.in

.in
Introduced	1989
TLD type	Country code top-level domain
Status	Active
Registry	INRegistry
Sponsor	National Internet Exchange of India
Intended use	Entities connected with  India
Actual use	Was traditionally not very popular as Indians preferred generic TLDs such as .com; liberalization of registration rules in 2005 led to a great increase in registrations, mostly domain hacks
Registration restrictions	No restrictions on who can register second-level domains or most third-level domains; restrictions under some specialized subdomains
Structure	May register at second level or at third level beneath generic-category 2nd level domains
Documents	Policies
Dispute policies	.IN Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (INDRP)
Website	registry.in
DNSSEC	yes

.in is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for India. The domain is operated by INRegistry under the authority of NIXI, the National Internet Exchange of India. INRegistry was appointed by the government of India.

As of 2005^[update], liberalised policies for the .in domain allow unlimited second-level registrations under .in. Unlimited registrations under the previously structured existing zones are also allowed:

• .in (available to anyone; used by companies, individuals, and organizations in India)
• .co.in (originally for banks, registered companies, and trademarks)
• .firm.in (originally for shops, partnerships, liaison offices, sole proprietorships)
• .net.in (originally for Internet service providers)
• .org.in (originally for non-profit organizations)
• .gen.in (originally for general/miscellaneous use)
• .ind.in (originally for individuals)

Six zones are reserved for use by qualified organizations in India:

• .ac.in (Academic institutions)
• .edu.in (Educational institutions)
• .res.in (Indian research institutes)
• .ernet.in (Older, for both educational and research institutes)
• .gov.in (Indian government)
• .mil.in (Indian military)

Before the more liberal policies for the .in domain, only 7000 names had been registered between 1992 and 2004. As of March 2010, the number had increased to over 6.1 lakh, with 60% of registrations coming from India, rest from overseas.^[1] This domain is popular for domain hacks.

The domain .nic.in is reserved for India's National Informatics Centre, but in practice most Indian government agencies have domains ending in .nic.in.

Internationalized domain names and country codes[link]

India plans to introduce internationalized domain names, that is domain names in 22 local languages used in India. They are planned to be introduced in mid-2012.^[2]

These internationalized domain names will be used together with seven new top domains for India.^[3]

These top domains are:

• .भारत (Devanagari)
• .ਭਾਰਤ (Gurmukhī)
• .ભારત (Gujarati)
• .இந்தியா (Tamil)
• .భారత్ (Telugu)
• .ভারত (Bengali)
• .بھارت (Urdu)

See also[link]

• Country code top-level domain
• Satyam Infoway Ltd. v. Sifynet Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

References[link]

1. ^ Chatterjee, Moumita Bakshi (March 13,2010). "‘.in' domain registration crosses six-lakh mark". The Hindu Business Line. http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/todays-paper/tp-info-tech/article986365.ece. Retrieved May 01, 2012. 
2. ^ India introduces domain names in all 22 national languages
3. ^ http://www.dncrunch.com/?p=9489

External links and references[link]

• IANA Whois information
• .in whois information from the .IN Registry: India's Official .IN Domain Name Registry
• Policies from the INRegistry website
• List of Accredited registrars for .in

This section of a biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (March 2012)

Sam Pitroda
Sam Pitroda
Born	(1942-05-04) 4 May 1942 (age 70) Titlagarh, Orissa, India
Residence	Delhi, India
Nationality	Indian
Alma mater	Maharaja Sayajirao University Illinois Institute of Technology
Occupation	Telecom engineer, inventor, development guru, entrepreneur
Employer	Advisor to the Prime Minister
Known for	Communication revolution
Title	Innovator[citation needed]
Religion	Jangid - Hinduism[citation needed]
Children	2
Website
sampitroda.com

Satyanarayan Gangaram Pitroda popularly known as Sam Pitroda (born 4 May 1942) is an Indian innovator^{[citation needed]}, entrepreneur and policymaker. Currently Advisor to the Prime Minister of India on Public Information Infrastructure & Innovations, he is also widely considered to have been responsible for India’s communications revolution.^[1] As Advisor, he will be looking into creating information infrastructure for enhancing delivery of services to the citizens in various areas and will also be working on creating a roadmap for a ‘Decade of Innovation’ in India. He is also the chairman of National Innovation Council.^[2]

He has served as Chairman of the National Knowledge Commission (2005–2008), a high-level advisory body to the Prime Minister of India, set up to give policy recommendations for improving knowledge related institutions and infrastructure in the country. During its term, the National Knowledge Commission submitted around 300 recommendations on 27 focus areas covering a range of aspects of the knowledge paradigm. Mr. Pitroda holds around 100 key technology patents, has been involved in several start ups, and lectures extensively around the world.

He is also the founder & CEO of C-SAM, Inc. The company maintains its headquarters in Chicago with offices in London, Tokyo, Mumbai and Vadodara. Following the development of core technologies in the U.S. and Europe, C-SAM's development centers in India now focus on innovation, customization and cost effective deployment for its customers.

He has also served as an advisor to the United Nations and in 1992, his biography Sam Pitroda: A Biography was published and became the bestseller on the The Economic Times list for five weeks.

As technology Advisor to the Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi in the 1984s, Mr. Pitroda not only heralded the telecom revolution in India, but also made a strong case for using technology for the benefit and betterment of society through several missions on telecommunications, literacy, dairy, water, immunization, oilseeds etc.. He has continued to redefine the role technology can play in a society like India by linking it to better delivery of services for the underprivileged in the country.

He has lived mainly in Chicago, Illinois since 1964 with his wife and two children.^[3]

Early life[link]

Born in Titlagarh, Orissa, India. His parents hailed from Gujarat and migrated to Orissa. They were deeply influenced by Mahatma Gandhi and his philosophy and consequently, he and his brother were sent to Gujarat to imbibe Gandhian philosophy. He completed his schooling from Vallabh Vidyanagar in Gujarat and completed his Masters in Physics and Electronics from Maharaja Sayajirao University in Vadodara . After completing his Masters in Physics he went to the US and obtained a Masters in Electrical Engineering from Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago. In 2010, he received an Honorary degree from University of Illinois at Chicago.^[4]

Career[link]

Early career[link]

Throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s Sam Pitroda was involved in cutting edge technology research work in telecommunications and hand-held computing. He is widely regarded as one of the earliest pioneers of hand-held computing because of his invention of the Electronic Diary in 1975.^{[citation needed]}

In 1974, Sam Pitroda founded a company, Wescom Switching which was one of the first digital switching companies in the world.^{[citation needed]} He developed a new system called 580 DSS switch, which he spent nearly four years perfecting. Thus, in 1978, it was released to the world and it became an instant hit becoming one of the most successful systems in the market.^{[citation needed]} Wescom was eventually acquired by Rockwell International, where Pitroda became the Vice President. During his four decades as an engineer, Mr. Pitroda has filed scores of patents in telecommunications. The latest set of patents relate to mobile phone based transaction technology ^[5][6] which cover the entire spectrum of transactions, both financial and non-financial, via mobile phones.

In 1983, he also designed his own computer-themed card game called Compucards which used binary numbers instead of decimal (1, 2, 4, 8...) had a computer bug as the joker. The equivalent of a king in a regular deck of cards was the 'Programmer' that bore an uncanny resemblance to Pitroda himself. Through the 1990s Mr. Pitroda explored the world of mobile phone transaction technology and telecom developments in emerging markets.

A widely traveled man, Mr. Pitroda is a much sought after speaker at top international events. Mr. Pitroda divides his time between Chicago and Delhi..

Return to India[link]

In 1984, Mr. Pitroda was invited to return to India by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. On his return, he started the Center for Development of Telematics C-DOT, an autonomous telecom R&D organization. He had previously become a naturalized US citizen, and renounced his US citizenship to take Indian citizenship again in order to work in the Government. [1] In 1987, he became advisor to Mrs. Gandhi's successor, Rajiv Gandhi and was responsible for shaping India's foreign and domestic telecommunications policies.

In 1987 during his tenure as advisor to Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, Mr. Pitroda headed six technology missions related to telecommunications, water, literacy, immunization, dairy and oilseeds. He is also the founder and first chairman of India’s Telecom Commission.

Mr Pitroda has contributed for shaping India’s foreign and domestic telecommunications policies. He is considered one among many to be responsible for the telecommunication revolution in India and specifically, the ubiquitous, yellow-signed Public Call Offices (PCO) that quickly brought cheap and easy domestic and international public telephones all over the country.

In the 1990s Sam Pitroda returned to Chicago to manage his business interests. When the United Progressive Alliance government came to power following the 2004 General Elections, the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh invited him to head the National Knowledge Commission of India.

In July 2009, the Government of India invited Mr. Sam Pitroda to head an expert committee on ICT in Railways. In October 2009, Sam Pitroda was appointed as Advisor to PM of India (Dr. Manmohan Singh) on Public Information Infrastructure and Innovations with the rank of Cabinet Minister.

In August 2010, cil,^[7] headed by Sam Pitroda, with special focus on micro, small and medium enterprises for 2010-20.^[8]

In the Indian Railways Budget 2012, Sam Pitroda was announced to head Railway modernization plan. His candicature is also in fray as a potential candidate for presidential election 2012 which is highly unlikely as political parties choice is differed.

Awards[link]

International Telecommunication Union (ITU) conferred the World Telecommunication and Information Society Award to Mr. Sam Pitroda in Geneva on 17 May 2011. He was awarded in recognition of his dedication to promoting Information, communication and technology as a means of providing a better life for humanity and social and economic empowerment. He is the first Indian to receive this prestigious award.

Sambalpur University honored Mr. Pitroda with D.Sc. on its 23rd convocation on 14 July 2010.

• Padma Bhushan in 2009 by the Government of India for his contribution to Science and Engineering.

• The Skoch Challenger Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009 for ushering in the telecom and IT revolution in India.

• Andhra University honored Mr. Pitroda with D.Sc in 2008.

• Dataquest IT Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002.

• IEEE Communication Society, Award for Public Service in the Field of Telecommunications in 2007

Felicitations[link]

He was also felicitated on 31 March 2009 by Akhila Bharatiya Viswakarma Mahasabha (ABVM) for service to the viswakarma community, in the presence of Chief Minister of Delhi, Smt. Shiela Dixit, and President of ABVM, Chedilal Sharma. In 2008, Pitroda was elected as World Prominent Leader by the World Network of Young Leaders and Entrepreneurs WNYLE He is also due to attend and address the 2nd Indian Student Parliament which is a MIT School of Government initiative.[2]

Other contributions[link]

In 1993, Mr. Pitroda helped establish^[9] the Foundation for Revitalisation of Local Health Tradition (FRLHT)^[10] near Bangalore in India. At present, he is a Governing Council Member. The aim of the foundation is to make full use of India's rich and diverse traditional medicinal knowledge. Pitroda also serves on the IIT International Board of Overseers.

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Sam Pitroda

• Official website
• Profile
• Sam Pitroda Collected news and commentary at The Times of India

Sharadchandra Govindrao Pawar (Marathi: शरदचंद्र गोविंदराव पवार; born 12 December 1940), popularly known as Sharad Pawar), is the president of the Nationalist Congress Party which he founded in 1999, after separating from the Indian National Congress. He has previously held the posts of Minister of Defence and Chief Minister of Maharashtra and currently serves as Minister of Agriculture, Government of India.

Pawar is from the town of Baramati in the Pune district of Maharashtra. He leads the NCP delegation in the Lok Sabha, representing his constituency of Madha in Maharashtra. He has a prominence in national politics as well as regional politics of Maharashtra, although marred by frequent corruption allegations.

Pawar also served as the Chairman of the Board of Control for Cricket in India from 2005 to 2008. In 2010, Sharad Pawar became the International Cricket Council president after England's David Morgan.^[1]

Early life and family history[link]

Pawar is one of the ten children (six sons and four daughters) born to Govindrao Pawar and Shardabai baramati). Govindrao was employed by the Baramati farmers' Cooperative ( Sahakari Kharedi Vikri Sangh) while his mother looked after the family farm at Katewadi, ten kilometers from Baramati. Most of siblings were well educated and were either professionals or ran their own businesses. Pawar studied at BrihanMaharashtra College of Commerce (BMCC)in Pune. He was an average student, however, active in student politics. Pawar's first political act was when he organized a protest march for Goan Independence in Pravaranagar in 1956.,^[2] Pawar is married to Pratibha (Shinde). They have one daughter, Supriya who is married to Sadanand Sule and now is active in politics. Pawar's nephew, Ajit Pawar is also a prominent politician in his own right and presently serving as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Pawar's younger brother, Pratap runs the influential Marathi daily, Sakal

Political career[link]

Till 1990[link]

Sharad Pawar entered the Maharashtra legislative assembly for the first time in 1967 from Baramati, representing the undivided Congress Party. Yashwantrao Chavan was the political mentor of Sharad Pawar.^[3]

Pawar broke away from the Congress to form a coalition MODI28 government with the opposition Janata Sangh in 1978 becoming the Chief Minister of Maharashtra for the first time at a time when Indira Gandhi had become incredibly unpopular due to her imposition of Emergency in 1975^{[citation needed]}. This Progressive Democratic Front government was dismissed in February 1980, following Indira Gandhi's return to power at the Centre.

power at the Centre.

In the elections that frty won the majority in state assembly and A.R. Antulay,took over as the chief minister of the state. Pawar took over the Presidency of the Congress in 1981. For the first time, he won Lok Sabha election from Baramati parliamentary constituency in 1984. He also won state assembly elections of March 1985 from Baramati and preferred to continue in state politics for a while and resigned from the Lok Sabha. His party, the Indian Congress (Socialist) won 54 seats out of 288 in the state assembly and he became the leader of the opposition.

His returning to the Congress has been cited as a reason for the rise of the Shiv Sena at that time. In June 1988, Prime Minister of India and Congress President Rajiv Gandhi decided to induct then Maharashtra Chief Minister Shankarrao Chavan into Union Cabinet as Finance Minister and Sharad Pawar was chosen to replace Chavan as chief minister. Sharad Pawar had the task of checking the rise of the Shiv Sena in state politics, which was a potential challenge to the dominance of Congress party in the state^{[citation needed]}. In 1989 Lok Sabha elections, Congress party won 28 seats out of 48 in Maharashtra. In the state assembly elections of February 1990, the alliance between the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party posed a stiff challenge to the Congress. Congress fell short of an absolute majority in the state assembly, winning 141 seats out 288. Sharad Pawar was sworn in as chief minister again on March 4, 1990 with the support of 12 independent MLAs.

Early 1990s[link]

During the course of election campaign, former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated. There were reports in the media that Pawar's name was being considered for the Prime Minister's post along with those of P.V. Narasimha Rao and N.D. Tiwari.^[4][5][6] However the Congress Parliamentary Party elected P.V. Narasimha Rao as its leader and he was sworn in as Prime Minister on June 21, 1991. Rao decided to induct Pawar as Defence Minister. On June 26, 1991, Pawar took over as that portfolio, continuing till March 1993. After Pawar's successor in Maharashtra, Sudhakarrao Naik stepped down, Rao sent Pawar back as chief minister of the state.

He was sworn in as chief minister for his fourth and most controversial term^{[citation needed]} on March 6, 1993. Almost immediately, Mumbai, the financial capital of India and the state capital of Maharashtra, was rocked with series of bomb blasts on March 12, 1993.

Mid 1990s[link]

The Deputy Commissioner of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, G R Khairnar made a series of accusations against Pawar for being involved in corruption and protecting the criminals.^[7][8] Though Khairnar could not produce any evidence in support of his claims, it inevitably affected Pawar's popularity. Notable social worker Anna Hazare started a fast unto death to demand expulsion of 12 officers of the Forest department of Government of Maharashtra, who had been accused of corruption. The opposition parties accused Pawar's government of trying to shield the corrupt officers. The 1994 Gowari stampede occurred at Nagpur during the Winter Session of Maharashtra State Assembly and killed 114 people. Nagpur Police were trying to disperse almost 50000 Gowari protesters using baton charge but it created panic and triggered stampede amongst protesters.^[9] Allegations were made that the mishap occurred because welfare minister Madhukarrao Pichad did not meet with the delegation of the Vanjara people in time. Though Pichad stepped down owing moral responsibility for the mishap, this incident was another setback to Sharad Pawar's government.

The elections to the Vidhan Sabha were due to be held in 1995. The Shiv Sena and BJP combine was leading the Congress in the polls, and thess in the polls, and there was widespread rebellion in the Congress party. The Shiv Sena-BJP combine won 138 seats while Congress party retained only 80 seats in the state assembly. Sharad Pawar had to step down and Shiv Sena leader Manohar Joshi took over as chief minister on March 14, 1995.

Till the Lok Sabha elections of 1996, Sharad Pawar served as the Leader of the Opposition in State Legislative Council. In the 1996 General elections, he won from the Baramati seat and has not returned to the State Assembly since.

1997 till date[link]

In June 1997, he unsuccessfully challenged Sitaram Kesri for the post of Congress President. In the mid-term parliamentary elections of 1998, Sharad Pawar not only won from his constituency, Baramati but also led the Congress to an emphatic win in Maharashtra. His move to align with the Republican Party of India (Athvale) and Samajwadi Party for the elections in the state brought rich dividents and the Congress party and allies won 37 seats out of 48 in the state. Sharad Pawar served as Leader of Opposition in 12th Lok Sabha.

After 12th Lok Sabha was dissolved and elections to 13th Lok Sabha were due, Pawar, P.A. Sangma and Tariq Anwar demanded that the Congress Party needed to project someone born in India as the Prime Ministerial candidate and not the Italian-born Sonia Gandhi, who had entered party politics and replaced Kesri as Congress President.

In June 1999, Pawar and Sangma founded the Nationalist Congress Party. His party had to align with the Congress party to form a coalition government in Maharashtra as neither party could win an absolute majority on its own in the 1999 assembly elections. Pawar, however, did not return to state politics, and Vilasrao Deshmukh of the Congress was chosen as Chief Minister, with Chagan Bhujbal representing the NCP as his deputy. The alliance has endured at the national and state level to this day.

After 2004 Lok Sabha elections, he joined the United Progressive Alliance government headed by Manmohan Singh as the Minister of Agriculture.

On November 29, 2005, he was elected President of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

He was appointed Union Minister of Agriculture and of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution on May 28, 2009

In Jan 2012, He announced that he will not contest the next Lok Sabha election (Upcoming in 2014) and make way for a younger leadership, a move that is bound to create a stir in his party as well as the Congress.^[10] Al though at 71, his retirement plans put the focus on the claims of his nephew Ajit Pawar as also daughter Supriya Sule.

Links with criminals[link]

In 2002–03, the then Maharashtra Chief Minister Sudhakarrao made a statement that the state leader of Indian National Congress party and erstwhile Chief Minister Sharad Pawar, had asked him to "go easy on Pappu Kalani", a well known criminal-turned-politician now.^[11] Shiv Sena Chief, Bal Thakare, had later concurred with these allegations.^[12] Further, Sudhakarrao also alleged that it was possible that Kalani and Hitendra Thakur, another criminal-turned-politician from Virar, had been given tickets to contest election for Maharashtra State Legislature at the behest of Sharad Pawar who also put in a word for Naik with the police when the latter was arrested for his role in post-Babri Masjid Demolition riots in Mumbai.^[13]

Sharad Pawar is also alleged to have close links with the underworld don Dawood Ibrahim^[14] through Ibrahim's henchman Lakhan Singh based in the Middle East and close relationship with Shahid Balwa, also a suspect in the 2G spectrum scam. These allegations were strengthened by the revelation about Balwa's business partner, Vinod Goenka's controversial commercial project in Yerawada, Pune, being constructed on the same survey number as Pawar's family friend, Atul Chordia, had constructed the Panchshil Tech Park. Khadse alleged that it was Balwa who had applied for environmental clearance for the two projects, a charge that Chordia refuted. Coincidentally, Chordia's Panchshil Pvt Ltd has Pawar's daughter, Supriya Sule, and her husband Sadanand as investors.^[15] The state government's decision to hand over a 3-acre plot of the Yerawada police station for "re-development" to Balwa's construction was retracted following Balwa's arrest.

Criticism and allegations of corruption[link]

Stamp-Paper Scam Connection Controversy[link]

Abdul Karim Telgi cited Pawar's name in relation to the 600 billion rupee stamp-paper scam, during a narcoanalysis filmed by various Indian news channels, wherein he also mentioned Chhagan Bhujbal^[16]

Controversial Wheat Imports[link]

In 2007, the BJP asked for Pawar's resignation after alleging he was involved in a multi-crore scam involving wheat imports. In May 2007 a tender floated by the Food Corporation of India for procurement of wheat was cancelled when the lowest bid received was for 263 USD/ton. The government subsequently allowed private traders to purchase wheat directly from farmers that year resulting in a paucity of wheat to stock FCI granaries. By July 2007 the shortage at FCI was large enough to require import of wheat at a much higher price of 320–360 USD/ton. Taking advantage of this, traders who had domestically purchased wheat at 900 INR/ton earlier, were now offering the same to FCI at 1,300 INR/ton.^[17][18]

Land Allotment[link]

On October 27, 2007, the Bombay High Court served notices to institutions headed by Sharad Pawar, Ajit Pawar and Sadanand Sule (Sharad Pawar's son-in-law) along with a corresponding notice served to the Maharashtra Krishna Valley Development Corporation (MKVDC) on why special privileges were given to Pawar and his family. This was done in consideration of a Public Interest Litigation No. 148 of 2006, filed by Shamsunder Potare alleging that the land said allocations in Pune, made in 2002, were illegal. The institutions and properties mentioned include:

• Two 141.15-acre (0.5712 km²) plots given allotted to Vidya Pratishthan, an educational society headed by Sharad Pawar
• A 2-acre (8,100 m²) plot allotted to Anant Smriti Pratishthan, headed by Ajit Pawar, the Maharashtra state minister for irrigation and Sharad Pawar's nephew
• A 130,000 square metre (32.12 acre) plot allotted to Lavasa Corporation, owned by Sadanand Sule, Sharad Pawar's son-in-law at the time. He handed over his stake in 2006.
• A 1-acre (4,000 m²) plot allotted to Shivajinagar Agriculture College
• A 3-acre (12,000 m²) plot allotted to Sharadchandraji Scout and Guide Training Institute

These allocations were made allegedly under NCP leader and minister Ramraje Naik Nimbalkar who was in charge of MKVDC at the time.^[19][20] Sharad Pawar was served a contempt of court notice on May 1, 2008 in connection with this case for issuing statements to the press even though the matter was subjudice at the time, that was later rejected by the court. Also in connection with the case, the respondents were directed not to create third-party interests in the property under dispute and to undertake any developments at their own risk.^[21][22]

IPL Exemption From Tax Controversy[link]

In 2010, In case of IPL exemption from tax, Shiv Sena MLA Subhash Desai had alleged that state cabinet decided in January this year to impose the tax, before this year's IPL season started, but the decision was not implemented because of NCP chief Sharad Pawar's association with BCCI.^[23] Bombay High Court on August 2010 said there was "nothing on record" to show that the Union Minister influenced the Maharashtra government's decision to exempt Indian Premier League matches from entertainment tax.^[24]

Controversy Faced After Assets Declaration[link]

In 2011, Sharad Pawar declared his assets to be worth 12 crore as part of a mandatory disclosure, but his critics claimed that his wealth far exceeded the stated amount.^[25][26] In 2010, it was alleged that the Pawar family indirectly held a 16% stake in the City Corporation, which had bid 1176 crore for the IPL Pune franchise. Pawar and his family denied the allegations, but the IPL bidder's board resolution contradicted their claims.^[27][28][29]

Nira Radia's Controversial Allegations[link]

In 2011, Under investigation of 2G spectrum scam Corporate Nira Radia has told the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) that Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar may be controlling the controversial DB Realty, media reports said on Thursday. According to the reports, she also told the investigative agency that he may have spoken with former telecom minister A Raja about the allocation of spectrum and licence to Swan Telecom. Radia also said that she had no documentary proof to back up her allegation.^[30] Pawar has denied any link with former DB managing director Shahid Balwa who is now in CBI custody.

Criticism Faced After Extreme Hike in Prices of Agricultural Produce[link]

As the Cabinet Minister for Agriculture, Pawar was consistently accused of being incapable of handling the extreme hike in prices of agricultural produce:

• Wheat import in 2007 – Bombay High Court issued notices to Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar, questioning the decision to import defective red wheat and to submit details of procurement of the crop from different states and the exact process of importing it.^[31]
• Sugar prices in 2009 – Opposition parties, including the BJP and the CPI(M) accused Sharad Pawar of engineering a steep rise in the price of sugar to the advantage of hoarders and importers.^[32]
• Onion prices in 2010–11 – The opposition have accused him to be responsible on the same issue.^[33][34][35]

Slapping Incident[link]

This section's representation of one or more viewpoints about a controversial issue may be unbalanced or inaccurate. Please improve the article or discuss the issue on the talk page.(December 2011)

Pawar was slapped by a youth named Harvinder Singh at a the New Delhi Municipal Corporation centre while leaving the premises after attending a literary function on 24 November 2011.^[36] The attacker, who previously is said to have assaulted former telecom minister Sukh Ram, was later arrested.

Motivation[link]

Harvinder Singh is an auto-rickshaw driver and has no political affiliations. He said after slapping Pawar in Hindi that 'He is a thief, they are all thieves'. He said that he slapped Pawar because of corruption and price-rise.

Reactions[link]

All leading political parties in India condemned the attack.^[37] Some politicians argued that violence should not be used as a means of raising concern.^[38][39]

The youth who slapped Pawar was highly praised on YouTube^[40] by common people, however politicians argued that violence should not be used as a means of raising concern.^[38][39] There were also several fan pages created on Facebook.^[41][42] There were parallels drawn with revolutionary and martyr Bhagat Singh,^[43] and pages advocating the shaming of more corrupt politicians.^[44]

India Today reported that the opinion of its online readers was in favour of further shaming of corrupt people holding public office.^[45] There was also widespread criticism of the NCP's call for a bandh.^[46][47] DNA India's readers also praised the^[48] attack on Sharad Pawar and expressed happiness that someone of them did this to a corrupt politician like Pawar.

The Times of India reported that Harvinder has been attacked multiple times, since being released from police custody once on January 15 and then again on February 25.^[49]

Kolaveri parody[link]

A parody of Why This Kolaveri Di, a track from a Tamil movie '3' which is honored by YouTube with a Gold Award for getting the most number of hits,^[50] based on the Sharad Pawar slapping incident, known as "Chamaat Song"^[51] (Slap Song) was posted on YouTube . This track is listed in "Top 10 Versions of 'Kolaveri Di' Song"^[52] by the Times of India. The track received 964,729 hits by evening of 2 December 2011, within a week of its release on 25 November.^[53]

Promotion of Endosulfan[link]

Even though Endosulfan has been banned, India is the only one country which is against global banning of Endosulfan. In spite of its known negative health effects, Sharad Pawar made a remark that Endosulfan is not yet proved dangerous. This remark prompted activist Vandana Shiva to call him a corrupt minister.^[54][55][56]

Sports Administration[link]

Pawar has interests in kabbadi, kho kho, wrestling and football. He has served as the head of various sports organizations, including

• Mumbai Cricket Association
• Maharashtra Wrestling Association
• Maharashtra Kabbadi Association
• Maharashtra Kho Kho Association
• Maharastra Olympics Association
• Board of Control for Cricket in India President 2005–2008
• International Cricket Council Vice President^[57]
• International Cricket Council President^[58]

Pawar was president of Pune International Marathon Trust, which host Pune International Marathon for last 22 years.

The Annual Cycling race from Bombay to Pune, is also held c/o. him. Its usually on the Sunday closest to his birthday, 12 Dec.

See also[link]

• Ajit Pawar, Dy. Chief Minister of Maharashtra and MLA, his nephew.
• Supriya Sule, his daughter, MP Loksabha.

References[link]

Further reading[link]

• P. K. Ravindranath (February 1, 1992) Sharad Pawar- the making of a modern maratha South Asia Books. ISBN 81-85674-46-9
• Page 23 of the Times of India, New Delhi, Tu of India, New Delhi, Tuesday, December 12, 2006
• Profile at BBC News
• Profile at Govt. of India website