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TOI : PUNE: A soldier on duty at the Headquarters Southern Command Officer’s Mess in the Pune cantonment allegedly committed suicide by shooting himself with his service rifle on Sunday afternoon.

Speaking to TOI, assistant commissioner of police Ashok Gaikwad of the Pune Cantonment police said the soldier, Sanjeev Kumar (24) of Ranchi, was working in the Pioneer unit of the mess. “At 1.15 pm on Sunday, while he was sitting in his chair near the main gate, he fired two rounds from his Insas rifle. One bullet hit him in the stomach. His colleagues immediately rushed him to the Command Hospital at Wanowrie, where he was declared dead on arrival,” Gaikwad said.

“Prima facie investigations indicate that Kumar committed suicide. We have recovered an empty cartridge from the spot,” said Gaikwad. “We have not found any suicide note.”

According to Gaikwad, the police have seized Kumar’s cellphone. He had just resumed work after taking a few days off. “He lived in the military barrack. We are searching his belongings to check if he has left a suicide note,” said Gaikwad.

Kumar’s body has been sent for a post-mortem. “The Cantonment police and the military police are investigating the case,” Gaikwad said.

When contacted, senior Southern Command officials flatly refused to speak, saying they were not aware of the incident. Twitter Facebook Share Print Email Save Comment Text Size: | More Stories from this section Wine sector poised for a strong comeback Warje residents stage rasta roko More homes opt for solar energy Uniforms: Auto drivers get 1 mon…More

TOI : PUNE: The wealth amassed by corporators and politicians, problems related to electricity bills, the MSEB and the Pune Municipal Corporation, and land ownership issues were some of the topics on which citizens raised valid questions at the anti-corruption seminar organised by the Pune chapter of the Public Concern for Governance Trust (PCGT) at Sancheti hospital on Saturday.

Chaired by P R Dubhashi, retired IAS officer and former vice-chancellor of Goa University, the seminar was held to mark the Vigilance Week 2009′.

The seminar earnestly discussed the quest for promoting honesty, transparency and accountability in governance. “Corruption in India has become a matter of shame. It’s the public that should take a stand to resist it completely, instead of tolerating it or co-operating with it,” said Dubhashi, who also talked about the history of corruption in India, which ranks 84th in the list of corrupt nations.

Corrupt practices in the government and administration can be brought under the scanner promptly if there are federal laws, said Satish Sahney, retired IPS officer and trustee of the PCGT. “Currently, there are no federal laws for the functioning of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). It should be given powers so that it doesn’t have to wait for clearances from the states to carry out investigations,” he said.

I Sashikala IRS, chief vigilance officer of Bharat Petroleum Corp. Ltd, however, said that certain legislations are making a difference in the public sector. “Public sector companies are becoming more transparent and disclosing information to the public. But it’s the people at the grassroots level who should be made aware of their rights,” she said.

The PCGT is planning another seminar on fighting corruption, that will be based on the problems of the common man. “We have also planned clinics’ or interactive sessions with people from different sections of society to hear and redress their grievances. After two months, we…More

TOI : PUNE: The winner of future warfare will be the officers who can anticipate the strength of the enemy not on the basis of previous wars, but on the basis of the current technological advancements across the globe, said Chief of Army Staff General Deepak Kapoor on Sunday.

Kapoor was addressing the passing-out parade (PoP) of the 117th course (autumn 2009) at the National Defence Academy (NDA), Khadakwasla. General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Southern Command Lt Gen Pradeep Khanna was the special guest.

According to Kapoor, “Modern warfare has become the by-product of modern technological advancement. The improvement in the range and power of firearms and combat-gear; introduction of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons; and advent of sophisticated electronics and night-fighting capabilities have transformed the range and tempo of warfare.”

Kapoor said, “The extensive use of computerised communication and high-tech sensors at operational level, real-time battlefield-surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance has made the warfare complex and multi-dimensional. The future battlefield would require synergised team-work with joint-services operation and the use of land, aerospace and ocean as important war-theatres.”

Younger military leaders emerging from the hallowed portals of the academies like the NDA will have an important role to play in combating this technology-driven warfare, he added. “You (cadets) will have to familiarise yourselves with virtual-reality based simulated warfronts of all terrains and extreme conditions of warfare,” he said.

Earlier, Kapoor received the guard of honour and reviewed an impressive marchpast by 883 cadets of the academy including 261 cadets, who passed out from the 117th course. Four of the 261 passouts were from Bhutan. All the cadets were formed in 17 contingents immaculately dressed in blue patrol uniform.

The cadets completed their three years training at the academy and will now proceed to the respective officers training academies for army, navy and air force before they are formally commissioned as officers into the armed forces….More

TOI : PUNE: Pune and Khadki are among 28 cantonments in the country eligible to get funds under the Union government’s Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) scheme, for implementing developmental projects. In all, there are 62 cantonments in the country.

“The cantonment boards made eligible are located near big cities that have municipal corporations which are getting the benefits of JNNURM, said T Arockianathan, joint director cantonments, Southern Command. “Pune cantonment, Kamptee cantonment, near Nagpur and Deolali cantonment near Nashik are some of the cantonments in Maharashtra that qualify,” he added.

“Earlier, cantonments were not considered eligible to get benefits under JNNURM. P Raju, Union minister of state for defence took efforts to make the cantonments eligible,” said Arockianathan.

The decision to allow cantonment boards to benefit was taken in 2006 but initial doubts and confusion led to a delay. “Raju sent letters to all the chief ministers this year informing them that cantonment boards were eligible to get funds under JNNURM and asked them to take suitable steps,” added Arockianathan.

The cantonments will start getting funds for selected projects in the usual proportion of 50:30:20. The Union government will contribute 50 per cent of the cost of the project while the state and cantonment board will contribute 30 per cent and 20 per cent of the cost respectively, said Arockianathan.

“The Deolali cantonment board is preparing its city development plan (CDP) which will be sent to Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA), which is the co-ordination agency for JNNURM in the state. After the CDP is approved it will be sent to the Union urban development department (UDD) to get funds under JNNURM,” he explained.

When contacted, S C Kaushik, chief executive officer, Khadki Cantonment Board (KCB) said that the Southern Command has written a letter to the Khadki cantonment stating that it is to be considered on a par with the…More

TOI : PUNE: Human resource managers will have to strive hard to strike a balance between different categories of manpower to optimise business efficiency and profitability, said participants in a panel discussion recently. An important aspect of the future human resource development would be multi-skilling and muti-tasking, they felt.

The discussion on HR learnings from the economic downturn’, hosted by the HR forum of the British Business Group, revolved around the experiences of the recent economic meltdown and the necessary strategies, as the industry takes steps towards recovery.

Thermax Limited managing director M S Unnikrishnan said the organisation design should be developed in a manner that ensures flexibility. “Outsourcing of manpower-intensive aspects of a business can work if there are reliable outsourcing partners,” Unnikrishnan said, adding that the proportion of permanent employees and employees of the outsourcing partner will be critical in determining the profitability and efficiency of the business.

Unnikrishnan cited the practices followed in Thermax that have helped the company restrict its costs in difficult times. “Cutting down the human resource need not always be the response to tough economic conditions. Variable pay can also become an effective tool to incentivise employees, provided the formula is just. However, the policy of variable pay must be well-communicated and equitable, such as a percentage of profit earned by a division coming to all who are attached to that division,” he stressed.

HR professional and chief of Cerebrus Consultants, Anita Ramachandran, said recession has impacted different industries differently though the most visible damage was suffered by information technology (IT) and real estate segments.

“Boom had affected the mindset of managers in these segments and so they went bust,” she said, adding that it will be important to take people into confidence now and help them digest the new reality. “Those who were used to 20-30 per cent pay rise and high bonuses are finding it extremely difficult…More

TOI : PUNE: Two men were nabbed at Dhole Patil chowk near Swargate on Saturday evening for allegedly molesting two women.

The Khadak police have identified the suspects as Mubarak Abdul Shaikh (25) and Kasim Badshah Shaikh (25) of Bhavani Peth. Their accomplice, Shabbir Razzak Bagwan, managed to escape.

One of the women has lodged a complaint at the Khadak police station. According to the police, the complainant had gone wedding shopping with her brother, her sister and a friend. After the shopping was done, her brother and sister went home on a two-wheeler. The complainant and her friend were walking home when three men came up to them near Dhole Patil Chowk and allegedly molested them, the police said.

When the complainant tried to raise the alarm, one of the suspects, Mubarak, threatened her with a sharp weapon.

When passers-by noticed the incident and tried to intervene, the three men pushed them aside and started running away. The public gave chase. Later the police joined in and managed to nab two of the men.

The police have booked both suspects under section 354 (criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 323 (for voluntarily causing hurt).

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TOI : PUNE: After a day marred by technical difficulties, day two of the online common admission test (CAT) to enter top business and management schools in the country ran smoothly at all centres in the city on Sunday.

There are four designated exam centres in Pune, namely, the College of Engineering Pune (COEP), Sinhagad College of Engineering, D.Y Patil College of Engineering and the Pimpri-Chinchwad College of Engineering.

An official at COEP said that 400 students attempted the test at their centre in each of the sessions morning and evening. “After test going haywire on the first day, students were tensed, but after attempting the test successfully, they seemed to be relaxed.”

On Sunday, the COEP had also appointed their technical staff to help students facing any kind of problem during the test.

Atul Padalkar, principal, Sinhagad college of engineering, told TOI on Sunday, “The examination was smooth today. Every student took the test without any problems. We did not have much problems on day one, and day two also there were no complaints from students.”

At the Sinhagad college 200 students appeared for the test on Sunday and a total of 2,000 students are scheduled to sit for the examination till December 7, the last day of the test.

This year, the examination went online for the first time, and day one saw major technical glitches across the country, which included server problems and log in problems.

The CAT is a pre-requisite for admission to various management programmes conducted by the elite IIMs, including their flagship two-year post-graduate programmes (PGPs). Many other institutions also use the CAT scores to finalise admissions to their management programmes.

Given the huge numbers of students who appear for the examinations in comparison to the 2000-odd seats on offer at the IIMs for their flagship PGPs, CAT has acquired the reputation of being the toughest entrance…More

TOI : PUNE: The Times Franchise Expo, being held at Hotel Sun N Sand on Bund Garden road, witnessed a huge crowd of potential investors on its inaugural day on Sunday.

The expo has leading national and international companies offering proven business prospects through commercially successful franchise models. The exhibition, open between 10.30 am and 7 pm, is expected to attract more people on its concluding day on Monday.

The exhibition provides a platform for entrepreneurs to get a complete insight into all aspects of franchising. Entrepreneurs can interact with top brands to explore mutually beneficial partnerships. Among the exhibitors are companies dealing with pre-schooling, travel, diamond and jewellery, fruit, beverages, food items and consumer durables.

Manish Agarwal, director of Orion Calltech, a call centre training institute said, “I have participated in Times Franchise expos in other cities but this is the first time I have come to Pune. Compared to other cities, the respondents from Pune are young and ready to invest. Many of the queries we get are from start-ups and entrepreneurs and this is an encouraging indicator. Many people have started their own businesses and are ready to invest in franchise models.”

Commenting on the response, Rajeev Agrawal, national franchise manager of Gitanjali Jewellery Retail Pvt Ltd said, “The jewellery business model is about high value, not quantity. Though there are a couple of outlets in Pune, the company would like to open more outlets in other locations. Potential investors are also aware of the huge investment needed in opting for a jewellery franchise and we received a number of queries. The response has been encouraging.”

M A Babu of the Dubai-based BFI Foods said, “I met many investors who expressed their willingness to open a franchise of the company. We already have a couple of outlets in South India and I was surprised to learn that people are aware of them.”

…More

TOI : PUNE: Academy cadet captain Mohit M Markale, who commanded the passing-out parade of the 117th course at the National Defence Academy (NDA) here on Sunday, is the third member of his family to have opted for a career in the armed forces.

Mohit was presented the President’s gold medal by army chief Gen Deepak Kapoor for standing first in the overall order of merit vis-a-vis academics, drill, physical training and games.

Mohit follows in the footsteps of his father Col (retd) Mahesh Markale and elder brother Lieutenant Kedar, who is an alumnus of the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun, and now part of the 6 Lancers unit posted somewhere in the western sector.

While the Markales hail from village Markal near the pilgrim town of Alandi, about 20 km from here, they have settled in the upscale Magarpatta City project at Hadapsar in the city since 2004. Mohit’s mother Kanchan is a medical practitioner.

Says Mohit, “The thought of joining any profession other than army never crossed my mind. It is not just the inspiration from within my family but also the fact that I always liked the army way of living that firmed up my career choice.” He started preparing for the NDA by joining the Services Preparatory Institute at Aurangabad (SPIA) after completing his early education from Army School, Ahmednagar.

According to Mohit, “The sense of pride that comes through wearing the uniform and the work culture one gets used to in the army mattered more than anything else. Our family has a lot of respect for the armed forces.” No wonder, father Mahesh is his role model.

Mohit is already looking ahead to his upcoming training at the IMA, Dehradun, which will culminate into his formal induction as an officer in the army. “I want to join my father’s regiment, the 5 Armoured Corps,” he declared.

Col Mahesh, who…More

TOI : PUNE: Following a petty dispute over a two-wheeler, a 17-year-old boy allegedly assaulted his older brother to death with a sharp weapon. The incident took place at Manjari on Sunday afternoon.

The Lonikand police have identified the deceased as Nitin Thorat (26) of Manjari. They have also detained Nitin’s brother in this regard.

Sub-inspector Ganesh Kadam of Lonikand police outpost, said, “On Sunday afternoon, Nitin was about to leave for some work on his two-wheeler, when the suspect came to him and demanded the vehicle’s keys. He also told Nitin that he had not allowed him to use the two-wheeler for the last three days.”

“When Nitin ignored the suspect’s demand, he got infuriated and allegedly attacked him with a sharp weapon. When one of their relatives tried to stop the suspect from running away, he pushed her inside and fled,” added Kadam.

Nitin’s relatives immediately rushed him to the hospital where he was declared brought dead.

“We have detained the suspect. Investigations have revealed that Nitin had recently sold their land and earned a good amount of money. However, he was splurging and had purchased a two-wheeler. The suspect, who was against such extravagance, would always fight with his brother,” Kadam said.

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