Money evaporates, respect doesn’t’ - Hindustan Times Money evaporates, respect doesn’t’ - Hindustan Times

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Money evaporates, respect doesn’t’ - Hindustan Times

Money evaporates, respect doesn’t’ - Hindustan Times
Last season, on KBC 5, Sushil Kumar, a common man from Bihar, made history by hitting the R5 crore jackpot. It’s the most prize money ever won on an Indian TV show. The season before, Rahat Taslim, a housewife, won R1 crore and, needless to say, it completely changed her fortunes. Similarly, in 2005, Brajesh Dubey won Rs. 1 crore on the second season of KBC. Of course, over a decade ago, in 2000, Mumbai boy Harshvardhan Nawathe became the first person to win a crore on KBC. And the only season of KBC Junior (2001), made 14-year-old Ravi Mohan Saini India’s youngest millionaire.

So how has KBC changed the lives of these winners from humble backgrounds? Season four’s winner, Rahat, says, “The money helped secure a bright future for my kids. I’ve set aside money for my daughter’s marriage and my son’s education. We now live in a better house.” Rahat, however, has managed to stay grounded: “Money evaporates, respect doesn’t. More than half the money I won has been spent, but the respect I won through the show has only multiplied.”

Season One’s winner, Harshvardhan, agrees. The Ghatkopar resident was a 26-year-old finance professional preparing for his IPS (Indian Police Service) exams in 2000. The show changed his life overnight: “Suddenly, I was cutting ribbons and shaking hands with the who’s who of showbiz. It’s always easy to get swayed by sudden fame. I lost track of the IPS exams,” he says, adding, “After nearly two years, I decided to leave everything behind and pursue an MBA in Edinburgh. It was the wisest thing to do with the money I had left.” The 38-year-old is employed with the Naandi Foundation in Mumbai and works on a project for underprivileged kids.

Sushil, last year’s grand prize winner, has already started pursuing further education for a high-profile government job. “Today when I watch the promos, I remember how my in-laws would note down the questions for me to participate in the show. Probably because I have seen the less-privileged side of life, all this money and fame haven’t gone to my head,” he says, adding, “I’m comfortably working today and chasing my career dreams without financial pressures.”

Five seasons down and 12 years since it started, Kaun Banega Crorepati is now gearing up for its sixth outing, hopefully to change a few more lives for the better.



Greece will run out of money by end of June, warns former PM Lucas Papademos - Daily Telegraph

If Greece broke the terms of the deal and forfeited its bailout funds, it would likely default on its debts and may leave the eurozone.

Ahead of a new election on June 17, Syriza has led at times in the opinion polls, but a series of polls published on Sunday indicated conservative party New Democracy was favourite to win.

The new surveys by five separate polling groups predict a New Democracy victory ranging between 23.3pc and 25.8pc, a result that would still require the party to seek additional allies to form a viable government.

Syriza polled in second place ahead of the socialist former ruling party Pasok, which like New Democracy defends the bailout agreement.

New Democracy, part of the previous ruling coalition that signed on to the bailout deal, has said it will seek to renegotiate parts of the package but not scrap it completely.

Meanwhile, Greece's socialist leader has accused International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde of trying to "humiliate" his crisis-hit country by saying that Greeks avoid paying taxes.

"Nobody can humiliate the Greek people during the crisis, and I say this today addressing specifically Ms Lagarde... who with her stance insulted the Greek people," Evangelos Venizelos told an election rally filmed late Saturday and broadcast on Sunday.

"I call on her to re-think what she wanted to say."

Venizelos also said voters face a choice between supporting a review of the country’s aid package or the “blind and catastrophic” route of terminating the deal unilaterally.


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