Now this is very very Unfortunate!!!

Steve Irwin, the popular television presenter better known as the 'Crocodile Hunter', has passed away following a marine accident.

The 44-year old was filming an underwater documentary on Monday morning, and police sources in Cairns, north Australia, say he was killed by a stingray barb.

Only the second known Australian fatality from a stingray attack, Irwin seemed to have been stung either through his heart or the left side of his chest, following which he immediately suffered a cardiac arrest. He is survived by wife Terri and their two children, Bindi Sue, 8, and Robert, 3.

An exuberant and fearless showman, he popularised Australian phrases around the world, and will be remembered for his use of the word 'Crikey!'

Also aiding his global following were his pro-conservation, environmentalist approach and his encyclopaedic knowledge and love of crocodiles.

Source: Rediff

Only the gods can save India

Prakash Karat damns the Election Commission for 'bias'. Every Congressman is secretly convinced that he can do a better job as prime minister than poor Manmohan Singh -- if only Sonia Gandhi listens.

The BJP condemns the Speaker for his prejudiced views, and Somnath Chatterjee thunders back that he will resign if he is not respected. Meanwhile, the Lok Sabha descends into chaos as MPs from the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Janata Dal (United) engage each other physically.

Watching all this from afar I raise my eyes to the heavens, praying that our current crop of leaders lives long. Ask me why, and I can only invite you to consider the alternative...

Several of the top guns in politics arose from student unions. The list of luminaries includes Arun Jaitley of the BJP, Lalu Prasad Yadav and Sharad Yadav, and Marxists such as Prakash Karat and Sitaram Yechury. It is a fair assumption that some of tomorrow's leaders shall arise from the student unions of today. Can you, honestly, contemplate this future without shuddering?

Professor Nishi Pandey of Lucknow University complained of being harassed by student leader Ram Singh Rana last year after she tried to stop him from entering the women's hostel. This year, the Samajwadi Party has made Rana its candidate for president of the Lucknow University Students Union.

In Delhi, Jamia Milia Islamia University shut down in July after students went on a rampage against the vice-chancellor and the proctor. They were supported by the National Students' Union of India president Nadeem Javed, who promised to take up their case with Union HRD Minister Arjun Singh. (The fact that the vice-chancellor in question is the renowned historian Mushirul Hasan did not get him any support from his leftist friends.)

But all this pales into insignificance beside the tragedy in Ujjain, where Professor Harcharan Singh Sabharwal died of injuries after he was assaulted, allegedly by activists associated with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad. This has been denied both by the ABVP and by the BJP; the spokespersons of both pointed out that the television footage does not show any ABVP member hitting Professor Sabharwal.

You know what? I don't care, the footage that I did see was damning enough!

I saw Vimal Tomar, organising secretary of the ABVP in Madhya Pradesh jabbing away at Professor M L Nath of Madhav College in Ujjain. I saw him mouth offensive words at the assembled faculty, abuse that the television channels prudently bleeped out. I heard him say something to the effect, "You have called us goondas, now we shall teach you a lesson!" We also had the 'privilege' of watching Shashiranjan Akela, president of the Madhya Pradesh unit of the ABVP, argue vehemently with his teachers.

Even if you can lay aside the assault on Professor Sabharwal -- and I for one find it absolutely unpardonable -- how can you explain away the fundamental lack of decency exhibited by the likes of Vimal Tomar? There may not be any evidence of ABVP members assaulting Professor Sabharwal, there is plenty of proof of their vulgarity against the other teachers. For this alone, they should be drummed out of the university, and kicked out of all political activity as well.

Lawyers will argue endlessly whether Professor Sabharwal's death was 'murder' or 'manslaughter'. Investigators certainly have their work cut out to see whether there was any NSUI involvement given that the Congress-backed body was just as unhappy with Professor Sabharwal as the ABVP itself. But if there is a moral dimension to politics, then Vimal Tomar and Shashiranjan Akela are guilty of creating an atmosphere where violence against teachers could flourish.

Let me quote from the RSS web site: 'Devotional worship of the Guru is one of the most touching and elevating features of the Hindu cultural tradition. The relationship of Guru-shishya is one unique symbol of our Hindu Dharma.'

The RSS takes this so seriously that one of its great annual events is Guru Purnima, when every member is expected to make some token offering to the Guru. I can remember seeing the likes of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L K Advani perform Guru Dakshina even when they were in high office.

Why, given this tradition, weren't Vimal Tomar and Shashiranjan Akela drummed out of the ABVP the moment they were seen insulting their teachers at the gates of Madhav College? Does Guru Purnima hold any meaning any longer, or is it empty ritual?

The ABVP was formed when M S Golwalkar was the Sarsanghachalak. The 'M' in his name stood for 'Madhavrao', and he himself was affectionately known as 'Guruji'. What irony if the centenary year of his birth is marked by insulting Gurus in the precincts of an institution named 'Madhav' College!

Will anybody emerge with clean hands from the Ujjain tragedy? When last heard, over 20 NSUI members had been arrested in Ujjain -- on the basis of a list of offenders given to the police by the principal of Madhav College. Sanjeev Jain, of the Nationalist Congress Party's Disha Kisaan Sangathan, also surrendered to the police in the same case. With associates of the BJP, the Congress, and Sharad Pawar's NCP named, fears of political interference are bound to grow.

And these are the people from whose ranks India's future leaders may arise. Ponder over that.

I read that GMP Dwivedi, who is heading the Criminal Investigation Department team, started the probe after praying at the Mahakaleshwar temple in Ujjain. I understand exactly how he feels. When politics vitiates the atmosphere in temples of learning so much that students insult their teachers, well, only the gods can save India.

Ram Gopal Varma's "Nishabd"

Love stories and emotional relationships haven't exactly been Ram Gopal Varma's main area of interest, so when he decided to make an intense saga about an old man's obsession with a young girl in "Nishabd" it raised several eyebrows.

But Varma says that the film with Amitabh Bachchan wasn't a sudden decision. "It was an idea I was sleeping with for a long time. What fascinates me is how would it seem to place a man of Mr. Bachchan's character, demeanour, grace and image in such a position? The relationship with a young girl will look even more effective," Varma told us.

Varma doesn't deny that he has shied away from sex and love in most of his films.

"It could also have something to do with the genre of films I generally do. 'Nishabd' allowed me to go into areas I haven't visited before. But I wouldn't like to give it a pompous terminology like 'soul-searching'. I'm not equipped for that sort of an exercise.

"In 'Nishabd' I'm basically interested in capturing a conflict within a man between his feelings and his responsibilities. The girl is only a device to trigger off that conflict."

Right now, Varma is hogging the limelight for his two remakes - "Shiva" and "Sholay".

Excerpts from the Interview:

Why this sudden decision to make "Nishabd" with Amitabh Bachchan?

It wasn't a sudden decision. I had been talking to Mr. Bachchan about several projects. In fact, I had sounded him out about "Nishabd" a year back when the idea came to me. When we were both ready to work together again, we wondered which script to start with.

Unfortunately, all my plans with Mr. Bachchan went haywire because of his illness. Now I have his dates for "Sholay". But that's been delayed for various reasons. We used those dates for "Nishabd".

Why has "Sholay" been delayed?

Because it's a straight-on action film. I didn't want Mr. Bachchan to do anything strenuous after his illness.

I would never expect a film titled "Nishabd" from you.

See, it isn't a question of suddenly trying to prove I can do an intense love story. It was an idea I was sleeping with for a long time. People seem to think I'm doing an adaptation of "Lolita", which is about a middle-aged man's obsession with a 14-year-old girl.

What fascinates me is how would it seem to place a man of Mr. Bachchan's character, demeanour, grace and image in such a position? The relationship with a young girl will look even more effective. I feel emotions have nothing to do with age. What stops a man in that position of supreme success and respect from indulging in his feelings? Is it a sense of responsibility towards society and family? I wanted to look beyond those responsibilities.

I want to film a love story between a man of Mr. Bachchan's age and a very young girl, in an intense stylised way in a completely new narrative language. I want to create a language of love-expression that's never been tried before.

You've shied away from sex, even love in most of your films.

Yeah, it is possible. But that could also have something to do with the genre of films I generally do. "Nishabd" allowed me to go into areas I haven't visited before. But I wouldn't like to give it a pompous terminology like 'soul-searching'. I'm not equipped for that sort of an exercise. I just like to capture feelings.

For all my cynical talk, I feel I portray feelings and emotions in a way that's entirely mine. In "Nishabd" I'm basically interested in capturing a conflict within a man between his feelings and his responsibilities. The girl is only a device to trigger off that conflict.

You've chosen a new girl?

Her name is Jiya Khan. And please don't ask a stupid question like where did I find her. I didn't go on a girl hunt or something. I keep collecting pictures of actors and actresses who come to meet me. And then a particular face comes back to me when I'm scripting a character. Jiya is right for this part.

To my knowledge she has no experience in modelling or acting. I had met her a couple of years back. In fact, I was planning to cast her in a later production. Then "Nishabd" came along.

Is there a strong undercurrent of sexuality in "Nishabd"?

No love story can be complete without an undercurrent of sexuality. Because of the nature of the subject and its requirements, I'm excited about capturing Mr. Bachchan's expressions as never seen before.

Amit Roy, who shot "Sarkar" is the cinematographer. There are no songs this time. We completed "Nishabd" in one schedule.

You've just finished directing "Shiva" and then "Nishabd".

That's not really unusual. I never sit idle. The minute I finish a project, I immediately start something else.

You and Amitabh are doing a series of films together.

I think we're addicted to each other. And we're both in the mood to create poetry in "Nishabd".

Are you getting mellower?

No. This is my once-in-while moment of seriousness. I'll quickly go back to making "Bhoot" and "Kaun" before people start taking me seriously and start giving me awards.