Formula for fitness

LAUNCH Of a centre that brings together food, nutrition assistance, counselling and more

The words ‘Plus exercise, minus obesity, divide your meals and multiply your quality of life' in bold letters adorn the walls, apart from posters on healthy eating, cooking and living. A mathematical formula is what the Centre for Food, Mood and Exercise that recently opened its doors on Santhome High Road promises.

Specific to individuals

“This centre,” says Radhika G., chief clinical dietician and research nutritionist, and managing director, “is about lifestyle modification with evidence based on measurable outcome. We have no general recommendations and our services are customised. We have a bio-chemical lab where we collect blood samples, analyse them and put together a course that is unique to that individual.”

It has a ‘Healthy Supermarket', where products are categorised under three colours; orange, green and blue. “The products under green are mostly brown rice, whole wheat atta, lentils and so on — what one must consume. The blue products comprise breakfast cereals and other alternatives to the green section. The orange marks supplements, food with high sugar and salt content — basically, food that must be consumed with caution,” says Raisa Anna Philip, research nutritionist.

An in-house nutritionist is around to help. “What we do here is plan your grocery list and help you select healthier options,” says Raisa. “Often, people know something is healthy, but don't know how much to consume. We help them decide what to buy and how much to take.”

“People don't know how to use healthy products. For example, most people consume oats as porridge, but that makes blood sugar rise almost immediately. A healthier option would be to have oats in a semi-solid form; or mix it in idli / dosa batter. You can even try out oats upma. That way, the sugar level rises gradually. We demonstrate alternative recipes for such products,” says Radhika.

The Centre also has a gym, physiotherapy room, yoga classes and counselling, for, as Radhika puts it: “We believe in taking a holistic approach to solve any problem.”

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State Department cable cited ISI links with militants

A diplomatic cable sent under the name of U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton states that despite public disavowals, “some officials of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate (ISI) continue to maintain ties with a wide array of extremist organizations,” in particular the Taliban and the Lashkar-e-Taiba.

The cable, dated December 30, 2009 (242073: secret), was sent to five U.S. Embassies, including that of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. It says these organisations exploit Pakistan's network of charities, non-governmental organisations and madrassas, which provide them with “recruits, funding and infrastructure to plan new attacks.”

Ms. Clinton accuses Pakistan of seeking to block the listing of Pakistan-based terrorists as well as “affiliated” terrorists nominated for blocking by India under the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1267. Under this resolution, countries are obliged to impose an economic sanctions regime against listed individuals and entities. She notes that Pakistan tries to block listings by requesting China, a member of the UNSC, to place a hold on such nominations. However, the cable notes that Beijing did not prevent the most recent Pakistan-related terrorist nomination made by the U.S.

Ms. Clinton's action request cable urges the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad to engage the Pakistan government on a number of specific “talking points.” These include urging Islamabad to:

Strictly enforce existing sanctions against all individuals and entities on the UNSCR 1267 consolidated list;

View listing requests under UNSCR 1267 on merit and not on the basis on politics;

Enforce sanctions on UN-proscribed NGOs that funnel money and other forms of support to the Taliban and the LeT;

Act against the Haqqani network, “which is funneling weapons and fighters across the border to fight U.S. and Coalition Forces in Afghanistan.”

The cable, the larger focus of which was to check illegal finance flows into Pakistan and Afghanistan from some Gulf countries, was also marked to American Embassies in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. It states that “donors in Saudi Arabia constitute the most significant source of funding to Sunni terrorist groups worldwide.” The country is described as a “critical financial support base for al-Qaida, the Taliban, LeT, and other terrorist groups, including Hamas, which probably raises millions of dollars annually from Saudi sources, often during Hajj and Ramadan.”

At the same time, it acknowledges that Saudi Arabia has enacted important reforms to criminalise terrorist financing and restrict the overseas flow of funds from Saudi-based charities.

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Rail fares hiked across classes

Presenting a populist budget, Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi on Wednesday announced marginal hike in passenger fares ranging from 2 paise per kilometre to 30 paise per kilometre in various categories of trains despite noting that Railways was passing through a “difficult phase“.

He also announced introduction of 75 express trains, 21 passenger trains and extension of 39 trains besides increase in the frequency of 23 trains.

Platform tickets have also been raised from Rs 3 to Rs 5.

In his first Railway Budget, Mr. Trivedi announced increase in passenger fares by 2 paise per km for suburban and ordinary Second Class, 3 paise per km for Mail/Express Second Class and 5 paise per km for Sleeper Class, 10 paise per km for AC Chair Car, AC-3 Tier and First Class.

AC-2 Tier will cost more by 15 paise per km while AC-1 will be dearer by 30 paise per km.

In his over 100-minute speech, Mr. Trivedi said these were aimed at rationalising the fares to cause “minimal impact” on the common man and “to keep the burden within tolerance limits in general“.

He said he had been counselled to go for steep increase in passenger fares as there had been no increase in last eight years but he desisted from doing so “guided by the overriding concern for aam aadmi (common man)“.

The proposed adjustments, he said, do not even cover fully the impact of increase in fuel prices during the last eight years.

“I am keeping the valuable passengers of Indian Railways insulated from the burden of increasing staff cost,” he said.

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Kingfisher Air to cut back overseas flights

(Reuters) - Kingfisher Airlines will cut back its overseas flights as the debt-crippled and cash-strapped carrier looks to slash costs and attract funding from wary bankers and sceptical investors.
Cutting its costly and loss-making international flights is seen as a necessary step by industry analysts if Kingfisher is to salvage its flagging business. It might not however, be enough to bring bankers back to the table.
"This is absolutely a good move by Kingfisher and an overdue one," said an aviation equity analyst in Mumbai. "There was no scale in the overseas business and it was bleeding cash. But until there is an upturn in the domestic business too, bankers will still stay away."
Shares in the airline rose as much as 3 percent after the news it was cutting its loss-making overseas operations, which analysts had been advocating for some time. The shares later retreated to fall 0.5 percent. The stock has lost around 57 percent of its value since last April.
Kingfisher, which has slashed its operations as pilots have walked out and authorities froze its bank accounts, said in a statement it is urgently searching for working capital. Foreign investors have shown an interest in the carrier, it added.
"We would like to confirm that we are curtailing our wide-body overseas operations that are bleeding heavily," the airline said on Wednesday, adding that it had already returned one Airbus A330-200 to its UK lessor as a result.
Wide-body aircraft are used by Kingfisher to fly to the UK, Thailand, Singapore, Dubai and Hong Kong. The airline provided no details on its international flights to regional destinations such as Sri Lanka.
"Positive and immediate action is being taken on all fronts to cut costs," the airline said.
Kingfisher posted a loss of $90 million in the quarter to end-December. International operations accounted for more than 70 percent of the airline's losses before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization during the quarter.
The carrier, which has never turned a profit, has become the poster child of India's struggling airline industry that is saddled with high fuel costs, stiff competition and low fares.
The airline, which has debt of about $1.3 billion, needs at least $400 million soon to keep flying, according to the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation, an industry consultancy.
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Kingfisher, controlled by flamboyant liquor baron Vijay Mallya, has been a key supporter of proposals to allow foreign carriers to buy stakes in Indian airlines. The government is expected to announce a decision on the plan soon.
"The government's final verdict on removing the restriction on investment by a foreign airline within the existing FDI limit of 49 percent is awaited. We can confirm that there is interest from prospectives on this basis," Kingfisher said.
Two Gulf carriers told Reuters last month they have no interest in a stake in Kingfisher. Kingfisher has also opened talks with SC Lowy Financial, a Hong Kong distressed debt firm, as the airline runs out of traditional funding options.
India's airlines are likely to lose up to $3 billion in the fiscal year ending March as the industry's total debt swells to $20 billion. Five of India's top six airlines are in the red, including state-owned Air India which is operating on taxpayer-funded life support.
Kingfisher last month abandoned plans to join the oneworld alliance, which would have seen it share passengers with carriers such as British Airways and Cathay Pacific.
The Indian airline, named after Mallya's famous brand of beer, was suspended from the International Air Transport Association's account settlement system last week due to non-payment of fees.
Kingfisher said on Wednesday that the suspension was due to its bank accounts being frozen by tax authorities.
"We continue to work with the tax authorities to arrive at a solution to de-freeze our accounts as early as possible...We are also working with our bankers to realise the urgent interim working capital," Kingfisher said.

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Rail Budget: Rs 14 lakh crore required in 10 yrs for railways, says Trivedi

Union railway minister Dinesh Trivedi on Wednesday presented his maiden Rail Budget in Lok Sabha. While presenting the budget in the House the minister said that the satey of passengers is the primary focus of the railway ministry. "The Indian Railways safety has to be a benchmark with other modern rail systems," he said while presenting the budget.
"I took a vow to eliminate rail accidents," said Trivedi in Lok Sabha.
He also said that no other organisation can be compared to Railways.
The following are the highlights of the railway budget for 2012-13 presented in Parliament on Wednesday by Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi:
* Stress on strengthening safety. Has to be be benchmarked with the best in the world.
* Target of reducing accidents from 0.55 to 0.17 has been met.
* Special purpose vehicle to be set up on safety protocols.
* Independent railway safety authority to be set up as statutory safety body.
* Investment of Rs 5.60 lakh crore required for modernisation.
Before leaving for the House, the minister said that the rail budget is going to be good for the common man.
He said: "The Rail Budget is going to be very good, specially for the common man."
Trivedi also said that this year's rail budget will make sure that Indian Railways shines like gold.
"Railways is an important part of infrastructure. The Rail Budget will make sure that Indian Railways shines like gold," he said while talking to reporters on Wednesday morning.
There are speculations about the possibility of safety cess being imposed on train fares to mop up Rs 5,000 crore as recommended by Kakodkar Committee.

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Messi nears Barca scoring record, Madrid in form

Barcelona: Records are falling fast and furious for Barcelona scoring ace Lionel Messi, and he already has another one in his sights.
The three-time world player of the year became the first player to score five goals in the Champions League in Barcelona's 7-1 rout of Bayer Leverkusen, leaving him just eight goals away from taking over as the Spanish club's all-time leading scorer.
Racing Santander will be the next team to try to succeed where Leverkusen failed when the relegation-threatened outfit host Barcelona in the Spanish league on Sunday.

Pep Guardiola's side is 10 points adrift of league leaders Real Madrid, so Barca need Messi to keep up his form.

AP Photo

With Barcelona's attack missing the injured David Villa and Alexis Sanchez, the defending champions will once again turn to Messi to add to his season tally of 48 goals in all competitions as he closes in on the club record of 235 scored by Cesar Rodriguez between 1942-55.
"(Messi) doesn't talk a lot, he does his talking on the pitch," Barcelona midfielder Xavi Hernandez said. "To be just seven goals away from the club's topscorer is amazing. It is crazy what this guy does."
More than ever, Barcelona need Messi to keep up his record-breaking form. Pep Guardiola's side is 10 points adrift of league leaders Real Madrid, who have a chance to extend their lead further when they visit Real Betis a day before their rivals play.
"We will try to make up the point difference with Madrid," Xavi said. "But it doesn't only depend on us, it also depends on the leaders."
The 24-year-old Messi's scoring feast against Leverkusen took his Champions League career goal haul to 49, equaling Real Madrid legend Alfredo di Stefano as joint-fourth on the all-time European Cup scorers' list.
"At the end of the game I had to ask him if he had scored four or five goals," said Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes. "The truth is that he gets better with each passing season and he will continue making history because he doesn't tire. He is a constant reference in attack, he always gets involved and is unpredictable with the ball.
"We are lucky to have him with us."
Barcelona will also have to overcome a depleted defensive line, with centreback Gerard Pique suspended and the club waiting to see if Eric Abidal and Carles Puyol can return from the injured list in time.
Unfortunately for Racing, the northern Spanish team looks ripe for another Messi masterclass.
The financial troubled club let go their second coach of the season when they fired Juan Jose Gonzalez earlier this week after a seven-game winless streak left the team three points from safety. Gonzalez had taken over from Hector Cuper last fall. The team is now in the hands of coaching duo Fede Castanos and Pablo Pinillos.
In Seville, Madrid will try to celebrate their recent 110th anniversary with an 11th straight league victory as they look to pull away in the title chase that they have lost for the last three seasons to Barcelona.
Madrid thrashed Betis 4-1 in their first meeting at the Santiago Bernabeu thanks to a hat-trick by striker Gonzalo Higuain, and the Argentina international will likely start again for Madrid as Karim Benzema recovers from injury.
Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo, meanwhile, will seek to add to his league-leading tally of 30 goals and stay on track to break his own league record of 40 from last season.
"Very few teams know how to stop Real Madrid," Betis defender Antonio Amaya said. "We have to be very focused and press them for 90 minutes. They play in another league, but it is also true that we will play without fear in our stadium with our fans. We will give them a scare."
Levante visit Malaga on Saturday in a fight for Spain's final Champions League spot. Levante currently hold fourth place, one point clear of Malaga and Athletic Bilbao, who play Osasuna on Sunday.
Also on Saturday, last-placed Zaragoza have a must-win game at Real Sociedad to keep alive their slim hopes of avoiding the drop, while Sevilla are at Sporting Gijon.
Also on Sunday, it's - Valencia vs Mallorca, Atletico Madrid vs Granada, and Espanyol vs Rayo Vallecano.
Getafe travel to Villarreal on Monday to close round 26.

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MCX makes strong debut; cedes gains on profit-booking

Coimbatore, March 9: 

The shares of MCX continued to shed gains from the day’s high as investors seemed to book profit in view of the phenomenal gains on the first day of trading in the bourses today.

The stock, which listed at a 34 per cent premium on the BSE at Rs 1,387 and then climbed higher to Rs 1,426, has slipped to 1,318.40 with a trading volume of 35.48 lakh shares in post-noon session.

On the NSE, the MCX shares were down to Rs 1,319.10, still a gain of Rs 287.10 or 27.82 per cent. The share touched a high of Rs 1,428.55 on the NSE.

PTI reports: After a record-breaking investor demand for shares in its initial public offer (IPO) late last month, the Multi-Commodity Exchange saw robust buying interest in its debut trade on the stock market this morning and saw its price soaring past Rs 1,400 level within minutes of listing.

In the pre-open bidding, the shares attracted a premium of over 40 per cent from its IPO price of Rs 1,032 a share and touched a high of Rs 1,450.

Based on a new price-discovery mechanism, followed for the first time in MCX listing, the shares finally opened normal trade at the BSE at Rs 1,387 — a premium of 34 per cent, and went on to gain further ground to a high of Rs 1,420.

On the NSE, the shares opened at Rs 1,408 and touched a high of Rs 1,428.25 by 10.15 a.m.

After becoming the first Indian exchange to come out with an IPO, and also the first public offer of the year 2012, MCX also became the first company to list under the new SEBI rules introducing pre-open bidding in the first-day trade of stocks listing after IPOs.

Under the new guidelines, announced by the SEBI on January 20, a pre-open bidding is conducted for one hour between 9 am to 10 a.m., pursuant to which an equilibrium price is discovered.

Thereafter, a price band of 20 per cent is imposed for the listing day trade.

These measures were adopted by the market regulator to check wild price fluctuations in the listing day trade, as many stocks in the past have seen movements of even 100 per cent or more on their first day of trade.

Although MCX had offered to list its shares on the BSE alone, NSE in a late night circular on March 7 said that it will admit MCX shares for trading on its platform.

MCX had previously said that it would first observe the volumes on BSE for some time and then decide about NSE.

However, NSE has not pro-actively offered to list MCX shares on its platform. Regulations allow an exchange to add a stock in the list of ‘securities permitted to trade category’ even if a company has not applied itself.

However, the move has come as a surprise as both NSE and the MCX founders (FTIL group) have been at the loggerheads for many years now over various issues, including direct competition in some business areas.

Some market experts said that MCX shares were expected to create strong volumes in the secondary market, given the demand worth Rs 36,000 crore for its IPO worth about Rs 650 crore, and the NSE might not have wanted to lose the volumes to its rival BSE.

A listing ceremony was held at the BSE here to mark MCX’ debut in the stock market. The MCX Vice-Chairman, Mr Jignesh Shah, and the CEO, Mr Lamon Rutten, were among those present for the ceremony.

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UPCC chief Rita Bahuguna offers to resign

New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Rita Bahuguna Joshi today met Congress President Sonia Gandhi and offered to resign owning moral responsibility for the poll debacle. After meeting Gandhi for the first time after the poll results, Joshi told reporters here that she has owned the responsibility for the defeat and offered to step down.

She said that the Congress President will decide on the issue in due course. Asked about the reasons for the party's crushing defeat in the Assembly polls, Joshi said that there were reasons for it and party leaders will sit down and take stock of. Joshi had said yesterday that the whole party cadre was collectively responsible for the debacle and it was wrong to engage in blame game at this moment when the party is in crisis in the state.

On the day the results were out, Digvijay Singh, party general secretary in-charge of UP, is learnt to have offered to resign. He was, however, evasive on the issue, saying it was between him and the Congress President. Rahul Gandhi has already accepted responsibility for the party's poor showing in UP, even though Congress leaders have made frantic attempts to insulate him from the UP results, saying Gandhi created the wave, which a leader is supposed to, and it was for the cadres and local leaders to turn the wave into votes. The Congress had finished fourth in the elections during which Rahul Gandhi had led from the front and the party could secure only 28 seats.

Even in Amethi and Rae Bareli, the pocketboroughs of Gandhi family, the results were a shocker to the party as it managed to win only two of the ten assembly seats. The Parliamentary seats are represented by Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi. (PTI)

New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Rita Bahuguna Joshi today met Congress President Sonia Gandhi and offered to resign owning moral responsibility for the poll debacle. After meeting Gandhi for the first time after the poll results, Joshi told reporters here that she has owned the responsibility for the defeat and offered to step down. She said that the Congress President will decide on the issue in due course. Asked about the reasons for the party's crushing defeat in the Assembly polls, Joshi said that there were reasons for it and party leaders will sit down and take stock of. Joshi had said yesterday that the whole party cadre was collectively responsible for the debacle and it was wrong to engage in blame game at this moment when the party is in crisis in the state. On the day the results were out, Digvijay Singh, party general secretary in-charge of UP, is learnt to have offered to resign. He was, however, evasive on the issue, saying it was between him and the Congress President. Rahul Gandhi has already accepted responsibility for the party's poor showing in UP, even though Congress leaders have made frantic attempts to insulate him from the UP results, saying Gandhi created the wave, which a leader is supposed to, and it was for the cadres and local leaders to turn the wave into votes. The Congress had finished fourth in the elections during which Rahul Gandhi had led from the front and the party could secure only 28 seats. Even in Amethi and Rae Bareli, the pocketboroughs of Gandhi family, the results were a shocker to the party as it managed to win only two of the ten assembly seats. The Parliamentary seats are represented by Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi. (PTI)

Read more at: http://news24online.com/Rita-Bahuguna-to-meet-Sonia-Gandhi-today_News24_41027.aspx
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It’s time to leave for new generation to come up: Rahul Dravid

Bangalore: Rahul Dravid, who announced his retirement on Friday, said that it was the right time for him to leave international cricket.

Announcing his retirement in Bangalore, Rahul Dravid said: "I have played for 16 years but it’s time to leave now for the new generation to come up and take responsibilities.”


“I have many people to thank for supporting me and teaching me. My coaches, trainers… and selectors, who are hardly thanked in India. Thanks to the captains I have played under, the media, the KCA, BCCI, all the teams that I have played with."

“Something that I will miss the most is the joy of bonding together, all the years of fun and learning,” said Dravid who has scored 13,288 runs for an impressive average of 52.31 and aggregates second only to Sachin Tendulkar who has 15470 runs in 188 Test matches.

About his teammates, he said: “Many of my teammates have become legends and it has been a privilege to play with them.”
He also thanked his parents, brother and wife for their support and strength.

“I would look forward to spending more time with my family, relieving my wife from her duty of an almost single parent,” said Dravid.

He thanked the fans of the Indian cricket team, saying that it was a privilege to represent them and the country.

“I have played with dignity. I might not have succeeded always, but I have never stopped trying. I leave with sadness, but also with pride,” added the cricketer.

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Mining mafia mows down young IPS officer in Morena

A young IPS officer was crushed to death by the mining mafia in Madhya Pradesh's Morena district, over 450 km from here, on Thursday.

Narendra Kumar, 30, who was posted as a Sub-Divisional Police Officer at Banmore in Morena on probation, tried to stop a tractor carrying illegally quarried stones but the driver ran over him, DIG Chambal range D.P. Gupta was quoted in the press as saying.

Mr. Kumar was rushed to hospital but died on the way.

While he was a 2009 batch IPS officer, his wife is an Indian Administrative Service officer. She is also posted in Madhya Pradesh (Gwalior) but is on maternity leave currently.

The driver, identified as Manoj Gurjar, has been arrested under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code.

State Home Minister Uma Shankar Gupta along with DGP Nandan Dube rushed to Gwalior to take stock of the situation.

Mr. Kumar was posted to Morena recently and had started giving trouble to the powerful, politically-backed mining mafia in the region.

“The officer had received information about illegally mined stones being carried in a tractor. The officer reached the spot and asked the driver to stop the vehicle but he ran over him. The driver has been arrested and the matter will be inquired into,” the Home Minister told journalists at a press conference.

As in several other districts, illegal mining is a thriving “industry” in Morena.

According to sources, illegal mining of both sand and stone is carried out under protection of local politicians connected to Bhopal.

Accusing the ruling BJP government of protecting the mining mafia, which had led to the deteriorating law and order situation, Morena-based Congress worker Manoj Pal Singh said: “This young officer had taken the mining mafia head-on on several occasions but the illegal miners go about their business virtually fearless under the protection of the BJP.”

Mr. Singh has filed a petition against illegal mining in the Madhya Pradesh High Court.

“Only last month, one of the mafia members — a former zilla panchayat president of Morena — attacked a mining officer. The police charged him under section 307 for attempted murder but he wasn't arrested. Some days later, a photograph in the district edition of a Hindi newspaper showed him sharing stage with the BJP M.P. from Morena,” he told The Hindu.

“Most of the companies that have been awarded Reconnaissance Permits by the Madhya Pradesh mining department are front companies based in Kolkata with several BJP leaders as sleeping partners,” he alleged.

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Dravid rests his bat, quits international cricket

Batting great Rahul Dravid, the second most prolific batsman in the game’s history and India’s middle order bulwark for years, on Friday bid adieu to Test cricket, bringing down the curtain on a glorious 16-year career.

The 39-year-old Dravid, a former India captain, became the first of the three ageing greats of Indian cricket, besides Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman, to retire in the aftermath of India’s disastrous Test tour of Australia.

“I would like to announce my retirement from international and domestic first-class cricket. It is 16 years since I played my first Test match for India and today I feel it is time to move on. Once I was like every other boy in India, with a dream of playing for my country. Yet I could never have imagined a journey so long and so fulfilling,” Dravid said at a press conference here.

“No dream is ever chased alone. As I look back, I have many people to thank for teaching me and believing in me. My junior coaches in Bangalore and at various junior national camps inculcated in me a powerful love of the game which has always stayed with me,” said Dravid who was flanked BCCI President N Srinivasan and former captain Anil Kumble.

“My coaches at the international level have added to my craft and helped shape my personality. The physios and trainers worked hard to keep me fit - not an easy job - and allowed me to play late into my 30s.

“The selectors, who rarely receive any credit in India, occasionally had more confidence in me than I had in myself and I am grateful for that. The various captains I played under offered me guidance and inspired me. Most of all I have to thank the teams I played with.”

Dravid said he would leave the stage with wonderful memories he shared with his team-mates who are legends of the game.

“I was lucky in my early years to play for Karnataka team which was trying to forge itself into a strong side and they were years of fun and learning,” he said. “In the Indian team, I was fortunate to be part of a wonderful era when India played some of its finest cricket at home and abroad. Many of my team-mates have become legends, not just in India but in the wider cricketing world. I admired them, learnt from them and I leave the game with wonderful memories and strong friendships. It is a great gift to have.”

Characteristic of his simple but dignified approach to his cricket, Dravid said he had tried to uphold the spirit of the game. "My approach to cricket has been reasonably simple: it was about giving everything to the team, it was about playing with dignity and it was about upholding the spirit of the game. I hope I have done some of that. I have failed at times, but I have never stopped trying. It is why I leave with sadness but also with pride.”

He also thanked the cricket fans for their support during his long career. “Finally I would like to thank the Indian cricket fan, both here and across the world. The game is lucky to have you and I have been lucky to play before you. To represent India, and thus to represent you, has been a privilege and one which I have always taken seriously,” he said.

Dravid had a disastrous tour of Australia where he scored only 194 runs in eight innings at an average of 24.25. Even more disappointing was that Dravid, known for his solid technique, was bowled in six out of the eight innings.

There was intense speculation about Dravid’s future following the Australian tour and his decision to hang his boots will now turn focus on another batting great VVS Laxman who too had a disappointing tour.

Dravid had already announced his retirement from ODI cricket in England last year after been surprisingly recalled in the ODI team due to his stupendous performance during the Test series against England in which he scored three centuries.

Nicknamed ‘The Wall’ for his dour defence, the always thoughtful-looking Dravid walked into international cricket sunset after making his debut in June 1996 though he will lead the Jaipur-based Rajasthan Royals side in the fifth edition of the Indian Premier League.

Dravid ended his Test career with 13,288 runs - behind only Tendulkar (15,470 in 188 Tests) - in 164 matches, with 36 hundreds and 63 half centuries at an average of 52.31, the 270 against Pakistan being his highest score.

Initially considered a liability in the one-day arena, he re-invented his game over the years to meet the demands of the shorter format which he played from April 1996 to September 2011. He scored 10,889 runs from 344 ODIs with 12 centuries and 83 half centuries at an average of 39.16.

Under his captaincy between October 2005 and September 2007, India won Test series in the West Indies as well as England but had a disastrous World Cup in 2007 when they were knocked out in the first round of the tournament. He captained India in 25 Tests and 79 ODIs.

Dravid’s captaincy coincided with Greg Chappell’s controversial tenure as India coach, but that did not affect his performance with the bat, as he garnered 1,736 runs at 44.51.

Never a natural athlete, Dravid’s immense levels of concentration also came in handy as he also holds the world record of highest Test catches - 210 - mostly at the slip cordon. He overtook Mark Waugh to become the most successful slip catcher in history. In addition to this, he has 196 catches in ODIs.

Asked how long he took to reach his decision to retire, Dravid said, “For a year now after each and every series I have assessed ... when I came back from Australia I wanted to take the emotion out of it and look at it dispassionately ... I have spoken to Sachin and to my team-mates and all of them were supportive.

Dravid denied that his poor form in Australia had been factor in his retirement decision.

“I would like to believe irrespective of how the Australian series had gone, I would have assessed a lot of things and come to the same conclusion.

“I dont think I based this decision on series, it’s a culmination of a lot of things. These decisions are based on a lot of things.”

“It was an honour and a privilege to play with the galaxy of cricketers I played with ... fortunate to play in an era which was pretty successful in Indian cricket, for me to be sharing a dressing room with them was an honour.”

On the high and lows in his long career, David said, “When you play for 16 years, you will face highs and lows. There have been many disappointments and great highs. There is a huge sense of satisfaction that I have always given it my best shot. I have left no stone unturned in trying to become the best cricketer I can become. Absolutely no regrets.”

Dravid said he thought it was right time for him to call it quits so that younger players take Indian cricket forward.

“I felt it was the right time for me to move on, for a next generation of cricketers to play and take the team forward ...a lot of these decisions just come to you in different ways ...I just felt the time was right. I needed to move on.”

He said he has no regrets though it was a difficult decision to call it quits.

“Yes and no. It’s all I’ve known, from that point of view it was a difficult decision. But I knew deep down, the time was right. I was very happy and comfortable in what I had achieved and what I had done,” he said.

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HAPPY HOLI

 

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