I was having a word with an ex-colleague some months back, talking about the legacy of the commonwealth games in india. I was quite certain, that all the various stadiums and sporting facilities will, after the games are over, will end up becoming wedding halls or convention centers. I was, obviously, laughed at, for having such a fertile imagination. Imagine my joy, when i read the following today, in the times of india delhi edition:
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Take for instance, the Thyagaraj stadium. Built at a cost of Rs 300 crore, the stadium, expected to be ready by March-end, is the only green stadium in the country and comes equipped with its own power generating unit and energy-conservation system in place. A competition venue for Netball, the Thyagaraj stadium is being groomed for use as a convention centre for socio-cultural and recreational events after the Games. Said a senior government official, ‘‘While no concrete plans have been made yet, it is expected that the stadium will house the department of education after the Commonwealth Games, and will also be rented out as a convention centre for multi-purpose events.’’ Long corridors, large rooms and a fully airconditioned environ coupled with parking facilities have ensured that the venue comes high on the list of becoming a glorified banquet hall once the Games are over. It’s no different for the other venues. The NDMC claims it is planning to use the Talkatora stadium for socio-cultural and official purposes after the Games as well. Said NDMC spokesperson, Anand Tiwari: ‘‘Talkatora stadium will be open for use for cultural events and conferences etc. The stadium was used for cultural purposes earlier also. We are yet to decide on what to do with the facility blocks at both Shivaji and Talkatora however.’’ According to officials, the facility blocks at both the stadiums might be leased out as office spaces but nothing concrete has been planned yet.
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Hats off to Mr. Sridhar for conceiving something as beautiful and practical as the Bloom Box. Hope it ‘energizes’ the world in the right direction.

India-Born Scientist Launches Sand-Based Electricity Maker
Chidanand Rajghatta | TNN

An article in the TOI today highlights, through an example, what is plaguing India. Its a must read. Go through it first, and then i’ll add my 2 cents.
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IN THE NAME OF SECURITY
… Hockey WC Getting Killed; Organisers Add To Confusion
Biswajyoti Brahma | TNN

Angel

Aamir Khan has a knack of awakening the collective conscience of a society too deeply smug and hypocritical. Lagaan, Rang De Basanti, Taare Zameen Par and 3 Idiots are fabulous examples of the impact that a movie can have on an entire society. Lagaan was about team work, and what it means to be a good leader. Rang De Basanti went far in inculcating a patriotic fervor in our youth, which countless speeches by politicians and millions of DAVP advertisements could not do. Taare Zameen Par helped India rewalize how kids need to be treated and cared for, and educated. And 3 Idiots has famously blasted our obsession with IITs and IIMs. It truly has been a privilege to watch 3 idiots at the beginning of a new year; quite akin to the feeling of saluting the human spirit, which came by after watching Avatar on the last day of 2009. While Avatar, for me, was 2.5 hours of amazement, at what is capable of being achieved, of the achievement that singular, focused vision can attain, 3 Idiots was a salute to highlighting a issue i have always been aware of.