India Culture, Business, Sports and Food. Get all the buzz in India now

Financial Crisis Indian aviation sector has been severely affected by the global financial crisis and the record high fuel prices. It is being said that Indian aviation industry, that has a $6 billion turnover, is expected loose more than $2 billion in the next year. Some private airlines had expected that the industry will grow many folds and had invested huge amounts. But nothing happened as was being expected. In recent months domestic market has declined a lot and on the other hand international developments have multiplied the losses. Financial losses have forced the Indian aviation industry rivals Kingfisher and Jet Airways to form alliance with each other.  This has been done to ‘rationalize’ routs, disconnect some operations to cut the costs. Both the Indian aviation companies were loosing crores of rupees per month.     

Sack Orders But the worst was yet to come. Jet Airways have decided to retrench its 1900 employees that includes people across all the functions- even pilots. It was announced by Jet Airways Executive Director Saroj Dutta in Mumbai on Wednesday, October 16. He said that officials have taken these measures to keep the airline ‘economically viable’ in the future. Shedding of 1900 employees had become necessary to ensure the jobs of the remaining 11,100 employees. They had even asked the state-owned Air India to come forward and form an alliance to cut the losses.

AI Proposal According to some news reports Air India has also planned to give 3-5 years of leave without pay to 15.000 of its employees. But it has been said that employees will not be forced but voluntarily can ask for leave. But it has been also included in the proposal that those employees who voluntarily go on leave will be taken back at the ’same seniority’ and ‘last drawn pay’ whenever they desire so.  But official have clarified that it won’t be retrenchment as has been done by the private carriers. But Government of India has declined to take such steps. Civil Aviation minister Praful Patel have said that there is no need to take such steps immediately as Air India is ‘in a much better financial health’. On the other hand some ministers have criticized Jet’s sack order. Some political leaders have decided to oppose the decision.

Sunga Dynasty After the downfall of Maurya dynasty India was ruled by numerous regional kingdoms and dynasties for almost five centuries. Last Maurya king Brihadratha was murdered by the Pusyamitra who was the commander-in- chief of the Brihadratha’s army. Pusyamitra established the Sunga Dynasty in 185 BC. Patliputra was their capital. They ruled very less territory as compared to Ashoka’s territory. Most of the Northern areas had been won by the Indo-Greeks and Southern territories had passed into the hands of Satavahnas. Sunga Dynasty ruled India around 185 to 73BC and then it was overthrown by Kanva Dynasty. Sunga rulers especially Pusyamitra fought many battles with his neighboring states and also faced some foreign invasions. Indo-Greeks had won the northern parts that included Punjab also. On the other hand ruler of Kalinga, Karavela had won the modern Orissa from him. In some inscriptions it has been mentioned that Kalinga King had defeated Pusyamitra and forced him to bow at his feet.

Sunga And Kanva Rulers It is believed that Pusyamitra was very hostile towards Buddhism and had done a lot to destroy the Buddhist religion. According to Buddhist tradition he was the biggest enemy of Buddhists who had destroyed many Stupas and Viharas and had killed monks. The word ‘mitra’ indicates that he may have been an Iranian and worshiper of Sun. It is said that he had burnt down multitude of monasteries which is considered to be a violent Brahamincal reaction against Buddhism.  After Pusyamitra’s death, his son Agnimitra became the second Sunga ruler. He could rule only for eight years and was succeeded by his son in 141 BC. A very little has been mentioned in history that who became the next Sunga king. According to Puranas Vasujyeshtha or Sujyeshtha succeeded Agnimitra around 141BC. Some historians have mentioned that he had successfully repulsed the Indo-Greek invasions. It is not known that who was the next Sunga ruler but it is said that ten Sunga rulers had ruled Patliputra. The last Sunga ruler had been killed by his Brahman minister Vasudev in 71BC. So his dynasty is called Kanva. It was a short-lived dynasty of four kings that collectively could rule only for forty five years. They were overthrown by an Andhara King named Satavahanas.

Satavahna Rulers Satavahanas dynasty ruled central and southern India. Names of thirty kings have been mentioned who ruled almost for five centuries from 230BC to onwards. Their rule existed when Ashoka was the emperor of India. From this point we can assume that their territory was a part of his Kingdom. The first Satavahanas King was Simuka who probably ruled around the first century and had destroyed the Kanvas. He was succeeded by Krishna and Satayakarni. During the first century CE India again faced foreign invasions. Satavahanas had lost a lot of their territory to Nahapana. The next Satavahana ruler was Gautamiputra Satakarni who defeated Nahapana and won most of the lost dominions of the Satavahanas. He was the ruled of his kingdom around 78 to 106 CE. He was succeeded by his son Vashishtiputra Pulumayi from 106 to 130 AC. After it Rudradaman 1 of the Western Satraps Dynasty had defeated Satavahanas and spared only Vashishtiputra Satakamyi as he was his son-in-law. Five Satavahana kings succeeded him but their power continued to decline. Around the mid 200 CE they had been completely extinguished and their land had been divided by several dynasties among themselves.

 Satavahanas were the first Indian rulers who had their own coins with ruler’s portraits on them. Some of Satavahana kings were Hindus while some believed in Buddhism. They had also built some stupas. During their rule art had improved a lot.

Announcement Election Commission of India announced the dates for the Assembly elections in five states on Tuesday , October 14. These five states are Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi and Mizoram. Elections in these states will be held between 14 November to December 4. Commission has decided to hold polling in two phases in naxalite hit state Chhattisgarh on November 14 and 20 while in other states it will be one day affair. In Madhya Pradesh polling will be held on November 25 while Mizoram and Delhi it will be on November 29. In Rajasthan polling will be held on December 4. Votes will be counted on December 6 in all the five states. With the announcement code of conduct has come into effect immediately and has become applicable in all the five five states, to all candidates, political parties state governments and the Union Government. Election Commission has not announced the election in the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Indication These elections are the last elections that are being held before the Lok Sabha elections. The result of these elections will also indicate that which party will win in the coming Lok Sabha elections. It must be learnt that Lok Sabha elections can be held anytime in the last months of the current year or the early months of the next year. Lok Sabha session is scheduled to be held in the last week of the October month and it is being speculated that Manmohan Singh led UPA alliance government will not survive as some of its allies are not happy with it and can pull the turf from under its feet. But center government wants to delay the elections so that inflation will come down to some extent by that time and it will not have to face the anti-incumbency votes. Three out of these five states are being ruled by the NDA alliance and the remaining two by Congress and a regional party. Anti-incumbency factor will play a crucial role in these elections.

J&K But suspense has not ended as EC has not announced the date of assembly elections in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Recent month’s incidents are not favorable as for as the elections for the state are concerned. Even all the dominant political parties of the state except BJP have not said anything against of in favor or elections. It elections are not held in the state in the next month then they can be held only after six month because of the winter season.