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The Hindu :

Management SPT Sports hopes to provide what’s been long missing in Indian sports — better infrastructure and management solutions

PHOTO: Murali Kumar K.Pro approach Professionalism is the key to the development of sports, believes Saran

There are many reasons why a nation of more than a billion people is not able to produce more world class champions and win medals at major international competitions such as the Olympics. One of the major factors is the lack of professional management. Barring sports like cricket or tennis, other disciplines lack a highly quality, visionary management system that can propel the sport forward.

Qualified and professional management gurus are the need of the hour. It is indeed refreshing to notice that some private entrepreneurs are making an effort to improve sports management. One such man is Amit Saran, founder and CEO of SPT Sports, a sports management firm.

The firm was launched in 1992, conducting summer camps and athletic meets. Over the years, it has emerged as a professional outfit which provides management solutions in sports, sports infrastructure development, manages academies, and provides scholarships to talented youngsters.

Saran, an MBA from Allahabad University has always been very passionate about sports. He decided to make a foray into sports management after he read an article about an Asian Games gold medallist wrestler, forced to sell peanuts for a living. It took Saran a few years to set up the business. “Professionalism is the key to development of sports. Unless an organisation is professionally run, it is difficult to expect results,” quips Saran. He feels that the recent mud slinging over the Commonwealth Games could have been avoided, if there was more clarity and vision on the issue.

What also bothers Saran is the lack of proper infrastructure development. “Many private efforts have gone in building infrastructure, but without any professional inputs. I have schools with misshapen athletic tracks, swimming…More

The Hindu : y>I AM, an anthology of four films dealing with sensitive issues, came about thanks to Facebook, learns Prema Manmadhan

United causeOnir directing Juhi Chawla in I am Megha.

Onir of “My Friend Nikhil” fame, has just left for the US on an invitation to screen his latest film “I AM” at several universities. And to think that the film has not even been completed!

Well, it’s like this: “I AM” is an anthology of four films. Three have been completed and the fourth is to be shot shortly. This new trend that has caught on is changing the way people view cinema. Adoor tried it twice, now Ranjit has just released his “Kerala Café” and Onir, with Sanjay Suri, has produced this movie, under the banner of Anticlock Films. People from 23 countries have cooperated to make this film possible, all through Facebook, reveals Onir. He took on this effort after “Bas Ek Pal” and “Sorry Bhai”.

Rahul Bose and Arjun Mathur in I am Omar;

Onir is thrilled about his trip to New York. “It’s a sneak preview of the finished parts that will be shown there and it will be followed by discussions with the audiences about the issues dealt with,” he says in a telephonic interview.

The burning issues in these films are highly topical and based on real life stories, but subjects that few would deal honestly with: “I am Abhimanyu” deals with child abuse. “I am Omar” speaks of the way the police gang up with male sex workers to abuse gays. “I am Megha” is about the plight of Kashmiri Pundits. These three films have been shot in Bangalore, Mumbai and Kashmir. “Afia”, yet to be filmed, deals with corruption among NGO outfits. “It will be shot later this year at Kolkata and the film will be released next year,” Onir says.

Facebook is of course the real big…More

The Hindu : y>

Ranga Shankara will host The Review Contest for college students during the Ranga Shankara Theatre Festival ’09, which starts on November 5 and goes on till November 15. The festival will feature eight production houses from across the country that will put up acts in English, Kannada, Hindi and Tulu.

Students have to watch all the plays in the festival. November 22 is the last date for them to submit their reviews. A hundred tickets are earmarked for students for the noon shows, priced at Rs. 50 only.

Students can buy these tickets against their photo ID. Entry into the auditorium for the show is also against their photo ID. The reviews have to be sent by post to Ranga Shankara or brought in personally, along with a letter from the Principal/Director of their colleges. Winners will be announced separately and can win cash prizes.

For details contact Ranga Shankara, J.P. Nagar, 2nd Phase, on 26668204.

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The Hindu :

Shreekumar Varma’s The Magic Store of Nu-Cham-Vu is an adventure set against the backdrop of magic

Exploring fantasy The author says the fan base for this genre is huge

Shreekumar Varma is a maverick of sorts — a writer, teacher and columnist. His novels, “Lament of Mohini” and “Maria’s Room”, were long listed for the Crossword prize and the inaugural Man Asian Literary prize respectively. His latest book for children, “The Magic Store of Nu-Cham-Vu,” is an adventure set against a magical backdrop.

“I wrote this as a short story in England. However, my publishers liked it a lot and asked me to write a longer story. Thus the book was born.”

The author says “The Magic Store of Nu-Cham-Vu” is the story of this obnoxious creature Nu-Cham-Vu, who runs a toy store in a small village. It’s a magic store andoffers a wide range of goodies and magical items. Nu-Cham-Vu is rude to everyone — the children who visit the store and their parents.

“The villagers decide to throw him out of the village, much to the shock and dismay of the children who love the store.

“The children set out on an adventure to ensure that the creature and the toy store remain in the village. That is the primary focus of this story.”

On whether an anti-hero would be acceptable to a primary audience of children, Varma answers, “The character is a monster, but is important to the tale because of the magical store that he manages. Children would be able to associate with the character and the tale very well. I have also used illustrations to make it more children-friendly.”

He adds, “Very few Indian authors have explored the realm of writing novels based on fantasy. The popularity of the Harry Potter series is proof of the huge reader base the genre has.

“I hopechildren who enjoyed the Harry Potter serieslike this book too andtake…More

The Hindu :

Ambati Rayudu is back in Hyderabad’s Ranji side, after the fallout of the Indian Cricket League

Photo: Nagara GopalBack in action Ambati Rayudu

For close to two years now, from 2007, Ambati Rayudu could not even dare to come anywhere near the premises of the Gymkhana Grounds. Why? There was an unwritten ban on all those like Rayudu who joined the rebel Indian Cricket League. Only last December, Rayudu was staring down the tunnel of despair as the ICL too was in the winding-up mood. “I lost all hope of playing cricket again only a few months ago. But nothing was in my hands. I was just waiting for things to happen and fortunately, they all did for my good,” recalls the 23-year-old Rayudu on the eve of his first Ranji match against Himachal Pradesh, after missing two seasons. “There is no better feeling than to be out there with my State players even though ICL was itself a huge learning experience,” he insists. Not even the fact that he signed up with the Mumbai Indians for the Indian Premier League excites him more than the fact that he will be playing for Hyderabad in Ranji again. “IPL is only a 45-day show. Ranji tops my priorities. I only look to score as many big hundreds as possible,” Rayudu says. “Right now I am not thinking too far ahead, like playing for India. I decided to take it match by match and not talk big,” he pointed out. What is the change his fans can expect from him? “There is no question of throwing away my wicket. I realise how important it is to be patient. And playing golf is really helping me,” Rayudu reveals.

He also asserts that what appealed to him in the current Ranji squad is the high degree of professionalism in training and attitude. “We are all inspired by…More

The Hindu : y>It is important to make whole grain cereal part of your daily breakfast, but it is also important to ensure you don’t eat a bowlful of empty calories

Here’s an eye-opening fact about breakfast: People who skip it are four-and-half times as likely to be obese as those who always eat it. Here’s another: A recent Harvard health study found that those who consumed whole grain cereal seven or more times per week had the lowest incidence of heart failure. Still not excited? Yet another study from the University of Minnesota reported that the risk of all coronary events was reduced by 10 per cent for each 10 gm of grain fibre consumed per day. And because cereal is one of the best sources of these lifesaving whole grains, that means a single daily serving has the potential to slash your risk of heart disease, the number one killer of women. A higher whole grain intake is also linked to lower rates of breast cancer, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and stroke. And then there’s this: Cereal is fast and convenient and comes in a gazillion varieties. But that’s also its potential downfall. If you don’t know what to look for, you could end up with a bowl full of empty calories instead of a nutritional powerhouse. To make sure you’re getting the most bang for your cereal buck, follow these tips:

Be a fibre fiend. Look for the words high fibre on the box; that ensures at least 5 gm per serving. But don’t stop there. Check the label; in some brands, the benefits of fibre are overshadowed by the addition of refined grains, added sugar, or cholesterol-raising fats.

Go “whole” hog. Where that fibre comes from matters, too, so check the ingredient list to find out exactly what those flakes or squares are made from. Millet, amaranth and oats are always whole…More