Fashion lovers and viewers of FTV Channel in India will miss their channel and international models and fashion shows for 10 days from 12th March. According to Ministry of Information & Broadcasting the transmission or re-transmission of FTV Channel has been prohibited w.e.f. 7.00P.M on 12th March 2010 till 7.00 P.M on 21st March, 2010 through Cable Television Networks and any other platforms throughout the country.

This is second time when the channel has been prohibited for transmission. Earlier, Ministry had prohibited the channel in for about two months in 2007 due to objectionable shows of naked models. Later on, the transmission was permitted after the channel regretted for its error.

“It was noticed by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting that a programme on FTV Channel was telecast on 4.9.2009 at 15:37:34 hours and 19:01:48 hours showing women with nude upper body which was offending against good taste and decency. The visuals were found to be obscene, denigrating women and were not suitable for children and unrestricted public exhibition”, the Ministry says adding that action has been taken under Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995.

Junior Bachchan, Abhishek and Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit today launched WWF’s Earth Hour 2010 at World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) office in New Delhi. The Earth Hour is being observed on March 27, 2010 from 8:30 P.M. to 9:30 P.M this year.
As a concerned individuals for the planet, Abhishek along with Sheila Dikshit lit the ‘candle of hope’ encouraging citizens of India to ‘switch on’ their minds and showcase solidarity and commitment towards climate change and energy conservation by ‘switching off’ the light for one hour. They also took pledge to intensify campaign for this purpose. They were joined by Ravi Singh, CEO of WWF India. Earth Hour 2010 is expected to be a culmination of over one billion people around the globe, in more than 6000 cities and towns worldwide, turning off lights and showing support for action on climate change.
Interacting with media Abhishek Bachchan said, “as responsible citizens of this planet, it is extremely crucial for us to address the colossal problem of climate change through ensuring responsible action and adopting a sustainable way of life. It is time that we take a collective pledge to ‘switch on’ our minds and take one simple step to ‘switch off the lights’ on March 27, 2010 from 8:30 P.M. to 9:30 P.M.”
According to Ravi Singh, CEO, WWF India, the campaign will be joined by 92 countries and 878 cities.

Chandan Sharma

Guess, where did Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit get brilliant ideas? During her office of the Chief Minister for over 11 years or in the her alma meter’s cafeteria?

Believe or not but the Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit believes that it was Miranda House’s cafeteria where she used to get brilliant ideas during sip of coffee and chatting with friends. It is another matter that her tenure in the college was much less than that of the Chief Minister’s office. The frank admission came during her nostalgic visit during the founder day of her college, Miranda House at Delhi University. Addressing and interacting with students of the Miranda House the Chief Minister shared her delicate memories of colleges with students during late sixties that how she used to enjoy ice-cream, spicy shakarkand (sweet potato) and so on.

Girl of the Miranda House too enjoyed the moment and kept on whistling a lot during the Chief Minister’s address to show their support and joy to the Chief Minister. She said that at first she is a Mirandian, Chief Minister later on.
The Chief Minister also used the moment to put some demand in favour of woman by saying that time has come to respect the work of women by quantifying the out put in terms of monetary gain.

Stressing upon the fact that more than 75% of work was done by women but it goes unrecognized and unacknowledged because of the fact that most of it is in the unorganized category. Giving detail about the role of a woman in the family, the society and their contribution to productive activities she said that these should be recognized and respected among the society.

To celebrate Women’s Day on 8 March 2010, Air India will make history by using only women pilots to fly Ultra Longhaul flight AI-141 from Mumbai to JFK non-stop on, using a B777-200 Long Range aircraft. The flight is approximately of 14 hours duration and will be operated with a double set of all women crew and supported by women of the National Aviation Company India Limited (NACIL).

Capt. Rashmi Miranda and Capt. Sunita Narula will be the Commanders alongwith Capt. Swati Rawal and Capt. Neha Kulkarni as First Officers. Mrs. Harpreet A De Singh, Head-QMS will carry out a Line Observation Safety Audit, the flight will be despatched by Ms. Nandita Deshpande and the Load and Trim Sheet will be prepared by Ms. Ferzin Kuruvilla. Various additional flights will also be operated by All Women Crew on that day. On the Airbus A310, Capt. Trisha Mohan will operate as the Commander of AI 815/816 from Hyderabad-Damam-Chennai along with First Officer Capt. Thanmai Papagari. Other flights from Mumbai to be operated with All Women Crew will be IC-686, IC-105 and IC-129. Capt. S. Deshmukh, Capt. Sangita Bangar and Capt. L. Nagrath will be the Commanders and Capt. Rikita Singh, Capt. Deepali Pratape and Capt. Aprajita Lal the First Officers. The flights will be despatched by Ms. Anjali Dhiman and the Load and Trim Sheet will be prepared by Ms. Archana Patki. In the Southern Region, Capt. Deepa will operate IC 573/574 accompanied by First Officer, Capt. Sonia Jain on Chennai-Colombo-Chennai sector. The Northern and Eastern Regions also operated with All Women crew on various sectors.

Ms. Neetu Sharma who is an Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (AME) on the B737-800, in Air India Express, will certify the aircraft from Sharjah. Lady Doctors Dr Varsha Sawant and Dr Alka Mathur will carry out the breathalyzer tests at Mumbai.

NACIL has more than 136 women pilots flying various international and domestic sectors. Women Pilots, Flight Despatchers, Aircraft Maintenance Engineers, Safety and Quality Auditors, Cabin Crew, Doctors, Technical Officers, Simulator Maintenance Engineers, Ground Instructors for training pilots etc. all form part of a highly skilled, technically proficient team of women in Air India.
Courtsy: pib.nic.in

International festival of Yoga, Culture and Spirituality will be organized at Dev Sanskriti Vishvvidyalay, amid the ongoing season of Mahakumbh. The festival will be organized from 8th March to 13th March. The six-day festival will witness several religious and spiritual leaders during at the Kumbhnagari Haridwar. These include Sri Sri Ravishankar, Swami Satyamitranand of Bhartmata Mandir, Swami Mangaltirth and several other scientists and Yoga Gurus. Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Ramesh Pokhariyal, Nishank too will participate in the festival.

Interacting with media today at university campus at Haridwar, Dr. Pranab Pandya, Chancellor of Dev Sanskriti Vishvidyalaya said that the festival will throw light on the scientific aspect and importance of Yoga, Indian culture and spirituality. This will also an occasion to learn about Indian contribution of scientific culture and spirituality to the world humanity. Madan Kaushik, Tourism Minister of Uttarakhand was also present on the occasion. He said that the state government would provide all kind of help in this regard. The festival is being organized jointly by Dev Sanskriti Vishvvidyalaya and Uttarakhand government.