My BC Homes
Home Blog Page 3302

Mumbai flat sells for record Rs 43 crore

MUMBAI: The city’s property market may be in a slump but that has not deterred another staggering realty transaction from taking place. In the second most expensive per-square-foot apartment deal in the country, a sea-facing duplex in Worli has been sold at an astoundingRs 43 crore.

A leading glassware manufacturer, Borosil, last week purchased the duplex spread on the ninth and tenth floors of the tony Samudra Mahalbuilding in a deal that works out to roughly Rs 1.18 lakh per sq ft.

The buy outstrips the earlier record of Rs 1.07 lakh per sq ft in the 28-storey marquee building, which is home to many corporate bigwigs, industrialists and erstwhile royalty. But it is still behind the June 2012 sale of a flat in Tahnee Heights on Napean Sea Road; struck at Rs 1.2 lakh per sq ft, that remains the costliest deal for a private apartment in the country.

In an email response, Borosil vice-chairman Pradeep Kheruka confirmed the Samudra Mahal deal, saying the duplex was purchased by the company for investment and after getting the approval of the board of directors. “The purchase is not by the Kheruka family,” he explained.

The four-bedroom apartment—spread over 3,638 sq ft built-up area and with servant quarters—was owned by Sonya Jethmal. Jethmal is reportedly related to the Mulchandani family, which owned the once famous consumer electronics brand Bush. An NRI settled in the US, Jethmal had been trying to sell the apartment for the last five years.

Industry experts said Borosil “was flush with funds and was looking for investment opportunities after selling its 18-acre factory at Andheri (East) for Rs 830 crore in 2010”. In a statement announcing that sale, Kheruka had said the company will “evaluate and deploy the sale proceeds” after considering strategic business opportunities in a manner that will “result in maximisation of shareholder value”.

Nearly half a century old, Borosil is engaged in producing sheet glass, laboratory glassware and microwavable kitchenware. Its main manufacturing operations are in Bharuch, Gujarat.

Experts said the Samudra Mahal transaction is a one-off and does not reflect general market sentiments. “Apartments in such landmark buildings of south Mumbai will continue to fetch premium rates because of their location and upkeep,” said Lakhi Batra, a property dealer in south Mumbai. Apart from servant quarters, building amenities at Samudra Mahal include a swimming pool, health club, children’s play area, and a garden.

“While the movement of luxury penthouses and duplex apartments in landmark buildings is slower in the current environment, supply too is restricted. There are not many buildings of such quality. So, they continue to fetch higher premium than many new developments,” Batra added.

Rupee’s slide toward record low puts India in tight spot

MUMBAI: Global market tides have swept rupee close to an all-time low, raising current account financing and inflation risks, but for now policy makers are more likely to use small-scale intervention and administrative measures to defend the currency.

The rupee fell 4.8 per cent last month, and was the worst performing Asian currency as the dollar rallied broadly on speculation that the Federal Reserve will begin reducing its monetary stimulus later this year.

Trading at 56.65 per dollar on Tuesday, the rupee is not far from a record low of 57.32 hit on June 22, 2012.

Pak summons Indian deputy high commissioner, lodges protest

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has summoned Indian deputy high commissioner Gopal Baglay to lodge a protest over the road rage incident involving a Pakistani diplomat in New Delhi.

“He was summoned by director general South Asia to lodge a protest. She has asked him to conduct a thorough probe into the incident and to bring the guilty to justice. He was also asked to ensure security of our diplomats working in India,” an official source said.

Back in New Delhi, the Indian government today said police had responded promptly and extended due courtesies to the Pakistani diplomat, who along with his driver was allegedly roughed up after their vehicle hit a motorcycle in South Delhi.

Zirgham Raza, Pakistan’s first secretary (trade) suffered “minor bruises” in a brawl when his car and a motorcycle were involved in a “freak accident” in Ber Serai at around 7.25pm on Monday when he was returning to his Vasant Kunj home.

“Police responded promptly to calls for assistance and escorted the diplomats to safety from the crowd of onlookers who had gathered at the site of incident.

“The police extended the Pakistan high commission officials due courtesies and escorted them to the AIIMS trauma centre and offered medical assistance and examination,” official spokesperson in the MEA said.

The Pakistan high commission has lodged a strong protest with the ministry of external affairs over the issue, its spokesman Manzoor Ali Memon had said on Monday.

Man locked daughter in dark room for 5 years

BANGALORE: An abusive and miserly father set a new low for parenthood, locking his daughter in a dark and dank room without sanitation for five years after probably driving her batty by refusing to finance her chartered accountancy course. The woman, now 35, was rescued on Tuesday after neighbours complained about hearing her cries for food.

Hemavathi Renukappa, who was found in the stinking room lying in her underwear, was taken to Nimhans, where doctors said she had suffered from severe mental trauma. She was first admitted to the ICU and then shifted to the psychiatric ward.

Police said Hemavathi smelled horribly when she was shifted to hospital. “Her hair had become matted as they had not been oiled or combed for years. Her nails had grown more than two inches, showing the extent of ill-treatment she had faced,” a relative said.

Hemavathi’s neighbours alerted the media and sent officials rushing to her small home in Malleswaram, an affluent neighbourhood in old Bangalore. “We heard her crying for food on Monday night. We decided enough was enough and alerted the media,” Shanmugappa M, a neighbour and distant relative, told TOI.

Police said they are waiting for the medical report and questioning the family and neighbours.

Among those who went to the house was Karnataka’s health minister UT Khader. “I am feeling low. You will realize this if you look at me closely. Please help me,” Hemavathi muttered to Khader.

Neighbours said nobody was allowed near the house because Renukappa, the father, would start abusing them. “He abused everyone. He has broken ties with his brothers and other family members,” Bhaskar Reddy, a businessman and distant relative, told TOI. Hemavathi is the eldest child of the family. Her younger brother works in a private company in New Delhi, while the other is a diploma holder.

Hemavathi’s father, a realtor, told police he had no choice but to confine her to home. “She is suffering from neurological problems. We have not locked her up,” he said. However, he refused to talk to reporters who swarmed his two-bedroom home with shabby walls that seemed not have been painted for decades. The poor lighting and ventilation appear to have contributed to Hemavathi’s trauma.

Renukappa allegedly refused to hire a nurse or assistant for Hemavathi citing financial constraints. Her mother, Putta Gowramma, was not allowed to speak up for her daughter and was beaten up by her husband every time she did so.

Neighbours recall Hemavathi as a bubbly girl with ambition. She cleared her school boards with distinction and came out of her BCom exams with flying colours. Her troubles began soon after she enrolled for her chartered accountancy course and started interning with an auditor’s firm.

“Actually, Hema wanted to do an MBA in finance. But Renukappa said it would cost him a lot. That’s why Hema opted for CA,” said M Shivamurthy, her first cousin.

Another relative, Anjaneya Reddy, said the obstinate father did not even allow the family to watch TV. “Have you seen any house in Bangalore that does not have a TV connection? Renukappa’s must be the only one.”

Afghan violence: Suicide attack kills 9 children and 2 US troops

Afghanistan — A suicide bomber targeting U.S. troops outside an Afghan government office killed nine children walking home from school and two of the Americans, the latest sign that this year’s fighting season could be one of the deadliest of the 12-year-old war, according to Associated Press.

An increase in casualties among Afghan civilians and security forces reinforces fears that foreign combat forces will be leaving behind a country in the throes of relentless violence when they withdraw next year.

An Afghan official insisted that despite the escalating carnage, the insurgents have made no advances.

With peace talks apparently dead in the water, the Taliban and other militants have fiercely stepped up attacks in recent weeks, unleashing multiple bombings, sieges of international aid groups’ compounds and armed attacks on police posts nationwide, and testing the ability of Afghan soldiers and police to hold their ground by themselves.

“The level of violence this year is the highest it has been since the war started in 2001,” said Thomas Ruttig of the Afghan Analysts Network, who conducted a detailed study of the first two months of the annual Taliban spring offensive. His analysis of attacks over two months puts the violence on par with 2011, the deadliest year of the war up to now.

Afghan officials say the insurgents have won no new territory or advantage, beyond causing mayhem. But the death toll has soared. In the past two weeks alone, violence has killed 125 Afghan civilians and injured 287, a 24 per cent increase in casualties from the same period last year, the United Nations’ mission said.

Monday’s civilian death toll reached 16 when a family in another eastern province drove their vehicle over a roadside bomb, killing all seven people inside.

The U.N. blamed militant attacks for 84 per cent of the recent civilian casualties, saying that tactics like suicide bombings near schools and planting roadside bombs around the country may amount to war crimes.

The Afghan army and police are fighting the insurgency with little or no help from international forces set to pull out next year after fighting in Afghanistan since the 2001 U.S.-led invasion to topple the Taliban for sheltering al-Qaida’s terrorist leadership after the Sept. 11 attacks.

Apparently to test the Afghan forces mettle, or rattle a nervous populace, the insurgents have chosen to ratchet up attacks rather than join a halting peace talk effort — or simply wait until after most international troops leave by the end of next year.

In the latest attacks, a bomber on a motorcycle detonated his explosives in the eastern province of Paktia, said Gen. Zelmia Oryakhail. The apparent target was a U.S. delegation, but children were the main victims.

A local school had just let pupils, between 10 and 16 years old, out for the day. Nine students were killed, along with an Afghan policeman, he said.

Many of the children’s bodies were burned beyond recognition, he said.

A U.S. military delegation had just attended a security briefing at the district administrative office, said district chief Saleh Mohammad Ahsas, who was in the meeting. He said the bomber appeared to have been waiting for the delegation and struck as the Americans left the compound.

The U.S.-led military coalition in Afghanistan said that two of its service members died in the explosion. A Defence Department official in Washington confirmed they were Americans. He could not be identified because he was not authorized to discuss the nationalities with reporters.

Shivnath Jha Highlights Forgotten Martyrs of India

NEW DELHI: Journalist Shivnath Jha has done what no Indian journalist, historian, or writer has done before.

After years of dedicated work and research which took him to obscure corners of India, Jha has come out with a coffee-table book titled `1857-1947: Forgotten Heroes and MARTYRS of India’s Freedom Movement.’

This book is the pictorial story of 207 forgotten heroes of India’s freedom movement, who were hanged, shot dead or died within the four-wall of jails and their 30 descendant families living in anonymity and abject poverty in the countryside And this book also highlights how soon after independence, an ungrateful nation cruelly forgot the memory and descendants of sung and unsung heroes who perished so that India could be free.
Jha, who worked with major English dailies in the Indian capital, took it upon himself to awaken India to the plight of the descendants of sung and unsung heroes of the Indian freedom struggle.
Newseastwest.com has this question-and-answer interview with Jha:

1: What inspired you to do this book?
A: It was on March 25, 2006, when Bharat Ratna Shehnai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan expressed his life-time desire to perform at the India Gate to serenade the martyrs, while cutting a 91-kg birthday cake and launching a book Monograph on Ustad Bismillah Khan, authored by me and my wife Neena Jha who is a teacher. We did our best, got permission from the Home Ministry of India for July 15, 2006. But his failing health – and fate – did not let the Ustad fulfill his life-time desire of having such a book on the descendants of heroes of India’s freedom struggle. He died on August 21, 2006. At that point, we decided to launch a movement Andolan Ek Pustak Se to locate, identify and provide a dignified life to the descendants of forgotten heroes and martyrs of our freedom movement between 1857-1947. So this book “indirectly” fulfills his desire.

2. How did you plan doing this book?
A: During the past seven years we located almost 30 descendant families living in anonymity and penury in the countryside.We planned, wrote, made a dummy and requested people to support the mission – both publication of the book as well as support the descendants financially. Several people, especially Managing Directors of several companies, supported us in providing dignified life to the descendants of the heroes of our freedom struggle.

3. How did you track the families of these forgotten heroes?
A: It required a lot of leg work and travel to far-flung areas and villages of India. After getting small inputs and being a reporter, I would visit them in their villages to find out the records. We cross-checked with official sources, villagers, panchayats and others. We got some of the historical events from District Gazettes of the respective districts.

4. How many places – and where – did you travel to get to these families?
A: We visited the remotest areas/districts (at least 40) of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and others. (News East West)

Spot-fixing: Shilpa Shetty’s husband Raj Kundra questioned by police

CARDIFF: Rajasthan Royalsowner Raj Kundra and his business partner-friend Umesh Goenka were questioned for several hours on Wednesday in connection with the IPL spot-fixing scandal following the claims made by a cricketer and to know about the ownership pattern of the team.

A senior Delhi Police official refused to clear the air on Kundra, who said he owns 11.7 per cent stake in Rajasthan Royals, whether he is a “suspect or complainant”, stating he was an “important person” needed for questioning.

The questioning of both Kundra and Goenka began around 10 am and continued till late in the evening.

Sources said the name of Goenka, with whom Kundra owns a company dealing in steel business, came during the recording of statement of Rajasthan Royal player Sidharth Trivedi, a prosecution witness in the case.

In his statement recorded before a magistrate, sources said, Trivedi claimed that Goenka approached him and sought details about the cricket pitch in Ahmedabad and details about team formations.

According to police sources, Kundra was called over phone to appear before investigators who wanted to ask about the ownership details of Rajasthan Royals.

Indian student in Cornell University hacks into ICSE, ISC database

A 20-year-old Indian student from Cornell University hacked into the database of ICSE (Class X) and ISC (Class XII) school exam results, exposed glaring anomalies in the marking system and went on to merrily write about his exploits in an online post.

Kolkata-born Debarghya Das, majoring in computer science, says that all he had to do was run a simple program that entered all roll numbers after defining a range to get access to all the results. “It is shocking they haven’t implemented a more secure system,” Das told TOI on phone from New York.

After the result’s data was crunched, analysed and plotted in graphs, Das discovered an interesting incongruity in the marking system: there are 33 different scores unattained between the passing mark of 35 and the maximum of 100 by the nearly 1,50,000 who appeared for the ICSE (Class X) exam. According to Das’ findings, not a single student got the following marks: 36, 37, 39, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49, 51, 53, 55, 56, 57, 59, 61, 63, 65, 67, 68, 70, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, 82, 84, 85, 87, 89, 91, 93. Similarly, in the case of ISC (Class XII exam) a set of 24 marks between 40 and 100 were found to be unattained.

Man United can win more even without Ferguson: Van Persie

Manchester United striker Robin van Persiebelieves his club are capable of achieving more success even without Alex Ferguson as manager.

“I have a feeling we can do much more and that we can win many more trophies. I’ve had a year to work with everyone and now the whole (coaching) staff is changing which makes it a new challenge,” Van Persie told the Dutch football union website (www.onsoranje.nl) on Wednesday.

“I’ve got to know the players through and through and I’ve a feeling they have a lot more (success) in them. A whole lot more,” he added.

“The season began as a nice challenge but you never know how these things will turn out. But now I have a sense of pride, it was a great season. A pressured year.”

Van Persie, who helped United win the Premier League title last season after joining from Arsenal, said he would have liked to have worked longer under Ferguson who retired last month after 26 years at United and was replaced by David Moyes.

“I’d have preferred it if he’d stayed a few more years but I understand his decision. I’m even prouder that I could work under him for a year. I could see he was a legendary man.”

Van Persie said title success had brought great satisfaction and happiness but he was more pleased with the way it was achieved.

Matt Kuchar wins Memorial title by two shots

DUBLIN: Ice-cool Matt Kuchar held off a late challenge from fellow American Kevin Chappellto clinch the Memorial Tournament by two shots on Sunday and become the PGA Tour’s second multiple winner this year.

Leading by two going into the final round at Muirfield Village Golf Club, the 34-year-old Kuchar was never caught as he fired a four-under-par 68 in the high-profile event hosted byJack Nicklaus.

Kuchar birdied all four of the par-fives on the heavily tree-lined layout to remain in control and rubber-stamped his win by sinking a 20-foot birdie putt at the par-four last for a 12-under total of 276.

Chappell, seeking his first PGA Tour victory, birdied four of the last six holes for a bogey-free 68 and outright second place while five-times champion Tiger Woods ended a forgettable week with a 72, finishing a distant 20 strokes off the pace.

American Kyle Stanley, who briefly cut Kuchar’s lead to one with a sizzling run of four birdies in five holes on the front nine, faded to a 71 for third place at seven under.

Kuchar, however, reigned supreme on perhaps the easiest day for scoring in easing winds after a challenging week at Muirfield Village where strong gusts and lightning-fast greens had posed all sorts of problems for the players.

E-Papers PDF Business Solutions Premium Appliances Zindagi Forever Church BC Home Search