Young urbanites in India are shunning their parents' 'gold standard.' So says the Washington Post article. They would prefer a high-end cell phone to gold. Excerpts:For Mona Bhardwaj, 42, gold jewelry is more than mere adornment. It is a family heirloom, a prudent investment and an auspicious metal at religious rituals. It is also a bride's best friend. No wedding in India is complete without a bride decked in heavy gold jewelry.
But Bhardwaj's two daughters do not share her emotional relationship with the metal, despite the gold smiley pendants and dolphin-shaped earrings she flashes before them.
"My daughters keep saying, 'Nothing yellow, nothing yellow.' For them, gold is old," Bhardwaj said in her living room while sporting three gold rings, bangles, a chain and earrings. A painting of a 16th-century Mughal empress embellished with 24-karat gold decorated the wall.
Her 21-year-old daughter, Sonam Bhardwaj, has had it up to here with gold. "I think it is too gaudy and chunky," she said with a look of disgust. "Look at my mother."
In India, where an economic boom has taken hold and tastes are noticeably shifting, Sonam represents one of the newest consumers on the block -- a young urban woman who has distanced herself from India's deep-rooted gold tradition.
Today there are legions of young Indians whose eyes twinkle not at the sight of gold but at the sight of luxury goods. Sonam, for example, is hoping for a new Nokia Nseries phone next month for Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights. She already has a pair of Versace sunglasses and a Guess bag in her collection of fineries.
....
As for gold, it's a new day. Traditional gold-giving occasions, closely tied to Indian rituals and festivals, are now a brand battleground as companies compete to sell their products. The Finnish cellphone giant Nokia began promoting its wares as gifts during this year's brother-sister festival, called Raksha Bandhan. Meanwhile, popular TV shows such as "Cell Guru," "Gadget Guru" and "One Life to Love" introduce consumers to new upscale products.
"People are now changing their cellphones every six months to get the latest model. We call it the indulgence market," said D. Shivakumar, the Nokia chief in India. "And this market is as big as the desire and ego of the consumer."
.....
[Full article at The Washington Post site]
[ add comment ] ( 1 view ) | permalink | related link |
( 3 / 29 )
[Via BBC.COM] India's main stock index, the Sensex, has gone past the 18,000 mark to reach a new intraday high, the second such record in less than a fortnight."We were always confident of gains for the markets... What has astonished us is the steepness of this climb," one analyst told AFP news agency.
Indian shares have risen more than 25% throughout 2007.
Analysts believe the gains are likely to continue as foreign money continues to pour into the fast-growing economy.
On 26 September, the Sensex crossed the 17,000 mark for the first time, although it fell back later in the day.
It was the fastest ever 1,000-point gain for the Sensex, achieved in just six trading sessions. The index had taken 51 trading sessions to get from 15,000 to 16,000.
[More from BBC.com]
[ add comment ] ( 1 view ) | permalink | related link |
( 3 / 13 )
The rupee soared to its highest level against the dollar in more than 9˝ years Thursday, as foreign capital continues to pour into the country's stock markets.The dollar fell to 39.28 rupees Thursday morning in New York, its lowest level since March 1998. That was down from 39.39 rupees late Wednesday in New York. The rupee has surged more than 10% this year against the dollar.
....
India on Thursday raised the central bank's firepower to intervene in the currency market by increasing the amount of special bonds the bank can issue to absorb the rupees generated by intervention. The limit on the bonds, known as market-stabilization bonds, was lifted to two trillion rupees ($50.8 billion) from 1.5 trillion rupees, a central-bank statement said.
The government last raised the ceiling in early August, but traders say the central bank has been buying dollars and selling rupees aggressively since then to keep the rupee from rising too quickly.
"With this, the central bank is saying that they will continue to intervene fairly aggressively and the rupee may even slip in the near term if capital inflows slow a bit," said Abheek Barua, chief economist at HDFC Bank in New Delhi.
.....
Capital inflows, particularly in the booming stock markets, have been the main cause of the rupee's rise. Foreign funds have poured $13.6 billion into Indian stocks in 2007. Of this, $4.2 billion has come in the nine sessions after the U.S. Federal Reserve cut interest rates Sept. 18.
"International investors have been on a rampage as is evident from the large foreign institutional-investor numbers," said Paras Adenwala, ING Investment Management's chief investment officer. "The sustenance of the sentiment depends on the quarterly results and the political environment."
The 30-stock Bombay Stock Exchange Sensitive Index has jumped 29% this year and is closing in on the 18000 mark. The Sensex has risen nearly 14% since the Federal Reserve's rate cut.
The central bank has been trying to contain the liquidity surplus with little success. Last week, it allowed companies, mutual funds and individuals to invest more overseas, widely seen as a move to ease the pressure on the rupee.
.....
[More from WSJ.com]
[ add comment ] ( 1 view ) | permalink |
( 3.5 / 20 )This is the summary of a news story that appeared in the Economist magazine. The summary appeared in the Informed Reader column of the Wall Street Journal.
Why Hiring Quotas Would Hurt Businesses
• THE ECONOMIST -- OCT. 6
A proposal to compel India's private companies to hire more workers from lower castes would be disastrous for businesses, says the Economist.
Quotas have been used for government jobs and in India's educational system, with the aim of bolstering opportunities for disadvantaged groups. But the Economist, known for championing a free-market philosophy, says that public-sector quotas have largely failed and that extending the system to the private sector would exacerbate the country's political and social divisions.
Since 1950, nearly a quarter of India's university places and public-sector jobs have been reserved for low-caste Dalits (once known as Untouchables) and tribal groups. Moves to expand university quotas met with widespread protests last year by primarily upper-caste students.
Now, the government has signaled that it would like businesses to take steps to redress inequality in the private sector.
That would be "lunacy," says the Economist, when there is no indication that the public quotas have worked. Lower-caste members have seen their wealth increase in the past two decades, but that growth has paralleled gains seen by all Indians. Dictating whom businesses could hire risks slowing India's expansion as it unleashes the economy from years of state domination. Moreover, there is no evidence that companies discriminate against lower castes.
Hiring quotas, the newsweekly writes, distract from the true source of economic inequality in India -- government and the poor education system it administers. Nearly six decades after quotas were introduced in schools, primary education still isn't universally available, and universities are still turning out too many poorly prepared students. "The government should concentrate on sorting out schools and universities, not piling new burdens on business," says the newsweekly.
[ add comment ] ( 1 view ) | permalink | related link |
( 3 / 30 )Ten days ago on Mohana Muralee Gaana Lahari, I commented on Ram Gopal Varma's rhetoric in very strong words. Based on the feedback I got it seems that the consensus is that a) most of you agree with my comments and b) some of you felt that I may have been too strong. I would like to quote an e-mail response from a listener. "I liked you comments and views on R G Verma. You went a bit over but that is OK. I totally agree with your views."
Of course, there is one person who thought that I have no business expressing my opinions on air. Ironically, that person didn't even seem to know whom I was talking about.
I am writing this blog-entry to give you more background about my commentary on RGV. There are four reasons for my choosing to comment on him.
1. His shameless self promotion of his above average films as the
best ever.
2. For trying to tell us that somehow he can do a better job than
Ramesh Sippy in making Sholay.
3. His despicable comments on women and branding it as being
"honest!"; most importantly
4. His dissing Telugu people as "intellectually inferior" to him.
[He didn't say it in these exact words. But, as you can see below,
this is how he came across in some of his interviews.]
The following is a compilation of excerpts from interviews given by RGV, which acted as fuel to my commentary on air. As with the style and substance, of course, I am inspired by Keith Olbermann's bold special commentaries in which he always calls a spade a spade.
---------------------------------------------------------
http://www.idlebrain.com/celeb/intervie ... varma.html
Question: Can’t we learn from the failures of earlier films?
RGV: No. It is not possible.
Question: You also said that Telugu audiences can’t understand your films?
RGV: I would never give such stupid statements. I might have said that my sensibilities might not match that of general crowds. For example my kind of sensibilities might not match with that of Karan Johar’s.
[Mohan's insert: in an earlier interview with Idle Brain, RGV said, "..And my kind of films would not work for Telugu people." You decide whether it is stupid or not.]
Question: Why do you want to remake Sholay?
RGV: Sholay is like Ramayana for me. I don’t believe in God, but believe in Sholay. You never get tired of hearing a story that you liked so much. Valmiki narrated Ramayana. MS Rama Rao also narrated his own version of Ramayana. I would like to narrate my own version of Sholay. It is like MS Rama Rao’s Sholay.
[Mohan's comment: When I commened that if RGV were to make a movie on Ramayan, he would probably call it RGV ki Ramayan, I did not notice this quote from his interview.]
----------------------------------------------------------------------
RGV About Women
One of the listers of Mohana Muralee GaanaLahari commented, "For that guy (RGV), man means competition and woman means sex. Nothing other than. His moives [sic] are fit only for video parlors. The people to blame before blaming him are the censor people. They should not allow his movies for public viewing."
In an interview with IndiaFM, in January 2004 he said the following:
Question: How do women reach to you?
RGV: They get bored of me after a while. They tell me I speak too many intellectual things. Still, I think they're happy that I can con them with my words.
Question: Are you intellectual Ramu?
RGV: I'm very intellectual but I don't apply this to practical purposes, not to the desired extent at least.
Question: That's a head-banger. You are a man who loves women, right?
RGV: Wine and women are the greatest things created by God. And wealth is one of the means to get them.
Question: (Embarrassed) I don't like the sound of that. It suggests that you have to buy love.
RGV: Money is not about buying. It s about having a certain position, confidence, energy and mechanism.
Question: Have you ever told anyone, I love you?
RGV: I said that to a woman till she went away.
Question: Urmila Matondkar?
RGV: No names, please.
Question: How many woman have you loved?
RGV: Oh so many, from the time I was in college the girl sitting in the third row, the girl buying a Coke at a cinema counter, a construction labourer, Sridevi, a junior artiste when I was shooting a Telugu film with Chiranjeevi. Stop, what kind of interview is this?
Question: Come on, don't stop.
RGV: (Waiters rematerialize with vodka refills) Women are works of art as long as they don t speak.
Question: How chauvinistic is that?
RGV: I'm being honest. I see them as freeze images. The problem is that I want to edit women, I see them as uncut rushes. I get caught among the bad and good rushes. (Suddenly) I live in a fantasy world.
Mohan's comment: When I first read this, I couldn't believe his stupidity. It offends any self-respecting woman. Heck, I am not even a woman and I was offended by these comments on women. Furthermore, the general perception is that people in the film industry are promiscuous and not many people seem to have high regard for the 'values' of many film personalities. However, you don't wear bones around your neck just because you eat meat. If honest in these matters is what everybody prefers, women really don't want to hear men talk honestly about these matters.
------------------------------------
Here is something from his July 2004 interview:
Question: What do you think about standards of filmmaking and technology in Telugu?
RGV: Compared to what Shiva has brought into Telugu film industry, there is not much progress in the past 14 years.
[Mohan's comment: A bit of self-promotion is understandable. But, this comment is completely megalomaniacal. This is what made me lecture him on other great movies and directors in Telugu].
[More will follow]
[ 1 comment ] ( 1 view ) | permalink |
( 3.1 / 50 )Well, not exactly in those words.... For the first time in the history, many Indian exporters are facing the ill-effects of stronger Rupee against the US Dollar. If you are Infosys and most of your projects are for the US clients, getting paid in Dollars and paying your bills in Rupees is suddenly 10% more expensive. That is a direct cut in their profitability. The Reserve Bank of India jealously guarded the foreign exchange reserves by not letting businesses and individuals invest abroad. Recently RBI announced the maximum amount individuals can invest abroad to $200,000 per year, which is up from the previous limit of $100,000 a year. RBI also eased the restrictions on mutual fund investments abroad, and boosted the amount that companies can invest overseas. The central bank is driving toward capital account convertibility, and of course, trying to drive the Rupee lower against the US Dollar.
[ 1 comment ] ( 14 views ) | permalink | related link |
( 3.1 / 32 )
A lot of my students directly or indirectly express the desire to pursue an MBA degree. They think that getting an MBA degree is an automatic road to success, i.e. promotion to managerial position, more pay etc etc. I don't blame them for this misconception. In fact, I was like that when I was in my mid 20's. Then a sage person told me that if you do MBA, you have to do it only in the top 10 schools. I say the same thing to those who ask me for advice on pursuing MBA. Well, here is an interesting and informative article from Yahoo Finance. Hope this will make your decision easy.Excerpts:
So if you're thinking of getting an MBA, you should probably think twice. Here are five signs that the MBA is becoming devalued:
1. Only the top business schools have high value.
The difference between the value of a top-tier MBA and all the others is very big. In fact, if you don't get into a top-tier program, the value of your MBA is so compromised that it's not worth it to stop working in order to get the degree. Go to night school instead.
A lot of people already know this, which has made the competition to get into a top-tier b-school fierce. So much so that you probably need a consultant to help you get in. Wondering how effective those consultants are at gaming the system? So effective that schools are publicly saying they're trying to change the application process in order to undermine the effectiveness of application coaches.
2. Business schools are compromised by a lack of female applicants.
Harvard Business School is so concerned that it's not receiving enough female applicants that it's changed the admission process to accommodate the biological clock. This means that students will have less work experience coming into the program......
3. Business school is like buying a high-priced recruiter.
The best thing you get out of business school is a good job afterward. But how do you know you wouldn't be able to get that job without business school?....
4. Hotshots don't go to business school anymore.
For a while now, it's been clear that the true entrepreneurial geniuses don't need degrees. The most effective way to learn about entrepreneurship is to practice in real life. You don't need an MBA for that.....
5. People go to business school for the wrong reasons.
An MBA is very expensive in terms of time and money, and it solves few problems.....
[ add comment ] | permalink |
( 3.1 / 29 )
A tiger economy is a name given to a country which undergoes rapid economic expansion that goes hand-in-glove with improvement of standard of living. Ten years ago, almost to the date, the tiger economies of Southeast Asian countries Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand faltered. Troubles in Hong Kong and Malaysia spread to other southeast Asian economies. Almost all the currencies of these countries weakened against the dollar tremendously. When Thai Baht completely collpsed in Sept/Oct 1997, the Thai Government was forced to float their currency which caused a mini-collapse in stock markets worldwide. Biggest cause of all those economic problems was heavy sovereign debt burden and a large current account deficit. Guess where all these currencies are headed 10 years later.... Up and up compared to the dollar. The Wall Street Journal reports [Asian Currencies: Up, Up and Away?..registration required]:
-------------------------------------------------------
Asian Currencies: Up, Up and Away?
Economic Strength Underpins Optimism;
Near-Term Concerns
By ARRAN SCOTT
October 4, 2007
SINGAPORE -- Many Asian currencies are testing long-term highs against the swooning U.S. dollar, in a broad-based rally that appears to have room to run.
The U.S. dollar fell against most Asian currencies yesterday in Asia, and analysts suspect there is a growing chance of an extended pullback. The Australian dollar has rocketed to 18-year highs against its American counterpart, while the Singapore dollar has touched 10-year highs. Analysts say powerful forces are working in favor of Asian currencies, which point to further appreciation over the longer term.
A resurgence in risk appetite in the wake of the U.S. Federal Reserve's Sept. 18 rate cut has helped to drive the gains. But economic fundamentals are backing up the rally as investors bet on Asia's solid growth prospects and bail out of the U.S. currency, which is dredging record lows on a trade-weighted basis amid concerns about America's economy.
.......
Many Asian currencies are already testing multiyear highs against the U.S. dollar.
The Singapore dollar, which has climbed nearly 4% in the past six weeks, picked back up yesterday in Asian trading, after snapping a four-day winning streak Tuesday, with the U.S. currency ending the local session at 1.4778 Singapore dollars, up from S$1.4810 Tuesday but still above Monday's 10-year low around S$1.4735.
The Australian dollar rebounded yesterday to 89.03 U.S. cents from 88.60 cents, retracing Tuesday's losses as better-than-expected economic data pushed the currency back into 18-year-high territory, amid prospects for higher interest rates.
..........
[More... (registration required)]
Guess which country's economy and its currency are in the same state as that of the Asian Tigers 10 years ago? If you said the United States, you are correct.
[ add comment ] | permalink |
( 2.8 / 14 )
Last week, the hills of Darjeeling erupted in a mass outrage following an idle chatter by a radio jockey of a Delhi-based FM radio station, in which the RJ described recently crowned Indian Idol Prashant Tamang, as ‘chowkidwar se Indian Idol’. [More]
[ add comment ] | permalink |
( 2.8 / 13 )Due to server problems, the blog page is down for a couple of days. It is up and running again.
[ add comment ] | permalink |
( 2.9 / 13 )
Please come and join me on my radio show, Mohana Muralee GaanaLahari on TeluguOneRadio on Internet (TORI), on Fridays at 10 AM US Eastern/7:30 PM IST. Popular Telugu writer Mr. Yandamoori Veerendranadh will be my guest on this week's show. This enlightening interview with the sensational writer will focus on such issues as Telugu fiction and motivational literature, and "success."To know more about Yandamoori and his current projects, please visit his official website.
[ add comment ] ( 1 view ) | permalink |
( 2.8 / 17 )
This Swastika (on the right) has been one of the most pious symbols of Hinduism before a black-and-red version of it became the most hated and feared symbol in the word. For thousands of years the Hindu Swastika signified peace and prosperity. Then came Hitler and the Nazis who turned this sacred symbol into an icon of hatred, war, death, and destruction. A controversy is brewing in India about a line of bread-spreads named the "Nazi Collection." The presence of the swastika next to the name is adding fuel to the controversy. The owner of the company claims that the name has nothing to do with Hitler or Nazi Germany. [See BBC.com for full story]. How else this idiot wants us to see it. Really? Isn't it denial in the face of the obvious? Is he taking advise from the Republican operatives in the US? How else one can see the "Nazi Collection" with a Nazi Swastika logo?
When I was a kid my parents gave me a gold chain with a molded Swastika in the locket. I gave it away as a gift to my niece when she was born. But, if I were to have it today, should I have to fear the outrage by some people who get offended by it (which, by the way, looks a lot different from the Hitler's version). There has been movement, albeit weak, among Hindus to reclaim this symbol back from the perception of being "evil." [See Hindus opposing EU swastika ban at BBC.com]
While I think that the Nazi Swastika should be condemned for its symbolism, I object to the total ban of Swastika - especially the Hindu Swastika. Sorry, Mr. Jon Stewart, as much as I love your show and respect you - I don't agree with you on this. Nobody has any right to ban the Hindu Swastika.
Many Hindu households in India decorate their homes with Swastika painted on their doors, especially during the festivals and other auspicious occasions such as weddings. Almost all Hindu temples in India are decorated with this symbol. The other day I saw the Hindu Swastika at the front door of a local temple here in the Washington DC area. I was wondering if anybody objected to it. Somehow, the west wants the 800 million Hindus to understand the 80 year tainted history of Hitler's Swastika and let go their thousands of years of love for one of the most worshiped symbols of Hinduism. Is this reasonable?
[ 2 comments ] ( 41 views ) | permalink |
( 3 / 39 )As per the US Census, Indian Americans have the highest household income, $69,076 which is 65% higher than the median household income in the US is $41,990 (all in 2000 dollars). Estimated median income of the US households in 2006 is $48,201. If Indian American incomes also grew at the same rate as the median US income, the median household income of an Indian born household is nearly $81,000. Not only that, 69% of the Indians born outside the US have a bachelor's degree or a professional degree.
I remember reading a long time ago that, according to the 1990 Census, the richest ethnic community in the USA was the Japanese. I was not able to obtain similar statistics for Jewish Americans. However, if the incomes of Jewish Americans were to be tracked separately, I would suspect that the median income of Jewish Americans will be far greater than the median incomes of US Households and Indian Americans. Currently the Israel Lobby is seen as the most powerful lobby on the Capital Hill. It is no coincidence that the incomes of the Jewish Americans are perhaps the highest in the US.
On the other hand, Indian Americans always took a backseat in American politics. However, recently things are beginning to change. In 2004 Bobby Jindhal became the first Indian American to be elected to the US House of Representatives. Bill Clinton's appearance at various fund raising events organized by people of Indian origin (like the TANA event in July 2007 in Washington DC) is indicative of rising prominence by Indians in American political landscape.
Washington Post reports that the Indian Lobby on the Capital Hill becoming almost as powerful as the Israel Lobby. Excerpts from that article:
The fall's most controversial book is almost certainly "The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy," in which political scientists John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt warn that Jewish Americans have built a behemoth that has bullied policymakers into putting Israel's interests in the Middle East ahead of America's. To Mearsheimer and Walt, AIPAC, the main pro-Israel lobbying group, is insidious. But to more and more Indian Americans, it's downright inspiring.
With growing numbers, clout and self-confidence, the Indian American community is turning its admiration for the Israel lobby and its respect for high-achieving Jewish Americans into a powerful new force of its own. Following consciously in AIPAC's footsteps, the India lobby is getting results in Washington -- and having a profound impact on U.S. policy, with important consequences for the future of Asia and the world.
"This is huge," enthused Ron Somers, the president of the U.S.-India Business Council, from a posh hotel lobby in Philadelphia. "It's the Berlin Wall coming down. It's Nixon in China."
.....
On the U.S. side, the pact awaits nothing more than one final up-or-down vote in Congress. (In India, the situation is far more complicated; India's left-wing parties, sensitive to any whiff of imperialism, have accused Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of surrendering the country's sovereignty -- a broadside that may yet scuttle the deal.) On Capitol Hill, despite deep divisions over Iraq, immigration and the outsourcing of American jobs to India, Democrats and Republicans quickly fell into line on the nuclear deal, voting for it last December by overwhelming bipartisan majorities. Even lawmakers who had made nuclear nonproliferation a core issue over their long careers, such as Sen. Richard Lugar (R-Ind.), quickly came around to President Bush's point of view. Why?
ad_icon
The answer is that the India lobby is now officially a powerful presence on the Hill. The nuclear pact brought together an Indian government that is savvier than ever about playing the Washington game, an Indian American community that is just coming into its own and powerful business interests that see India as perhaps the single biggest money-making opportunity of the 21st century.
The nuclear deal has been pushed aggressively by well-funded groups representing industry in both countries. At the center of the lobbying effort has been Robert D. Blackwill, a former U.S. ambassador to India and deputy national security adviser who's now with a well-connected Republican lobbying firm, Barbour, Griffith & Rogers LLC. The firm's Web site touts Blackwill as a pillar of its "India Practice," along with a more recent hire, Philip D. Zelikow, a former top adviser to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice who was also one of the architects of the Bush administration's tilt toward India. The Confederation of Indian Industry paid Blackwill to lobby various U.S. government entities, according to the Boston Globe. And India is also paying a major Beltway law firm, Venable LLP.
The U.S.-India Business Council has lavished big money on lobbyists, too. With India slated to spend perhaps $60 billion over the next few years to boost its military capabilities, major U.S. corporations are hoping that the nuclear agreement will open the door to some extremely lucrative opportunities, including military contracts and deals to help build nuclear power plants. According to a recent MIT study, Lockheed Martin is pushing to land a $4 billion to $9 billion contract for more than 120 fighter planes that India plans to buy. "The bounty is enormous," gushed Somers, the business council's president.
So enormous, in fact, that Bonner & Associates created an India lobbying group last year to make sure that U.S. companies reap a major chunk of it. Dubbed the Indian American Security Leadership Council, the group was underwritten by Ramesh Kapur, a former trustee of the Democratic National Committee, and Krishna Srinivasa, who has been backing GOP causes since his 1984 stint as co-chair of Asian Americans for Reagan-Bush. The council has, oddly, "recruited groups representing thousands of American veterans" to urge Congress to pass the nuclear deal.
The India lobby is also eager to use Indian Americans to put a human face -- not to mention a voter's face and a campaign contributor's face -- on its agenda. "Industry would make its business case," Somers explained, "and Indian Americans would make the emotional case."
......
There are now some 2.2 million Americans of Indian origin -- a number that's growing rapidly. First-generation immigrants keenly recall the humiliating days when India was dismissed as an overpopulated, socialist haven of poverty and disease. They are thrilled by the new respect India is getting. Meanwhile, a second, American-born generation of Indian Americans who feel comfortable with activism and publicity is just beginning to hit its political stride. As a group, Indian Americans have higher levels of education and income than the national average, making them a natural for political mobilization.
[ add comment ] ( 2 views ) | permalink | related link |
( 3 / 32 )The following is an appeal to save the life of Suresh Penchala, a road-accident victim, by his brother:
Suresh Penchala is a student on at Eastern Illinois University(F1 visa) pursuing his masters in Computers and supposed to graduate in December. During summer semester while enrolled in 2 on-line courses he visited India and does not have the worst feared Insurance. He returned back from India on 13 of August and headed for his college along with his friend NISHANT ETALA on 14th August at around 9:30PM from Atlanta to E.I.U, Charleston ,IL in 97 model Toyota RAV4. He was supposed to stop in Nashville for the night and again drive to Illinois the next day.
At around 11:30 ( before mid-night), On I-75 just after exit-353 border of Georgia and Tennessee , they met with a major accident. An 18 wheeler ran into them. Unfortunately Nishant Etala passed away at the scene of the accident and Suresh Penchala has been admitted in ERLANGER HOSPITAL with serious injuries. He was not in a position to survive when he was flown to hospital with injuries to :
Both Lungs Collapsed/ Punctured.
Lacerations on his head.
Broken right collar bone.
Broken right shoulder.
Fractured C4 spine.
Completely broken rib-cage ( fractured to an inch)
Laceration to his spleen.
Liver damaged.
Broken hip.
broken left arm.
broken right ankle.
Anoxic/Hypoxic injuries to his Brain. -- Major ( Lack of oxygen to brain due to initial blood loss and lack of breathing ability)
Thanks to God and to Doctors and Nurses at ERLANGER hospital who has worked really hard for 3hrs pumping 10 bottles of blood, opening his belly and sewing the flowing blood stream could save his life. He has remained in COMA since.
He needs continuous medical attention but Erlanger hospital has said that there is not much they can do at this time. Mentioning that he has substantial damage to his brain and time would only tell us what would happen to him. At the same time as there is no treatment being done to him, they say that they cannot keep him in the hospital and as he is not responding, he cannot go to a Rehabilitation center and would have to go to a Skilled Nursing Facility. Unfortunately as he does not have insurance no nursing facility is willing to take him.
Hospital has asked me to take him home and my family lacks the expertise which the nurses at skilled nursing facility would provide in keeping my brother stable and keep him alive. Nursing homes would cost somewhere between $500 to $1000 per day which I cannot afford. ( To get him into a nursing home i need to pay a month's advance) and no Nursing Home or Hospital is coming forward to take Suresh.
While thinking of taking him to India we inquired about transportation costs , As he had chest tubes it is not medically safe for him to travel in a commercial flight until next 3 months and if he were to be transported then a air ambulance would have fly him which i am not sure they can with his medical condition but would cost around $100,000 to $180,000. Which is out of my reach.
Suresh Penchala is from Andhra Pradesh , India, Me (Ramesh Penchala), My DAD, and Mom are here in Chattanooga. My Parents are very depressed, emotional and yet determined to save Suresh. We are asking for help from each one of you to come forward and donate towards this noble cause, keeping in mind that your contribution (however small it is) would be going a long way in his treatment.
No amount is little and no amount is huge at this situation so i humbly beg/request all to please try to help my brother and my family get through these tough situation Praying for my brother and donating how much ever possible by you to save a life.
Donate online @ www.help-suresh.org
Thanks In Advance for the Generosity,
Ramesh Penchala & Family.
404-422-4583(Mobile)
rameshpenchala@gmail.com
and
Srinivas Reddy Maheshwaram
614 735 8472
maheshwaram@gmail.com
Make Checks payable to Ramesh Penchala
Mailing address:
Srinivas Maheshwaram
5045 Dierker Rd
Apt#B8
Columbus, OH 43220I am
[ 3 comments ] ( 52 views ) | permalink |
( 3.1 / 32 )
On Tuesday, Sept 25, a group of Britons seeking to pay tribute to those who died in an Indian revolt 150 years ago have spent the day holed up in their hotel.The retired soldiers and civilians were advised not to visit the historic Residency in the city of Lucknow because of anger over their visit.
Protesters in India say the trip is an insult to Indian freedom fighters.
However, on Wednesday Sir Mark Havelock managed to sneak past police in the northern city of Lucknow to see his great-great-grandfather Sir Henry Havelock's grave.
Sir Mark visited the cemetery accompanied by an Indian friend. [Full Story from BBC.com]
Sepoy Mutiny happened over 150 years ago. None of the people who was responsible for it are alive today. Yet, some lunatics think that we can't let the English come and visit the site. Get over it!
[ add comment ] ( 3 views ) | permalink |
( 2.9 / 19 )
Calendar
