Leander Paes, Cara Black win US Open Mixed Doubles

NEW YORK: India’s Leander Paes won his second US Open and fourth Grand Slam mixed doubles title here at the Flushing Meadows when he and his Zimbabwean partner Cara Black beat Scot Jamie Murray and American Liezel Huber in the final 7-6 (8-6), 6-4 late Thursday night.

Leander, who won two Grand Slam mixed doubles titles with Martina Navratilova and another with Lisa Raymond, partnered Cara for the first time, but the two gelled so well it looked as if they were regular partners.

Both Paes and Cara showed excellent hands as they complemented each other with their deft touch play. The fifth seeds did not face a break point in the entire match, but they were in real danger of losing the first set when they were down 2-5 and then a set point in the tie-breaker.

Cara produced two great volleys to pull them out of a tight corner. They went on to clinch the set, taking the next two points, Paes putting away a customary volley.

Easily the quickest doubles player at the net on the circuit, Paes was in a spot of bother when he double-faulted twice in the fifth game but he wriggled out with two good serves.

Till the tie-breaker, the only breakpoints came when Leizel was down 15-40 in the eighth game.

Once they were through with the first set, Paes and Cara gained control over the match, breaking Murray’s serve in the fifth game as the Briton had a double fault. Then an inspired Cara produced a beauty to leave Murray and Huber struggling to stay in the match.

When Cara held her serve in the eighth game of the second set, it was all over for Murray and Huber as Paes only had to serve out the match which he did in style.

The absorbing tussle ended after an hour and 37 minutes and Paes and Cara shared the winners’ $150,000 prize money.

Paes, who said this US Open was going to be special for him, is also figuring in the men’s doubles final with his Czech partner Lukas Dloughy. They play Bryan twins Bob and Mike.

India’s Pankaj Advani wins World Billiards Championship

Bangalore, Sept 05: India’s Pankaj Advani won the 42nd IBSF World Billiards Championship, defeating veteran Geet Sethi in an enthralling final.

The 23-year-old Bangalorean delighted the home crowd at Karnataka State Billiards Association Hall with a superlative display, winning 150-90, 151-0, 150-24, 150-0, 86-150, 150-72, 150-12.

After a below-par semifinal outing yesterday, Advani played with far more focus and swept the first four games in the morning session to gain a position of strength.

Though the veteran Sethi, with eight world billiards titles under his belt, won the first game in the next session, he could not get the momentum going, with his younger opponent dominating proceedings.

Advani said the “bad” semifinal had spurred him to come out with improved performance and it paid off.

“In sport, every day is a new day”, he said after the match which promised to be an “epic” encounter before the start but turned out to be one-sided in the end.

He said every day throws up new challenges and it’s different from the previous day.

Sethi said inclusion of billiards in the Asian Games inspired him to continue playing the game and expressed hope that it would figure in the Olympics as well. “I am still going strong, I still enjoy the game”, he added.

Meanwhile, the time format of the ONGC IBSF World Billiards Championship gets underway here from tomorrow, with the final slated on September 10.

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From Class XII to IAS Direct is new proposal to Govt

Hoping to transform the steel frame of the Indian administrative set up, the Second Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) is set to recommend recruitment of potential civil servants right after the 10+2 as against the present system in which graduation is the minimum education qualification for taking the civil services examination.

There is also a proposal to institute a Senior Executive Service (SES) for Joint Secretary and Additional Secretary level officers who would be “implementing authorities” so far as government schemes are concerned. Yet another proposal is to develop “Domain Expertise”, that is, a system in which a civil servant with about 13-14 years of service is to be promoted and used only in those areas in which he has specialised during this period of service.

These and many other proposals are learnt to be in the final stages of discussion by the ARC headed by M Veerappa Moily. The ARC report on civil services reforms is likely to be submitted to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh within the next four to six weeks, according to sources.

Earlier, the P C Hota Committee on Civil Services Reforms, set up by the NDA government, had also recommended a slew of steps, including lowering the minimum and maximum age of those appearing for civil services examinations, but there was no follow up on the report.

What imparts significance to the Second ARC proposal is the fact that Manmohan Singh himself has been keen to reform the civil services. He, in fact, set up a committee headed by the Cabinet Secretary to see the feasibility of the ARC report on terror, said official sources.

The idea behind the recruitment of 10+2 students as civil servants is to have “fresh, imaginative, clean slates” who will have the “drive” to transform society, according to an ARC member. As per the proposal under discussion, there will be a five-year course for those selected through an all-India examination for civil services; the syllabus will consist of Constitution, public administration, law, etc. This will be followed by a two-year course during which, depending on their inclination and capability, candidates will be allotted different services like the IAS, IPS and the rest.

About 50,000 candidates from among 10+2 students will be shortlisted for Civil Services training through the all-India examination.

The proposal is to establish separate universities or some other institutions to train these prospective civil servants. “Even if all of them do not show the potential to become a civil servant after their admission to the course, the syllabus will be such that they will land good jobs in different sectors after doing the entire or a certain part of the course,” said a source associated with the ARC.

As for graduates and above or those with engineering, management and medical degrees, the proposal is to offer them a “Bridge Course” — after being selected through an examination — to prepare them for civil services.

As for Senior Executive Service (SES) officers, their jobs would be to ensure the implementation of government schemes.

While the Secretary of a particular department under the guidance of the concerned Minister would be involved in policy making and those below a Joint Secretary engaged in

“Secretariat works”, the SES officers would be devoted entirely to the implementation part, said sources.

“We would like the states also to follow this model of recruitment of civil servants, but these details can be worked out later,” said an ARC member.

The Second ARC set up in August 2005 has so far submitted eight reports —

1. Right to Information: Master Key to Good Governance,
2. Unlocking Human Capital: Entitlements and Governance,
3. Crisis Management,
4. Ethics in Governance,
5. Public Order,
6. Local Governance,
7. Capacity Building for Conflict Resolution,
8. Terror.

Mukesh Ambani Backs Tata’s Nano Project

Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) chairman Mukesh Ambani has come out in support of Tata’s beleaguered Nano project in Singur, West Bengal, saying, “It’s a unique and innovative initiative which will establish India’s position as a small car hub”.

“The Indian Industry must be encouraged to make such large investments in order to build the country’s competitiveness as well as support job creation,” the chairman of the largest private sector company in India said.

Warning that a “fear psychosis is being created” to slow down certain projects of national importance, Ambani said this would be counter-productive for the country’s economic growth, its global image as well as our ability to attract investments from across the world. Ambani’s statement comes in the wake of Tata Motors chairman Ratan Tata threatening to pull out the Rs 1,500-crore small car project from West Bengal after facing continued political opposition led by Trinamool Congress.

“The Indian industry and the political leadership in the country need to work together to deliver on the aspirations of the millions of Indians in urban and rural areas,” Ambani said.

“If anybody is under impression that we have made Rs 1,500-crore investment and will not move from the state, they are wrong. Whatever be the cost, we will move out if the situation demands so,” Ratan Tata had last week said.

Industry chambers CII, Ficci and Assocham have also supported the Tata and asked the West Bengal government to resolve the land issue with the opposition.

Olympics Medal Winners Sushil, Vijender return Home

Wrestler Sushil Kumar and boxer Vijender Singh, who had won bronze medals in their respective categories, returned home in the wee hours of morning. Both were given a rousing welcome at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport.

Besides their family members, a host of sports administrators, thousands of fans and friends had gathered at the Airport to receive them with beating drums, garlands and banners.

Sushil Kumar won the medal in the men’s 66 kg freestyle category, defeating Leonid Speiridonov of Kazakhistan. He became the second Indian wrestler after 56 years to bag a bronze medal. Earlier, Khashaba Jadhav of Karad, Maharashtra, had won an individual bronze in the Helsinki Olympics in 1952.

Vijender Kumar became the first-ever Indian boxer to win an Olympic medal. His performance also boosted India’s medal tally in Beijing Olympics to three, after shooter Abhinav Bindra won gold in 10m air rifle event and wrestler Sushil Kumar bagged bronze.

Today, both Sushil and Vijender are scheduled to meet Union Sports Minister MS Gill, President Pratibha Patil, Vice President Hamid Ansari and Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh.

Arriving by the same flight were officials of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), including its president Suresh Kalmadi, secretary general Randhir Singh along with members of the contingent who finished their events in the second week of the Games.

India won three medals at the Beijing Olympics, their best ever performance at the Summer Games. Earlier, in 1928, India had only won four individual medals, none of them gold, since sending their first team to the Summer Games.

The men’s hockey team has won the Olympic tournament eight times. Last time it won gold was in 1980.