New Delhi: Milestone man Sachin Tendulkar re-wrote the record books on Wednesday, hammering the first double century in the history of one-day cricket to add another feather to his well-adorned cap.
One Day International cricket, since its 1971 inception, had to wait nearly four decades to see a batsman score 200. The previous best mark was shared by Zimbabwean Charles Coventry (194 not out) and Pakistan's Saeed Anwar (194).
As the crowd erupted with unbridled joy, Tendulkar, tired but composed, took off his helmet, looked skyward, closed his eyes to offer a silent prayer.
His captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni came down from the striker's end to shake hands and hug him. And as Tendulkar set on his way back to the pavilion after the completion of the Indian innings, a tumultuous celebration greeted him.
The crowd gave him a standing ovation as the entire stadium erupted in euphoria while his teammates were simply ecstatic as they clapped and hugged each other, basking in the glory of their senior teammates.
Tendulkar batted like a man with a mission today and the South African bowlers simply had no clue where to bowl. Once he crossed the 150-mark, the crowd anticipated something special and Tendulkar did not let them down.
A six off Roelof van der Merwe took him past Kapil Dev's 175 not out and in the next over, he hit Jacques Kallis for a four to equal his previous best of 186 not out that had come against New Zealand in Hyderabad in 1999.
The crowd got restless as Tendulkar approached the
194-run mark and a couple off Wayne Parnell saw him eclipse it.
His teammates and spectators were on the edge of their seat with a double century round the corner but with Dhoni going berserk at the striker's end and facing most of the deliveries; it was an agonising wait for all.
Dhoni took singles off the final deliveries of the
47th-49th overs and Tendulkar finally took strike with four balls left in the innings. The first ball he received from Langeveldt was steered past point and Tendulkar ran for a single to remain unbeaten after an unforgettable unbeaten 200 that came off just 147 balls with 25 fours and three sixes in it.
It was yet another milestone for the man, who has some 30,000 international runs under his belt, including 93 centuries (47 in Tests and 46 in ODIs).
President, PM congratulate Sachin for first double ton in ODIs
New Delhi: President Pratibha Patil and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday congratulated Sachin Tendulkar for becoming the first cricketer to score a double ton in one-day internationals and said the "master batsman" has climbed the "Mt Everest of the game".
"Sachin Tendulkar has yet again re-written the record books of cricket, by climbing yet another Mt Everest of the game," Patil said in a message. She said in setting a new benchmark for the highest score by a batsman in one-day internationals as well as in notching up a double century, "the master batsman has set stiff targets" for future generation of cricketers to break.
Terming it a "magnificent achievement", the Prime Minister said that Sachin has led by "example and that all Indians are proud of his achievement". Singh wished him many more glorious years in his cricketing career.
36-year-old Tendulkar today created history by becoming the first cricketer to score a double century in one-day internationals with a breath-taking unbeaten 200 to steer India to a massive 401 for three against South Africa in the second cricket ODI in Gwalior.
Tendulkar a role model for world cricket: Pak players
Karachi: Former and present Pakistani players on Wednesday paid rich tribute to Sachin Tendulkar for becoming the first batsman in the history of the game to score a double hundred in one-dayers and said he is the perfect "role model" for any cricketer.
"For any cricketer he is the perfect role model. The great thing about him is that he has been outstanding in both Tests and ODIs. As a Pakistani player, I know how much value we have always put on his wicket," right-handed batsman Shoaib Malik said about the batting maestro.
Former skipper and wicketkeeper Rashid Latif said the feat was no surprise to him as it was only a matter of time for Tendulkar to achieve it.
"I always expected him to be the first one to score 200 in ODIs, but I was surprised that he took so long," Latif said.
Another former captain Aamir Sohail said, "The rule is simple when you give respect to the game, then only the game will give you respect."
Batting great Javed Miandad said he had always asked Pakistani cricketers to admire Tendulkar for his down to earth attitude, hard work and passion.
"Records are there to be broken but it makes you happy when someone like Tendulkar does it. I think he thoroughly deserves this record and many more in days to come," he said.
J&K: Militant emerges alive from debris, kills jawan before being shot dead
SRINAGAR: A militant, believed to have been killed in the gunbattle at Chinkipora in Sopore, emerged alive from the debris on Wednesday and began firing on security personnel searching for the bodies of slain ultras, killing a jawan but was shot dead in retaliatory fire.
The militant, who is yet to be identified, was killed as the security forces fired back after he began firing indiscriminately injuring a jawan who later died at a hospital, official sources said.
Earlier, body of a militant was recovered from the rubbles of three houses that were destroyed in the gunbattle yesterday.
"Body of an unidentified militant and a weapon was recovered from the debris of the houses earlier today", police sources said.
Terming the heap of rubble at the the scene of the encounter as huge, they said it may take days even for the machines to remove it.
The operation to retrieve the bodies of the militants, who were said to have been killed in the day-long gunbattle yesterday, resumed this morning.
Three armymen, including a captain, were killed in the gunbattle with the militants hiding in three houses at Chinkipora, 55 kms from here, yesterday.
The deceased ary personnel were identified as Captain Davinder Singh Jass, Naik Selva Kumar and Paratrooper Imtiyaz Ahmad Thokar of first Para.
Besides, a civilian identified as Ramiaz Ahmad Malla, who was hit by a stray bullet while being evacuated from the scene, is being treated at a hospital in Srinagar.
Concessions for passengers in Mamata's rail budget
NEW DELHI: The Railway Budget for 2010-11 on Wednesday proposed no increase in passenger fares and freight rates while reducing the tariff by Rs 100 per wagon in transportation of foodgrains, kerosene and fertilisers to tackle the price rise.
The budget, presented by Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee in the Lok Sabha, also proposed to reduce the maximum limit of service charge on e-booking of tickets to Rs 10 for sleeper class and Rs 20 for AC class. The present maximum charge is Rs 15 and Rs 40 respectively.
This is the seventh year in a row that passenger fares have not been raised.
Announcing a slew of concessions for passengers, Banerjee proposed free travel for cancer patients going for treatment in three-tier AC and sleeper class and continuance of concessions for students of madrassas and journalists.
The minister said 101 new suburban services will be introduced in Mumbai and more services will be launched in Kolkata and Chennai.
A special train 'Sanskriti Express' to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore will run across the country and also to Bangladesh.
Special tourist trains called 'Bharat Teerth' will be started on 16 routes while six long-distance non-stop Duronto Express and four short-distance Duronto day trains will be introduced, the railway minister said.
Referring to hardships faced by people because of the high food prices, Banerjee said, "I understand their distress. Despite Railways' own tight resource position I announce reduction of Rs 100 per wagon in freight charges for foodgrains for domestic use and kerosene. This is a small gesture to express our concern."
While ladies special trains would be renamed 'Matribhoomi Specials', three unreserved trains named 'Karambhoomi specials' would be introduced along with new weekly express service 'Janmabhoomi Express' between Ahmedabad and Udhampur.
New services to be introduced include 54 trains, 28 new passenger services, nine MEMU and eight DEMU services. The routes of 21 trains will be extended and the frequency of 12 trains increased.
Other new projects include preliminary engineering-cum- traffic survey for north-south, east-west, east-south and south-south dedicated freight corridors.
Six high-speed passenger train corridors have been identified to be executed through public-private partnership mode and a national high-speed rail authority will be set up for planning, implementing and monitoring these projects.
The financial performance in 2009-10 shows that the loading target of 882 million tonnes is likely to be surpassed by eight million tonnes.
Gross traffic receipts for 2009-10 have been kept at Rs 88,356 crore -- an increase of 10.7 per cent. The full impact of sixth pay commission has been fully absorbed within the railway resources and the current dividend liability will be fully discharged. Annual plan has been kept at Rs 40,284 crore, Banerjee said.
Earlier, Mamata started her speech in the Lok Sabha saying, "Our objective is inclusive growth," adding that her main consideration in this year's budget was social responsibility rather than mere commercial viability of projects.
"We have set our goals in the Vision 2020 document and we will achieve it," the minister said, referring to the document unveiled in December that has targeted making over 30,000 km of routes into double or multiple lines against 18,000 km today.
"It is a fact that administrative and procedural delays discourage potential investors. We will need to overcome this. I am setting up a special task force for this," she said.
"Special structure will be created for the new business model," she said. "But we will not privatise our railways. Indian Railways will remain with the government."
At the same time, she also asked the private sector to refrain from what she called "typical negative approach" while dealing with the Indian Railways. "I am sorry to say this, this mindset has to change."
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj and finance minister Pranab Mukherjee were among those in the house, presided over by Speaker Meira Kumar.
This was Banerjee's fourth budget of her career as railway minister and the second for the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government in its second straight term after being voted back to office in May last year.
According to Banerjee, 117 out of the 120 new trains promised in her last budget will be flagged off by March 31, within a matter of seven months, which was a commendable effort.
Seeking to give safety issues due consideration, the minister said there were a few cases of unfortunate accidents in the past and said these would be prevented by adopting the highest level of technology and manpower training.
"Within five years, we will have 13,000 out of unmanned level crossings manned - 3,000 this fiscal and 1,000 in the coming fiscal," she said, referring to the high number of accidents at such crossroads.
The budget came against the backdrop of the share of Indian Railways in the movement of goods, vis a vis truckers, falling from 24.07 percent in 2001-02 to 20.89 percent in 2008-09 and further to 19.32 percent in the first 10 months of this fiscal.
Indian Railways runs the world's second largest network under a single management with a network of 64,099 route km to ferry 18.9 million passengers on 7,000 trains daily from 6,906 stations. It also runs 4,000 freight trains to carry 850 million tonnes of cargo.
Business News
New Delhi: Indian Railways will earn a profit of Rs 951 crore in 2009-10, down 93 per cent from the 2007-08 level.
For the next fiscal, the budget estimates a profit of Rs 3,173.09 crore.
India's largest employer that employs 14 lakh people had registered a record profit of Rs 13,431.09 crore in 2007-08.
From FY'08 to FY'10, the fall in profit is 93 per cent, as per the Railway Budget presented in Parliament on Wednesday.
Profits had started showing a decline even in 2008-09, when it come down to Rs 4,456.78 crore. Year-over-year the fall in profit is about 79 per cent.
Gross traffic receipts have consistently risen since fiscal 1951-52, the year from which the statement showed financial figures for the Indian Railways.
The revised estimates puts gross traffic receipts at Rs 88,355.91 crore for 2009-10, and the budgetary estimate for the next fiscal's gross traffic receipts is Rs 94,764.95 crore, the Railway Budget paper said.
India Inc pleased with rail budget
New Delhi: India Inc welcomed the Railway Budget for sparing freight and passenger fares from any hike and said that it also provided opportunities for private sector to participate in the world's fifth largest transport network.
"I think it provides for much bigger involvement of the private sector...it is welcome," FICCI President Harsh Pati Singhania said.
Assocham described it as "people and industry friendly" since there is no increase in passenger and freight rates.
Presenting the Railway Budget for 2010-11, Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee asked business houses to build partnerships with Railways that employs about 14 lakh people.
A special task force will be set up for early clearance of projects, Banerjee said, adding that Railways will start six water bottling plants in places like Ambala, Farakka, Nasik, Thiruvananthapuram and Amethi to provide clean and cheap drinking water to passengers.
Railways would also develop 10 automobile hubs, she said.
CII Director General Chandrajit Banerjee said: "It is our belief that this would give the right signals to investors in India and abroad to look at Indian Railways in a new light."
However, Assocham President Swati Piramal said: "A clear roadmap for seeking private partnership in railways for it's modernisation and expansion should have been rolled out."
Federation of Indian Mineral Industry Secretary General R K Sharma too termed the Budget as "positive".
Mamata woos corporates, rules out privatisation
New Delhi: Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday presented the Railway Budget 2010-11 in the Parliament, saying that her ministry has come out with ''Vision 2020'' to modernise the railway network.
"I prefer social responsibility to economic responsibility, she said.
Banerjee said, the railways need to catch up with the advanced western nations, adding that the policy guidelines would be made easier and hassle-free.
Railways will not be privatized, she said, adding that in the next five years the whole country would be connected by rail.
Banerjee called on the India Inc to build partnership with the Railways.
The minister announced that the exams for the recruitment in Railway would be conducted in the regional languages as well, adding that English, Hindi, Urdu and other regional languages will be used for Railway entrance exams.
Banerjee said that we have kept our earlier promises and out of 120 trains that were proposed by our ministry, 107 trains were started on time.
She announced that six-bottling points would be set for manufacture of water that will be supplied, adding that the food that is provided to the passengers has also improved over the years.
Village panchayats, hospitals and court would have a e-ticket counter proposed Banerjee, adding that a railway counter would also be set up at the office of the District Magistrate.
Railway is all determined to ensure safety measures, she claimed adding that a ''chowkidaar'' would be placed at every railway crossing in the next five years.
Indian Railways to introduce double-decker trains
New Delhi: Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday announced that the Indian Railway would introduce double-decker train-sets as a pilot project.
Presenting the Railway Budget for the year 2010-2011 in the parliament here, Banerjee said: “Double-decker train-sets matching the best in global standards will be introduced in two trains each from Delhi and Kolkata as a pilot project.”
Declaring that passenger amenities are a very high priority of the Government, she said that a number of initiatives are being taken for this purpose. “Modern trolleys at all important stations with uniformed attendants will be introduced to assist senior citizens and women passengers for carrying their luggage,” Banerjee said.
The Railway Budget also proposed to initiate SMS updates of reservation status and movements of wagons to freight customers. Mobile vans for issuing e-tickets will be extended to government medical college hospitals, court complexes, University campus, IT hubs, IITs and IIMs.
Banerjee also announced that railway reservation ticket centres would also be opened at district headquarters and village panchayats to give more facility to common man.
In order to bring more transparency in freight business, Banerjee announced RFID technology will be introduced for tracking of wagons, allotment of the rakes would be accessible through the web.
Highlighting efforts being made for safety and security of the passenger, Banerjee said the railway is developing crashworthy coaches and locomotives and will provide automatic fire and smoke detection system in 20 pairs of long-distance trains as pilot project.
She announced that manning of further 1,000 level crossing will be taken up during the budget year and added that in coming five years, all the unmanned level crossing will be manned. To assure full security to women passengers, Banerjee announced that formation of 12 companies of women Railway Protection Force (RPF), named “Mahila Vahini.”
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