Air Race India 2003 marks 100 yrs. of aviation history

The Aeronautical Society of India, ASI, organised India's first-ever air race, the nationwide Air Race India 2003, to mark the 100th anniversary of the first manned flight by the brothers Wright, Orville and Wilbur, from Nov. 20 to 22. The race started simultaneously from four corners of the country, Chandi-garh, Goa, Bangalore and Barrackpore, near Kolkata. It ended at Nagpur, chosen for its central location.

Captain Sachin Sharad Ogale was the overall winner. Audrey Maben and 12-year-old Mashaan Kaula, the youngest participant in the race, won special prizes. Maben, who flew solo in her microlight aircraft, has only 125 hours of flying experience. However, she showed great courage and skill in completing the three-day race.

Many different aircraft participated in the historic event. They were divided into four categories, microlights, helicopters, medium and heavy. They included powered hang gliders, Cessna 172 planes, Chetak choppers and others.

Baywatch star, Brande, in M'bai

Brande Roderick, ex-star of the popular TV series Baywatch, launched her first bilingual Indian film, Out of Control, in Mumbai on Nov. 21. The blue-eyed blonde even sold tickets for the film, at Eros theatre. She co-stars with Ritesh Deshmukh in Vashu Bhagnani's movie, in which she speaks Punjabi.

She did the Bollywood movie because she loves song and dance sequences.