Kuhles aged 57 has trekked to 19 crash sites on seven expeditions to the mountains of India, Bhutan and Burma, now known as Myanmar. He mostly pays for the trips himself, which cost about $15,000 each and describes himself as a self-employed entrepreneur and adventurer.

Kuhles’ first documented crash site in the northeast corner of India was the one in 2003. He found the wreck of a C-87 Liberator Express four-engine cargo plane that crashed on April 24, 1943 during a World War II airlift over the world’s tallest mountains.  The aircraft's metal pieces lay in plain view on the mountainside, along with human bones and leather remnants of the aviators' uniforms.

Some of the bones subsequently were identified by the Army as the remains of Mervyn Earl Sims, a 23-year-old Army private from Petaluma who was buried with full military honors back in his hometown.

Nearly 600 aircraft and more than 1,600 people were lost on the 500-mile route nicknamed the ‘Aluminum Trail’ for the prevalence of downed planes.

Worldwide, there are more than 72,000 Americans unaccounted for out of the more than 400,000 casualties of World War II, the Defense Department said.

The Himalayan crash sites aren’t hard to find, Kuhles said, because native guides and porters have known about them for decades.

Kuhles said he gets leads on the sites from his trekking contacts in Southeast Asia. The hikes are arduous, he said, but not hazardous and the landscape is stunning.

It took two days of combing the C-87 crash site to find the critical piece, the aircraft’s serial number on a crumpled metal plate. It was the only way to determine who was aboard, Kuhles said.

The mountaineer said he is planning two trips later this year, one to Yunnan Province in China in August and then back to North East India to look for 10 crash sites. The U.S. military organization that looks for missing troops is currently not allowed in parts of India because of objections raised by the Chinese, Kuhles said.

“I can go wherever I want,” he said. “I plan to do this until I die.”

KOHIMA ORPHANAGE FOUNDER PASSES ON

Zaputuou Angami, founder and President of the Kohima Orphanage and Destitute Home (KODH), passed away at her residence in Seithogei. She was in a coma for some time after suffering a stroke in February this year.
She is survived by a daughter and 77 inmates of the KODH.
Late Zaputuoü Angami also fondly called ‘Amma’ was born on September 27, 1922 at Dihoma Village. She was the first lady from the village to receive education and pursued a career as a nurse under the Medical Department of the Nagaland Government.
It was during her posting as a nurse that she first adopted a boy whose mother had died during childbirth, Zaputuoü then committed herself to taking care of orphans and set up the KODH in 1973.
She has looked after more than 600 people so far at the Home, taking care of their health, education and spiritual life. Many of them are now in various government services, private companies and the Indian Army and Assam Rifles.
She had received numerous awards for her work and contributions. Notable among them are the Rajiv Gandhi Manav Seva Award (Government of India), Real Heroes Award (CNN-IBN and Reliance India), Outstanding Contribution in Social Service Award (Government of Nagaland), Karmayogi Award (Lions Club), Gold Medal (Governor, Nagaland) and Lifetime Achievement Award (Chief Minister, Nagaland).
Late Zaputuoü was laid to rest at her residence premises at KODH.

New Chairman & Managing Director Of Vijaya Bank

H.S. Upendra Kamath has assumed charge as the Chairman and Managing Director of Vijaya Bank with effect from April 1, 2011. Prior to taking charge, Shri Kamath was Executive Director in Canara Bank. Shri Kamath has been a professional banker for over 37 years and started his banking career in Union Bank of India where he worked in various capacities across the country.

Widely travelled within and outside the country, Mr. Kamath is known for his expertise, especially in Treasury & International Operations, Corporate Finance, SME Finance & Risk Management. He was a member of important Committees of RBI / IBA viz., working group on Benchmark Prime Lending Rate, Committee on Retail Banking etc., He was in the delegation which represented India along with the Hon'ble President of India during her visit to China in 2010.

Vote for Me, Get Nano Free!!!

Not lagging behind political parties, independents contesting the April 13 assembly elections in Tamil Nadu too had come up with promises of freebies to woo the electorate but most of them border on absurdity.
An independent contesting from Salem South and North constituencies has made the most unbelievable offer of a Nano car each to every voter if they elected him.
Shahjahan also promised a cell phone, a generator set to each family to relieve them from power cuts, free cable TV connection and pocket money of Rs.200 to every student.
When asked from where he would get the money to fulfil his promises, Shahjahan coolly said, “If the money that came from 2G spectrum scam is confiscated, more could be done.”
Asked whether his promise amounted to a corrupt practice, an offence under the Representation of the People’s Act, the candidate, a lawyer by profession, said there was nothing wrong in it. “If the political parties can offer (freebies), why can't I?” he countered.
Vincent Paul, another independent from Manapparai, has offered gold chain of five sovereigns to all girls getting married.
Dubbing these promises as ‘hollow’, former Chennai Mayor and DMK activist Sa Ganesan said people would believe promises made in the manifestos of political parties, but not those by independents.
In a war of freebies, ruling DMK and AIADMK have promised a bonanza ranging from mixer, grinder to mineral water and free rice.