Dinesh Kamath's news 'Simran Malhotra adjudged Miss Navi Mumbai 2017' that was published in Newsband

Simran Malhotra adjudged Miss Navi Mumbai 2017

By Dinesh Kamath

NAVI MUMBAI: It was a mesmerizing evening, a star studded affair at the Grand finale of Miss Navi Mumbai 2017, held at the Cidco Exhibition Center, Vashi, Navi Mumbai. The event organized by U&I Entertainment, the creation of M.D Harmeet Singh, is a glamorous beauty pageant that provides talented young women throughout Mumbai and Navi Mumbai with a wonderful platform to showcase their beauty and intelligence. The top 16 contestants chosen after a lot of screening, looked gorgeous in their stunning outfits and were a sight of elegance and grandeur.

The Winners of the show were:

Winner – Simran Malhotra

1st Runner up – Prachi Bhagadia

2nd Runner up- Komal Chandel

The host of the show Simran Ahuja a celebrity anchor enlivened the show with her zest and energy on stage. The respected judges selected the top 3 winners.

The event was graced by the presence of the Mayor of Navi Mumbai Shri. Sudhakar Sonawane. The audience was entertained by the enthralling performance of Sanyaas the band and the hypnotic voice of Manmeet Singh, the lead vocalist of the band left the audience foot tapping and spellbound.

The audience also witnessed the book launch of ‘Can Spring Be Far Behind’ by author Shelly Gupta. A beautiful story of a mother child bond, published by StoryMirror Publication.

Titles: Miss Navi Mumbai 2017

Winner: Simran Malhotra

1St Runner Up: Prachi Bhagadia

2nd Runner Up: Komal Chandel

Best Smile - Jui Bendhkale

Miss Photogenic - Priya Giri

Best Walk - Sakshi Zemse

Best Figure – Uma Mundaganoor

Fresh Face - Dhanashree Korgaonkar

Best Hair - Gargi Shirurkar

Best Skin - Maria Ferriera

Best Eyes - Sujata Dalvi

Best Talent - Anjali Pandey

Miss Popular - Simran Malhotra

Miss Internet - Drishti Saxena

Best Dress - Sakshi Gawande

Best Style - Dhruvi Bhagat

Girl Of the Show - Anmol Nawalkar

Dinesh Kamath's news 'Ryan International School celebrate Graduation Day' that was published in Newsband

Ryan International School celebrate Graduation Day

By Dinesh Kamath

Above Pic: Dr. Jayakar Ellis, President of Heart Foundation, with the students of Ryan International School, Sanpada, during Graduation Day

Above pics: Students and Teachers of Ryan International School, Sanpada, during Graduation Day

SANPADA: Ryan International School, Sanpada, celebrated Graduation Day on 23rd February 2017 with full enthusiasm and gusto on the theme ‘World of Happiness’ showcasing the talents of tiny tots on the Ryan platform.

The programme commenced with the Lord’s blessings secured with bible reading, prayer and praise and worship songs. The welcoming of the guests with tender saplings, words of welcome by Ryanites, and special welcome songs set the ambience rolling for a splendid celebration. The guests of the day were a galaxy of dignitaries which included the Creative Director of Ryan International Group of Institutions, Sonal Pinto, Manda Mhatre - MLA of Navi Mumbai, Rucha Patil, Corporator, and many more from the field of journalism, performing arts and government profile. Sonal’s   presence infused zeal and enthusiasm among the students and teachers. Ms. Sonal Pinto addressed the parents and thanked them for their constant support. She also encouraged and motivated the children to strive and persevere for excellence.

 Clad in dazzling costumes, they looked enthralling and attractive. Tiny tots of Montessori provided an insight to ‘World of Happiness’ through dance performances  on friendship, happy days, sports, under the sea, fun and family, etc. The tiny tots of Montessori III were felicitated with their coveted degrees as they embarked into another phase in their educational journey from Montessori to Primary Wing. The Graduation ceremony was a serene affair and the young graduates looked exquisite in their caps and gowns. The guests addressed the audience and appreciated the efforts of the children. The esteemed guests   felicitated and encouraged the young achievers with various awards such as Ryan Prince and Princess, All Round Best Performance, Nimble Feet, etc.

As the programme drew close to an end, the words of gratitude expressed sincerely by the little ones left no stone unturned. They thanked the   dignitaries and all the parents telling them how much their presence has motivated them to showcase their best. The event   concluded on a high note with the closing chorus, the School Anthem, and the National Anthem which marked the end of the ceremony with the promise to be back with more spectacular performances in the future.

It was a well-organized and well- executed event and all the Moms and Dads left happily with pride in their eyes.

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'People endorse demonetization' that was published in Newsband

People endorse demonetization

In the 2017 civic polls in Maharashtra, except for Thane, where the Shiv Sena managed a comfortable victory, and Mumbai, where it squeaked ahead of the Bharatiya Janata Party by two seats. The BJP won every city corporation easily. Of the 1,268 municipal seats, the party won 628, The Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party were reduced to minor players in most of the corporations. In Mumbai, the Shiv Sena has, for the first time since it came to power nearly 25 years ago, seen a close competitor in the BJP.

The politics of regional identity and patronage may have helped the Sena become the single largest party in India’s richest municipal corporation. Its dismal performance in ensuring civic works, with sanitation, infrastructure, public health and education has angered a big section of people.

Clearly, the BJP has become the central pole of Indian politics, a position the Congress occupied for a long time. Regional leaders like Devendra Fadnavis and Shivraj Singh Chouhan should get the credit for this. Now the message is very clear and people voted both BJP and SS and hope both Parties will respect the verdict and continue to work in tandem or else suffer the fate like Congress and NCP

People certainly endorse demonetization, as seen by BJP's victories in civic polls successively. In Maharashtra, the people see Congress and NCP as corrupt and Sena as chauvinistic. Congress is losing major states one by one due to incompetent leadership at national as well as state level.

The spate of recent victories by the BJP in various polls across the country is significant. The icing on the cake so far has been the results from Maharashtra in the civic polls. It was the opposition and certain media that described the polls as a referendum on 'demonetization' and now that the results are out, they cannot withdraw from that position and claim that the wins do 'not reflect a popular endorsement of the demonetisation move'.

As far as the pathetic performance of the INC is concerned, it is obvious that the Rahul Gandhi’s leadership is very uninspiring and he is blocking the way for a more competent leader to take charge and rejuvenate the party. There has been a continuous slide in the last five years since Rahul Gandhi assumed centre-stage and there is no INC leader with a spine to bell the cat. The less said about the Communists, the better. They are mercifully decimated and out of sight and that augurs well for the nation.

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Is Trump responsible for this hate crime?' that was published in Newsband

Is Trump responsible for this hate crime?

The killing of Indian national Srinivas Kuchibhotla in Kansas is a shocking news. This gives rise to the question whether foreigners and immigrants in America are safe. This is clearly a “hate crime”

The event occurred at a bar in Kansas City. The shooter was U.S. military veteran Adam Purinton. The killer yelled, “Get out of my country,” before shooting. Does this incident have anything to do with President Donald Trump’s anti-immigrant actions? Trump’s administration should have condemned this act of violence more explicitly. There should be some kind of common-sense gun control reforms. This is a case of racist xenophobia

Whereas it is undoubtedly necessary for Trump administration to strongly denounce the unfortunate murder of an Indian engineer by a drunkard ex-navy personal on racial ground, it is wrong to put the entire blame for this murder on Trump's policies towards immigration. One must not forget that Trump represents an ideological political undercurrent in US society as he is a genuinely & democratically elected president and not a military general having captured power through some coup.

One should appreciate the attempt made by Ian Grillot, an American, who attacked the gunman and risked his own life to save the Indians. In India it is more common to see people walk away and ignore the bleeding victims as though it is none of their business. In Kansas the police responded quickly, the criminal was charged with first degree premeditated murder and the bystanders helped the victims the best they could.

In an increasingly populous and highly crowded world, where socio-economic conditions seem to boil over, with each nation trying to solve own problems of prosperity juxtaposed with unemployment and Global warming, the happening in the most developed nation/ democracy of the world cannot be brushed aside merely as so-called "hate crime". Probably, this is an event that tells us more about the things awaiting to happen in times ahead.

The new concept of Globalization that began in the Nineties seems to create more of socio-economic and environmental problems than actual improvements. Human stress seems to have increased in unison with the said Globalization.

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Is there life outside the solar system?' that was published in Newsband

Is there life outside the solar system?

Seven Earth-size extra-solar planets, or exoplanets, were found orbiting a dwarf star about 40 light years away. Only Earth has liquid water in the solar system. Less than a year after scientists announced the discovery of three planets orbiting the dwarf star, the team found four more through intense searches.

The dwarf star is much cooler than the Sun. They share a similar formation history with the Galilean moons, which migrated towards Jupiter after formation. Another major difference in comparison with the solar system is the tight packing of the seven planets around the star. With a fair possibility of liquid water being present on at least three planets, the focus is now on deciphering the climate and chemical composition of their atmosphere.

Scientists are keen to know if the planets are Earth-like. The search for extraterrestrial life has just become more focused.

Down on the Earth on which we all live, there are many unresolved problems concerning the humanity, like poverty of millions, diseases, war, terrorism, jingoisms of various types. The possibility of life in a planet or two in 40 light year far away is exciting us. If there is life over there then it would be interesting to know whether they face the same problems as we do and how they go about tackling those problems. One would also be curious to know whether the extra-terrestrials have advanced more than us. Probably the Earthlings are more advanced owing to which we are in a position to detect the extra-terrestrials before they could discover us.

It will be a great achievement for the Earthlings if we succeed in discovering life in another planet. Universe is beautiful and there could be surprises hidden somewhere which man has yet to discover. It is possible that man has yet to solve many more puzzles before he can declare that he has conquered the Universe entirely. There is a need to conduct still more research to know exactly whether there is life in other planet or possibilities of human habitation.

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Reduce the price of medical stents considerably' that was published in Newsband

Reduce the price of medical stents considerably

Medical stents are used to treat coronary artery disease. The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) should reduce the price of these stents considerably considering the fact that there is a huge demand for these.  Rising costs have led to impoverishment of families.

Research published in The Lancet in December 2015 says that nearly two-thirds of the high out-of-pocket expenditure on health incurred by Indians went towards drugs. There was irrational use of medical technologies, including cardiac stents and knee implants. Regulated prices can make stents more accessible to patients who really need them. Reduce the incentive for unethical hospitals to use them needlessly.

The average age at which the first heart attack strikes Indians is 50, a decade earlier than people in developed nations. In India, there is urgent need to improve access to medicines and technology. Public spending on health should be lessened considerably. Several developing countries have moved ahead on this path. Well-considered price control is a positive step.

The behavior of our government on this issue is strange. On the one hand our government wants to control stent prices to help particularly the poor. But on the other it has in the recent budget imposed service tax of 5% on medical treatment.

Price lowering can be a step so that a chunk of poor patients may get a chance to get treated themselves at a private hi-tech hospital. National pharmaceutical pricing Authority should fix the price of medicines in a more effective way in all medical technologies and pharmaceutical products specially in cardiac treatment related technologies so that general public can enjoy the health facilities. In advanced countries these treatments are very common but due to poor public health facilities in government hospitals and excessive commercial nature of private hospitals, treatment of cardiac and other dangerous diseases are out of reach for common men of India. So the Government should take strong action against drug mafias and provide qualitative health facilities in all government hospitals.

Cardiac diseases are only a minor proportion of out of pocket expenditure for common man. Common problems like fevers, gastroenteritis, pregnancy, cause more out of pocket expenditure & financial burden to family & loss of employment. Only solution to improve Public health facilities is to remove all medical reimbursement for politicians and make it compulsory for all politicians & their families to take treatment in public health facilities. Only then they will realize the plight of common man.

Angioplasty and placing of stents are very common treatment in the advanced countries. It can save so many lives and increase working age and there will be more experienced people in the work force. Hence reducing the price of stents is very necessary.

Dinesh Kamath’s column ‘New movies released in Navi Mumbai’ (Rangoon, Guardians, Wedding Anniversary, Split, Jackie and Mona Darling) that was published in Newsband

New movies released in Navi Mumbai

By Dinesh Kamath

Rangoon

Rangoon is an Indian Hindi-language war drama film, directed by Vishal Bhardwaj and produced by Sajid Nadiadwala and Viacom 18 Motion Pictures. The project is a period film set during World War II (1939-1945) and supposedly portrays the life and times of Mary Ann Evans aka Fearless Nadia, Bollywood’s first original stunt-woman still remembered for her fiery role in the movie Hunterwali. It stars Saif Ali Khan, Shahid Kapoor and Kangana Ranaut in lead roles.

Rangoon is a love triangle between Kangna Ranaut, Saif Ali Khan and Shahid Kapoor. It is set against the backdrop of the Second World War. In history very few people know that India was also involved in World War II. On the Burma border, the British Indian army was fighting against Subhash Chandra Bose's Indian National Army, who were then with Japanese army and Indians were killing Indians at the Burma border. The movie is about a love triangle formed against the backdrop of the Second World War. It is a period drama.

The film has Saif Ali Khan as Rustom "Rusi" Billimoria, Shahid Kapoor as Jamadar Nawab Malik, Kangana Ranaut as Miss Julia, Richard McCabe and Satoru Kawaguchi as Hiromichi.

The music for the film is composed by Vishal Bhardwaj, while the lyrics have been penned by Gulzar. The film has songs like "Bloody Hell" sung by Sunidhi Chauhan, "Yeh Ishq Hai" by Arijit Singh, "Mere Miyan Gaye England" by Rekha Bhardwaj, "Tippa" by Sukhwinder Singh, Rekha Bhardwaj, Sunidhi Chauhan, "Ek Dooni Do" by Rekha Bhardwaj, "Alvida" by Arijit Singh, "Julia" by Sukhwinder Singh, K.K, Kunal Ganjawala, "Chori Chori" by Rekha Bhardwaj, "Yeh Ishq Hai (Female Version)" by Rekha Bhardwaj, "Rangoon Theme" Instrumental, "Be Still" by Lekha Washington Dominique Cerejo and "Shimmy Shake" by Lekha Washington Vivienne Pocha.

Guardians

Guardians is a Russian neo-noir superhero film directed by Russian-Armenian director Sarik Andreasyan and starring Sebastien Sisak, Anton Pampushny, Sanzhar Madiev, Alina Lanina, Valeria Shkirando and Stanislav Shirin.

 The film is about a team of Soviet superheroes created during the Cold War. The team includes representatives of the different nationalities of the USSR. Each of the protagonists' superpowers reflect the strengths and traditions of the people of the USSR.

 Set during the Cold War, a secret organization named "Patriot" gathered a team of Soviet superheroes, altering and augmenting the DNA of four individuals, in order to defend the Homeland from supernatural threats. The team includes representatives of the different nationalities of the Soviet Union, while each one of them have long been hiding their true identity. In hard times, they settled down to business and gather to defend their homeland.

 The film has Sebastien Sisak as Ler (Armenian for mountain). Landman. He is armed with all forms of earth manipulation abilities, and is able to control stone and soil, collect dust from boulders, stop falling rocks, and move mountains. Anton Pampushnyy as Ursus. Wildman. Ursus (Latin for bear) is a type of berserker or werebear, and has the ability to transform himself into a large bear, though he can control how much of his body is transformed and can transform partially if he wills it. Sanzhar Madiev as Khan. Windman. Masterfully skilled with all kinds of blades, as well as with many kinds of martial arts. Alina Lanina as Xenia. Waterwoman. Flexible and agile, to a superhuman degree, making her a skilled acrobat, gymnast, and even martial artist. Valeria Shkirando as Head of "Patriot" Secret organization. Vyacheslav Razbegaev as Major-general Nikolai Dolgov. Stanislav Shirin as August Kuratov. Main antagonist. Owns a machine named "Modul-1" which allows him to control any technical equipment by generating electric-like energy. He decides to build his own army of clones in order to capture Moscow, in preparation to control the whole world. In addition, he is armed with a mechanized exoframe-like harness that enhances his physical abilities to the point where he could overpower Ler/Landman while the latter is using his rock exoskeleton.

Wedding Anniversary

Wedding Anniversary is an Indian Hindi-language romantic drama film, directed by Shekhar S Jha and produced by Kumar V Mahant, Achut Naik, presented By Bharat Shah.

The film has Nana Patekar as Nagarjun, Mahie Gill as Kahani and Priyanshu Chatterjee as Nirbhay.

The music for the film is composed by Abhishek Ray, while the lyrics have been penned by Abhiruchi & Manvendra. The music rights are bought by Zee Music Company. All music composed by Abhishek Ray. The film has songs like "Aaye Bidesia" sung by Rashid Khan, "Ittefaqan" by Abhishek Ray, Amika Shail, "Aaye Saiyan" by Bhoomi Trivedi, "The Rainbow Song" by Abhishek Ray,Bhoomi Trivedi and "Dhinchakk" by Abhinanda Sarkar.

Kahani met her Prince Charming Nirbhay in Goa for the first time and fell in love. Journey together has been excellent and today is their first wedding anniversary. They want to celebrate their year-long togetherness and relive every moment. They have grand plans for this very special day. Kahani has already arrived in Goa… Nirbhay to follow. Kahani is ready with every possible thing that her Beau likes… But… Nirbhay has a lip smacking proposal… Four times rise in salary… Job satisfaction and a chance to live his dreams… He can't reach for this special day… Celebrations can wait. Kahani is broken… She can't take it. How can Nirbhay do this! Nothing can be more important than their 1st Wedding Anniversary. Now that the husband has not turned up. Will she undertake a journey with a stranger?

Split

Split is a 2016 American psychological thriller film written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan. The film stars James McAvoy, Anya Taylor-Joy and Betty Buckley and follows a man with 23 different personalities who kidnaps three girls.

While the mental divisions of those with dissociative identity disorder have long fascinated and eluded science, it is believed that some can also manifest unique physical attributes for each personality, a cognitive and physiological prism within a single being. Though Kevin has evidenced 23 personalities to his trusted psychiatrist, Dr. Fletcher, there remains one still submerged who is set to materialize and dominate all the others. Compelled to abduct three teenage girls led by the willful, observant Casey, Kevin reaches a war for survival among all of those contained within him - as well as everyone around him - as the walls between his compartments shatter apart.

 

Jackie

Jackie is a 2016 biographical drama film directed by Pablo Larraín and written by Noah Oppenheim. The film stars Natalie Portman as Jackie Kennedy, following her life after the 1963 assassination of her husband John F. Kennedy. Peter Sarsgaard, Greta Gerwig, Billy Crudup and John Hurt also star;

The film follows Jackie Kennedy in the days when she was First Lady in the White House and her life following the assassination of her husband, President John F. Kennedy, in 1963. It is partly based on Theodore H. White's Life magazine interview with the widow at Hyannis Port, Massachusetts. Thus Jackie is a searing and intimate portrait of one of the most important and tragic moments in American history, seen through the eyes of the iconic First Lady, then Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy (Natalie Portman). Jackie places us in her world during the days immediately following her husband's assassination. Known for her extraordinary dignity and poise, here we see a psychological portrait of the First Lady as she struggles to maintain her husband’s legacy and the world of "Camelot" that they created and loved so well.

Natalie Portman as Jacqueline "Jackie" Kennedy

Mona Darling

Mona_Darling is an Indian horror-thriller film written, and directed by Shashi Sudigala. The film is produced by First Ray Films & Distributed By Vashu Bhagnani Release.

Movie Mona Darling is a horror-thriller set in the contemporary, post-cyber world. Mona Darling in a whodunit that questions the blurring lines diving real from virtual, good from evil and ultimately life from death. A few mysterious deaths occur and the only common link between the victims is that, seconds before their deaths, they all accepted a Facebook friend request from a certain profile page of Mona Darling. The person behind the said page, Mona, happens to be missing. Her friend, and a fellow student, Sarah recruits the help of a classmate, Wiki, a borderline sociopathic genius. This odd-couple of amateur sleuths carry on their investigation as the story leads them into unexpected corners and terrifying revelations.

The film has Anshuman Jha, Divya Menon, Suzanna Mukherjee and Sanjay Suri as actors. Writer & Director – Shashi Sudigala, Director Of Photography – Sapan Narula, Production Designer – Tariq Umar Khan, Costume Designer – Taaneeya Oak, Music Director – Manish J. Tipu (Phas Gaya Re Obama), Background Score – Sudeep Swaroop (X-Past iS Present), Lyrics – Sameer Satija, Choreography – Jayesh Pradhan, Editor – Aasif Pathan, Visual Promotions, Creatives and Marketing – Trigger Lite and Distributor – Vashu Bhagnani Release.

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Prevent pollution of wetlands' that was published in Newsband

Prevent pollution of wetlands

Just recently a lake in Bengaluru was on fire, with a massive plume of smoke that could be seen from afar. This proved that urban environments are crashing under the weight of official indifference. Bengaluru is no longer the city of lakes and famed gardens. It has lost an estimated 79% of water bodies and 80% of its tree cover from the baseline year of 1973. This is the condition of more developed and prosperous city like Bengaluru where literacy rate is higher than the other cities.

Loss of natural wetlands is an ongoing catastrophe in India. A survey indicated that 38% of wetlands had already been lost nationally; and shockingly, in some districts only 12% survived. The Centre has since issued rules for conservation and management, and chosen 115 water bodies in 24 States for protection support,

Every city needs a single lake protection authority. India’s worsening air quality is now well documented, and most of its wetlands are severely polluted. We must always talk about sustainable development. Wetlands form an important part of the ecosystem. It should be conserved. The government must come up with a comprehensive plan to protect all the water bodies. The pollution of water must be stringently measured. People need to make some life style changes as well, which are essential to curb this ascending trend of pollution.

Karnataka people are far more concerned about environment than people living in many northern cities including Mumbai. And if Bengaluru is facing such catastrophe than you can think how bad things would be in other cities in which people just don't care.

Bengaluru is very famous for lakes and garden. But in the name of growing urbanisation more number of lakes have been converted into play ground, stadium, college, bus stand and residential areas. Existing lakes are polluted with garbages. Since wet lands are vital to keep up the ecological balance of the city, the Karnataka government must pay attention at least to preserving the existing water bodies and keeping them away from pollution.

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Reservations for women' that was published in Newsband

Reservations for women

The implementation of reservation of seats in local body elections for women, to the order of 33% or more, was not accepted in right spirit in Nagaland in spite of the fact that in rural areas the quota has helped improve local governance.

The Nagaland government declared the elections as “null and void” after some tribal bodies opposed the reservations for women. The conduct of the long-delayed elections was achieved after a protracted legal struggle led by women’s groups.

In Nagaland judiciary has played its important role in resolving this problem but still Centre and State Governments are behaving as silent spectator by not taking appropriate action against the bandhs and riots caused by Naga tribal groups.

Nagaland is witnessing one of the crucial struggles. Women are asserting themselves by demanding implementation of reservation they are rightfully entitled to. It's time the tribal council of Nagaland realized that women rule the household and it is only befitting to give them equal representation in the larger society as well, especially with regards to seat reservations in decision making bodies.

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Solar power will be useful for common people' that was published in Newsband

Solar power will be useful for common people

The auctioned price of solar photovoltaic (SPV) power per kilowatt hour has dropped below ₹3 to ₹2.97 in Madhya Pradesh. The progress of this clean source of energy must be deepened with policy incentives, for several reasons. Our government must connect millions of people without access to electricity. There is slow progress on rooftop solar. Target will require active participation and investment by the buildings sector, both residential and commercial. We should learn from the experience of Germany, where robust solar expansion has been taking place over the years.

Currently, India needs a lot more good quality power. Solar power generates growth in both direct and indirect employment. A lot of sunlight remains to be tapped. Roof top solar power for domestic consumption certainly has a very large market that needs to be exploited. Surplus power generated on these rooftops can also be connected to the grid after required synchronization automatically charging the grid as and when domestic off take is lower. A model, where authorized entrepreneurs investing on rooftops of convenient groups of domestic consumers on lease basis instead of individual owners, would be more cost effective as installation, monitoring, supervision and maintenance would be more efficient, the further advantage being lower tariff and relief from burden of self financing and maintenance for the domestic consumer. This needs to be examined.

There is necessity of promoting rooftop harvesting. India has a rooftop potential of 1240 GW according to KPMG, a consultant of repute. The lacuna in the Solar Policy -India’s national Solar Mission (JNNSM) is to be corrected as soon as possible. Government can very well promulgate a rooftop policy visualising fast growth of rooftop sector.

A transition from depleting source to renewable source is inevitable. Going solar is the choice, given the stupendous potential. Fastest growth is possible through Feed in Tariff. Rooftop harvesting is the easiest. It is people friendly. The citizens should come forward in large numbers to install rooftop solar system. Government should proactively bring down the price

Solar power is able to break the price barrier because the Chinese government which controls the rare earth market (used in PV cells) is subsidising the solar companies in China to take out US and other manufacturers while establishing themselves as the strategic supplier of PV cells going forward. Already China has gone from 1% market share in solar to over 60% in the last 15 years. This is being done to attain strategic advantage in controlling the solar energy market. We may get very cheap solar cells now but if we do not progress rapidly in this field, then in 40 years when it is replacement time for these panels, we will be dependent on the Chinese (due to their control of rare earths) and hence they will control the renewable energy world geostrategically like how the US controls the oil dependent world now.

The rooftop solar should be provided as a managed service where house owner leases his space and then pays for the power he uses or an adaptation of this model. If the solar project is maintained by the Indian government as a viable one, the energy obtained will be cheaper and easily accessible to the common people of India. India has the gift of unlimited solar energy that can be tapped and utilised for productive purposes. Small solar plants can be built up in villages and towns that can cater to local areas. This source is also environment friendly compared to coal where human risk is involved to a great extent.

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Can India beat Australia?' that was published in Newsband

Can India beat Australia?

There is no difference between the battle for Ashes or contests involving India and Pakistan. That’s what history says. Steve Smith’s men are busy playing and training under the Mumbai sun in their build-up to the four-match Test series at Pune, Bengaluru, Ranchi and Dharamsala.

The games involving India and Australia fascinate the cricket lovers. The contests between the two have mighty individual performances, oscillating fortunes and a fifth-day cracker. Rival skippers Virat Kohli and Smith will walk out for the toss at Pune’s Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium on February 23.

India appears to have an edge in this series simply because India at home is a daunting opposition and also the home team is in fine form. In its last 19 Tests, both home and away, India has remained undefeated, winning 15 of them. Also a resolute captain and a calm coach, in Anil Kumble, have astutely guided the team. The odds favour India, and so does history.

For Australia to dominate it will depend how the team will adapt to sub-continental conditions. Australians will be heavily dependent on players like Smith, David Warner, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon. Another thing that history shows is that surprise is the second skin of tussles involving India and Australia.

Both the teams are in form and have played excellently in the recent past. Hence it will be a close contest and all are interested to be the witnesses to this battle. Both the teams will try very hard to win the test. But since this is home ground for Indian, it appears that they might manage to beat Australia. Indian team is focusing on spinners who are the backbones of Indian team. Both India and Australia are strong and the series is very important for Virat Kohli who will have to prove his mettle as a captain.

The test series will not only decide the supremacy of teams but also individual players. The Indian spinners versus Australian batsmen and Australian pace versus Indian batsmen may be of interest to the audience and viewers of both the countries besides the controversies the players on and off the field will create. And, of course, the money earned by the Board as well as betting mafia will be of interest to many.

Dinesh Kamath's news 'Shahrukh, Hrithik, Akshay and Aamir excel in the year 2017'

Shahrukh, Hrithik, Akshay and Aamir excel in the year 2017

By Dinesh Kamath

The year 2017 is very interesting for Bollywood. Shah Rukh Khan’s blockbuster Raees entered the Rs 100 crore club, Hrithik Roshan’s Kaabil was not far behind.

Raees has grossed more than Rs 150 crore and is inching towards the Rs 200 crore mark. In Raees, SRK plays a don from the 1980s. The film, features Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Pakistani actor Mahira Khan, and the sizzling Sunny Leone.

Kaabil joined the Rs 100 crore club recently. But this is not the first time that Shahrukh Khan has beaten Hrithik Roshan. The same had happened when Mohabbetein and Mission Kashmir had clashed.

Akshay Kumar’s Jolly LLB 2 may soon join the Rs 100-crore club. With Raees and Kaabil already in Rs 100 crore club, Jolly LLB 2 shows signs of joining the club. But none could beat Aamir Khan’s Dangal which is now eyeing the Rs 400-crore club and has broken several Bollywood and Indian cinema records till date. The movie collected Rs 100 crore within three days on its opening week. It soon entered the Rs 200-crore club, followed by the Rs 300-crore club, going on to become the biggest Bollywood blockbuster of all time.

You will be surprised to know that industry pundits had predicted a lukewarm response for Dangal. But the movie excelled in both domestic and international markets, and received universal acclaim.

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Beware of global warming' that was published in Newsband

Beware of global warming

2016 was the warmest year on the instrumental record since the late 19th century. The trend is a warning to all countries that they cannot afford to rely on carbon-intensive growth any longer.

The rise in temperature is being driven largely by increased carbon dioxide and other human-made emissions into the atmosphere. A warming globe with changes to the climate in the form of altered rainfall, drought, floods, lost biodiversity and reduced crop yields would particularly affect millions in China and India.

The leaders of the world must revise their industrialization policy in no time because prevention is better than cure. We must contribute from our side to herald future generation. The climate system is an angry beast and we are poking at it with sticks. Unfortunately, middle and upper classes world over like to play the game of climate jallikattu.

These require a prompt actions by the all the international organizations. Whenever any country tries to bring green revolution in energy utilization, forums like WTO and super powers like USA, USSR etc. should be supportive and have a look at the things beyond optimization of profit in international Trade & Commerce.

Indian government must impose strict rules on vehicle emission and factories and educate people on global warming. Though rules had been made by government, the government officials are not taking strict actions on rule breakers

Every country should take steps to prevent global warming in their own interest. In fact, they should help each other in preventing global warming. Environmental changes are not linear to be able to predict in a straight line. It is highly nonlinear and its impact will be sudden after crossing tipping point. India would be better off living simple life. Global warming would not spare rich. It is a message Trump should take it to heart and so should Modi with all his development plans. This generation will be guilty of destroying the lives of children and grandchildren if they don't heed to the advice of scientists.

According to the Experts, 2016 was warmer basically because the 60-year natural cycle part [sine curve] reached its peak in 2016 and also joined with this the El Nino peak. If we remove these two from the temperature anomaly curve, the pattern follow the pause - for the last 20 years, pause means no change. Global temperature curve includes several localized and regional components. So far the global warming component is less than 0.15 oC/Century,

Global credit for financing Renewable energy sources should be encouraged. Indian government could spurt MSME in Green energy blanket spreading. Every Indian irrespective of caste or creed, whether literate or illiterate, have to understand the impact of climate change and they must change to tackle. Change will come when developed nations as well as developing nations take step towards it. But the first step should come from developed nations because they are the main reason of global warming.

India should tackle global warming by reducing the heat by controlling the emission of carbon from fossil fuels and increase the renewable energy namely solar power. Already the awareness on solar energy is on hike and at 2020 it will take its optimum growth. But reducing carbon emission as promised in the Paris climate agreement is a tough task at this juncture of activating make in India concept and boosting the export market for which increased carbon emission is unavoidable. Carbon emission coupled with pending El Nino effect is a double whammy for India and we have to tackle the problem with right approach.

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Pollutants in the air' that was published in Newsband

Pollutants in the air

There are deadly pollutants that pervade the air causing terrible illness and premature death. A survey indicated that the concentration of the most significant inhalable pollutant has been growing in India. The cause of these pollutants are burning of agricultural biomass and coal, open burning of garbage and straw,  use of diesel-powered vehicles and burning of crop residues.

The survey also indicates that there is a steady deterioration in air quality in many countries, especially South Asia, dominated by India. What is the solution to this problem?

Easy access to cheap solar cookers and biogas plants will also cut open burning, and help the rural economy. In the most polluted cities, even moderate physical activity could prove harmful, rather than be beneficial, as new research indicates. It is time that fossil fuels were limited. Polluting vehicles must be taken off the road. New green fuels must be used for road vehicles. Otherwise the very environment that Humans live in will be destroyed.

While it is commendable to send multiple satellite to space, the need has risen for scientists in India to save millions from the catastrophic ill effects of pollution that causes death and suffering to millions. Last year, during Diwali month, there was terrible air pollution caused. It is necessary for the government to take initiative to curb the pollution and we should focus on being more ecofriendly.

If we want to live in a healing environment we have to do something along with government. We have to move towards another alternative rather than coal based fuel.

The deadly pollutants in the air that we breathe reduces the life line. The agro waste burning is a process to dispose the straws but the smoke causes harm to the air and the people who breathe such polluted air meets premature death. The best way is to see constructive methods of disposing the waste such as converting them into cheap insulators and urban air pollution can be controlled by reducing the number of vehicles and to block vehicles without road fitness. The odd and even number formula yields little but causes more trouble to car users. Anyway the country must tune up the mechanism to prevent the pollution caused by agro waste and oil bound vehicles.

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Hats off to ISRO' that was published in Newsband

Hats off to ISRO

The Indian Space Research Organisation successfully launched a record 104 satellites in one mission from Sriharikota. An earth observation Cartosat-2 series satellite and two other nano satellites were the Indian satellites launched. Thus ISRO has come close to NASA’s record by launching 20 satellites in one mission.

The launch is particularly significant as ISRO now cements its position as a key player in the lucrative commercial space launch market by providing a cheaper yet highly reliable alternative. ISRO accomplished the task in about 12 minutes.

ISRO plans to launch more Cartosat-2 series satellites and even an improved version. Besides setting the record for the most number of satellites launched in a single mission, the Indian space agency has launched two nano satellites weighing less than 10 kg.

The ISRO, a public sector space organization, has accomplished much within the period of about forty years to enable the launch of 104 satellites at one go. The staff of ISRO have put in much effort, building up indigenous technology along with imported technology, to accomplish such an objective. Hearty congratulations to them!

Launching 104 satellites in one go is not a joke. It's an achievement to be proud of. More importantly, ISRO has time and again proved that its efficiency is far better than the other space organizations of the world - example being, the launch of Mangalyan at a cost of Rs. 450 crores. That it was done in the first attempt is another feat to be happy about.

It is heartening to see how foreign countries are banking on ISRO for launching their satellites. A revolution in nano-satellites would surely help India gain a firm footing in R&D and Education sector, since it would make the country less dependent on others for pathways and requirement of data for Research and Education.

India’s ability to do satellite missioning at cheaper cost is the reason why NASA wants to have joint space ventures with India.

Dinesh Kamath’s Column ‘New movies released in Navi Mumbai’ (The Ghazi Attack, Irada, Duniyadari, Running Shaadi, Silence, Lego Batman, Lion, Moonlight, John Wick 2 and Hidden Figures) that was published in Newsband

New movies released in Navi Mumbai

By Dinesh Kamath

The Ghazi Attack

Ghazi is an Indian war film directed by debutant Sankalp Reddy. The film is based on mysterious sinking of PNS Ghazi during Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. The film stars Rana Daggubati, Taapsee Pannu, Kay Kay Menon and Atul Kulkarni. Amitabh Bachchan lent his voice for the Hindi version of the film. Chiranjeevi lent his voice for the Telugu version of the film.

The Ghazi Attack is inspired by true events from the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war. The story is about an executive naval officer of the Indian Submarine S21 and his team, who remain underwater for 18 days. The film explores the mysterious circumstances under which the PNS Ghazi sank off the coast of Visakhapatnam in 1971. It is an underwater tale of the courage and patriotism of the men aboard the Indian Submarine S-21 who destroyed the Pakistani submarine PNS Ghazi when it ventured into Indian waters to destroy the INS Vikrant.

It is clearly a mystery in what actually caused the PNS Ghazi to actually sink; and has been greatly disputed by both Pakistan and India. The Pakistani side argue that the Submarine was sunk by accidental detonation whilst laying its own mine in order to sink Indian Aircraft Carrier INS Vikrant. Former Indian Navy chief Admiral Arun Prakash in an 2011 interview said: "There’s a certain fog of war around this incident because subsequent investigations by our own navy found out that there had been internal explosions inside the submarine. She was carrying mines, and submarines... also larger banks of batteries which exude hydrogen so explosion can take place. So there’s a certain amount of uncertainty whether she sank because of our naval action or whether of internal explosions."

The film has Rana Daggubati as Arjun Varma, Lt.Commander, S21, Taapsee Pannu as Ananya, Kay Kay Menon as Captain Ranvijay Singh, S21, Atul Kulkarni as Devraj, Executive Officer, S21, Om Puri, Satyadev Kancharana, Kunal Kaushik, Malyaban Lahiri as Ranjan Sengupta, Junior Officer, S21, Naren Yadav as Ram Sagar, Cook, S21, Nassar, Thiruveer, Rahul Singh, Milind Gunaji, Bharath Reddy, Ramanuj Dubey, Capt SN Ahmed and Ravi Kumar Shada.

Cinematography is done by Madhi, music composed by K and editing by Sreeker Prasad.

Irada

Irada is an Indian eco-thriller feature film directed by Aparnaa Singh and produced by Falguni Patel and Prince Soni. The film is written by Aparnaa Singh and Anushka Rajan, and stars Diwakar Kumar, Rumana Molla, Naseeruddin Shah, Arshad Warsi, Divya Dutta, Sharad Kelkar, Sagarika Ghatge in lead roles.

A mysterious bomb blast in a business tycoon's factory prompts the state CM to hire an NIA officer. He meets an ex-army man seeking revenge for his dead daughter and a journalist demanding justice for her slain boyfriend. Nothing is what it seems. The film raises contemporary ecological issue with lot of thrill.

The film has Naseeruddin Shah, Arshad Warsi, Rumana Molla, Sharad Kelkar, Divya Dutta, Sagarika Ghatge and Diwakar Kumar.

Duniyadari

Duniyadari (Gujarati) is a Gujarati movie a remake of Marathi movie with same title produced by Tajdar Amrohi and Riyaz Balooch and directed by Shital Shah. Duniyadari is a story of love, friendship, relationship and destiny based in the period of mid 70s. The story says all about the emotions of the youth and their romantic journeys that the destiny has in store. The film stars Malhar Thakar and Esha Kansara are in the lead role.

Meet Mehta, son of a wealthy businessman uncovers the magic of love, romance, friendship when he studies at a Gujarat college sent by his mother. A polite and peace loving Meet Mehta meets Dharmesh who is popularly known as DSP in college. Both Meet and Dharmesh becoming the best friend under a dramatic situation.

The film has Malhaar Thakar, Esha Kansara, Aarjav Trivedi, Mamta Chaudhary, Tarika Tripathi, Shaunak Vyas, Parikshit Tamalia, Rajan Thakar, Kishan Gadhvi, Sanjay Galsar and Hemang Shah.

Running Shaadi

Running Shaadi (previously known as: Runningshaadi.com) is an Indian romantic comedy film produced by Shoojit Sircar and Crouching Tiger Motion Pictures about the unique concept of helping people run away with the love of their life to get married. It was named RunningShaadi.com but later it was changed to Running Shaadi. The unlikely duo of a conscientious Bihari and a Sardarji geek stand up and create a platform providing “High Take Social Service“ to Indian couples who want to spend their lives with their soul mates. The Shoojit Sircar production stars Amit Sadh, Taapsee Pannu and Arsh Bajwa.

A 23-year-old Ram Bharose and his teenaged whiz-kid Sardar befriend Sarabjeet Sidhaana A.K.A. ‘Cyberjeet’ and strike upon an ingenious brainwave of starting a website that helps young couples in Amritsar elope and get married. The website is called ‘runningshaadi.com’ and it offers a comprehensive array of services to facilitate runaway weddings. The website becomes an instant hit with young, love-struck couples facing pressure from their parents and the site becomes a rage in small town Amritsar. While they are successful in getting many couples together, the underlying story of Runningshaadi.com lends itself to an unexpected twist. What happens with the site, along with the absurdities of making couples elope, is the catch of the film that lends an humorous joy ride.

The film has Amit Sadh as Ram Bharose, Taapsee Pannu as Nimmi and Arsh Bajwa as sarabjeet Sidhana ('Cyberjeet').

The music from Running Shaadi.com has been created by an assembled team taking the feel of mixed cult. The music is by Anupam Roy, Abhishek-Akshay & Zeb and features the voices of singers like Bappi Lahiri, Papon, & Labh Janjua. The film has songs like "Pyar Ka Test", "Mannerless Majnu", "Dimpi De Naal Bhaage Bunty", "Bhaag Milky Bhaag", "Faraar", "Main Faraar Sa" and "Kuch To Hai".

Silence

Silence is a 2016 historical drama film directed by Martin Scorsese and written by Jay Cocks and Scorsese, based upon the 1966 novel of the same name by Shūsaku Endō. Although the story is set in Nagasaki, Japan, the film was shot entirely on location in Taiwan, specifically around Taipei. The film stars Andrew Garfield, Adam Driver, Liam Neeson, Tadanobu Asano and Ciarán Hinds. The plot follows two 17th-century Jesuit priests who travel from Portugal to Japan to locate their missing mentor and spread Catholic Christianity.

Two Jesuit priests, Sebastião Rodrigues and Francis Garrpe, travel to seventeenth century Japan which has, under the Tokugawa shogunate, banned Catholicism and almost all foreign contact. There they witness the persecution of Japanese Christians at the hands of their own government which wishes to purge Japan of all western influence. Eventually the priests separate and Rodrigues travels the countryside, wondering why God remains silent while His children suffer.

The film has Andrew Garfield as Sebastião Rodrigues (based on Giuseppe Chiara), Adam Driver as Francisco Garupe, Liam Neeson as Father Cristóvão Ferreira, Tadanobu Asano as The Interpreter, Ciarán Hinds as Father Alessandro Valignano, Issey Ogata as Inoue Masashige, Shinya Tsukamoto as Mokichi, Yoshi Oida as Ichizo, Yōsuke Kubozuka as Kichijiro, Nana Komatsu as Mónica (Haru), Ryo Kase as João (Chokichi) and Béla Baptiste as Dieter Albrecht.

The Lego Batman

The Lego Batman Movie is a 2017 3D computer-animated superhero comedy film, directed by Chris McKay, written by Seth Grahame-Smith, Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers, Jared Stern and John Whittington, with Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the writers and directors of The Lego Movie, serving as its producers. The film is a spin-off installment of The Lego Movie, with its story focusing on the DC Comics character Batman as he attempts to overcome his greatest fear to stop The Joker's latest plan. The film stars Will Arnett, Zach Galifianakis, Michael Cera, Rosario Dawson, and Ralph Fiennes, and is both the third feature film to be produced by Warner Animation Group and the second to be based on Lego properties.

In the irreverent spirit of The LEGO® Movie, the self-described leading man of that ensemble – LEGO Batman – stars in his own big-screen adventure. But there are big changes brewing in Gotham, and if he wants to save the city from The Joker’s hostile takeover, Batman may have to drop the lone vigilante thing, try to work with others and maybe, just maybe, learn to lighten up.

Lion

Lion is a 2016 drama film directed by Garth Davis (in his feature debut) and written by Luke Davies, based on the non-fiction book A Long Way Home by Saroo Brierley with Larry Buttrose. The film stars Dev Patel, Rooney Mara, David Wenham and Nicole Kidman.

A five-year-old Indian boy gets lost on the streets of Calcutta, thousands of kilometers from home. He survives many challenges before being adopted by a couple in Australia; 25 years later, he sets out to find his lost family.

The film has Dev Patel as Saroo Brierley, Sunny Pawar as Young Saroo, Rooney Mara as Lucy, Saroo's girlfriend, Nicole Kidman as Sue Brierley, Saroo's adoptive mother, David Wenham as John Brierley, Saroo's adoptive father, Abhishek Bharate as Guddu Khan, Saroo's biological brother, Divian Ladwa as Mantosh Brierley, Saroo's adoptive brother, Keshav Jadhav as Young Mantosh, Priyanka Bose as Kamla Munshi, Saroo's biological mother, Deepti Naval as Saroj Sood, founder of the Indian Society for Sponsorship and Adoption (ISSA), Tannishtha Chatterjee as Noor, Nawazuddin Siddiqui as Rama, Benjamin Rigby as Waiter, Riddhi Sen as Café Man, Kaushik Sen as Police Officer, Rita Boy as Amita, Saroo's friend at the orphanage., Pallavi Sharda as Prama, Saroo's friend, Sachin Joab as Bharat, Saroo's friend, Arka Das as Sami, Saroo's friend and Emilie Cocquerel as Annika, Saroo's friend.

Moonlight

Moonlight is a 2016 American drama film written and directed by Barry Jenkins, based on the play In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue by Tarell Alvin McCraney. The film stars Trevante Rhodes, André Holland, Janelle Monáe, Ashton Sanders, Jharrel Jerome, Naomie Harris and Mahershala Ali.

Moonlight is the tender, heartbreaking story of a young man’s struggle to find himself, told across three defining chapters in his life as he experiences the ecstasy, pain, and beauty of falling in love, while grappling with his own sexuality.

The film has Chiron, the film's protagonist, Trevante Rhodes as Adult Chiron / "Black", Ashton Sanders as Teen Chiron, Alex Hibbert as Child Chiron / "Little", Kevin, Chiron's closest friend, André Holland as Adult Kevin, Jharrel Jerome as Teen Kevin, Jaden Piner as Child Kevin. Naomie Harris as Paula, Mahershala Ali as Juan, Janelle Monáe as Teresa and Patrick Decile as Terrel.

John Wick 2

John Wick: Chapter 2 is a 2017 American neo-noir action thriller film directed by Chad Stahelski and written by Derek Kolstad. A sequel to the 2014 film John Wick, the plot follows hitman John Wick, who goes on the run after a bounty is placed on his head. It stars Keanu Reeves, Common, Laurence Fishburne, Riccardo Scamarcio, Ruby Rose, John Leguizamo and Ian McShane, and marks the first collaboration between Reeves and Fishburne since appearing together in the Matrix trilogy.

Legendary hitman John Wick is forced to back out of retirement by a former associate plotting to seize control of a shadowy international assassins’ guild. Bound by a blood oath to help him, John travels to Rome where he squares off against some of the world’s deadliest killers.

The film has Keanu Reeves as Jonathan "John" Wick, an ex-hitman, Common as Cassian, Gianna’s chief bodyguard, Laurence Fishburne as The Bowery King, an underground crime lord, Riccardo Scamarcio as Santino D’Antonio, a powerful Italian crime lord who forces Wick to perform an assassination, Ruby Rose as Ares, an assassin and Santino’s mute security enforcer, John Leguizamo as Aurelio, the owner of a high-end chop shop, Ian McShane as Winston, the manager of the Continental Hotel in New York, Bridget Moynahan as Helen Wick, John's deceased wife, Lance Reddick as Charon, the concierge at the Continental Hotel in New York, Thomas Sadoski as Jimmy, a police officer and friend of John's, David Patrick Kelly as Charlie, the cleaner, Peter Stormare as Abram Tarasov, Viggo’s brother, Iosef’s uncle and a desk-bound Russian gangster, Adam Levine as Marco Beardo, Santino D'Antonio's henchman, Franco Nero as Julius, the manager of the Continental Hotel in Rome, Peter Serafinowicz as The Sommelier and Claudia Gerini as Gianna D'Antonio, Santino’s sister.

Hidden Figures

Hidden Figures is a 2016 American biographical drama film directed by Theodore Melfi and written by Melfi and Allison Schroeder, based on the non-fiction book of the same name by Margot Lee Shetterly about female African-American mathematicians at NA

SA. The film stars Taraji P. Henson as Katherine G. Johnson, a mathematician who calculated flight trajectories for Project Mercury and other missions. The film also features Octavia Spencer as Dorothy Vaughan and Janelle Monáe as Mary Jackson, with Kevin Costner, Kirsten Dunst, Jim Parsons, Glen Powell and Mahershala Ali in supporting roles.

As the United States raced against Russia to put a man in space, NASA found untapped talent in a group of African-American female mathematicians that served as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in U.S. history. Based on the unbelievably true life stories of three of these women, known as "human computers", we follow these women as they quickly rose the ranks of NASA alongside many of history's greatest minds specifically tasked with calculating the momentous launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit, and guaranteeing his safe return. Dorothy Vaughn, Mary Jackson, and Katherine Johnson crossed all gender, race, and professional lines while their brilliance and desire to dream big, beyond anything ever accomplished before by the human race, firmly cemented them in U.S. history as true American heroes.

The film has Taraji P. Henson as Katherine Goble Johnson, mathematician, Octavia Spencer as Dorothy Vaughan, mathematician and supervisor, Janelle Monáe as Mary Jackson, who becomes an engineer, Kevin Costner as Al Harrison, director of the Space Task Group, Kirsten Dunst as Vivian Mitchell, supervisor, Jim Parsons as Paul Stafford, head engineer in STG, Glen Powell as John Glenn, astronaut, Mahershala Ali as Jim Johnson, military officer who marries Katherine, Donna Biscoe as Joylette Coleman, Katherine's mother, who helps care for her children, Rhoda Griffis as White Librarian, Maria Howell as Ms. Summer, Aldis Hodge as Levi Jackson, Paige Nicollette as Eunice Smith, Gary Weeks as Reporter at Press Conference, Saniyya Sidney as Constance Johnson Kimberly Quinn as Ruth and Olek Krupa as Karl Zielinski, engineer who encourages Mary Jackson.