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COVER STORY N
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THE ART OF GIVING….

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Economic Indicators 2
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Cover Story 3
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Personalities of the Week 4
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Business News 5
COMPILED BY T
International News 9
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Miscellaneous News 10 E
General Knowledge 11 R
 TOP 10 HEADLINES OF THE WEEK

1. Shiv Nadar promises to donate 10% of his wealth.

2. India’s rich club sees 2nd fastest growth.
3. Google world's most attractive employer: Survey.
4. India MindTree to launch smartphone in US.
5. FIIs can invest $10 b more in bonds now.
6. ADB provides 250 million dollars to help India turn tourism into growth, jobs driver.
7. Nooyi Named Top US Businesswoman For 5th Year.
8. India among 25 nations to undergo IMF check-ups.
9. Aamir’s ‘Peepli Live’ is India’s entry to Oscars.
10. UPA-2's ambitious UID project launched in Maharashtra.

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

Current Market Rates as on 30th Sep’10 Values Stock Market Indices as on 30th Sep’10 Values
Rupee / US Dollar 44.68 BSE SENSEX 20069.12
Rupee / Euro 60.96 NSE (NIFTY) 6030.30
Rupee / Pound 70.20
Gold (10 Gram) in Rs. 18834.8

World Military Spending Graph & Trend

Global military expenditure stands at over $1.5 trillion in annual expenditure at current prices for 2009, and has been
rising in recent years.

Summarizing some key details from the Stockholm

International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)’s 2010
Year Book on Armaments, Disarmament and International
Security for 2008:

1. World military expenditure in 2009 is estimated to

have reached $1.531 trillion in current dollars;
2. This represents a 6 per cent increase in real terms
since 2008 and a 49 per cent increase since 2000;
3. This corresponds to 2.7 per cent of world gross
domestic product (GDP), or approximately $225 for each
person in the world;
4. The USA with its massive spending budget, is the
principal determinant of the current world trend, and its
military expenditure now accounts for just under half of the
world total, at 46.5% of the world total;

The military expenditure database from

SIPRI also shows that while percentage
increases over the previous decade may be
large for some nations; their overall spending
amounts may be varied.

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 COVER STORY: THE ART OF GIVING

Haves and Have-nots: Infant Mortality is often considered as an indicator of the health of the
Country. India has one of the highest infant mortality rates (5%) and ranks 136th in the world.
37% of Population lives below $1.25 per day. If we consider the world population, the income of
the richest 1% of people is the same as that of the poorest 60%. While the top 10% of India’s
population enjoys 31.1% of the country’s income, the lowest 10% suffers with merely 3.6%.
How will this disparity end?

Philanthropy in India
Philanthropy is the effort to increase the well-being of humankind. A report
by Bain & Company on philanthropy suggests that India lags
significantly behind developed nations in charity. Indians' reluctance to
part with their cash stem from a variety of reasons including less attractive
tax breaks for charitable donations and a deep-seated suspicion of what
charitable organisations really do with the money. Among the top 40
business groups, nearly 70% are family-owned/controlled enterprises. It is
likely that some families and individuals view corporate responsibility
initiatives as extensions of their own giving which may curb interest in
making personal donations.

Shiv Nadar takes the lead: Technology czar Shiv Nadar, Chairman of
HCL Technologies has committed to put aside well over 10% (Rs. 1,500
crores) of his wealth for philanthropic ventures. In the next five years, his
philanthropic educational projects will entail an expenditure of Rs
4,000 crore. He sold 2.5% equity in HCL Technologies this June and
pumped the entire Rs 585 crore proceeds into his philanthropic
efforts. Vineet Nayyar, head of software firm Tech Mahindra recently
gifted a third of his shares to another charity. Software czar Azim Premji
and telecom tycoon Sunil Mittal have also set up charitable foundations.

The Giving Pledge: Mr Nadar has been deeply influenced by The Giving Pledge, started in June
2010 by American billionaires Bill Gates & Warren Buffet. The Giving Pledge is an effort to invite the
wealthiest individuals and families to commit to more than 50% of their wealth to the philanthropic
causes and charitable organizations of their choice. As of August 2010, 40 billionaires in the US
have joined this campaign promising a collective sum of at least $125 billion. Foundation
targets diseases and health conditions like Malaria, diarrhea, AIDS, polio and pneumonia
that cause the greatest illness and death in developing countries.
In India alone, the Gates Foundation provides more than $1 billion for health and AIDS initiatives. Worldwide, the
Gates Foundation has underwritten a global health initiative that has immunized more than 200 million children. The
foundation has recently committed $10 billion over the next decade to “help research, develop and deliver vaccines”
for the world’s poorest nations.

Does Charity Help? World’s Wealthiest Man, Carlos Slim, says he’d rather spend money on projects that
create jobs than give away his cash as part of a fight against poverty. He adds “Trillions of dollars have been
given to charity in the last 50 years, and they don’t solve anything,” Peter Kramer, a multimillionaire, criticizes “It is
all just a bad transfer of power from the state to billionaires. So it's not the state that determines what is good for the
people, but rather the rich want to decide.”

Eradicating Social Problems is more difficult than doing Business

Warren Buffet says “In philanthropy you're tackling the tougher problems of society, things where people have applied
money and intelligence before and haven't really solved the problem”. Education is a great example. Gates Foundation
is working on eradicating polio. They have gotten 99% of the way there. But that last 1% is very tough, and nobody
knows for sure if it will get done.”

The Road Ahead

David & Lucile Packard Foundation has been able to prevent deaths of nearly 100,000 infants
& 6,000 mothers in India as well as more than 3 million unwanted births. These
examples are dramatic proof that foundations & donation support networks can have a
tremendous impact in India. Good news is that more and more wealthy individuals in India are
establishing foundations. For example, the Bajaj trusts have amassed $150 million, Bharti
Foundation, has slightly more than $60 million. As the no. of wealthy individuals continues to accelerate & more
foundations are created, one can foresee a day where foundations in India play a growing role in addressing the needs
of the impoverished, helping them lead healthier & more productive lives.

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 PERSONALITIES OF THE WEEK

 The reigning queen of Indian television industry, Creative Director and Joint
Managing Director of Balaji Telefilms Ekta Kapoor was born on June 7, 2010. She is the
daughter of former Hindi film actor Jeentendra and the sister of current Bollywood
actor Tushar Kapoor.
 Ekta did her schooling from Bombay Scottish School and later on joined Mithibai
College. As she was not much interested in academics, on the advice of her father
ventured into TV-serial production at the age of 19.
 She incorporated ‘Balaji Telefilms’ in 1994 and has redefined the Indian
television space in this period. Making a strong start with hit shows like “Hum
Paanch”, the company rose to extraordinary heights in the late 1990s and 2000s.
 She has broken all previous records of TV serial production & popularity in India and also influenced the
psyche of the people. Her company has produced more than 25 serials and each one is being shown, on an
average, four times a week on different television channels.
 Her most popular television endeavor has been ‘Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi’, which started airing on
STAR Plus in the year 2000. One of the most noticeable things about her creations is that all her soaps begin with the
letter "K" as she is superstitious that it brings her good luck.
 Despite the popularity of her soaps, Ekta has received a lot of criticism for her controversial and bold scenes,
the portrayal of female characters, false sophisticated sets and repetitive, frivolous plots.
 In the short span of her career this young entrepreneur of India has achieved many wards and civic honors.
She was chosen to lead the Confederation of Indian Industries' (CII) entertainment committee. For her
entrepreneurial skills and achievements Ekta Kapoor was awarded with Ernst & Young (E&Y) ‘Startup
Entrepreneur of The Year’ award in 2001. The other awards she received are ‘The Society Achiever Award’,’ The
Best Entrepreneur of the Year 2001’ and ‘The 6th Indian Telly Awards 2006’.

 Michael Jackson, the ‘King of Pop’ as he is known to the world, was born on
August 29, 1958 to an African American Couple, Joseph Walter "Joe" Jackson and
Katherine Esther Scruse in Gary, Indiana.
 The eighth child of the Jackson family, debuted on the professional music scene
along with his brothers as a member of The Jackson 5 in the mid-1960s, and
began his solo career in 1971. In the early 1980s, Jackson became a dominant figure in
popular music.
 The popularity of the music videos for his songs including "Beat It", "Billie Jean" and
"Thriller" helped to bring the relatively new television channel MTV to fame.
Jackson's Billie Jean was the first video by a black artist to air on MTV and his 1982
album Thriller is the best-selling album of all time.
 Jackson won hundreds of awards, which have made him the most-awarded recording artist in the history
of music. Some of his achievements include Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (twice), multiple Guinness World Records; 13
Grammy Awards, including Grammy Legend Award, the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award; including the "Artist of
the Century" and has estimated sale of over 800 million records worldwide.
 MJ was also a notable humanitarian and philanthropist, donating and raising hundreds of millions of dollars for
beneficial causes and supporting more than 39 charities. Jackson founded the "Heal the World Foundation" in
1992, the charity organization that brought underprivileged children to Jackson's ranch (farm) to enjoy theme
park rides that Jackson had built on the property. The foundation also sent millions of dollars around the globe to help
children threatened by war, poverty, and disease. Jackson received a Presidential Humanitarian Award from
Ronald Reagan in 1984 for his support of charities helping people overcome alcohol and drug abuse.
 Aspects of Jackson's personal life, including his changing appearance, personal relationships and
behavior, have generated controversy. In 1993, he was accused of child sexual abuse, but the case was settled
out of court and no formal charges were brought. In 2005, he was tried and acquitted of further sexual abuse
allegations and several other charges after the jury ruled him not guilty on all counts.
 Jackson's total lifetime earnings from royalties, solo recordings and music videos, revenue from concerts
and endorsements have been estimated at $500 million
 While preparing for his concert series This Is It, Jackson died on June 25, 2009, after suffering from cardiac
arrest. Jackson's death triggered a global outpouring of grief, and as many as one billion people around the world
reportedly watched his public memorial service on live television. In March 2010, Sony Music Entertainment
signed a US$250 million deal with Jackson's estate to retain distribution rights to his recordings until 2017,
and to release seven posthumous albums over the decade following his death.

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 BUSINESS NEWS OF THE WEEK

1. Shiv Nadar promises to donate 10% of his wealth- ET Sept 29

For a few months now, Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett have been wining and dining
with the world’s richest, gently persuading over 40 US billionaires to pledge at least half of their
wealth to fix the world’s ills. But no one from India has yet been able to match that generosity.
At least one Indian billionaire has taken a first step and is now daring others of his ilk to start
making a meaningful contribution to society. Technology czar Shiv Nadar has committed to put
aside well over 10% of his wealth for philanthropic (charitable) ventures. These ventures, under
the Shiv Nadar Foundation, span building and running free schools, a proposed university and a
museum of art. Mr Nadar’s personal wealth, based only on his shareholding in listed companies,
including HCL Technologies and HCL Infosystems, is pegged at about Rs 15,000 crore.

2. India’s rich club sees 2nd fastest growth- ET Sept 29

Around 43,000 more resident Indians made it to the elite list of
high net worth individuals (HNIs) in the country in 2009, their
coffers swelled by a buoyant stock market and a robust
economy, says the 2010 Asia-Pacific Wealth Report, compiled
jointly by Capgemini and Merrill Lynch Global Wealth
Management. India now has around 1,27,000 HNIs whose
cumulative wealth stands at $477 billion, according to the
report, which defines a high net worth person as one who has
“investible assets of $1 million or more, excluding primary
residence, collectibles, consumables and consumer
durables.” “Going forward, China and India are likely to remain
the fastest-growing HNI segments in the world, based on the
positive outlook for the market and macroeconomic drivers of
wealth for those economies and the Asia-Pacific region as a
whole,” says the report.

3. Google world's most attractive employer: Survey- TOI Sept 29

Google has emerged as the world's most attractive employer, but four global auditing giants are
posing a challenge for the technology firm, says a survey by employer branding company
Universum. In the world's most attractive employers 2010 - index, Google retains its number one
position for the second consecutive year. Auditing firm KPMG ranked second after Google, while
Ernst and Young came third followed by PricewaterhouseCoopers and Deloitte which were placed
fourth and fifth in the list. However, companies in the banking and investment industry,
management consulting, and oil and gas now encounter the problem of being perceived as less
attractive employer.

4. India MindTree to launch smartphone in US- Reuters Sept 29

Mid-sized Indian IT services firm MindTree Ltd is looking to launch its 3G smartphone based
on Google Inc's Android platform in the United States in the second half of this fiscal year,
and expects fiscal 2011 revenue to top the industry average, its CFO said. The company,
which posted revenue of 12.33 billion Indian rupees ($274.1 million) in fiscal 2010, also
expects this rise to boost margins. MindTree is in talks with at least one major U.S carrier
for the launch of its smartphone announced in April.

The smartphone market is currently dominated by industry players like Apple Inc's latest
iPhone, the BlackBerry from Research In Motion and Samsung Electronics Co's Captivate.
The IT, knowledge and R&D services firm, founded in 1999, also expects follow-on business
to stem from its present contract with 'Aadhaar,' earlier known as the Unique Identification
Project (UID), the CFO said. The company had received the first 'Aadhaar' contract for
application development and maintenance services in June.

5. FIIs can invest $10 b more in bonds now- ET Sept 24

The government has raised the ceiling for investment in government and corporate bonds by
foreign funds, which will ease pressure on banks to raise rates with rising demand for loans to
build roads, ports and power plants. The finance ministry revised the cap for investment by
foreign portfolio investors in government securities from $5 billion to $10 billion, and in corporate
bonds from $15 billion to $20 billion. The announcement appears to have been timed well since it
came on a day when the borrowing calendar for the second half was unveiled, which led to yields
easing. Corporate bond yields eased after the government’s announcement, helped also by a
marginal reduction in borrowings for the second half of the financial year.

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6. ADB provides 250 million dollars to help India turn tourism into growth, jobs driver- ANI Sept 29
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is extending up to 250 million dollars to help India
develop its tourism sector into a driver of sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
ADB's Board of Directors approved a multitranche financing facility for the Infrastructure
Development. The investment program is part of a broad tourism development plan for the
four states namely Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and Uttarakhand, drawn up
previously by the Government of India and ADB, which will cost almost 1.7 billion dollars to
implement.

India is, potentially, one of the most promising tourist destinations in the world with rich
and varied attractions ranging from cultural, religious, ecological, medical, adventure and
relaxation. The program will fund basic infrastructure around natural and cultural heritage
sites, and improvements of last-mile connectivity to make them more convenient and safe
for visitors. It will also support policy reforms to make the sector more attractive to private investors. Another key
element will be increasing the involvement of local communities in tourism-related activities, to provide new
livelihoods and incomes, particularly for poor, rural dwellers.

7. Celebs help oil cos cook success story- ET Sept 24

Emami recently roped in Indian cricket captain M S Dhoni and actress Preity Zinta to
promote its soon-to-be launched Healthy and Tasty edible oil brand. Adani Wilmar, an Adani
group company, signed up the World No. 2 woman badminton player as the brand
ambassador of Fortune Plus, just 10 days before the Delhi Commonwealth Games where
Nehwal is a gold medal hope. The market is expected to grow 6% per year, the organized
sector that accounts for just one-fifth of the market eyes a much-faster growth. In the midst
of a Rs 10-crore advertising campaign, the company has roped in Nehwal, saying Fortune
Plus fitted the dietary needs of a top athlete like her. Nehwal is also a brand ambassador for
Andhra Pradesh Tourism, Herbalife India (a nutrition and direct selling company) and IPL
team Deccan Chargers.

8. P&G set to let hair down with Wella- ET Sept 24

Procter & Gamble India is set to bring in one of its biggest global brands–Wella hair colour—
as it looks to strengthen its health and beauty business in India. This is the first time that
the detergents-to-diaper maker will enter the Indian hair colour market, which is dominated
by L’Oreal India’s L’Oreal Excellence Crème and Garnier, and Godrej Consumer Products.
Analysts believe P&G’s entry into the hair colour category signals its new-found aggression
in India. P&G’s closest rival, Hindustan Unilever (HUL), does not have a presence in hair
colour segment. In fact, speculation is rife that P&G will foray in the toothpaste category
before year-end with either its Crest or Oral-B brands, and compete directly against
category leader Colgate. The consumer products giant has a combined turnover of close to
Rs 3,000-crore turnover in India and operates through three subsidiaries -- Procter & Gamble Health & Hygiene
(PGHH), Procter & Gamble Home Products (PGHP) and Gillette India.

9. Munni Zandu Balm hui for Emami ET- Sept 24

After reaching an out-of court settlement with Arbaaz Khan Production for the use of words
Zandu Balm in its chartbuster, Emami is now ready to cash in on the popularity of the Dabangg
song with a new TV commercial to be aired within two days. Emami is also planning to rope in
Malaika Arora Khan, as brand ambassador for Zandu Balm. The makers of brands such as Fair &
Handsome, Boroplus and Navratna are keen to use the opportunity to pep up brand Zandu and
target a younger audience. Jagdeep Kapoor, managing director of Samsika Marketing
Consultants, said: "This is a win-win-win situation for the brand, Malaika and the film’s producer.
It has connected Brand Zandu with a trendy, young audience and has rejuvenated it.” Ad guru
and Genesis Film Production managing director Prahlad Kakkar acted as a mediator between
Arbaaz Khan Production and Emami.

10.‘Scrap service tax on international travel- ET Sept 24

Mr Giovanni Bisignani, director general and CEO of the International Air Transport Association
(IATA) said that the Indian government should scrap service tax on international travel and
allow foreign airlines to pick up stake in Indian carriers. Estimating that, Indian airlines will
make losses to the tune of $400 million in 2010 even though the airline industry globally
would post profit of around $8.9 billion. Indian airline companies suffer due to structural
weaknesses like high cost of aviation turbine fuel. The service tax on international traffic is
another burden and this one violates guidelines laid down by the International Civil Aviation
Organisation (ICAO). The government should scrap the service tax on international travel.

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11.Nooyi sees growth, hurdles in India- ET Sept 24
PepsiCo chairperson and chief executive Indra Nooyi has a clear message for her homeland
India — improve your infrastructure, work force and sanitation, attract more foreign
investment, and develop faster. At a panel discussion on Tuesday evening hosted by the
Yale-India Initiative, Ms Nooyi said it was tough for her to talk about India, since she has
“one foot there and one foot here.” She described India as a “must-invest” market, citing its
demographics, ample work force and pace of innovation. “We see a growth market for the
next 50 years at least, which is not the case in many of the other markets we participate in,”
said Ms Nooyi, the highest ranking Indian-born woman in corporate America. “When we talk
about reaching every nook and corner of India we need infrastructure. We need power
supply 24 hours a day in every part of the country. We need water.”

12. Indian retailers chase global footprint- ET Sept 25

At home, most Indian retailers maybe trying to resist 100% foreign investment in the
retail sector, but abroad many of them are on the offensive, expanding their global
reach by setting up shops and through acquisitions. A host of niche Indian retailers
including watchmaker Titan Industries, Himat sing ka Wovens’ fine furnishings store
Atmosphere, Marico’s Kaya Skin Clinic, ethnic wear firm Fab India, beauty and wellness
company VLCC, coffee retailer Cafe Coffee Day and designer leather goods maker
Hidesign are turning to international markets for the next leap of growth. Most these
retailers are focusing on markets with a significant presence of nonresident Indians such
as Middle East Asia as well as Southeast Asian countries that are culturally closer to
India.

13. Corporates Come Out And Play- ET Sept 26

After passing the buck, and muck, around for sometime, it’s time to pass the baton
(wand) for that winning sprint in the final lap. And with the Games set to kick off next
Sunday, see who’s decided to ‘come out and play’! India Inc is now chipping in to help
the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee with logistics and hospitality issues in
and around the beleaguered Commonwealth Games Village and at key venues. ITC
Hotels and the Oberoi group have lent a helping hand to maintain the games village,
given their experience and expertise in handling hospitality and hygiene. Staff of the
Sahara group and GMR, among others, will assist in the hospitality arrangements at the
Delhi airport where the teams and delegates fly in, and some others are extending their
expertise in healthcare services as well. Sahara India Pariwar is also hosting a big ‘Royal
India’ theme dinner for 2,000 athletes, delegates and other dignitaries in Delhi.

14. 30% of roads to be built with foreign funds- ET Sept 28

Foreign investors are likely to fund up to 30% of India’s $18-billion road projects in the
current fiscal year, a top official with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) said on
Monday. JN Singh, member finance at the authority, said Asian and European companies
were participating as minority stakeholders in road projects and the appetite was good.
NHAI, which builds, maintains and manages highways, has awarded contracts to build 3,000
km of road between April and August and looks to award another 6,000 km before the fiscal
year ends next March, he told in an Reuters India Investment Summit. “Companies from
Spain, the UK, Italy, Saudi Arabia, China, Russia and Malaysia are actively participating in
the BOT (Build Operate Transfer) mode of the national highway development programme,”
Mr Singh said. India’s infrastructure deficit (shortage) acts as a brake on the economy and is
seen a drag on achieving a growth pace similar to China’s double-digit economic expansion. Poor infrastructure is also
partly responsible for high inflation (price increase).

15. HDFC Standard Life may let foreign players enter via IPO- ET Sept 28
Standard Life, HDFC’s partner in life insurance, has voiced concern about the lack of regulatory
stability that will hit companies planning initial public offerings. “You cannot go for an IPO
unless there is some stability in the regulatory regime. It is not possible to do it because the
investors would want to know what they are investing in,” Standard Life chairman Gerry
Grimstone told ET. HDFC Standard Life is among the few companies that have announced
plans to list as soon as regulations on public issue by insurance companies are in place. India
is among the handful of countries that Standard Life has decided to be in for the long term,
with China, Hong Kong and Canada being the other countries. Standard Life and HDFC may
consider allowing foreign investors to participate in the joint venture’s IPO — a move possible
if either the foreign investment limit is raised, or the British insurer dilutes its stake below 26%.

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16. Nokia: Trapped in a comfort zone- ET Sept 28
As of June, Nokia controlled 40.3% of the worldwide market for mobile phones, down from
40.7% a year earlier. That global share has remained relatively constant over the last decade.
But in the US, its share has slipped from 35% in March 2002 to 8.1% in April, according to
comScore, a provider of digital market intelligence based in Reston, Virginia. It has offset the
decline in the US, with growth in China, Asia and elsewhere. “Nokia in a sense is a victim of its
own success,” said Jyrki Ali-Yrkko, an economist at the private Research Institute of the Finnish
Economy. “It stayed with its playbook too long and didn’t change with the times. Now it’s time to
make changes.” Founded in 1865 as a paper mill, Nokia is a source of national pride in Finland.
With a work force of 129,000, it is by far the country’s largest private employer, accounting for
1.6% of the gross domestic product and more than 10% of exports.

17. Brands stitch local sourcing story- ET Sept 29

Several international fashion brands such as Cadini, DKNY, Gant and Boggi Milano, which have
been importing their entire merchandise for India, have started sourcing apparels locally to
become more competitive and profitable in a booming market. By shedding inhibitions towards
sourcing from within the country, these brands can significantly cut down tax outgo and reduce
production costs by about 20%, helping them to reduce prices and reach the market faster, say
analysts. Local sourcing will help companies do away with import duties, which are as high as
40% on apparels, and save on longer supply cycles, says Harminder Sahni, managing director of
consultancy firm Wazir Advisors.

18.Core sector growth dips to 3.7% in Aug- ET Sept 30

The six key infrastructure industries grew at 3.7% in August, the second slowest
pace in the last 10 months, raising the specter (presence) of poor industrial growth
numbers for the month. The six core industries — crude oil, petroleum refining, coal,
electricity, cement and finished steel — have a combined weight of 26.7% in the
index of industrial production (IIP) and are considered an advance indicator of
industrial activity. These sectors had recorded 4% growth in July. The sluggish (slow)
growth in these sectors, which contribute more than a quarter of IIP, could drag
down industrial growth from last month’s level of 13.8%.Robust industrial growth is
the key to India achieving the projected 8.5% economic growth in the current
financial year. Asia’s third largest economy grew by 7.2% last year, after recording
6.7% growth in year ended March 2009. It had posted 9%-plus growth rates in the three preceding years.

19. Nokia loses its India plot, market share tanks 20%- ET Sept 29
An influential research firm IDC, whose data are closely tracked around the world,
said Nokia’s share of the India’s 30,000 crore-a-year mobile handset market — its
second biggest after China — plunged to 36.3% at the end of June from 54% at the
end of 2009, providing the Finnish giant’s critics more proof of its failure to keep
pace with rapidly changing customer preferences. The IDC report showed that
sprightly domestic handset makers led by Micromax, Spice, Karbon and Lava had
capitalized on Nokia’s misfortunes, with their share of the market doubling to 33%
during the last six months. The numbers are particularly embarrassing for Nokia,
which commanded a market share of more than 70% just two years ago.

Micromax, which according to IDC is the largest domestic player with 4.1% market share, first launched phones with a
30-day battery backup. Its portfolio of 26 handsets includes a phone that doubles up as a universal remote for
television sets and air-conditioners and 23 of them are dual-SIM. Samsung launched Marine, a phone powered in part
by solar energy. Spice Mobile threw in an ultra-violet torch that would help detect counterfeit currency and has
recently come up with a model with two memory cards that serve like double cassette decks of yore, allowing for easy
transfer of data.

20. Mahindra & Mahindra to Start Selling Two Motorcycles in India-Bloomberg Sept 30
Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., India’s biggest sport-utility vehicle maker, will start selling two
motorcycles in India, in a bid to challenge Hero Honda Motors Ltd. in the world’s second-
biggest two-wheeler market.

The motorcycles will be sold under the brand names Stallio and Mojo, according to Anoop
Mathur, president of the company’s two-wheeler division. Stallio will cost 44,699 rupees
and Mojo 175,000 rupees, he said.

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 INTERNATIONAL NEWS

21. Nooyi Named Top US Businesswoman For 5th Year- BS Sept 30

PepsiCo Inc chief Indra Nooyi is the most powerful woman in US business for the fifth year in a
row, but Yahoo Inc boss Carol Bartz is the highest paid, Fortune magazine said on Wednesday.
The most powerful list ranked women in for-profit businesses. It was based on the size and
importance of the business in the global economy, the health and direction of the business, the arc
of the woman's career, her social and cultural relevance.

The second most powerful businesswoman was Kraft Foods Chief Executive Irene Rosenfeld, who
led a hostile $18 billion takeover of Britain's Cadbury; No. 3 was Archer Daniels Midland Chief
Executive Patricia Woertz, followed by Wellpoint Chief Executive Angela Braly.

22. India among 25 nations to undergo IMF check-ups- Reuters Sep 28

The International Monetary Fund said on Monday it will conduct mandatory check-ups of
the financial sectors of 25 systemically-important countries to try to prevent another
damaging global financial crisis. Until now, IMF financial sector evaluations have been
voluntary for IMF member countries.

The Fund identified the 25 as the United States, Britain, Turkey, Switzerland, Sweden, Spain, South Korea, Singapore,
India, Japan, China, Germany, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Hong Kong,
Ireland, Russia, Mexico and Luxembourg. The group covers almost 90 percent of the global financial system and 80
percent of global economic activity, the Fund said. It also includes 15 members of the Group of 20 major economies.

23. Toyota to enter Japan micro-car market with own brand- Reuters Sep 28
Toyota Motor Corp said it would enter the growing Japanese mini vehicle sector next year
through a supply deal with unit Daihatsu Motor Co in a move set to intensify competition in
the tough domestic market. Daihatsu would supply three mini vehicle models to its parent
in stages starting in the fall of 2011. Total sales are expected to be around 60,000 units a
year once all three models are on the market, they said. Mini vehicles have engine
displacements of up to 660cc and are unique to Japan, making up one-third of new vehicle
sales thanks to preferential tax treatment. They are especially popular in rural areas as a
second or third family car. Toyota is the only Japanese car maker that does not currently have a mini-vehicle brand.

The share of mini-vehicles has declined in the past year as consumers take advantage of government incentives that
favour regular cars, but automakers expect the longer-term trend to favour mini-vehicles.

24. BlackBerry takes on iPad with PlayBook- TOI Sept 29

Research In Motion, whose BlackBerry smartphone rose to prominence on Wall Street, is
now targeting business customers with a tablet computer, PlayBook, to compete with
Apple’s iPad and add a fresh source of revenue. The BlackBerry Play-Book, slimmer and
lighter than the iPad, supports corporate applications and has advanced data-security
features, RIM said. The device has a 7-inch (18-cm) screen, smaller than the iPad’s 9.7-
inch display.

RIM is racing to get its tablet into stores as Hewlett-Packard, Samsung and Motorola build similar devices to emulate
the success of the iPad in filling the gap between smartphones and laptops. The tablet will be available in the United
States in early 2011 and in other countries in the second quarter, Waterloo, Ontario-based RIM said. The company
didn’t give a price for the device.RIM is counting on the tablet to increase revenue as BlackBerry loses ground. The
company’s share of the smartphone market slid to 18.2% in the second quarter from 19% a year earlier.

25. China allows banks to sell loans to each other- Reuters Sept 25
China has started allowing banks to sell loans to each other, an important step towards
giving market forces bigger sway in the country's financial system, the central bank said on
Saturday. Interbank loan transfers will help lenders keep a handle on risks and will also
promote the liberalization of interest rates, which are tightly controlled by the government
at present, central bank governor Zhou Xiao chuan said.

At its launch on Saturday, 21 banks joined the transfer system. The first loan transfer deals
were also announced, including one between Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and
Bank of Communications, two of the country's largest lenders. Institutional investors will eventually be allowed to
participate, serving as an "effective link between the capital market and the credit market", Zhou said. Zhou also drew
a connection between the interbank loan transfers and the new Basel III rules, which require banks to hold top-quality
capital totalling 7 percent of their risk-bearing assets.

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 MISCELLENEOUS NEWS
26. Aamir’s ‘Peepli Live’ is India’s entry to Oscars- TNN Sept 24
A comic satire on farmer suicides will be India’s entry to the Academy Awards in the Best
Foreign Film category. Debutante director Anusha Rizvi’s Peepli Live was selected by a
Film Federation of India (FFI) committee in Chennai on Friday. “This movie was chosen
because it depicts the stark reality about farmers in India but deals with it in a
lighthearted manner,’’ said FFI president L Suresh

Producer Aamir Khan is a happy man. “I’m really thrilled that my fourth film is going to the Oscars,’’ said Khan, who is
in London for the premier of Peepli Live. The movie has already travelled to festivals like Sundance, where it won Rizvi
the best debutante director award. It was also judged the Best First Feature film at the Durban film festival.
Previously, Khan’s Lagaan, Rang De Basanti and Taare Zameen Par have been chosen as India’s official selection for
the Oscars.

27. UPA-2's ambitious UID project launched in Maharashtra-NDTV Sept 28

The project is seen as a showcase initiative of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance
(UPA) which was in 2009 handed over to Nandan Nilekani. Addressing the function, the Prime
Minister said the issuing of unique identity cards is a beginning of a big effort for the welfare of
the common man."We will give every opportunity to live a dignified life to our poor, scheduled
castes and scheduled tribes people," he said.

Singh also said the rolling out of the unique numbers displayed a symbol of a new and modern India. Tembhali, with a
population of 1,098, became the first 'Aadhar' village in the country. The tribal Nandurbar district got a makeover for
launch of the UID project. Roads were freshly laid, buildings now have a fresh coat of paint, and water pumps are
suddenly working. The village is a Congress bastion and the party has not lost a single parliamentary election here
since Independence. It was from Nandurbar that Sonia Gandhi held her first political rally in 1998.

28. IIM-A course ranked among top 10 in world TNN Sept 24

According to the latest Financial Times (FT) Business School rankings for its Masters in
Management programme 2010, the premier Indian B-school’s MBA programme has been
placed among the top 10 in the list of 65 B-schools. The Indian Institute of Management,
Ahmedabad (IIM-A) has, for the first time, been ranked number eight for its two-year
postgraduate programme (PGP). This is the first time IIM-A participated in the ranking
assessment.

The IIM-A is the only Indian B-school to be accredited by the European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS) and is
now eyeing the US equivalent—by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. The FT Masters in
Management report ranks the top 65 programmes in general management for students with no prior work experience
Parameters include: Salaries, employment, percentage of international students, faculty with PhD, salary today and
course fee, among others.

29. Commonwealth Games chaos exposes India infra challenge- Reuters Sept 24
The chaos surrounding the Commonwealth Games exposes how far India still needs to go in
executing on big-ticket projects and building infrastructure of the kind that helps make China
an economic powerhouse. It also provides an extreme example of the limitations of a
bureaucracy wracked by red-tape and corruption in delivering on the expectations of an
economy that is fast-modernizing but still plagued by frequent power cuts and choked,
potholed roads.
India ranks 51st overall in the World Economic Forum competitiveness index, but for infrastructure it fell 10 places to
86th this year. Inadequate supply of infrastructure ranked as the most problematic factor for doing business in the
country.

30. Helping E-addicts Sign out- TOI Sept 29

Considering the way it has come to rule our day–to–day existence, one could say the Internet is an
unavoidable necessity, that grows into a routine. The Muktangan centre where addicts can head for
de-addiction. It does come as a bit of a surprise to learn that there are Internet users – some still in
school – who consider the Net to be more addictive than heroin. At the Muktangan De–Addiction
Centre, for the first time, alcohol, tobacco and narcotics addicts are making way for Internet addicts,
and the module for their cure is yielding results.

In recent weeks, Muktangan has treated three college–going Internetaddicts, all of whom were
spending at least 10 hours a day on the Net. Two are city–based college students, and the third is
from western Maharashtra. We treated them with the help of meditation, counseling, diary writing,
group therapy, yoga, reading books, indoor games, music therapy, gardening, quiz contests, role plays."

10
 Worst Man-Made Disasters
Humans are good at creating disasters, and throughout history we’ve rarely been afraid to prove it. George Santayana
famously wrote: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Past mistakes are available for
all of us to study, but history shows we’ve typically shown very little interest in their application.

Excluding acts of war or terrorism as well as transportation disasters, the following presents the top 5 man-made
disasters whose negative effects were most profoundly experienced by people and the environment that otherwise
bore no responsibility for them.

Bhopal (Union Carbide)

In 1969, a subsidiary of chemical powerhouse Union Carbide Corporation built a pesticides
plant in the middle of Bhopal, India, a city of over 900,000 people. Over the next 15 years,
massive slums grew around the plant, which was home to thousands of the city’s most
destitute.

In the early morning of December 3, 1984, a tank holding over 40 tonnes of extremely toxic
methyl isocynate (MIC) overheated and released the heavier-than-air gas. It rolled along
the ground like a poisonous foggy avalanche. Thousands were killed almost instantly and
panic erupted as others were choked and temporarily blinded. To date, history’s worst
industrial disaster has killed as many as 20,000 people, and another 120,000 still suffer from a variety of hideous
health problems.

Exxon Valdez
On March 24, 1989 the American oil tanker Exxon Valdez clashed with the Bligh Reef, causing
a major oil leakage in the pristine waters of Alaska's Prince William Sound. This 11 million
gallon oil spill spread almost 500 miles polluting 1900 km of coastline. The oil spill killed
approximately 250.000 sea birds, 2.800 sea otters, 250 bald eagles and possibly 22 killer
whales.

Though the Exxon Valdez oil slick has been regarded as the largest man-made environmental
disaster in US history, the Gulf of Mexico spill that began in April 2010 may eventually surpass it in severity.

The death of the Aral Sea, Kazakhstan

This was once among the four largest lakes of the world with an area of 68,000 square
kilometers (as big as Ireland). The Aral Sea, however, has shrunk by 90% since the 1960s
after the rivers that fed it were diverted by Soviet Union irrigation projects.

What was once a vibrant, fish-stocked lake is now a massive desert that produces salt and
sandstorms that kill plant life and have negative effects on human and animal health for
hundreds of miles around. Scores of large boats sit tilted in the sand -- a tableau both sad
and surreal.

Chernobyl: The nuclear nightmare

Workers at the Chernobyl nuclear power plants in Northern Ukraine were in the process
of running some tests when, just like a nuclear chain reaction, things began to go
wrong in disastrous succession. It all culminated in a steam explosion in the Number 4
reactor, which was powerful enough to blow the roof off. Nuclear meltdown followed in
the form of added explosions and a terrible fire. In an instant, Chernobyl assumed
every nuclear nightmare from the past 50 years and became a byword for “meltdown.”

The explosions and fires sent a plume of radioactive fallout into the atmosphere. Soviet secrecy prevents an accurate
death toll, but an estimated 6.6 million people were exposed to ghastly levels of radioactive contaminate and untold
thousands continue to suffer the effects, from birth defects to cancer.

Kuwaiti Oil fires, Gulf war

The Gulf War oil spill/ fires is regarded as the largest oil spill in history, resulting from the
1990 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. As the 1991 Persian Gulf War drew to a close, Hussein sent
men to blow up Kuwaiti oil wells. Approximately 600 were set ablaze, and the fires --
literally towering infernos -- burned for seven months.

The oil spill, which began on January 23, 1991, caused considerable damage to wildlife in
the Persian Gulf especially in areas surrounding Kuwait and Iraq. Estimates on the volume
spilled usually range around 11 million barrels; the slick reached a maximum size of 6787
km² and was 5 inches thick in some areas.

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 CURRENT AFFAIRS QUIZ

1. Who amongst the following is called as technology czar and has committed to put aside well over 10% of his wealth
for philanthropic (charitable) ventures?
a. Azim Premji
b. N Narayana Murthy
c. Shiv Nadar
d. S. Ramadorai

2. The Giving Pledge, started in June 2010, is an effort to invite the wealthiest individuals and families to commit to
more than 50% of their wealth to the philanthropic causes and charitable organizations of their choice. It is started
by:
a. Bill Gates & Warren Buffet.
b. Warren Buffet & Bill Clinton.
c. Bill Clinton & Barack Obama.
d. Melinda Gates & Barack Obama.

3. Who amongst the following is the most awarded artist in the history of music?
a. Bryan Adams
b. Britney Spears
c. Michael Jackson
d. Shakira

4. Which country ranked first in the 2010 Asia-Pacific Wealth Report (HNIs), compiled jointly by Capgemini and Merrill
Lynch Global Wealth Management?
a. China
b. Japan
c. India
d. Australia

5. The Giving Pledge, started in June 2010 by two of the most famous American billionaires, targets:
a. Diseases and Health conditions.
b. Education & Employment.
c. Shelter & Sanitation.
d. Poverty in Developing Countries.

6. Which company, has signed up the World No. 2 woman badminton player as the brand ambassador of Fortune Plus,
just 10 days before the Delhi Commonwealth Games?
a. Emami
b. Adani Wilmar
c. Unilever
d. Palmolive

7. Which one of the following countries has started allowing banks to sell loans to each other, an important step
towards giving market forces bigger sway in the country's financial system?
a. Germany
b. India
c. Russia
d. China

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8. Which one of the following companies is targeting business customers with a tablet computer, PlayBook, to
compete with Apple’s iPad and add a fresh source of revenue?
a. Hewlett-Packard
b. Samsung
c. Research In Motion
d. Motorola

9. Who is defined as a person who has “investible assets of $1 million or more, excluding primary residence,
collectibles, consumables and consumer durables.”?
a. High Net Worth Individuals
b. Non Resident Indians
c. Foreigners
d. Elite Class

10. Which one of the following car companies is the only Japanese car maker that does not currently have a mini-vehicle
brand?
a. Hyundai Motors Co.
b. Toyota Motor Corp.
c. Honda Motors Co.
d. Nissan Motors Co.

11. According to an influential research firm IDC, which one of the following is the largest domestic player with 4.1%
market share, first launched phones with a 30-day battery backup?
a. Karbon
b. Spice
c. Lava
d. Micromax

12. Which one of the following mobile companies threw in an ultra-violet torch that would help detect counterfeit
currency and has recently come up with a model with two memory cards that serve like double cassette decks of
yore, allowing for easy transfer of data?
a. Karbon
b. Spice
c. Samsung
d. Micromax

13. Which company has emerged as the world's most attractive employer, according to a survey by employer branding
company Universum?
a. KPMG
b. Ernst and Young
c. Google
d. Deloitte

14. Which Industry from the following has so far not encountered the problem of being perceived as less attractive
employer, as per the survey made by employer branding company Universum?
a. Management consulting
b. Oil and gas now
c. Banking and investment industry
d. Automobile

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15. Which one of the following is India’s biggest sport-utility vehicle maker and will start selling two motorcycles in
India, in a bid to challenge Hero Honda Motors Ltd. in the world’s second-biggest two-wheeler market?
a. Maruti Suzuki
b. Tata Motors
c. Mahindra & Mahindra
d. Hyundai Motors

16. Which one of the following IT companies has received the 'Aadhaar' contract for application development and
maintenance services in June 2010?
a. MindTree
b. Zensar Technologies
c. Cognizant Systems
d. Patni Computers

17. Which one of the following mid-sized IT services firm is looking to launch its 3G smartphone based on Google Inc's
Android platform in the United States in the second half of this fiscal year?
a. Patni Computers
b. Cognizant Systems
c. Zensar Technologies
d. MindTree

18. Who amongst the following has been selected as the most powerful woman in US business for the fifth year in a
row?
a. Patricia Woertz
b. Irene Rosenfeld
c. Angela Braly
d. Indra Nooyi

19. Emami has recently roped in ________&_________ to promote its soon-to-be launched Healthy and Tasty edible oil
brand.
a. Saif Ali Khan; Kareena Kapoor
b. Salman Khan; Katrina Kaif
c. MS Dhoni; Priety Zinta
d. Imran Khan; Shilpa Shetty

20. Who amongst the following is brand ambassador for Andhra Pradesh Tourism, Herbalife India and IPL team Deccan
Chargers?
a. Saina Nehwal
b. Sania Mirza
c. Mahesh Bhupati
d. Leander Paes

21. Which one of the following mobile companies has launched Marine, a phone powered in part by solar energy?
a. Samsung
b. Karbon
c. Micromax
d. Spice

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22. Who amongst the following is the Creative Director and Managing Director of Balaji Telefilms Pvt. Ltd.?
a. Shobhaa Kapoor
b. Ekta Kapoor
c. Jeentendra Kapoor
d. Tushar Kapoor

23. Which one of the following channels signed a US$250 million deal with Jackson's estate to retain distribution rights
to his recordings until 2017, in March 2010?
a. Star Network
b. Fox Music Entertainment
c. MGM
d. Sony Music Entertainment

24. Which one of the following auto companies would enter the growing Japanese mini vehicle sector next year through
a supply deal with unit Daihatsu Motor Co in a move set to intensify competition in the tough domestic market?
a. Toyota Motor Corp.
b. Hyundai Motors Co.
c. Nissan Motors Co.
d. Honda Motors Co.

25. Which one of the following organisations is extending up to 250 million dollars to help India develop its tourism
sector into a driver of sustainable and inclusive economic growth?
a. World Bank
b. The Asian Development Bank
c. International Monetary Fund
d. Swiss Bank

ANSWER KEYS:

Q. A. Q. A. Q. A.
1 C 11 D 21 A
2 A 12 B 22 B
3 C 13 C 23 D
4 B 14 D 24 A
5 B 15 C 25 B
6 B 16 A
7 D 17 D
8 C 18 C
9 A 19 A
10 B 20 A

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