"The only people without problems are those in cemeteries. It is not what happens to us that separates failures from success. It is how we perceive it and what we do about what 'happens' that makes the difference.".............Anthony Robbins.

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Major presence of NRIs are as follows - Saudi Arabia 17.9 lacs, UAE 14.9 lacs, USA 9.3 lacs, UK 7.0 lacs, Kuwait 5.8 lacs, Oman 5.5 lacs. Besides NRIs are also spread out in countries in different continents.

26-year-old Arun Kumar Narote from Hyderabad was killed in a grocery store in US. Studying at Stratford University at Connecticut, Narote hailed from middle-class family at Karwan, near Hyderabad. He did his B tech from India, Reddy Memorial College and was pursuing his masters in software engineering in US where he went in 2008

President Obama announced his intention to nominate Indo-American engineer Shubra Suresh as director of the $7billion National Science Foundation a Governmental agency that supports nearly a fifth of all key research and education in the US.

Indian-American Neal Kumar Katyal is all set to take over as the acting US solicitor general.

Shaileshkumar Jain and 2 others deceived web users into believing their computers were infected with 'Malware' to induce them to purchase software products

Indian migrants will be one of the largest communities in this country in the next fifteen years when Australia-born families will become a minority group, a media report said citing statistics from a consulting firm.

The owner of one of the best known Indian food brands in Britain and an Indian-origin chartered accountant who went on to hold high officers in the West Midlands, have been awarded honourary doctorates by the Birmingham City University. Tony Deep Wouhra, chairman of the Indian food major East End Foods and Paul Sabhapati, the first non-white lord lieutenant for the county of the West Midlands, have been honoured for their contribution to business and enterprise.

An Indian-origin woman faces life sentence after being found guilty of poisoning her former lover to death out of jealousy using an ancient Indian herb, in the first such case in UK in 128 years.

Lakhvir Singh, a 40-year-old mother of 3, was convicted of killing her ex-lover Lakhvinder Cheema , 39 and leaving his fiancée seriously ill after lacing their curry with Aconie – a poison mentioned in ancient Indian text.

Devin Banerjee, an Indian American student at Stanford University, has been awarded the 2010 Daniel Pearl Memorial Journalism Internship, which will have him working in a Wall Street Journal Foreign Bureau this summer. Banarjee, editor-in-chief of Stanford Daily, he is studying Management Science and Engineering. The internship was established to commemorate the work and ideals of Pearl, a WSJ Foreign Correspondant was kidnapped and murdered while working on a story in Pakistan in 2002 he was 38.

Look poor to avoid attack: Victorian police cheif Simon Overland has advice Indian student in Australia to keep a low profile and 'try to look as poor as you can' to avoid attacks drawing strong condemnation from the community. Indian Student Association ridiculed his statements.

Labour MLA John Hyde said: Foreign students are exploited by their employers as many of them are unaware of their rights or too afraid to complain.

Even as Australian authorities promised to curb attacks on international communities, several Indian students are leaving the country to return home, even if it means each of them will incur a loss of Rs 12 to Rs 20 lakhs.

Days after Britain suspended issuing student visas in North India, Home Secretary Alen Johnson has announced new measures intended to cut the number of student visa issued abroad and prevent abuse of the immigration system

Saudi Arabia has made it mandatory for Indians to get Police clearance before they are granted an employment visa.

The US is introducing a new, hi-tech, online system for non-immigrant visas from Feb 1, making the process of applying for a US visa less tedious.

Saudi Arabia has decided to issue permanent resident visas to families of workers based only on financial status and not on profession. This will benefit a lot of Indians who are not in 'white-collar jobs'.

An Indian-origin scientist who did pioneering research on workplace and spinal injury has been bestowed 'Officer of Order of Canada', The country's top civilian honour. Shrawan Kumar, born in Allahbad is among 57 people to be made to the Order by Governor General, Michelle Jean.

On July 4th, 2005, when NASA's Deep Impact Spacecraft successfully smashed into Comet Tempel-1 at a speed of 36,800 kmph, covering a distance of 431 million km in 172 days, hardly anyone was aware that this precise and nail-biting landing was executed by a Mumbai born man. Shyam Bhaskaran, a part of NASA's outer Planets Navigation Group at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. He is also leading a team which is navigating spacecraft to Comet Hartley-2.

Anurita, an Indian who works in the UK, has come to Ahmedabad with the frozen semen of her husband for IVP treatment. her eggs would be fertilized and embryo transferred in her womb.

To save NRI brides
The National Women's Commission has asked the government to sign a foreign accord on laws of marriage to protect NRI brides.

It is not the UK's billionaire club alone, which is led by NRI families like Mittals and Hindujas, even the younger rich brigade, all below 40 years of age, in Britain has plenty of Indian origin people. In the Daily Telegraph's annual list of Britain's 40 richest young entrepreneurs, at least 8 have their origin in India with a combined wealth of about $1 billion. While 2 of those with Indian origin have made their debut this year, three others have seen their net worth increasing in the past one year. Richest among those with Indian origin, Baljinder Kaur Boparan has been ranked 9th in the overall list with a worth of Pounds 130 million, up from Pounds 115 million a year ago.

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How does it feel to be an Indian woman doing well abroad?
Well, it does not matter for a person being in a place whether it is abroad or anywhere inside our country, if you have a comfortable lifestyle.
I personally do not find much difference in being abroad. I had spent my childhood in Delhi, Kannur and some time in Ooty. Abu Dhabi is just another place, migrated after marriage. Of course, lifestyle is luxurious than what we had earlier. In addition, the experience of communicating and understanding a multicultural society is a different feeling. Getting to know more culture and heritage is a learning experience. Though not much changed from our own culture, I cannot deny a slight impact of different cultures, especially on children.

Why Gulf?
Had no other choice. My husband, Santosh was working in Abu Dhabi when we got married and he is still working with the same organization since then as the head of accounts.

How was life in India then?

Life in India was equally good.

After living abroad for many years how to you see India now?
What to say... India is India always. The essence of our homeland, we will not enjoy it anywhere else in the world.
Developments are continual and India will never look backwards.
The only matter that worries when you go back to India living abroad for so long is that you cannot enjoy the friends circle which we had then and still remaining green in our minds. Same is the situation with relatives. All are settled, scattered in different parts of the nation and abroad.
Well, the wide range of 'www' keeps us connected all the time.

Are you satisfied with your job career wise?

Obviously. Otherwise, I would not stick to the same place for a longer period of time. Amazingly I am working with the present organization for the last 7 years!

Being a career woman, are you a good wife and a mother?
Cannot say 100%. To a major extent I would say YES. I feel I am doing justice to my positions as a - career woman - wife - mother.
I have a strong feeling that my husband and my children are very much proud of me as a career woman. Career in my life has given positive impact than its negative side.

Could you throw some light on your childhood, education and family background?
My childhood – I was born in Delhi and later due to the untimely demise of our father, we had to return to Kannur, Kerala. For a short period of time, we were in Wellington, Ooty when my mother was working with the Defense Services.
Schooling was Kannur district of Kerala. Completed B Sc degree in Physics from S. N. College Kannur and did M.A in English Literature from Mahatma College (Pvt), Tellicherry.
We are planning to settle back in Kannur district of Kerala. At present, our mom, a synonym to sacrifice is living at our parental house. The courage and challenges she has gone through in upbringing three of us as a single parent, managing her career and home chores is a great inspiration for us to take life in a positive spirit. I have one brother and one sister. My brother Sameer who is a hardware Engineer, is living with his family (wife and two kids) in Dubai. My sister Sapna is a medical doctor, settled in Yellapur Karnataka, with her husband and two naughty boys.
Santosh and I are blessed with two cute children. Our son, Aditya is doing his 12th grade in Kannur with my mom and daughter, Aditi is an 8th grader in Abu Dhabi Indian School.

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The Ambani brothers, steel tycoon L N Mittal and Wipro's Azim Premji are among the ten wealthiest CEOs in the world, according to Forbes. While Mittal ($32 billion) is ranked No 2, Mukesh ($20.1 bn) is at No 6 and Anil ($18.2 bn) No 7. Premji ($17.1 bn) follows at the ninth spot.

Twenty nine Indian based companies have been listed among the best IT service providers in a new survey carried out with a view to assist business heads of major outsourcers identify reliable, innovative and tech savvy partners. The toppers from each of the ten categories that were identified included four companies each from India and the US and one company each from China and Mexico, said the survey by CyberMedia and Global Services magazine. They included India's TCS, HCL, Technologies, Genpact, WNS Global Services, America's EDS, Sitel, EPAM Systems and Computer Sciences Corporation.

After making India the second largest investor in UK, Indian companies and entities are turning their focus to the US.

Indian BPO major first source said it has plans to create more than 800 jobs in northern Ireland.

India is expected to witness an unprecedented growth in aircraft fleet size, with the figure likely to touch 1,500 in the years ahead.

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Indian-origin researcher unveils biodegradable scaffold to fix damaged knees

A research team at Hospital for Special Surgery, including an Indian-origin scientist, have developed a biodegradable scaffold that can be used to treat patients with damaged knee cartilage.

Dr Asheesh Bedi, a fellow in sports medicine and shoulder surgery at Hospital for Special Surgery, has revealed that his team's invention is a Trufit plug that has mechanical properties similar to cartilage and bone.

"The data has been encouraging to support further evaluation of this synthetic scaffold as a cartilage repair technique," he said.

Damage to so-called articular cartilage can occur in various ways, ranging from direct trauma in a motor vehicle accident to a noncontact, pivoting event on the soccer field.

The Trufit plug has two layers. The top layer has properties similar to cartilage and the lower layer has properties similar to bone.

The bilayered structure has mechanical properties that approximately match the adjacent cartilage and bone.

During the study, surgeons inserted the plug in the knees of 26 patients with donor lesions from OATS procedures and followed up with imaging studies (with MRI and T2-mapping) at various intervals for a period of 39 months.

"Quantitative MRI, when combined with morphologic assessment, allows us to understand the natural history of these repair techniques and define those patients who are most likely to benefit from the surgery," said Hollis Potter, M.D., chief of the Division of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, director of Research in the Department of Radiology and Imaging at Hospital for Special Surgery and lead author of the study.

"We gain knowledge about the biology of integration with the host tissue, as well as the repair tissue biochemistry, all by a noninvasive imaging technique," he added.

"What we found was that the plug demonstrated a predictable process of maturation on imaging studies that paralleled the biology of their incorporation," Bedi said.

The findings were presented at annual meeting of the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine.

A Nagpur-based professor claims to have given two solutions to Fermat's last theorem (FLT), the nearly 400-year old problem that has puzzled mathematicians the world over. Pierre de Fermat was a 17 century French judge and mathematician.

Prof V K Gurtu, former head o the mathematics department at the Laxminarayan Institute of Technology offered two solutions to the FLT -- one based on the techniques prevalent during Fermat's time and another using modern methods.

The 68 year old professor has presented the findings in a book titled 'FLT and some other outstanding number theory problems with their arithmetical solutions' . The book has 14 chapters, each dealing with the difficult mathematical problems. The book also carries two draft resolutions which Gurtu proposes to move at the International Congress of mathematics to be held in Hyderabad in 2010.

A German hotel owner who charges guests according to their weight defended himself against accusations that he was discriminating against fat people. Juergen Heckrodt said the 50 cents ($0.64 cent) per kg rate he charges is competitive for local three-star hotels and added there is a 74-euro ($94) limit for a double room for those who refuse to get on the scale. “It’s not discrimination at all,” Heckrodt said. “No one has refused to climb the scale. Nevertheless, no one has yet to say ‘no, forget that’.” He said that some guests strip down to try to save money.

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This was rated the funniest of 40,000 gags from 70 countries. The winner, Gurpal

Gossal, proved one thing: Indians do have a funny bone even if they don’t let it show.

Two hunters are out in the woods when one of them collapses. He doesn’t seem to be breathing and his eyes are glazed. The other guy whips out his cellphone and calls the emergency services. He gasps: “My friend is dead! What can I do? The operator says:

Business

Godrej Group

Godrej is a very good example of brand communication. Ask any Indian,

or she will know you about a Godrej product. Everyday, every Indian

encounters the ‘Godrej’ name somewhere or the other be it in a city,

a small town or a distant village in any part of India. A person begins

the day bathing with Godrej soap, shaving with a Godrej shaving cream,

storing clothes in a Godrej Storewell cupboard, cooking food in a Godrej

cooking oil and preserving it in a Godrej refrigerator. Money and valuables

are kept in Godrej safe with utmost security, office or personal work is

done on a Godrej computer or typewriter while comfortably sitting on a

Godrej chair and happily sipping a Godrej fruit drink. Yet very few know

about the indomitable spirit of the man responsible for making Godrej a

household name --- Ardeshir Godrej, a pioneer who produced quality

products and a brand that is known for quality and honesty. And the

major plus point has been that they have been able to keep pace with

the times, demand and latest technology.

Ardeshir Godrej --- a young man gave up law and took up lock-making in

a surburb of Bombay. He was the first Indian manufacturer to displace the

well-entrenched foreign brands from the market. The word Godrej etched

into the metal of his locks, became a symbol of self reliance for the generations

that followed. And the brand ‘Godrej’ was created. With each new product,

Ardeshir changed perceptions about the industry in India. He produced the

finest security equipment, and then stunned the world by creating soap from

vegetable oils. What started, as a dream had become a movement? But his

good and innovative ideas were left to another man to carry it forward,

Ardeshir’s brother, Phirojsha Godrej. He laid the foundation for a throbbing

enterprise at a sprawling industrial garden township at Vikhroli, a distant

surburb of Bombay then.

Innovation has been the key. It is this spirit that has built Godrej and carried

it for a hundred years. Taking it into diverse industries and products ranging

from cupboards to soaps, hair dyes to edible oils, and packaged foods to

efrigerators. In recent years several partnerships have been formed with

international giants like General Electric, Pilsbury, Fiskars and Sara Lee,

bringing Godrej membership in the global village that will carry it forward

into the twenty first century.

It was here that the Godrej vision took concrete shape and blossomed into a

modern manufacturing unit. In later years, its extent and scope was expanded

greatly by his sons – Burjorji, Naoroji and Sohrabji. To this day the brand ‘Godrej’

spells quality and honesty, and the products compete with the best in the world,

be it consumer durables, cupboards, furniture, refrigerator, computers, safe and

security systems, soaps, shampoos and a wide range of other products, Godrej

touches the lives of millions of Indians everyday. It has become symbol of enduring

ideals in the changing world. Every product, every new concept gives shape to their

visions of tomorrow and a better India.

Besides as always, Godrej has been a crusader for a better world with programs

that benefit endangered forests, wild life and mangroves. Every year the Pirojsha

Godrej Foundation dedicates funds towards promoting education, housing, social

upliftment, conservation, population management and relief of natural calamities.

NRI - TALK

Godrej Group