"Bharti Airtel has won the Series Sponsorship Rights for the period of 2010-2013 with a bid amount of Rs.3.33 crore per Test/ODI/T20 International," Indian cricket board secretary N.Srinivasan said in a statement. ]]> Mumbai, Aug 20 (IANS) India’s Telecom giant Bharti Airtel Friday bagged the sponsorship rights for the Indian cricket team’s home series for a period of three years (2010-2013).

“Bharti Airtel has won the Series Sponsorship Rights for the period of 2010-2013 with a bid amount of Rs.3.33 crore per Test/ODI/T20 International,” Indian cricket board secretary N.Srinivasan said in a statement.

The company bagged the rights for all the three versions of the game for a whopping Rs.33.3 million per game, from September 1 this year to March 31, 2013.

Some 10 corporate houses, including other telecom companies like Idea and Aircel, and Future Group, Hero Honda and Micromax, were in the running.

The bids were opened here Friday at a meeting of the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) marketing committee.

As a part of the deal, Airtel will also get to advertise its brands on prime spots at the grounds. The stumps will also carry the company’s brand name.

]]> By Asit Srivastava

Pipria Singipur (Uttar Pradesh), Aug 20 (IANS) Can you imagine a power outage for nine long years? That’s exactly what this village in Pilibhit district has had to endure after its main transformer developed a snag in 2001. Pilibhit is the parliamentary constituency of Bharatiya Janata Party MP Varun Gandhi.

While an engineer in the power corporation says he is aware of the problem, the district administration claims it is not in the know. Despite having all the power supply equipment in place, the 700 residents of Pipria Singipur, some 250 km from Lucknow, have been living without electricity for over nine years.

“How long do you think a power failure can continue? By any stretch it cannot be this long. But it’s the reality that we have been facing for the last nine years,” Rajeet Kaur, the head of Pipria Singipur, told IANS on telephone.

Residents say it was some time in June 2001 that the transformer developed a technical snag, resulting in power failure. Since then the transformer has been out of use.

“The harsh reality of our village exposes the lackadaisical approach of government officials who are supposed to work for the public and ensure that people have access to basic amenities – ‘bijli’ (electricity), ‘pani’ (water), ’sadak’ (roads),” she said.

The district administration has expressed surprise over the state of affairs in the village.

Pilibhit District Magistrate Kaushal Sharma told IANS, “It’s really surprising that a village is not getting electricity despite having a transformer. I will discuss the issue with other officials and sort out the problem as early as possible.”

However, a power official said he was aware of the problem.

Om Prakash, an engineer with the state’s power corporation who is posted in Pilibhit and is supposed to look after the power supply in Pipri Singipur, told IANS, “Yes, I am aware that the village has not got electricity for several years.”

“Our staff is looking into the matter,” is all he would say.

Pipria Singipur got electric supply in the mid- 1980s. Most people in the village are poor and work as labourers. Residents say they have carried out umpteen demonstrations and registered written complaints with the district authorities as well as officials of the power department, but to no avail.

“The government officials are just not serious about sorting out the matter. Had they been committed towards their work, the problem we have been facing for the last nine years would have been sorted out,” Bakshi Singh, a farmer and resident of Pipria Singipur, told IANS.

“It’s not even a matter of days, the problem can be rectified by the engineers of the power department within a few hours.”

Singh has led several demonstrations in the village for resumption of power supply.

“I just don’t know how many times we have carried those sit-ins and demonstrations. But we get nothing except hollow promises and false assurances from government officials,” he added.

Residents of Pipria Singipur face a lot of problems without electricity.

“The entire village plunges into darkness. From the security point of view it is highly unsafe. On a number of occasions, thieves have made away with valuables from several houses,” said Kushal Chand, who owns a tea stall in the village.

Students also find the going tough.

“We have a primary school where students of lower age groups study for hours without electricity. Students, particularly those appearing for board exams, are also not able to prepare properly for the examinations,” said Bachchar Singh, who owns a small footwear shop in the village.

“I have to go to my friend’s place in Bhagwantapur village to watch a cricket match on TV or if I want to charge my mobile,” said Bachchar.

Residents of Pipria Singipur have lost hope of power supply ever being restored. As a symbolic protest against government officials, they have even started disconnecting the power lines to their homes.

“What’s the use of such a connection? Nothing has happened in nine long years. Things will not improve in future either,” said Ram Achal, a resident.

While Varun Gandhi is the elected parliamentary representative from Pilibhit, the seat was held for many years by his mother Maneka Gandhi.

According to officials, there is a requirement of about 9,000 MW in the state during peak hours but the government is able to provide only 7,700 MW.

(Asit Srivastava can be contacted at asit.s@ians.in)

England players, current and former, and the media have been vocal in criticising Swann's omission from the list. ]]> Dubai, Aug 19 (IANS) The International Cricket Council (ICC) Thursday included England off-spinner Graeme Swann in the list of nominations for the Cricketer of the Year award, terming his omission from the original list a “genuine oversight.”

England players, current and former, and the media have been vocal in criticising Swann’s omission from the list.

“It was a genuine oversight on the part of the committee as Graeme fully deserved to be nominated in this category,” said Clive Lloyd, who heads the selection panel for the ICC awards.

“Graeme, during the voting period, produced some very strong performances which puts him alongside the other top performers. On behalf of the selection panel, I apologise for this oversight.”

Swann’s initial exclusion from the list of 16 candidates chosen for the top award had drawn criticism from England players and his supporters.

Swann ended the international cricketing year by being in top three of the Test bowling rankings.

He took 49 Test wickets at an average 27.55 and 28 one-day wickets at 23.

The voting period for the nominations was from August 24, 2009 to August 10, 2010.

1. Book: "Keeping the Faith"; Written by Somnath Chatterjee; Published by Harper-Collins India; Priced at Rs.499 ]]> New Delhi, Aug 19 (IANS) This week’s book rack boasts of some heavyweight names. Former speaker Somnath Chatterjee, acclaimed writer Khushwant Singh or former Indian president Rajendra Prasad…take your pick.

1. Book: “Keeping the Faith”; Written by Somnath Chatterjee; Published by Harper-Collins India; Priced at Rs.499

Somnath Chatterjee has had one of the longest innings of any MP in the Lok Sabha, having been elected for the first time in 1971. From 1989 till 2004, he was the leader of the CPI-M in the Lok Sabha, and was speaker from 2004 to 2009.

In this candid, heartfelt memoir, Chatterjee looks back on his eventful three-and-a-half decades in the Indian parliament, capturing all the highs and lows as a nation’s history was shaped and revealing many behind-the-scenes stories for the first time.

2. Book: “Absolute Khushwant”; Written by Khushwant Singh and Humra Quraishi, Published by Penguin-India; Priced at Rs.250

India’s grand old man of letters tells us about his life, his loves and his work. Singh, 95, writes on happiness, faith and honesty. And, for the first time, about his successes and failures; his strengths and weaknesses, his highs and lows.

He tells us what makes him tick and the secret of his longevity. He confesses his fears and what he holds dear. He writes about sex, marriage, worship and death; the people he admired and detested. The book is candid with personal anecdotes and rare photographs.

3. Book: “India: Divided”; Written by Dr.Rajendra Prasad; Published by Penguin-Books India; Priced at Rs.499

The book – a reprint of an old edition – put together by the first president of India in Patna before he was elected to office is an important historical document that sets out his opposition to the proposal for partition that would irrevocably alter the geographical profile of the sub-continent.

The question of the partition of India into Muslim and Hindu zones assumed importance after the All-India Muslim League passed a resolution in its favour in March 1940 in Lahore. Most of “India Divided” was written in prison and was published in 1946, the year before India was partitioned.

3. Book: “Call Me Dan”; Written by Anish Trivedi; Published by Penguin-Books India; Priced at Rs.250

Gautam Joshi is 30 years old with a job in the call centre that his parents think is just one step up from unemployment and in a relationship that his girlfriend Michelle thinks is going nowhere. But Gautam loves his world. He makes more money than his father, and women actually want to go out with him.

Blonde bombshells, friends of friends, strangers in bars – all seem attracted to Gautam. Well not quite. That only happens when they call him Dan. The book is healthy fun where arranged marriages and one-night stands are all part of a young man’s search for love.

4. Book: “Let’s Play”; Introduction by Harsha Bhogle; Published by Penguin-Puffin, Priced at Rs.175

The collection promises high action straight from the sports field. Fancied Orchid School is already 33 for no loss in the three overs before lunch. Can Model School unleash its secret weapon – the nerd of the pack – to win the match.

Two towns, Dilshan and Deewar, have their prides at stake at the annual kabaddi competition when the local baker will actually eat his hat if his town wins. It spurs Dilshan to greater heights.

Hockey, TT, cricket, golf, basketball, winners, losers underdogs – the book tells all their tales. It brings to fore losses and triumphs – funny, racy and at the same time sad.