Amitabh Bachchan, Kareena Kapoor win top honors at Stardust Awards

Megastar Amitabh Bachchan won the Reader's Choice Award for Best Actor for "Paa," while Kareena Kapoor was adjudged best actress for "Kurbaan" and "3 Idiots" at the seventh Stardust Awards held Jan. 17 in Mumbai.

Rajkumar Hirani's "3 Idiots" won the Reader's Choice Award for Best Film of the Year, but the Dream Director award went to Imtiyaz Ali for "Love Aaj Kal," news reports said.

While "Wanted" bagged the Best Film in action thriller category, "All The Best" was adjudged the Best Comedy.

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United Arab Emirates court ruling acquits Saudi in torture trial, Indian sentenced

A member of Abu Dhabi's ruling family was found innocent on Jan. 10 of the torture and rape of an Afghan in a case that embarrassed the Gulf Arab emirate and raised questions over human rights. An Indian was sentenced to 3 years.

The judge reading the verdict at a court in the United Arab Emirates, the world's third largest oil exporter and a U.S. ally, did not give a reason why Sheikh Issa bin Zayed al-Nahyan was exonerated of responsibility for abuse shown in a video first made public on U.S. network ABC last year. ABC identified one of the people taking part in the abuse as Sheikh Issa.

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New Governor, New Jersey

Incoming New Jersey Republican Gov. Chris Christie, who was sworn in Jan. 19, has an uphill battle and his honeymoon is going to be short-lived, say analysts and politicians on both sides of the aisle.

Just an hour before Gov. Jon Corzine moved out of the State House and the new governor was sworn in at Trenton War Memorial at noon, some analysts told Desi Talk Christie started out on the right foot with a few Democratic appointments; other analysts consider that a token gesture.

In his inaugural speech Christie promised, "Change has arrived. ... The era of partisanship and acrimony have not served New Jersey well. ... Today, a new era of lower taxes and high growth will begin."

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Anil Kapoor makes U.S. TV debut with '24'

Casting in on the success of Slumdog Millionaire" in the United States, Bollywood star Anil Kapoor has now entered American households ­ as President Omar Hassan in the eighth season of Fox's hit series "24."

The 50-year-old actor plays the leader of a fictitious Middle Eastern country in the series, which stars Kiefer Sutherland as Jack Bauer, the never-say-die counter terrorism agent who always saves the day.

The explosive season had a two-hour premiere on Fox Jan. 17, followed by another two hours Jan. 18

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Washington Leadership Program extended to Gujarat

Students from Gujarat can now get first-hand insight into how the American government works, thanks to the efforts of Indo-American Chamber of Commerce (IACC), Gujarat chapter, and Parikh Worldwide Media Inc., publisher of Desi Talk.

The two groups have signed an agreement to extend the prestigious Washington Leadership Program (WLP), which provides Indian-American students across the United States an opportunity to intern on Capitol Hill, to students in Gujarat. The agreement was signed here Jan. 13 by Himanshu Vyas, chairman IACC-Gujarat and Dr. Sudhir Parikh, chairman of Parikh Worldwide Media Inc.

As part of the program, university and college students from Gujarat will get the opportunity to travel to the United States and intern with lawmakers on the Hill.

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Mukesh Ambani honored by University of Pennsylvania school

On Jan. 8, in a ceremony described as a "Who'sWho of India," the Penn Engineering Dean's Medal was awarded to Mukesh Ambani, chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries Ltd., in Mumbai.

The event was held at the Trident Hotel, with a keynote address delivered by Eduardo Glandt, dean of University of Pennsylvania's School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.

"The medal acknowledges Ambani's ingenuity and initiative to usher in Reliance's vertical integration journey from textiles into fibers, petrochemicals, petroleum refining and eventually oil and gas exploration and production," the university said in a press release Jan. 11.

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India cruise into Tri-series final with thumping win

Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli smashed half centuries to guide India to an eight-wicket win over Sri Lanka on Jan. 10 and a place in the Tri-series one-day tournament final against the same opponents.

India bowled out Sri Lanka for 213, then knocked off the runs with more than 17 overs to spare.Gambhir hit 71, as did the unbeaten Kohli. Gambhir enjoyed let-offs when he was on 41 and 43, dropped respectively by Tillakaratne Dilshan and Upul Tharanga at cover-point and mid-wicket in successive overs of Thilan Thushara.

He put on 89 with Dinesh Karthik for the opening wicket before adding 72 with Kohli.

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Screen, Apsara awards honor the best in Bollywood

Director Rajkumar Hirani's "3 Idiots" swept the board winning as many as 10 awards at the 16th annual Star Screen Awards in Mumbai Jan. 9.

R. Balki's film "Paa" also bagged a few awards, with its leading man Amitabh Bachchan winning the Best Actor award for his performance as a 12-year-old suffering from progeria, a disease that produces rapid aging, while his co-star Vidya Balan was named Best Actress for the same film, the Indo Asian News Service reported.

Kareena Kapoor won the Best Actress (popular choice) award for her character of Pia in "3 Idiots," while Shahid Kapur was awarded the Best Actor in the category for his roles as Guddu and Charlie in Vishal Bhardwaj's "Kaminey."

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New York Police Department crop of graduates most diverse ever

This Dec. 28, the New York Police Department witnessed the graduation of what the force says is the most diverse group of officers in the academy's history.

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly presided over a graduation ceremony for 250 new police officers at the Beacon Theatre.

The graduates recently completed over six months of intensive training at the Police Academy in various field assignments.

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Indian filmmakers `installation' will be featured at Berlin Film Festival

Filmmaker Madhusree Dutta's "Cinema City" has been selected for the 60th Berlin International Film Festival, which is scheduled to be held from Feb. 11 to 21.

It will be featured as part of Forum Expanded, which explores the intersections between film and other arts, according to the festival's Web site.

Dutta's "installation project" will be on display in the foyers of several cinema theaters, exploring questions about the relationship between urban space and cinema.

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No evidence race behind Indian attacks, Australia says

Australia said on Jan. 5 there was no evidence of a racial motive behind a series of attacks on Indian students, including the killing of an Indian graduate that threatens a diplomatic rift with New Delhi.

Accounting graduate Nitin Garg, 21, originally from Punjab, was stabbed to death on Jan. 2 night on his way to a job at a fast food outlet in Melbourne.

"What we have to do is to let the investigations take their course, but certainly on the basis of what we're being told so far, by the Victorian authorities, there's no basis for a racial motivation behind this," Acting Foreign Minister Simon Crean told Australian radio.

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Bollywood radio program opens online store

Jhankar, a radio program targeted to the South Asian community in the U.S., has announced their latest addition ­ mobile.jhankar.com.

The new online store will add to the program's Bollywood offerings of radio and web, with the latest ringtones, wallpapers, and animations, a press release said.

Launched in 1985, Jhankar has been entertaining the everi ncreasing South Asian community in New England with a wide variety of songs, community news, and celebrity interviews.

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Chennai eye hospital uses IT advances to deliver services

The Chennai-based Sankara Nethralaya, one of India's leading eye-care hospitals, is using advances in information technology to its advantage in areas as diverse as diagnosing ophthalmological problems, maintaining electronic medical records and promoting e-learning.

The hospital, which was established in 1978 in Chennai, now has five centers in the metropolis and offers its services in various part of India, including in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, Bangalore, Kolkata and Tirupati, according to a press release.

To enable doctors to diagnose medical problems at different sites or during camps organized at various locations, Sankara Nethralaya has launched a teleconsultation service with assistance from the Indian Space Research Organization. The teleconsultation is facilitated via satellites, the release said.

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Narain Karthikeyan eyes United States switch

Former Formula One driver Narain Karthikeyan is exploring opportunities to join the U.S. NASCAR series and has already tested with a new team, he was quoted in local media as saying on Dec.24.

Karthikeyan, who became the country's first Formula One driver when he raced for the Jordan team in 2005, had driven in the European Le Mans Series in the second half of 2009.

"I tested for Starbeast Motorsports just three days ago at Daytona (international speedway)," Karthikeyan told DNA newspaper on Dec. 24.

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A.R. Rahman awarded London's Trinity College Fellowship

Oscar winner musician A.R. Rahman has been awarded an Honorary Fellowship of London's Trinity College of Music, Dec. 16.

According to Rahman's website, the award was conferred in respect of his distinctive contribution to and creativity in the art, his website said.

The award was presented by Barry Wordsworth, Music Director of the Royal Ballet Covent Garden. Nicknamed the `Mozart of Madras' by Time Magazine. Rahman is well known for the musical "Bombay Dreams" and the scores for films like "Roja", "Bombay",

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Seniors celebrate holiday season, swing to Bollywood beats

More than 100 seniors attended a Winter Mela organized by the Herricks-Indo U.S. Community in New Hyde Park, N.Y., Dec. 18.

Guests dressed in their best holiday attire were greeted by Herricks Middle School flutists, who played popular holiday tunes, a press release said.

Volunteers had decorated the venue with blue and white and snowflakes, and activities included various games and entertainment.Seniors packed the dance floor swinging to the beats of popular Bollywood songs.

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