World Book Fair begins in New Delhi

The 20th World Book Fair in the capital began on an optimistic note Saturday with Union Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal announcing that efforts were on to make the biennial fair an annual affair.

He inaugurated the nine-day book fair, being held Feb 25-March 4, at the Hamsadhwani open air theatre at the Pragati Maidan.

`India taken off polio endemic list by WHO`

New Delhi: India, which has been polio-free for over a year now, was today taken off the list of polio endemic countries by the World Health Organisation.

This announcement was made by Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad at the polio summit 2012 here in the presence of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

NRI custody row: India rushes special envoy to Oslo

Special envoy Madhusudhan Ganapathi has been rushed to Norway to convey India’s concerns in connection with the NRI children’s custody row and will meet the Norwegian Foreign Minister on Monday.

Mr. Ganapathi, Secretary (West), Ministry of External Affairs, has been tasked to once again take up the matter and convey the government’s views on the issue to the Norwegian authorities, official sources said.

2012 London Olympics beckons team India

New Delhi: On a day when their favourite cricketers let them down in the tour Down Under, Indian hockey stars turned it into a Super Sunday for the fans after winning the final of the FIH Olympic qualifier.

Goal machine Sandeep Singh netted five and completed the second hat-trick of the tournament in the process to give India a perfect evening and a ticket to 2012 London Olympics. Tactical accuracy and the lightning pace displayed by Michael Nobbs men undone a sorry France. The scoreline of 8-1 in favour of the hosts said it all.

Kohli's blitz keeps India's hopes alive

Virat Kohli was high on octane and low on sympathy for the bowlers. The feisty right-hander's hurricane 86-ball unbeaten 133 was the principal force behind India achieving the near impossible against Sri Lanka at the Bellerive Oval here on Tuesday.

India pulled off a heist even as the Sri Lankans were left rubbing their eyes in disbelief. Playing out of his skin — he whipped and drove Lasith Malinga with power and precision — Kohli was the Man-of-the-Match.

Significance of Maha Shivaratri

Maha Sivaratri, celebrated all over India, falls on the 13th (or 14th) day of the dark half of the Phalgun (February-March) month. The name "Maha Sivaratri" means "the night of Lord Siva" and celebrations happen all over the country on the night of this auspicious occasion. There are many beliefs behind the celebration of this religious festival. Some devotees believe that Lord Siva married Goddess Parvati on this propitious day. However the major part of the devotees follow another story of the belief.

Once the Devas and Asuras joined together for "Saagaramathanam" - churning of Ocean. They enjoyed PariJatha, KalpaVrikshu (Tree which bestows any boons), Kamadhenu (Cow which bestows any boons) and Amritha (Nectar). However when the mighty poison "Kalakoota" emerged, all of them were in panic and nobody could combat it. At that time Lord Shiva emerged to help the world and swallowed the poison. Goddess Parvati was all for her husband and held his throat to enter into Lord Siva. Lord Siva neither swallowed nor spat out the poison as he held it in his neck and became Neelakanta (Blue neck).