Latest news with #PMH
NDTV
23-06-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Congressmen "So Disgusted With Sanjay Gandhi That...": Indira Gandhi Aide In Book
New Delhi: As principal secretary to Indira Gandhi in the run up to the Emergency and during her authoritarian regime of 21 months, PN Dhar had a rare insight into the goings-on of the period, and one central character who gets the most unflattering portrayal in his otherwise sober account of the era is the former prime minister's younger son Sanjay Gandhi. In his book 'Indira Gandhi, the Emergency, and Indian Democracy', Mr Dhar says the PMH (Prime Minister's Home) became a hive of "extra-constitutional" activities as leaders junior in the Congress hierarchy but having the ears of an increasingly distrustful prime minister and another set of functionaries loyal to her son undermined the PMS (Prime Minister's Secretariat). Critical of the power centralised in the PMS, Morarji Desai reduced its strength and rechristened it as Prime Minister's Office, a moniker which has continued, after replacing Indira Gandhi. Sanjay Gandhi and his loyalists like Haryana leader Bansi Lal gained ascendency in the Congress during the era. Even the prime minister was left alarmed by their move to have state assemblies pass resolutions in support of forming a constituent assembly for sweeping changes in the Constitution. Aware of her obsessive love for Sanjay Gandhi, Mr Dhar said in the book published in 2000 that he would normally have attributed all this to temporary annoyance. "But it was more than a passing mood this time. I knew how carefully she had kept Sanjay out of all discussions on constitutional reforms. I also knew how much she had resented the passage of the constituent assembly resolutions by the three assemblies without her knowledge, but with Sanjay's approval. Was Sanjay proving too wild even for her?" he wondered. He said the main purpose of the constituent assembly appeared to be continuing the Emergency regime and postponing elections. Bansi Lal told Mr Dhar that it would be to make "behan ji" (Indira Gandhi) president for life. When the Congress suffered a stunning loss in the March 1977 elections after the Emergency was lifted, Delhi turned into a "vast whispering gallery" echoing with stories of Indira Gandhi's alleged crimes and the plans of the Janata Party, which had won a majority, to destroy her and Sanjay Gandhi. She was more worried about Sanjay Gandhi and found herself isolated in her own family. "Rajiv had no sympathy for his brother. He came to see me, very concerned about his mother and full of anger against his brother. He said he had been a helpless observer of his brother's doings," Dhar writes. He said the Congress' defeat in the Gujarat assembly elections, which were held after the assembly was dissolved following student protests over a host of issues including corruption, and the Allahabad High Court's decision to disqualify Indira Gandhi from the Lok Sabha on the same day in June 1975 paved the way for the declaration of Emergency as the Jayaprakash Narayan-led opposition "cast off all restraint" to oust her. He said, "Indira Gandhi withdrew into her lonely self. At the moment of her supreme political crisis, she distrusted everybody except her younger son Sanjay." Sanjay Gandhi disliked his mother's colleagues and aides who had opposed his Maruti car project, or had otherwise not taken him seriously, Mr Dhar said. "He knew he would get into serious trouble if his mother were not around to protect him. For all her childhood insecurities, Indira Gandhi had compensated, one should say over-compensated, her sons, particularly Sanjay, with love and care. She was blind to his shortcomings. Her concern for Sanjay's future well-being was not an inconsiderable factor in her fateful decision," Mr Dhar said. Indira Gandhi, he added, accepted the self-serving opinion of her party colleagues that the JP-led opposition's attacks on them were really attacks on her. The Communist Party of India, her ally during the Emergency, had dubbed JP's agitation as a fascist movement supported by the US, a theory she embraced as she decided to suspend democracy, jail opposition leaders and censor the press to continue her rule. In the book written with a distance afforded to bureaucrats, no leading figure associated with the Emergency who comes in contact with Mr Dhar comes out an unblemished hero, not even the venerable JP, whose call for 'Sampoorna Kranti' (total revolution) and mass agitation for removing duly elected Congress governments in states and the Centre are questioned for their defiance of the rule of law and constitutional democracy. However, the leadership of JP, as Jayaprakash Narayan was often called, was instrumental in galvanising popular sentiments against Indira Gandhi as his role in the Quit India Movement had cast him in a heroic mould and his rejection of Jawaharlal Nehru's offer of a Cabinet post gave him high moral stature in a country where renunciation of power is held in high esteem, Mr Dhar noted. Soon after extending the tenure of the fifth Lok Sabha for another year till February 1978 on November 1976, Indira Gandhi was shown by Mr Dhar a report of "extreme coercion" inflicted on a group of school teachers for not fulfilling their sterilisation quota, one of the five-point programmes of Sanjay Gandhi beyond the 20-point programme of her government. "She fell silent after reading it. This was the first time she did not dismiss such allegations as false as had become her habit. After a long pause, she asked me in a tired voice how long I thought the Emergency should continue," he said. "Odd as it might seem, some Congressmen who believed that their party would lose in the elections also supported the idea of holding them. "They were so disgusted with Sanjay and his associates that they did not hesitate to tell his mother the opposite of what they believed would be the outcome of the elections," he added. Mr Dhar wrote that he invited the then chief election commissioner on January 1, 1977, for tea at home and took him into confidence for holding elections. The delighted CEC sent him a bottle of whiskey in the evening. On January 18, 1977, Gandhi announced that the Lok Sabha had been dissolved and fresh elections would be held two months later, leaving the opposition, people and the press stunned.
New Indian Express
23-06-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Was Sanjay proving too wild even for Indira Gandhi: Former PM's principal secretary in book
NEW DELHI: As principal secretary to Indira Gandhi in the run up to the Emergency and during her authoritarian regime of 21 months, P N Dhar had a rare insight into the goings-on of the period, and one central character who gets the most unflattering portrayal in his otherwise sober account of the era is the former prime minister's younger son Sanjay Gandhi. In his book, Indira Gandhi, the Emergency, and Indian Democracy, Dhar says the PMH (Prime Minister's Home) became a hive of "extra-constitutional" activities as leaders junior in the Congress hierarchy but having the ears of an increasingly distrustful prime minister and another set of functionaries loyal to her son undermined the PMS (Prime Minister's Secretariat). Critical of the power centralised in the PMS, Morarji Desai reduced its strength and rechristened it as Prime Minister's Office, a moniker which has continued, after replacing Indira Gandhi. Sanjay Gandhi and his loyalists like Haryana leader Bansi Lal gained ascendency in the Congress during the era. Even the prime minister was left alarmed by their move to have state assemblies pass resolutions in support of forming a constituent assembly for sweeping changes in the Constitution. Aware of her obsessive love for Sanjay Gandhi, Dhar said in the book published in 2000 that he would normally have attributed all this to temporary annoyance. "But it was more than a passing mood this time. I knew how carefully she had kept Sanjay out of all discussions on constitutional reforms. I also knew how much she had resented the passage of the constituent assembly resolutions by the three assemblies without her knowledge, but with Sanjay's approval. Was Sanjay proving too wild even for her?" he wondered. He said the main purpose of the constituent assembly appeared to be continuing the Emergency regime and postponing elections. Bansi Lal told Dhar that it would be to make "behan ji" (Indira Gandhi) president for life.
CBC
26-03-2025
- Health
- CBC
Midwifery services in western Manitoba to be suspended until fall due to staffing shortage
Midwifery services in western Manitoba will be temporarily halted amid what the local health authority says is an "unforeseen" staffing shortage. Prairie Mountain Health is advising pregnant women who'd hoped to give birth at home within the next six months to go to hospital instead, with birth and on-call midwifery services set to be suspended from April 1 to Sept. 30. "We sincerely apologize that we are not able to provide all aspects of care at this time," a memo notifying clients about the suspension said. "Please know this was a very difficult decision for our PMH program and staff." CEO Treena Slate said in a statement Tuesday midwifery services will continue to provide prenatal, postpartum and newborn appointments and care. Prairie Mountain's midwifery services are based out of Brandon. The health authority said clients will be referred there for deliveries, though it added facilities in Dauphin and Neepawa also offer birthing services. Slate said Prairie Mountain Health is offering clinical training and mentorship opportunities. She said it's also actively recruiting through advertising as well as conferences and the University of Manitoba career fair. Government working on recruitment: Minister Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara said Tuesday one midwife is currently on leave, triggering the suspension. Asagwara reiterated the suspension will be temporary. In its latest budget, the Manitoba government set aside $1.1 million to create seven new positions for midwifery graduates. The budget also says the government is also working on bringing graduates to northern First Nations. The minister blamed the current staffing situation on cuts to health-care services by the previous Progressive Conservative government. "Our government has been successful in filling all of the midwife training seats, and we are graduating midwives in this province as a result," they said. "We're going to graduate some more midwives in the spring and we're going to make sure they have a letter of offer for a job right here in Manitoba before they graduate." Roblin MLA Kathleen Cook, the PCs' health critic, said the fact the suspension is temporary won't provide any comfort for expecting mothers. "If you're a pregnant woman, you can't delay your delivery date until the temporary problem is behind us. It forces those women into an entirely different model of care than what they were expecting," Cook said. "For some women, the ability to give birth at home … is crucial to them," she said. "To be told that they now have to give birth in a hospital with an ob-gyn is disappointing to them. It's not the same." Cook said it was the PCs who established the University of Manitoba's midwifery program in 2021. A previous program which was to be jointly offered with University College of the North was cancelled in 2016. "We didn't hear any solutions from the minister today," she said. "We heard continued deflection and blame, but nothing that's going to reassure women who are pregnant in Prairie Mountain Health right now."
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
PMH partners with LiveRaceMedia, Sheheen for 2025 live stream
Parella Motorsports Holdings (PMH) has announced changes to its live stream production for the 2025 season, partnering with LiveRaceMedia and lead announcer Ralph Sheheen to bring viewers live coverage of 20 SpeedTour events this season. With two full days of coverage each event weekend, viewers will be able to enjoy racing from the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli (pictured above), Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA), Formula Regional Americas Championship, Formula 4 United States Championship, Ligier JS F4 Series, International GT (IGT) and Prototype Sprint Series Association presented by Hankook (PSSA). 'We're thrilled to partner with LiveRaceMedia and Ralph Sheheen to bring the fans at home coverage of SpeedTour events in 2025,' said Kim McCullough, Chief Marketing Officer of PMH. 'Ralph Sheheen has decades of experience as a broadcaster; his expertise and passion for the sport will elevate the coverage of every race. LiveRaceMedia is one of the best in the business, between showing fans the action on the track and personalities behind the helmets, we know they'll do a great job capturing SpeedTour events.' Headquartered in Green Bay, Wis., LiveRaceMedia has covered premiere motorsport events around the world. Utilizing a variety of track, pit lane, drone and on-board cameras, LiveRaceMedia employs the most advanced broadcasting technology to bring fans coverage of the on-track action. 'We're excited to partner with SpeedTour to bring the fans at home coverage of their action-packed events in 2025,' said Brandon Rohde, Owner/CEO of LiveRaceMedia. 'We worked with them a bit last season covering events at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and New Jersey Motorsports Park. With seven owned race series, the energy and excitement during a SpeedTour weekend is off the charts. We're excited to capture that on camera and share it with motorsports fans around the world.' Sheheen has been covering motorsports on national television for nearly 40 years. He has covered everything from Swamp Buggies to Formula 1 and from Supercross to MotoGP. Having worked with major television networks such as CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN and more, Sheheen will become the voice of SpeedTour TV, covering 20 race weekends from coast to coast. 'I have enjoyed the SpeedTour events as a fan, and now I get the honor of being the voice of the series,' said Sheheen. 'I have a huge passion for all forms of racing and I look forward to adding to the excitement of these action-packed events. I think it is a fantastic weekend of thrilling competition from a wide variety of classes. From the thundering Trans Am machinery, both new and vintage, to a combination of open-wheel classes that are an exciting training ground for the sport's future stars, as well as the captivating SVRA classics which provide a spectacular rolling history of motorsports along with a cacophony of tremendous engine notes, SpeedTour offers something for everyone. It's going to be an awesome season and I can't wait to get started!' SpeedTour TV's 2025 coverage kicks off with the Sebring SpeedTour, Feb. 22-23. Racing from Trans Am, SVRA, PSSA and IGT will be live both days, with the stream available on and the SpeedTour TV YouTube channel. Story originally appeared on Racer
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Giannone named CEO of Parella Motorsports Holdings
Parella Motorsports Holdings has announced the appointment of Lee Giannone to the role of Chief Executive Officer. Tony Parella, the founder and visionary who created Parella Motorsports and has been the driving force behind the company's success over the past 13 years, remains a significant shareholder and member of the Board of Directors. As CEO, Giannone will apply his experience from a diverse career spanning finance, motorsports consulting, and strategic business development to his role overseeing the business operations and strategy of PMH. PMH owns and operates a diversified portfolio of intellectual property and premier motorsports properties, including competitive racing series and events that showcase the best in automotive performance and innovation. PMH operates the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association, the largest vintage racing organization globally; the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli, the longest-running professional road racing series in North America; International GT, which offers Porsche and Ferrari competitors three different championship competitions; Prototype Sprint Series Association presented by Hankook, hosting prototype race cars in a sprint race format at America's most iconic road courses; and Formula Regional Americas Championship, Formula 4 United States Championship, and Ligier JS F4 Series, which are the first professional levels of America's Formula 1 ladder. PMH operates more than 25 high-profile motorsports events across the United States annually, attracting over 100,000 fans and participants while creating unparalleled experiences for drivers, teams, sponsors, and spectators. Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indiana, Circuit of The Americas in Texas, Road America in Wisconsin, Watkins Glen International in New York, Sebring International Raceway in Florida, Sonoma Raceway and WeatherTech Raceway California, as well as VIRginia International Raceway in Virginia, are among the iconic and celebrated race circuits at which PMH operates events. Velocity Capital Management, a middle-market private equity firm with specialized domain and operating expertise in sports, media and entertainment, acquired PMH with co-investors Cohesive Capital and Bolt Ventures in 2023. 'I want to personally thank Tony Parella for his friendship and partnership and welcome Lee Giannone to the PMH and Velocity family. Velocity intends to continue to provide capital and strategic support to accelerate PMH's mission to build a larger and diversified motorsports platform,' said David Abrams, Velocity co-founder and managing partner. 'Parella Motorsports Holdings has long been a driving force in the motorsports world, known for its commitment to creating dynamic experiences and making racing dreams come true,' said Tony Parella. 'With Lee at the helm, and with his knowledge and experience, the organization is poised to continue pursuing and fulfilling its vision.' 'I want to extend my gratitude to Tony Parella for his remarkable vision and leadership, which have laid an incredible foundation for this organization,' said Giannone. 'His legacy is a testament to the passion and dedication that define Parella Motorsports Holdings.' 'It is tremendous news for Parella Motorsports Holdings that Lee has agreed to join us on this exciting journey and wonderful that Tony will remain on the Board of Directors to further support the organization in key strategic projects and business growth,' said Velocity co-founder and partner Arne Rees. 'We have a tremendous opportunity in front of us and I'm looking forward to working with Tony and Lee, and continuing to cross-pollinate PMH with some of Velocity's other portfolio companies including Elevate and Videocites to create value for all stakeholders.' PMH and Velocity Capital Management retained Elevate Talent, a leading global executive search firm specializing in the intersection of sport, media, entertainment, and lifestyle, to complete the search for the new PMH CEO. 'We are incredibly proud to have partnered with Parella Motorsports Holdings in the search for their next CEO,' said Paul Chidley, Elevate Talent senior partner. 'Lee's leadership, vision, and deep passion for motorsports make him a natural leader to drive PMH forward for this next exciting chapter of growth. It has been an honor to work alongside Tony Parella and the entire PMH team to identify a leader who will uphold the organization's legacy while positioning it for continued success.' Giannone's professional journey reflects a diverse blend of experience in automotive finance, institutional markets, and motorsports consulting. Most recently, Giannone served as Director of Mecum Finance at Mecum Auctions, Inc., where he led integrations and development of external finance and related partner businesses for one of the world's premier entertainment platforms. He was instrumental in launching strategic financing initiatives, including generational estate programming and collections lending. A passionate motorsports enthusiast, Giannone is a 25-year Porsche GT and GTP prototype driver who has participated in vintage motorsports with PMH at major circuits for over two decades. Giannone will oversee all aspects of PMH's operations, including strategic planning, business development, and expanding the company's presence within the motorsports community. Known for his integrity, strategic thinking, and commitment to partners, Giannone's leadership will focus on enhancing business practices, building new growth pathways, and delivering exceptional value to stakeholders. Story originally appeared on Racer
