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Time of India
10 hours ago
- Health
- Time of India
Seminar on MBBS, global education pathways in Pune draws enthusiastic response
1 2 P une: A large gathering of aspiring students and parents attended an informative Mission Admission seminar organised by The Times of India jointly with The Astute Academy at Dr. Kalmadi Shamarao Junior College auditorium on Sunday. Conducted by Tushar Vinod Deoras, a former BARC scientist and chairman of Astute Academy, the seminar aimed to demystify the complexities of Indian and international admissions for MBBS and higher education. The first session focused on the Indian MBBS admission process, offering clarity for students with NEET scores as low as 200. Attendees also learned about affordable pathways to study medicine in the United States through structured Indo-American university collaborations. The second session delved into undergraduate and postgraduate admissions in the US and Germany. Parents and students were provided with detailed guidance on securing spots at prestigious universities abroad. During the first session, Deoras shared a wealth of information. He pointed out that many private medical colleges offer donation-free management quota merit seats. He explained fee structures, wherein funding is controlled by govt, and proposed to students tripartite Indo-American university partnered systems, which provide affordable, sophisticated modern medical education in the US and subsequently offer employer-relevant value around the globe. The second session was about undergraduate and postgraduate courses offered in the US and Germany, particularly emphasising on Ivy League schools and Germany's technical universities. Deoras noted how flexible and multidisciplinary the US system is, with more emphasis on career focus than rigid course structures. He urged students to start building their profiles as early as Std IX and to apply to international universities at least one year in advance, as most operate on a first-come, first-served basis. He said, "Quality education and a successful career are a student's fundamental right. Students and parents should not judge countries by stereotypes but understand which system aligns best with the student's goals." A highlight of the seminar was its interactive nature. One parent shared, "The session was very enlightening. Many doubts regarding my son's education were resolved, and I feel much more at peace now." Another participant raised a query about dentistry as a career path, to which Deoras responded that it remains an underappreciated but highly rewarding field in India. While initial years in practice may be challenging, dentistry offers significant long-term growth and financial prospects. Deoras also addressed several audience questions about state-wise admission quotas for MBBS, the application process for foreign universities, and the admission timelines and requirements for medical education abroad. The seminar concluded with a positive response from the audience who appreciated the transparency, practical guidance, and motivational approach.
Indian Express
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
CWG taint fading, but is a comeback too wishful for Suresh Kalmadi, the face of Pune, friend of Pawar to Gandhis?
Since a Delhi court earlier this week accepted the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) closure report on the money laundering allegations against Suresh Kalmadi linked to the 2010 Commonwealth Games (CWG), there have been calls from the Congress ranks in Pune and western Maharashtra to bring back the veteran leader. Kalmadi, the 81-year-old former MP and head of the 2010 CWG organising committee, took the reins of the Congress in Pune in 1992 and continued till he was suspended in 2011 following his arrest in connection with a separate corruption case linked to the CWG scam. Kalmadi spent nine months in prison before the Delhi High Court granted him bail in that case. After his release from prison, the Congress leader moved away from politics as the Congress also virtually froze him out, not extending him any invitation to party events and not seeking him out even after the disastrous results nationally, as well as in Maharashtra, starting in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. A former Indian Air Force pilot, Kalmadi started his political journey with the Youth Congress in the mid-1970s. Kalmadi shared a close rapport with Sharad Pawar, another young leader who was almost his contemporary, and this was instrumental in his appointment as Pune Youth Congress president in 1977. The following year, he contested his first electoral battle, from the Shivajinagar Assembly seat, but lost to the Janata Party's Shanti Naryan Naik. As the Congress split following the 1977 elections, Pawar also rebelled against the Congress government of Vasantdada Patil in Maharashtra and broke away with 40 MLAs to form the Progressive Democratic Front (PDF) government. At this time, Kalmadi followed him into the new party. However, this political experiment did not last long and after Indira Gandhi's Congress made a comeback nationally in 1980, it dismissed the Pawar administration. Kalmadi stuck with Pawar and the Congress (S) and was rewarded as he was sent to the Rajya Sabha in 1982, the first of his four terms in the Upper House of Parliament. Though he had thrown in his lot with Pawar, Kalmadi had already come to the attention of the Gandhis when he started making his mark in local politics, and this link to the Congress's first family proved to be useful later for his political rise. In 1977, Kalmadi and another activist had thrown slippers at then Prime Minister Morarji Desai's car and protested when he was visiting Tilak Smarak Mandir in Pune. This brought Kalmadi to Sanjay Gandhi's notice and, in 1980, he was introduced to Rajiv Gandhi at the National Defence Academy's Passing-Out Parade. The two struck an instant rapport because of their background as pilots. Return to the Congress Kalmadi's golden years in the Congress began after he returned to the party fold along with Pawar in 1986. In these years, his rising clout had also seen him in top positions at sports bodies in the country, starting with the Maharashtra State Athletics Federation president in 1980 and selection chairman of the Athletics Federation of India in 1987. He made a name as a sports organiser, starting the Pune Marathon in 1983, and this helped strengthen his political capital. 'Kalmadi's proximity to Rajiv Gandhi made him a powerful party leader from Pune. The early 1990s was a time when then party leader and sitting MP Vithalrao Gadgil's charisma was on the wane. It was here that Kalmadi got an opportunity to make a mark. In the mid-1980s, he had started Pune Marathon, which brought international athletes to the city, thereby elevating the status of Pune,' said Pune City Congress general secretary Ramesh Iyer. Besides the marathon, Kalmadi also took the initiative to start the Pune Festival, a cultural event held during the Ganesh Utsav festivities, in 1989; the Pune Vyaspeeth; and the National Games. 'Pune Vyaspeeth was an apolitical forum. There, experts and intellectuals from different fields gathered to put forth their views for the development of Pune. This was again a Kalmadi initiative. Be it in holding the National Games or the Commonwealth Youth Games, they all happened because Kalmadi was the central figure. The Balewadi stadium that came up during his tenure saw big sports events,' said Iyer. 'He was close to top industrial houses such as the Bajajs, Firodias, and several others. They sponsored events if Kalmadi was at the helm. Such was the rapport he had with top industrialists,' he added. With Pune's image as a sports and cultural centre receiving a boost because of his initiatives, Kalmadi utilised it for political benefits and was elected to the Lok Sabha from the city in 1996. However, soon, he again broke ranks with the Congress. It was a brief parting of ways. In 1998, he took on Congress's Vitthal Tupe in Pune as a candidate of his Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (which started as the Pune Vikas Aghadi). But he lost that election and months later returned to the Rajya Sabha on a Congress ticket. His grip over Pune politics, however, remained undiminished, and he was back in the Lok Sabha from the constituency in 2004 and was re-elected in 2009. This, however, remained the last high point in Kalmadi's political career as soon afterwards came the CWG scandal and his decline. Kalmadi's importance Explaining the importance of Kalmadi, Congress leaders said the party and the Nationalist Congress Party not only won the Lok Sabha elections and at least four of the six Assembly seats in Pune when Kalmadi was at the helm, it also dominated the local civic body elections in the city. Since Kalmadi got sidelined in the party, the Congress virtually collapsed in Pune, losing the last three Lok Sabha elections by massive margins and failing to win any Assembly constituency in the last three Assembly polls (the only exception was the Kasba Assembly bypoll victory in 2023). In the Pune Municipal Corporation, the party had dominated since 1992, but its decline began after Kalmadi's downfall in 2011, said state Congress vice-president Mohan Joshi. 'In 2012, the Congress won 27 wards, down from the 40 to 45 it won in 2007. In 2017, it was the worst performance. The Congress had only 12 corporators. Had Kalmadi been at the helm, Congress would have never been ousted,' he said. State Congress secretary Babu Nair said though Kalmadi was not keeping well, he could still play a vital role in revitalising the party. 'His health is not good, age has also caught up with him but I think he still has something to give to the party.' 'Kalmadi was always in the Congress. He is a committed Congress leader, a born Congressman …. The party's national leadership will take a decision in this regard,' said state Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe.
Hindustan Times
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
After ED's clean chit to Kalmadi, Mohan Joshi accuses BJP of political vendetta
In the wake of a Delhi court's acceptance of the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) closure report on Monday on the 2010 Commonwealth Games (CWG) money laundering case, Congress leader in Pune Mohan Joshi has accused Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), calling it of orchestrating a political vendetta against former MP Suresh Kalmadi and other party members. Joshi, Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee vice president and former MLA, on Tuesday criticised the BJP for allegedly using false allegations to tarnish the reputations of opposition leaders. He asserted that the ED's decision to withdraw charges against Kalmadi, coupled with the court's approval, vindicates the Congress and exposes the BJP's purported strategy of character assassination for political gain. Joshi highlighted Kalmadi's contributions to Pune's development and India's sports culture, questioning the BJP's motives in targeting him. He argued that the BJP's actions were not isolated incidents but part of a broader pattern of levelling unsubstantiated accusations against Congress leaders, including former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh in the coal allocation case, former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit in the CWG case, and businessman Robert Vadra. 'The BJP has consistently prioritised power over truth, employing deceitful tactics to mislead the public and undermine democratic institutions,' Joshi said. He emphasised that the recent court decision serves as a testament to the principle of 'Satyameva Jayate' (Truth Alone Triumphs), reinforcing the Congress party's commitment to integrity and justice. The Delhi court's ruling marks the culmination of a 13-year investigation into alleged financial irregularities during the 2010 CWG. The ED's closure report, accepted by the court, concluded that there was no evidence of money laundering or related offences by Kalmadi or other officials of the CWG organising committee. This decision aligns with the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) earlier closure of a related corruption case, citing insufficient evidence. Joshi claimed Congress's dedication to ethical governance and the rule of law, contrasting it with what he characterised as the BJP's opportunistic and divisive politics.
United News of India
29-04-2025
- Politics
- United News of India
After clean chit from court to Kalmadi, Congress celebrates in Pune
Pune, Apr 29 ( UNI) Congress workers on Tuesday gathered in front of former Union minister Suresh Kalmadi in Erandwane area here and celebrated the Delhi court's clean chit to the senior party leader. The slogan 'Sabse bada khiladi, Suresh Kalmadi' was heard once again soon after the Delhi court accepted the Enforcement Directorate's closure report in a money laundering case against Kalmadi, the former head of the 2010 Commonwealth Games organizing committee. The other accused who got the court clean chit included the then general secretary Lalit Bhanot. Kalmadi's supporters celebrated the occasion with bursting of firecrackers. In 2010, allegations of corruption surfaced in the organization of the Commonwealth Games. Kalmadi and others were accused of irregularities in the allocation and implementation of two important contracts. Special judge Sanjeev Agarwal noted that the CBI has already closed the corruption case. The ED after an investigation into the money laundering case too has accepted the report, the judge noted. UNI SP PRS
The Print
29-04-2025
- Business
- The Print
Delhi Court accepts ED closure report in CWG 2010 case. Congress says Modi, Kejriwal must apologise
The judicial proceedings have reached the level of examination of prosecution evidence in the other case filed against Kalmadi. The closure report, filed by the ED, was based on the closure report filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in 2014 in one of the cases linked to corruption by former Congress leader and then chairman of the organising committee Suresh Kalmadi, Maharashtra cadre IAS officer Vijay Kumar Gautam, the then chief operating officer (COO) of the event organising committee and others. New Delhi: A Delhi court Monday accepted the closure report in one of the money laundering cases filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), related to irregularities in hosting the Commonwealth Games in 2010. Following this, the Congress has demanded an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal for creating a falsehood of scams. ThePrint had in February reported that the CBI had closed 11 cases out of the 19 it had filed in the wake of the alleged scandal in hosting the CWG, which included several construction projects in the national capital. The CBI registered this particular case in August 2012 against Kalmadi, Gautam, A.K. Mattoo, the treasurer of the organising committee, Lalit Bhanot, the Secretary General of the organising committee, and Swiss firm Event Knowledge Services (EKS) and its then-CEO. In the FIR, it was alleged that organising committee of the game awarded contracts in two segments—Games Workforce Service (GWS), and Games Planning, Project & Risk Management Services (GPPRMS)—in a wrongful way to consortium of EKS, and Ernst and Young (E&Y), that caused the committee a loss of around Rs 30 crore. However, the CBI had filed a closure report in January 2014 in this case, conceding neither any 'incriminating evidence' against the accused persons nor any evidence establishing their malicious intentions. A special CBI court in Delhi had accepted the CBI's closure report in February 2016. As the court accepted ED's closure report in a case linked to Kalmadi, the Congress party Monday demanded an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for creating a falsehood of scams around the allocation of 2G spectrum and CWG games that falsely accused two former leaders—Manmohan Singh and Sheila Dikshit. 'Before 2014, Arvind Kejriwal and the BJP created false scams like 2G and the Commonwealth to defame Congress. Two very honest and dedicated leaders—Dr Manmohan Singh and Mrs Sheila Dikshit were falsely accused. The truth about 2G had already come out in court. Today, the ED's closure report in the Commonwealth case has also been accepted by the court. It is clear that both allegations were false! Narendra Modi and Arvind Kejriwal should apologise to Congress and the people of India for misleading the country,' the party's general secretary in-charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh, wrote on X. Accepting ED's closure report, Special Judge Sanjeeb Aggarwal noted that since the CBI could not establish any scheduled offence, there was no generation of proceeds of crime. Hence, the ECIR should not be continued. 'Since the closure report filed in the predicate offence FIR/RC filed by the CBI was accepted by the Court of Ld. Special Judge, CBI, vide order dated 20.02.2016 and the said closure report filed by the CBI has not been challenged, therefore, the same has attained finality,' Special CBI judge Sanjeev Aggarwal noted in his order. 'In the present closure report, it is stated that the offence u/S. 3 of the PMLA has not been proved due to the absence of the proceeds of crime, as no schedule offence as defined in 2(1)(y) of PMLA has been committed.' 'Therefore, since during the investigations, the prosecution has failed to make out a offence u/S. 3 of the PMLA, as defined u/S. 3 of the PMLA and punishable u/S. 4 of the PMLA, 2002, therefore, as no offence u/S. 3 of the PMLA, 2002 has been made out or has been committed, despite discreet investigations by the ED, therefore, there is no reason to continue with the present ECIR, as a consequence, the closure report filed by the ED stands accepted,' the judge finally noted, ordering the investigating officer to return all documents and articles seized during the investigation. (Edited by Zinnia Ray Chaudhuri) Also read: 19 FIRs, 15 yrs, zero accountability—unresolved saga of CWG 'scam' that changed Delhi & its politics
