Monthly Archives: February 2015

Mysuru City Civilian Rifle Association inaugurated

K.B. Ganapathy, Editor-in-Chief, Star of Mysore, is seen posing with a rifle during the inaugural function of Mysuru City Civilian Rifle Association at CAR grounds here this morning. Others seen (from left) CAR Deputy Commissioner of Police (Mysuru) B. Shivanna, Prof. Shivaram Malavalli, City Police Commissioner Dr. M.A. Saleem, DCPs A.N. Rajanna and M.M. Mahadevaiah.
K.B. Ganapathy, Editor-in-Chief, Star of Mysore, is seen posing with a rifle during the inaugural function of Mysuru City Civilian Rifle Association at CAR grounds here this morning. Others seen (from left) CAR Deputy Commissioner of Police (Mysuru) B. Shivanna, Prof. Shivaram Malavalli, City Police Commissioner Dr. M.A. Saleem, DCPs A.N. Rajanna and M.M. Mahadevaiah.

Mysuru :

“One bullet is equal to one life,” said City Police Commissioner Dr. M.A. Saleem.

He was delivering his presidential address during the inaugural function of Mysuru City Civilian Rifle Association, a unit of Mysuru City Police, at City Armed Reserve Grounds premises here this morning.

Dr. Saleem said that one should know the proper usage and maintenance of rifles as in the past many people had lost their lives because of accidental firing while cleaning their rifles.

He said that one bullet is equal to one life as it can take the life of a person instantly.

Dr. Saleem, recalling his rifle training practice while undergoing Anti-terrorism training in America, said that in America, they first teach about the proper usage of Rifle and the safety of the person using the rifle and the people with him. Only when a person knows the right usage thoroughly, he is allowed to practice Rifle shooting there.

Earlier, K.B. Ganapathy, Editor-in-Chief, Star of Mysore, inaugurated the function by lighting the lamp.

In his inaugural address, he noted that many people had lost their lives due to firing of the Rifles accidentally.

He suggested the participants to never keep the rifles loaded at their homes as children may think that it is a toy and may accidentally trigger it.

Appreciating Dr. Saleem for his efforts in reducing the crime rates in city and for enforcing strict traffic rules, Ganapathy said, “Many Police Commissioners have served in Mysuru. However, four among them have made a difference to the city and one among them is Dr. Saleem.”

B. Shivanna, Deputy Commissioner of Police, CAR, Mysuru, who welcomed, noted that civilian rifle training was first started during II World War as there was a necessity of soldiers then. During II World War, civilians were trained in rifle shooting and were appointed into army those days, he added.

Shivanna said that more than 150 people from Mysuru have enrolled for the Rifle shooting training programme which will begin from tomorrow. In each batch, 40 members will be trained for one week.

Commandant of KARP Mounted Police Janardhan, DCPs Mahadevaiah and Rajanna, Mysuru City Civilian Rifle Association’s Joint Trustee Shivakumaraiah, Assistant Police Commissioner, City Armed Reserve, Mysuru and the Association’s Executive Committee Members Dr. Javeed Nayeem, Shreehari, Jainsingh Raj Purohit, Nabeel Mohammed, Den Thimmaiah, Prof. Shivaram Malavalli, Dr. Latha Muthanna, Rifle Training participants and others were present.

Mallikarjunappa, CAR ACP, proposed a vote of thanks.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / Monday, February 09th, 2015

Akhilesh honours 56 achievers with Yash Bharti

Lucknow  :

Classical singer Shubha Mudgal, Bollywood playback singers Rekha Bhardwaj and Kailash Kher, journalist Vinod Mehta, theatre artists Urmil Kumar Thapiyal, poet Khushbir Singh ‘Shaad’, kathak exponent Kum Kum Dhar, as well as actors Jimmy Shergill and Nawazuddin Siddiqui were among 56 achievers who on Monday received the Yash Bharti Award for 2013-14 & 2014-15 at a grand ceremony held at Ram Manohar Lohia Park.

The award, given by chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, carried a cash prize of Rs 11 lakh, a citation and a shawl. The Yash Bharti Award is one of the highest state-level awards conferred for excellence in literature, fine arts, classical music, folk music and sports. The awards were instituted in 1994 by Mulayam Singh Yadav to honor achievers in different fields. Addressing the awardees, Akhilesh said, “As these awards are given to generate social awareness in the society, I consider each of the recipients ‘real’ ambassadors of Uttar Pradesh, representing the state across the globe.”

Among the awardees, bhajan maestro Anoop Jalota donated his award to a city-based trust to promote Bhagwad Gita through spiritual concert ‘Ram Bhi Rahim Bhi’. Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui said his joy of receiving the award doubled as he also got a chance to visit the city which taught him the basics of acting and theatre at Bhartendu Natya Akademi

Kathak exponent Kumkum Dhar, said, “It certainly feels great when the government and people of your own state not only recognize your work but applaud you in such a grand way.” “Besides the support of my family, it is actually the blessings of my guru Lacchhu Maharaj that helped me sail through these 40 years of my career with such ease,” she added.

Renowned poet Khushbir Singh ‘Shaad’, who is currently settled in Punjab, expressed joy over receiving the award and said, “It is certainly a matter of pride for me that Lucknow still remembers me with the same love and affection.”

The other list of awardees include classical singer Rajan Saajan Mishra and Rita Ganguly, music composer Ravindra Jain, international level judo referee Munawar Anzar, educationist Jagdish Gandhi, Abhishek Yadav for special commando training, wrestler Aka Tomar, ghazal singer Rita Ganguly, lyricist Sameer, poet Bekal Utsahi, writer Maata Prasad Tripathi and Devi Prasad Pandey.

Along with these, two bravery awards were also conferred. While Resham Fatima was awarded Maharani Ahiliyabai Holkar Award, Seema Tiwari was given the Rani Laxmi Bai award.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Lucknow / TNN / February 10th, 2015

A new feather in Kaif’s cap

Indian cricketer Mohammed Kaif. Photo: V. Raju / The Hindu
Indian cricketer Mohammed Kaif. Photo: V. Raju / The Hindu

Mohammad Kaif is happy playing a mentor to upcoming Andhra cricketers

Cricket in Andhra, observes veteran state player and official M.S. Kumar, “is experiencing a thrust that promises good results in the time to come. “For long we had been at the receiving end. Things are changing now.” Among the changes is the arrival of former India batsman Mohammad Kaif as captain and mentor of Andhra. “He commands respect. In short time, he has taught the team to win and have self belief. He brings in a lot of verve and character,” says Kumar, AGM at Vishakapatnam Steel Plant. “Kaif is a man of steel,” he pats the cricketer with loads of encouragement.

Kaif blushes. “It’s not a new role for me. I did the same in Uttar Pradesh,” informs the veteran of 13 Tests and 125 ODIs. His last ODI came when he was 26, not the best time to be discarded. He took the setback in his stride and concentrated on bringing discipline and purpose in U.P. cricket. “It was a great learning process. I had watched some of the greats of the game from close and was keen to share that experience with the players in U.P. I am happy it worked with cricketers like PK (Praveen Kumar), RP (Singh), Suresh (Raina) and Piyush (Chawla). We could build a very competitive side.”

The switch to Andhra from U.P. was not a hurried decision. “MSK (Prasad) had been saying for three years to come and play for Andhra. When I went I discovered fabulous cricket infrastructure. I saw a great opportunity to play with youngsters. I also needed a change. U.P. was a settled side and I looked for a new challenge.”

Mentor? “You may call me one but my job is to lead the side and ensure the boys do not suffer from lack of confidence and self belief. I organise things for them, introduce new ideas, discuss tactics. Basially I have to identify and raise a team that can go out and give its best. It is not tough. I have a superb friend and coach in Mukund Parmar. He understands cricket as good as anyone. The advantage here is that the management in Andhra is very professional. It gives priority to the needs of the players.”

Uttar Pradesh was an ‘ideal’ platform for Kaif to learn and absorb.

“We had to do all things by ourselves. There was no trainer or video analyst. The captain and the coach (Rajinder Singh Hans) had to run the team. That experienced helped me a lot.”

Kaif spends more time in imparting fielding lessons than batting or bowling. “The players have to come out of their comfort zone and that comes from taking hard and tough catches during training. I have made them work on angles in fielding position. You can gain a fielder by covering more areas and that comes from tactical positioning.”

A firm believer in work ethics, Kaif strikes a fine balance with the players. “I tell them that intent is important. The basics have to be strong. They have to communicate forcefully. Even if there is no run, the batsmen have to alert each other with a loud ‘No Run’. The batsmen have to know when to attack and defend. I have ensured the players will have security. I told some of them not to fear failure because they would get four matches to prove themselves. This helped in developing the trust factor.”

The Andhra team has experienced changes that have brought in a positive attitude this season. Three outright victories in the Ranji Trophy have reflected on the team’s improvement. “It has been great because the players have learnt their lessons quickly. They communicate better. I have told them that each player is a captain, bowlers can ask for field placements, each player can react and give suggestions. The players open up more now. They have become chirpy. It is good for the team. We have begun to perform, begun to win.”

For the 34-year-old Kaif, these are interesting times as he looks forward to a career in mentoring and training youngsters. “I have benefited from my seniors and I feel it is important that I pass on the lessons to this generation. Experience and knowledge must always be shared. I am just doing that in my humble way.”

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus / by Vijay Lokapally / January 25th, 2015

Concept of ODIs was alien to us: Syed Abid Ali

Former cricketer Syed Abid Ali with children at a coaching camp. Photo: V.V. Subrahmanyam
Former cricketer Syed Abid Ali with children at a coaching camp. Photo: V.V. Subrahmanyam

Former India all-rounder Syed Abid Ali recalls the inaugural World Cup of 1975

With the 2015 World Cup set to roll in a couple of days, the sight of Syed Abid Ali, the former India all-rounder, walking into the Sports Coaching Foundation (Masab Tank) almost unnoticed presents the other side of India’s history in the biggest cricketing spectacle. Not all World Cuppers are fortunate to earn name and fame!

For, not many know that Abid Ali, now 73 and more popularly known in Hyderabad cricketing circles as ‘Chichha’, was one of the couple of Indian players who can recall their experience of playing in the inaugural World Cup in 1975 in England with a sense of pride. One of his memorable outings was against New Zealand when he scored 70 and then claimed two for 35. The only other Indian to score a half-century was the great Gundappa Visvanath (75 not out).

Former cricketer Syed Abid Ali. Photo: V.V. Subrahmanyam
Former cricketer Syed Abid Ali. Photo: V.V. Subrahmanyam

The articulate Abid Ali recalls those were the days when India was not really ready for the limited-overs brand. But, the fun of being part of that World Cup is something unforgettable, he says.

Not many of the current generation may be aware that Abid Ali had a dream Test debut at Brisbane in 1967-68 series with six for 55 against Australia. So, he should know what he speaks about the World Cup and all. The Hyderabadi reveals that India did not show the team spirit desired at that level in 1975. “The team was perplexed and the concept of ODIs itself was alien to us,” he adds.

One of the most infamous episodes of 1975 World Cup episode was Sunil Gavaskar’s mind-boggling 36 not out in 60 overs against England. “I still cannot believe how it happened. And I had the gumption to ask Sunny what happened – his reply was that he was not a stroke-maker. To this my reply was – don’t tell me that you got all those Test runs prior to World Cup without playing any strokes,” recalls Abid Ali.

On his World Cup experience, Abid Ali says that being at Lord’s to watch West Indian captain’s blazing and match-winning century, Sir Vivian Richards amazing run-outs in the 1975 final, Kapil Dev’s incredible catch to send back Viv Richards off Madan Lal in the 1983 final were some of the great memories he would love to keep recalling even now. “What moments they were. Truly special which were equal to the grand finales,” he says.

Later, SCF general secretary K. Sai Baba introduced Abid Ali to the young cricketers who were too happy to have an interaction with him.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus / by V.V. Subrahmanyam / February 04th, 2015

A gift to the olfactory sense, and more

The smell lingers:N. Fakhruddin Attarwala’s shop is perhaps one of the few places in the city where you can still get perfumes in their raw form — without alcohol or gas —Photo: K. Pichumani
The smell lingers:N. Fakhruddin Attarwala’s shop is perhaps one of the few places in the city where you can still get perfumes in their raw form — without alcohol or gas —Photo: K. Pichumani

When you walk out of a tiny shop — where the shelves are lined with dainty glass vials — on Mannady Road, you smell like a flower bouquet.

And when the shop is run by a veteran perfumer, who loves to please his customers, the blend is unimaginable.

N. Fakhruddin Attarwala’s shop is perhaps one of the few places in the city where you can still get perfumes in their raw form — without alcohol or gas. “It is quite rare to see such perfumes being sold these days. Earlier, people would sell tiny bottles of perfumes with gold-coloured caps at fairs and marketplaces, enticing people with the aromas. They were not just sellers but perfumers who learnt the trade with great difficulty,” recalls D.V. Sainath Guptha, a perfumer himself, who prepares scents only for self consumption.

Several old areas, including Periamet, Royapettah and Triplicane, have such perfume shops but the number of patrons seems to be thinning with most people preferring branded products.

Though one connect such shops with traditional fragrances like  attar ,  marikolundhu  and  javvaadhu,the variety available is surprising. Mr. Attarwala, who has created some 50 fragrances in his 45 years as a perfumer, says some fragrances require up to 200 ingredients.

“The foodie note is the in-thing now, with melons, strawberry and lime vying for favour. One fragrance can contain 40-60 ingredients and take at least two years to perfect. It is a laborious process. No doubt perfumery requires knowledge of chemistry but it should be in your heart. It is only recently chemicals are being used in perfumes. Previously, it used to be just natural oils,” says Mr. Attarwala, whose home is where he creates his magic.

Whatever perfume is made, sandalwood is the basic requirement along with ylang ylang oil and musk oil. These perfumes must be diluted with four parts of water each time they are used.

“The cost of the perfume depends on its quality and not quantity. You can get the same quantity of jasmine perfume for Rs. 30 and Rs. 500,” he explains, as his customers patiently wait their turn to let their olfactory senses decide what they shou ld buy.

Gone are the days of tiny vials of scented natural oils withgold-coloured caps

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Tamil Nadu / by Deepa H. Ramakrishnan / February 11th, 2015

‘Shami will be India’s main weapon in WC’

ShamiMPOs11feb2015

Mohammed Shami may be struggling with form and rhythm but India’s 1983 World Cup-winning squad member Sunil Valson feels that the West Bengal medium-pacer will be the team’s ‘go to’ man in the upcoming cricket World Cup.

Former left-arm pacer Valson, who failed to get a game in the 1983 edition but did play in a couple of warm-up matches, said that Shami should step up and lead the way for fellow pacers in Australia and New Zealand.

“He (Shami) has performed well in the one-dayers in India. There are issues about the line but it all boils down to how early you pick up the wickets and put the opposition under pressure. So he is certainly going to be your main strike bowler. He has to take charge and he is one of the senior-most now,” said.

Failing to get a game in the presence of bowling stars like Kapil Dev, Balwinder Singh Sandhu, Madan Lal, Roger Binny and Mohinder Amarnath, Valson argues that the 83’ edition was not about bits and pieces players but more about performers.

“I wouldn’t say bits and pieces, I would say they were more of performers.”

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> 50-50-WC-Cricket / PTI / New Delhi – February 10th, 2015

Book explores the history of Nagore dargah

Chennai :

When the Tanjore king Achuthappa Naik (1560-1614) was bedridden after he suffered a paralytic stroke, many believed it was due to some black magic. The matter was informed to a visiting saint who eventually restored the king to health. Whether one believes in miracles or not, Nagore still thrives on it.

“Nagore is known for its religious harmony for more than 500 years. It is all because of the saint Qadir Wali who is enshrined there in a place widely known as Nagore dargah to which people of all religions throng with faith and problems. The miracle has been happening since 16th century and it still continues,” said A S Mohamed Rafee, author of the recently released book, “The Ocean of Miracles: Life of Qadir Wali”.

Qadir Wali travelled to many parts of the world and stayed in Mecca, Medina, Turkey and Palestine for many years before he came to Nagore where he lived for 28 years. “At a time when the world is facing serious threats in the name of religion, it’s remarkable that Nagore still survives on harmony, a reason why more sandal smeared heads are seen in the Sufi dargah. Wali served the people of all religions with his miraculous powers,” said Rafee, who is associate professor at the Mazharul Uloom College, Ambur.

Qadir Wali was born in 1504 in Manikkappur, a town established by Firoz Sha Tughluq in Uttar Pradesh, some 60 km from today’s Ayodhya. His parents, Hasan Guddus and Fatima, were descendants in the lineage of Prophet Muhammad and Abdul Qadir of Jilan, a great saint of the 12th century in Iraq.

Nagore dargah was built on land donated by king Achuthappa Naik. Many important parts of the dargah were built by the generous donation of non-Muslims, a reason cited why it’s a symbol of religious harmony. “The dargah has five minarets and the tallest one is called Periya Minar. It is 131 feet high with ten storeys. It was built by king Pratap Sing of Tanjore (1739-17633) after his wish for a son was fulfilled by praying to Wali 200 years after his passing away. The Peer Mandapam was built by the Dutch.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of Ibdia / Home> City> Chennai / by M T Saju, TNN / February 09th, 2015

Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Kailash Kher Get Yash Bharti Award

Nawazuddin Siddiqui | AP photo
Nawazuddin Siddiqui | AP photo

Lucknow :

Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui and singer Kailash Kher received the Yash Bharti Award by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav here Monday.

Kher, whose musical notes echo originality and calmness, took to micro-blogging site Twitter to share the news and thanked the state government for the recognition.

“@achlendra: CM @yadavakhilesh honours singer @Kailashkher #YashBhartiAward function in Lucknow on Monday. Thank u,” he wrote.

Nawazuddin, who has garnered appreciation from all quarters with his critical performances in “The Lunchbox”, “Miss Lovely”, “Kahaani” and “Gangs of Wasseypur”, was also lauded for his contribution to Indian cinema.

“Today we received #YashBharti Award by UP CM @yadavakhilesh. My old friend @Nawazuddin_S also got one. Thank u all,” Kher tweeted.

The “Teri deewani” hitmaker also shared photographs of the ceremony.

The Yash Bharti Award is conferred by the Uttar Pradesh government for excellence in literature, fine arts, folk music, classical music, cinema and sports.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Entertainment> Hindi / by IANS / February 09th, 2015

Flavours of the Lesser Known

Shaad Hassan Damudi
Shaad Hassan Damudi

Ali Baba, a small cosy eating place in Frazer Town, Bengaluru, is where you get some Persian and Arabian food at reasonable prices. But what its USP is that its young and handsome owner, Shaad Hassan Damudi, is a Bhatkali Muslim and serves up some authentic Bhatkali food. Bhatkal is a small town in Southern Karwar district of Karnataka and has a rich and relatively unknown cultural and culinary history. The Muslims there are called Navayaths or new people. The Navayaths speak a dialect called Navayathi which is a fusion of Sanskrit, Persian, Arabic, Marathi, Hindustani with Konkani as its base.

Traders from the Persian Gulf—namely Yemen, Iran and Iraq—who traded mainly in horses, textiles, timber, gemstones and spices, eventually settled on the Konkan coast and contributed to the cuisine that is a ménage of Indian, Persian and Arabic cultures.

The most famous dish has got to be the delightful Bhatkali Biryani, half-cooked in steam. Damudi uses Sella basmati rice which is an aged rice and is exported to the Middle East and hence not available in India. “We use a lot of browned onions and tomatoes, and a red chilli paste which add colour. Our food is moderately spicy and whole garam masala is added to biryani which is layered with rice and then the onion, tomato, ginger garlic and garam masala mixture,” says Damudi.

Popular TV foodies—Rocky and Mayur of Highway on my Plate fame—recently visited Ali Baba and gorged on the Bhatkali food and featured it on one of their shows.

The kadang fry is a must-try for vegetarians, its sweet potatoes with the ubiquitous red chilli paste, an interesting blend of sweet and spicy flavours. The boneless chicken tikka cooked on a barbeque does remind me of tandoori chicken but the red chilli paste gives it that distinctly Bhatkali flavour. The people here use vinegar made from sugarcane which is used in salads as well as in finely cut onions as an accompaniment. The predominant flavour of the Chicken Khurma at Ali Baba is sweet.

True to its Indo-Persian origins, this dish is creamy and smooth, thickened and enriched with cashew nut paste. However, the addition of one quintessentially coastal south Indian ingredient—coconut milk—not only sweetens it, but also stamps it as a Navayathi.

Gawa Shaiyo was a pleasant surprise. It is wheat vermicelli with mutton in it. The mutton is amazingly tender, delicately spiced, and enhanced by the nutty flavour of fried wheat vermicelli. For those who thought vermicelli was used only in vegetarian dishes and to make kheer, this should come as a delicious revelation.

The piece de resistance is the vermicelli chicken biryani which is simply mouth-watering, surprisingly light and does not need any accompanying gravy or burhani or raita. “This biryani is best when made with chicken and not mutton,” says Damudi. The prawn fry is pretty crunchy being deep fried with a bit of cornflour added, along with the red chilli paste. Surprisingly, hardly any coconut is used in Bhatkali cuisine.

Tausha sherbat is made with grated cucumbers to which a wee bit of sugar is added. The cucumber releases its own water and this delightfully and refreshing simple drink is ideal on a hot summer’s day. All you need is a spoon to dig into it.

The desserts are pretty exotic. One made from, hold your breath, dill leaves with condensed milk and eggs reminds one of good old caramel custard. It is steamed and very tasty, except for its light green colour!

The ambience is exotic with doors and other accessories from old homes in Bhatkal innovatively used as table tops and decorative pieces. Pricing is reasonable and portions pretty generous.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> LifeStyle> Food / by Sangeeta Cavale Radhakrishna / February 07th, 2015

Relishing her role in fast lane

Like any other 8-year-old girl, she would cling on to her father and accompany him to the Irungattukottai racing track in Chennai where R A Abdullah would hone his skills to become a seven-time national champion.

AlishaMPOs08feb2015

It didn’t take longer for Abdullah to realise that his daughter, Alisha too belonged to the circuit.“I was eight (years-old) when my dad took me to the circuit in Chennai. It didn’t take long for me to gather that I belong here,” says Alisha while talking to Deccan Herald.

Alisha now stands as the only lady racer to win the National go-karting championships. She went on to clinch the top honour in 2002. “It is my love for speed that has made me who I am today. Even when I am off the circuit, my lifestyle hardly slows down. I walk fast; I talk and when I have the steering in my hand, speed is all that I care about,“ continues the 25-year-old.

Coming from a Motorsport background, convincing family to allow her to pursue her passion was not a difficult task. With her dad being a champion himself, race analysis and review began from home.

“I never had to convince my parents to allow me to get into professional racing. But when your dad is a champion in the sport, then criticism and analysis starts from your house itself. On a few races days, I end up getting into arguments with dad and we end up the worst of enemies. But all that’s part of life and I believe that the no-nonsense attitude has helped my cause,” opines Alisha.

Getting into a male dominated area was never easy for Alisha. She says it is the challenges that made her stronger and determined to achieve what she set out for.

“It was hard for me to find motivation in the circuit. The guys, after every race, would say stuff that would have a bad effect on me. I would finish among the last and they would tell me that I was a girl and that I did not belong here. Such things made me stronger and with every race I aimed at improving my position,” she says.

Alisha crawled her way up, competing with men, to become one among the best in the circuit. Even her national title was won competing in races which included both men and women.

“Today many come up to me looking for answers about the track and the strategy one should adopt,” says the racer who also had a brief spell on superbikes before switching back to cars.

The move paid in dividends as she won the Toyota Vios Cup, a street car race held in Thailand in 2011 that featured the best women racers in Asia. She has also been a regular on the podium at the Volkswagen National Polo Cup before shifting her focus to Dubai, the hub of motorsport. The Chennai girl will be seen in a Porsche in the upcoming season, starting later this year.

Determined to bring changes in the Indian motorsport arena, she went a step ahead to launch her own motorsport academy in October 2014 in Chennai. The Alisha Abdullah Racing Academy for Women is an all-women academy which helps upcoming female racers who wish to make big in the sport.

“It is my dream to see more and more women race in our country. And I believe in coming years the Academy will be capable of producing quality female racers,” she says. The Academy is in the initial stages of scouting young talent and will see the first batch graduate in 2016.

Though driven by passion and determination to be the best in her field, Alisha, who has also made a guest appearance in a Tamil movie, realises that the road ahead is not an easy one.

“Though the Indian scene got a boost with the arrival on Formula 1 a few years back, the scenario hardly changed at the national level. People are still unaware of any other races other than Formula 1 and Moto GP. And this make it difficult for us to get sponsors,” says Alisha.

But, with the likes of C S Santosh, the first Indian to complete the gruelling DAKAR Rally, attracting more attention to motorsports in India, she hopes that the picture changes soon.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Supplements> Sports Scene /  by Naveen Peter / DHNS, February 08th, 2015