Sunday, January 30, 2011

Djokovic wins Australian Open mens Single

Novak Djokovic claimed his second title at the Australian Open in dominating style on when he hammered Andy Murray 6-4, 6-2, 6-3.

Djokovic claimed victory in 2 hours 37 minutes. The Serb dropped just one set in seven matches as he backed up the Melbourne trophy he won in 2008 when he beat Jo—Wilfried Tsonga.

Murray, seeded fifth, failed for the third time to become the first Briton to win a men’s singles title at the majors since Fred Perry at the 1936 U.S. Open. Murray lost the 2008 U.S. Open and 2010 Melbourne finals against Swiss Roger Federer, also in straight sets.

Djokovic’s victory completed a Davis Cup-Melbourne title double after he led Serbia to a first Davis title last month. The number three, who will remain on his current ranking behind Rafael Nadal and Federer, became the first man to complete that trophy feat since Jim Courier in the 1990s.

Djokovic had 26 winners and nine breaks from 17 chances. Murray was decimated by 47 unforced errors.

Clijsters wins Australian Open

Kim Clijsters won her second straight Grand Slam title and the fourth of her career, struggling early before beating Li Na 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 in the Australian Open final. The result ended the outstanding run of Li, who became the first Chinese player to reach a Grand Slam singles final.

Li appeared to become upset with some of the Chinese spectators in the crowd in the third set, and asked the chair umpire to intervene. She later complained about the flashes from photographers at centre court.

U.S. Open champion Clijsters’ win came in her likely last appearance at Melbourne Park, she said that 2011 could be her last full year on the tour.

Srebotnik, Nestor win Australian Open mixed doubles title

Katarina Srebotnik of Slovenia and Daniel Nestor of Canada won the mixed doubles championship at the Australian Open, beating Chan Yung-jan of Taiwan and Paul Hanley of Australia 6-3, 3-6, 10-7 in final.

Srebotnik and Nestor had nine break points against them and managed to save six of them, while Hanley and Chan were broken three times in five attempts. “There were a lot of tight points there at the end, we were fortunate to win,” Nestor said in the post-match trophy ceremony.

It was the first Grand Slam title for the No. 2-seeded pair as a team. Both have won several doubles titles with other partners. Nestor thanked Srebotnik for playing with him in Melbourne.

“She’s already dumped me for the next Grand Slam for her regular partner,” he said light-heartedly. “This was my one shot. I’m glad I took advantage of it.”

Saturday, January 29, 2011

NASA 'captures runaway star'

Astronomers at NASA have captured the shockwave caused by a runaway star that's racing at 54,000 miles per hour through a cloud of dust and gas. A NASA team used an orbiting observatory called WISE -- that sees the sky in infrared light -- to capture the star; it recorded the yellow arc as its powerful stellar winds push the gas and dust out of the way.

According to the astronomers, the star, labelled Zeta in the constellation of Ophiuchus the snake charmer, once revolved around another star. But its companion exploded as a violent supernova, flinging Zeta out into deep space.

Zeta Ophiuchi, as it is known, is a very massive hot blue star that is 65,000 times brighter than our own Sun and 20 times its size. It lies 458 light years away and appear brighter in the night sky if it not shrouded by gas and dust.

But its expected eight million year lifespan is far shorter than that of our sun, which is expected to burn for 10 billion years. Like its long-lost companion, it will then blow itself to pieces in a supernova blast too,say the astronomers.

Friday, January 28, 2011

200 bird species finds in Wayanad part of Western Ghats



White-bellied Blue Flycatcher (male)

KALPETTA: The Malabar Ornithological Survey 2010-11, the first ever comprehensive study on avifauna in north Kerala, has proved that the Wayanad part of the Western Ghats is a critical habitat for endemic as well as endangered birds.



White-bellied Blue Flycatcher (female)

The team sighted 200 species, including 14 of the 16 endemic species and two critically endangered species, during the two-month survey in Wayanad district.

C. Sasikumar, ornithologist and the team's principal investigator, told TheHindu on Tuesday that the Vellarimala-Chembra regions were of high conservation value because of its unique biodiversity.



Nilgiri Flycatcher

“We found an excellent population of black-chinned laughing thrush, an endemic and endangered bird species, whose presence is mostly confined to the Vellarimala and Brahmagiri mountains of Wayanad region,” he said.

The residents



Indian White-backed Vulture

Other endemic birds reported from the region include the Black-and-Orange Flycatcher, Rufous-bellied Shortwing, Nilgiri Flycatcher, Wayanad laughing thrush, Small Sunbird, Malabar Grey Hornbill and White-bellied Blue Flycatcher.



Black-chinned Laughing Thrush

Among them, the Black-and-Orange Flycatcher, the Nilgiri Flycatcher and the Shortwing were strictly confined to the high altitude region, especially the shola forests, according to C.K. Vishnudas, team member. The team sighted some rare species, including the Scaly Thrush, Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher, Black-capped Kingfisher, Olive-backed Tree Pipit, Speckled Piculet, Nilgiri Wood Pigeon, Mountain Hawk-Eagle and Jerdon's Baza.

The team also found Brown-rock Pipit on the Chembra mountain, the first record of the species from north of the Palghat Gap, P.A. Vinayan, another team member said. Rufous-bellied Shortwing, a sister species of the White-bellied Shortwing, a species seen south of the Palghat Gap, was a candidate to be labelled new species, based on some recent DNA studies, he said.



Black-and-Orange Flycatcher

The region had become a critical habitat of the highly endemic and threatened bird species of northern Kerala, Mr. Sasikumar said. The team intended to suggest in their report that the government declare the Vellarimala and Chembra regions as a national park to conserve the birds. A few months ago, a team of scientists of the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, Kalpetta, discovered 14 new species of plants in the region

The mountain ranges, situated 3,000 to 7,000 feet above the sea level and spread over 200 sq. km., were unique and incomparable to any other part of the Western Ghats.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Rahman bags WEF Crystal Award

Internationally renowned music composer A.R. Rahman was on January 26, honoured with the Crystal Award of the World Economic Forum (WEF) at the opening ceremony of its annual meet here being attended by 2,500 global leaders from the fields of business, government, art, culture and religion.

Mr. Rahman, 44, received the award, given to outstanding artists who use their talent for social and charitable work.

The WEF took note of his work for the welfare of children. He said he got motivation from social work.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

PADMA AWARDS 2011


The President of India has approved the conferment of Padma Awards-2011. This year the President has approved 128 awards including one duo case (counted as one) and 12 in the category of Foreigners/ NRIs/ PIOs/ Posthumous. These comprise 13 Padma Vibhushan, 31 Padma Bhushan and 84 Padma Shri Awards. There are 31 ladies among the awardees.

Padma Vibhushan

Sl No.

Name

Discipline

State/ Domicile

Dr. (Smt.) Kapila Vatsyayan

Art - Art Administration and Promotion.

Delhi

Mrs. Homai Vyarawalla

Art - Photography

Gujarat

Shri A Nageshwara Rao

Art- Cinema

Andhra Pradesh

Shri Parasaran Kesava Iyengar

Public Affairs

Delhi

Dr. Akhlaq-ur-Rehman Kidwai

Public Affairs

Delhi

Shri Vijay Kelkar

Public Affairs

Delhi

Shri Montek Singh Ahluwalia

Public Affairs

Delhi

Shri Palle Rama Rao

Science and Engineering

Andhra Pradesh

Shri Azim Premji

Trade and Industry

Karnataka

Shri Brajesh Mishra

Civil Services

Madhya Pradesh

Prof. (Dr.) Ottaplakkal Neelakandan Velu Kurup

Literature and Education

Kerala

Dr. Sitakant Mahapatra

Literature and Education

Orissa

Late Shri L. C. Jain

Public Affairs

Delhi *

Padma Bhushan

Sl No.

Name

Discipline

State/ Domicile

Shri Satyadev Dubey

Art - Theatre

Maharashtra

Shri Mohammed Zahur Khayyam Hashmi alias Khayyam

Art - Cinema - Music

Maharashtra

Shri Shashi Kapoor

Art - Cinema

Maharashtra

Shri Krishen Khanna

Art - Painting

Haryana

Shri Madavur Vasudevan Nair

Art - Dance - Kathakali

Kerala

Ms. Waheeda Rehman

Art - Cinema

Maharashtra

Shri Rudrapatna Krishna Shastry Srikantan

Art - Music-Vocal

Karnataka

Ms. Arpita Singh

Art - Painting

Delhi

Dr. Sripathi Panditharadhyula Balasubrahmanyam

Art - Playback Singing, Music Direction & acting

Tamil Nadu

Shri C.V. Chandrasekhar

Art - Classical Dance-Bharatanatyam

Tamil Nadu

Shri Dwijen Mukherjee

Art

West Bengal

Smt. Rajashree Birla

Social work

Maharashtra

Mrs. Shobhana Ranade

Social work

Maharashtra

Dr. Suryanarayanan Ramachandran

Science and Engineering

Tamil Nadu

Shri S.(Kris) Gopalakrishnan

Trade and Industry

Karnataka

Shri Yogesh Chander Deveshwar

Trade and Industry

West Bengal

Ms. Chanda Kochhar

Trade and Industry

Maharashtra

Dr. K. Anji Reddy

Trade and Industry- Pharmacy

Andhra Pradesh

Shri Analjit Singh

Trade and Industry

Delhi

Shri Rajendra Singh Pawar

Trade and Industry

Haryana

Dr. Gunapati Venkata Krishna Reddy

Trade and Industry

Andhra Pradesh

Shri Ajai Chowdhary

Trade and Industry

Delhi

Shri Surendra Singh

Civil Services

Delhi

Shri M. N .Buch

Civil Services

Madhya Pradesh

Shri Shyam Saran

Civil Services

Delhi

Shri Thayil Jacob Sony George

Literature and Education

Karnataka

Dr. Ramdas Madhava Pai

Literature and Education

Karnataka

Shri Sankha Ghosh

Literature and Education

West Bengal

Late Shri K. Raghavan Thirumulpad

Medicine - Ayurveda.

Kerala*

Late Dr. Keki Byramjee Grant

Medicine - Cardiology

Maharashtra *

Late Shri Dashrath Patel

Art

Gujarat *

Padma Shri

Sl No.

Name

Discipline

State/ Domicile

Ms. Neelam Mansingh Chowdhry

Art - Theatre

Chandigarh

Shri Makar Dhwaja Darogha

Art- Chhau Dance

Jharkhand

Shri Shaji Neelakantan Karun

Art – Film Direction

Kerala

Shri Girish Kasaravalli

Art - Film making

Karnataka

Ms. Tabassum Hashmi Khan alias Tabu

Art - Cinema

Maharashtra

Shri Jivya Soma Mase

Art - Warli Painting

Maharashtra

Guru (Ms.) M.K. Saroja

Art - Dance- Bharatnatyam

Tamil Nadu

Shri Jayaram Subramaniam

Art - Cinema

Tamil Nadu

Pandit Ajoy Chakraborty

Art - Music-Indian Classical Vocal

West Bengal

Smt. Mahasundari Devi

Art - Mithilia/ Madhubani Painting.

Bihar

Shri Gajam Govardhana

Art - Handloom Weaving

Andhra Pradesh

Ms. Sunayana Hazarilal

Art - Dance - Kathak

Maharashtra

Shri S.R. Janakiraman

Art - Carnatic Vocal Music

Tamil Nadu

Shri Peruvanam Kuttan Marar

Art - Chenda Melam- Drum concert

Kerala

Smt. Kalamandalam Kshemavathy Pavithran

Art - Dance - Mohiniattam

Kerala

Shri Dadi Dorab Pudumjee

Art - Puppetry

Delhi

Shri Khangembam Mangi Singh

Art - Traditional Music of Manipur (Pena)

Manipur

Shri Prahlad Singh Tipaniya

Art - Folk Music

Madhya Pradesh

Smt. Usha Uthup

Art - Music.

West Bengal

Smt. Kajol

Art- Cinema

Maharashtra

Shri Irfan Khan

Art- Cinema

Maharashtra

Shri Mamraj Agrawal

Social work

West Bengal

Shri Jockin Arputham

Social work

Maharashtra

Ms. Nomita Chandy

Social work

Karnataka

Ms. Sheela Patel

Social work

Maharashtra

Ms. Anita Reddy

Social work

Karnataka

Shri Kanubhai Hasmukhbhai Tailor

Social work

Gujarat

Shri Anant Darshan Shankar

Public Affairs

Karnataka

Prof. M. Annamalai

Science and Engineering

Karnataka

Dr. Mahesh Haribhai Mehta

Science and Engineering - Agricultural Science

Gujarat

Shri Coimbatore Narayana Rao Raghavendran

Science and Engineering

Tamil Nadu

Dr. (Mrs.) Suman Sahai

Science and Engineering

Delhi

Prof.(Dr.) E.A. Siddiq

Science and Engineering - Agricultural Science

Andhra Pradesh

Shri Gopalan Nair Shankar

Science and Engineering - Architecture

Kerala

Shri Mecca Rafeeque Ahmed

Trade and Industry

Tamil Nadu

Shri Kailasam Raghavendra Rao

Trade and Industry

Tamil Nadu

Shri Narayan Singh Bhati

Civil Services

Andhra Pradesh

Shri P K Sen

Civil Services

Bihar

Ms. Shital Mahajan

Sports - Adventure Sports- Para Jumping

Maharashtra

Ms. Nameirakpam Kunjarani Devi

Sports - Weightlifting

Manipur

Shri Sushil Kumar

Sports - Wrestling

Delhi

Shri Vangipurapu Venkata Sai Laxman

Sports - Cricket

Andhra Pradesh

Shri Gagan Narang

Sports - Shooting

Andhra Pradesh

Smt. Krishna Poonia

Sports - Discus Throw

Rajasthan

Shri Harbhajan Singh

Sports - Mountaineering

Punjab

Dr. Pukhraj Bafna

Medicine - Padeatrics

Chhattisgarh

Prof. Mansoor Hasan

Medicine- Cardiology

Uttar Pradesh

Dr. Shyama Prasad Mandal

Medicine - Orthopaedic

Delhi

Prof. (Dr.) Sivapatham Vittal

Medicine - Endocrinology

Tamil Nadu

Prof. (Dr.) Madanur Ahmed Ali

Medicine - Gastroenterology

Tamil Nadu

Dr. Indira Hinduja

Medicine - Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

Maharashtra

Dr. Jose Chacko Periappuram

Medicine - Cardio-Thoracic Surgery.

Kerala

Prof. (Dr.) A. Marthanda Pillai

Medicine - Neurosurgery

Kerala

Shri Mahim Bora

Literature and Education

Assam

Prof. (Dr.) Pullella Srirama Chandrudu

Literature and Education- Sanskrit

Andhra Pradesh

Dr. Pravin Darji

Literature and Education

Gujarat

Dr. Chandra Prakash Deval

Literature and Education

Rajasthan

Shri Balraj Komal

Literature and Education

Delhi

Mrs. Rajni Kumar

Literature and Education

Delhi

Dr. Devanooru Mahadeva

Literature and Education

Karnataka

Shri Barun Mazumder

Literature and Education

West Bengal

Dr. Avvai Natarajan

Literature and Education

Tamil Nadu

Shri Bhalchandra Nemade

Literature and Education

Himachal Pradesh

Prof. Riyaz Punjabi

Literature and Education

Jammu and Kashmir

Prof. Koneru Ramakrishna Rao

Literature and Education

Andhra Pradesh

Ms. Buangi Sailo

Literature and Education

Mizoram

Prof. Devi Dutt Sharma

Literature and Education

Uttarakhand

Shri Nilamber Dev Sharma

Literature and Education

Jammu and Kashmir

Ms. Urvashi Butalia #

Literature and Education

Delhi

Ms. Ritu Menon #

Literature and Education

Delhi

Prof. Krishna Kumar

Literature and Education

Delhi

Shri Deviprasad Dwivedi

Literature and Education

Uttar Pradesh

Ms. Mamang Dai

Literature and Education

Arunachal Pradesh

Dr. Om Prakash Agrawal

Others - Heritage Conservation

Uttar Pradesh

Prof. Madhukar Keshav Dhavalikar

Others - Archeology

Maharashtra

Ms. Shanti Teresa Lakra

Others-Nursing

Andaman & Nicobar

Smt. Gulshan Nanda

Others - Handicrafts promotion

Delhi

Dr. Azad Moopen

Social work

UAE *

Prof. Upendra Baxi

Public Affairs -Legal Affairs

United Kingdom *

Dr. Mani Lal Bhaumik

Science and Engineering

USA *

Dr. Subra Suresh

Science and Engineering

USA *

Prof. Karl Harrington Potter

Literature and Education

USA *

Prof. Martha Chen

Social work

USA *

Shri Satpal Khattar

Trade and Industry

Singapore *

Shri Granville Austin

Literature and Education

USA *

Note: * indicates awardees in the category of Foreigners / NRIs/ PIOs/ Posthumous.

# indicates duo case.