 89, stepped down Wednesday after almost nine years in office. Napolitano said two weeks ago that his advanced age had made it increasingly difficult for him to perform the duties of his office, Reuters reported. Prime Minister Matteo Renzi has said he wants to quickly reach an agreement with both his own party and political rivals to choose a successor in an office which has wide, but only loosely defined powers.

10 Turks arrested in China for supplying fake passports to Uighurs

Shanghai police have arrested 10 Turkish nationals, accusing them of supplying fake passports to ethnic Uighurs from the western region of Xinjiang, described as terror suspects by state media, Reuters said. Another 11 people, including nine Xinjiang “terror suspects,” were also detained in November. They were trying to leave China after paying $9,700 for altered Turkish passports, the Global Times newspaper reported.

08:35

Pope Francis canonizes first Sri Lankan saint as model for national unity

Pope Francis on Wednesday canonized Sri Lanka’s first saint as an example to promote national unity in the country, AP reported. The Rev. Joseph Vaz was a 17th century Indian missionary who revived the Catholic faith in Sri Lanka during a time of anti-Catholic persecution by Dutch colonists, who were Protestant Calvinists. The capital’s seafront park was attended by more than 500,000 people. Francis then headed to the northern city of Madhu to pray at the Our Lady of Madhu shrine, a Catholic pilgrimage site that is also a destination for people of other faiths. The visit is the first by a pope to the northern Tamil territory that was devastated by a 25-year civil war, and Francis is expected to call again for reconciliation between Sinhalese and Tamils.

Mexican ex-mayor charged with kidnapping 43 students

The former mayor of the southwestern city of Iguala has been charged with last year’s kidnapping of 43 students, Reuters quoted a senior Mexican security official as saying. Prosecutors obtained an arrest warrant for former mayor Jose Luis Abarca and 44 others on charges of kidnapping the 43 students, who are feared to have been killed, according to Tomas Zeron, director of criminal investigations at the federal Attorney General’s office. These are the first charges filed against Abarca that are directly related to the students’ disappearance. Authorities have said since October that the mayor and his wife masterminded the kidnappings.

Indonesia begins examining AirAsia black box flight recorders

Indonesian investigators began examining on Wednesday the black box flight recorders from an AirAsia passenger jet that crashed more than two weeks ago, Reuters reported. They hope to get clues to the crash within days. The recorders, in relatively good condition, were recovered from the bottom of the Java Sea and sent to the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, for analysis. “In one week, I think we will be getting a reading,” said Mardjono Siswosuwarno, chief investigator

Green or Greedy? Corporations' Role in Global Sustainable Development         Worldwatch Institute's State of the World 2014 explores the shifting role of corporations in the UN's global effort for sustainability

Washington, D.C.---     As national governments flounder to resolve pressing global challenges, corporations are positioning themselves within the United Nations framework as efficient players and indispensable partners in international policy debates. But with their immense economic and political sway, can corporations be brought to the development table without the "corporate capture" of governance? In the Worldwatch Institute's State of the World 2014: Governing for Sustainability, contributing author Lou Pingeot, policy adviser at Global Policy Forum, explains the need for accountability and transparency as corporations join the development discussion (bit.ly/SoW2014). Already, business groups---   especially large multinational corporations---   have become very active in post-2015 UN initiatives. And, not surprisingly, various business reports now present economic growth and a market-based approach, rather than government regulation, as unambiguous solutions for poverty reduction and economic development. "Making the business case for sustainable development may be seen as a pragmatic approach," writes Pingeot. "This begs the question, however, of what to do when necessary efforts for the public good do not constitute a good investment for the private sector." Future solutions may depend on moving away from the "business-as-usual" trajectory, in which people are seen as consumers and entrepreneurs, to one that considers them as multifaceted citizens. But with powerful economic actors currently benefiting greatly from the business-as-usual model, they may have a strong interest in resisting far-reaching structural transformation toward sustainability. The mining industry is particularly over-represented in some UN initiatives. One in five of the 30 corporate representatives in the UN's Sustainable Development Solutions Network---   which includes representation from BP, Anglo American, and Total, for example---   have ties to the mining industry. "It could be argued that these companies are precisely the ones that should be involved because of their important impact on development, human rights, and the environment," says Pingeot. "However, the mining and oil and gas sectors also have the most incentive to delay or limit the transition to sustainable development, so as to protect their profit sources and ultimately their existence." There is merit in---   and necessity for---   cooperation in order to make large-scale changes in business practice. Some pioneering industries have already begun to lead the path to sustainable development solutions. But the corporate entry into international development will require important reforms for transparency and accountability. The UN will need to adopt a systemwide conflict-of-interest policy and to report funding sources with full transparency. It must clearly define criteria for business participation, excluding players that have broken UN sanctions, lobbied against international agreements, or otherwise violated environmental, social, and human rights conventions. Avoiding the undue influence of business actors on the post-2015 agenda, while still encouraging private sector participation, will require a major shift in UN norms and policies toward more stringent transparency and accountability. Worldwatch's State of the World 2014 investigates the broad concept of "governance" for sustainability, including action by national governments, international organizations, and local communities. It also highlights the need for economic and political institutions to serve people and to preserve and protect our common resources. For more information on the project, visit http://www.worldwatch.org/state-world-2014-governing-sustainability.

Programmes for January, 2015

Fábri Film Club  at HICC January 15 Thursday 7 pm AMBASADOR TO BERN (A berni követ) Feature film, directed by Attila Szász (2014), colour, 75 min  A fictional account of the 1958 attack against the Hungarian Embassy in Bern, the film is based on a true story about the aftermath of the 1956 Hungarian revolution. Uprising, a spontaneous nationwide revolt that was eventually crushed by Soviet forces, the political thriller chronicles the events of Aug 16, 1958, when two armed Hungarian defectors break into the Hungarian Embassy in Bern, Switzerland, and take the ambassador hostage. The film shows that the emotional and political fallout from a war often has long-lasting effects. A tense, twist-filled drama plays out behind the closed doors of the Embassy, and the international relations soon begin to boil: Hungary’s government demands immediate action, Swiss policemen surround the building and Hungarian immigrants demonstrate on the street. Concert Tour January 22 - February 1 SERIES OF FLUTE AND PIANO RECITAL   By Dávid Simon and János Palojtay  Dávid Simon (flutist, composer, educator) studied at the Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music, Budapest and at the University of Music and Theater. He complemented his skills by studying baroque flute at the Michael Schmidt Casdorff. Since 1996, he has several national and international awards to his credit. As a composer he has also won special prize of the Béla Bartók competition, organized for the young Hungarian composers. He has played with various acclaimed orchestras. János Palojtay (pianist, soloist, improviser, and composer) began to play piano at the young age of five and began his training of talented students in music at the Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music, Budapest. He has won several International prizes and participated as a soloist in many international festivals. He has been improvising since his childhood days and won the Improvisation Contest of the Béla Bartók Conservatory, Budapest and later went on to study composition there. He is a part of the famous Ludwig Ensemble and has played with various well known orchestras and opera. He has been committed towards chamber music and is a founding member of the Classicus Ensemble, which has held the post of Artist in Residence at Central European University, Budapest, since 2010, apart from performing at other prestigious venues. TOUR SCHEDULE January 22, Thursday, 5 pm Jaipur City Palace - Jaipur January 24, Saturday, 6.30 pm India International Centre - New Delhi January 25, Sunday, 11 am Chapel of the Apostolic Nunciature - New Delhi January 25, Sunday, 6 pm Neemrana Fort Palace - Neemrana/Rajasthan January 29, Thursday, 6.30 pm IIT Guwahati Cultural Festival - IIT-Guwahati January 31, Saturday, 6 pm Calcutta School of Music - Kolkata February 1, Sunday 12 pm Master Class at Calcutta School of Music - Kolkata (Please check our website for more information) Supporting Hungarian organisation:NKA – National Cultural Fund, Hungary (www.nka.hu) Petőfi Book Club  at HICC January 23 Friday 5 pm DAY OF HUNGARIAN CULTURE A presentation by Dr. Ágnes Kirpalani  January 22 is the Day of Hungarian Culture. It is the day, when Hungarian poetFerenc Kölcsey (1790-1838) has finished the HIMNUSZ, the verses of the Hungarian Anthem, in 1823. The music was composed by Ferenc Erkel (1810-1893) and is played by orchestra, or sung on each national festive occasion. This presentation will be given as another tribute to this day. Concert Tour January 23 - February 1 PERCUSSION AND PIANO DUO Szilveszter Miklós and Máté Pozsár Szilveszter Miklós (percussions) He graduated from the Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music, Budapest. A young and talented jazz musician, drum teacher and percussionist, member of various bands and music formations. Máté Pozsár (piano) A young and gifted jazz pianist, also graduated from the Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music, Budapest. A teacher of jazz music and the recipient of various national and international awards, he is a part of various bands. TOUR SCHEDULE January 23 - 24, Fri-Sat IIM Ahmedabad Cultural Festival - Ahmedabad January 25 - 26, Sun-Mon IIT Gandhinagar Cultural Festival - Gandhinagar January 30, Fri IIM Bangalore Cultural Festival - Bangalore January 31 - February 2, Sat-Tues Chennai with SPIC MACAY (Please check our website for more information) Supporting Hungarian organisation:NKA – National Cultural Fund, Hungary (www.nka.hu) International Artworks Exhibition  at HICC January 27 - February 28  Inauguration on January 27 Tuesday 5 pm COCOS NUCIFERAS By MD Deleep from France and Switzerland SPIRIT AND MATTER - THREE ARTISTS - THREE GENERATIONS By Ilona Lovas, Anna Makovecz and Villő Turcsány from Hungary  The artist MD Deleep, a French-Swiss artist will be presenting his show under the aegis of India Art Fair. He has been travelling and living in India for over twenty years. He began his artistic study with painting workshops and has also initiated his own studio-gallery, among others. Influenced by Marcel Duchamp, his artistic work may be identified as sculpture, but, it actually manifests rather through hybridization. It is through the symbolization of simplest forms into his installations and sculptures, that the nuances and underlying concepts seem to resolve in integrated configurations. With this view, he desires to participate in the journey of this power that is ardently obvious in this particular ambiance that permeates through the atmosphere of India. It is his attempt to translate and share emotions and sensations through these intermediaries. An exhibition - cum - performance, curated by art historian, writer and curator Katalin Keserü, organized by art consultant Anna Bagyó, with the participation of three Hungarian woman artists: Ilona Lovas, Anna Makovecz andVillő Turcsány. The three artists, representing three different generations, coexist well with each other. Their works examine the metamorphosis of matter, body and spirit. These evergreen topics of art are translated into the language of contemporary mediums such as installation, photo and video. (On view from 10 am to 4 pm, weekdays only) Hungarian Information and Cultural Centre reserves the right to change the programs and the dates. Add: 1-A Janpath, New Delhi - 110 011 (near Hotel Claridges) Tel: 011-2301-4497, -4992

​

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AIRASIA INDONESIA FLIGHT QZ 8501 UPDATE  AS PER 13 JANUARY 2015 20:00 HRS LT (GMT+7) SURABAYA, 13TH JANUARY 2015 – The National Search and Rescue Agency (BASARNAS) Republic of Indonesia today announced that Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) of QZ8501 aircraft has been found and lifted from the seafloor this morning. The CVR was found at a distance of approximately 20 meter from the location where the flight data recorder was found yesterday. Following this finding, BASARNAS confirmed that both parts of the aircraft’s blackbox (flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder) have been evacuated and flown to Jakarta for further investigation by Indonesia’s National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT). Meanwhile in Surabaya, BASARNAS chief, Marshal Bambang Soelistyo visited the crisis center in East Java Region Police Headquarter this afternoon to have a direct dialogue with the families and loved ones of QZ 8501’s passengers and crew. During the dialogue, Bambang Soelistyo assured the family that the main SAR operation is still on-going and their main priority is to search and recover the passengers despite weather and underwater current challenges faced by the SAR team. The Disaster Victim Identification Police Department Republic of Indonesia (DVI POLRI) announced that two more passengers have been identified as: Oscar Desano (male) and Yuni Astutik (female) today. To date, BASARNAS has confirmed to have recovered a total of 48 remains of which 36 remains have been identified by DVI POLRI and 12 remains are still being identified. AirAsia Indonesia would like to take this opportunity to urge the public seeking progress on the search and evacuation and identification process of QZ 8501 passengers to refer solely to official information from BASARNAS and DVI POLRI. You may also obtain substantiated information only from authorised AirAsia social media accounts: Facebook (www.facebook.com/AirAsia) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/AirAsia) Our thoughts and prayers remain with the families and friends of our passengers and colleagues on board QZ 8501. Note to Editors: We ask that members of the news media do not call the AirAsia Emergency Call Centre, as this line is reserved for family members seeking information about those who may have been on board.

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VISIT FLORIDA’s Florida Huddle 2015 sets records for travel-trade engagement

Sold-out show opens Wednesday in Fort Lauderdale

Mumbai, 13^th January 2014 – Florida Huddle, the Sunshine State’s premier, appointment-based, travel- trade show,is sold out and ready to open Wednesday at the Greater Fort Lauderdale Broward County Convention Center.

In its second year of being owned and operated by VISIT FLORIDA, Florida Huddle 2015 has set new records forparticipation across all sectors.

“The level of participation in Florida Huddle this year signals that the state is well positioned to build on our tremendousmomentum and make 2015 another record year for Florida tourism,” said VISIT FLORIDA President and CEO WillSeccombe. “With over 15,000 meetings being held this week between our Florida partners and travel trade and mediapartners, we are well on our way to establishing Florida as the No. 1 travel destination in the world.”

Seccombe added, “I am especially pleased to see first-time participants from around the globe.”

Florida Huddle 2015 is hosted by the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau. The trade show runsthrough Friday.