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The Hindu : PRINCE FREDERICK

Venkataraman’s 1973 Jawa Type 353 has been spruced up to keep pace with the Yezdi Roadking

A 1973 model, Venkataraman’s Jawa Type 353 signifies the changes the motorcycle underwent at the Ideal factory. When the Mysore-based factory first made the Type 353 under licence, the bike’s ignition switch was on the petrol tank. After a few years, the switch was shifted to the rear end of the headlight case.

In its twilight years, the Type 353 sported knee pads that were recessed into the petrol tank.

The knee pads are a feature of Yezdi, launched a year after Venkataraman’s Type 353. Other features that this Jawa shares with the Yezdi, to a greater or smaller degree, is the exhaust assembly design. Despite being its immediate predecessor, this 1973 Jawa did not receive the same gearbox as the Yezdi. Jawas are notorious for slips on the third gear — ninety per cent of them have this problem. It is probably caused by the over-abundance of grooves on the gear sprocket — a feature meant to increase lubrication. With lesser number of grooves, Yezdis don’t pose the same problem.

In his own way, Venkataraman has helped this Jawa catch up with the Yezdi Roadking (1978-96), arguably the best Yezdi model. His Jawa puts puts out 16 bhp, just like the Roadking.

The engine has a higher compression ratio, thanks to some nifty work from mechanic Senthil. So, whenever Venkataraman sets out on a Jawa and Yezdi rally, he’s at the head of the pack, along with men on Roadkings.

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The Hindu :

Audio movies are on your mobile

Much before we got hooked to the television, we tuned into radio for our daily dose of news, sports and entertainment. Taking a cue from the past, cellular service providers want you to listen to audio movies on your cell phone.

The first movies to be out are “Sholay”, “Fashion”, “Gang Leader” (Telugu), “Thalapathi” (Tamil) and “Prem Lokha” (Kannada), in abridged versions (of 60 to 90 minutes).

“The mobile phone industry thrives on revenue from music in the form of caller tunes and songs. The next step would be to tap the potential for entertainment in the form of audio movies on phones,” says T.N. Prabhu, CEO, new media, UTV Motion Pictures.

What you get on your mobile in streaming format (much like accessing songs and videos on You Tube and Real Player where you tune in but not download the clippings) is the condensed version of a movie.

In fact, a cellular service provider earlier experimented with streaming of full-length movies. The concept failed to take off simply because it’s tedious to spend 120 to 180 minutes listening to the entire movie on the phone. “Abridged version is like the T20 cricket format, where the story is told within 60 to 90 minutes,” says Prabhu.

Audio movies can now be accessed by dialling 505999555 from a landline or a mobile phone. Following the instructions, select the language and the film. While listening to the film, you can fast forward and rewind as well.

There are a few technical glitches at the moment, which the cellular service providers hope to fine tune in two to three weeks. Today, if you are interrupted by an incoming call while listening to a movie, you cannot pause and resume the audio. You’ll need to start all over again and fast forward till you reach the point where you stopped earlier. Expect new audio movies every…More

The Hindu :

Professor N.S. Ramaswamy, who has left all his wealth to his village, is the founder-director of IIM, Bangalore. Apart from management, several social issues are close to his heart

Photo: Vipin ChandranManagement guru Prof. N.S. Ramaswamy has prepared many projects for the improvement of the country

There are so many distinct sides to Professor N. S. Ramaswamy. The thoughtful, brilliant thinker, the Bhishmacharya of the Management movement in the country, a strong campaigner for animal welfare, teacher, consultant, adviser to various NGOs, governmental, educational institutions, an earnest, selfless, concerned citizen, a man with rock-like values, on one side. On the other there is the simple, jocular, kind man, with a sharp sense of humour and a positive attitude to life.

Talk to him, and you understand that each of the versions he represents is authentic and irrepressible, one never too far removed from the other. The Padma Bhushan awardee, has so many portfolios attached to his name that he has a four-page printed bio-data given as a hand out. That’s his visiting card to his pioneering contributions in various walks of life.Modernisation

Ramaswamy, the founder-director of IIM, Bangalore, was the first to take management science to sectors other than business such as transport, power, rural development etc. An affirmed vegetarian, he prepared reports on modernisation of the meat sector, which would eliminate pollution, wastage and animal suffering, increasing productivity and production of hygienic meat. The first president of the Computer Society of India, he campaigned fiercely for improving agricultural implements and bullock carts.

As Chairman of the Animal Welfare Board of India, he brought economics, technology and management into the movement. He felt that mere sentiment and worship did not help animals.

Even at 84, his energy levels are high, his memory crystal clear. He can reel off names and figures, crack jokes in between, but always gets back to the point of discussion. What…More

The Hindu : y>Dance has taken the country by storm, thanks to reality shows. HARSHIKAA UDASI on dance shops, new forms and Bollywood’s happening moves

Steps to fameDance reality shows have catapulted choreographers to stardom

In 2004, Aanchal Gupta was just another girl with an idea and a lot of space. She started her dance studio called Arts in Motion in central Mumbai. But she found no takers for her sessions on Salsa, Bollywood dance and Bharatanatyam. “I remember making cold calls to just about everyone I knew in the locality and the answer would always be a ‘no’,” recalls Aanchal. Five years later, Aanchal has 300 to 400 students signed up for her classes where she teaches about 18 different styles of dancing including Krumping, B-boying, Flamenco, Belly dancing, Jazz, Hip-Hop and Argentine Tango. “Now people come to me and ask for newer forms of dance; and I am talking regular non-dancers here,” she says, having recently opened up another 1000 sq. ft. dance floor.

It would be an understatement to say that dance has taken India by storm. ‘Dance shops’ or small studios teaching dance forms have sprung up in the lanes of not just metro cities but also smaller towns. All thanks to the dance reality shows on television. Led by a few excellent choreographers on the small screen, the dance movement has fired the imagination of millions of TV viewers across the country. So much so that even Bollywood is sitting up and taking notice.

Choreographer Savio Barnes who was Hard Kaur’s dance partner in the recently-concluded “Jhalak Dikhla Jaa” (JDJ) was chosen to choreograph the ethereal ‘Pyaar Ki Yeh Kahaani Suno…’ from “Honeymoon Travels Pvt Ltd” picturised on Abhay Deol and Minissha Lamba only after Farhan Akhtar spotted him on “Nach Baliye (NB) Season One”. Choreographer Terence Lewis who played mentor as well as judge in Zee TV’s “Dance India Dance” (DID) was…More

The Hindu :

Motoring Better features and more pizzazz for almost the same price make the new Pulsar 180 DTS-i an interesting alternative to smaller 150cc bikes

The Pulsar 180 has always been the sportier sibling compared to the smaller 150. Since its launch in 2001, it’s been giving bikers access to a sporty yet frugal motorcycle at an affordable price. Over the years, Bajaj Auto has tweaked its Pulsars, and upped their earlier models. The new 180 DTS-I has managed to lift a few eyebrows, but has it managed to do this for all the right reasons? It seems like just yesterday when we rated the Pulsars as India’s best-looking bike family. However, they are beginning to look jaded. The refreshed 180 borrows cues from the Pulsar 200, and is now shod with reassuringly fatter front forks from that sibling. What remains unchanged is the black dress code for the lower cycle parts, as are the sleek alloy rims.

A large digital speedometer takes a commanding position on the new 180’s fascia, and is surrounded by trendy Pulsar trademark digital instruments such as a bold analog and a white-set tachometer that is easy to decipher. The instrument console includes an engine redline beacon as also twin-trip gauges that can be independently zeroed via a button.

New features on the bike are sporty clip-on handlebars, with a superb set of switches -true to the Pulsar family. These contact-free operation switches have self-cancelling indicators that ensure you won’t forget to leave them on after completing a turn. The 180 DTS-i still comes with smart, broad and functional rear view mirrors but they use ill-fitting rubber boots. Another quirk on the new Pulsar is the upside-down engine-kill switch. The new 180 DTS-i, however, gets thumbs-up for its powerful twin horns that are useful on chaotic roads.

The latest Bajaj gets new mini-tank extensions, as well as upmarket-looking raised…More

The Hindu : y>Idiocy and infidelity forms the essence of Evam’s play, An Idiot for Dinner

Hilarious play Adapted from a film

Evam in association with The Boardwalkers will present “An idiot for dinner” adapted from the French movie “Le Diner De Cons”. The play is directed by Michael Muthu.

This is the first time, Evam is adapting something from the big screen and bringing it to the stage. The French movie was also made into a Hindi film “Bheja Fry”.

As the name suggests, this will be yet another laugh riot from the Evam stable.

The play begins with Sanjay who, with the help of an “idiot scout” manages to find the perfect idiot to take to a dinner where the evening’s “guests” are poked fun of.

An enterprising protagonist, R. Golden Gopu, gets invited to one of those dinners. Gopu loves to build replicas with matchsticks, which seems to be the only thing he can ever do without causing pandemonium.

As the chaotic evening unfolds, Sanjay’s wife gets into a car accident, his mistress threatens to commit suicide and as a coup de grace Gopu finds out the actual reason behind the dinner.

The play will premiere at Ranga Shankara on June 12, 13 and 14 and then travel to Chennai and Hyderabad. Tickets available atwww.indianstage.in, Landmark (Forum), Blossoms Book House (Church Street) and Ranga Shankara (J.P. Nagar). Log on towww.evam.in or call 09840222363/09840612333.

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The Hindu : y>

Fantastic fabrics There are over a 1,000 dupattas

Dastkar Andhra Marketing Association (DAMA) is organising its annual exhibition in Bangalore. They bring a vibrant collection of saris, dress material and dupattas, in a variety of textures and bright colours from across Andhra Pradesh.

You can find dress material in plain, stripe and check with matching dupattas. Bordered yardage in zari and thread with co-ordinated dupattas, apart from the natural-dyed range, exclusive Khadi varieties in vegetable dyes, dupattas woven with mugha thread and cotton thread, and Kalamkari prints on kora and coloured fabrics and dupattas. There are over a 1,000 dupattas for mix and match, ready-to-stitch dress material sets, saris — Kalamkari and natural dyed Khadi sarees. There is also a small range of furnishing fabrics available at the exhibition.

The venue is The Lady Kothari Jehangir Memorial Hall, 3, Queens Road, between June 11 and 15, 10.30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

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