Annual rate of inflation falls marginally

Indo Asian News service

New Delhi, July 30: India's annual rate of inflation fell marginally to minus 1.54 per cent for the week ending on July 18 from minus 1.17 the week before, according to official data released on Thursday.

The rate turned negative for the week ended June 6 for the first time since the new wholesale price index (WPI) series started in 1995.

The inflation rate had last turned negative in 1977. Negative inflation implies that the average wholesale price level was lower during a given week, than it was in the corresponding week a year ago. It does not necessarily reflect retail prices.

The price index for primary articles rose 0.3 per cent to 261.1 (provisional) from 260.3 (provisional) the week before, while that for manufactured products declined 0.1 per cent.

The price index for fuel and power declined 0.1 per cent to 338.2 (provisional) from 338.4 (provisional) for the previous week due to lower prices of aviation turbine fuel (7 per cent).

The final data for the week ended on May 23 showed that the revised annual inflation rate actually stood at 1.34 per cent

Big B remembers Gayatri Devi as picture of grace, beauty

Indo-Asian News Service, New Delhi, July 30 : Bollywood megastarAmitabh Bachchan remembers Gayatri Devi, the 'rajmata' of Jaipur, as a 'picture of grace and beauty' wrapped in soft chiffons.

Amitabh recalls sneaking into the Jaipur Polo Ground when he was a student in Delhi University to not just watch polo matches but also catch a glimpse of Gayatri Devi.

"The maharaja of Jaipur (Sawai Man Singh), a great proponent of the game, would play there and accompanying him used to be his wife, the Rajmata Gayatri Devi.

"In her soft and pastel flowered chiffons, she used to be a picture of grace and beauty. I never imagined that one day I would get to meet this lady. But time and circumstances changed that," the actor posted on his blogwww.bigb.bigadda.com.

Gayatri Devi died Wednesday at the Jaipur-based Santokba Durlabhji Memorial Hospital (SDMH) where she was admitted Tuesday for breathing problems. She was 90.

When Amitabh learnt of Gayatri Devi's ill health a few days ago, he sent her a bouquet of flowers and a get well card.

"Her son had acknowledged my letter and informed us that she was very pleased to have received my concern and wishes...May she rest in peace."

Amitabh had met her on many occasions.

"After joining the movies, there were many visits to Jaipur for shootings and that is when a formal introduction with the Rajmata took place. I was later asked by Gayatri Deviji to inaugurate one of the functions at the girls school (Maharani Gayatri Devi) that she started, now a flourishing institution.

"Some years ago she had invited me to be the chief guest at a charity she promoted for the underprivileged and cannot forget what a gracious host she was that evening. On another occasion she called me over for a private lunch at her Lily Pond residence, serving me personally with delicious vegetarian delicacies which she had so considerately asked her kitchen to prepare," he said.

However, the last time that the erstwhile maharani of Jaipur sought Amitabh's involvement, he couldn't make it. And that was the last communication he had with her.