Dinesh Kamath's column on Hollywood movie 'The Impossible ' that was published in Newsband

The Impossible (Spanish: Lo imposible) is a 2012 English-language Spanish disaster drama film directed by Juan Antonio Bayona from a screenplay written by Sergio G. Sánchez, starring Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor. It tells the true story of a Spanish (though portrayed as English) family's experience of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

The Impossible had its world premiere at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival on September 9, where it received critical acclaim. The film was released on October 11, 2012 in Spain and in North America on December 21, 2012 by Summit Entertainment.

The movie has an interesting plot. The film tells the true story of a Spanish family, played by Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor, and their three children. It starts as the family begins their Christmas vacation in Thailand, with the intention of spending a few days at a tropical paradise resort. However, their idyllic vacation is interrupted on the morning of December 26, 2004, when a devastating tsunami destroys the coastal zone. The family is separated in surviving the disaster, and they begin a desperate search to reunite.

The film has Naomi Watts as Maria, Ewan McGregor as Henry, Tom Holland as Lucas, Samuel Joslin as Thomas, Oaklee Pendergast as Simon, Geraldine Chaplin as Old Woman, Marta Etura and Simon Blyberg as Ferdinand.

The film is a co-production between the Spanish companies Apaches Entertainment and Telecinco Cinema. The crew consists of the same key people who made The Orphanage, including director, writer, production manager, cinematographer, composer, and editor.

Early reviews for the film were positive, with much praise going to the performances of Watts, McGregor and newcomer Tom Holland. Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports that 81% of critics have given the film a positive review based on 79 reviews, with an average rating of 7.2/10. It currently has an 83% rating with the audience. At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted mean rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the film currently holds an average score of 75, based on 29 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews."

Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film a perfect four star rating, praising the performances of Watts and McGregor, as well as the direction by Bayona. He would go on to call it "one of the best films of the year".

Deborah Young of The Hollywood Reporter gave the film a perfectly positive review, praising the performances of the two leading stars, stating that "Watts packs a huge charge of emotion as the battered, ever-weakening Maria whose tears of pain and fear never appear fake or idealized. McGregor, cut and streaked with excessive blood he seems too distraught to wash away, keeps the tension razor-sharp as he pursues his family in a vast, shattered landscape." About the film itself, she added: "The Impossible is one of the most emotionally realistic disaster movies in recent memory -- and certainly one of the most frightening in its epic re-creation of the catastrophic 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami."

Justin Chang of Variety magazine also gave the film a perfectly positive review, praising Bayona's directing and Sánchez's writing: "Collaborating again after their impressive 2007 debut feature, The Orphanage, Bayona and Sanchez get many things right here, starting with their decision to eschew a more panoramic view of the disaster to follow one family's journey from start to finish." About the performances of the main cast members, he added: "Watts has few equals at conveying physical and emotional extremis, something she again demonstrates in a mostly bedridden role, and McGregor, in one of his better recent performances, manages to turn a simple phone call home into a small aria of heartbreak. Holland, in his live-action bigscreen debut, is wonderful as a kind, somewhat short-tempered kid who still has plenty to learn, setting the tone for similarly heartrending turns by young Joslin and Pendergast."

Damon Wise of The Guardian gave the film four stars out of five. He also praised the performances, stating that "as Maria, Watts is both brave and vulnerable, and her scenes with the young Lucas (the excellent Tom Holland) are among the film's best, with adult and child now unexpected equals, the mother humbled, the son rising to the challenge. McGregor, meanwhile, gives one of his best performances as the sad and desperate Henry, trying to play the hero, the provider, while knowing his cause is almost certainly lost." About the film, he added: "Part of the appeal of this affecting and powerful drama is that it puts the viewer right in the moment at every stage, using authentic locations and tsunami survivors to hammer home the reality of this tragedy." Eric Kohn of IndieWire gave the film a "B-" grade, and stated that the film "suffers from the greater problem of emphasizing a feel-good plot within the context of mass destruction."

The London Daily Mail reported that British survivors of the Indian Ocean tsunami felt "horrified" and "ambushed" and were reduced to tears by the film's trailer, which was screened prior to The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey in theaters. Tsunami Support UK, a support group for survivors of the tsunami, lobbied to have the trailer screened with a warning notice beforehand. A spokesman for the Odeon cinema chain responded by saying that it had no control over the content of the BBFC-approved trailer, saying, "We can only apologise for any offence caused on this occasion."

Thus The Impossible is a great movie. Do watch it when it gets released on 4 January 2013.

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial (The genuine Lion) that was published in Newsband

The genuine Lion

Narendra Modi pulled off a third straight Assembly election victory in Gujarat. This victory has made the political future of Modi absolutely secure. He won for his party 130 of 182 seats — more than the BJP’s best ever tally of 127, achieved in 2002. Now Modi is aiming for higher gains. He is now being considered as the likely candidate for Indian Prime Minister’s post. Modi has joined the ranks of Mohanlal Sukhadia, Jyoti Basu, Sheila Dikshit and Naveen Patnaik in leading his party to victory in a State three times in a row.

Modi’s transition from obedient pracharak to cult figure will make a great novel. In Gujarat he got a colossus-like presence. With no credible leader in its ranks, the Congress once again fared miserably. BJP rank-and-file is now pushing Modi to take the long march to Delhi.

Bharatiya Janata Party supporters wore masks of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as they celebrated the victory of the party in the State Assembly elections, in Ahmedabad. Everybody is asking a common question: Will Modi become the BJP's prime ministerial candidate for 2014? The fact that he has registered his third decisive win is enough to get all the party's national leaders to brace themselves for a challenge.

In the Gujarat elections, Modi practically humbled the opposition. The Congress party was routed yet again, managing just 61 seats, while the Gujarat Parivartan Party’s Keshubhai Patel could get only two of its candidates elected.

After his victory, the Chief Minister Modi spoke in campaign mode in Hindi with an eye on a national audience. This proves that Modi is ambitious and is intending to be the PM of India. He thanked the people of Gujarat for “voting for development in the State and country.” Some of his supporters kept chanting “PM, PM” but Modi took care to reiterate his desire to work for the State for the “next five years.”

Though Modi’s supporters are taking the hat-trick he has delivered as a bugle call for a march to Delhi, the first sign that this would be no plain sailing was provided on Thursday itself by a key BJP ally, the Janata Dal (United). Its Gujarat state leader Vashist Narayan Singh declared that though the victory would strengthen the BJP as a party at the national level, the JD(U) was clear that the candidate for Prime Minister should have a secular image.

But the outcome of the elections is clearly a mandate for Narendra Modi, who had created a debate around “Modi versus Who” and the Congress had no answer to this. This is at state level. At National level he only has Rahul Gandhi as the competitor.

However, Modi has proved that he is the genuine Lion of Gujarat today and probably of India tomorrow.

Dinesh Kamath's column on 'Inside Navi Mumbai' (10) (Why Houses for Journalists?) that was published in Newsband

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Inside Navi Mumbai

By Dinesh Kamath

Why houses for journalists?

I had attended a press conference conducted by City and Industrial Development Corporation Ltd. (CIDCO) Chairman Pramod Hindurao. He was addressing the journalists of Navi Mumbai. In this conference, he promised that CIDCO would allot plot for the construction of Journalists Bhavan in Navi Mumbai. Many journalists then raised the question of houses for journalists. Hindurao didn’t make any promise regarding this issue but he assured that he would discuss this matter with the state government.

Just recently, the journalists of Panvel and Uran also lined up for a plot to house their Patrakar Bhavan and also the journalists themselves. A petition demanding the same was submitted to Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan during his visit to the city on 24 December, 2012. The initiative in the matter was taken by senior journalist Kantilal Kadu.

With the prices of real estate sky rocketing, ordinary journalists including those associated with the electronic media, will never be able to acquire a house in their lifetime. That is why they should be accommodated like other economically weaker groups. After all, the contribution of journalists in the evolution and development of the city is substantial.

Now the ball is in the court of both the state government and CIDCO. Will the two care to construct houses for Navi Mumbai journalists?

Why should journalists anywhere in the world be allotted houses? That’s because Journalists form a part of the fourth estate. But they are the most neglected group. They do the highest form of service to the area they reside in but they are not adequately paid for that service. Since ages, journalists have been fighting for their rights. They were always of the opinion that they deserved better salary, better living conditions etc. But their appeals have been ignored by the government and they are reduced to the status of economically weaker group.

State governments should ask private developers to reserve at least 30 percent of their dwelling units to economically weak journalists. The state governments should impress upon civic authorities to make changes in the Master Plans and Zonal Plans for reserving space for journalists. After all there are many journalists who belong to low income group (LIG). Hence they should be given the benefits made available to LIG.

It remains to be seen whether state government will implement the policy, forcing private players in the realty sector to leave space for poor journalists. The past experience has not been all that encouraging as several state governments had refused to consider the journalists as among the LIG and they have been deprived of the facilities that were made available to this particular group. Why are journalists excluded when it comes to providing facilities? Journalists are doing to the society more noble contributions than any other low income group. Even the Central Government refuses to release funds for the benefit of journalists. Why?

Private developers focus on high and middle-income housing projects, but journalists are excluded from these projects. Even state-controlled housing agencies and civic authorities have neglected the plight of journalists. More and more housing projects are coming up for the benefit of economically weaker section (EWS) and lower income group (LIG) but the journalists are not considered as belonging to either of these groups.

Yes, journalists are intellectuals. They are doing more mental labour and less physical works. Although they are poor they are considered as superior to other people belonging to low income group. In fact, journalists are considered as superior to even some economically well-to-do section. The journalists enjoy the status of teachers who are intellectuals but economically backward. Both these groups believe in simple living and high thinking. Of course, journalists are better off than teachers in a way that they are able to get more fame than teachers. But otherwise, they are as good as teachers. There should be a scheme which will facilitate easy flow of funds to civic bodies and state governments for construction of houses for the journalists.

India's desire to become the world's next big economic power is as real as the enormous challenges it faces in raising the social and economic well being of journalists. The issue of adequate housing is integral to poverty reduction and social justice in India. The living conditions of most of the Indian journalists are pathetic. The realities of day-to-day life for a great majority of journalists are nothing short of cruel. A living story of economic deprivation has prevailed for centuries. The real story of majority of the journalists is tragic.

Professionals like carpenters, blacksmiths, barbers, weavers, potters, oil-pressers, leatherworkers, sweepers are considered as inferior group. But, believe me, there are journalists who earn less than any of these professionals. Even drivers, construction laborers and packers earn more than some journalists. One can say that the living conditions for most journalists remain far from what can be called "acceptable."

Development of countries is often judged by certain economic and social statistics compiled by national governments and major international agencies such as the World Bank and the United Nations. By these aggregate measures, India has made significant progress in recent years, especially since liberalization measures were introduced in 1991. For example, the GDP growth rate now stands at 9.4% per year, much better than the less than 4% experienced during the 1990s. Life expectancy at birth has now improved to 64 years from 56 years 20 years ago; infant mortality has fallen to 5.6% from 8.1%; primary school attendance has risen to 74% from 65%, and the adult literacy rate is 61% as compared to 50%, all during the same period. But the plight of many journalists is still the same. The government is coming up with ambitious projects in various fields but the fourth estate is simply ignored. Why does government show such step-motherly attitude towards scribes?

There is no arguing that there has been improvement, but they are not sufficient.

Housing is one of the top priorities for most people, regardless of their income levels. Practically everyone lists housing as their most important need - above food, health care and education for their children. Without the security and comfort of a home, there is no escaping the difficulties resulting from poverty. Poor journalists do not have the financial means to buy or construct houses with their savings, and therefore they live in their ancestral huts, those rented from landlords (with ensuing obligations), or government-supplied houses. Adequate housing is considered by many to be a fundamental human right regardless of income level - a basic necessity for all that cannot be denied in a fair and equitable society. It is interrelated with other aspects of life such as health and education.

Hence, both the Central and state governments should seriously consider the idea of providing houses to journalists who reside not only in Navi Mumbai but also all over India.

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial (Medicines and not guns are the need of today) that was published in Newsband

Medicines and not guns are the need of today

Adam Lanza walked into his old school in Newtown and killed 20 children and six adults — among them his mother. Lanza’s murderous spree, preceded by the slaughter at a gurdwara in Wisconsin on August 5, and the movie theatre massacre in Colorado on July 20, is part of a larger epidemic of gun violence in the United States. Lanza shot with the gun which he had obtained legally. How many more such mass murders should take place after which the US government will awake and do something drastic about the gun laws that exist in America?  

Firearms violence in parts of the U.S. is now more lethal. There is a link between firearms proliferation and homicide. It is found that not only in the U.S., but also in other industrialised countries, high gun-ownership levels are linked to high rates of homicide. It is common sense that violent individual with a gun will be more able to kill, and can kill more people, than a violent individual without a gun.

America should come up with tighter gun laws. Only this can save lives. Strict gun laws are bound to bring about a sharp decline in suicides too. Lanza’s madness should be attributed to the liberal gun-ownership regime.

America’s firearms addiction poses a risk to others too. Guns legally manufactured and sold in the U.S. — ranging from 9 mm handguns, available in India only to police, to .50-caliber sniper rifles designed to punch through armour — have flooded into other countries too. It is high time President Barack Obama took the initiative to end the madness. Why can’t the President of US impose gun controls?

Just recently a father in US shot dead his son when the boy (may be young adult) jumped towards him with a mask on his head and a shiny material in his hand. Only later father found that it was his son. If there were no guns, dad could have broken a leg; but wouldn't have lost his son.

The weapons industry is a curse to modern civilization. All the governments in the world should realize that that barbaric times are over and instead of indulging in weapon proliferation we should pursue saving and nourishing life with the plethora of medicines available to secure a comfortable life in the new century of global communications.

Dinesh Kamath's column on 'Inside Navi Mumbai' (9) (CM makes many assurances to Navi Mumbaikars) that was published in Newsband

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CM makes many assurances to Navi Mumbaikars

Maharashtra’s chief minister Prithviraj Chavan was at Khandeshwar where Agri Samaj Mahadhiveshan was in progress. While speaking to the crowd he admitted that both the Central and State governments are unable to provide jobs for all. He appealed to the private sector to come to the rescue of the government here by providing jobs. He promised that the government would extend all the cooperation needed to help them create enough jobs.

CM’s remark gives birth to the question whether it is the public sector or private sector which creates more jobs? The debate over this issue has been taking place since a very long time in India. Another debate that never ends is relating to the issue whether Government jobs are better than private ones or vice versa. People of India tend to look at this issue from both qualitative as well as quantitative angles.

What influences candidates towards government jobs?

Traditionally, government jobs have been considered safe with no or little threat of job loss, especially when job opportunities in the private sector were not. There was a time when governments were the biggest employers. Then, job seekers had believed that bagging a government job made their or their children's lives more secure.

Nevertheless, Government jobs have traditionally offered many perks which private jobs do not. Here are a few job benefits and reasons for choosing a government job over a one in the private sector. 1. Pension: this is one of the attractions. 2. Financial services, such as mortgages at a low rate of interest offered by the respective department where the employee is working.  3. Promotions and pay raises offer immediate social recognition/status to employees at specified intervals. 4. Higher positions often entail unmatched administrative power. 5. Relatively stronger immunity against job loss. 6. Some governments promise employment to relatives of employees. 7. More relaxed, congenial working style.

Are there any negatives to government jobs?

Of course, there are a few downsides to government positions, too. Government jobs offer a low starting salary, in comparison to private employers. Salary hikes are sometimes meager as they are regulated by standardization. Career growth opportunities can be few and far between, as promotions are standardized and often based on seniority. Another aspect of government jobs is that they may be perceived as less challenging. A common complaint about government jobs is that the routine and mundane nature of the job often leads to complacency.

Private sector jobs: Why should you choose them?

The private sector offers the maximum number of employment opportunities. This is true for any developing or developed country. Private sector jobs, even though they do not guarantee job security, offer high career potential growth opportunities. This is by far the biggest reason for their popularity along with the huge demand that they create. Job seekers often opt for private sector employment because of their fast paced and modern recruitment procedures. In the private sector, true talent is recognized and sought out by various selection techniques.

1. Selection procedure provides an even playing field for all applicants. This is unlike the government sector, where selection is often made based on seniority or knowing someone in a particular agency. 2. True talent is unearthed before the selection through interviews and brainstorming. 3. Lucrative starting salaries and high growth potential through what is called "merit based" promotions and salary hikes. 4. Fast paced working style and environments give employees job satisfaction and eventually foster loyalty and dedication.

There are downsides to private sector jobs as well, such as long working hours - depriving employees of a meaningful family life. Mental stress and early aging are said to be byproducts of private sector jobs.

So these are the pros and cons of both government and private jobs. One should appreciate CM’s idea of extending his cooperation to private sector to make still more jobs available and to solve the problem of unemployment. It is only when both government and private sector cooperate with one another that more employments can be generated and this will prove to be a relief for so many youngsters and even adults who are finding themselves without a job in India. The big shots of private sector and also the government should make note of this particular point and the two should join hands to work to drive away this scourge called ‘unemployment’.

Thus CM’s visit to Navi Mumbai has proved to be a fruitful one considering the fact that many unemployed in Navi Mumbai too have developed new hope after the assurances made by CM.

CM came up with other brilliant ideas to create employment. He said that to attract large investments, it is necessary that we should have an airport in Navi Mumbai. That in turn requires substantial amount of land to be acquired, he said. Hence he appealed to the land owners to allow the government to conduct a proper survey of the area. He promised to look into all the demands of the Project Affected Persons.

Now this issue relating to PAPs is a very sensitive one in Navi Mumbai. PAPs are tired of the assurances given by both local and state governments. They are now become desperate. They want to see the government take concrete steps to end their nagging problems. Before the construction of this satellite city started, they were promised adequate compensations if they gave away their lands to the government. They did part with their lands but the promises made to them are still to be kept even after many years have elapsed after constructing of the city. PAPs feel deceived by the government and they wonder whether this another assurance, to do justice to them, this time coming from CM, is a genuine one.

CM’s idea to attract more investment in Raigad district by providing the investors infrastructural facilities and also creating a peaceful atmosphere for the industries to flourish is laudable.

Other laudable stands that CM took were (1) the farmer-land owners should receive adequate compensation for their land. (2) The government will soon come up with a decision to grant additional FSI for the reconstruction of dilapidated CIDCO buildings. (3) For Special Economic Zones, 60% of the land should be used for industrial/commercial purposes; the remaining 40% for residential purposes, schools, parks and play grounds etc. (4) “There will be resumption of granting scholarships to OBC students.

On the whole, CM’s concern for the welfare of Navi Mumbai should be appreciated.

Dinesh Kamath's column on 'Inside Navi Mumbai' (8) (Two more wonders come up in Navi Mumbai) that was published in Newsband

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Inside Navi Mumbai

By Dinesh Kamath

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Two more wonders come up in Navi Mumbai

NCP’s Chief Sharad Pawar was in Navi Mumbai the other day to inaugurate Skywalk and Golf Course at Kharghar. The Golf Course will put Navi Mumbai on the world map. It will undoubtedly bring this city into international focus for the simple reason that it is bound to become the venue for many international Golf events.

The Golf Course is excellently constructed by the City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra (CIDCO). This is another feather in CIDCO’s cap. CIDCO is known for coming up with one wonder after another. This time it has come up with the Golf Course which is indeed a masterpiece.

Sharad Pawar also inaugurated the skywalk which is another masterpiece. Everyone involved in the construction of this skywalk should be lauded. The architects, engineers, workers and all the others who contributed to the construction of this skywalk deserve to be saluted for the superior kind of work they have done. They have indeed contributed to adding to the beauty of the city.

Henceforth both Golf Course and Skywalk of Kharghar will be added to the list of wonders in Navi Mumbai and every resident of Navi Mumbai will feel proud about the fact that they are residing in a city full of wonders.       

Sharad Pawar had come to Navi Mumbai to do the inaugurations but in one of the speeches he made he used the opportunity to make a mention about the Delhi gang rape that led to strong agitation to demand change in the law to protect women. Pawar was all sympathies for the victim and he expressed his agreement with the agitators. He was of the opinion that the power to make laws lies with the parliament and hence the members of this sacred place should come up with effective laws that will make the women feel secure.

Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan who was present during the inauguration was all praise for CIDCO. He was right when he said that CIDCO has created a city of international standards. CIDCO’s main contribution to the city was providing of affordable homes which benefited many lower and middle income families. The city needs more such homes and CM promised to come up with a decision that will enable CIDCO to construct more such houses.     

CIDCO conferred honorary life membership of the Golf Course on Prithviraj Chavan and Sharad Pawar. This Golf Course is bound to give birth to many Indian Golf players of international standards. The golfers in Navi Mumbai should be given the first chance to exploit this new Golf Course to convert themselves from local players to international sportspersons. If this is done, don’t be surprised if within a year or two you will witness the emergence of many international golf players within Navi Mumbai itself. 

Golf is considered as the game of elites. Navi Mumbai authorities should not hesitate to sponsor young ones of poor families to try their skills in Golf. There are many poor youngsters who are talented but due to lack of money they are not able to nurture and polish their talents. In such situations, the local government should come to their rescue. If money is invested on nurturing the talents of these poor youngsters today, then there are all the possibilities of these youngsters growing up to become sportspersons of international standards tomorrow after which they can make possible for foreign currencies to flow into the treasury of Indian government. What I mean to say is a little investment now can lead to huge profits in the future.

Thane district Guardian Minister Ganesh Naik, the strongest man of Navi Mumbai, was also present during the inauguration ceremony. He appeared to be totally impressed by the skywalk and he wondered why Navi Mumbaikars hesitated to make use of the skywalks. He rightly asked CIDCO to hand over the public utility plots to NMMC and that too at a nominal rate. Ganesh Naik is a man of ideas and at the same time he is a practical man. He believes not just in expressing the ideas but he also applies his hundred percent to convert those ideas into reality. That’s one reason why he is adored by residents of Navi Mumbai. Janata Darbar was his brainwave and till now he has conducted many Janata Darbars which gave opportunities to many common people of the city to come face to face with him and not only express their problems but also get them solved and that too almost immediately. You can as well say that Ganesh Naik is the leader of common man. India is in need of such kind of leaders.

Dinesh Kamath's column on 'Inside Navi Mumbai' (7) (A Navi Mumbaikar’s fantastic feat) that was published in Newsband

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Inside Navi Mumbai

By Dinesh Kamath

A Navi Mumbaikar’s fantastic feat

Prakash R Deshmukh has done not only Navi Mumbai but also India proud. He rightly deserved the President of India’s Gallantry Award which was conferred on him on 20 December 2012 at the 66th Annual Day celebration of Maharashtra Home Guards and Civil Defense Corps held at the Civil Defense Staff College grounds near Metro Cinema. Deshmukh is also a member of the executive committee of NGO ‘Freedom For You Foundation’.

Deshmukh is the man who as the leader of five member team had entered Taj Hotel on 26/11 when the Pakistanis lay siege of the Hotel, and sprayed bullets on the inmates for more than 36 hours and rescued alive over 28 civilians alive. All the five members have been deservedly awarded President's Gallantry Award for their bravery.

Now who can say that Deshmukh did not deserve this award? He put his own life in danger to rescue the lives of those people who were in the clutches of those horrible terrorists who had seized the Hotel. The fact that he rescued 28 civilians proves his enormous skill in tackling such critical situation.

In fact, Deshmukh is very well trained in handling situations of such types. After all, he is the Head of Mobile Column, a specialized fire-fighting unit of Government of Maharashtra, which is expected to rush to the place of any calamity/incident, not only to fight the fire, but its first duty is to rescue all the civilians to a safe zone and administer first-aid. This unit is a part of Civil Defense. The same unit also had rushed to Mantralaya when the fire engulfed it a few months ago.

This is not the first award that Deshmukh has received. In fact, in 2002, Prakash Deshmukh was also conferred Meritorious Service Award on 26 January 2002, by President of India.

On 20 December 2012, the Gallantry Award was given on behalf of President of India by Mr Surinder Kumar, Deputy Commandent, Maharashtra Home Guards and Civil Defense Corp and this function was attended by all unit heads of Home Guards and Civil Defense.

It is a thing of pride for all Navi Mumbaikars that Prakash Deshmukh is a resident of Airoli, Navi Mumbai.

Deshmukh has over 38 years of rich experience in the field of fire-fighting and Rescue operations, Civil Defense etc. He is always helping people with a smile. He is well respected by all, more so by the entire unit of Civil Defense, Government of Maharashtra and Fire Brigade units in MMR Region (Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai and Raigad regions)

Just before retirement, less than two years ago, he was head of Thane Division of Civil Defense Department, as Senior Dy Controller; all units of Civil Defence located in Thane, Navi Mumbai, Dombivli, Kalyan,  Ambernath, Badlapur etc reported to him. He has trained over 30000 people in Civil Defense during his tenure as Head of Thane Division of Civil Defense.

He has rich experience in Personnel and Occupational Safety, Fire fighting, detecting un-exploded bombs, water and flood rescue operations, rescue of survivors from earthquake affected crumbled buildings, disaster management etc and has been conducting training programs continuously for corporate executives, schools and colleges, workers and to the general public.

Now, as Executive Committee Member of the NGO ‘Freedom For You Foundation’, he is head of Resource Team for Skill development. He and his team train Corporate executives, workers and staff in Fire-Fighting, Mock Drill for evacuation, First-Aid/CPR, Industrial safety training etc. Besides, they conduct free Disaster Management Awareness programs for Schools/Colleges, and over 17000 children and teachers have benefited from this program. A few of these programs have been sponsored by big organizations.

Who said that heroes like Deshmukh are only found on cinema screen? Deshmukh is a real life hero and it would be an insult for him to be compared with screen hero. In real life, rarely do you find a hero who will risk his own life and negotiate the heavily-armed terrorists just to rescue the innocent civilians whom they have held as hostages. He could have lost his life like some other unlucky heroes. But the fact that he survived proves that he is not only a brilliant attacker but also a powerful defender. A genuine hero needs to have both these qualities and Deshmukh proved that he possessed both attacking and defending abilities.

Our country requires more such people like Deshmukh. If our entire Indian army was made up of soldiers like Deshmukh then no country in the world would dare to challenge India. I personally feel that Deshmukh should be sent to the borders to train the Indian army. The members of the Indian army can certainly learn from him both attacking and defending tactics whenever they are confronted by dangerous enemies like the one Deshmukh had negotiated at Taj Hotel.    

Deshmukh deserves a tight salute from not only Navi Mumbaikars but also the entire Indians for the kind of bravery he displayed on 26/11. He will always remain an inspiration not only for the present generation but also many generations to come.

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial (Leaderless protestors and impassive govt.) that was published in Newsband

Leaderless protestors and impassive govt.

The rape case in Delhi has disturbed lakhs of Indians, particularly the women folks. The government is found to be impassive and the Opposition has made a casual demand for instant justice. A crowd of protestor gathered at India Gate. They were without a leader. The police took advantage of the fact that the crowd was without a leader and so they started chasing and beating up the protestors. Thus the protestors ended up in a violent skirmish with the police.

Now who is responsible for this chaos? The government should be blamed. The government should have at least assured the women of India that a serious national review of all legal issues surrounding rape, sexual assault and gender rights would be undertaken on a war-footing. Instead, it waged a kind of war with the protestors. The crowd at India Gate found themselves face to face with a state apparatus that was not interested in a conversation.

Although arrests have been made after the gang rape incident and the government has promised a speedy trial, women in New Delhi and the rest of India do not feel any safer when stepping out of their homes. This is because the government itself is not interested in their problems. The government did not even care to initiate a national debate on this issue. The shoddy investigation, poor forensics and misogynist attitudes among the police and even lower judiciary are the main reasons why rape victims in India do not get justice.

The peaceful protesters were not there for instant justice but to wake up the politicians, police, and whole society and to tell them that enough is enough. But the politicians have failed to understand them. They are still trying to buy out time so that once time passes by, everybody will forget about it and they can continue ruling as they have been in last 65 years.

Changes are needed everywhere. There should be changes in governance, law, judiciary, policing and society. Only this will bring about a long term solution to this major problem. What India needs right now is women rights movement. Our kids should be taught right from school equality of men and women. Men particularly will have to play a strong role in giving women their due rights in the society.

Can reformative laws solve this problem? Or should there be punitive laws which does not show compassion to the criminals and which is sensitive towards the victim and the society? There should be a nation-wide debate over this issue and a perfect solution should be arrived at before more such incidents occur.

Video: Dinesh Kamath speaks about one of his favourite dialogues in the film 'Deewar (1975)'

Dinesh Kamath's cartoon on Alooramji that was published in Newsband

Dinesh Kamath's column on Hollywood movie 'Jack Reacher' that was published in Newsband

Jack Reacher (previously titled One Shot) is a 2012 American crime film. It is a adaptation of Lee Child's 2005 novel One Shot. Written and directed by Christopher McQuarrie, the film stars Tom Cruise as the title character. The film entered production in October 2011, and concluded in January 2012. It was filmed entirely on location in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The movie has an interesting plot. After a sniper kills five people in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, police arrest a man named James Barr, a former army sharpshooter, who asks them to contact Jack Reacher, a drifter and former Army Military Police officer. Working as an investigator for Barr's defense attorney, Reacher unravels a case involving a hired killer and a Russian known only as the Zec.

The movie has Tom Cruise as Jack Reacher, Rosamund Pike as Helen Rodin, Richard Jenkins as Alex Rodin, David Oyelowo as Emerson, Werner Herzog as The Zec, Jai Courtney as Charlie, Vladimir Sizov as Vlad, Joseph Sikora as James Barr, Michael Raymond-James as Linsky, Alexia Fast as Sandy, Josh Helman as Jeb, Robert Duvall as Cash, James Martin Kelly as Rob Farrior and Nicole Forester as Nancy Holt.

In July 2011, Cruise was in negotiations to play the role of Jack Reacher. Author Lee Child said that it would be impossible to find a suitable actor to play the giant Reacher and to recreate the feel of the book onscreen, and that Cruise had the talent to make an effective Reacher. Child also said, "Reacher's size in the books is a metaphor for an unstoppable force, which Cruise portrays in his own way." Of Cruise's relatively small stature, Child said, "With another actor you might get 100% of the height but only 90% of Reacher. With Tom, you'll get 100% of Reacher with 90% of the height."

Cruise preformed all of his own driving stunts during the film's signature car chase sequence. "Action to me is something very fun to shoot. The challenge in most car chases is you're trying to hide the fact that it's not the actor driving," McQuarrie said. "The challenge here was the exact opposite. We were trying to find a way to show that it was always Tom driving. He's literally driving in every stunt sequence."

The film includes a scene in which a sniper guns down what looks to be five random targets on a riverfront promenade. Writer-director McQuarrie endorsed the decision, saying he and Cruise "insisted upon it. Nobody should be celebrating anything 24 hours after a tragic event like that. We thought long and hard about it. This was not a snap judgment, because we wanted to give back to the city of Pittsburgh [by having the premiere there], because they were so great to us."

There are 63% of 115 film critics who have given the film a positive review, with a rating average of 6.2 out of 10.

This entry, undoubtedly expected to inspire sequels, is based on the novel One Shot. A killer coolly shoots several innocent citizens in a public square, and then demands to see Reacher once he’s caught.

A fiercely independent Army veteran who served in Iraq with the gunman, Reacher offers to help Helen (Rosamund Pike), the defending attorney, unravel what happened. The D.A. (Richard Jenkins) and lead investigator (David Oyelowo) want to solve the crime themselves. But Reacher has his own ways of doing things.

Pike as Helen is a weak figure who is supposed to have a kind of chemistry with Reacher who is a mysterious loner. Far more interesting are Robert Duvall, as a wry gun shop owner, and Werner Herzog, as a deadpan sociopath.

Cruise’s tightly controlled performance holds our attention all the way through to the tense finale.

Jack Reacher is good, it’s often great. The opening sniper attack is masterful (if badly timed) ratcheting up the tension in a way that would make Hitchcock proud. And the stripped down action scenes are exquisite. There’s a car chase around the midway point which is one of the best I’ve seen in years. The fights are quick, brutal and realistic - not to mention well shot. The finale is refreshingly free of pyrotechnics, and delivers real honest-to-goodness thrills, pitting Cruise against a handful of trained killers.

The film’s real ace in the hole is Cruise although Cruise doesn’t remotely resemble the literary Reacher. He’s terrific as the big-screen iteration, nailing all of his action scenes- making him look more formidable than most action heroes that dwarf him in size. He’s also a damn charismatic actor, nailing the chemistry with the stunning Rosamund Pike - who must be one of the sexiest actresses working in film today. Approaching fifty, Cruise has lost his boyishness, but he’s gained some grit and weariness, which he puts to good use as Reacher.

The rest of the cast is top notch as well, with Robert Duvall memorably showing up in the last act, and Jai Courtney making a good foe. David Oyelowo and Richard Jenkins are on-board as the stuffed shirts who get in Reacher’s way, and are appropriately smarmy. Of course, the guy everyone’s bound to be talking about is Werner Herzog, playing well, essentially himself as The Zec, a guy that’s so bad, he once gnawed off eight of his own fingers. Herzog’s a blast to watch, and seems to have fun with his own image.

The film Jack Reacher has more than enough action to please the fans of Tom Cruise; so do watch the film when it gets released on 28 December 2012.

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial (Beware of pollution indoors) that was published in Newsband

Beware of pollution indoors

We only talk about the outdoor pollution. Have we ever thought about pollution that occurs indoor? Indoor pollution caused by cooking and heating with solid fuels, including biomass such as wood, dung, farm residue and coal, continues across the globe. Inefficient burning on an open fire or traditional stove creates a mix of pollutants, primarily carbon monoxide and total suspended particulates.

A survey said that the number of deaths caused by this peril is quite high. The worst-hit are the poor — especially stay-at-home women and children. Women who are struck by this indoor pollution tend to suffer from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Such kinds of dangers are usually detected in Asia and Africa.

What can stop such type of dangers? It is necessary to use cleaner fuels, stoves that are more thermal efficient, and have better ventilation for cooking areas.

The cleaner options include LPG, kerosene, and biogas. Biogas might or might not pose dangers. LPG is too expensive and the rise in its price over the years is actually driving people back to traditional fuels.

Indoor air quality (IAQ) is a term which refers to the air quality within and around buildings and structures, especially as it relates to the health and comfort of building occupants. IAQ can be affected by gases (including carbon monoxide, radon, volatile organic compounds), particulates, microbial contaminants (mould, bacteria) or any mass or energy stressor that can induce adverse health conditions. Source control, filtration and the use of ventilation to dilute contaminants are the primary methods for improving indoor air quality in most buildings.

Determination of IAQ involves the collection of air samples, monitoring human exposure to pollutants, collection of samples on building surfaces and computer modelling of air flow inside buildings.

Second-hand smoke is tobacco smoke which affects other people other than the 'active' smoker. Second-hand tobacco smoke includes both a gaseous and a particulate phase, with particular hazards arising from levels of carbon monoxide and very small particulates which get past the lung's natural defences. The only certain method to improve indoor air quality as regards second-hand smoke is the implementation of comprehensive smoke-free laws.

One of the most acutely toxic indoor air contaminants is carbon monoxide (CO), a colourless, odourless gas that is a byproduct of incomplete combustion of fossil fuels. Common sources of carbon monoxide are tobacco smoke, space heaters using fossil fuels, defective central heating furnaces and automobile exhaust. Improvements in indoor levels of CO are systematically improving from increasing implementation of smoke-free laws. By depriving the brain of oxygen, high levels of carbon monoxide can lead to nausea, unconsciousness and death.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a surrogate for indoor pollutants emitted by humans and correlates with human metabolic activity. Carbon dioxide at levels that are unusually high indoors may cause occupants to grow drowsy, get headaches, or function at lower activity levels. Humans are the main indoor source of carbon dioxide. Indoor levels are an indicator of the adequacy of outdoor air ventilation relative to indoor occupant density and metabolic activity.

Modern builders should make note of these points and construct modern homes in a way so as to keep the inhabitants of those homes away from indoor pollutions.