Kut Festival - Time to Romance Tradition And Flirt With Modernity

Imphal, Oct 31 : Kut fever has gripped among the Chin-Kuki-Mizo group. The day falls on Novermber 1.It is one of the most anticipated calendar days for the Kuki-Chin-Mizo group of Manipur and elsewhere. One of the few occasions, KUT (as it is called) symbolises happiness and health, hard work and toil, peace and brotherhood, abundance and hope. On this day, all roads in Manipur...

Shillong Chamber Choir to Perform For Obama

Shillong, Oct 31 : After holding the nation spellbound with Western chorals and Hindi classics on a TV reality show, the Shillong Chamber Choir will now have a very special audience – US President Barack Obama. The young group of singers from Shillong, dubbed as the ‘Rock capital of India’, is scheduled to perform for the US President and his wife Michelle at President Pratibha Patil’s presidential...

NEHU Students Press For V-C's Ouster

Shillong, Oct 31 : Students of Meghalaya's North Eastern Hill University (NEHU) will resume their indefinite agitation from Monday to pressurise the Central government to remove of AN Rai as Vice Chancellor and appoint a local academician instead, a student leader said today. "As a mark of protest against the adamant attitude of the Central government to our demand to remove Rai from the post of...

Thousands Run to Mark Victims of Assam Bombings

Guwahati, Oct 31 : More than 30,000 people, including Bollywood actors, yesterday joined an anti-terror run to commemorate 100 people who died in bombings two years ago in the northeast Indian state of Assam. The two-mile run in Gauhati was a mark of protest against violence in a region plagued by insurgency, and Bollywood actor Zarine Khan said it was “a movement against terrorism”. The five blasts...

Nagas Share Their Struggle, Concerns

Bangalore, Oct 31 : Voices from the distant hills of Nagaland are echoing in Bangalore. The Naga community and leaders held a vibrant festival of Naga arts and crafts and cultural performances at the `at the Bishop Cotton Boys School on Saturday. The performance was followed by a panel discussion on `Indo-Naga peace process __ difficulties and prospects' by Naga leaders who came from Kohima. President...

Beware of Those Shameless Indians

By RSN Singh The Maoists, who have unequivocally declared their resolve to capture power through violence, and the Kashmiri separatists came together on one platform in India's capital 'New Delhi'. Some of the faces that represented them were Geelani and Arundhati Roy respectively. Such open acts of sedition can only happen in India. The forging of alliance between pro-Pak elements in Kashmir,...

Centre Committed to Development of Northeast : Roy

Guwahati, Oct 31 : The cities of the Northeast India hold tremendous potential as engines of social and economic growth and the Centre is committed to development of the region, Union Minister of State for Urban Development Saugata Roy said. Roy, who was addressing North Eastern Urban Infracon-10 here, said the overall central assistance allocated for the region during 2009-10 was close to...

Everest Gets 3G Mobile Internet

Nepali mobile network operator Ncell has installed the first 3G base station at the base camp of Mount Everest, giving visitors, climbers and people living in the Khumbu Valley the ability to make calls and wirelessly connect to the Internet . To test out the new facility, Ncell also made the world’s highest video call at 17,388 feet. So far, visitors of Mount Everest had to depend on satellite...

Normal Life Affected in Former NC Hills Following Bandh

Haflong, Oct 29 : In Assam, normal life has been partly affected in the Dima Hasao Hills district following a 24-hour district bandh today. Shops, markets, business establishments, educational and financial institutions remained closed in the district headquarters Haflong and its neighbouring areas. Attendance in government offices is also thin while vehicles remained off the roads....

Forced to Down Shutters, Manipur Goes Without Dailies

Imphal, Oct 29 : Manipur journalists staged a rally in Imphal on Thursday to denounce militant threats that forced media houses to suspend publication a day earlier despite CM Okram Ibobi Singh's security assurances. Armed militants visited offices of some local dailies and threatened editors against publishing statements of a rival, breakaway group on Tuesday evening. The local newspapers...

Arunachal’s Sangty Valley Awaits Arrival of Rare Cranes

Itanagar, Oct 29 : The enchanting Sangty valley in Arunachal Pradesh is ready to host once again the endangered black-neck cranes as the winter approaches, but bird watchers are crossing their fingers over whether the winged guests from China and Tibet will arrive in depleted numbers. The rare bird, locally known as Dhung Dhung Karma, sets up its winter home in the valley, situated at Dirang in West...

Indian Festival Revives Theater in Manipur

A ten-day-long festival of theater is underway in Imphal, India. It includes a short-play competition with sixteen theatre groups entered. [Mangang, Festival Director]: "Theater in the state is reviving. There are also well-known theater artists in the state. If we put in more effort, we will be able to improve further and take part in international theater performances." Organizers...

PMGSY Roads Changing Lifestyle in Manipur

Imphal, Oct 29 : Construction of new roads and upgradation of certain inter-village routes in Manipur under the Centrally sponsored schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) has started to change the lifestyles of several villagers. “The recent construction of a road in between Sugunu and Sekmaijin villages has helped the villagers to change their lifestyles upto a certain level”,...

SMS Misuse to be Penalised by Mizoram Election Commission

Aizawl, Oct 28 : Five days before the first election to the Aizawl Municipal Council, Mizoram State Election Commission today warned that misuse of short message service (SMS) would invite penalties. In an official statement, the State Election Commission said the misuse would be penalised under provisions of the IPC, Representation of the People Act, 1951, Mizoram Municipalities (Election...

Mizoram to Take Back Refugees From Tripura

Agartala, Oct 28 : Following continuous agitation and memorandum to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the Centre has directed the Mizoram government to take back Reang refugees, lodged at makeshift camps in North Tripura for over 13 years. Officials here today said Mizoram Home minister R Lalzirliana announced to begin the repatriation process from November 18 and IN the beginning 50 families would...

Air India's Special Schemes For Northeast India

Mumbai, Oct 28 : The national carrier, Air India has come up with three super saver schemes for North East, Port Blair and Agatti to fulfill its mission of promoting travel and tourism to far flung and lesser visited destinations. ''The schemes launched on October 23, 2010 shall be valid for sale till March 31, 2011 and the validity of the tickets for travel shall be 3 months from the date of issue,...

Lajong Invites Sikkim Players For Manchester Qualifiers

Lajong FC coach Pradhyum Reddy gives soccer tips to players of Gangtok Boys Club at Paljor Stadium in Gangtok on Wednesday. Picture by Prabin Khaling Gangtok, Oct 28 : Shillong Lajong FC will invite selected boys from Sikkim for trials to set up an Under-15 side from the Northeast keeping an eye on the India leg of the Manchester United Premier Cup. MUPC is organised annually by English Premier...

Air India’s Failure is Bhutan's Flying Hope

By Rahul Karmakar Guwahati, Oct 28 : Bhutan’s government-owned airline has adopted a loss-making international circuit that Air India abandoned eight years ago. Suicidal soar? No, insists Drukair or Royal Bhutan Airlines, not with the global dream riding on a local need – to provide the Himalayan country’s eastern half a faster way to reach capital Thimphu. AI had in April 2002 launched the...

Rio to BRO: Restore NH-39 Soon

Kohima, Oct 28 : Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio today instructed the 15th Border Road Task Force (BRTF) under the BRO to restore the National Highway-39 at the earliest, which remained blocked over three months due to landslides at the KMC Dumping Site. Mr Rio, along with by Nagaland Assembly Speaker Kiyanelie Peseyie, Nagaland Additional Chief Secretary and Development Commissioner Alemtemshi...

Assam Launches Campaign in Cholera Infested Tea Gardens

Guwahati, Oct 28 : The Assam Government has launched massive awareness campaign in the Cholera infested tea garden localities in Sonitpur district. The disease has spread to several tea gardens in Biswanath Sub-Division, claiming at least 20 lives till this morning. Over 140 affected tea gardens workers were admitted to different hospitals in the district. The worst-affected tea gardens located...

10,000 Sign Up For Game of Zombie Tag in Facebook

Facebook turns zombie game into monster happening By Alan Gomez Whitney Metzger coordinated Survive Norfolk, a community-wide zombie-themed game of tag, which will be held Friday, October 22. Whitney Metzger thought it would be fun to hold a zombie-themed game of tag in her Norfolk, Va., neighborhood of Ghent. She hung fliers, invited friends and hoped for maybe 100 people. Now the...

Roll Out The Green Carpet For Northeast India

Greencamp.in is an eco-friendly travel website that introduces you to stunning landscapes that remain forgotten and tucked away in India's East and Northeast Kerala is God's own country, Rajasthan is the land of forts, palaces and kings, Goa has its beaches and Madhya Pradesh, its forests. So, when it comes to planning a holiday most head to these travel magazine-feted destinations. But...

Saina's Ad Value is Rs 1 Crore Per Deal

Saina's brand value soars after CWG success There is great news for lovers of 'other sports' in India. It is not just cricket or Sania Mirza ruling the endorsement market in India. Badminton sensation Saina Nehwal has joined the bandwagon too. The ace shuttler is in super demand and has crossed the Rs 1 crore mark New Delhi: Ace shuttler Saina Nehwal is turning out to be a hot property in the...

Upcoming Bike Launches of 2011 in India

Motorcycles, scooters, mopeds, superbikes — here's a detailed guide to all the new two-wheeler launches in the coming months. First up, the Yamaha FZ... Expected: Nov 2010 Estimated price: Rs 9 lakh The next entry in the superbike segment, the Yamaha FZ comes with a 998cc, 4-stroke, forward-inclined parallel 4-cylinder, DOHC heart. With a maximum power of 148bhp @ 11000 rpm and maximum torque...

Chinese Army Conducts Live Military Exercises in Tibet

Beijing, Oct 28 : Chinese military has conducted its first-ever live military exercises involving air force, artillery and electronic warfare divisions near the foot of the snow-capped mountains on the Tibetan plateau, close to the Indian border. The exercises aimed at testing the endurance of the soldiers at the altitude of over 4,700 meters was completed successfully with troops overcoming...

Northeast Ke Superstar Courtesy NEC

DoNER ministry launches multi-state reality show, to feature solo singers & dancers By E M Jose Shillong, Oct 28 : The reality show North East Ke Superstar, initiated by the North Eastern Council (NEC) under the DoNER ministry, will be launched on November 11 to be culminated in Guwahati on January 22. Considering the talent pool in the Northeast, the NEC has forayed into the field of reality...

Jatinga International Festival Opens in Assam

Jatinga (Haflong), Oct 28 : The first Jatinga International Festival opened here Wednesday with Assam Governor J.B. Patnaik inaugurating the three-day event organised to familiarise people from outside the region with Jatinga village. Jatinga, in North Cacher Hills district, is known for the mysterious phenomenon of birds committing mass suicide during winters. This peculiar phenomenon has created...

Northeast India Succumbs to Tobacco Lure

Northeast Indian states rank high in smoking survey, sales & consumption By Wasim Rahman Jorhat, Oct 28 : Tobacco is burning a big hole in the heart of the Northeast. Arunachal Pradesh spends the most on cigarettes a month and knows the least about its ill-effects; Mizoram is the most knowledgeable and yet is the biggest tobacco consumer, while Meghalaya has the highest number of passive smokers,...

Arunachal Blamed For Dam Tiff

By Pankaj Sarma AGP members protest in Guwahati on Wednesday against the construction of mega dams. Guwahati, Oct 28 : The Arunachal Pradesh government’s failure to implement some key recommendations made in a World Bank report has apparently led to the controversy over dams and inter-state clashes over the upcoming hydropower projects in that state. An official source privy to the comprehensive...