K E R A L A M O N I T O R . C O M

Coco Colonisation Harmful to our Bones...

Have a look at the wrapper on a Coca-Cola 1.5 liter bottle and in the ingredients label you will find phosphoric acid in it. Minute quantities of ethylene glycol are also used (which is acknowledged in the soft drink world for making it really chill). This is popularly known as anti-freeze which prevents water from freezing at 0 deg C and instead drops it 4-5 degrees with minute quantities. This chemical is a known slow poison in the caliber of arsenic!!!!.

So, if you manage to drink about 4 liters of Coke within an hour or so, you can die. Read along and give up these dangerous things. Be natural; have flavored milks, tender coconuts, buttermilk, lassi and plain water instead of these "soft" drinks. Guess what's the pH for soft drinks, e.g. Coke? PH 3.4! (The PH value of potable water is 7) This acidity is strong enough to dissolve teeth and bones! Our human body stops building bones at the age of about 30. Soft drinks do not have any nutrition value (in terms of vitamins & minerals). It is high in sugar content, carbonic acid, chemicals i.e. colorings etc. Some like to take cold soft drinks after each meal. Guess what's the impact? Our body needs an optimum temperature of 37 degrees Celsius for digestive enzyme functioning. The temperature of cold soft drinks is very much below 37 degrees or even close to 0 degrees Celsius. This will dilute the enzymes & stress the digestive system. The food taken will not be digested.

In fact it will be fermented! The fermented food produces gases, decays and becomes toxin, gets absorbed by the intestine, circulates in the blood stream and is carried to the whole body. Hence toxin is accumulated in other parts of the body, developing into various diseases. Think before you drink coke/Pepsi or any soft drink) again. Have you ever thought what you drink when you drink an aerated drink? You gulp down carbon dioxide, when nobody in the world would advise you to drink CO2. Two months back, there was a competition at Delhi University "Who could drink the most Coke?" The winner drank 8 bottles and fainted on the spot- too much CO2 in the blood. Thereafter, the principal banned all soft drinks from the college canteen!


While this might have been an extreme measure, their results do provide some food for thought. Did you know that soft drinks use chemicals in them that cause immense harm to you. Someone put a broken tooth in a bottle of Pepsi and in 10 days it DISSOLVED! Can you believe it? Teeth and bones are the only human parts that stay intact for years after death. Imagine what the drink must be doing to your soft intestines and stomach lining! People hesitate to pay Rs.7-8/- for a tender coconut but prefer to pay Rs. 10/- and drink these dreadful products.

New radio station for Iraqi women goes on the air

BAGHDAD, 14 June (IRIN) - A radio station focusing on women's issues has hit the airwaves in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad. Topics under discussion include the importance of women's rights and the new constitution, the forthcoming general election, childhood needs and family problems. "The radio station is a voice for Iraqi women in the country, a voice to speak about her rights, her issues, her ambitions, her problems without hesitation," manager of the radio station, Majed Rahak, said.

Known as radio "al-Mahaba" meaning love in Arabic, the station is supported by the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) programme. The station was established by the Ministry of Municipality and Public Works (MMPW) working with local women's NGOs including the Iraqi Women's League (IWL), Women Rise (WR), General Student's Union (GSU) and the Flower of Iraq (FoI)

"This project aims to encourage, strengthen and support Iraqi women at all levels to know their rights, to enjoy equality and dignity and to define their future effectively by understanding international laws," a UNIFEM representative in Iraq, Besma al- Kateab, said. Broadcasts started in April and the station has had a slow start but is now increasing programming. "I listen to al-Mahaba radio every day. They have good programmes for women about life and rights in society," listener, Muna Ferhad said.

Transmitting for eight hours a day, the station presents a variety of material. "We have good educational programmes, legal advice and many social discussions. We have interviewed famous Iraqi women and specialists in civil society," Rahak said. The station employs both female and male, producers, trained journalists, technicians and musicians. It also gives young female talent a chance to shine."We are encouraging young women to come and display their talent here by showing off their art and handicrafts, reading poems and to advertise any training for women listening to the programmes," radio presenter, Niran Ali said. Al-Mahaba radio now plans to increase transmission time and to extend its reach by broadcasting countrywide.

KM Exclusive

Kochi to Host the Next Pravasi Bharathiya Sammelan

NEW DELHI – June 14 2005 Kerala has clinched another major achievement by hosting the next Pravasi Bharathiya Divas, a major gathering of Non Resident Indians (NRIs). The first pravasi Bharathiya Divas, the biggest ever event which emerged as the most prestigious gathering of the Indian Diaspora was held in New Delhi, the political capital of the country and the second one was held in Mumbai, the commercial capital of the country. Even though it was speculated that the third NRI summit which has a budget allocation of Indian Rs.100 crores will go back to New Delhi, the venue of the first meeting, a cabinet meeting today decided today to conduct the programme in Kochi, the commercial capital of India. Two leading Non Resident Keralites, Dr.P.Mohammed Ali, Managing Director of Galfar group, Muscat and M.K. Yousuf Ali, the Chairman of the EMKE Group of Dubai, were honoured with the Pravasi Bharathiya Samman. Kerala Government was asked by the Centre whether it is interested in holding the most prestigious NRI event in the country. The state government has agreed to host the event in Kochi.

Kerala, with one of the largest number of Non Resident population, was keen to host the third summit, which will be inaugurated by the Indian President and attended by NRI dignitaries from all over the world. Organised as part of the Governments policy to incorporate the powerful overseas Indian community in the country's socio political activities, hosting the event will boost the international image of the city, which is already a major tourist destination in the world. The first PBD was organized in New Delhi from January 9-11, 2003 in recognition and appreciation of the constructive economic, political and philanthropic role played by the Indian Diaspora as well as the goodwill demonstrated by it towards India. Overseas Indians are today estimated to be over 20 million spread across the world.

Even though these luxurious extravaganzas are conducted in the name of overseas Indians, the vast majority of them are kept away from the functions. Pravasi Bharatiya Divas’ has been celebrated on 9th January of each year as it was on this day in 1915, Mahatma Gandhi, father of our nation had returned to India from South Africa. The first two ‘Pravasi Bharatiya Divas’ Celebrations, which were held from January 9-11, 2003 and 2004 at New Delhi were great success. These were path-breaking events that forged new bonds between India and its children abroad. Hosting the event in Kochi will be a boost to the hotel industry and the international image of the state. The Third event was held in Mumbai the commercial capital of the country.

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14 June, 2005

ROLLS-ROYCE CHALKS UP ENGINE WIN AND MAJOR LONG–TERM SERVICE AGREEMENTS AT PARIS AIR SHOW

Rolls-Royce has chalked up two major successes at the Paris Air show currently being staged at Le Bourget in France.Air China Limited has selected the Rolls-Royce Trent 700 to power its new fleet of 20 Airbus A330–200 widebody aircraft. Together with a long-term TotalCare services agreement for the engines, the total value of the contract is $800 million. A spokesman for Air China Limited, said: “Air China is very pleased to have reached this agreement with Rolls-Royce. The Trent 700 engine offers outstanding reliability and performance. This order marks the beginning of a much closer relationship between Air China and Rolls-Royce.”

Mike Terrett, President – Civil Aerospace, Rolls-Royce, said: “This is a significant decision by China’s flag carrier. Not only does it mark the first appearance of the Trent engine in Air China’s colours, it also strengthens our presence in the world’s fastest growing aerospace market. As the most powerful engine on the A330, the Trent 700 will provide Air China with excellent performance from more demanding airports such as Lhasa. This order is a welcome expression of confidence in Rolls-Royce.”

In addition, Regional, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Air France-KLM, finalised service agreements with Rolls-Royce covering the engines for its fleet of 49 Embraer and Fokker twinjets. The deal involves a TotalCare contract until 2014 for the AE 3007 engines which power Regional’s 37 Embraer ERJ135 and ERJ145s, and a shop visit agreement for some of the airline’s Tay engines on 12 Fokker 70 and Fokker 100s.

Ian Aitken, President, Corporate and Regional Aircraft, Rolls-Royce, who signed the contract with Philippe Berthelot, Regional’s Chief Operating Officer, said“Regional is an important and valued customer, and its operations will benefit from transferring the engine maintenance task to ourselves, as the engine maker, as well as providing complete budget visibility.” Over 80 per cent of Regional’s fleet is powered by Rolls-Royce. As well as AE 3007s and Tays, the airline also operates Rolls-Royce AE2100 engines on six Saab 2000 aircraft.

Pepperl+Fuchs opens new facility at Jafza

New premises to be the nerve center for local engineering, stock of items and factory acceptance tests in the Middle East region

June 14, 2005 Pepperl+Fuchs, the pioneers in automation products, yesterday (June 13, 2005), inaugurated their new premises at Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority (Jafza). The new facility will complement the company’s major expansion strategy in the Middle East. Pepperl+Fuchs, which achieved total revenues of US$ 350 million in 2004, specialises in the manufacture of Process and Factory Automation products and has pioneered the development of proximity switches and intrinsic safety products, bus systems and related technologies.

Thampy Mathew, Managing Director, Pepperl+Fuchs, said: “With a strong focus on research and development, Pepperl+Fuchs continues to innovate and bring reliable, state-of-art building blocks for automation, catering to industry segments such as oil & gas, petrochemicals, process control systems, machine engineering, conveyors & transport, packaging & bottling and automobiles. By setting up our new facility at Jafza, we have significantly enhanced our potential to target lucrative markets in the region and helps us realise our expansion strategy. Further, Jafza provides us a range of infrastructure facilities that are essential to achieve a high degree of business efficiency.”

Tariq Saqer Bin-Ghalaita, Assistant Regional Manager - Europe, Jafza, remarked: “Jafza is today one of the most well-equipped free zones in the world and it is growing at a rapid pace, serving as a base for leading companies from diverse industrial sectors. With their new facility in Jafza, Pepperl+Fuchs will be able to focus on their regional expansion strategy and take full advantage of the wide range of facilities and incentives that the free zone has to offer. Jafza, with its proximity to the Jebel Ali seaport and the up coming air cargo airport provides a host of competitive benefits to companies setting up operations in the zone.”

In the Middle East, Pepperl+Fuchs has an extensive support network through its regional headquarters in Dubai and sales and distribution agents located in Saudi Arabia, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Abu Dhabi & Bahrain. The company has its offices in over 30 countries and manufacturing units in Mannheim-Germany, Singapore, Hungary, Indonesia and Twinsburg (Ohio, USA) with over 2800 employees. Recent additions to the Pepperl+Fuchs portfolio include well-recognized industry brands such as Visolux, Elcon, Extec, Bebco and Omnitron.

The new center of Pepperl+Fuchs will be the nerve center for local engineering, stock of items and factory acceptance tests for all requirements in the Middle East region, which would be directly supported from the company headquarters in Germany. The facility at Jafza will also have a full-fledged technical support team for Customer Application Developments Testing and trouble shooting, to cater to customer specific local requirements.

ETA Star Properties commences construction on

The Palladium at Jumeirah Lake Towers ASCON Construction LLC awarded AED 122 million construction contract

June 14, 2005 ETA Star, one of the premier property developers in the Middle East has announced that it will commence construction on The Palladium, the proposed 34-storey office, retail and residential complex in the heart of Jumeirah Lake Towers.

The company has awarded the AED 122 million construction contract to Ascon Construction LLC, a part of the ETA ASCON GROUP. Ascon Construction LLC has been involved in the construction of several landmark projects including the Deira City Centre, Jumeirah Beach Hotel and the Dubai Business Centre.

According to the terms of the contract, ASCON will be responsible for building an ultra modern high-rise mixed-use apartment complex spanning over half a million square feet of built-up area. Over 90 per cent sold out, the project is scheduled for completion by the 3rd quarter of 2007.

Commenting on the project, Mr. Abid Junaid, Executive Director at ETA Star Properties, said, “The Palladium has been conceptualized to capture the essence and charm of sophisticated lakeside living and is one of our most prestigious projects to date. The high-rise project will cater to people wanting to live and work in, and close to, the Jumeirah Lake district area.”

“Being a part of the same group, ASCON share our commitment to maintaining the highest quality standards in construction and amenities. ETA has carved a niche for offering luxurious yet affordable ‘lifestyle properties in prime locations in Dubai and we are certain The Palladium will be a much sought-after jewel in our growing portfolio.”

Aptly named after a rare and precious metal, The Palladium is located in the prestigious Jumeirah Lake district, close to the Mina Seyahi Beaches and next to the 50-storey state-of-the-art Dubai Metals and Commodities Centre (DMCC). Designed by reputed architects DAR Consultants, the mixed-use complex features one, two and three bedroom apartments and penthouses with stunning views of the lake on one side and city vista on the other. Residents can avail of state-of-the-art amenities including high speed internet access and digital/satellite connectivity as well as leisure facilities such as a swimming pool, Jacuzzi, heath club and 150 m indoor jogging track. The Palladium also offers coffee shops and boutiques in the lobby, a separate retails area for convenience shopping and a spacious multi-purpose hall for roof-top parties.

Dubai eGovernment continues its active participation in DSS

Four key events aimed at promoting eServices and enhancing IT skills among youngsters to be organised by Dubai eGovernment

June 14, 2005 Dubai eGovernment announced its active participation in Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) 2005, which will be held from June 22 to September 2, 2005, by contributing to four major events focusing on Information Technology skills. The announcement was made during a press conference held today, (Tuesday, June 14, 2005), in Dubai. Saeed Mohammed Al Nabouda, Chief Executive Officer, DSS Organizing Committee was present at the press conference. Dubai eGovernment will be involved in the organising of events such as, ‘Modhesh Friends Forum’, ‘Modhesh Website Creation Competition’, ‘Playstation Zone’ and Net Games Zone, where children can experience a range of exciting games.

“Our active participation in Dubai Summer Surprises reinforces our continuous commitment and support to various initiatives of the Government of Dubai,” said Salem Al Shair, eServices Director, Dubai eGovernment. “This event ensures a very high degree of visibility and exposure for Dubai eGovernment and increases awareness about our role and contribution to the overall productivity and efficiency of Dubai, in a technology driven environment.” “We will be closely involved in a number of activities during the 10-week event, which aims to promote eServices and gives an opportunity to youngsters to demonstrate their IT skills and creativity,” he added.

The Modhesh Friends Forum, which is developed by eGovernment, is meant for children aged between 9 and 18. The forum will also give a chance for children to chat with Modhesh through this forum. Modhesh is the friendly mascot of DSS which appeals to all age groups, especially children. The forum, which will be hosted on www.emodhesh.ae gives an opportunity for participants to win iPods through a raffle draw. The website creation competition, sponsored by HumanSoft, will be held in two phases over a period of five weeks each, with three winners in each phase. A joint committee from DSS and Dubai eGovernment will decide the winners of the competition, who will be awarded PCs, Laptops or Home Theatres.

As part of the playstation zone event, which is being sponsored by Jumbo Electronics and Sony Corporation, podiums will be set up in four shopping malls and in Modhesh Fun City, where visitors can enjoy games like Eye Toy, Brave, Singstar Pop and Gran Turismo 4. Participants have a chance to win prizes through the weekly raffle draws and are given complementary gifts of Playstation console with additional 5 games.

 

Saibal Banerjee, Marketing Manager, Jumbo Electronics, said, “Jumbo Electronics has been closely associated with Dubai Summer Surprises for several years now and this has become of the most popular events in the city’s events calendar. As a key sponsor for DSS we continue our efforts of promoting Dubai as one of the leading tourist destinations of the world with year round attractions. The event also serves as an ideal platform for us to build stronger relationships with our customers.”

For the Net Games Zone, which is also being sponsored by HumanSoft, PCs will be set up in a shopping mall with network games installed in them. Participants have a chance to win 10 DVD players through the raffle draw. Dalal Hasan Sabti, Executive Manager, HumanSoft, said, “We are pleased to join hands with Dubai eGovernment to support a a range of exciting e-learning programmes that involve participants of various age groups. DSS is an ideal event to spread awareness about the wide range of initiatives undertaken by Dubai eGovernment which benefits a large section of the Emirate’s population.”

“DSS is one of the most important events in Dubai, focusing on fun, knowledge, entertainment and shopping, for children and adults alike. Today, the event has acquired the status of a brand and visitors from countries all over the GGC region take part in this with their families. DSS ensures that the huge inflow of visitors to Dubai is maintained even during the summer and it serves as an ideal platform for us to promote the efforts and achievements of Dubai eGovernment among a diverse audience. Through our participation in DSS, we will create more involvement from the public to try out the various eServices available on our portal www.dubai.ae ,” concluded Al Shair.

The concept of the Dubai Summer Surprises was introduced in the summer of 1998 by the Dubai Government in order to promote the emirate as an ideal family holiday destination and is currently held under the directives of H.H. General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and UAE Defence Minister. The success of DSS can be gauged by the visitor turnout in 2004, which touched 1.51 million and the total spend which amounted to AED 1.56 billion.

GULF AIR DELEGATION DEPARTS FOR LE BOURGET WITH FLEET PROPOSAL

A delegation of senior Gulf Air executives headed by James Hogan, the airline’s President and Chief Executive, are in Paris for the air show at Le Bourget, which began yesterday and runs until the 16th. Their visit to this event coincides with the next crucial step in the fleet restructuring and expansion strategy and airline officials confirmed that a formal request for proposal had been circulated to major airline manufacturers.

“In 2004, we achieved the objectives laid out in our initial three year restructuring strategy and have the basis to focus on restructuring the fleet,” said Mr Hogan. “To date the changes to the fleet have been incremental and aimed at meeting the needs of the network. “The mixed fleet, which presently comprises 34 aircraft from Boeing and Airbus, will have to evolve to serve the changing needs of the market and to ensure that we can operate competitively. “The challenges of the market and more significantly the price of fuel require our serious consideration, but cannot stop us from moving forward now to reshape our fleet. In discussion with both manufacturers, we have carefully defined our future criteria and requirements which are now outlined in the request for proposal which has been sent out.”

Cellucom sponsors television programme to discover young Indian singing talent in the UAE

Thousands of young Indians to exhibit their vocal talents in their quest to be crowned as ‘Cellucom Voice of Arabia’

June 14, 2005 Thousands of aspiring Malayalees in the Middle East will exhibit their singing talents in their quest to become the ‘Cellucom Voice of Arabia’, a fourteen-week television programme sponsored by Cellucom in association with Nokia. Cellucom is a leading distributor of mobile communication devices and accessories in the Middle East.

‘Cellucom Voice of Arabia’, that aims to discover young singing talent in the region, will be broadcast in the Malayalam channel ASIANET. The participants are expected to demonstrate their vocal skills by singing a tune of their choice. 32 shortlisted budding singers will get an opportunity to demonstrate their skills on camera and finally a male and female singer will be chosen as the ‘Cellucom Voice of Arabia’. The thirty-minute programme that will commence from June 28, 2005, will be broadcast every Tuesday at 9:30pm on Asianet. The program will be anchored by the famous playback singer MG Sreekumar from the South Indian Music Industry.

Cellucom will be giving away free entry tickets with the purchase of any Nokia telephone for those who wish to be a part of the making of the Voice of Arabia. The live recording will take place from June 18 – 20, 2005 at Sharjah Indian Association Auditorium. To take part in this Talent Hunt aspirants need to send in their entries to Max Media, PO Box 502159, Dubai Media City, UAE or contact +971 4 3902021 for details.

“Cellucom has continued its commitment in supporting various youth activities in the region. This latest initiative is aimed at discovering potential vocal Male and Female talent among Indian youth, which is an important part of Cellucom’s market base. Our decision is in keeping with our efforts to encourage social, cultural and sporting activities that all lead to a vibrant society. We will continue with our endeavours to add value to youth lifestyle,” stated Arun Nagar, Managing Director of Cellucom.

These activities are not new for Cellucom. They have a history of actively supporting social, cultural and sporting activities aimed at the youth. They have sponsored a cricket match for 101.6 FM, football by sponsoring Sheikh Rashid’s football team a ballet performance by the Russian State Ballet and H.H Sheikh Rashid’s horses in the Dubai World Cup race.

Gulf First for Bahrain Provides Hope for Domestic Abuse Cases

BATELCO Care Center for Family Violence Cases

Batelco has opened the Gulf’s first centre dedicated to helping those affected by family violence. The Batelco Care Centre for Family Violence Cases is officially open and will offer services and aid to all victims of domestic violence - including men, women and children of all nationalities. The Centre – which has been opened jointly by Batelco and the Bahrain Society to Resist Family Violence - is located on the first floor of the Budaiya Medical Complex near the Ruyan Pharmacy on the Budaiya Highway. The Society is currently made up of 31 doctors, psychiatrists, lawyers, social workers and media representatives and these professional people are working with Batelco funding to provide free medical, psychological, legal and social assistance to victims of domestic abuse.

“Batelco is extremely impressed with the work that the Society has done in creating the centre and its relevant services, which offer assistance to some of the most vulnerable people in our community,” says Hassan Juma, Chairman of Batelco. “Our commitment to helping those in our country who need it most has been demonstrated time and again by the important projects that Batelco helps fund. This Centre is a crucial lifeline for the safety and security of all those affected by domestic violence.” The Centre operates on a confidential basis and everyone who seeks help from the Centre can be assured of sensitive, thoughtful care that is tailored to their specific case.

“The rationale behind this project is to provide a range of assistance to anyone who is affected by domestic violence,” says Dr Bana Bu Zabun, Chairwoman for the Society. “Whether it is medical, legal, social or counseling services that are needed, we are here to help.”“In many cases, we may well be the first port of call for abuse cases,” explains Dr Bu Zabun, who is also a Clinical Psychologist at Ibn Al Nafees Hospital. “Until now there were few options open to victims who may have been too frightened to seek help within their own family or circle of friends. Now there is another option open to them.”

“Batelco’s, BD 10,000 financial assistance, has been critical to the opening of our Centre and we are all very grateful for their help. Funding from companies such as Batelco is so important in terms of keeping any free services centre operating and open to the public,” says Dr Bu Zabun. “Obviously, in our case, being able to offer completely free services – at no cost to those who need our help – is vital to ensuring that those who need help can come forward to ask for it.”

Domestic violence is defined by the Society as the physical, emotional, sexual or mental abuse of one person by someone they know or live with. If a person’s behaviour at home makes anyone in the household feel afraid, that is domestic violence. The long-term effects of domestic abuse – on both the victim and any children who are in the same household – are extremely damaging and it is important to seek help from qualified professionals as quickly as possible.

“The good news is that recognition for this problem is growing throughout the region. Our Centre is the first in the Gulf, but we have already been approached by delegations from a number of other GCC countries asking for advice and help in setting up similar services in at least three other major countries in our area,” says Dr Bu Zabun. “Our expertise – combined with the generosity of companies like Batelco – will provide help to many thousands of families.”

Batelco’s help for those affected by domestic violence is just one of many ways that Bahrain’s national telecommunications company is assisting vulnerable people within Bahrain’s communities. Last year alone, Batelco donated some BD5 million in social, health, education and community projects designed to help those who need it most and make life better for everyone in the Kingdom.

Batelco’s donation plan for 2004 included BD700,000 for the Batelco Child Care Centre, which is currently being built and will provide a refuge, resource centre and gathering place for orphans of all ages; BD600,000 for the new Day Care Centre at Salmaniya Medical Complex, giving the hospital increased day case capacity, improved patient care and undated technology; and BD400,000 for the Batelco National Breast Screening programme, which is in the process of testing more than 52,000 women and helping to save priceless lives.

It is worth to mention that, during the opening of the Center the financial assistance Batelco donated was doubled to BD 20,000 as per the directives of Batelco Chairman in addition to one of Batelco vehicles. “Opening this Batelco Care Centre for Family Violence Cases is another important way in which we are helping people who desperately need support, advice and a way out of the cycle of violence,” explains Hassan.

DED revamps IT infrastructure with CNS

Dubai, June 14th 2005 - In its continuous effort to enhance its internal processes and provide better services to its customers, the Department of Economic Development (DED) implemented an operating system upgrade from Windows 2000 and MS Exchange 2000 to Windows Server 2003 and MS Exchange Server 2003. The entire migration project was carried out by leading UAE based system integrator, Computer Network Systems (CNS) in 24 hours. (Caption: (Left to right) CNS Customer Service Manager Joseph Hanna, along with Al Nahlawi and Lootah.)

“DED is constantly looking for ways to enhance and upgrade our internal processes that ultimately help us provide superior quality services to our customers. Migrating to Windows 2003/ MS Exchange Server 2003 has been one of DED’s IT initiatives to enhance the internal efficiency of our IT functions and raise our user productivity,” said Mr. Sultan Ali Lootah, IT Manager, Dubai Department of Economic Development. “With CNS’ swift and efficient management of the migration over the weekend by their customer support team, smooth work flows were maintained with no disturbance in business continuity.”

The system upgrade to both Windows Server 2003 and MS Exchange Server 2003 offers DED various benefits such as dramatically minimizing its IT administration time, enhanced security features and superior overall network performance. The comprehensive features of Windows Server 2003 and MS Exchange Server 2003 will help DED meet the demands and expectations of a non-stop networking environment. The reduction in IT administration burden will eventually translate to more IT time spent testing and implementing more critical business solutions at DED, thus benefiting its employees and ultimately supporting DED’s customer centricity values.

“Business productivity is strongly dependant on the IT infrastructure of the organization. As IT solutions keep evolving over time to provide higher value in terms of efficiency and cost, it is important to keep up and get the most out of technology,” said Mazen Al Nahlawi, Operations Manager, Customer Service Division. The new platform will allow DED employees to enjoy secure access to network resources with reliable ease and speed, tangibly improving efficiency and enhance employee productivity.\

“CNS congratulates DED on its commitment to implement change that encourages internal growth and development. The CNS Customer Support Team is dedicated to providing on-time, reliable expertise to support IT plans within organizations that lead to greater competence in the market,” concluded Mr. Al Nahlawi.

Silicon Valley IT companies Invited to India

Shri Dayanidhi Maran, Minister of Communications & Information Technology returned from San Francisco (USA) on a five-day tour there to promote and project India as a strategic hub for manufacturing, marketing, R&D and Services. In all the meetings Shri Maran emphasised the need to work closely with US hardware manufacturing companies to develop the Indian Hardware Manufacturing Sector to its full potential and create Hi-Tech Manufacturing jobs in addition to what has been created through Software Development and BPO.

During the discussions with Dr. Craig Barrett, Chairman of Intel regarding their proposal to set up a manufacturing base in India Shri Maran explained the policy initiatives taken by his Ministry to promote investment in the IT hardware manufacturing sector. The Minister assured Intel to take up the issues relating to infrastructure, such as availability of water and transportation with the concerned State Governments on priority basis. The Chairman Intel assured the Minister that they would expedite their assessment procedure and take a final decision regarding site location within a month. The State Governments are being informed separately to look into these issues for an early settlement.

In the meeting with Mr. Hong Liang Lu, Chairman, CEO & President, UTStarcom. UTStarcom, Shri Maran outlined the advantages that would accrue to the company in the event of its starting a manufacturing unit in India. Mr. Hong Liang, expressed their willingness in considering India as a location for starting their manufacturing operations. UTStarcom is a major $3 Billion Telecom Equipment Company specialised in providing solutions for reaching rural areas. It was in this background that a joint working group with CDOT/TEC was to be set up to look into the possibilities of adopting their technologies.

During the meeting with Mr. Mike McNamara, COO, Flextronics, Shri Maran explained in detail the initiatives of the Departments of Telecommunications and IT and the huge requirement of telecom and other associated equipment required to upgrade the existing infrastructure. Flextronics has made significant investments in Offshore Development in India and is the world's largest Hardware manufacturer.

Shri Maran also met Mr. John T. Chambers, President and CEO, Cisco System who agreed to explore the options to increase the presence of Cisco's in India. The Minister invited Mr. Chambers to visit India by which time the framework for the joint collaboration would be worked out with BSNL/CDOT and e-Governance group in the Department of IT. From the Cisco side it was mentioned that the company is planning to make India the largest R&D hub outside US. As a result of these talks Mr. Chamber’s would be visiting India to formalise the initiatives for achieving a quick result.

Dr. Hector Ruiz, CEO & Chairman of the Board of AMD had a detailed meeting with the Minister. During the meeting, AMD’s plans to bring low cost computers in response to the Minister’s initiative were highlighted. The Minister while appreciating their efforts asked them to realign their strategy so as to give a greater impact and reach.

Shri Maran also met Mr. Kenneth L. Schroeder, CEO, KLA-Tencor Corporation, a market leader of process control and yield management solutions for semiconductor and related microelectronics industries.

The Executive Vice President of Solectron, Mr. Craig London, called on the Minister. Solectron was very much aware of the recent initiatives of the Department of Telecommunications to bring manufacturing in the Country and would be coming out with their plans in this direction.

Shri Maran had a meeting with the world's largest semiconductor equipment company (Applied Materials), IBM, India Electronics Manufacturing Corporation and the India Semiconductor Association to setup the state-of-art 90nm / 65nm fab in India. IBM as a partner in this venture would provide the necessary technical support. The Minister assured full support from the Government of India and mentioned about the group constituted in the Ministry to interact with such initiatives including any proposal that may come from their group to take this initiative forward. The consortium agreed to prepare a detailed feasibility report of the project and visit India by the middle of July, for detailed discussion with the Government of India to carry this important initiative forward.

In the one-to-one meetings and interactions with famous Silicon Valley firms (who manage over $15 Billion venture investments annually) as Kleiner Perkins Caufield Byers, Sequoia Ventures, Venrock, MayField, Benchmark, USVP, Charter Ventures, Clearstone Partners, Matrix Partners, Accel Partners, NEA, Menlo Ventures, Vanguard, etc., the Minister made a presentation on India’s strength in the telecom and IT sectors with a view to getting high quality venture capital investments in to the country.

Apart from the above business-ventured meetings Shri Maran had also met top brasses in the USA on informative side. Dr. Vincent G. Cerf, Chairman, Internet Corporation of Assigned Names and numbers (ICANN) and Dr. Paul Twomey, President, ICANN also called on the Minister and apprised him of the latest developments. The Minister mentioned about the initiatives taken by the Ministry to promote efficiency in routing of Internet traffic within the country as a sequel to the launch of .IN domain and other related issues like migration to IPv6.

The Minister visited the Headquarters of Google to see the work of translation of existing content to various other languages. During the visit, the delegation met Sergei Brin, founder of Google, Eric Schmidt CEO of Google. The initiative of the Department of IT through CDAC was highlighted by the Minister to Google team. The Minister extended invitation to the Google team to visit India and take this initiative forward. The Minister briefly mentioned the steps taken by the Ministry since the launch of broadband services by the BSNL. He also outlined the strategy for covering nearly 200 towns in the current year. The CEO, Google promised to visit India in the last quarter of the year and assured his complete support for these projects.

FRENCH PRESIDENT JACQUES CHIRAC COMPLIMENTS HAL IN PARIS AIR SHOW

The President of France Mr. Jacques Chirac visited the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) display area at the Paris Air Show today and expressed great appreciation for the excellent products on display. The President was received by Shri Shekhar Dutt, Secretary Defence Production, Shri Dilip Lahiri, Ambassador of India in France and Shri Ashok K Baweja, Chairman, HAL. Shri Baweja explained the state-of-the-art technological features of Advanced Light Helicopter Dhruv and Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT) developed by HAL. President Chirac, an outstanding engineer himself showed keen interest to the sophisticated aerial platforms developed in India. The President exchanged his views with Shri Dutta and Shri Lahiri on the growth of Indian Aviation Industry and scope of cooperation with French Aviation Industry. The visit of the President of France to HAL display area amidst more than 300 other participants is a rare honour to HAL and a testimony to its excellence in design and development and manufacture of modern aeronautical products.

HAL is participating in the Paris Air Show in a major way. The HAL is displaying its three different products viz. its flagship Dhruv helicopter, the modern IJT and the time tested work horse Cheetah re-engined to Cheetal configuration for superior performance in the world’s biggest air show. It is also displaying Dhruv and IJT in flying display enthralling the large population of aviation fraternity in Paris. The maiden flight of IJT in an international air show was preceded by a colourful and elegant display of Dhruv highlighting its superlative performance. ALH Dhruv participated in Paris Air Show in 2003 also and had drawn great applause from all. Now Dhruv is here in large number to establish its rightful place in the aviation world.