An IT company regularly employs disabled persons

Parthasarathy, the project manager of the hospital management systems, is the senior-most employee. “Our MD believes that people with physical disabilities are equally skilled. While many frowned at my disability, he gave me a job. I feel disabled are better suited to the IT field; we have proved it here,” he says. Aravind, who has completed his BA (English), was born blind. “I wanted to work in the IT sector, so I applied for a job here and was immediately recruited and trained in computer operations. Since I am blind, I work with the help of a software called JAWS,” says Aravind.

Kamath, winner of the best employer award from the Government of India, told TSI that disabled employees are more productive than their ‘normal’ counterparts in the IT field. “We keep in constant touch with an NGO that works for the disabled in this regard.” And how is LSIS coping with recession? “We use innovative methods, our products are cost effective. As we work in the Indian market, the global meltdown hasn’t affected us much.”....Continue

She doesn't attend the PM’s meeting on national security. Her cabinet decisions are unilateral

A recalcitrant Mayawati denied the charges, sent prime accused in the MK Gupta case to jail and got a clean chit from Gupta’s family saying they were satisfied with the state police investigations and did not feel the need for a CBI probe. But her birthday shehnai wailed, rather than screamed. No towering cake was cut, and she tried to play messiah by unveiling welfare schemes for the poor. BSP leaders admitted that Gupta’s brutal murder has become a major setback for their preparations for the coming Lok Sabha polls.

In Mayawati’s scheme of things the polls are a launch pad for a career in national politics. Buoyed by Communist Party of India’s general secretary AB Bardhan’s projections of her being the next prime minister, Mayawati is leaving no stone unturned to fulfill her dream. From championing the cause of Bahujan (‘majority’, the downtrodden) to Sarvajan (all communities), she has come a long way. While her former advocate general Satish Chandra Mishra is her interface with Brahmans, she has roped in former Union Minister of Congress, Akhilesh Das and perennial party-hopper Naresh Agarwal to woo upper caste Banias.


Sources say BSP might field at least 35 Brahman candidates out of 80 seats from the state for the Parliament. This, along with about a dozen Brahmans in ministerial positions in the state, has made Mayawati’s critics rechristen her party as Brahman Samaj Party. The rising stock of Brahmans in the BSP has eclipsed the Muslim leadership so much that the old Maya loyalist Naseemuddin Siddiqi – who was till last month in charge of not just UP but Delhi polls too – has been asked to take care of party’s Muslim constituency only.....Continue

The devil in the detail

In the year gone by, there has not been a single day when one would not have heard the word '3G' (used to denote third generation spectrum) rattling on the news channels. From its delay to its pricing to its allotments – almost everything has become a matter of controversy. And this controversy, coupled with the hype, is ensuring that everyone in India is aware that we are soon going to embrace this new technology, which would drastically transform our mobile experience. Well, most people are still wondering when we would exactly be able to experience the might of 3G. But then there are also others who are worried about larger issues such as, what exactly this 3G thing is all about, how it is different from WiMAX and how it has the potential to drastically enhance their mobile telephonic experience in the times to come? TSI presents a ready reckoner for the same.

As most people are aware, 3G stands for third generation spectrum. India is currently operating on a 2.5G. In layman’s language, all 3G would do is to enlarge the current pipe of spectrum, so that much more traffic and data can seamlessly pass through. “3G System represents the next step in evolution of mobile cellular communication. 2G systems in mobile cellular communications mainly focus on voice, while 3G systems support increased data communications and wireless broadband Internet access,” informs Nripendra Mishra, Chairman, TRAI . This makes us confront another big issue – how would the coming of 3G impact us as consumers? Looking from a more technical perspective, the factor that differentiates 3G and 2G networks is how quickly data can be sent and received. Industry experts state that 3G networks have the capability to send data up to 40 times the speed of earlier digital networks. And as 3G networks have markedly greater capacity along with better spectrum efficiency than 2G systems for mobile communications, it would enable the delivery of triple play converged communication services through wireless media. So subscribers of these services would have an instant access to their inbox, receive video calls, stream videos from YouTube, download music tracks and even watch live television shows on their mobile phone.....Continue

Kremlin steps on the gas

Russia-Ukraine dispute leaves Europe shivering

In the late 1980s, American President Ronald Reagan had cautioned Europe, in a hushed voice, against relying too much on Russian energy supplies, claiming that one day the Kremlin might find it alluring enough to twist it into a blunt-force foreign-policy device. It was brushed aside as Reagan’s infamous ‘cynicism’. This week proved he was just being plain foresighted. In the gas conflict between Russia and Ukraine, both sides are licking their wounds after 10 days of hostility. While it has emerged that the pumping of gas will be taken up again in days to come and the chill from the lives of millions in the freezing winter in southern Europe would promptly pass, the damage done politically and economically to both fighting parties will defy any quick fix. “Both stand to lose if they fail to reach a resolution: Russia will appear vicious and callous; Ukraine’s trustworthiness as a purveyor to Europe will be called into question and its bickering leadership will lose integrity internally and overseas,” Dmitri Trenin, director of the Carnegie Moscow Center told TSI.

Meanwhile, Russia declined to resume gas exports to EU via Ukraine early this week, after condemning Kiev for making objectionable changes in the deal that was painstakingly stitched up during the weekend. In a spell of shuttle diplomacy, the Czech prime minister, Mirek Topolanek, got Russia’s Prime Minister Vladimir V Putin to sign in Moscow, and then flew to Kiev, to get Ukrainian PM, Yulia V Tymoshenko, to do so too.

The deal had called for immediate resumption of gas under the supervision of global monitors who would guarantee smooth delivery of the fuel to Europe. Gazprom, Russia’s gas monopoly, cut supplies for Ukrainian utilisation on January 1 over the latter’s alleged fuel debts, and then blocked exports to the EU via Ukraine after condemning it of 'stealing' the gas. Underneath the wrangling over shipment fees and rates, Russia’s outline was clear. Ukraine has infuriated the Kremlin with its proposition to join NATO. Moscow saw an opening to split Europe and weaken those nations it still deems inside its sphere of influence. However, Russia is also worried that the West might deny it capital and technology to upgrade its ailing refineries. Therefore, it's worth watching who will blink first. If it is the West, then a new phase in history will start with Russia in the ring, and not on the sidelines....Continue