From History Pages:-Why didn't NATO attack India when India liberated Goa from Portuguese Colonialism?

Wasn't Goa considered sovereign Portuguese territory?

Balaji Viswanathan, History buff.

1.       Distracted US administration: Nehru timed the aggression within months of JFK taking over. The new administration was still learning the ropes and was too busy focused on the botched "Bay of Pigs" operation in Cuba. When India took the administraton by surprise, all the President could say was a dignified "Oops!"

2.      Colony or Province? As mentioned by User there was an argument on whether Goa was a province of Portugal or a mere colony. Given that US and Canada were colonies once, they were somewhat sympathetic to India's cause in fighting a colonial power despite Portugal's argument that Goa is a province (who were they kidding?). US didn't want NATO to be seen as siding imperial powers & lose political capital & credibility at a very critical time in Cuba & Vietnam.

3.      World opinion. Most of the world - from newly liberated colonies in Africa, West Asia, East Asia to USSR & Soviet bloc countries to even China - supported India. NATO's targets are usually isolated countries that no longer have friends (say Milosevic's Serbia or Saddam's Iraq). India had established itself as a leader of the third world and it was politically very expensive to act against India. This was especially important as IndoChina (Vietnam) was starting to boil and any action against India was bound to screw up everything. For most, Goa was too unimportant compared to the action in other places.

4.      British neutrality. Although Britain was a close friend of Portugal, they also sympathized with the Indian cause and decided to stay neutral. Canada, Australia and other Commonwealth members of NATO were also eager to maintain their relationship with India and were against a NATO action.

5.      JFK bias. Although the Eisenhower administration (that ruled US until 1960) was more friendly to Portugal, the Kennedy administration that took over in 1961 was more liberal and more sympathetic to India. Nehru timed his takeover of Goa well (waiting for Eisenhower to leave office). It is questionable whether India would have taken over Goa in 1961 if Nixon had won against Kennedy. 

Kennedy and Nehru meeting weeks before the Goa liberation 

6.      UN Veto: Portugal and US tried to use the UN for an action. Thanks to USSR Veto, UN Security Council refused to vote against India. This made things even more complicated.

7.      Personality of Salazar. Salazar (dictator of Portugal) was not a likable figure and as an autocratic dictator he didn't have many friends in the liberal minded members of NATO.

8.      Weakened administration. Although Adlai Stevenson II (US ambassador to the UN) spoke eloquently against India, he had little credibility even in the US. Even his own government did not debrief him regarding the Bay of Pigs crisis and made him appear stupid when talking about the subject in the General Assembly. In short, India's enemies were quite weak at that time and had no political capital to make a significant impact.

Donald Trump stokes World War III fear, warns of 'major, major conflict' with North Korea

BY REUTERS | UPDATED: APR 28, 2017, 10.21 AM IST

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said a major conflict with North Korea was possible over its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes, while China said the situation on the Korean peninsula could escalate or slip out of control. 

Trump, speaking to Reuters on Thursday, said he wanted to peacefully resolve the crisis, possibly through the use of new economic sanctions, although a military option was not off the table. 

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India on track to knock Britain out of world's top 5 economies

By Bloomberg | Updated: Apr 28, 2017, 09.03 AM IST 

By Anirban Nag 

India will overtake Germany in 2022 as the world's fourth-largest economy and push Britain out of the top five, based on analysis of growth projections by the International Monetary Fund. But the challenges the South Asian nation must surmount to get there are many. 

These include executing a wide-ranging overhaul of the tax system, sorting out the biggest pile of distressed assets among major economies, reviving lackluster productivity, substantially increasing employment opportunities, encouraging corporate investment and overcoming a significant infrastructure shortfall. 

India's economy is still recovering from a cash ban that sucked out 86 percent of currency in circulation near the end of last year. And then there's the likely near-term disruptions from the implementation of a nationwide goods and sales tax; indeed the government has already missed an April deadline for putting the tax in place and is now working against the clock to meet its new July 1 goal. 

While there is little doubt the GST will be beneficial in the long run, economists are concerned about India's banking system and the overall health of its public finances -- both seen as lightning rods for global credit agencies that already rate Indian debt just above "junk'' status. 

Bad loans, restructured debt and advances to companies that can't service their debt have risen to about 16.6 percent of total loans, government data show. That spike in bad loans has forced banks to focus on recovering bad debts. As a result, loan growth has fallen to near record lows, posing a challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government as it seeks to revive investment and boost employment. 

Apart from slowing investment, India's labor productivity has been weakening, limiting growth and employment opportunities. 

Labor productivity per person employed eased from 10 percent in 2010 to 4.8 percent in 2016 as reforms sputtered. According to the International Labour Organisation, output per worker is projected at $3,962 for India in 2017, a fraction of Germany's $83,385. 

Still, the potential remains. Ranking countries and regions on their gross domestic product, for 2017 and 2022 based on IMF forecasts, India, growing at 9.9 percent a year in nominal terms, will surpass Germany by 2022 as the world's fourth largest economy, with the U.K dropping out of the top five after 2017. 

Some seven decades after independence, India may outshine its former colonial master. 

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PILOT BABA-AN INDIAN AIR FORCE PILOT WHO TURNED MAHAYOGI-WITH LARGE JAPANESE FOLLOWERS

Mahayogi.......... a soul extraordinary

Early years

15th July,1938 a soul sparkles in the bosom of mother Raj Tapeshwari Devi of Sasaram, Bihar. Unaware that this child would be the beacon of spiritual knowledge in years to come, Kunwar Lallan or Kapil Singh (the childhood name of Mahayogi Pilot Babaji) was born. He gracefully completed his education and obtained Masters Degree in Organic Chemistry from the Banaras Hindu University.

A born Patriot

The passion to serve the country and consider it above all religions, made young Kapil join Indian Air force. He got commissioned as a fighter pilot in year 1957. Served and decorated Indian Air force until 1972. He fought the wars of 1962,1965, 1971. His dare devil acts as a fighter pilot earned him the name ‘Green Pilot’. Awarded by ‘Shaurya Chakra’, ‘Vir Chakra’ and ‘ Vishishtha Seva Medal ‘ he moved on to serve his country without fail.

The Turning point

An established fighter pilot’s life chalked out something more important and challenging in the years to come which led him meet his Guru - Hari Baba. Hari Baba would often ask for two rupees as and when he appeared before him from nowhere. The time of transformation had to happen in fighter pilots life when during 1962 war, fighter Kapil was in action at NEFA border, his plane lost the controls and contact with the base and did not know where to land the plane. The authorities at the base had lost all the hopes of figher Kapil’s survival. At this juncture, when all hopes were gone, Hari Baba appeared to Kapil in his cockpit and guided him to land the plane. It may sound unbelievable, but revered Babaji is testimony to it. This came as a turning point in young Kapil’s life and he took premature retirement from Air force at the rank of Wg.Cdr.

The search of Self

The mystery of his Guru’s appearance brought him closer to life. His quest and intense desire to unveill the mysteries of Human mind , soul, made him renounce the worldly pleasures at a young age of 33. His ultimate destination being Himalayas. He travelled extensively in Himalayas for years and found Pindari Glacier as his final call for the severe penance. For 16 years his home, his life, his journey for self was within the Himalayas. Ageless masters  like Mahavtar Babaji, Sarveshvaranandji , Sunder Nath babaji poured unto him their valuable wisdom   about life. However under the able guidance of his spiritual master  Hari  babaji, he discovered the sacred science of Samadhi through mediation and Kriya yoga. Wg. Cdr. Kapil was a transformed soul now as ‘Somnath Giri’, name given by his master. He also came to be fondly known as Pilot Baba.

Science of Samadhi

A state when person is beyond body and mind and in complete unison with the cosmos. Only a true yogi like revered  Mahayogi Pilot Babaji can be in complete unison with the five elements of the body and through them experiment various kinds of Samadhi. I:e BHUMIGAT SAMADHI or UNDERGOUND SAMADHI, a state when a yogi is in complete unison with the earth element both within and outside the body. Samadhi in Air tight glass chamber. Jal Samadhi or Samadhi in Water. Babaji has demonstrated all such samadhi’s more than 100 times in India, as also many a times abroad, particularly in Japan.

Message of Oneness through World Peace Campaign

Baba is a Mahayogi who has made his own life an adventure, an inquiry into the nature of things as they are and has not surrendered to conventions of society. He has always thought of the journey ahead and never looked back to what is behind. Tirelessly he keeps travelling around the globe with the message of Oneness through the science of meditation and Samadhi. His guidance is there for one and all. He does not believe in binding masses with him but guides them to be an individual , who are competent and have been bestowed with knowledge and ability to set on the journey of ‘Self exploration’.

Centre exploring Aurangzeb’s brother Dara Shikoh’s personality as the good Muslim who understood Hindus

BY VASUDHA VENUGOPAL, ET BUREAU | UPDATED: APR 28, 2017, 12.24 AM IST

NEW DELHI: The legacy of Mugahl emperor Aurangzeb is so gory that the Union government changed the name of a road named after him to APJ Abdul Kalam Road. But what if he hadn't been the emperor at all and given way to his brother Dara Shikoh. 

Dara Shukoh, also known as Dara Shikoh M 20 March 1615 – 30 August 1659 Julian/9 September 1659 Gregorian was the eldest son and the heir-apparent of the fifth Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. Wikipedia

Born: 20 March 1615, Ajmer

Assassinated: 30 August 1659, Delhi

Buried: Humayun's Tomb, New Delhi

Spouse: Nadira Banu Begum (m. 1633–1659)

Books: Majma Ul Bahraina Samudra-Sangamah, more

Parents: Shah Jahan, Mumtaz Mahal

The Centre is exploring the personality that was Dara Shikoh, the eldest son of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, who had a great interest in Hindu scriptures and had translated many of them into Persian and other languages. Promoting Dara Shikoh as the good Muslim, who "understood Hindus and India" has been part of the RSS project for many years.

In a conference on Dara Shikoh -Claiming the Spiritual Legacy of India, on Thursday, organised by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), Minister of State for External Affairs M J Akbar said Dara was truly a child of India, who understood the people of the country and its syncretic culture. "He could have lost the battle against Aurangzeb but he won the war for India and that is the victory we are celebrating." 

The minister said the question to be asked was why was Dara Shikoh chosen by Shah Jahan in his court as his successor as primogeniture was not followed by the Mughals. 

"Shah Jahan knew that he had the moral right over the throne. He knew that India couldn't be ruled by force alone but it needed spiritual force to rule the country. And spiritual force could emerge only out of harmony that had led the people of the nation together." 

"Shivaji had written a letter to Aurangzeb after he won the war against his brother and imposed the Jaziya tax. He had told him that while the Quran had clearly said Allah was the lord of all people, not just of the Muslims and that he(Aurangzeb) had forgotten the lord himself. What we know is if Dara had become the Mughal emperor Shivaji wouldn't have had to write such a letter," Akbar said, The minister said Dara also lived at a time that in the seventeenth century and was deeply influenced by by the Bhakti movement.

"He would have found Guru Nanak, Kabir, so many powerful influences were shaping the nation..,the prince himself was overpowered by syncretic culture and would have contributed to it, brought it into the realm of scholarship and translation," Eminent scholars, academics and historians from seven countries --the US, Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and India are participating in the two-day conference. 

  .. 


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India to supply only food, medicine to North Korea

BY DIPANJAN ROY CHAUDHURY, ET BUREAU | UPDATED: APR 27, 2017, 11.59 P

NEW DELHI: India has decided to supply only food and medicines to Pyongyang, adhering to UN Security Council sanctions that prevent the trade of any item North Korea could otherwise use to add to its military's operational capabilities. Through an official gazette dated April 21, the Narendra Modi government has barred any Indian citizen or firm from supplying to Pyongyang arms, any nuclear related material or technology, or any other material that would enhance North Korea's ballistic-missile capabilities.

Besides, the gazette bans all military or police training to North Korean official in India. India has maintained low-key diplomatic ties with North Korea over the years, and New Delhi’s interactions have been largely restricted to providing food supplies. 

In 2015, India hosted the North Korean Foreign Minister in an attempt to deliver the Pyongyang leadership a message to delink from Pakistan's nuclear programme. Hence, New Delhi's current action is significant amid the rising US pressure on North Korea. The gazette also suggests the expulsion of any North Korean government representative found violating the UN sanctions. 

Training of North Korean individuals in advanced physics, aeronautical engineering, and nuclear engineering in India has also been banned. Indian nationals have also been advised not to register ships in North Korea. 

According to a copy of the "Implementation of Security Council Resolution on Democratic People’s Republic of Korea Order, 2017" available with ET, the government has barred the hosting of trainers, advisors, or other officials for the purpose of military-, paramilitary- or police-related training. The Gazette further prohibits bunkering services, such as provision of fuel or supplies, or other servicing of vessels, to North Korean vessels if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they are carrying items prohibited by the UN resolutions. 

The gazette says that the government shall have the powers to “prevent the direct or indirect supply, sale, transfer or export, through its territories or by its nationals…to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, of (i) any battle tanks, armoured combat vehicles, large calibre artillery systems, combat aircraft, attack helicopters, warships, missiles or missile systems as defined for the purpose of the United Nations Register on Conventional Arms, or related material including spare parts. 

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ICAI ACTS AGAINST FOUR CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS FOR MISCONDUCT POST DEMONETISATION.

ICAI acts against four chartered accountants for misconduct post demonetisation

BY PTI | UPDATED: APR 27, 2017, 08.30 PM IST

NEW DELHI: Chartered accountants' apex body ICAI today said it has initiated disciplinary action against four of its members for "misconduct" with respect to offering advice on exchanging old currency notes for new ones. 

As part of efforts to fight the black money menace as well as curb corruption, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 8 last year announced cancelling of old Rs 500 and 1,000 notes. 

Without providing specific details, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) said the cases related to these members were taken up on a fast-track mode. 

The institute initiated suo moto action following media reports that post demonetisation certain members were providing advice in a manner that was in violation of Chartered Accountants Act and Rules framed thereunder. 

"Hearing in five cases, where information was available against chartered accountants who had been named in the media reports was conducted on fast track mode," ICAI said in a release. 

The remaining one case where further information is awaited would also be concluded shortly, it added. 

After following due process, the institute said its board of discipline found four chartered accountants guilty of misconduct under the provisions of the Chartered Accountants Act.  .. 

"Broadly, they were found guilty of offering to advise about exchange of old currency to new one which was contrary to the applicable laws," ICAI said. 

From November 8 till December 30, 2016, entities, including individuals, were allowed to deposit the invalid notes with banks. For a specific period, exchange of junked notes was also permitted. 

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55 School Drop Out Billionaires Without College Degrees

1.  Bill Gates: He is the billionaire co-founder of Microsoft Corporation, the world largest software company. Dropped out of Harvard to focus on building Microsoft. According to Forbes magazine, Bill Gates has held the position of the world richest man for thirteen consecutive years and he not showing a sign of letting go that position.

2.  Thomas Edison: Thomas Edison was labeled dumb and scatterbrain by his school teachers but he went on to become one of the world’s greatest inventors and founded General Electric; one of the most powerful companies in the world.

3.  Orji Uzor Kalu: He is one of the richest men on the soil of Africa. This young billionaire was rusticated from college for his participation in a student’s protest. Instead of lamenting over his predicament; he started trading on palm oil and from that humble beginning, he grew his business into a conglomerate “Slok Group.” Though he was later pardoned by the school authorities, he rejected the amnesty offer thereby refusing to return to school.

4.  Li Ka Shing: Billionaire owner of Hutchinson Whampoa; one of the largest conglomerates in Hong Kong, with operations that span over fifty countries and more than 220,000 staff worldwide. Dropped out of school at the age of 15 and started out by selling watch bands.

5.  Richard Branson: Best known for his adventurous spirit and outrageous business tactics. He dropped out of school at the age of 16 to start his first successful business venture; Student Magazine, bought his own 79-acre Caribbean island when he was just 24 and he was knighted in 1999. He is the billionaire founder of the Virgin brand and its 360 companies. His companies include the famous Virgin Atlantic Airways.

6.  Lawrence J. Ellison: Larry Ellison dropped out of college twice and was told by his adoptive father that he would never amount to anything but he went on to become a billionaire by building Oracle, the world’s second largest software company.

7.  Michael Dell:  He dropped out of college at the age of 19 to start PC’s Limited; later renamed Dell Computers Inc. Dell became the most profitable PC manufacturer in the world making Michael Dell a billionaire.

8.  Steve Jobs: Billionaire co-founder of Apple Inc and Pixar; dropped out of Reed College to start Apple.

9.  Henry Ford:  This automobile billionaire was born in abject poverty. He never saw the four walls of school but he went on to build Ford Motor Company and become one of the richest men that ever lived.

10.  Walt Disney: Walt, regarded as the most influential animator because of his creativity with cartoons. He dropped out of high school at 16 and founded Walt Disney; a company which now has an annual revenue of about $30billion.

11.  Ray Kroc: Billionaire Ray Kroc never saw the four walls of school and spent most of his life working as a salesman. He bought McDonald’s in 1961 for $2.7m and grew it into a multi billion dollar company.

12.  Debbi Fields: A 20 year old housewife with no education and business experience started Mrs. Fields Chocolate Chippery and became the most successful cookie company owner. She later renamed, franchised, and then sold Mrs. Field’s Cookies.

13.  Cosmos Maduka: Nigerian Elementary school drop out and billionaire founder of the Coscharis Group.

14.  Ingvar Kamprad: Billionaire founder of IKEA. He dropped out of high school at the age of 17 to start IKEA; now the top home furniture retailer in the world, with over 90,000 employees working in its 200-plus stores, and annual revenues in excess of $10 billion.

15.  Carl Lindner: Billionaire investor and founder of United Dairy Farmers. He dropped out of high school at the age of 14 to deliver milk for his family diary.

16.  Simon Cowell: Famous for his involvement in American Idols, he dropped out of school at age 16 and started his own record label “Fanfare” at the age of 23.

17.  Mary Kay Ash: Founder of Mary Kay Inc and best known as the most outstanding business woman in the 20th century. Mary never saw the four walls of school.

18.  Coco Chanel: Fashion magnate and founder of the Coco Chanel brand, she never saw the four walls of school.

19.  Wayne Huizenga: Wayne is the only person in history to build three Fortune 1000 companies practically from scratch: Waste Management Inc, Blockbuster Entertainment and AutoNation. He is the only person to have developed six NYSE-listed companies. He also owns the Miami Dolphins and is previous owner of the Florida Marlins baseball team and the Panthers hockey team, making him the only person ever to own three pro teams in a single market, two of which won national championships. He dropped out of college to join a friend in a garbage collection business.

20.  Barry Diller: This billionaire media magnate dropped out of college to start Fox Broadcasting Company. He is chairman of Expedia, and was once the CEO of IAC/InterActiveCorp which includes Home Shopping Network and Ticketmaster.

21.  Andrew Carnegie: Founder of Carnegie Steel Company and one of the richest men that ever lived. Born in abject poverty, Andrew never saw the four walls of school.

22.  Sir Philip Green: Billionaire retail mogul and owner of the Arcadia brand, he dropped out of school at the age of 16. After four business failures, Philip Green made his first million at the age of 33.

23.  Madame C. J. Walker: She was born into the family of ex-slaves and farmers. Despite being widowed at the age of 20 and faced with extreme hardship, she started a cosmetics business and went on to become the first American self made female millionaire.

24.  Mark Zuckerberg: The youngest billionaire in the world, dropped out of Harvard to promote his social networking platform; Facebook. As at 2010, he was 23 years and worth $4billion.

25.  Ted Turner: Billionaire drop out media mogul and founder of CNN; pledged a billion dollars to the United Nation.

26.  Cornelius Vanderbilt: Dropped out of school at the age of 11, began operating his own boat at the age of 16 and became one of the richest men in history.

27.  Mayer Amschel Rothschild: was born in a ghetto; started business as a money lender and built the largest private fortune in history. He never saw the four walls of school.

28.  Ty Warner: Billionaire real estate investor, hotel owner, sole owner, CEO, and Chairman of Ty, Inc. Ty Warner is a savvy, yet private business man. Ty, Inc; made $700 million in a single year with the Beanie Babies craze without spending money on advertising. He has since expanded to include Ty Girlz dolls, directly competing with Bratz dolls.

29.  Howard Hughes: Dropped out of California Institute of Technology and Rice University; founded Hughes Aircrafts and Co and went on to become a billionaire.

30.  Giorgio Armani: Billionaire founder of the fashion brand; Giorgio Armani S.P.A. Dropped out of medical school at the University of Bologna because he couldn’t stand the sight of blood.

Successful Entrepreneurs and World’s Richest School Drop Out Billionaires

31.  Asa Candler: Founder of the Billionaire company and world’s most popular brand; Coca Cola. He dropped out of school at the age of 10.

32.  Jenny Craig: With no college degree, this woman started Jenny Craig Inc from scratch and grew it to become one of the largest and most recognized companies in the weight management industry.

33.  Rachael Ray: Despite having no formal training in culinary arts, Rachel Ray made a name for herself in the food industry. With numerous shows on the Food Network, a talk show and cookbooks, high-energy Rachael never slowed down. She has also appeared in magazines as well has having her own magazine debut in 2006.

34.  Milton Hershey: With only a fourth grade education, Milton Hershey started his own chocolate company. Hershey’s Milk Chocolate became the first nationally marketed chocolate.

35.  Frank Lloyd Wright: surpassed all odds to become the most influential architect of the twentieth century. Frank Lloyd Wright designed more than 1,100 projects with about half actually being built. He never saw the four walls of high school.

36.  David Geffen: billionaire founder of Geffen Records and co-founder of DreamWorks.

37.  Billy Joe (Red) McCombs: founder of Clear Channel media, real estate investor.

38.  Craig McCaw: billionaire founder of McCaw Cellular.

39.  Dave Thomas: billionaire founder of Wendy’s.

40.  ay Van Andel: billionaire co-founder of Amway.

41.  Micky Jagtiani: billionaire retailer, Landmark International

42.  John Paul DeJoria: billionaire co-founder of John Paul Mitchell Systems and Patron Spirits tequilla.

43.  David Green: billionaire founder of Hobby Lobby.

44.  Frederick “Freddy” Laker: billionaire airline entrepreneur.

45.  Kirk Kerkorian: billionaire investor, owner of Mandalay Bay and Mirage Resorts, and MGM movie studio.

46.  Leandro Rizzuto: billionaire founder of Conair

47.  Leslie Wexner, billionaire founder of Limited Brands.

48.  Marc Rich: billionaire commodities investor and founder of Marc Rich & Co.

49.  S. Daniel Abraham: billionaire founder of Slim-Fast.

50.  Theodore Waitt: billionaire founder of Gateway Computers.Y.C. Wang: billionaire founder of Formosa Plastics.

52.  Paul Allen: billionaire co-founder of Microsoft Corporation; dropped out of Washington State University.

53.  Ralph Lauren: Billionaire fashion mogul. Studied business at Baruch College for two years and dropped out.

54.  Dean Kamen: Billionaire Kamen holds more than 80 US patents; famous for the Segwey PT, Auto syringe and IBOT robotic wheelchair; dropped out of Worcester Polytechnic.

55.  Dhirubhai Ambani: Famous founder of Reliance Group and father to two billionaires; Anil and Mukesh Ambani. Started Reliance Industries from scratch and never saw the four walls of school.