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International Womens Day 2013

Visit : www.voiceofsikkim.com

THE VOICE OF SIKKIM


Issue 17, Vol II
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S agarika Chhetri has


once again made North East proud by contesting for Miss India 2013, it may be recalled that 23 years old Sagarika had recently bagged Femina Miss Kolkata Title 2013. In an exclusive interaction with 'The Voice of Sikkim', she has appealed the people of North East and Sikkim to bestow her with votes for grand Miss India 2013 Title which will hold on March 24. In the social networking site Sagarika Chhetri vote appeal is floating in plenty through various supportive hands across the world, enthusiastic fans have been tremendous urging for votes to everyone by sharing her Fan Page on Facebook these days. According to statistics she requires more and more support in her personal blog created by iTimes in the internet where the audiences, fans can like her page, comment on her posts or photos, also leave a write-up. Sagarika Chhetri who originally hails from Beautiful Hill of Darjeeling did her schooling entirely at Maharashtra in Mumbai, where her late father was posted as a Navy Officer. She continued her higher education after which she got a job in Jet Airways as Flight Attendant. She continued struggling with her

effort, just recently her luck blessed with Femina Miss Kolkata 2013 Title. Now that is not the end of a road , a most important challenge to bag Miss India 2013 title is yet her aspiring dream for which she has personally appealed everyone to bless her with votes. The voting is completely online on the internet where one have to visit a website "http://ww.itimes.com/ times-polls/miss-india2013", there there're option to select three contestants' photos which are provided by vote options. During logging into the iTimes website one has to first login with Facebook login , which is mandatory for voting. After clicking vote , one may also visit her personal Facebook page which appears in iTimes website itself, it's also important to comment, like and give a write-up in her blog page. To mention here that voting is unlimited and there are two awards associated with online voting which will also be helpful in making Sagarika Chhetri winner of 'Viewers Choice Award' later will make her win the title of 'Miss Digital Diva' by commenting & liking on her photos. The online voting closes on 22 March, so bagging her with an ample of votes to succeed other contestant in a row is vital.

WOMEN EMPOWERMENT IN SIKKIM


After the commencement of SDF government, the women of the state have achieved a respectable position in the in the society. When the State Cabinet approved 50% reservation for women in the Panchayat bodies it was a historic moment not just for the state but also for the country. Sikkim became the first state to offer women the highest quota , when resCollege of Pharmaceutical Science, VMS college of Nursing and VMS College of Arts and Science are its constituent colleges. Students are enrolled in B.Sc. Nursing and GNM in College of Nursing which is located at Chandmari (Gangtok). Students are also enrolled for BBA, BCA and MLISc in College of Arts and Science. Admission in Pharmacy has been deferred for some time. Nursing courses are run as per the approval of INC and WBNC. We have 60 (sixty) seats in all the course.20% seats are reserved for Sikkim students having certificate of Identification/Sikkim Subject Certificate with 33% fees concessation. University has Library and Library facilities are open to all the students and faculty members. College has its own Laboratory. Nursing College Girls Hostel is located at Lumsay (Tadong). The college has all infrastructure facilities to equip the student for the excellent learning. We have also received approval for Distance Education and all efforts are being made for its implementation in future

ervation for the women in the panchayats in the rest of the country is at 33%. Not satisfied with the empowering women in the villages the Chief Minister, Pawan Chamling announced similar reservation for women in the municipal bodies. The state is probably also the only state in the country to have passed an Act in the Assembly making women equal inheritors to property. With these announcements,

Sikkim has become the leader and example of womens empowerment for the rest of the country. This pro women thrust of the government is also highlighted in politics of the state with 2 women members inducted into the present Cabinet and 7 women members in the State Planning Commission. Previously, Sikkim became the first state to have a woman as the Speaker of the State Legislative Assembly. - Shri Pawan Chamling CM Sikkim

KAALRAV IS BACK

Vinayaka Missions Sikkim University

T h e Vi n a y a k a M i s s i o n s Sikkim University has been established in the state of Sikkim as per the Vinayaka Missions Sikkim University Act, 2008 (Act NO 11 of 2008). This is a state private University. It is lo-

cated at Tadong near Metro Point. This is established in order to cater the growing need of young generation for higher education in the state of Sikkim. Vinayaka Missions Sikkim

The only premier Engineering College in Sikkim, Sikkim Manipal Institute of Technology (SMIT) is gearing up for one of the biggest techno cultural fests in the region. A constituent College of the Sikkim Manipal University, SMIT boasts of an excellent infrastructure and State-of-the-Art Laboratories surrounded by mountains and cuddled by the waters of the river Teesta. Students, who hail from various parts of the country, will once again display their technical/cultural expertise during this annual extravaganza. Its that time of the year again, when Sikkim Manipal Institute of Technologys annual college fest Kaalrav takes centre-stage. KAALRAV13, The Voice of Time one of the most talked about Techno-Cultural College fests in the North-East is scheduled to be held from March 8 to 10. Seven sisters & one brother, KAALRAV 2013 has ... Page 3

International Womens Day 2013

Visit : www.voiceofsikkim.com

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Stop the lip service!


March 8th is commemorated at the United Nations and is designated in many countries as a national holiday. Women of all continents often divided by national boundaries and by ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic and political differences, and come together to celebrate their Day. It was in 1908, more than 100 years ago, that women finally stood up and demanded better working conditions and the right to equality. We think of the 60s as the decade of feminism, but the first feminists were way before that era. International Women's Day is the story of ordinary women as makers of history; it is rooted in the centuries-old struggle of women to participate in society on an equal footing with men. In ancient Greece, Lysistrata initiated a sexual strike against men in order to end this eternal war; during the French Revolution, Parisian women calling for "liberty, equality, and fraternity" marched on Versailles to demand of women's suffrage. Each year there is a theme for Internat i o n a l Women's Day. Last years theme was Gender Agenda: Gaining Momentum. Despite all the fan fare about womens day I am not sure how much of change is felt by an ordinary woman? How many women today are not abused? How many are not sexually molested? How many do not face domestic problems? In most of these cases women are to be blamed as they are the ones who inculcate regressive thoughts and condition their daughters in such a way that they are always happy to take the second place in the society, bear any torture inflicted on them. They do not have the desire or ambition to excel and be the best. In the name of giving birth, breeding and grooming children women are always expected to sacrifice for a larger good. Women themselves are skeptical about their growth in comparison to men. Women are not expected to have a mind of their own and chase their own dreams. They are expected to compromise and make adjustments in their lives to accommodate men who cant keep pace with them and so on. There is a lot of gender bias even in this day and age. There are innumerable instances of women being better than men in the field of academics, work place etc however there is a glass ceiling restricting their growth. Though we talk a lot about diversity even in the corporate world women find it difficult to take up key position on the Board. This years Budget has given impetus to women but did the Finance Minister really ask the women what was required? It is typical of Men to think for and on behalf of women and decide what is good for them. For instance the most ridiculous thing to do is to come up with an all womens bank. How absurd can that get? Why cant the same apply to the parliament? Why cant there be an equal representation in the Parliament or an Industrial Board of Directors or pertinent Government bodies? The plea of an ordinary woman of today is to take her life, career, thoughts and growth seriously. Despite eons of curbing one can clearly see that women are not equal to men but superior to them. Time and again this aspect has been proven however all we need is a world with an open mind and inclusive environment to ensure women bloom and shine!! Dr SapnaPoti, ex-faculty, Sikkim Manipal Institute of Technology Global Head - Corporate HR General Manager -Talent Management ITC Infotech Dr VandanaSuhag Registrar Academics,SMU

IAS Smt. R Ongmu is a new Chief Secretary of Sikkim


should have to play a proactive role in consonance with the activities taken up by the Tourism Department with regard to Buddhist Circuit and Pilgrimage Tourism. Many of the schemes are co-related hence coordinated effort is required from each and every department, each action of a department should be complimented by the other, she added. The Chief Secretary also talked about the establishment of Grievances Redressal Cell in each and every department as announced by the Chief Minister in the recently concluded Assembly. She asked the heads to work out a mechanism for the establishment of a cell of the kind in the department. Further, she also elaborated on the working pattern of the department to make it 24 x 7 inorder to expedite the delivery mechanism of the administration. The Chief Secretary also enquired about the progress made on the various projects of the state government like Ramayana Village, multispeciality hospital, old age home, tribal bhawan at jaubari, OBC Hostel etc and asked the departmental heads to walk into each others room to sort out problems, if any and take out solutions instead of writing on the files. She also dealt in detail about the activities taken on the rehabilitation and reconstruction process of the 18th September, 2011 earthquake. Talking one to one with the head of the departments she asked them to expedite the matter so that the funds allocated are used in time and proper Utilization Certificates are submitted to the government of India for the release of further funds. The Chief Secretary during the meeting also floated the idea of having a training of the Indian and the States civil, forest and police service officers about the state rules and laws. In this regard she suggested that the Secretary Department of Personnel can make a comprehensive curriculum towards this end. Earlier, the Secretary, Home and Finance Department Shri M.G.Kiran congratulated Smt. R. Ongmu for taking over the charge of the Chief Secretary of the state on behalf of the Officers and employees of the state government of Sikkim.

Intl Womens Day: Gods reside in places where a woman is worshiped


Gyatri Sanker Burnt alive or mercilessly beaten up for not bringing in the desired dowry; abandoned or whisked for not producing a male child; teased, assaulted and raped for being the fairer-sex! Women are subjected to challenges of all sorts and unjust treatment is meted out to them not just publicly but even inside their homes. And with time, the plight of womanhood is only turning bleaker; they are now reduced to being mere pieces of flesh meant for consumption by the society at large. In a country like India, where women were once referred to as Shakti, the ultimate power, they have now turned into objects that are quite unbecoming to their existence. But would you believe that our own scriptures hold women in high esteem and literally worship them? One of the verses from Manu Smriti says, Yatra Nari Astu Pujyante, Ramante Tatra Devataa meaning Gods reside in places where a woman is worshiped. Its quite hard to believe that a nation that once believed in worshipping women has now reduced them to nothing less than inanimate objects. Nonetheless, women were once regarded superior to men. They were omnipresent and had equal rights to the Vedas, the Shlokas and other areas that now are accessible to men alone. It is widely believed among the Hindus that the Hiranya Garbha or the golden womb is the mother of all creations including the galaxies and the many solar systems. And the Trinity Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh are manifestations of the Supreme Being. Owing cultured, for humanity at large has somewhat equated a woman to being just a voyeurs treat. Coming back to India, when it comes to getting daughters married, parents start saving riches right from the time shes born so that they are able to accumulate enough by the time she is ready for marriage. Dowry is a very common feature among marriages in the country and the notion of kanyadaan has been ridiculously misinterpreted through time. The society often believes that a girl is equal to a charitable object. But that isnt the case. Most of the shlokas uttered during marriages are misread. This is what one of the shlokas from Rigveda Samhita means O bride! I accept your hand to enhance our joint good fortune. I pray to you to accept me as your husband and live with me until our old age. By giving their daughters hand to their son-in-law, the parents are indeed giving away their good fortune. When a girl gets married, she begins a new journey- of illuminating her in-laws house and nourishing lives of the people who take shelter in the house. Alas! The current state of most women in their inlaws house paint a contradictory picture. In the days when the teachings of the Rigveda Samhita were preached and practiced, women were handed over the charge of the new house she was moving into. O bride! May you be like the empress of your mother-inlaw, father-in-law, sisters-inlaw and brothers-in-law (sisters and brothers of the groom). May your writ run in your house.

Women`s Day; Rape rises on streets, fades from B`wood screens


A dimly-lit or dark room, a yelping woman, a callous villain and a hero who saves the helpless victim. Bollywood of the 1950s to 1980s almost had a set rape "formula". Fortunately, this has diminished on the silver screen, but sadly, rapes are on the rise off-screen. India witnessed a staggering spiral of 873 percent in rape cases between 1953 and 2011, according to statistics compiled by the National Crime Records Bureau. rape scenes per se, but many have blamed double entendre lyrics in sleazy item numbers like "Munni badnaam" and "Sheila ki jawani", uninhibited skin shows and lovemaking on the big screen as aggravators of increased sexual violence against women in real life. The brutal gang rape of a Delhi girl in December 2012 triggered off a national debate over the portrayal of women in popular cinema and TV, and its impact on the general public. But that, to no effect so far except the fact that rape scenes are now abysmally low on the big screen. Reasons Ausaja: "It has vanished because a new generation has arrived which doesnt have cinema as an avenue for titillation, there are other far superior means. Rape in the 1970s and the 1980s unfortunately was used more for its `item` value than as a necessity of the script. "There was no internet, no ac-

04 Mar, Gangtok : Smt. Rinchen Ongmu, IAS chaired her first coordination meeting with the Secretary and the Heads of Department, today, after taking over the charge of the Chief Secretary of the state. The Coordination Meeting of the heads of the departments and Secretaries with the Chief Secretary was held today at Chintan Bhawan, Gangtok. At the outset the Smt Ongmu expressed her deep gratitude to the state government and the Chief Minister for having giving the opportunity of shouldering the responsibility of the state as Chief Secretary of the state. She also said that it will be a great privilege and honour for her to work with such experienced officers who are heading various departments of the state government and have contributed a lot to the development of the Sikkimese society. At the same time she also urged everyone to feel free to interact with her in their day to day activity and share their opinions and experiences in the interest of the state. This is a learning process and I am also a part of it, she said. Taking a review of the previous coordination meeting the Chief Secretary dealt about the decisions taken by the previous coordination meeting and urged the department heads to submit their action taken report on the 42 days tour of the Chief Minister to the office of the Chief Secretary. As of today total only 23 departments have submitted their report. The commitments given by the Chief Minister during the 42 days tour should be taken very seriously by the Heads of the departments, she added.

The Chief Secretary also dealt about the court cases, RTI cases, correspondence received from the Government of India, cases of land acquisition, decentralization and devolution of powers to the Local Self Government and the Panchayat. While talking about various administrative matters she categorically asked the Heads of the Departments to give their personnel attention in matters like court cases, RTI cases and correspondence from Government of India. She also stressed on the persistent monitoring and evaluation of various schemes going on in the state and urged the heads of the department to go for tour to get first hand information of the activities going on in the field. Talking about the administration of the state the Chief Secretary asked the heads of the departments to go in for surprise check of the attendance of the officers and staff to ensure punctuality in the office and also adhere to State Financial Rules while sending officers on tour outside the state. Referring to the Result Framework Document forwarded by the Cabinet Secretary, Government of India to the state governments she stressed on the Team Target which she said is required for the successful implementation of the projects. Citing example of infrastructure development she said that departments dealing with infrastructure can form a team for the projects so that there is proper coordination and cooperation amongst the departments for successful implementation of projects. Elaborating further she said that the Ecclesiastical Department

Is Bollywood to be blamed? "Blaming cinema for influencing young minds is not a fair assumption," says film historian SMM Ausaja. "Yes, the youth forms a major fraction of the cinema-going public, but every entrant in the theatre is aware of the film`s make-believe nature. Today`s generation is more educated, less gullible and doesn`t fall prey to fiction," Ausaja told reporters. Rewind over two decades into the film world - from Pran to Prem Chopra, from Shakti Kapoor to Ranjeet, the arch villains of the bygone era played rapists over and over again. Sometimes as a revenge tool and sometimes as a mark of men`s superiority over the fairer sex - whatever it was, rape unabashedly featured in film scripts. Mehboob Khan`s Amar, BR Chopra`s Insaaf ka Tarazu, NN.Sippy`s Ghar and Rajkumar Santoshi`s Damini are some examples. But change ensued. Today`s cinema doesn`t have

However, showbiz singularly cannot be blamed for the rise in crimes against women, noted Samir Parikh, director, Mental Health and Behavioural Sciences, Fortis Healthcare. "No one parameter can be blamed for the rise in any crime. But it is scientifically proven that watching aggression increases the tendency of aggression. Similarly, even if there are too many rape scenes in movies, the objectification of women itself can impact minds. If you promote that, it will have its impact," Parekh told reporters. The need of the hour, then, is perhaps, as veteran actress and social activist Shabana Azmi once put it, that our heroines "make more discerning choices". "Crass lyrics, voyeuristic camera angles, fragmented images of heaving breasts, swivelling navels, swinging hips rob women of autonomy. So much easier to blame than to reflect and share part of the blame. All sections of society including films need to analyse how we are part culpable," Shabana posted on Twitter.

cess to porn and no open sale of desi Playboys, and the families were largely conservative. Today`s generation has access to myriad forms of nudity, and they won`t watch a film just because of some skin show in it," he added. To some extent films may impact people`s psyche, but at the same time Parekh feels there are othre important factors that can`t be ignored in perpetuating sexual violence. "Like how people here just stand by and let things happen; the law and order of our country; the society - all crimes are a result of collective factors," he added. Perhaps then a vivid display of the consequences of rape can help in reducing such crime, once said psychologist Neha Patel. "When films show rape scenes, they often focus on the suffering of the girl instead of showing the consequences borne by the man. If this is shown, it might inculcate a feeling of fear in men," she said and added: "We have seen how ads send out subtle messages." IANS

Why is there a delay in bringing a tougher 07 Mar, New Delhi: Differanti-rape law in India? ences, multiple opinions and
oppositions yet again seemed to have delayed the Criminal Law Amendment Bill. The anti-rape Bill, which promises strong legislation to curb crime against women, seems to be drowned under the Cabinet dithering. The bill was not discussed by the Cabinet on Thursday after some amendments proposed Pg 3

to the very fact that a woman alone has the power to give birth to life, it can be assumed that Shrishti (creation) is a result of Shakti (power). Not just in India, respecting womanhood has been an integral part of many cultures. Else we wouldnt have referred to the earth as Mother Earth, to nature as Mother Nature and a nation as Motherland. However, such references have only been limited to the well-read and

All aspects of the feminine were worshipped. Even the Sun God - Surya rises only after chanting an ode to Goddess Usha and hence, teaches humanity to follow women. And on this note, heres hoping that the men in the country imbibe the teachings our scriptures are endowed with so that they can give women the due position and respect that they have been deprived of for centuries now.

International Womens Day 2013

Visit : www.voiceofsikkim.com

SC seeks explanation from Punjab, Bihar on police brutality


06 Mar, New Delhi: Taking strong exception of recent incidents of police beating protesting contractual teachers in Bihar and a girl in Tarn Taran in Punjab, the Supreme Court today sought explanation from with the issue. It posted the matter for further hearing on March 11. On March 4, a woman was thrashed by Punjab police constables when she had ap-

MAHA SHIV RATRI


Namchi March 6: As per the information received from the Administrator of Siddheswara Dham Solophok, Namchi South Sikkim. The programme structure for the up coming Maha Shiva Ratri are as follows... 8th and 9th March 2013 : 1) 6am Mangal Aarti and Shiva Archana (108 Belpatra) 2) 10 am Rudravishek 3) 10am to noon Prasad Vitran and Darshan 4) 1pm to 5pm Bhajan Kirtan and Pravachan. The programme for 10th March 2013 Maha Shiva Ratri as are follows : a) 6am Mangal Aarti and Shiv Archana b) 8am to 9:30am Maha Rudravishek c) 9:30am Shiva Baarat (Jhaki) Preparation d) 10am Kirateshwara Mahadev Pooja and Jhaki starts for Kholaghari. e) 11am to noon Swagat of Shiv Baarat Shiv Parvata Vivah, Kholaghari Mandir Pooja and Jhaki returns to Namchi. f) 12:30pm Jhaki Procession in Namchi town g) 2:30 pm to 4pm Jhaki returns back to Dham. h) 4pm Prasad Vitaraan and Bhandara. i) 4pm to 6 pm Bhajan by Guest artists. j) 6pm Mahashiv Aarti. k) Shivarti. l) 10pm Shiv Puran. A warm welcome is extended by the Siddheswara Dham Trust to everyone to attend the function on the above mentioned dates.

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Hugo Chavez - socialist showman who transformed Venezuela


Both marked a quasi-religious "return" for the socialist exsoldier whom supporters loved with messianic fervor first from a 2002 coup that saw him jailed on a tiny Caribbean island, and then from cancer surgery inCuba in June 2011. As he held aloft the crucifix from a balcony of his Miraflores Palace after returning from surgery, the maverick president of South America's biggest oil exporter said he was putting his fate in the hands of God and the Virgin Mary. "Today, the revolution is more alive than ever. I feel it, I live it, I touch it ... If Christ is with us, who can be against us? If the people are with us, who can be against us?" he said, working his supporters into a frenzy. "But no one should think my presence here means the battle is won. No," he cautioned, turning the screams of joy at his homecoming to tears at the fragile state of his health. Chavez died in hospital on Tuesday, finally succumbing to the cancer after four operations in Cuba. His death ended 14 years of charismatic, volatile rule that turned him into a major world figure. Ever the showman, Chavez would jump from theology to jokes, and from Marxist rhetoric to baseball metaphors in building an almost cult-like devotion among followers. Throughout his presidency, he projected himself in religious, nationalistic and radical terms as Venezuela's savior, and it largely worked. While his foes reviled him and portrayed him as a boorish dictator, Chavez was hailed by supporters as a champion of the poor and he won four presidential elections. He took over from his mentor Fidel Castro as the leader of Latin America's left-wing bloc and its loudest critic of the United States, winning friends and enemies alike with a cutting and dramatic frankness that no one could match. When the cancer first struck, Chavez could have stepped aside to fight it. Instead, he stretched his physical limits by staying at the front of his government while running a successful but hobbled campaign to win a new six-year term at an October 7 election.

At two defining moments of his rule, Venezuela's theatrical leader Hugo Chavez took a small silver crucifix from his pocket and held it above his head.
ezuelans, especially the poor, who admired Chavez for standing up to a government they felt was increasingly corrupt and cold to their needs. The hint of more to come, plus the unashamed acceptance of responsibility by Chavez,

Iran, irritated Washington, which has long been the main foreign buyer of Venezuelan oil. Addressing the U.N. General Assembly in 2006 a day after then-U.S. President George Bush, he called Bush the "devil", triggering shocked gasps and wry smiles around the hall. "Yesterday the devil came here. Right here," Chavez said, crossing himself. "And it still smells of sulfur today." In mid-2011 he was the only vocal supporter of Libya's Muammar Gaddafi on the world stage, calling him a "beloved brother revolutionary" and condemning the NATO air strikes. "Bombing the brave L i b y a n people

the two states on the conduct of police personnel. Taking suo motu cognisance of media reports, a bench of justices G S Singhvi and Ranjana Prakash Desai directed the two state governments to respond on Monday on the allegations of police brutality. The bench asked Attorney General G E Vahanvati and senior advocate Harish Salve to assist the court in dealing

proached them along with her father for lodging a complaint against harassment by a truck driver and his accomplices in Tarn Taran district. In another incident, Bihar Police had yesterday resorted to a baton charge and fired tear gas shells during a protest by contractual teachers outside the Assembly in Patna demanding regularisation of their jobs and pay parity with regular teachers. PTI

..Kalraav13 taken the endeavour to present all feelings which students could only experience but never explain. This three day mega event not only depicts t h e glory a n d splendour of SMIT but also the zest and passion of the students. The cultural events include Halloween parade, singing competitions, dance competitions, fashion show, dramatics among others. Technical competitions like programming contests, robotics, photo and video editing, web designing, hacking and more bring out the other important facets of the students. This year, Kaalrav also promises to be high on music and laughter like never before. On March 9, one of Mumbais best DJs, DJ Julz

will get behind the console and get you grooving on your feet with his music. Singer Shefali Alvares of Party on my mind fame will notch up the music with her high-on-energy performance on March 10. Thats not all. Stand up comedian, Umesh Pherwani, is also scheduled to perform at this prestigious engineering institute on the final day. Says Umesh, Im more excited performing at Kaalrav than I was when I was performing in the US or Amsterdam. I am really looking forward to performing at this beautiful place that Ive only heard of and seen in photographs. SMIT has tied up with Mumbais most rapidly growing advertising , PR , Event and Artist Management Company , E3 Entertainment Pvt Ltd to arrange for some of the finest artists from Mumbai and also provide extensive publicity to KAALRAV 2013.

made him a hero in some sectors. "I thank you for your loyalty, your valor, your exuberance, and I, before the country and before you all, assume responsibility for this Bolivarian militant movement," he said, instructing his fellow rebels to lay down their arms. Pardoned in 1994 by Venezuela's next president, Rafael Caldera, Chavez left jail and began a grassroots political campaign, eventually defeating a former Miss Universe to win a presidential election four years later. By doing so, the former paratrooper ended the grip of Venezuela's traditional parties and launched his self-proclaimed "Bolivarian Revolution" - named for Venezuela's 19th century independence hero Simon Bolivar. Chavez changed the nation's name to the "Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela" and appeared in front of huge paintings of Bolivar, sending a subliminal message to Venezuelans that he was the modern reincarnation of their historical idol.

SIMFED LAUNCHES PRODUCT SIKKIM ORGANICS

That led to his first "crucifix moment". The stocky, wiry-haired Chavez - whose favorite attire remained the paratrooper's red beret and dark green uniform or a bright red shirt - became Latin America's most colorful and controversial leader. He soon became a household name from Middle America to the Middle East.

to save them? What a brilliant strategy by the mad empire," he mocked. "Where are the international rights? This is like the caveman era." He used similarly colorful language to condemn his domestic political opponents, calling them ruthless capitalist speculators, traitors and "los escualidos" - a squalid, bitter minority linked to the traditional political parties, which he said were venal and corrupt, that he defeated in 1998.

C A L L E D "MUSSOLINI, CASTRO"
Allies say Chavez was misunderstood abroad, the victim of an unstinting U.S.-led propaganda campaign. "They've called me a Mussolini or Fidel Castro or said I sleep with a book by Hitler for a pillow," Chavez once said. "But the people know the truth. They know who I really am." He combined traditional leftwing tenets of equality and wealth distribution with a fervent nationalism inspired by Bolivar. His critics regularly accused him and his government of being corrupt and inept, and of steering the country towards a Cuban-style authoritarian regime. Certainly, a clutch of opponents ended up in exile or jail, normally on graft charges they said were trumped up. Business detractors said his socialist reforms, including the expropriation of rural estates and the nationalization of much of the economy, including multi-billion dollar oil projects, destroyed jobs and scared off investors. A decade of high oil prices allowed Chavez to spend huge amounts on social programs that became the linchpin of his support among poor voters. They included his famous slum "missions" that provided free healthcare and education, plus subsidized food, clothes and even electronics, and are likely to be his biggest legacy. All of his political opponents have vowed to continue them, in some form or other. Chavez defended his "revolution" as a long-overdue crusade to close the yawning gap between rich and poor in Venezuela, which combines huge oil and mineral wealth with grinding poverty, widespread unemployment and rampant crime. His praise for communist Cuba and Fidel Castro, combined with his courting of other anti-U.S. states like

MARATHON TV SPEECHES
A garrulous public speaker, Chavez was perhaps best known for his famously rambling television broadcasts that mixed serious affairs of state with songs, folksy anecdotes, quirky behavior and other antics like bashing on his infant daughter's xylophone. His "Alo Presidente" ("Hello President") program on Sundays routinely lasted eight or nine hours or more, exhausting weary cabinet ministers sitting alongside him, as well as journalists and others required to follow it. Supporters hailed what they saw as his rare gift for communication - especially with Venezuela's poor majority and even detractors conceded that he displayed an uncanny charisma. Others said his aggressive leadership style was confrontational and counterproductive. Towards the end of his rule, his illness made him more philosophical. Chavez said he had ignored his doctors at his peril and he quoted the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, while also invoking the "spirits" of the plains of his youth. At times, he sounded much more conciliatory towards his political foes; at others he remained defiantly scathing. And he never lost his flair for the theatrical. When a U.S. newspaper quoted unnamed sources in September 2011 saying he had been rushed to a military hospital with kidney failure after a fourth session of chemotherapy prompting speculation around the world that he was at death's door - he summoned the foreign press corps to Miraflores the following morning. He emerged wearing a tracksuit, cap and catcher's mitt, and tossed a baseball back and forth with aides while cracking jokes with several sportswear-clad ministers.

NMSS undergo Teachers Trg


Nabil Memorial Secondary School in Jorethang has taken the opportunity to have their teachers trained in a new method of teaching English of the school Mrs.Ranjana Pradhan for her support and effort to get such a useful lesson of phonics.One of the teachers said that it is a great 04 Mar, Gangtok : Sikkim State Cooperative Supply & Marketing Federation (SIMFED), an Apex Marketing Society of the state of Sikkim has launched organically grown local agriculture and horticulture produces of Sikkim under the brand name of Sikkim Organics. These products were officially launched in the presence of the Honble Speaker, Government of Sikkim, Honble Minister of Horticulture & IT, Government of Himachal, Honble Minister, FS&AD and H&CCD, Government of Sikkim, Special Secretary to the Government of India and other dignitaries at the conference hall at Saramsa Gardens on the 23rd of February, 2013. Some of the products launched that day were Ginger Powder, Ginger chips, Turmeric Powder, Buck Wheat Powder, Millet Powder, Rajma, Paheli Dal, Butter Beans, Tibi (Lachung Beans), Rice bean (Mashyam), KRH Rice etc. All these products have been cleaned, processed and packed at the Ginger processing unit at Birdang, West Sikkim, where the packaging facilities have been set up by SIMFED. The packaging machines have facilities for vaccum and nitrogen filled packing also, which enhances the shelf life of the products packed in the packets. These products have been priced reasonably and were sold at the SIMFEDs stall at the venue of the International Flower Show, Saramsa Gardens. These products will be available for sale at various outlets of SIMFED soon. Cymbidium flowers packed in an attractive gift boxes was also released on that day. IPR ernment was earlier mulling bringing back the word 'rape' in the Bill. CNN-IBN

SLUM HERO
In the early days of his rule, Chavez enjoyed runaway popularity levels of 80 percent or more, especially in the sprawling slums of the capital Caracas. His first big test surfaced three years in when he faced huge street protests and a buildup of withering criticism from political foes, business and labor leaders, Catholic bishops and even dissident soldiers. But when military officers briefly pushed him out in their own coup in 2002, Chavez proved himself to be a survivor and bounced back to power after two days incommunicado and under arrest, some of it at an island military base. In what he frequently refers to as his darkest moment matched only by the cancer diagnosis he said his friend and ally Fidel Castro broke to him in 2011 at a private Havana hospital - Chavez thought he was going to be assassinated. In an incredible 72 hours for Venezuela, a counter-coup by loyalist troops and demonstrations by hundreds of thousands of outraged "Chavista" supporters forced Pedro Carmona, who had briefly seized power, to resign and restored Chavez to the presidency.

RURAL ROOTS
Born the second of six sons of teachers in the cattleranching plains of Barinas state and raised by his grandmother Rosa Ines in a mudfloor shack, the young Chavez first aspired to be a painter or pitcher in the U.S. Major Leagues. Attracted by the chance to play baseball, he joined the army at 16 and was eventually promoted to lieutenantcolonel. Though mixing with left-wing rebels and plotting within the military from long before, Chavez burst onto the national stage when he led a 1992 coup attempt against then leader Carlos Andres Perez. The coup failed and Chavez surrendered, but he cut a dashing figure dressed in green fatigues and a red beret for a famous speech live on TV before being carted off to jail. His comment that the coup had failed "por ahora" ("for now") electrified many Ven-

skills with Evelyn Garrard,the author and trainer of the method from Australia.she has been working in Nepal and India for the last two months. The training started on 18th February and ended on 02th march where the teachers were taught LEM Phonics and the teachers were taught basic Model 1 of Phonics.All the teachers have expressed their gratitude towards the Prinipal Delay Anti-Rape ... by the home ministry ran into opposition. CNN-IBN has learnt that the Law Ministry has sent some recommendations and has reservations about replacing the word sexual harassment with rape saying that this limits it to just women-related crimes. Union minister of state for information and broadcasting Manish Tiwari said, "The fact that we came out with an ordinance shows that we are committed to women safety.

opportunity for them to get trained from such well qualified academician from Australia. Inorder to show gratitude and warm hospitality all the teachers and the students organized cultural programmes for Ms.Evelyn expressed that the beauty and the warm hospitality of people of Sikkim have mesmerized her. Why a bill came up and didn't come up, you have to ask the concerned ministries." While the NCW has welcomed the changed law as more women-centric, the Opposition was quick to demand a redraft of the anti-rape law to include 'sexual assault' along with 'rape' to keep the law gender-neutral. NCW chairperson Mamata Sharma said, "The use of word sexual assault was one of our recommendations. But now if they want to use

'rape' I think it is because they want to focus on women which is absolutely fine." The gov-

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