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Indian investment in US growing at 26-27 pc annually
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AND THE WINNERS ARE‌
See Page 18
Murder case registered against Sharif See Page 23
Dhoni leads team out of hotel over homecooked biryani See Page 31
VOL 43. ISSUE 21
Let noble thoughts come to us from every side
See Page 15
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27th September to 7th November 2014
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Border row spoils Modi, Xi rapport . #
Modi's historic US visit begins on Sept 26 Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarks on a landmark actionpacked US visit this week with all his engagements combining symbolism and substance to reflect India's priorities from political to strategic to business. Observers see a complete mood swing in the US since Modi's sweeping electoral victory with enormous optimism
See pages 16 & 17 for more stories
about where the IndiaUS relations could go particularly in the business sphere and among the large Indian diaspora. The very fact that three top members of
Narendra Modi President Barack Obama's cabinet - secretary of state John Kerry, defence secretary Chuck Hagel and commerce secretary Penny Pritzker - have visited India in quick succession is reflective of the change in sentiment about India. There is clear Continued on page 26
The reports of incidents along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) has spoiled the rapport between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping. The border issue took centrestage at the meeting between Modi and Xi Jinping on Thursday last. Significantly, as Modi sought clear “clarification� on the LAC, Xi assured that Beijing has the “determination� to work with New Delhi through “friendly consultation� to settle the dis-
See pages 24 & 25 for Xi’s Gujarat visit
Scottish Referendum
Will Westminster diminish fears of Scottish Asians?
Charusmita
Xi Jinping with pute at an early date. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Modi said, “I also suggested that clarification of LAC would
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The political landscape of the United Kingdom has undergone an important change. Technically, it still remains the same sovereign country comprising of England, Scotland, Wales and the province of Northern Ireland, but the power dynamics within the union has been altered.
Narendra Modi greatly contribute to our efforts to maintain peace and tranquility and requested President Xi to Continued on page 26
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www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 27th September 2014
Alan Birchenall
people along the way, often people with unbelievable difficulties and they inspire me. It reminds me how lucky I am!
Alan Birchenall, having served as a Leicester City player between 1971 and 1977, Alan currently works as Club Ambassador, taking his association with the Football Club beyond 43 years. After beginning his footballing career as a midfielder with Sheffield United in 1963 before spells with Chelsea and Crystal Palace, Birchenall joined the Foxes in 1971. He would spend a successful six years at Filbert Street, until 1977 when he joined NASL side San Jose Earthquakes and eventually going on to play for Memphis Rogues, before returning to England for further spells with Blackburn Rovers, Luton Town and Hereford United. Since his retirement from professional football, Birchenall returned to Leicester and soon built a reputation as an active fundraiser - something that in 2002 earned him an MBE. That award was followed by his award of the Honorary Freedom of Leicester in 2009 as well as an honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from the University of Leicester two years later. As part of his current role, Birchenall is the pre-game and half time matchday host at King Power Stadium, which is the same venue at which he completes his annual end of season run for charity. The run has been going for an astonishing 34 years at the final home game of every season, and has seen over £1 million raised for more than 100 good causes around Leicestershire and beyond. 1) What is your current position? My current role as Club Ambassador covers a wide range of duties, including various activities on matchdays ie, presentations, compering, visiting sponsors, announcing the teams in the hospitality lounges. I also cover many non matchday club functions, often as MC. The other part of my role as Club Ambassador is getting out about Leicestershire, attending charitable fundraising events, general community events and representing the Club at supporter funerals. I also continue (in a fashion!) to complete the annual end of
season charity run at the last home game of the season at King Power Stadium, which is in its 35th year! 2) What are your proudest achievements? I am privileged and humbled to say that I have several proudest achievements to speak of. Firstly, reaching the £1million mark of fundraising from the charity run for local charities. Receiving my MBE was a shock! A fabulous one and what an occasion that was! Then receiving the Freedom of the City – that was a shock! I was thrilled to share that experience with Engebert
4) What has been the biggest obstacle in your career? There are so many charities out there now and everyone is deserving of help but, as we all know, it is impossible to help them all unfortunately. 5) Who has been the biggest influence on your Humperdinck and Sue Townsend. Then I was given an Honorary Doctorate of Law by Leicester University and I was also presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the BBC East Midlands Sports Awards. And last but by no means least, is being given a lifetime contact at Leicester City Football Club – fantastic and something that has never been done before as far as I am aware. 3) What inspires you? I just love the game and feel privileged to be able to work within it. I meet some fantastic
Nepalese community to officially launch energy company in Britain Gnergy, a Nepalese community owned company of energy provider, set up in last December by 200 former Gurkhas in Farnborough, Hampshire, will be officially launched nationwide on 24 November by Amber Rudd MP, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Energy and Climate Change. The Gurkhas clubbed together to invest £600,000 to set up their own energy provider and is probably the most unusual of the new breed of independent suppliers. Initially targeting the 80,000-strong Nepalese community living in the UK, it claims to offer
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6) What is the best aspect about your current role? Everything about it. Being
7) And the worst? Attending the funerals of young supporters. That is one of the hardest things and I have attended man over the last 30 years. Any funeral is horrible but when it’s a child it is heartbreaking. 8) What are your long term goals? Long term goals – of course to continue as Club Ambassador and to see the club progress. Hopefully retain Premier League status and then strive for bigger and better things for the club – Europe! And to stay healthy. 9) If you were Prime Minister, what one aspect would you change? One aspect would be to reduce the overseas aid. Not stop it completely but spend some on schools and hospitals here in the UK. 10) If you were marooned on a desert island, which historical figure would you like to spend your time with and why? If I can sum up my personality in saying that the answer to this question would of course be Angelina Jolie! But seriously, which I very rarely am, the historical figure I would like to speak to would be Winston Churchill. I probably wouldn’t be here today had it not been for him!
One week left to nominate for prestigious Dadabhai Naoroji Awards
Gnergy is based in the Gurkha Bhawan community centre in Farnborough. Graduates from the Nepalese community have been hired by Mr Dewan, including a Nepalese trader to source electricity and gas from the wholesale market on behalf of its customers.
The Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, is calling on the Indian community to nominate colleagues, family or friends for the new Dadabhai Naoroji Awards, to celebrate individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to relations between India and the United Kingdom. The awards, which were launched by the Deputy Prime Minister during his trade mission to India in August, are dedicated to Dadabhai Naoroji, the first Asian Member of the British Parliament and the man who brought the first Indian business to the UK.
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Gerald Howarth MP with retired Gurkha Majors Tikendra Dewan and Davam Gurung
tariffs 5% cheaper than the rest of the market. Tikendra Dal Dewan, a retired major and chief executive of Gnergy, said: “We have got the green light to take it across the UK and open it to anyone. There will not be any small print or obligations. People can come to our offices.”
career to date? My parents were my biggest influence both growing up and in the early day s of my football career. My parents certainly weren’t a well of family and it was only later in life that I realised the sacrifices they made for me when I started to play my football. I remember a man knocking on the door for half a crown every week to pay for my new football boots. Looking back, that was a big commitment for them.
around the training ground, the banter, leading up to match days, match days, of course! Meeting the fans, talking to people.
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There is just a week to go to nominate someone you know who has made an outstanding contribution to UK-India relations in the fields of commerce, culture or education. Nominations close at the end of Tuesday 30 September. The 2014 winners will be invited receive their Awards at a reception at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London on 17 October. The Deputy Prime Minister said: “The commercial and cultural links between India and Britain – our businesses, our universities, our friends and families - go back cen-
turies, and are as vital to both countries as they have ever been. I know there are thousands of people in this country who had dedicated themselves to enhancing this new special relationship between our two countries.” Details on how to nominate can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dad a b h a i - n a o ro j i - a w a rd s nomination-form
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www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 27th September 2014
COMMENT
Scotland vote a lesson for all
Scotland may be a small nation but it is peopled by political giants. The referendum on Scottish independence was as perfect a manifestation of democracy at work as the world is ever likely to see. The scale of the participation, at 85 per cent of votes cast, was mind boggling, as was the passion and dignity of the electorate and politicians across the board. The fairness of the proceedings and the grace with which the people’s verdict was accepted by the leaders of the Scottish National Party (SNP) have set standards of probity for the rest of humankind. Those parts of the European continent, such as Catalonia and the Flemish area of Belgium, where ethnic and linguistic minorities seek remedial justice, the Scottish exercise will be inspirational. The No to Scotland’s secession from the 307-old union, that is the United Kingdom, has been affirmed, but the strength of the Yes vote, resoundingly affirmed from Glasgow, Scotland’s largest city and industrial hub, underlined the general Scottish resentment at the exclusivist politics of an arrogant London elite operating out of Westminster. Scotland has issued a wake-up call to the other three nations – England, Wales and Northern Ireland – of the United Kingdom that the time for change had arrived, that things could no longer go on as they did before. Anti-independence Conservative, Labour and Lib Dem parties have
promised a greater devolution for Scotland, with more enabling powers (particularly in taxation) for its parliament. The Scotland-England political divide began decades ago, but was greatly intensified by Thatcherism and the Moloch of the free market, with Margaret Thatcher proclaiming that such a thing as society didn’t exist. Cavalier privatization de-industralized large swathes of England, its crippling social consequences for all to bear witness decades later. Scotland, meanwhile, remained true to the guiding principles of the welfare state: higher education to be free, so also the health service. Two halves of the United Kingdom were pulling in different directions. The Scottish referendum has given a life line to the England’s north and midlands, the message being that their economic needs and interests could no longer be ignored, that the voice of the people in these neglected parts had to be heard and respected and concretized through new devolved institutions. Constitutional reform across the UK is the need of the hour and the national conversation on how best to achieve has to start with the minimum delay. David Cameron, as prime minister, has the responsibility of tabling the agenda. How to make Britain great again, and the British voice heard and respected across the world is the challenge facing Britain’s leaders.
President Xi Jinping’s visit to India was, overall, a success. He received an enthusiastic reception from the Indian public and Indian dignitaries. The extensive one-to-one talks between Mr Modi and his Chinese guest were frank, full and wide-ranging. They went a long way in reducing the trust deficit that has characterized Sino-Indian relations over the past half century. President Xi is a decisive figure who knows his own mind and is not given to shillyshallying. His vision statement on the Sino-Indian relationship going forward into the 21st century to the Indian media on the eve of his arrival was bold, forthright and purposeful. India and China were destined to be partners, not rivals, in their transformative drive towards modernity. Their economies, he said, were complementary: China’s industrial achievements dovetailed by India’s in the IT back office services sector. Trade and investment topped the Xi-Modi agenda, whose positive outcomes are dealt with on another page (See Media Watch, p 12). We shall, therefore confine ourselves here to issues of security and international politics and the way they impinge on Indian and Chinese interests and concerns. The one shadow that darkened President Xi’s presence was the stand-off on the Sino-Indian border in the Ladakh sector. That this should have occurred during Mr Xi’s presence was puzzling and unsettling for India, the source of past suspicion and discord still to be fully eradicated. Chinese military power in Tibet gives Beijing a considerable strategic advantage in South Asia and adjoining South East Asia. Much of this derives from China’s control of the head waters of the great rivers that flow southwards, such as the Brahmaputra and Mekong, along which dams have been built that could impede the agricultural development of other riparian states. China’s maritime claims in the South China Sea and on Arunachal Pradesh in India need to be settled expeditiously in the interest of enduring regional peace. Such festering disputes breed ill-will. Is the time-scale projected by China for the solution to these problems to be measured in decades or centuries? If so, the sword of Damocles will continue to hang over the heads of countries party to these disputers. If borders are to be unscrambled with the aid of ancient documentation the ensuing chaos would
be unimaginable. Would Kanishka’s rule over Afghanistan in the Fifth century AD make it part of present-day India? China’s Rise arouses apprehension and invites a countervailing American presence in the region, to which Beijing does not take kindly. No Indian government will agree to an arrangement whereby Arunachal Pradesh and its population are transferred to another state. Truth is that China’s insecurities are rooted in its imperial past. Xinjiang, Tibet and Inner Mongolia were acquired through conquest. The way forward is to accept their special cultural and ethnic identities in a genuinely autonomous political structure rather than through tight centralized control from Beijing. Tibetan unrest and the flight of the Dalai Lama to India and the continuing movement of Tibetan refugees across the forbidding Himalayan heights into India are not of India’s making. The asylum given them is consistent with International law. China’s relations with India should not be hostage to Chinese failures in domestic governance. Boxing India into the Subcontinent was a shared Sino-US policy from 1971 to 2000, with Pakistan as their preferred instrument [see American Naval War College Review, Spring 2006 by Donald Berlin] has brought no lasting geopolitical gains to either party. India is now a significant player in the Far East and South East Asia. There is a firm relationship between India and Vietnam, an alignment underscored by President Pranab Mukherjee’s recent four-day visit to Hanoi. As a former Indian defence, foreign and finance minister, he was largely responsible for creating the strong platform for the Indo-Vietnam relationship. Apropos of Sino-Indian ties, a positive note was struck recently with China’s acceptance of full Indian membership of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which Russia, a cofounder, had long advocated and China had opposed. It gives India a presence in the counsels of Central Asian security, which is of great import in the context of the Ukraine and Middle East crises and Nato’s unquenched toxic ambitions. [See Foreign Affairs, Sept-Oct 2014 issue, John J.Mearsheimer, “Why the Ukraine Crisis Is the West’s Fault”] All in all, China has some hard thinking to do in the months and years ahead.
Cambridge University has appointed Antara Haldar, 28, as Lecturer in the Department of Law, the first such tenured appointment to an Indian and nonEuropean academic. Born in Mumbai to Bengali parents, Antara Halder graduated in economics from St Stephen’s College, Delhi and went to Cambridge University for higher studies, earning a first degree in law followed by a PhD. Her early training as an economist and subsequent studies in law have enabled her to bridge two disciplines and explore their interactions. She will thus be making a study of the Gujarat model of development with special reference to its textile industry. Inclusive finance is what presently engages her. Her collabo-
ration with the American economics Nobel laureate, Joseph Stiglitz, on the “relationship between formal and informal law”has been exceedingly fruitful. Antara’s work is an exploration of the linkages between social development, law and economics, including the gender dimension. “I am happy and also very excited about being on the faculty….now competing for the top position with Harvard…..culturally a very unique place. It is an exciting moment intellectually because a lot of what was given, about power balances, about economic and legal models that work, is now being called into question[hence] is an exciting moment for the global South and…. for countries like India,” said Antara Haldar.
India, China, and the global chessboard
Cambridge honours Indian woman
3
Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind - Theodor Seuss Geisel (1904-1991)
Lord GK Noon
of St John’s Wood, Labour peer
The Need to Speak Out It has been widely reported that, when the House of Commons returns, in the Home October Secretary will announce plans to introduce ‘gagging orders’ (perhaps similar to those imposed on members of the IRA in the 1980s) against named individuals and organisations who promote jihad and the radicalisation of British Muslims. As Teresa May takes this welcome action to silence these vile few; we should also be making attempts to break the deafening silence of the vast reservoir of ordinary and British hardworking Muslims who remain true to their faith while being respectful of the culture and norms of the society in which they grew up or adopted as their home. The unified power of these voices would indeed be immense and reflect the views of the overwhelming majority of British Muslims. However, fear of reprisals, a desire to avoid conflict with neighbours and family members, and the hope that others will speak on their behalf – keeps that vast power latent. Meanwhile, lurking in the stagnant pond of the few, the repulsive and vile preachers and perpetrators of hate - who encourage Muslim to fight Muslim and glorify the beheading and defilement of fellow man in the name of Jihad. People who promote martyrdom as a career and life choice are in a grotesque feeding frenzy; consuming the very social media channels that carry messages of consumerism, sexual, educational and democratic freedoms that they find abhorrent to put out their messages of hate, to show graphic video footage of savagery and to radicalise the young, impressionable and vulnerable.
Hopefully Parliament will speedily approve the Home Secretary’s plans and the oxygen of media will be turned off- choking off the ability to send the poisonous messages of hatred, terror and violence. A welcome first step in mobilising the voices in that mighty reservoir of the good was the resignation of Imam, Mohammad Bashin Uddin of the Jalalis Mosque in Cardiff. He made a stance and has been a brave voice against the radical preachers. Cardiff has seen too many of its young get caught up in the fighting in Syria – it has brought devastating consequences to families and communities in Wales and the Imam has spoken out to avoid more young men and young women from being radicalised. Let us hope that more people will follow his lead and speak out. Let us listen to those brave family members of the young turned by the hate preachers, let them speak of the devastating effect on their families as the hate preachers turn brother on brother and son against father. Let more Imams speak out if they encounter speakers peddling the message of hate at their Mosques and let those involved in teaching in the Madrasas be vigilant and bring into the light any malpractice. When I first came to Britain in 1966 there were only two mosques in England. It is a mark of how Muslims have been welcomed by the land I chose to be my home that today there are over 1000 mosques here spread around the country and serving the good, honest and hardworking people of the Muslim faith in the communities in the south, north, east and west of this land. Continued on page 6
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MIDLANDS VOICE
www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 27th September 2014
Police warn parents about signs of grooming After jailing sexual predator Saquib Hamid last week, Leicestershire police have warned local parents to be vigilant about the signs of grooming. Saquib Hamid, 35, (pictured) was found guilty of 25 counts of supplying drugs, engaging in sexual activity with a child, and attempting to involve a child in prostitution and was jailed for 12 years. He will be on the Sex Offender Register for life. He will also have a Sexual Offender Prevention Order which restricts his future contact with children. Rt Hon Keith Vaz, the MP for Leicester East and the Chairman for the Home Affairs Select Committee, outside the Royal Courts of Justice following the inquest of Jacintha Saldanha who died on the 8th December 2012. He is pictured with her husband Benedict Barboza, their children Lisha and Junal, family friend Steven Almeida and lawyer John Cooper QC. Jacintha Saldanha, 46, who lived in Southmead, Bristol with her family, was working at the King Edward VII Hospital in London in December 2012 when the Duchess of Cambridge was treated for acute morning sickness. She was found dead by apparent suicide, three days after receiving a hoax call. The prank call was part of the Hot30 Countdown radio pro-
called “Could you spot the signs?”
Leicestershire Police has joined the local safeguarding children’s boards and other agencies to raise awareness of child sexual exploitation among potential victims and their parents/carers. This included delivering more than 100,000 leaflets to schools, business and places of worship last year. The campaign was
gramme, broadcast on the Austereo-owned station 2Day FM in Sydney, Australia. In it, the hosts Mel Greig and Mike Christian impersonated the Queen and the Prince of Wales enquiring about
had downed three vodkas. Mahboob, 24, of Edderthorpe Street, Barkerend, Bradford, denies two allegations of rape and one of sexual assault, in July last year. When Mahboob was arrested on October 30, he told the police that the student made the first move and the sex was consensual. The trial continues.
Ex-lover jailed for 'frenzied' killing of mum-of-two A spurned lover who killed a woman in a "frenzied" knife attack in a Wolverhampton hotel room has been jailed for life. Gurminder Singh, pictured, of Forest Gate in London, was found guilty of killing married mother-of-two Amandeep Kaur Hothi, a Smethwick travel agent, in the Britannia Hotel in March. He was told he must
l Having mood swings or being emotionally upset. l Changes in physical appearance. l Changes in eating patterns. l Misusing alcohol or drugs. l Chatting online to people the child has never met.
A court heard that a pizza shop boss reportedly told a fire crew not to cut a colleague's son from a dough rolling machine, because it will cost him money. Sajid Mahmood, the former owner of Pizza De Roma, on Gospel Lane, Olton, told emergency services the equipment cost £1,500. And he reportedly urged them to dismantle the machine instead of freeing the injured and crying child with cutting tools. Crews were worried the youngster, the son of Sajid's colleague, could have lost three fingers on his right hand which were trapped between the rollers of the machine. But the court was told customers were still being served meals when firefighters arrived to rescue him on March 17 last year. When the boy was freed, his fingers were compressed and blue. The court heard he went on to make a full recovery. Mahmood, pictured,
who has now sold the venue, later admitted four breaches of health and safety law and was fined £6,000 and ordered to pay £7,000 costs. Mohammed Hussain, defending, said Mahmood had been trying to help the rescue operation by asking crews to dismantle rather than cut the machine. He said: “He was agitated this incident was taking place and felt helpless. He was trying to help the situation, not hinder it.”
Police have said that a takeaway driver was killed, after suffering fatal wounds, inflicted by a bladed weapon, possibly axe or meat cleaver, after being deliberately lured to his death in the Black country. Nine people were arrested but were later released without charge. Last April, Basar Abbas, 28, was delivering what turned out to be a bogus order for a Chinese Takeaway when he was trapped by masked men in Madison Avenue, Alumwell. The father-of-two, pictured, died four days later from serious head injuries at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Despite the Crimestoppers charity pledging a £10,000 reward leading to the conviction of his killer, police are no closer to solving the crime. Det Insp Plant said:
“This wasn’t a random attack. I believe this to be a premeditated attack which was planned and organised to lure Mr Abbas to Madison Avenue to facilitate the attack.” The victim had worked for the Moon Palace Takeaway from Friday to Sunday before returning to Blackburn to join his wife Shabnam Bi, who was pregnant with their second child when he was murdered. The family has appealed for his killer to be caught.
tive included in garden furniture, which could with popular prove ornithologists who slip this mortal coil.
A man killed in a car crash that led to blocking of Bradgate Road and Roecliffe Road in Cropston on the weekend, has been named as 19year-old Danveer Singh Sadhra of nearby Newtown Linford. Leicestershire Police
are investigating the cause of the fatal road crash and emergency services were called to Bradgate Road, Cropston, where they discovered a car and a man’s body. Police said there was nothing to suggest any other vehicle was involved in the collision.
to death in a frenzied attack at the hotel. He dialled 999 the following morning and when the ambulance crew arrived at the hotel they found Mrs Hothi dead in the hotel room and Singh with serious knife wounds to his throat. He was taken to hospital for his injuries and was released three
weeks later where he was arrested and interviewed. During his police interview he refused to comment but was later charged with Amandeep’s murder. Throughout the trial he denied murder but admitted to killing his former lover in a fit of madness. Mrs Hothi’s husband
Pal Singh, said: “Our family has been left devastated and traumatised. We are heartbroken by the loss of Amandeep. The family is rallying together to look after Amandeep’s two young sons and we now want to be left alone to grieve and to come to terms with all that has happened.”
Takeaway driver deliberately lured to death
Man accused of raping student in his car The Bradford Crown Court recently heard that a 17 years old girl was raped in a locked car on a dark road, after accepting a lift. The church going student who is now 18, said that the alleged perpetrator Aadil Mahboob was a complete stranger until she met him that night. She claimed he laughed repeatedly after forcing her to have sex after she
Detective Inspector Rich Hiom leads the child sexual exploitation team at Leicestershire Police said children and their parents or carers should look out for the signs. These can include:
l Appearing with unexplained gifts or new possessions. l Being in a relationship with or associating with an older person. l Increased or secretive mobile phone and computer use or in possession of multiple phones. l Showing inappropriate sexualised behaviour. l Suffering from sexually transmitted infections. l Associating with other young people involved in exploitation. l missing Regularly school or not taking part in education. l Regularly going missing for periods of time or returning home late.
Man told fire crew not to cut colleague's son from machine
serve at least 24 years in prison following the nineday trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court.
the health of the Duchess of Cambridge, who was, at the time, a patient staying at the hospital. Saldhana fell for the hoax and transferred the call to the nurse looking after the Duchess. A hospital
spokesperson said that she was the "victim of a cruel journalistic trick". Saldanha was from India, lived in Oman for a number of years, before finally moving to Britain for about 10 years.
Funeral parlour promises unique lasting tribute A funeral parlour has created a stir by guaranteeing a unique lasting tribute to the dead, by inking tattoos on their loved ones, with the deceased’s ashes. Walsall's Cooperative Memorials, is offering this service as a spectacular alternative to grandad’s bunging ashes on the mantlepiece. The business is also offering to scatter the remains by fireworks for those who longed to go out with a bang, include them in paintings and even add them to jewellery or have a dead relaSingh, 29, had been travelling from London to meet 29-year-old Mrs Hothi for almost 12 months believing that she was single. The court heard that after uncovering the truth Singh was unable to deal with the deceit. He took a knife to a planned rendezvous and stabbed her
Man named after car crash
Shayne Taylor, head of Masonry Services at the Co-op in Walsall
UK
www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 27th September 2014
Ilford brothers convicted of killing cousin of actress Laila Rouass Two brothers from Ilford, Essex, were convicted of 20-year-old killing Ibrahim Gharib in east London in March 2010. Gharib's body was pulled from the Shadwell Basin. Although no witnesses saw Mr Gharib go in the water, the Chowdhury brothers Amran, 27, and Misba, 24, were convicted of manslaughter for taking part in the attack and will be sentenced on a date to be set this week. A post mortem examination revealed that Ibrahim Gharib had drowned in the 30 feet deep water. The brothers had both denied manslaughter and the alternative charge of affray. Mr. Gharib was the cousin of actress Laila Rouass, who came fourth in the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing in 2009. After his death, Ms. Rouass said her
The Chowdhury brothers
family was 'devastated'. “It's a terrible waste of life”, she added. Steffi Rai, 26, Amran Chowdhury’s ex-girlfriend too, was convicted of perverting the course of justice by trying to help him evade the police. She too had denied the charge and will be sentenced on 3 October. Detective Constable Darrell Etchells, the investigating officer from
the Homicide and Major Crime Command, said, “These convictions mark the end of a long and extensive investigation to bring to justice those responsible for Ibrahim’s death. No motive has ever been discovered for the attack but I hope Ibrahim’s family can find some peace in the fact that the jury are satisfied the Chowdhury brothers were responsible for his death.”
Fatal fire causes authorities to review safety regime for white goods Beko, one of the world's biggest manufacturers of white goods, which was under scrutiny after one of its fridge-freezers caused the death of a 36year-old man in November 2010. Santosh Benjamin-Muthiah, father-of-two, died in a blaze caused by toxic fumes coming from the fridge-freezer in his house. Andrew Walker, the coroner at North London coroner’s court, is due to record a verdict on Friday. The safety regime of white goods faces an overhaul following his death. Santosh died as he tried to rescue his daughters, aged three and three months, from the family home. They survived but
Santosh Benjamin-Muthiah
he did not. In 2008, Beko was warned of a 'serious risk' from its fridge-freezers that could cause injury or death, but failed to order a recall. BenjaminMuthiah had a Beko fridge-freezer.
A public register of white goods is due to be launched by the Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Electrical Appliances (Amdea) to trace potentially defective products. The London Fire Brigade reported that in the last 12 months they attended 60 fires in the area, of which 15 were of Beko units, 20 of other makes and 25 unknown. Beko says 492,035 fridge-freezers were at risk and 412,735 have been modified or scrapped. It said it supported plans to enhance consumer-data collection and improve the effectiveness of product recalls.
600 asylum seekers crammed into a 98-bedroom London hotel The housing enforcement team of Croydon Council found 600 asylum seekers crammed into a 98-bedroom London hotel in Church Road, Crystal Palace, earlier this month. The Queen's Hotel was discovered to have nine people in one room and four in most of the others, as reported by the housing inspectors. Steve Reed wrote to the Immigration Minister James Brokenshire MP after he started receiving complaints from people living nearby about noise, intimidation and antisocial behaviour by the asylum seekers in the hotel. The inspectors found one of the buildings had 500 people sleeping in it, while
Queen's Hotel, London
another building, which is supposed to accommodate up to 68, had 100 people in it. Mr. Reed now wants to meet the Immigration Minister and the Lewisham West and Penge MP Jim Dowd to discuss their concerns. He said, "I am worried about the safety of the people living in the hotel, the sudden con-
version of the hotel into a bed and breakfast hostel without consultation and the impact of an extra 600 people suddenly arriving in the neighbourhood." A spokesman from the Home Office said, "We are taking urgent steps with our housing providers to reduce the number of people living at the Queens Hotel in Crystal Palace.
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Teenager campaigning to become Nisa's Chief Executive 18-year-old Harris Aslam is vying for the top job of Chief Executive of Nisa retail, the memberowned convenience store empire with £1.6 billion of sales. The teenaged entrepreneur already has a position of influence as he sits on the board as a non-executive director. Aslam had left school when he was 13. With no formal qualifications, he received training through this family's grocery business. He was able to join Nisa’s board at 16 owing to its mutual model, which gives its hundreds of members the
Harris Aslam
power to elect directors. He has informed
Nisa's chairman he may enter the race to succeed Neil Turton as Chief Executive, after stepping down from the nominations committee. Nisa is one of Britain's biggest private companies and supplies more than 1,000 independent shopkeepers with food and drinks. Currently it is going through turbulent times. Harris Aslam and his cousin Raza Rehman came on board after a strong grass-roots campaign. They are known to have other supporters among the nonexecutives.
Police appealing for helpful Asian couple to come forward Police in Brent are appealing for an Asian couple that helped an assault victim to come forward. On Monday, 18 August around 10pm, a 39-yearold female was walking her dog along Sudbury Avenue, junction with Waylett Place, Wembley when she was approached by the suspect who made comments for her to follow him. The victim walked off and was followed by the suspect. He grabbed hold of her arm causing a small
cut. The victim saw an Asian couple walking along the road and approached them to ask if she could walk with them. She walked with them until they reached East Lane. They waited with her until the male moved on. Police were called. The suspect was identified nearby and arrested on suspicion of actual bodily harm. DC Lianne Walsh from Brent CID said:
“This was a frighten ordeal for the victim. I am appealing for the couple that helped her to come forward as they will be able to help with our enquiries. If you are that couple or know who they are or if you witnessed this incident please get in touch. Anyone with information is asked to call 101, alternatively you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or visit www.crimestoppers-uk.org
Leading French University rewards honorary Professorship to Dr Lalvani Dr Kartar Lalvani’s outstanding work was rewarded with the title of honorary Professorship from a leading French University and centre for dermatologic research on the Monday 22 September. The unique results of the French clinical trial of Dr Lalvani’s invention, Perfectil; has been established as the first beauty tablet in the world to have shown such remarkable results and was formally announced at the Royal Society of Medicine by the world renowned French dermatologist Professor Philippe Humbert. This is only the second time in the history of this renowned university that an honorary professorship has been awarded to a British scientist. It is also the first time ever that such an award has been given to a British scientist in the field of dermatology, for which the 900 year old hospital at Besancon is a global centre of excellence. In his speech Dr
Lalvani OBE said: “I am truly honoured by the conferment of today’s professorial title at your great institution, one of Europe’s oldest universities yet one with a thoroughly modern forwardlooking outlook. “I am delighted at the innovative research collaboration between Vitabiotics, UK’s leading nutraceutical company, and Prof Humbert’s renowned research centre that has created highly original discoveries on winter skin ageing, followed by Vitabiotics innovation in how to prevent it through micronutrient supplements. “Ours is the first British company to bring transformative innovation to dermatology and cosmetics - an area where France has always been and remains predominant - so of course for us a French scientific partner was a natural choice. In Prof Humbert, Ferial and the CERT research centre we have identified the world’s best partners to rigorously measure the
Dr Kartar Lalvani OBE
dermatological benefits of our inventions. In Prof Humbert I have found a true intellectual partner – we share the same passion for bringing benefit to patients through medical advances. “I look forward to building on the success of this ground-breaking British-French scientific collaboration for many years into the future. The location of Prof Humbert’s research centre on Boulevard Fleming augurs well for this British-French initiative since it is named after the Nobel prize-winning British physician who discovered penicillin!”
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UK
www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 27th September 2014
The Need to Speak Out Continued from page 3
Spriha Srivastava
A nomadic journey to India
Love for their country and love for adventure has driven a group of five Indian friends across 10000 kilometers of journey. They have set out on a road trip from the UK capital to Mumbai. The group plans to cover two continents and 14 countries in 25 days. The group, which calls itself ‘Nomads on Wheels’ is on this three week long road trip – fully funded by friends, family, corporate companies and the men themselves to raise money for charity. They started their journey last week by catching a ferry from London to France and will then cover Europe, Russia, China, Pakistan and India. What started off as an adventure of a lifetime for five Londonbased friends – Owais Amiri, Kirti Puthran, Ram K, Shivashish Misra and Vamsi Salla, is now a mission to support and raise funds for SOS Children and Association for India’s Development (AID). In addition to this, the ‘Nomads’ as they are called are also campaigning and spreading awareness for Equal Rights for Children, a UN-backed initiative, in countries they cross on the way by visiting schools and program sites. The group plans to reach Mumbai between October 3 and 5 after completing 10000 kilometers on road. But interested to know what countries will they be crossing? Their challenging road trip will take them across Europe, Central Asia, China, Pakistan and Russia among other countries. They are currently travelling through the vast plains of Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and will then head over to the rugged mountainous range of the Himalayas. These ‘Nomads’ have
raised close to £7000 in pledges through supporters, corporate sponsors and pre-charity challenges including a badminton tournament and a Bollywood charity night before they embarked on their journey. Members of the group have been posting their updates regularly on their Facebook page c a l l e d 5NomadsOnWheels. Apart from this they plan to blog about their experiences in various countries after they reach Mumbai. The group is a wonderful example of following your passion. It’s never too late to try adventure in life. And tying your adventurous outings with good cause is like icing on the cake. Young people have a certain responsibility towards the society and Nomads on Wheels have shown how one can tie the two together and try and make this society a better place to live. Kudos to the team!
India at a crossroads
The UK-India Business Council (UKIBC) organized a wonderful panel discussion last week to discuss India’s outlook and business opportunities under the new Narendra Modi-led BJP government. An extremely vibrant discussion touched on various topics ranging from branding in India to infrastructure sector, success stories and much more. The panel discussion, moderated by Financial Times journalist Ravi Mattu, included Ravi Venkatesan, former Chairman of Microsoft India and Cummins India, Rt. Hon. Patricia Hewitt, Chair of UKIBC, Alan Blake, Immediate past CEO, JCB, Anu Madgavkar, Senior
Fellow, McKinsey & Co. and Philip Bouverat, Director, JCB. The discussion started with Ravi Venkatesan discussing his latest book called “‘Conquering the Chaos: Win in India, Win Everywhere’ published by Harvard Business Review. Ravi who is currently a venture partner at Unitus Seed Fund which invests in early stages social enterprises, is also the founder and chairman of Social Venture Partners India, a network of engaged philanthropists addressing social problems through venture philanthropy. Ravi’s book celebrates the distinctiveness of India as a place to do business. The essence of it is those who learn to be successful in India can succeed in other unfamiliar and difficult environments as well. Ravi gave various examples from McDonalds to JCB and so on where companies have been successful because they hire the right people and follow a strategy. Alan Blake of JCB agreed with Ravi. Some other topics that the panel touched upon were the new Modi government and what this meant for longer term economic strategy. They also discussed outlook for multinational organisations looking to invest in India and how India can learn from the Chinese model. Some very interesting points were raised about India’s federal system of government and how policies affect different states. The discussion ended with a very lively Q&A discussion with the audience and a networking session that gave immense opportunities for guests to meet and interact with each other. Take away from the discussion? If you succeed in India you can succeed everywhere.
Let us know what you think. Email Spriha at aveditorial@abplgroup.com
The Muslim people that are helping to build a better Britain for our future and the future of our children and for their families and generations to come. It is these quiet, unassuming and humble people who must also find their voice and show vigilance. For young boys and young girls- growing up today in Britain- there are many opportunities that our multicultural country has to offer. Access to education, a society that welcomes enterprise and ambition – which rewards success but cares for those less well-off or lessable. These are the very opportunities and values that Muslims in their thousands- me included- found so attractive, and lead to us choosing to make the UK
our home. But today these very values and opportunities we wished our children to inherit are being demonised by the hate preachers from that stagnant pond of wanton destruction who get gratification from turning our children against us and against our –Muslimvalues. The tools and products that have brought sexual, religious and educational liberation to many and fuelled consumer choice, and helped reduce the democratic deficit are now being harnessed by the very people that despise these thing so much – the hate preachers who are harnessing the power of social media and its ability to reach out to younger and more vulnerable people. But they are not using it as a power for good – the way in which they encourage those they have
radicalised to show the grotesque beheadings and debasement of their captives knows no bounds and is depraved. The Jihadists they have radicalised are given celebrity style status on the channels and radical preaching supplements this mix of celebrity, glory in killing and Martyrdom. It is time that as the present Government closes down access to these tools for the radicals’ local community leaders, educational institutions and civil society embraced them as tools to open dialogue with young British Muslims and for the young themselves and their families and friends to raise the alarm of radicalisation. Let’s turn that deafening silence into a song of hope, joy and celebration. The Lord Noon of St John’s Wood, Kt, MBE
Mayor confirms launch date of ‘historic’ new Night Tube service The Mayor and London Underground (LU) on Tuesday announced that 24-hour ‘Night Tube’ services at weekends will begin operation from the early hours of 12 September 2015, transforming night time journeys across London for millions of people. It will run on the Jubilee, Victoria and most of the Piccadilly, Central and Northern lines. This new service will complement existing 24-hour and night bus services, and will expand across other lines in subsequent years. The announcement comes as independent research into the economic benefits of the Night Tube found that the new service will boost jobs and help maintain London’s status as a vibrant and exciting place to live, work and visit. The Night Tube will cut night time journeys by an average of 20 minutes, with some cut by
more than an hour. It will also play a vital role in opening up London’s night-time economy to a host of new opportunities, supporting around 2,000 permanent jobs and boosting the economy by £360 million, the research found. In order to meet the expected demand for Night Tube services, there will be six trains per hour through central London on all Night Tube lines, including the Jubilee, Victoria and most of the Piccadilly, Central and
Northern lines. On the Northern line, there will be eight trains per hour to meet demand at busy stations between Leicester Square and Camden Town. Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, said: “London is a bustling, 24-hour global city and by this time next year we’ll have a 24hour Tube service to match. Running trains all through the night was once thought impossible, but with the huge investment we’ve put in and upgrades that have been delivered we stand ready to take the Tube to the next level. As well as creating vital new jobs and giving a huge boost to our economy, the Night Tube will help millions of people to get around our city more easily and quickly. The evolution of the Night Tube will without doubt make London an even better place to live, work, visit and invest.”
Princess Anne pays tribute to the Gurkhas On Monday Princess Anne visited the National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas, near Lichfield, to pay tribute to the bravery of Gurkha soldiers. The ceremonial stone monument, known as a Chautara, bears the regimental badges of every Gurkha unit since 1815. About 400 former and serving soldiers from the current Brigade of Gurkhas heard glowing tributes to the fallen, who were described as “the
most wonderfully brave and kind people”. Retired officer Hombahadur Gurung, who served in the Gulf War with 2 Gurkha Rifles told a local newspaper, “It
is a great honour for all the Gurkha, myself and all my comrades. The years of service are a matter of great pride for me. I hope it continues into the future.”
Subscription Rate Revision
In view of the rising costs, both Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar are, reluctantly, to increase the subscription rate for UK subscribers, slightly, from 1st October 2014. Please note, subscription rates for Europe and World remains the same.
UK EUROPE G.S. A.V. Both G.S. A.V. Both 1 Year £28.50 £28.50 £34 £75 £75 £125 2 Years £51.50 £51.50 £62 £140 £140 £240 Subscriptions are non-refundable after 30 days RATES VALID FROM 1-10-2014
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www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 27th September 2014
Will Westminster diminish fears of Scottish Asians? Scottish Referendum
Continued from page 1
The Scottish referendum gave birth to numerous newly emerged 'political activists' who had previously shown little interest in the democratic process. The level of engagement of Asian section of the Scottish electorate was high, with community organisations springing up to segregate votes, proving that the opportunity of independence was being fully grasped by Desi Scots. A poll by Asian radio station Awaz FM poll showed 64% of Asians in Scotland would vote Yes, while 32% were against. Small-scale campaigning could also be witnessed in the form of popular blogs like 'Scots Asians for Yes' who claimed to be a'grass root campaign made of members from the Asian sub-continent, from cross parties and no party, with one aim in common, working towards an independent country'. Asians constitute Scotland's most prominentminority group. Although the population percentage of
the ethnic minority group is not more than 4% but a close call on the vote balance before the referendum rendered this community crucial. Over 70% of the total ethnic minority population are Asian- Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Chinese or other South Asian. Going by the minority opinion polls conducted over radio stations or news agencies, the Asian section of the Scottish electorate was most diverse in their call. 33.8% Indian-origin people in the Scotland were born in Scotland. Similarly, 47.4% of Pakistani-origin citizens and 33% of Bangladesh-origin scots were born in Scotland. These statistics need to be analysed in order to understand the diversity in the opinions of Asian section voting pattern, which remains obscured from public scrutiny. Following the outcome on 18th September, the UK government needs to address and understand the concerns of Scottish Asian community in order to retain the trust of not only
Scottish Asians but also British Asians, a community they cannot afford to ignore. Was Scottish independence the first nationalist movement that ethnic minorities didn't feel threatened by? Asian Voice, in its last issue had highlighted the urgent concerns of the Scottish voters and the British Asians who were a part of the Yes campaign which are crucial for a trusted Westminster governance. One of the main fears that arose was that of instability. Desi Scots who had been a part of unstable counties and partitions in 1947 (India-Pakistan) and 1971 (Pakistanin Bangladesh) made Scotland their home in hope of a better future for their families, a view endorsed by Tasmina Ahmed Sheikh, a Glasgowbased human rights lawyer, an ex-SNP candidate and a member of the Scots Asians for Yes. Anum Qaisar, 21, a leading Labour figure, had defecated to the Yes campaign and said, “I worry about the direction UK politics is going; as the granddaughter of immigrants I
Tharoor talks about India's role in strengthening the Scottish union
Members of the IJA with Indian MP Shashi Tharoor at the India club
Rupanjana Dutta
Congress politician and author Shashi Tharoor was visiting London to participate in the Empire debate at the Supreme Court on Thursday 18 September by the Indo British heritage trust to mark the 400th anniversary of the two country's relations. During the three-hour session the distinguished panel, including Tharoor, renowned author and historian William Dalrymple, Pakistani politician Nelofar Bakhtyar, BBC war correspondent Martin Bell, Tory MP Kwasi Kwarteng and climate change and sustainability expert Nick Robins discussed the legacy of British colonisation. The debate was chaired by the Home Affairs Select Committee Chairman, Rt Hon Keith Vaz, MP. On the following day, just before he left for Nepal, Mr Tharoor met a few members of the Indian Journalists' Association at the India club, where he discussed about the Scottish referendum and the close ties with the India club,
because of his late father Chandan Tharoor. Chandan Tharoor, with Krishna Menon was one of the first to suggest that the Indian journalists in Britain should have an independent pad of their own- eventually India club was formed. Chandan, who was not a journalist but worked for the Amrita Bazaar Patrika moved back to Mumbai in 1958. During the interaction, Tharoor emphasised that India has played a key role in helping Scots prosper economically and drew upon history to highlight India's contributions in strengthening the Scottish union. He went on to explain that when the East India Company had set out to colonise India, the Scots were under the same Monarch as the English, yet was a separate nation. Therefore, “the Scots had their own expedition to colonise in the West, eg Panamas, and many others, and unfortunately every one of them failed.” "It was with the Act of
Union in 1707 that Scots became eligible to participate in the goodies of the East India Company and a disproportionate number of Scots were employed by the East India Company. “As a result the profits they were repatriating home is what put Scotland out of poverty. So India had an extremely key role in giving the Scots an incentive to remain with the British nation.” The Thiruvanantha puram MP then went on to talk about Indian nationalism in the light of Scottish referendum. "We have nations within India. But we all live together as one country and our nationalism transcends these sub-nationalisms. To my mind, that is one of the great strengths of India which is worth actively fighting for and preserving... However, he concluded by saying that the Scots choosing to remain with England has been “a good and healthy signal to give to the rest of the world, not just India.”
don’t want anti-immigration and xenophobic policies at the forefront of political debates.” She also said, “I want to see the preservation of a fair and just welfare state, taxes that do not favour the richest but provide a safety net for the most vulnerable, and a Scotland where we spend money on our children’s future not on illegal wars or nuclear bombs.” Another complex challenge is dealing with racial and religious discrimination. Some of the Asians living in Scotland empathised with the Scottish narrative as they view Scotland itself as a victim of persecution by Britain. The defeat of the Yes campaign is not the end of the story. UK government must now show in the aftermath of the vote that it is being fair, and acting without discrimination to the citizens of all its national groups. Although Britain has long experience in dealing with separatist and independence movements dating from its colonial era, it needs to embrace the plight of the Asian community on issues of immigration, devolution and dignity. If it fails, Scotland might hold another referendum in 20 years, and the minority separatists might assist a win.
UK
Keith’s Diversity Nite
Dhiren Katwa If there’s one politician who recognises, respects and celebrates every strand of Diversity then it has to be Keith Vaz, Chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee. On Monday this week I attended his annual Diversity Nite, this time in Manchester, one which he hosts every year as part of the Labour Party Conference. Held again at the Yang Sing Restaurant in the heart of the city centre, the evening function brought together movers and shakers from all over the UK. Dubbed a celebration of cultural diversity, the vibrant evening featured “an unlimited supply” of food, dances, music, networking and more. Speakers included MPs Ed Balls, Chuka Umuna, Harriet Harman, Sadiq Khan, also the High Commissioners of India and China. Ms Harman
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described Keith as “a treasure”. Awards were bestowed on Coronation Street’s Dev and Sunita. Keith joked that he’d like their ‘new marriage’ to be blessed by the Bollywood star Shahrukh Khan who is visiting the UK from October 4. Diversity Nite is a forum which incorporates a series of Groups, each representing communities such as Chinese, Arab, African, Tamil and those from the Indian subcontinent. Keith is not everyone’s fan, nor does he aspire to be. His vision and mission from a diversity perspective, he tells me, is to connect people with common interests, regardless of their differences, and to promote peace and harmony among all in the hope of an even greater Britain, one which the world can turn to, to share good practice, at least on Diversity. Well done Keith and to your team!
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As I See It A unique welcome for PM Narendra Modi in New York and Washington
Perhaps never before a visiting leader was accoladed such a mass welcome, that has been planned on 28th. Right from 26th September when Mr Modi lands in the USA, there are series of meetings with politicians, businessmen, investors as well as world leaders and the Indian diaspora. Perhaps in the last 100 years only Mahatma Gandhi had such a global profile amongst Indians. Dr Bharat and Dr Panna Barai have taken the lead to organise a mammoth celebration at the Madison Square. Hundreds if not thousands of people are lending their support in this herculean task including many young people like Anand Shah. Naturally I am privileged to have been invited. I am especially delighted that my prophecy of 20th April 2011 has been so spectacularly realised. On that day at Grosvenor street, in London, Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar had organised a live video conference with Gujarat CM Narendra Modi to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of the Gujarat state. Several members of the press, MPs, Peers, leaders from different businesses, professions, media were present. Amongst questions asked, Bob Blackman MP asked Mr Modi when he is going to visit UK to speak on the Gujarat model of development. I intervened and said that Mr Modi should not come to the UK or visit USA without the State invitations by the respective governments. At that time both UK and USA governments had succumbed to the false propaganda against Mr Modi and weren't ready to entertain him. It's completely incorrect to say that UK and USA denied a visitor's visa to him, as a matter of fact NaMo had not even applied for it. In the Spring of 2012, one British Lord, one MP and a visiting member of Rajya Sabha in India, leading lawyer Manoj
www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 27th September 2014
Chief Minister of Gujarat Shri Narendra Modi addressing the audience through video conference as Manoj Ladwa introduces the guests present, while Aplesh Patel applauds
Ladwa and I had a meeting at the Pall Mall club. The suggestion was an all party MP's committee should be formed and Mr Modi should be invited to attend a conference on the development model of Gujarat. Again my views were very clear. NaMo should not succumb to such a temptation. I publicly had declared at the video conference that UK and USA or any other country would at some stage come to their senses and accept the truth of the fabricated report of the Gujarat riot. If they want trade, investment and proper political relations with India, sooner rather than later, they will invite him. Several times, recently, in even public gatherings in the city of London I have been asked about how was I so correct about my assessment and unflinching loyalty to Mr Modi. My answer was always very clear. I knew Mr Modi long before he became a political figure of national dimension or a Chief Minister. I have read his short stories, poems and had interactions with him in various places in India and UK. I recollect visiting a very small 10x8 room, office-cum-residence of Mr Modi in Jhandewala building in Delhi with a senior journalist from Gujarat and my friend B T Parekh. I found Mr Modi very focussed, full of positive attitude and ideas, a very good listener and most importantly a totally selfless person. Remember he was then
This week paid subscribers of Asian Voice will receive a free copy of the Asian Achievers Magazine with their newspaper
just a Pracharak for the RSS. What happened at Godhra in the end of February 2002, and first few days of March, was completely incorrectly and falsely presented to the media both nationally and internationally. Propaganda creates public opinion. It takes time for truth to come out and truth alone triumphs. The other day the Australian PM declared publicly that Mr Modi was falsely accused of improper actions during those terrible days. Fortunately I made a totally independent studies of those tragic times. When most of the Indian or International media was after the blood of NaMo, Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar always stood for the correct interpretation of the events and the person who was the target of such vilification, ie Mr Modi. Let me make one thing very clear. We have neither sought nor received any financial support from the Gujarat government. Even our coffee table book 'Love Gujarat' was funded by non governmental sources. At a large gathering in front of 8000 people in Ahmedabad, Mr Modi declared that the Magazine was much better than their own publication and added that without CB Patel, there is no Gujarat in London. During the video conferencing Rt Hon Keith Vaz MP suggested to NaMo that CB should be appointed as an
Ambassador for Gujarat in Britain, and Mr Modi promptly replied that CB is indeed acting as the Ambassador of Gujarat and India on his own free will. Since 1990, when Manoj Ladwa associated himself with Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar during his LSE days, I had increasing interaction with Mr Modi through late Anil Pota and late Dr Hardas. In April 2003 there was a protest march against Mr Modi in London. One of the organisers was Zafar Sareshwala. In August 2003 CM Modi graced the Karma Yoga House to inaugurate the new Shakti Hall. I received a call from Zafar, through Pankaj Mudholkar, who told me that he would like to have a meeting with Mr Modi. Knowing the background of Zafar with little persuasion from me, Mr Modi finally agreed to meet Zafar. Zafar went to St James's Court Hotel to meet Mr Modi. They have gelled ever since and he has publicly accepted that he was mistaken and misguided about NaMo. What pleases me the most is that the blueprint of Mr Modi is based on truth and realism. It is a fact that all the developments or administrative initiatives during his 12 long years as Gujarat CM, were non partisan. In tomorrow's world there is every indication that PM Modi will not be short on his deliverance. - CB
Royal Mint launches online gold bullion trading service The 1000-year-old Royal Mint has launched its own online bullion trading service in a bid to entice investors away from shares and into gold sovereigns by putting its gold bullion up for sale. With this, customers anywhere in the world will be able to buy unlimited quantities of gold coins directly from the mint. This is expected to spark a new gold rush as the customers will now be able to buy, store and sell bullion coins from the Mint 'quickly, effortlessly and securely, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year'. Guarded by the Ministry of Defence personnel, this gold will be stored in the Mint's high-
security vault. The initiative is designed to overcome some of the key objections to investing in physical gold, including concerns about shipping, storage and spotting a trustworthy broker. The Royal Mint, which has been producing coins for more than a thousand years, previously used to sell gold coins in small quantities to collectors.
Indian Summer to benefit Curry Tree project Brighton’s award-winning Indian Summer restaurant is to host a Diwali celebration in Brighton on Sunday 2nd November, with a percentage of proceeds being donated to the Curry Tree charitable project. There will be a sitar player from 7pm, with annual Diwali quiz with prizes, vivid rangoli patterned paintings, beautifully dressed staff and a special Diwali menu alongside the usual Indian
Summer a la carte offerings. Indian Summer is one of four restaurants chosen to represent Brighton in this year’s Curry Capital of Britain Awards alongside Chilli Pickle, Bombay and Ashoka.
Funds for eradicating FGM in UK at risk of cuts Due to insufficient data available on female gender mutilation in the UK, services aimed at eradicating the same are at risk of cuts, according to what campaigners have told politicians in Manchester. This issue has affected the lives of 170,000 women and girls in the UK and it was raised at a fringe meeting during Labour party's conference in Manchester attended by FGM survivors along with doctors, teachers and councillors who are trying to prevent the practice. According to the activists, only £1 million has been allocated for tackling this problem in the UK as opposed to £35 million pledged by the government abroad. MP Seema Malhotra, pictured, on being asked whether she thought FGM
should be on the sex education curriculum, she said, “We are talkin about age-appropriate sex education right from key stage 1”. She interacted with the survivors of FGM in Manchester who raised their concern that primary school children, both girls and boys, should be educated about genital mutilation issue.
Despite £30,000 fees British universities fail to secure students' future As per the latest university rankings compiled by The Sunday Times, students graduating from Britain’s five worst universities have less than a one in two chance of getting a professional job or going into further studying, despite paying nearly £30,000 in fees. Almost 54% of students from London Metropolitan University are not seenat professional
posts six months after graduating, according to this guide. The universities of London South Bank, Bolton and East London, which rank in the bottom five of the study published today, fare similarly for graduate employment and degree completion. There is a looming question mark over the results of the lowest
ranked universities of whether they could survive.
London Met, which has around 16,000 students, defended itself and said a new vicechancellor had been appointed. As teenagers arrive for freshers' week and as students and parents demand for better value for money, this guide is published in light of rising concerns about higher education standards.
UK
www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 27th September 2014
Leading Lights
Rani Singh, Special Assignments Editor
Dhruv Sawhney, Dynamic Triveni Group Business Leader
Mr Sawhney is the Chairman and Managing Director of Triveni Engineering & Industries Ltd. The group’s engineering wing manufactures sugar, has a co-production power facility and a distillation business. There is a waste recycling facility in Mysore. Mr. Sawhney graduated with a Masters in Mechanical Sciences from College, Emmanuel University of Cambridge, U.K. and M.B.A with distinction from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, U.S.A. He was on the Dean’s list for all terms, came second in the University, and is a life member of Beta Gama Sigma. Mr. Sawhney is a Past President of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). He was President in 1991/92 when India started its liberalization, and was in the instrumental change of the Confederation of Engineering Industries to CII. He has served on the Board of various public
Dhruv Sawhney
sector organizations and chaired Government advisory councils on Industry, Energy and Sugar. The Triveni chief recently received the highest civilian award, the “Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur” from President Chirac of the French Republic. Mr. Sawhney takes a
keen interest in education, was a Governor of the Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow, and the Management Institute at the University of Delhi. He is currently Chairman of the Doon School, Dehra Dun, and is a Companion Member of the Chartered Institute of
Management, U.K. He chairs the Board of Trustees of Delhi’s oldest private charitable hospital. He is the Deputy Chairman of the Evian Group, Switzerland (a Think Tank and a forum for an open multilateral trading system), Chairman, India Steering Committee of the World Economic Forum, Switzerland, Member, Indo-French Forum set up by the Governments of India and France, and Chairman, CII Agriculture Council. Mr Sawhney spoke to Leading Lights on a recent CII visit to London at the St James's Court Taj Hotel, London. He is an example of a Chairman leading the expansion of Indian companies internationally. In the UK, Mr Sawhney told us, Triveni has four waste-to-energy facilities. He also revealed that he was thinking of buying a company “Or setting up a company to be close to our clients” but his decision would be set against “other competition in the UK and investment opportunities in Europe.” The Asian Voice asked for a clarification. “You know Indian business has gone through a radical shift. By Indian business we mean the equity is held by Indian nationals or by foreign nationals. It
means things that are manufactured in India but sales are not purely for the domestic market; they are for a global market. We are today exporting to 42 countries. So trade is only one part of our game; the second part is investment. For this you need to have facilities, you need to have companies, you need to have people, you need to hire local people, in places round the world. There’s a lot of competition for that. Other countries want you to come.”
“The natural movement of people does condition where you are going to put your money.” The MD expanded by saying that in India, there is competition for investment from China. “China is very aggressive in India.” “Japan is extremely aggressive. They are building the DelhiMumbai corridor; they’ve put in large monies.” He also highlights the USA and Germany as being highly active in India. Mr Sawhney stated that Triveni is examining the locations of its customer base and its global customer; “How best to service and be close to him. So you need an amalgam of people who are
professional people, who are of a certain calibre to be in the country, backed by our own staff from our facilities in India.” He mentioned that funding for investment is not a problem in India. It’s more about “how quickly you can get off the ground, and what markets are best served by that investment.” The Triveni Chair said that the challenges to do with investment are mainly “the visa question. There is a differentiation between immigrant visas and visas for people to come and complete projects.” He said that Triveni is the proud owner of a project at London Waste in Edmonton. “A 40-year old facility. For their expansion we may have to take a larger chunk. We may have to have people here for nine months to a year. They may want the same person. They may want the same person to come back if something goes wrong. It’s not a question of visa- ondemand, or how quickly I can get a tourist visa. This is a business proposition. We need a combination of people from here who are good on the sales, service and manufacturing side and a complement of people from India. The natural movement of people does condition where you are going to put your money.”
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www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 27th September 2014
Providing for the widows
Use of the word ‘Asian’
Sanskrit and schools
Divided we stand
Vrindavan is a town in the Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh, in India. It is a holy place for Lord Krishna situated in the banks of Yamuna river and according to Mahabharata , the supreme Lord Krishna spent childhood days. It is a sacred place for Krishna worshippers. Thousands of widows from Bengal, Orissa and Bihar go and settle there and die. The population of the place is 63, 000. Hema Malini, the BJP member of the parliament raised the valid point why hundreds of widows from other states come to Vrindavan which is in U.P and is already overcrowded with widows. There are several charitable Hindu institutions which are catering for these widows and they cannot cope with the new arrivals. Some of the young widows are abused, a large number of them beg and sleep on the roadside and they do not get enough food to survive. We all feel sorry for the conditions of these unfortunate people and we Hindus are shameless since nothing is done to them. The question one has to ask why these widows come from other states? is it not the duty of the state governments to provide shelter for the widows who have been thrown out of their families? The Indian government spends more than 500 cores for Hajj pilgrimage every year. If the present BJP government spend some money on Hindu pilgrims by building hostels in Bengal, Orissa, and Bihar, Vrindavan can project a positive image of the place. Almost all Hindu holy places are filled with beggars and gives negative image on the foreign tourists and these historical holy places attract foreign tourists. Hindus should be ashamed how churches are maintained in Europe? The NDTV reporter Burka Dutt is ‘naive’ on her part to suggest that these widows have very right to go to any place and beg and it is better if they beg in their own state and why come to U.P and bring bad name to the state? The income from some rich temples run into cores of rupees and they can start a central organisation to help these beggars and widows who come to holy places. It is shame that Indians talk about ’India shining’ and they cannot provide food and shelter for poor Hindus and widows.
The British Hindu Voice (BHV) raised this matter on the use of the word 'Asian' when the perpetrators were mainly Pakistani Muslim Men with the then Labour Home secretary Jack Straw and it will raise it again with the current Home Secretary Teresa May. When we met Keith Vaz in May 2012 following the Rochdale case, we discussed the issue of the use of the word 'Asian' when the heritage, ethnicity and the faith of the perpetrators was known. We also brought to his attention that the majority of Hindus and Jains were very unhappy that in such situations, they were being lumped with Pakistani Muslim men under the banner of the word ’Asian’. We appreciate that there may be nothing much Keith Vaz can do about the media but if an MP of his stature and influence takes a stand and makes comments about the undesirability of misusing the word 'Asian' when the details of the heritage, origin and faith of the perpetrators are known, the media may take it seriously. As he represent a constituency that has a significant number of Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, most of whom would not wish to be labelled as 'Asians', it would be very helpful to know what steps Mr Vaz intend’s to take on the use of the use of the term "Asian" in such situations. It would also be helpful if Mr Vaz could start a discussion within the Labour party on this subject. BHV feels it is about time politicians faced the reality of the situation on child sexual exploitation like the ones reported in Labour controlled Rotherham and start calling a spade a spade. Unless this happens, BHV feels it would be difficult to find solutions to the problems which now simply cannot be brushed away and should not be allowed to be brushed away. Hindus, Jains and Sikhs perhaps other British Indians are getting sick and tired of getting 'blamed' through the use of the word 'Asian' by politicians and the media in situations like this when the crime is committed mainly by Pakistani Muslim men.
Sanskrit language, made compulsory in St James’s School in West London, is happy news for fans of Sanskrit language. The school found Sanskrit as perfect, logical and not named after people speaking it. Sanskrit means perfected language assists kids to overcome stiffness of tongue and fingers. It helps to develop cerebral dexterity through its phonetics. Magazine by Hindu Swamasewak Sangh reported kids in a Belrose school in Sidney, Australia, recite Sanskrit shlokas dedicated to Parmatma. Chanting is followed meditation, and blended with ethics of non violence and vegetarian diet. The school authorities found that Sanskrit is very beautiful, profound and good for wellbeing of the child. It gives opportunity to enjoy purest sound and lays foundation for linguistic grammar and logic. Sanskrit has a wide footprint in Greater Sidney and has helped to create forward thinking community. Germany is second home for Sanskrit, being taught on university level. English language uses many Sanskrit words directly or as root of words spoken today. This is due to its Indo-European roots along with Latin. Professor David Frawley of Berkley University, California, and Conrad Elst are also ardent champions of Sanskrit.
The reason why I felt that a “Yes” vote would have been more productive than a “No” vote was that then the responsibility of governing their own country would have come with the obligation to raise their own taxes. The US Federal system of government raises 60% of US taxes and the States raise 40%; whereas in the UK, Westminster parliament raises 97% of taxes. A federal system is not doable in the UK because of the North South wealth, resources and skills divide in many areas. For example, the monetary value of the richest ten Boroughs’ properties in London is greater than the entire wealth of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland put together. The other issues are national identities, demographics and divisions of wealth between the English themselves: North England, Middle England and South England. The next step should be to convince Scotland that it is in their long term interest that Westminster parliament takes a decision to adopt a United Kingdom written constitution. The second step would be to draft such a Constitution and get it approved by Parliament and adopted on a permanent basis. Only then can legislation be drafted about devolved regional newly created six states: Scotland; Wales, Northern Ireland; North England; Middle England and Southern England, with population concentrations between 6-16 m: million within each newly created State.
Arun Vaidyanathan By email
Jainism and some other religions emanating from India do not believe in the existence of God. Jainism, which is an ancient religion from India, teaches that the way to liberation and bliss is to live a life of harmlessness and renunciation. It believes in a universe without beginning, without end and without creator. The objective of Jainism is to make every effort for Moksha or Liberation from unending cycles of birth, death and rebirth and become a 'Jina'. The author of Pygmalion (on which the very popular film “My Fair Lady” was based), George Bernard Shaw, was so impressed with this belief that he had said he would want to be re-born in a Jain family.
Existence of God
The Archbishop of Canterbury has been quoted to admit that he struggles with doubt about the existence of God. He has said that he was straying into a territory where a Christian leader should not go but he added that Christians have trouble explaining why God allows suffering in the world. He is right to feel that way. Why would God allow wars, strife, disasters and suffering to take place? Man has suffered in the name of religion for centuries in the past and is suffering now. We have a glittering example of ISIS at the present time where suffering is being caused in the name of religion.
Mukesh Naker Communications officer British Hindu Voice
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Ramesh Jhalla By email
Watching what we eat
Shri Dineshbhai is a strict Jain and wonders whether he should eat egg and cheese! I am Vaishnav and will try to pacify his mind. We are not allowed to eat anything that moves and feels pain. An egg is in the primary stage of developing a foetus but taken away very soon, there is no life in it! Hence it's okay to eat. Same goes for cheese, Ignorance is bliss. Also our wise people have considered hygiene as well. So if we eat anything grown below the soil’s surface, we kill some insects to dig it up. So it's barred. Here abroad we should be good and practical. I agree with Shri Rameshbhai Jhalla reply of 13th Sept to 'Life in egg', about 5 basic elements for life. But he has misconception that all 5 elements are not in all species. Actually they are. Even grass needs earth, water, wind, light and space to survive. Also please note incarnation is only used for God. Greed, anger, attachments to people and possessions, pride and prejudice created by mundane desires degenerate people and they go to hell. If they do their duty and help others they go to heaven but they have to come back. But if they do not want the fruits of their good deeds, treat all the living and all the circumstances equally e.g. humans, birds, animals, win, defeat, happiness, difficulties, lives a simple life and prays or chants God's name at the point of death, he frees his soul from the vicious circle of birth, life, death, diseases and achieves nirvan, God's Eternal Light! (Bhagwat Gita).
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Kapil’s Khichadi
I admire Kapil’s Column “KHICHADI” which brings burning issues affecting Indian community to the forefront. Kapil is bold, forthright with faultless research. Last week’s piece was no exception. Along with searching Editorial and Alpesh’s knowledgeable “Political Sketchbook” plight of Kashmiri Pundits has drawn universal attention, globalized the issue and hopefully educate our ignorant, intoxicated vote-bank hugging politicians who have prostituted their integrity, honour and self-respect, devoid of spiritual intelligence. How could British politics sink so low? If Rotherham sex scandal brutalizing 1400 innocent girls and beheading of charity workers did not stir their conscious, nothing will, tainted with den of gullibility, unwilling to tackle apostles of hate and lies, common failings among politicians. Our heart-felt thanks, gratitude go to MPs Barry Gardiner who is in the forefront when India matters and to Bob Blackman, unabashed friend of India, lion among Westminster sheep, darling of Indian community, not afraid to tell the truth. He is rare breed who deserves our unmitigated support come next election. Other MPs worth mentioning are Virendra Sharma, George Baker, Priti Patel, Sailesh Vara and Keith Vaz.
Upendra Kapadia By email
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www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 27th September 2014
Ealing homeowners destroy ‘beds in sheds’ to avoid £20,000 fine The owners of an illegal outhouse have been forced to demolish it by Ealing Council and the owners of another outhouse have had to remove the kitchen as a result of the clampdown on 'beds in sheds'. Council officers made repeated visits to a property in Masefield Avenue, Southall after the owners constructed an outbuilding without planning permission. Ealing officers believed the self-contained building was being rented out as accommodation, for at least £750 a month, after being alerted by an anonymous complainant. The owners demolished the building last month after being given an Enforcement Notice in March warning that they faced legal action and a fine of up to £20,000 if they failed to remove it. The council’s outhouse enforcement team is now successfully overseeing the voluntary demolition of a brand new fitted kitchen in another outhouse in Priory Gardens, near Hanger Lane; after neighbours complained that the outhouse – com-
A fitted kitchen being removed from an illegal 'bed in shed'
bined with a legal extension to the house – took up most of the garden. When their inspection revealed the fitted kitchen; the council then ordered the owners to remove it or face charges for illegally constructing a building intended as a dwelling. Ealing’s deputy leader and cabinet member for community services and safety, Councillor Ranjit Dheer said: “So-called ‘beds in sheds’ are a real problem across London for so many reasons. They don’t comply with housing safety standards or planning controls which means they’re often not
properly connected to the electricity, gas, water or sewage supply, either and are generally hazardous places to live in and a serious nuisance to the people in neighbouring properties.Ealing Council will always investigate any illegal outhouses that we hear of and take firm action whenever appropriate. People might be surprised that you can be fined as much as £20,000 if you’re prosecuted and cases like these two show the consequences of putting up an illegal outhouse can still be costly for homeowners, so it really isn’t worth taking the risk.”
Trouble looms for loom band bandits as officers seize fake stock Loom bands – the playground craze sweeping the nation – have become the latest target for fraudsters with fake boxes of the toys being on sale in Harrow. Hundreds of thousands of the gaudy bands were among items seized by Harrow Trading Standards officers, working together with colleagues from customs and excise. A total of 100 boxes of loom bands, missing either the proper importers details or English instructions, were recovered from one of three shops raided in Queensbury Circle area on 17 September. Officers working as part of Harrow Council’s safer streets also seized 600 cigarettes imported without tax paid and hundreds of bottles of wine, beer and spirits. Cllr Varsha Parmar
said: “I know parents are pestered by their children for loom bands, but it’s important to know you are buying the proper item. It’s often the case that what seems like a bargain at the time can end up costing more in the long run when it turns into a product that falls apart.” In total, trading standards seized: * 17.4 kg of chewing tobacco for not displaying the correct health warnings; * 13 toys without the correct CE markings, importers, manufacturing details and no instruc-
tions or warnings; * 170 cosmetic products for not displaying importer/distributors details, list of ingredients and instructions in English; * 100 boxes of loom bands, missing either the proper importers details or English instructions; * 150 crates of beer, 100 cases of wine and over 20 boxes of spirits; and * 600 foreign cigarettes for not displaying the correct health warnings. The raids are part of regular series of joint activity which involves Harrow Police, planning enforcement officers, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), Trading standards, London Fire Brigade and waste management officers. The event is part of community crime fighting across the borough to ensure crime in Harrow continues to fall.
Expanded primary schools welcome new children in Barnet Construction work has been completed for five newly expanded primary schools in Barnet as the council continues to cope with extra demand for school places. Martin, Moss Hall, Brunswick Park, Beis Yaakov and Oakleigh primary schools have all undergone extensive building work over the last year to provide permanent new classrooms to accommodate additional pupils. These expansions will
create over 1,000 new permanent primary school places in the borough and form part of the council's £140 million investment strategy up to 2016/17 to provide around 4,500 new school places. Councillor Reuben Thompstone, Chairman of the Children, Education, Libraries and Safeguarding committee added: “These expansions are the result of months of painstaking planning and hard work by
school staff and council officers and I am delighted to see so many new pupils enjoying their new classrooms.” Since 2010/11, the council has created around 3000 new permanent primary places in the borough with the close co-operation of head teachers, governors and parents. Christ’s College, The Compton and Copthall secondary schools have also been expanded to accommodate additional pupils.
EDUCATION/COUNCIL VOICE
Non-white parents more supportive of free schools
Rupanjana Dutta
A study revealed that one in four parents in England would have chosen a different school if they had a chance. Out of 1.4mn families, this dissatisfaction was even starker among black and other ethnic minority parents, including Asians, with over one in three (36%) saying that they would have chosen a different school for their child if they had the chance. The report further said that 38% of Black Minority Ethnic parents rated local schools as average or worse compared to 34% of white parents. However, when free schools were described to respondents, 81% of those parents expressing a view said they thought such a school would be welcome in the local area, with 73% saying they would consider such a school for their child. BME parents were even more supportive of free schools with 91% who expressed an opinion saying they thought a free school would be welcome in their area. The survey also revealed that 83% of BME parents would consider sending their child to a free school compared to 58% of white parents.
This survey of parents was published by New Schools Network, testing views on how they regard their local school, exploring what parents’ value in a good school and how their own school measures up. Carried out by opinion research company Populus, the survey shows that there is significant dissatisfaction among parents nationally. It asked parents to rate the importance they attached to various elements of a good school, and then to compare how they felt their own school performed on those same measures: * 95% of parents say that the quality of lessons is important or very important, but only 74% rate their school as good or very good * 93% of parents say that helping their child succeed in exams is important, but only 65% rate their schools as good or very good * 92% of parents say that the school’s role in helping their child secure a place at university and/or a good job is important, but 58% rate their school as good or very good. Parents who are aware of a free school in their area - and have more knowledge about free schools – are considerably more likely to
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think a free school would be welcome in their area and consider sending their child to such a school. Evans, Natalie Director of the New Schools Network, commented: “Free schools can only be created where they are wanted by parents and our opinion poll reflects what is happening on the ground. schools have Free emerged most strongly in neighbourhoods with higher proportions of black and other ethnic minority groups and have proved extremely popular with non-white families. At a primary level, researchers found that white children made up only a third of the free school population, which is less than half the national average in England.” “We know that there is an acute shortage of places in many parts of the country, but this survey confirms that there is also a considerable shortage of good school places. With 1.4 million families not able to send their child to their school of first choice, we cannot afford to ignore the case for new schools – both in areas where there is a shortfall of places and in areas where what is currently on offer is falling short.”
Exchange students '40% go on to live and work abroad' Going overseas to study as a university student seems to have a big impact on making people want to work abroad in later life, suggests research. An analysis of the Erasmus overseas study programme in Europe indicates 40% of participants go on to live abroad during their working lives. The research suggests
that more than a quarter of students meet a longterm partner on study exchanges. It estimates that a million babies have been born to these Erasmus couples. The European Commission study of 88,000 people suggests that an experience of studying abroad has a farreaching influence and
creates a much more international outlook. It looked at students in more than 30 countries who have taken part in the Erasmus university exchange programme, launched in the late 1980s. An estimated three million students have taken part in an Erasmus scheme.
Children 'being failed in early years' The future prospects of children in England are being hampered because society fails them in the early years, a leading health expert says. Government adviser on health inequality Sir Michael Marmot highlighted data suggesting half of five-year-olds were not ready for school. He said high levels of deprivation and a lack of quality services and support for parents were holding children back. But ministers said investing in the early years was a priority. Since the mid-1990s, the proportion of national wealth being spent on the under-fives has more than doubled, although spending has dropped slightly in recent
years. But Sir Michael, who is director of the University College London's Institute of Health Equity and led a ground-breaking review of health inequalities for the government in 2010, said the development of children in England was still lagging behind that of many other Western countries. Figures published last year by the Department of
Education indicated 52% of children had "good development" at the end of reception year. The data is based on a whole range of factors, including emotional, social, physical and academic measures such as being able to count to 20, go to the toilet on their own, read and write simple sentences and speak using past, present and future tenses.
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MEDIA WATCH
Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, whose party is the BJP’s principal ally in Maharashtra in the forthcoming State Assembly elections, said recently, that the BJP needed Narendra Modi more than Modi needed the BJP. This had been said before in the aftermath of the BJP’s landslide victory in India’s general elections several months ago, but the point has been reinforced in the by-election results across significant areas of northern India that have long been the BJP’s national bastion. The party was in for a rude shock, a wake-up call, if you like, that it would do well to take seriously.
Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping
Congress won all three Assembly seats this time round. In Rajasthan, the Congress won three of the four Assembly seats contested. The hitherto beleaguered Chief Minister of Uttar P r a d e s h , President Xi meets Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh Akhilesh Yadav, stated: “I am Local issues did, of course, play thankful to the people. The vera part in the overall verdicts, but dict is a lesson to the forces an undercurrent of unease at which wanted to divide commusome of the antics of Sangh nities in the State. The people Parivar elements is clearly have not favoured the politics of detectable. For instance, the division.” In Rajasthan, the inflammatory statements of Yogi Congress State President, Adityanath in Uttar Pradesh Sachin Pilot, said: “ This is a perceived as targeting the phenomenal success for the Muslim community didn’t go Congress party…..and I must down well with electorate. The give thanks to each and everyshocking assault on the Vice one, especially the young peoChancellor of a university in ple.” There was some consolaBJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh by tion for the BJP in West Bengal, Bajrang and Vishwa Hindu where it won the Basirhat seat Parishad goons has done the and lost the other in Kolkata. BJP image few favours. The Maharashtra and Haryana will Telegraph commented: “The byhold their State Assembly polls poll results have shocked the on 15 October. It’s all to play for. BJP in Uttar Pradesh, stunned it (Telegraph, Hindu, Hindu, Mint, in Rajasthan and shamed it in Times of India Sept 17) Gujarat, denying Prime Minister Modi the birthday gift promised President Xi Jinping by his political protégé in India Anandiben Patel.”
Promise, reality
Anandiben had promised a clean sweep of the 10 seats contested, one of which, Vadodara (the PM’s former seat which he vacated for Varanasi) was for the Lok Sabha and duly won. Of the nine Assembly seats, the BJP lost three to Congress, a party in dire straits. Astonishingly, the BJP won only three of the 11 seats in Uttar Pradesh, which it had swept in the general election. The seemingly discredited Samajwadi Dal which rules the State came out decisively on top. Decimated in the general election in Uttarkhand, the
Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in India on a three-day visit, which commenced in the Gujarat metropolis of Ahmedabad, where he and the First Lady Peng Liyuan received a warm and colourful welcome from Chief Minister Anandiben Patel and her ministerial colleagues. Prime Minister Narendra Modi called on President Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan at the Hyatt Hotel where they were staying. Then followed a tour of the city’s hot spots, from the Gandhi Ashram to a walk along the Sabarmati River. The visitors were treated to displays of local folk dances and an official dinner. President
www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 27th September 2014
Xi and Prime Minister Modi held one-to-one talks and signed two agreements on the establishment of Chinese industrial parks in Gujarat, and the pursuance of nuclear energy and space cooperation (the latter announced in Bangalore by India’s space chief) and the exploration India’s role in projected land and maritime silk routes from Chinese hubs.
Serious issues discussed
Ahmedabad was the curtainraiser to the more substantive talks that took place in New Delhi between the Indian Prime Minister and the Chinese President. These involved trade and economic issues but included political and security concerns as well. It was good that there were no fudges along the way. India has long been exercised about the huge trade imbalance that militates against Indian goods and services seeking access to the Chinese market. President Xi took on board this Indian concern and promised greater access to the country’s pharmaceutical and farm products and more investment opportunities for Indian companies in China. He said China would commit $20 billion investments in India over the next five years. A roadmap was laid out on greater Sino-Indian cooperation in these areas. Specific mention was made of such cooperation in India’s Railways. “We also agreed to cooperation on training in heavy haulage transportation and exploring cooperation in the redevelopment of stations and also in the area of high speed railways,” said President Xi at a news conference with the media. Civil nuclear energy ties were also discussed but this will be work in progress.
Prime Minister Modi and China’s President Xi Jinping in which they announced measures to enhance SinoIndian trade and and investment take the relationship between the two countries to a higher level of engagement.
Adani joins 10 rich club
Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) Chairman A staggering 152 Nguyen Sinh Hung (R) shakes hands with per cent great leap Indian President Pranab Mukherjee in Hanoi forward has elevatSee comment page 3 ed the Adani Group Chairman, Gautam care IT service provider TriZetto Adani, to break into the rarefied for $2.7 billion. The deal makes league of India’s 10 richest peoit the the largest acquisition in ple, with Mukesh Ambani holdvalue among Indian IT majors, ing onto the top spot. Adani Wipro, Infosys, Tata blazed his trail on the back of Consultancy Services (TCS) and exponential rises in the share HCL technologies. The TriZetto prices of his companies, which acquisition takes Cognizant to has taken his estimated wealth second position in terms of overto a dizzy Rs 44,000 crore, all revenues, after TCS, and according to Hurun Report, a gives it a route into what is fast China-based luxury publishing becoming a consolidated group given to tracking the forprovider system in the US martunes of the super rich. ket, said Joseph Walent, Analyst, Ambani’s wealth swelled to Rs Business Technology 1.65 lakh crore, with Sun Technology, US. TriZetto brings Pharma chief Dilip Sanghvi in to Cognizant significant and second place with Rs 1.29 lakh complementary market opportumagnate crore and steel nities, expertise and intellectual Lakshmi Mittal, boss of property, including multiple softArcelorMittal, in third position ware platforms, enhanced comand Wipro chief Azim Premji in petitiveness in integrated fourth. (Business Line Sept 17) engagement sectors with potential revenues of $1.5 billion over Unfolding modern the next five years. About 1,200 TriZetto of its total 3,700 workeconomy force are based at its Pune centre in India. Approximately 75 per “The stock market boom has cent of US-headquartered driven Indian entrepreneurs to Cognizant 187,000 employees record heights. The people on are located in India. The two the India rich list tell the story of companies make an excellent fit, India’s modern economy,” said as they march into a shared Hurun Report Chairman and future. (Business Line, Mint chief researcher Rupert First Lady great hit Sept 16) Hoogewert. The number of Indian billionaires almost douFirst Lady Peng Liyuan was a bled to 109 from 59 a year ago. Suzuki’s new line great hit with pupils of the Six of their number are under in two-wheelers International School in Delhi’s 40. Mumbai, with 70 billionVasant Vihar. She was given a aires, leads the country, Delhi Suzuki Motor Corporation’s top warm welcome and joined in a with 37 billionaires is second designers and engineers at its Japanese Research & Development centre in Hamamatsu, are working on new models in motorcycles and scooters specifically for the Indian market. “Suzuki Motorcycle India is now firmly on its way to upgrading the product portfolio. We have launched four products this year, two of which were designed from scratch at our R&D centre in Hamamatsu. Several other products are being designed and will join the portfolio in future,” said Atul Gupta, India Executive Vice President India. (Times of President’s wife Peng Liyuan with pupils at Delhi school India Sept 17) cultural programme, humming a and Bangalore third, with 23 bilChinese song sung by students, lionaires. A fair number of Honda in full flight being herself a notable singer in Indian billionaires such as S.P. China. Madame Peng participatHinduja, Anil Agarwal live in Meanwhile, for another ed in the conferencing session the UK, while Prakash Lohia Japanese giant, Honda, India is between pupils and their counand Micky Jagtiani are based in now its biggest two-wheeler terparts in Jinyuan Senior High the UAE. (Times of India Sept market globally. The Japanese School in Shanghai. 17), footprint in this sector is set grow even faster. Reaching for the stars is an ambition that is Stock market boom Cognizant’s mega becoming reality across India’s US deal urban thoroughfares, rural Benchmark indices closely roads, lanes and by-lanes. sharply higher following the Cognizant Technology Solutions (Times of India Sept 17). conclusion of the talks between is to acquire US-based health-
UK
www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 27th September 2014
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1984 Anti-Sikh Pogroms Remembered on 30th Anniversary Don’t Let’s Be Beastly To Islamic State, Jihadists, Taliban, Al-Qaeda, Hamas… By Alpesh Patel (with acknowledgement Coward!)
to
Noel
Don't let's be beastly to Islamic State Now Barak says our victory is assured Let us treat them like a mate As we would a valued friend We might them out some gays and Jews As a form of lease and lend Let's be sweet to them And day by day repeat to them That of decapitation we’re not a fan Let's sweetly sympathize again And help the scum to rise again But don't let's be beastly to the Taliban We must be kind And with an open mind We must endeavour to find a way To let Al-Qaeda know That now the war is on the go They are not the ones who have to pay We must be sweet And tactful and discreet And now they're suffering defeat We mustn't let them feel upset or ever get the feeling That we're cross with them or hate them Our future policy must be to reinstate them Don't let's be beastly to Al-Qaeda For they're civilized
When all is said and done Though they gave us a new way to treat women, They also gave us Osama Bin Laden Let's be meek to them And turn the other cheek to them And try to arouse their latent sense of fun Let's give them full air parity And treat the rats with charity But don't let's be beastly to the scum Don't let's be beastly to ISIS You can't deprive a gangster of his gun Though they've been a little naughty To the Hindus, Christians, Buddhists and such I can't believe those peoples Really minded very much Let’s instead take matters to the UN We are after all like Hamas all reasonable men Let’s teach them that genocide and rape Is surely not the world their God wants to shape Oh okay, let’s wait for a UN resolution Surely then we will have a solution Let's be free with them And share the BBC with them We mustn't prevent them basking in the sun Let's soften their defeat again And build their bloody might again But don't let's be beastly to the scum
London’s fireworks celebrations to be ticketed for the first time
The genocidal pogroms against the Sikh people in India in November 1984 left thousands dead. In many of the outer areas of the capital, New Delhi, whole neighbourhoods were wiped out. Women were raped in large numbers. Senior politicians of the Congress (I) party led mobs, assisted by the police and administration. Thirty years on no memorials exist to the dead and the perpetrators continue to enjoy complete impunity. But the silence is slowly breaking. Not just about the damage caused to the justice system, memory and language in India, but also about the individual and collective trauma that exists within Sikh communities across the world. Marking the 30th anniversary of the November 1984 anti-Sikh pogroms, the Wiener Library in London (Russell Square) is proud to feature the work 1984: Jis tann lãgé soee jãné by photographer Gauri Gill. The images and texts from the artist's 1984 notebooks reflect upon the pogroms and their ongoing impact in India. The images are from the resettlement colonies of Trilokpuri, Tilak Vihar and Garhi - various sites across Delhi - as well as protest rallies in the city. The accompanying texts by leading artists, poets, filmmakers and writers from Delhi remark upon
the event, via the images, in thoughtful ways. The exhibition also contains photographs of the pogrom as it occurred in November 1984 itself, and are drawn from the work of Indian photographers, Ashok Vahie, Ram Rahman and Sondeep Shankar. Contributors to this project include contemporary Indian artist Arpana Caur; Senior Advocate and Human Rights activist, Harvinder Singh Phoolka, academic Dr Navsharan Singh; eminent historian Dr Uma Chakravarti; prizewinning Canadian author Jaspreet Singh and Parvinder Singh of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ). The event, held in partnership with the National Union of Journalists, will take the form of a panel discussion chaired by Wiener Library trustee Philip Spencer featuring Lord Indarjit Singh CBE, human rights barrister Schona Jolly and Parvinder Singh of the NUJ. Professor Spencer is Director of the Helen Bamber Centre for the Study of Rights, Conflict and Mass Violence at Kingston University. His most recent book, Genocide since 1945 (Routledge, 2012) traces the history of genocide since the Holocaust looking at a number of cases
Lord Indarjit Singh CBE
across continents and decades. Lord Indarjit Singh CBE is Director of the Network of Sikh Organisations UK, Vice Chair and Founder of the InterFaith Network UK. He is also Head and CoOrdinator of the Sikh Chaplaincy Services. He is a member of the House of Lords, editor of the Sikh Messenger, presenter of 'Thought for the Day' on BBC Radio 4 and BBC Radio 2's 'Pause for Thought'. Schona Jolly is a writer, journalist and a barrister specialising in human rights and equality law. She is from London, but has lived and worked in a number of countries, including India. She is particularly interested in South Asian affairs and writes for a number of international publications on India. She is an executive committee member of the Bar Human Rights Committee.
Children's parade to kick off the Mayor's Diwali celebrations in Trafalgar Square
London’s hugely popular and internationally acclaimed New Year’s Eve fireworks celebrations, organised by the Mayor of London, have become so successful that the organisers have taken the decision to ticket the event in order to reduce the number of people attending. This year 100,000 tickets will be available to the public, which will guarantee good views of the fantastic pyrotechnic display and a better visitor experience. People, from anywhere in the UK or abroad, will be able to book up to four tickets from Friday 26 September at 12 noon (UK time), by going to www.london.gov.uk/nye. Introducing tickets to
popular events, similar to the Edinburgh Hogmanay celebrations, is a recognised way of controlling crowd numbers and not a penny of profit will be made from the £10 fee, which will be used to pay for administration costs and ensuring the event is safe. London is a special place at the turn of the year, the city is lit up and there is a sense of optimism for the year ahead. If you can’t get a ticket to attend the fireworks there are many other amazing events and experiences to enjoy, so long as visitors plan ahead and book in advance. Since the fireworks were first staged at the London Eye in 2003, the
numbers of people wanting to see them have grown from an estimated 100,000 in the first year to 400,000 in 2012 and 500,000 in 2013. The prime viewing areas have a capacity of 100,000 people, which means the majority of people wanting to watch the display do not get the best view, or are unable to access the areas altogether. The huge crowds also mean long delays leaving the area at the end of the event as revellers make their way to Tube, rail and other public transport services. For more information about what’s going on in London on New Year’s Eve go to www.visitlondon.com/newyearseve
Local school children will lead a parade on Sunday 12 October to launch the Mayor of London's Diwali Festival in Trafalgar Square. Leaving from Hungerford Bridge on the Southbank, the children's parade will be a colourful procession promoting a message of hope and happiness on its way to the square. Londoners from all communities, as well as visitors to the capital, are invited to attend the free celebration, which features a colourful line-up of music and dance, delicious food and drink, plus activities for children to enjoy. The annual event is being organised to mark the 'Festival of Lights', which is observed in India and many other countries around the world by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains. It is being staged by the Mayor of London in association with the Diwali in London committee, with support from headline sponsor Lebara, tourism partner the Indian State of Uttar Pradesh and media partner Zee TV. An entertaining afternoon of family fun will kick off with traditional Garba dancing in the mid-
dle of the square, offering everyone the chance to join in. On the Main Stage a variety of live acts will perform, ranging from professional performers to local community musicians and dancers. There will also be a fashion show of Indian inspired clothing coordinated by Asian Bride Magazine. Children can take part in a range of activities that will teach them about the history of Diwali and India˙s links to World War I. Revellers will be able to have an Ayurvedic massage, try on a free sari, get a new henna tattoo, find out about Uttar Pradesh, learn top health tips, or simply enjoy this year’s illuminating light display. Throughout the day a range of stalls will sell a variety of tasty vegetarian food and non-alcoholic
drinks, while shoppers can check out the Fashion Emporium and Diwali Street Bazaar. The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: 'London owes a great deal of its success to the many and varied communities that add to the dynamism and spirit of life in the city, reflected in celebrations like our Diwali festival. It promotes powerful messages of peace and mutual respect that should resonate with Londoners, as well as holding huge significance for Hindus, Sikhs and Jains. I wish everyone celebrating in London and beyond a happy and prosperous Diwali.' Event - Diwali Festival, Sunday 12 October 2014, 2pm – 8pm, Trafalgar Square, London EntryFree
UK
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Britain gears up for Durga Puja festivities
Charusmita
Durga Puja celebration in Camden Town, 2012
The grandeur of the Durga Puja celebrations across the globe for Hindu Bengali community is gaining new heights. Every year in the UK, this community gets together in different places to witnesses the magnitude of the celebration of this festival. Namita, from the Royal Berkshire Bengali Association (RBBA), says, “For this year's function, we have a 'Dhak' competition”. Dhak is traditionally a huge membranophone instrument from South Asia. Its drum beats are integral to Pujo celebrations. The donations received by the RBBA go to a different charity every year. Theirs is one of the very few Durga Puja events to be held in a marquee ('Pandal', traditionally) as mostly banquet halls or community centres are booked for the purpose in the UK instead of the tra-
ditional Pandal. The Pujo festivities in Britain also include folk artists from India and the South London Sarbojonin Durga Puja (SLSDP), this year, are coming up with a theatre performance with 11 actors as a part of their event. “The drama will be about Maa Durga and her journey. We intend to take the festivity a notch higher”, says Arup Ghose of the SLSDP. While Bijon Kumar from the Sanatan Bengali Association (SBA, Belsize Park) feels that it better to shift the fun-filled festivities to the next weekend 'so that venue has the maximum footfall'. However, Arup disagrees, “We never play around with dates. People make time when they are willing to come”. The jubilation does not always follow the conventional routes. The Pujo organised by the Sanatan Bengali Association is trying something unique this year. We would be show-
casing a video about what goes into the making of sculptures of Maa Durga in Kolkata, India. This, of course, will be accompanied by the anjali, aarti and a grand feast. The London Durga Puja Dusserah Committee (King's Cross) is hosting this year's Pujo celebrations at the grand Camden Centre. Their theme of the Puja this year is to promote the notion that a strike could be balanced between development and conserving nature and that it is not really necessary to sacrifice one for the other. Lakshmi N. Mittal, the world renowned industrialist remains the main patron of this organisation. It is touted to be the biggest Autumn Fest outside India. Amidst the ongoing celebrations, we wish our readers a Shubho Bijoya! We hope you rejoice in collective triumph of Truth over Ignorance.
RSS interacts with Hindu Organisations UK Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh UK hosted an interactive event on 21st Sept 2014 at the Swaminarayan Temple, Stanmore. Joint General Secretary, Shri Dattatreya Hosabale, of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) highlighted the circumstances in which the RSS started in 1925 and what its core principles, vision for the new dawn looked like for India today. Attended by all major Hindu organisations of UK, the 150 strong audience, asked questions ranging from Kashmir, BJP, North East province to Hindu values. The RSS’s has over 40,000 local branches (shakhas) across India, with an average attendance of 10, which equates to 400,000 daily attendance as its core activity. RSS has also inspired, created organisation and initiated various service projects in all fields, has a reach to over
a 100m people. Shri Dattatreyaji, pictured, explained the tour major factors which have contributed to the success and strength of RSS: - Ideology of Hindutva which encompasses universal humanitarian values - Leadership from the start of the organisation has been strong with visionaries - Technique of daily gathering and concern for the nation and society - Volunteers sacrifice, strength and dedication of the RSS works has enable such a unique Prime Minister of India to take
centre stage of the world. He quotes – ‘The national culture of India is the Hindu culture which embraces all’, ‘we should not be ashamed to call ourselves Hindus’, ‘Nowhere in history have Hindu colonised, created a slave, destroyed other countries or converted people.’ RSS is not an organisation within the Hindu Society but to organise the Hindu Society. It is there to spread the message of Universal oneness, Udar Chirata Namtu, Vasudaiva Kutumbakam – The whole world is one family. Leaders from over 40 organisations, such as ISKCON, VHP, OFBJP, BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, HFB, HFE, MPHA, Hindu Council, FISI, Jainology, NHSF UK, Oshwal Association UK, HLA, Navnat Vanik Association, NCGO, Brent Indian Associations and many others, attended.
Hare Krishna farm celebrates local community work One of the Hindu community's best known sustainable and ethical farms in the UK has celebrated bringing together local people from different walks of life to care for its cows and bulls, including organic farmers, veterinary students, and even exoffenders taking part in community payback projects. New Gokula Farm at Bhaktivedanta Manor Hare Krishna Temple has a mixed herd of almost 60 animals, some of whom give milk, some who are working oxen, and some who are retired or in their childhood. The unique nature of the farm means that all animals are milked by hand and the land is farmed using traditional Amish equipment. No slaughter takes place on the farm, and every cow, bull and calf is looked after regardless of whether they can provide milk or not. Veterinary students spend about a week help-
ing to milk the animals, work with oxen, nurse sick cows, mill grains, clean, look after the shop and even learn to make ropes. In addition, the farm also has close links with WWOOF (Worldwide Opportunities On Organic Farms), and volunteers help weed the crops, harvest, plant, clean, help in the kitchen, help with the cows and work with the oxen. The eight acres of land on site is cultivated as naturally as possible with no pesticides or herbicides to grow vegetables and fruits. The land is ploughed using
oxen and fertilized with manor cow manure. Many types of herbs, vegetables and fruits are grown, harvested and used in the Manor’s kitchens. Syamasundara Dasa, Manager of New Gokula Farm said: “New Gokula is a unique project designed to be a model for sustainable farming in the UK. It is a revolutionary project in the UK, enabling people to experience a traditional farming lifestyle, which is why it is successful in inspiring and bringing together so many people from different parts of the community.”
UK and India’s most esteemed dignitaries come together for a night of fun and fundraising A host of the UK and India’s most esteemed dignitaries, social glitterati, charity ambassadors and Indian film royalty gathered at the iconic Four Seasons Hotel in Park Lane, London, on the 19th of September, for a night of fun and fundraising at the Akshaya Patra Foundation UK’s annual The Sparkle Ball charity event. The event had as its lead sponsor Interiors With Art, a niche design, construction and lifestyle company, based in London, financial services firm Sun Global Investments, and Amira Rice. One in three of the world’s malnourished children live in India. The Akshaya Patra UK is the world’s largest NGO-run school meal programme, which feeds and educates some of India’s poorest, underprivileged childen. The prestigious event – a highlight in every Londoner’s diary - saw an eclectic night of high-brow discussion, inspiring poetry recitation and delightful entertainment, all interspersed with vital fundraising pledges. Lionel Barber, Editorin-Chief of the Financial Times, was the guest speaker who shared his experience of having the honour of meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well as exclusive political and financial anecdotes and his time at the Financial Times. Other esteemed attendees included G.P
Suhel Seth and Javed Akhtar
Hinduja, Pramod Mittal, Jo Johnson MP, Lord Hameed, Tom Singh (Founder of New Look), and Rt. Hon. Imran Mirza, Pakistani High Commissioner. An event highlight was a special poetry recital from acclaimed poet laureate and lyricist Javed Akhtar, who delivered an inspirational and thoughtprovoking reading of his work, much to the awe of the assembled guests. There then followed a Q&A session with Javed Akhtar by renowned actor, columnist and marketing guru Suhel Seth. The two heavyweights debated about politics, India’s development and its position in the world order and Bollywood villains, in a lively and spirited exchange of words and wit. The successful event came to an end with a performance by singer Navin Kundra, who sang an array of Javed Akhtar’s most acclaimed music tracks. Speaking about The Sparkle Ball event, Mr Harin Thaker, Chairman of Akshaya Patra UK and
Ms. Dipika Khaitan, Executive Director of Akshaya Patra UK said: ‘Holding events like this is key to raising awareness of the Akshaya Patra UK; it brings together a variety of people and gives us the opportunity to maximise our fundraising efforts. And we do all this for one simple reason - to provide meals to children, eliminate child malnourishment and provide education to those who don’t have it. Feeding a hungry child is not charity. Feeding a hungry child is our social obligation, and the money raised from the Sparkle Ball will help us transform children's lives through education.’ The Akshaya Patra UK is a leading charity pioneering a school lunch programme that addresses two of the most immediate challenges facing India: hunger/malnutrition and access to education. The Akshaya Patra Foundation provides freshly prepared, nutritious meals daily to over 1.3 million underprivileged children in over 8000 schools in eight states from 19 kitchens.
AND THE WINNERS ARE…
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The winners of the 14th annual Asian Achievers Awards were announced on September 19th at a star-studded gala event at the Grosvenor House Hotel, on London’s Park Lane. Winners included Hanif Kureshi CBE for Media, Arts and Culture; Mahmud Kamani, co-founder of boohoo.com for Business Person of the Year; and Wasim Khan MBE, the first British-Pakistani to play professional cricket in England, for Achievement in Community Service.
accept this recognition.” The funeral service for the 29-year old drew in more than 1000 mourners in Leicester, who lined the streets to pay their final respects. Receiving the Editor's award Naughty Boy, aka Shahid Khan said: “To receive this level of recognition from my peers of fellow Asians is such a privilege. I’m proud of being a British Pakistani and I’m proud to represent the Asian community. I grew up immersed in Bollywood Naughty Boy aka Shahid Khan where accepting the Editor's Award for Rising movies, Star from CB Patel music, songs and extravagant dance sequences domiacclaim last year with his nate, and that has really hit single, ‘La La La’; and influenced the way I proalso the late Flight duce music today. Lieutenant Rakesh “Although I’ve worked Chauhan, whose parents hard, I’ve been so lucky to collected the Editor’s have such amazing supAward for Bravery and port from my incredible Patriotism. Fl Lt Chauhan family and friends. Making tragically lost his life in Picking up the Editor’s Award for Rising Star, was ground-breaking music producer, Naughty Boy, aka Shahid Khan, who shot to fame and critical
Rt Hon Keith Vaz MP, Kesh Chauhan (Brother), Kishor Chauhan (Father) receiving Editor's Award for Bravery and Patriotism on behalf of Late Fl Lt Rakesh Chauhan with Air Commodre Chris Luck (right)
has worked with internationally acclaimed artistes like Emeli Sandé, Chipmunk, Tinie Tempah, Katy Perry and most recently with Zayn Malik of One Direction. He now runs his own production
well above its weight and produces some outstanding successes… the PM has asked me specifically to add his congratulations to all of you.” HE Ranjan Mathai, the Indian High
Hanif Kureishi CBE receiving the Achievement in Media Arts & Culture Award from Pragnesh Modhwadia of Axiomstone Solicitors (left) and DJ Neev of Kiss FM (right)
company. Chief Guest Rt Hon Phillip Hammond MP, Secretary of State for Foreign and
Commissioner to the UK said, “Indians always say that it’s not just merit and hard work, in our culture, irrespective of your back-
A full report with photos will be published in the AAA post event magazine
Dilawar Singh MBE receiving the Sports Personality of the year from Suresh Vagjiani of Sow and Reap Ltd (left) and HE Ranjan Mathai, Indian High Commissioner (right)
Afghanistan during a routine flight and was honoured for his service to his country. Rakesh's father, 61year old Kishor Chauhan, said: “It’s with great pride that I accept this award. It’s a very difficult thing to accept and I’m proud of Rakesh and what he achieved in his short life. That is why I agreed to
music is all I’ve ever wanted to do, and if I can do that while being a positive influence in my community, then that is just the icing on the cake for me.” Shahid Khan was hand-selected by Founder and Chairman of The Asian Achievers Awards, CB Patel for his remarkable achievement in music. The 29-year-old
Priya Lakhani OBE receiving the Women of the year from Lord Raj Loomba (left) and CB Patel
Compere Nitin Ganatra addressing the audience
Commonwealth Affairs, said in his speech: “There is much to celebrate in the contribution of British Asians made to our national life - be it in sports, in culture, in academia, in public service and in community life. But perhaps most strikingly and most dramatically in business and the professions where the British Asian community hunches
ground you always acknowledge that there is a greater force that sometimes helps. So there is a famous quote by an American actor who said 'Men give awards and God gives rewards'. The achievements of the Indian community in this country have been recognised by the host society, which is why we are so honoured to have Foreign Secretary with us tonight...” Mr. CB Patel, Publisher/Editor, ABPL Group says: “Our winners at this year’s Asian Achievers Awards have truly reached remarkable heights of success and
Wasim Gulzar Khan receiving Community Service award from Rajesh Agrawal of Rational FX (left) and Seema Malhotra MP (right)
achievement, and it gives me great pride to celebrate these incredible individuals, who are no doubt exceptional role models for the next generation.” Since launching 14 years ago, The Asian Achievers Awards has helped raise millions of pounds for charity and this year, the chosen charity partner was the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women for which we raised appoximatley £100,000.
ASIAN ACHIEVERS AWARDS 2014 WINNERS
Business Person Of The Year - Mahmud Kamani, Co-Founder boo.hoo.com Entrepreneur Of The Year - Dr. Richie Nanda, Executive Chairman, The Shield Group, the UK’s largest independent Total Security Solutions provider Sports Personality Of The Year - Dilawar Singh MBE, Sports Council for Glasgow Elected Director Uniformed And Civil Services - Nazir Afzal Chief Crown OBE, Prosecutor for the North West Media, Arts And Culture - Hanif Kureishi CBE, Playwright, screenwriter, filmmaker and novelist. In 2008, The Times included Kureishi in their list of "The 50 greatest British writers since 1945" Woman Of The Year Priya Lakhani OBE,
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Chief Guest Rt Hon Philip Hammond giving his speech
Year - Prof Sir Tejinder Singh Virdee, FRS, physicist Experimental and Professor of Physics at Imperial College London
Cherie Blair QC introducing the Charity of the evenin- Cherie Blair Foundation for Women
and one of the 'founding fathers' of CMS Editor’s Award for Rising Star – Shahid Khan, aka Naughty Boy, Music producer, acclaimed for his global summertime hit single ‘La La La’, featuring Sam Smith and Alist collaborations Editor’s Award for
Prof Tejinder Virdee FRS receiving the Professional of the year award from Mr Dhimant Trivedi, Bank of Baroda (left) and Foreign Secretary Rt Hon Philip Hammond (right)
Ethnic food entrepreneur, founder of Masala Masala, an Indian stir-in sauce Achievement In Community Service Wasim Gulzar Khan MBE, Chief Executive, The Cricket Foundation and CEO, Chance to Shine. Professional Of The
Bravery & Patriotism – The Late Fl Lt Rakesh Chauhan, 29-year-old RAF Officer who died in Afghanistan when his helicopter (Lynx) crashed during a routine flight. Photo courtesy: Raj D Bakrania, Prmediapix
Nazir Afzal OBE receiving the Uniformed and Dr Richie Nanda receiving the Civil Service award from Amitabh Sharma of Entrepreneur of the year award from Rt Lycamobile (centre) and Lord Dolar Popat (right) Hon Keith Vaz, MP
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MODI’S AMERICA VISIT
Tickets for Madison Square reception sold out
Tickets for Narendra Modi's community reception at the Madison Square Garden in New York City during his US visit are sold out, organizers of the event announced, urging the ''unlucky ticket-seekers'' to gather at Times Square where the Indian leader's address would be broadcast live on one of the larger screens. Indian American Community Foundation (IACF), a platform of Indian organizations in the US that is hosting the programme, said 18,000 free tickets have been distributed to various community organizations across America and the ''incredible demand to be a part of Indian -American history in greeting Prime Minister Modi has pushed us to find more ways to let the community participate.'' Consequently, said IACF spokesperson Anand Shah, the PM's speech will be broadcast live on Times Square, one of the most iconic crossroads in the world. The event will also be streamed online at www.pmvisit.org, with English subtitles and audio translation - ensuring that as many people as possible could be part of ''what promises to be one of the largest ever gatherings to hear a foreign leader speak on American soil.'' The
IACF is also helping student groups and community organizers arrange ''viewing parties'' in their local areas, Shah added. Nina Davaluri, the first Indian-American to win the Miss America title in 2013, will introduce the guests and will co-host the event with PBS news anchor Hari Sreenivasan. Some 400 organizations from NGOs to temples, from student bodies to regional, ethnic, and linguistic associations, have registered as ''welcome partners'' for the community reception. Organizers plan to send tickets to these community partner organizations and the organizations have been advised to distribute them to their local members before the event on September 28th. A laser light show, holograms of India's historical luminaries, and live folk dances will precede the Prime Minister's speech, Shah
www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 27th September 2014
Modi-Obama to dis between both cou
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who w US on September 25 is going to hold two meetings with United States President Bar address the roughness that has crept into t both countries, reports said
Both leaders will meet face-to-face first on September 29 and then on September 30 in Washington, after the PM’s series of meetings with other world leaders, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 26 and 27. The US government, which once formally barred Modi from entering the US, has worked out a “special gesture date” for Modi because according to the protocol, the President does not meet any heads of government separately during the UN general assembly. Since Modi has come to power with a big victory, the US government has tried to build bridges with him. On September 28, Modi will be addressing the Indian community in New York City’s Madison Square Garden, the first Indian PM to do so there. Some of the issues that will top Modi’s agenda during his meeting with President Obama are the US
said. Several members of the US Congress, state Governors, and city leaders are confirmed to attend the event, he added. The website on the PM's visit carried a message saying the community reception for the Prime Minister is ''oversubscribed'' and that tickets are no longer available. ''If you signed up and did not get a ticket in the lottery, you may be on a waitlist for tickets available if ticket holders cancel. If you have a ticket and cannot come, please cancel your ticket,'' it advised. Modi will spend three days in New York City before coming to Washington DC on 28th night. Besides, addressing the UN General Assembly, the community reception in MSG, and holding bilateral meetings with other world leaders, he will also visit the 9/11 memorial and engage with a Global Citizens Festival in Central Park.
immigration bill clamps, intellectual property rights issues, standoff at the World Trade Organisation on trade facilitation, expanding of a two-way trade, the series of WTO disputes and other strategic and defence issues. On September 29, Modi will first take up some issues with Obama that include exploring ways to increase diplomatic harmony after the row concerning Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade. This will be followed by a full-fledged India-US strategic dialogue, with a special focus on trade and investment. India and the US have been at loggerheads recently over issues concerning India’s trade and industrial policies. The US, on its part, is expected to push IPR and WTO matters with India. The US is especially irritated with India’s IPR regime in the pharmaceuticals sector that has a provision for compulsory licensing. The US administration is worried that other developing countries might follow, adversely impacting
IT sector hopes the visit will solve visa & immigration issues
The Indian information technology sector expects Prime Minister Narendra Modi's US visit will provide a platform for positive discussions on a host of issues, including the long pending immigration and visa issues. In April last year, a top US Senator accused big Indian IT companies - TCS, Infosys and Wipro - of abusing the H-1B visa system. "During (US Secretary of State) John Kerry's visit, we had brought the visa issue to the attention of the government and it was taken up quite strongly...Kerry also acknowledged that they recognise the concerns that India has," said software industry body National
Association of Software and Services Companies (Nasscom) president R Chandrashekhar. For the Indian IT industry, the US accounts for 61% of total exports, and the US Immigration Bill in its current form puts restrictions on IT companies on hiring employees on H-1B visas, which are temporary work visas for non-immigrant workers in speciality occupations. This has led to a higher number of H-1B visa rejections for employees of Indian IT majors such as Infosys, TCS and Wipro. Foreign-born workers under the H-1B visa programme can typically be employed for three years by a sponsor company and
The US Senate has unanimously passed a resolution designating September 30 as 'US-India Partnership Day' recognizing the contribution of the two countries to one another and the relationship that will continue to help define the 21st century. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be at the White House on September 29-30 for talks with US President Barack Obama. Introduced by senators Mark Warner of Democratic Party and John Cornyn from Republican
on September 17, the resolution was passed unanimously moments before the Senate was adjourned. The Senate would now reconvene on November 12 after the Congressional elections. Warner and Cornyn are co-chairmen of the Senate India Caucus - the only country specific caucus in the Senate. It has 42 members. The resolution resolves that the Senate "designates September 30, 2014 as the 'United States and India Partnership Day' recognizing the contribution of the
apply to stay longer, but the use of programme came under the scanner when the US Senate debated comprehensive immigration reform. Technology gurus, including Microsoft
founder Bill Gates, asked Congress for more H-1B visas, or even an unlimited number of them, rather than the quotas in place today. It is widely believed that Modi will be accompanied by representatives
from some of the technology majors when he travels the US. Nasscom and industry players have been lobbying with the US government to work around the issue. The response from the new Indian government, however, has been encouraging. India's external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj said the visa issue for IT companies "tops our agenda" when the PM meets US President. Sanjoy Sen, senior director, Deloitte, said some of the government's recent announcements, such as the proposed national intellectual property rights (IPR) policy and increased collaboration between academic institutions and
research bodies to bridge the skill gap between IT workers in both countries, have set the stage for positive talks between the two nations. "Large Indian IT companies have made significant progress in setting up their US subsidiaries. I don't think any of them staff their US projects with only Indians any more... The US will only increase visas where there is a knowledge gap or where there is a resource gap," Sen added. He further said Modi's initiatives like the Digital India programme present an opportunity for both Indian and American technology companies to work together.
define the 21st century" and recognize that the relationship the two countries
is "a special and permanent bond". The 2014 general election was the largest in the Indian history, proving that democracy in India is as strong as it is encompassing of its religious, ethnic, socio-economic and cultural diversity, the resolution said. It said President Obama congratulated Modi after his electoral victory and emphasized the "deep bond and commitment to promoting economic opportunity, freedom and security" in India and the US.
The two largest democracies in the world, the US and India, have further developed their governments, businesses, nonprofit organizations, nongovernmental organizations, artists, entertainers, athletes, scientists, engineers, doctors, nurses, universities, schools, and faiths and the dignity of their citizens by demonstrating the value of an enlightened democratic rule of law, a peaceful government, and freedom from terror, tyranny and oppression, it added.
US Senate designates Sept 30 as 'US-India Partnership Day'
US and India to one another and their relationship that will continue to help
MODI’S AMERICA VISIT
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PM to charm America's corporate elite
scuss ties untries
will be leaving for comprehensive rack Obama, to he ties between .
the margins of its multinational pharmaceutical firms. Recently, in an interview, Modi has remarked that India and the US are tied together by “history and culture” and that these ties “will deepen further.” Coinciding with Modi's visit, September 30 has also been designated by the US senate as USIndia Partnership Day. Ever since Modi has come to power with a thumping victory, the US has done everything to build bridges with the new government. In less than 100 days of his coming to power, US Secretary of State John Kerry and defence secretary Chuck Hagel have made rounds of India meeting all the senior government officials, signaling an improvement in the relationship.
PM likely to be on liquid diet
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will begin his US visit by embarking on a massive charm initiative with America's corporate elite. Modi is scheduled to meet a select group of 10 CEOs for a breakfast meeting as well as have one-on-one interactions with five key corporate and finance leaders in New York - including Ginni Rometty of IBM, Jeff Immelt of GE and Marilyn Hewson of Lockheed Martin - to interest them in investing in India. If New York is all about connecting with the Indian diaspora and wooing business, Washington DC will mark the political outreach by a man shunned by the US for a decade. On September 29, Modi will be at the White House for an exclusive dinner - though not a state dinner with US President Barack Obama and his top cabinet colleagues Susan Rice, John Kerry and Chuck Hagel among others. But here too, Modi has scheduled a special meeting with corporate America in Washington at the Chamber of Commerce which is part of a US-India Business Council reception for the Indian PM. Generally, Indian leaders have addressed the CEOs' Forum (a group of Indian and American CEOs) but this time this private sector body is absent. It's all about US business. Sources said unlike in the past few years when events like this had many empty seats, this year, tick-
L-R: Jeff Immelt of GE, Marillyn Hewson of Lockheed Martin and Ginni Rometty of IBM look forward to. Like facilitation agreement. ets to the event are hard to Japan and Singapore, the Biswal said the stance find and they are "pay for US too wants a piece of the "undermines India's interplay". US commerce secreaction on Modi's pet projests as well as the interests tary Penny Pritzker and ect of smart cities, but of... many developing other cabinet members are there will be little governcountries and emerging set to attend the event, ment funds to back this. economies". where Modi should expect India will have to go back India's demand on a to be quizzed on his ecoto Wall Street for both totalization agreement nomic recovery plans, technology and finance. with the US is unlikely to budget disappointment With India opening the see the light of day soon. and his reform priorities. door to private sector parThe civil nuclear space will He is expected to answer ticipation in defence as be dominated by two questions on retroactive well as increasing FDI limthings that will block taxes and WTO. its, there is keen interest in progress - first, continuing India does not have working on almost a dozen complaints about India's friends among the US US proposals under the nuclear liability law and administration's economic Ash Carter-Shivshankar second, India's grouse that branch; in fact, it ranks Menon initiative DTTI the US is sitting on the right at the top among (Defence Trade and administrative arrangeUSTR's list of "baddies". Technology Initiative). Of ments for the nuclear deal. The US has already all of them, a proposal to However, Isro is imposed sanctions on manufacture the Javelin, preparing to sign a space India for solar imports, an anti-tank guided misagreement with Nasa. and India's recent stance at sile, is the only one that India's Chandrayaan carthe WTO on the trade shows some signs of life. ried US payloads opening facilitation agreement has But details on this will the way for some of this lost it more friends in DC. only be revealed when agreement. Therefore, Modi will have defence minister Arun It's on climate change to work extra hard to conJaitley visits the US in and clean energy that India vince sceptical US CEOs October. Both sides, and the US have the best that India is indeed though, will be occupied chance of a bilateral reopened for business. with renewing a landmark understanding. It is close Just last week, US offidefence framework agreeto Modi's heart and might cial Nisha Biswal said ment which expires in be the only worthwhile India "does itself a discred2015. legacy that Obama can it" by blocking the trade
Defence and security partnership, energy including renewable energy relations and economic and investment ties and technology transfer will dominate Narendra Modi's maiden visit to the USA as Prime Minister that is widely expected to correct sentiments in the India-US relations that have been soured since 2011. On his longest trip abroad since taking over as the PM, Modi leaves for USA on September 25-26 for nearly seven days during which he will give his maiden speech at UN General Assembly on September 27 in New York and then proceed to Washington for the summit meeting with President Barack Obama on September 30. All eyes are set on that meeting when Modi is also expected to raise concerns over US Immigration Bill that will affect Indian IT industry if passed in the current form. The Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and
I m m i g r a t i o n Modernization Act (S 744) imposes new and onerous restrictions and higher fees on H-1B and L1 visa programmes on the international IT services sector and would create an uneven playing field. Modi's visit is also expected to iron out bilateral differences over Intellectual Property Rights particularly in the pharmaceutical industry, official sources said. Big ticket items for the visit include expansion in the defence partnership to not only launch joint production of equipment but also sharing perspectives on West Asia and East and Southeast Asia, sources indicated. Joint production and co-development that entails technology transfer is Modi's mantra to attain self-sufficiency in the defence sector in the long run. India has deep interests over energy security and its diaspora in West Asia where Arab Spring followed by radical ISIS
Defence partnership and economic relations to remain top agenda
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has fasted for Navratri for the last four decades and this year is likely to be no different. However, coincidentally, this year, the timing of the holy festival of Navaratri coincides with Modi's visit to the United States. Hence, he is likely to be on liquids for the entire tour, according to reports. In the US, the prime minister is set to get a gala reception from the vast Indian diaspora and also from US President Barack Obama. Obama will be also hosting a private dinner for Modi. But the prime minister is unlikely to eat anything at those gala affairs. Officials in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), however, have urged Modi to take vitamin water or lime juice, keeping in mind his busy schedule. In fact, now the entire planning for the Prime Minister's engagement in the US is being done keeping in mind his nine-day fast.
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Well-known NRIs who are organising different events have been advised not to make Modi's schedule too heavy. Bharat Barai, a physician and the main organiser of the Madison Square Garden event, said, “We know the Prime Minister will be fasting during the Navratri festival and this is one reason officials in New Delhi told us not to make his schedule too hectic. In any case, the enthusiasm over this visit is so great and there were so many requests for the Prime Minister to visit other cities that we could accommodate very little.” The seating capacity in the arena is already “oversubscribed” and hence organisers have made arrangements for live streaming of Modi's speech at Times Square. In total Modi is set to attend 26 meetings during the three-day tour, including summit level talks with President Obama.
movement has been destabilising factors. Meanwhile, China's growing ambitions in East and Southeast Asia have been a matter of concern for both India and USA. Among regional issues, situation in the Af-Pak region will dominate discussions, sources pointed out. India's energy demands are rising by the day and Modi will make efforts to source more energy from Washington including partnership in solar energy and importing LNG and shale gas. There will be considerable focus on clean energy partnership, an official said. While Modi would seek transfer of high-technology from the USA, the Obama administration would be keen to hear from him an environment conducive for investments after the policy paralysis in India since 2011, sources indicated. US is interested in the agriculture and food processing sectors, including cold chains. Besides, inter-
est is growing in USA about investments in industrial parks or zones, and water purification, water management and energy from waste as part of smart city projects in India. "The US administration and senators are looking forward to a visit that will energise the relationship and expect that Prime Minister Modi could give them a confidence to further expand and deepen ties," averred Robinder Sachdev, head of the India chapter of US India Political Action Committee, one of the influential India-American lobby groups said. There are also indications US firm can invest in the Modi government's campaign to Clean India. Education, especially community colleges by USA in India could be one of the deliverables from the visit. Modi and Obama will also discuss India's nuclear liability law and ways to address concerns of US nuclear major Westinghouse.
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www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 27th September 2014
Dear Financial Voice Reader,
Will the Pound fall against the Dollar? Will the stock market continue rising? How much? How long? How to profit? These are the most common questions of the week. As I sit here at home, quietly looking out of the window at the trees – it’s Autumn – and the markets are skyrocketing! So much for quiet summer. And if like me you like walking among the trees with your spouse or kids, rather than being in front of a computer screen (as I am now), then there are a lot of new trading innovations to make trading easier than ever. Although trading has got a lot simpler, so you can do it on your phone or your iPad, and place a trade so you know exactly how much you make for every point move, ‘10p for every point move on GBP/USD or FTSE100 or Dow’, it still is time consuming unless you know the clever orders and know how to translate your view into the language of orders. Here are five ways trading has got easier and allows you to be the minority of traders that profits from the markets. 1. (intermediate level): If the market is moving sideways, then look at an ‘OCO’ order. This ‘one cancel’s other order’ says, ‘buy if the market moves up to XYZ or sell if the market moves down to ABC and cancel the other order’. This is good if you know the market will move, and want to trade and profit from that direction and momentum, but don’t know which direction that will be. 2. (beginner level): If you think there will be a short move, but don’t know when: You don’t need to be stuck in front of the screen with a limit order – ie a take profit order. Place it near the present price. 3. (beginner level): If your position is in profit, but don’t know when it may turn, again you don’t need to be stuck in front of the screen: place a trailing stop at a distance not likely to be hit unless there is a genuine reversal. That way your profit will be pocketed whilst you’re doing something else. 4. (advanced level): If you know that although the market is rising sharply, there will be a pullback, and then another rise up: place a trailing entry order. Again, then you don’t need to keep in front of the screen. This trails the current price and if the market falls, then buys. The idea is that you will buy into a fall. Of course you have to be sure of the following upward rise and trend up. 5.(advanced): Combine these if for instance as with GBP/USD I think it will move sharply, but don’t know which direction so I will place an OCO with a short limit for profit and a trailing stop so I don’t enter a trade and end up with a big loss. 6. (intermediate): ‘Average into your trades’: this means if you think, as I do the Dow and FTSE will fall 200-300 points over the next month, but don’t know how much they will rise before they will, then I will sell short a little at a time every time the market rises. Nowadays brokers let you bet as little as 6p per point the market moves! That means if it moves 200 points against you – that’s still only £12 loss! I trade with http://etx.tradermind.com. Some brokers tell us that 80% of retail clients believe the market will fall in the coming week to month. That is why it keeps rising. You see the stock market always works by trying to get the most people possible off it. And retail customers tend to be wrong most of the time. With these order types – you will be better placed to win.
Indian investment in US growing at 26-27 pc annually
A top American official said that Indian investment in US was growing at an average 26-27 per cent annually, higher than the American investment in India. "American investment in India is approximately 2.5 times the Indian investment in America but it is not growing percentage-wise the way Indian investment in the US is growing," Vinai Thummalapalli, executive director of SelectUSA, said. Established by President Barack Obama in 2011, SelectUSA promotes and facilitates business investment into the US. Indian companies have made investment of $11 billion in the US and they are the fourth fastest growing Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the US. The American investment in India stands somewhere around $ 25 to
$ 26 billion. Thummalapalli, a former college roommate of Obama and the first Indian-American to become a US ambassador, is on a visit to India to encourage Indian investments in the US. After arriving in New Delhi, he landed his home town Hyderabad. He is also visiting Coimbatore, Bangalore and Mumbai to meet business leaders, investors and trade associations. SelectUSA pro-
vides information to investors, brings investors and economic development organizations within US together and act as ombudsman for investors at the federal level. "We are very optimistic and bullish. We believe there are hundreds may be thousands of companies in India wanting to invest in the US," said Thummalapalli, who served as US ambassador in Belize between 2009 and 2013. He believes the US market is attractive for Indian companies as they get customers, there is certainty, good infrastructure, well-defined legal system and their investment in the US compliments expansion of their business in India. SelectUSA plans to conduct a road show in India next year. Several American states
will make a pitch during the show and interact with prospective investors. SelectUSA in July signed a memorandum of intent with Export-Import Bank of India to help Indian companies keen to invest in the US. Thummalapalli expects even larger Indian participation in the second SelectUSA summit to be held in March next year near Washington. The investors from various countries attending the summit learn on how to do business in the US and establish networks. President Obama had last year hosted the firstever SelectUSA Summit, which was attended by 1,300 people from 60 countries. The Indian delegation was fourth largest. This year over 2,500 people are expected to attend the summit.
Apollo Tyres has confirmed that it would be setting a greenfield facility in Hungary. The location was chosen after a consideration of various factors over some of the neighbouring Central Eastern European and Asian countries. It will invest €475 million over the next 5 years to set up this facility in the new industrial zone near Gyongyoshalasz, Hungary. Once completed, the plant will have a capacity to produce 5.5 million passenger car and light truck (PCLT) tyres and 675,000 heavy commercial vehicle (HCV) tyres per annum. This facility will produce both, Apollo and Vredestein branded tyres, and will cater to the entire European market and will complement Apollo Tyres’ existing facility in the Netherlands. Commenting on this decision, Neeraj Kanwar, Vice Chairman and Managing Director, Apollo Tyres said, “This investment would be our first one into a Greenfield facility outside of India and
close proximity to various OEM manufacturers as potential customers. The company will soon start the process of applying for necessary permissions and licenses to set up the facility. Similarly, the process towards Environmental Peter Szijjarto (left) with Neeraj Kanwar I m p a c t Assessment will be started soon. The conwould be a significant struction of this plant is milestone in the compaexpected to start in the ny’s international growth spring of 2015 and the journey. Our aim is to crefirst tyre is likely to roll ate a benchmark manufacout in early 2017. turing facility, which Kanwar said that would further increase our apart from providing competitive strength in direct job to 975 people, of the European market.” which majority would be Peter Szijjarto, hired locally, this facility Parliamentary State would also lead to creSecretary to the Ministry ation of indirect jobs and for Foreign Affairs and contribute significantly to Trade said, “Apollo’s the development of the Hungarian investment is region. As an organisaan important step in the tion, we strongly believe in re-industrialisation of ‘Care for Society’, and we Hungary.” The chosen site would actively participate is less than 100 km from in addressing the health, Budapest, Hungary and safety and environment meets the needs of Apollo issues of the community.” Tyres, including having
UK's leading bus service operator `First Group plc' has shown interest in running the 223 bus fleet in Ahmedabad's Bus Rapid Transport Service (BRTS). 'First Group plc' is among six-odd agencies that have approached the Ahmedabad Janmarg Limited (AJL) for operating the 223 additional buses. The bidding process has already began. Currently, 127 new buses are being readied.“First Group is the world's leading transport operator, moving more than 2.5 billion passengers every year. AJL's technical team would do a detailed analysis of the tenders and decide which party gets the contract,” says a senior AJL official. The sources added that the AJL technical committee would take at least a fortnight to decide on the final operator. “One can expect by November the new set of BRTS buses would take to the streets,“ adds the AJL official.
Vinai Thummalapalli
Apollo Tyres to set up greenfield facility in Hungary
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www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 27th September 2014
19
The Risk of Doing Nothing
Suresh Vagjiani
Sow & Reap A Property Investment Company
When clients are wondering whether they should invest in a property or not one of the questions many tend to ask is: is there any risk attached to it? The answer is yes. Of course there is a risk attached to it, there is risk attached to everything you do. The only guarantee you have in life is death. What most potential investors completely fail to do is to analyse the risky position they are already in. The illusion seems to be if they do nothing but stay in their current position they are somehow risk free. If you have money sitting in the bank is that counted as risk free? Not if your money's in a Cyprus bank account it's not. And what exactly does risk free mean? If you have £100,000 sitting in an account and it grows by a few thousand per annum does this mean that your money is risk free? Inflation is a reality that investors have to cope with in a developed economy such as this.
I t is said inflatio n is a slo w, sile nt kille r, wh ic h g radually erode s th e value of mo ney, and in turn th e value o f ac cumulate d savings. I nflat io n can erode w ealth o ve r the year s. To accumulate wealth, it is necessary for the year-on-year growth in accumulated savings to be higher than the inflation rate. If your accumulated savings are growing at a rate lower than the inflation rate, your savings corpus is actually shrinking as the value of the pound today will be lower than what it was at the beginning of the year. The pound today will fetch lesser goods and services than what it did a year ago due to inflation. Hence, beating inflation is very important for any investor. In addition many services which used to be free are now having a price attached to them; for example university education and some services which used to be free on the NHS. So the cost of living is increasing in ways which cannot be measured by inflation. Some economists argue that printing more money will not address the fundamental problems underpinning struggling economies. It has damaging effects in the long-run in terms of capital accumulation, output, employment, and living standards. The above scenario paints a risky picture and the situation many face by doing nothing. By default doing nothing and leaving your funds in the bank is doing something, and the chances are your capital is being eroded month on month.
Property investment if done in the right way will act not just as a safety net but has the potential to propel your finances even higher than you expect. An example is a one bed flat we purchased for a client for £230k in 2011 and converted into a two bed flat is now worth £450k. Another example is a block of flats we bought in 308 Kilburn High Road for £2.675m in July last year and is currently valued at £4.765m. The lender has now agreed to lend us £2.7m on this property. It’s a good security with £260k coming in rent, with £180k guaranteed for the next ten years rising with RPI and the rest on short term ASTs. The investors will get most of their invested money back and still own a good property giving a constant income. The great thing about this deal is the money for the works was supplied to us by a housing association in return for renting the property out for ten years. Very simply, money can be printed and distributed, as demonstrated by the rounds of Quantitative Easing we have had. Land and property cannot as there is a finite amount of it, therefore it stands to reason given enough time it will always rise. Of course this is not a reason to purchase a dud property, it should be bought with care and proper due diligence, following the first three rules: location, location and you guessed it location.
Be fore th e e co no mic do wnturn pe ople we re ab le to b uy pro per ties with out putt ing do wn a single penny fro m th eir po cke ts just by taking advantage of the lib e ral le nding ter ms. Afte r th e c risis th e le nding ter ms chang ed and as a re sult t he re w as a lot of fear in th e mar ke t. Ho we ve r th is has chang ed o ve r time and pro per ty pric es in L o ndo n h ave co ntinued to rise.
Warren Buffett says: "Be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful." Right now the market is fearful because of the news in the press and uncertainty. We see this as a good opportunity to buy and hold on to good properties in central London.
The Real Deal
De ciding to invest in prope rty c an actually be a lifeline to ge t you o ut o f your cur re nt situatio n, th e sad t hing is many do n’t e ven appre ciate th ey are in a pre dic ament. Doing nothing in the current situation may mean you will end up behind, financially, in the future. It is said if you don’t move forward in life you go backwards. This certainly seems to be the current situation. Property has been the saving grace for not just investors who wish to have a solid financial situation in the future, but for those in business; having a property portfolio can be a solid cushion when times get bad. In business there will be always ups and downs, many of those who have appeared in the Sunday Times rich list have property to thank for their success. If it wasn’t the reason for their success it often was the reason why they could stay in business through bad times. Investing in property has risk attached to it, but what is the risk attached to doing nothing? This also comes down to human nature. For example many do not see the importance of exercise until the heart attack comes. So if doing nothing is not acceptable in any area of life, why do we accept this when it come to our finances?
Knightsbridge, London, SW1X Purchase Price: £1.5m l A beautiful two bedroom flat in a red brick mansion building l Long lease l Properties in this location are being sold for £2,200 per sq. ft. and above while this property is coming at £1,437 per sq. ft. l We believe the value of this property to be around £2m l This property is ideally located within easy walking distance of Sloane Street, Harrods and Sloane Square Call us now to secure this deal!
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Tips of the Week l In the current environment take care of your wealth and your health, the state will not do this for you!
l Discounts are not the only means to make money in property, at times you need to see an angle which no one else sees.
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BUSINESS
India likely to ease FDI norms in construction sector
India is likely to ease norms for foreign direct investment in construction sector before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the United States this week. According to sources, the department of industrial policy and promotion - the nodal agency for FDI rules - has floated a Cabinet note on the proposal for inter-ministerial consultations. “The proposal, which is on the lines of the budget announcement, is likely to be taken up by the Union Cabinet in its next meeting,” an official said. Once it is approved, it is expected to be notified immediately, he added. Accordingly, the DIPP has proposed to reduce the requirement of the builtup area and capital conditions for FDI in the sector
www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 27th September 2014
Xi has assured us market access: Modi
to 20,000 square metre and $5 million, respectively, with a three-year postcompletion lock-in. Currently, the requirements are for built up area of 50,000 square metre and capital of $10 million. Though 100 per cent FDI is permitted through the automatic route in the construction sector, finance minister Arun Jaitley had in the budget announced plans to liberalise norms to “to encourage development of Smart Cities, which will also provide habitation for the
neo-middle class”. “The Insurance Laws (Amendment) Bill to hike FDI in the sector to 49 per cent is already in Parliament while higher FDI caps for defence and railways has been notified. This is the last announcement on FDI that is to be implemented,” said the official, adding that it will help the government attract investments to the sector. The NDA government has been keen to promote construction of smart cities to help meet the country’s urbanisation challenge and 100 such cities are being planned. The government is understood to be identifying such cities at present that will be selected based on their population.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that President Xi Jinping has assured him of greater access to Indian companies in China in a bid to bridge the yawning trade deficit between the two countries. "I raised the issue of trade imbalance between the two countries. I urged President Xi to give our companies better market access and investment opportunities in China," Modi said after his bilateral talks with the Chinese side. "The Chinese president assured that he will take concrete steps in this regard." India-China bilateral merchandise trade stood at $65.88 billion in 2013. While India's exports to China was valued at $14.50 billion, its imports were much larger at $
going forward. With that said, we still expect petroleum products to remain both the largest category of total exports and the largest contributor to total export growth up to 2030," said Tim Evans, Regional Head of Global Trade and Receivables Finance. "It (petroleum products) will account for over 40 per cent of total export growth over this forecast horizon. So it is no surprise to see energy hungry countries such as India and China on top of
the UAE's export list," said Evans. By 2030, China is expected to increase its overseas shipments five-fold as it strengthens commercial ties to emerging Asia, the Middle East and North Africa. According to the Trade Confidence Index, the UAE remains firmly positive about increasing trade activity over the next six months. The country ranked third out of the 23 countries surveyed. Forty seven per cent of respondents believe trading volumes will increase 'slightly' over the next 6 months, and another 16 per cent believe the increase in trade volumes will be 'significant'. An increase in demand - either globally or
in key markets - is cited as the basis for this increase by around 45 per cent of respondents. Globally, world trade is set to resume its growth trajectory in 2016, presenting fresh opportunities for businesses that have positioned themselves to benefit. The Index showed that 65 per cent of businesses surveyed reported current trade activity with these regions while 75 per cent believe that Asia or Middle East and North Africa will have the best opportunities of growth over the next 6 months. "UAE importers will continue to have their main focus on Asia and intraregional trade as well. It will be these markets that prove to be the fastest growing corridors for the country's long term import growth," said Evans.
sons who are coming into the system are coming for the first time, so if we don't make a good first impression, they will stay out. Let us ensure it works," Rajan said. Most of the schemes that aim to cover the entire population have had their share of errors in on-boarding citizen information. The Unique Identification Authority of India's Aadhaar scheme is a long way from achieving universal coverage. Bankers say that Aadhaar is crucial for the success of the Prime Minister's Jan Dhan Yojana as only accounts linked to Aadhaar can receive direct benefits from the govern-
ment. Since Aadhaar is backed by biometric readings, it eliminates the risk of duplication. But while banks have been given targets for completion under the Jan Dhan Yojana, they do not have control over Aadhaar implementation. The idea of universal bank accounts was originally proposed by a panel constituted by the RBI to improve financial inclusion which was headed by veteran banker Nachiket Mor. Rajan said that universal financial access is national priority and would improve financial savings, reduce leakages through direct benefit transfer and bring down use of cash.
India to become world's fastest growing exporter
India is likely to become the world's fastest growing exporter and UAE's top export and import destination by 2030, according to a study. The latest HSBC Trade Forecast tipped that India has the potential to become world's 5th largest exporter of goods by value from the 14th spot from 2014 to 2030. Besides India, UAE's fastest growing export markets will be China, Malaysia, Turkey - each of which will see the fastest growth rates between 2017 and 2030. Import growth for UAE will be fastest for goods originating from China, India, Turkey and Vietnam. “Sectors such as infrastructure and construction, tourism, retail and government investments in technology will continue to be the main drivers of the UAE's economy
Rajan warns banks against hasty rollout of Jan Dhan Yojana
Reserve Bank of India governor Raghuram Rajan cautioned banks against hasty implementation of the Prime Minister's Jan Dhan Yojana - a scheme aimed at providing every household with a bank account. "The objective of the scheme is universality (of bank accounts), it is not just speed or numbers," said Rajan at an annual banking event organized by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the Indian Banks Association. Rajan warned bankers against three main risks: banks opening multiple accounts for the same person; concluding the
Raghuram Rajan
scheme with patchy coverage; and opening accounts that end up being dormant. "The system is going to be a waste if what we do generates a whole set of duplicate accounts. It is going to be a waste if you do not have full coverage. It is going to be a waste if those accounts are not used, they open and they languish. Many of the per-
Xi Jinping with Narendra Modi
51.37 billion, resulting in a large trade deficit. Modi said that India and China have much scope to increase economic cooperation, as it was way below the potential. The prime minister said he was pleased with the inking of agreements between the two sides for
two Chinese industrial parks in India and Beijing's commitment to invest around $20 billion in India over the next five years. "I invited Chinese investments in infrastructure and manufacturing sectors. I am glad that two Chinese industrial parks will be built in India."
India should get bigger role in IMF: Lagarde International Monetary Fund managing director Christine Lagarde backed reforming the multilateral body, which will give more say to countries like India and China in running the a g e n c y . Christine “International institutions have to mirror the state of the world and its changes,” the former French finance minister said, adding that at the Financial Stability Board, IMF has decided to give more representation to countries such as India. India and several other emerging market economies have for long
demanded changes in voting rights of bodies like the IMF and the World Bank but developed countries such as the US have blocked any a t t e m p t . Largarde said changes Lagarde the depend on a ratification by the US Congress. “The composition of our board and governance of IMF and its reform is predicated on US Congress ratification. We very much hope that this will happen. It is overdue by two years and we will do whatever to convince necessity for this reform,” she added.
Indian architect named 'Leader of Tomorrow' A 28-year-old Indian architect has been named "young leader of tomorrow" by Time Magazine for his pioneering work in designing affordable floodproof houses for slum dwellers. Alok Shetty is among "leaders of tomorrow" who are "working hard to change their worlds today," Time said as it named six inspirational young persons in its first class of "next generation leaders". Time said Shetty is "building hope in India" as an architect who is "finding simple solutions to complex problems." Shetty, working with the Bangalore-based nonprofit Parinaam Foundation, is designing homes for hundreds of slum dwellers whose makeshift houses flood during the heavy rains and become breeding grounds for diseases like malaria.
He has been working in Bangalore's LRDE slum, which is home to some 2,000 people. Shetty, who studied Master's in architecture at Columbia University, "came at the problem with an approach he brings to all of his projects "marrying smart design with a commitment to sustainability." He designed flood-proof houses, costing $300, out of discarded scaffolding, bamboo and wood. The houses are affordable and easy to set up as it takes only four hours to erect and dismantle them. "Shetty epitomizes a growing breed of young leaders and entrepreneurs in India who are committed to finding solutions for a country undergoing rapid social and economic changes, some of which can leave India's poorest straggling behind," Time said.
CURRENCY VOICE
www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 27th September 2014
21
Foreign Exchange
Paresh Davdra is the Dealing Director of RationalFX, Currency Specialists.
GBP Strengthens As Scots Say NO For the majority of last week all eyes are currently set around the Scottish referendum vote on Thursday. During the No Campaign David Cameron tried to convince voters that’s they shouldn't base their vote on whether or not they are in favour of Cameron's government but the merits of leaving or staying within the United Kingdom Late Tuesday the pound rallied after a series of polls released suggested the no campaign was narrowly ahead, by 52% to 48%. But the polls by the Daily Telegraph and Daily Mail and showed a small movement to yes in recent days, though they placed the no side ahead within the specified margin of error. Betting agency Betfair also paid out on the “no” votes early Tuesday, suggesting they expected Scotland to stay with the UK. On Friday with a no vote determined the pound had its biggest 24 hour move in over a year. GBP also strengthened notably against the EUR (2-year highs), CHF (2 year highs) and of course the JPY (6 year highs)
as the Japanese government admits defeat and downgrades its economic assessment for the first time in 5 months. With the Final figures released revealed the voters in Scotland rejected independence by 55% to 45%. In response to the loss Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond has said "No" voters in last week's independence referendum were "tricked" by a late vow of more devolved powers. He accused the three UK party leaders of "reneging" on the pledge they made days before Thursday's referendum which he claimed won the "No" vote. No 10 dismissed his claims, as the three parties continue to disagree over handling the process of devolution. In other news from the pound there were also the results of the Bank of England’s interest rate decision. The results were the same as last month with 2 members voting for an interest rate hike and the remaining 7 members voting to keep interest rates at 0.5%. We had a relatively quiet week in Europe last week with
Monday 15th September 2014
the main focus being Eurozone inflation. Inflation in the Eurozone is still very low; markets were expecting a fall from 0.4% to 0.3% year on year but it did actually remain constant at 0.4%. One of the reasons the ECB cut interest rates 2 weeks ago was to try and remove the continued threat of deflation; the effect of this would not have been felt in this set of data. However, it will be welcome news to the ECB that inflation has not fallen further. US factory output dropped 0.4% after a 0.7% percent rise in July. This reflected a sharp fall in production at auto plants, which was reported to be mainly due to seasonal adjustment problems. With this said, total industrial production was down 0.1 percent in August, which was also the first setback for the overall figure since January 2014. The US Federal Reserve revealed on late Wednesday that another of its senior officials was opposed to keeping interest rates at record lows. Projections released by the Fed suggest that interest rates
could now be 1.35% by the end of 2015 higher than the 1.15 projection made in June. The fed has also continued its course of tapering quantitative easing by reducing asset purchases from 25B to 15B. As a result we saw the dollar strengthen against most of its major peers when this information was released. Despite no data being released late last week the Dollar has made some gains on expectations the US Federal Reserve edges closer to its first interest-rate increase since 2006.Consequently, the dollar index, a gauge of the greenback's strength against a basket of major currencies, was within reach of a two-year high on Friday. Over the weekend speculation surrounded the G-20 meetings in Australia with each countries monetary policy and potential involvement in the currency markets. Analysts are concerned about the impact of diverging monetary policies from the U.S. to Japan and how they threaten to increase exchange-rate volatility.
Monday 15th September 2014
Weekly Currencies As of Tuesday 23rd September 2014 @ 3.30pm GBP - INR = 99.87
USD - INR = 60.95 EUR - INR = 78.55 GBP - USD = 1.64 GBP - EUR = 1.27
EUR - USD = 1.29 GBP - AED = 6.02
GBP - CAD = 1.81
GBP - NZD = 2.03
GBP - AUD = 1.85
GBP - ZAR = 18.19
GBP - HUF = 395.37
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Monday 15th September 2014
22
WORLD
Graphic designer tried to kill her mother with poison
London: A city graphic designer Kuntal Patel, 38 tried to kill her “manipulative and controlling” magistrate mother with a deadly poison bought over the internet because she forbade her marrying the man she loved, a court heard. Kuntal bought Abrin – a poison similar to Ricin – on the web, prosecutor Jonathon Polnay said. But the drug had no effect because she gave it to her mother, Meena Patel, in a can of diet coke. The drug is 1000 times less toxic if swallowed rather than inhaled or injected and the acid in the coke destroyed it further, the court was told. Patel, of Park Road, wanted to murder her mother because she had forbidden her from marrying, Niraj Kakad, an American she met over the internet. Meena Patel, a magistrate working in domestic violence and race relations, was “not a nice woman at all” in private, the court heard. Both her daughters, Kuntal and Poonam, lived at home with her. Polnay said: “She would regularly use foul and abusive language, including highly racist language. “She would on occasions be violent. She was highly manipulative and controlling, she would seek to control every aspect of
her daughters’ lives. And worst of all she forbade Kuntal from marrying the man she loved.” But the prosecutor added: “Meena was all of those things, manipulative, controlling and selfish. But she did not deserve to die. When Meena forbade Kuntal from marrying Niraj, rather than bringing shame on the family by trying to marry without consent, something which Meena would have done her best to sabotage, Kuntal set out in calculated and pre-meditated fashion to murder her mother. “Inspired in part by the US TV series “Breaking Bad,” she acquired a deadly toxin called Abrin, a close relation to Ricin, over the ‘dark web’ from a vendor in the USA.” Patel bought the poison using Bitcoins and used encryption on her emails to cover her tracks. The toxin was sent from the US concealed in a wax candle which Patel then poured
Islamabad: Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the 'Gen Next' politician of Pakistan, has said that his Pakistan People's Party (PPP) would get back entire Kashmir from India. Bilawal, in his 20s, was addressing the party workers in Multan region in Punjab. "I will take back Kashmir, all of it, and I will not leave behind a single inch of it because, like the other provinces, it belongs to Pakistan," said the scion of highly influential Bhutto family. When Bilawal made these remarks, he was flanked by former prime ministers Yousaf Raza Gilani and Raja Pervaiz Asharaf. Bilawal, who has announced plans to contest next general elections in 2018, heads the secular Pakistan People's Party which officially wants good ties with India. His mother, former slain premier Benazir Bhutto, was twice elected as prime minister while his maternal grandfather Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, who founded the PPP in 1967, also served as prime minister in 1970s.
Toronto: A museum depicting the Islamic art collection of Shia Ismaili Muslim leader Aga Khan has opened in Toronto. The museum displays more than thousand pieces, including exquisite book paintings, ceramics, textiles and artefacts dating as far back as the 9th century, including the earliest surviving manuscript of Avicenna’s Canon of Medicine. The museum has a revolving platform of temporary exhibitions, live entertainment, music, film, lectures and educational resources. “One of the lessons we have learned in recent years is that the world of Islam and the Western world need to work together much more effectively at building mutual understanding – especially as these cultures interact and intermingle more actively. We hope that this museum will contribute to a better understanding of the peoples of Islam in all of their religious, ethnic, linguistic and social diversity,” the Aga Khan said. The spiritual leader to 15 million Shia Ismaili Muslims, a multimillionaire and a philanthropist who has made development and educational
I will take back entire Kashmir from India: Bilawal Bhutto
Meena Patel and Kuntal Patel
into a diet coke and watched her mother drink it “expecting her to die”. “But nothing happened,” Polnay said. Patel then set about trying to buy a stronger does of Abrin. However her US dealer Jesse Korff was arrested by the FBI who found evidence that he had sent the poison to the UK and alerted the Metropolitan Police, who arrested Patel. Polnay said: 'If they [the events] were the plot of a Hollywood or Bollywood thriller, you would say they were farfetched.' The court heard that privately-educated Kuntal first met her lover Kakad through Shaadi.com, an internet dating service for the Asian community. But her mother did not approve of the relationship and became increasingly controlling and abusive towards her, the court heard. She allegedly locked her daughter in her home,
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beat her, and demanded she stop seeing him. In a series of highly abusive messages she branded her daughter a "witch" and "****** up brain girl who cannot be my blood" for falling for Kakad. Meena was hellbent on "wrecking" her daughter's chance of marriage, hacked her phone and emails and seized her credit cards in a bid to scupper her relationship, the court heard. Despite the abuse, the couple got engaged in November 2012 and Kuntal hatched a plan to kill her mother, jurors heard. Polnay said: "She took the view that she was not going to let her mother and family arguments stand in the way of her happiness." He went on: "Kuntal was firm in her desire to marry Niraj and have children. She had pointed out on a number of occasions that she did not have time on her side. "Meena's attitude was 'over my dead body'. And she was quite obviously a manipulative and controlling person who would not hesitate to do everything she could to wreck the chance of a happy marriage. "It was around this point, we say, that Kuntal Patel made the decision that the best way to ensure she got what she wanted, happiness for herself, was by killing her mother."
Aga Khan’s museum of Islamic art opened in Toronto
projects his legacy, the 77year-old Aga Khan espouses a notably pluralistic view of religion. In his museum inauguration address last week the keywords were friendship, enlightenment, pluralism and multiculturalism. The Aga Khan is a supporter of modern architecture, so it’s characteristic that he was closely involved in the design of the 17-acre, $300 million (£168 million) site, which includes the Ismaili Centre, designed by the Indian architect Charles Correa, a park featuring a formal garden by the LebaneseSerbian Vladimir Djurovic and the museum itself by the Japanese architect Fumihiko Maki. The Ismaili Centre perches on the site’s peak.
The glass dome of the prayer room - an asymmetrical glass pyramid - is the dominant architectural statement, a crystal beacon that refracts the ancient through the modern. Maki’s fortress-like museum mirrors the centre’s white walls in brilliant Brazilian granite and echoes Correa’s pyramid structure with a more modest hexagonal dome the roof of a handsome, teak-clad performance hall - towards the front of the building. A central courtyard opens up to the sky, its tall glass walls delicately etched with intricate patterns to cast elaborately shifting shadows across the museum’s main corridors throughout the day, a kind of giant interior sundial.
In Brief
Artificial sweeteners can make you fat
London: Researchers found that artificial sweeteners may disrupt the bacteria in some people and make them fat. Their findings may shed light on why studies often contradict one another, with some finding that people who drink lots of diet drinks are more likely to be obese, with others finding they may help people keep weight off.
India ‘loses file’ on Britain's Hawk trainer jet deal
New Delhi: Britain's £200 million deal to supply 20 British Hawk trainer jets to India was in trouble after Indian defence officials admitted the file on the planned sale was “lost.” India’s ministry of defence said the paperwork relating to the file had gone missing and that the deal could not be completed until the documents were found or redrafted. The blunder has caused acute embarrassment to the government of India and threatens to delay the delivery of the jets and payments to Rolls-Royce and BAE Systems, the British firms that supply its engines and hardware. The Hawks were earmarked for India’s 'Red Arrows’, the Surya Kiran aerobatics team, which has been grounded since its own ageing aircraft were deemed unsafe three years ago. They are an addition to one of Britain’s largest defence deals, worth £1.6 billion, to supply 113 Hawks to train India’s air force and navy combat pilots. A spokesman for India’s ministry of defence declined to comment on the matter but officials privately confirmed the loss of the file.
Fiji's military ruler sworn in as elected leader
Suva (Fiji): Fiji's military ruler Voreqe Bainimarama was sworn in as the South Pacific nation's elected leader on Monday after results confirmed his big win in the first election since he led a coup eight years ago. Bainimarama was sworn in as prime ministerelect during a ceremony and said he planned to travel to the UN General Assembly in New York, where he would describe his nation's move to democracy. "I will tell the world what we have just accomplished in Fiji," he said. "It will be a landmark occasion." Bainimarama and his Fiji First party won an outright majority in the Parliament by taking 32 of 50 seats, according to results released by the Fijian Elections Office. The opposition Social Democratic Liberal Party (Sodelpa) won 15 seats and the National Federation Party won three. Last week's election was the first since Bainimarama seized power in a 2006 coup. Bainimarama defended the coup and thanked the military, whom he credited with creating the conditions for democracy. "I am greatly honoured and humbled that the Fijian people put their trust in me to lead them into our new and true democracy," he said. "My absolute promise is that we will govern for the wellbeing of all Fijians. The elections office said voter turnout was 84 per cent with almost 500,000 ballots cast. Bainimarama alone won just over 200,000 votes, and, when other candidates from his party were added, Fiji First won 294,000 votes, or 59 per cent of the total. Sodelpa candidates won 140,000 votes, or 28 per cent of the total. Parliamentary seats are allocated under a proportional system.
Chinese TV newsreaders fined for slip of tongue
Beijing: Chinese TV newsreaders who make mistakes while reading the news is fined. If the number of errors over the three-month period is between 60 and 90, the fine is RMB300 (£30) per word. If they commit more than 120, the fine rises to RMB500 per word. Chinese Central Television (CCTV), which is directly controlled by the government and delivers an unremitting stream of carefully sterilised historical dramas and blunt-edged propaganda, is by far the most powerful mouthpiece for the Communist Party. For that reason, a newsreader who makes an appearance at 7 pm is watched by around 250 million people. So the newsreaders spend hours to rehearsing before the broadcast. Senior CCTV managers keep a minutely detailed tally of the number of on-air errors that are made. Tiny mis-readings of the autocue, a wrongly placed pause, an infinitesimal stumble with an unfamiliar name or a slight mistake with the four tonal accents of spoken Mandarin are all officially logged. At the end of each quarter, the anchors and their production teams are presented with the grim evidence of their verbal delinquency. If the number of errors over the three-month period is between 60 and 90, the newsreader is fined RMB300 (£30) per word. If they commit more than 120, the fine rises to RMB500 per word.
WORLD
www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 27th September 2014
In Brief
GCHQ harnessing dyslexic spies
London: Britain's intelligence agency is harnessing the minds of more than 100 dyslexic and dyspraxic spies to combat terrorism and foreign espionage. Using their ability to analyse complex information in a “dispassionate, logical and analytical” way, Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) employs 120 “neuro-diverse” intelligence officers. While many of those with dyslexia find it hard to read, write or interpret words, they often have an extraordinary aptitude for deciphering facts from patterns or events.
World population to touch 12.3 bn by 2100
London: According to latest predictions world’s population will keep growing and by 2100 it could reach 12.3 billion from the current 7 billion. The experts behind the new findings warned that population should be put back on the world’s agenda after previous forecasts put the total at the end of the century at about two billion fewer.
Temperatures to drop across Britain
London: The Met Office has warned that a cold spell is due to hit Britain and night temperatures will drop below freezing point this week. While the warm weather enjoyed so far this month will continue by day, with highs of around 68F (20C), the temperature will plummet by as much as 59F (15C) in some areas of England and Scotland. A Met Office forecaster said: “There will be a significant change in the weather, with temperatures in some parts of the UK dropping to 30F (-1C).
Universities still recruiting students
London: More than a month after the publication of A-level results, a vast majority of universities – including many leading institutions – are still recruiting students. Universities are advertising clearing vacancies on almost 22,000 degree courses even though the academic year has already started for large numbers of undergraduates. Figures show that a quarter of members of the elite Russell Group, including Southampton and Queen Mary, University of London, had availability for British and European students at the end of last week.
Bangladesh top court commutes Islamist leader's death sentence
Dhaka: Bangladesh's Supreme Court has commuted to life imprisonment a death sentence of a top Islamist leader convicted of war crimes during the country's war of liberation in 1971. The decision against Delawar Hossain Sayedee, a leader of the main Islamist party, the Jamaat-e-Islami, prompted strike calls by his party, and provoked scattered violence in the capital, Dhaka, and the northern district of Rajshahi. Sayedee, 73, had appealed against the decision by a war crimes tribunal over crimes of arson, looting, murder and rape, and the top court ordered that he spend the rest of his life in prison.
Court clarification over flight delay compensation
London: New figures show that nearly 10,000 passengers who inquired about compensation for delayed flights have been wrongly advised that their claim was invalid. Under European law, passengers delayed for more than three hours can claim compensation of up to €600 (£472) unless the airline can claim the hold-up was due to an “extraordinary circumstance” such as terrorism or a strike. But amid confusion about which precise situations qualify as “extraordinary”, the Civil Aviation Authority had also included aircraft technical problems on an unofficial list of disqualifying circumstances which was issued to thousands of passengers. Its guidance was found to be wrong in May when Court of Appeal judges ruled that most technical problems should not disqualify passengers from receiving compensation, following a legal challenge brought by a passenger against Jet2.
23
Murder case registered against Sharif
Islamabad: A murder case has been registered against Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, his brother and Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif, three federal ministers and top police officials over the alleged killing of two persons during last month's clashes between the police and anti-government protesters, police officials said. The case was registered after a court had ordered the Islamabad's Secretariat police to register the case after hearing a petition filed by the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) over the alleged killing of its workers. The deaths took place on night of August 30 when the police fired tear gas shells and
Nawaz Sharif rubber bullets on followers of cleric Tahirul Qadri-led PAT and Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to stop them from marching on the PM's house in Islamabad's heavily fortified red-zone. Apart from the two victims, who died from rubber bullet injuries, another PAT worker died that night
due to cardiac arrest. Over 500 people were injured. According to the FIR, the crackdown orders were given by Nawaz Sharif and interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan. The others to be booked include defence minister Khwaja Muhammad Asif, railways minister Khwaja Saad Rafique, former IG Islamabad Khalid Khattak, IG Punjab Mushtaq Sukhera, the IG Railways and other top officials of the Islamabad police and administration. Addressing his supporters, Qadri said Nawaz Sharif had no right to stay in power after the registration of the FIR. "How can Sharif remain in power when two cases have been registered against him?" he
said. He demanded the PM and all the others who had been booked should be immediately arrested. He expressed reservations over the investigation of the case by the Islamabad and Punjab police, and asked for the constitution of a joint investigation team comprising members of intelligence agencies and police officials from regions other than Punjab and Islamabad to probe the matter. Nawaz Sharif and other high-ranking figures have already been named in a murder case relating to the deaths of 14 supporters of Qadri when the police launched an operation against them in Lahore's Model Town on June 17.
Indian- American community, former ambassadors Prabhu Dayal and Meera Shanker and her former classmates and teachers whose "emotional and moral support" helped her in her legal fight. Biswas had filed the lawsuit seeking $1.5 million in damages for her wrongful imprisonment and suspension from school. She was detained and arrested in February 2011 on the grounds that she had sent "offensive and sexually threatening" emails to her teachers in Queens's John Browne High School. Biswas is now in India. The defendants had moved to "dismiss" the entire lawsuit but an appeals court had last month refused to throw out the lawsuit saying the arguments by them were "without merit." Biswas's lawsuit had detailed the circumstances that led to
her being handcuffed and imprisoned forcibly approximately 28 hours "for nothing." Biswas was "forced to be processed through the criminal justice system, and spent over 24 hours in jail without being allowed to meet her parents or visited by senior Indian diplomats. All of this occurred, despite her actual innocence as this was a case of mistaken identity." It states that she was discriminated against and falsely accused of sending offensive e-mails because of her ethnicity. An investigation after her arrest had found that another student had sent the emails but that student was not arrested or criminally charged, which Batra said is "proof of foul discriminatory disparate treatment" of Biswas "despite her actual innocence."
Indian envoy’s daughter gets $225,000 compensation
New York: In a significant legal victory for the daughter of an Indian diplomat, the city of New York has agreed to pay her $225,000 to settle a lawsuit she brought against it after she was jailed for a day and suspended from school on suspicion of sending obscene emails to her teacher. Krittika Biswas has in turn agreed to dismiss all the claims against the city, Board of Education and the officials of the New York police department who had arrested and detained her in 2011. US District Judge John Koeltl in the Southern District of New York said in his order that the City of New York agrees to pay Biswas $225,000 in "full satisfaction of all claims" and in consideration for the payment Biswas "agrees to dismissal of all the claims" against the defendants.
Krittika Biswas He said that the parties in the case "desire to resolve the issues" raised in the litigation "without further proceedings and without admitting any fault or liability." Biswas's lawyer Ravi Batra said in a statement that the "honour" of Biswas, Indian diplomats and India has been has been "vindicated" with the court order. The settlement acknowledged that Biswas was an "honour student" at the time of her "false arrest." He said Biswas joins him in "thanking" the
Afghanistan claimants agree on unity govt
Kabul: Ending months of vote-related tension, Afghanistan's election commission named a new president on Sunday only hours after the two leading candidates signed a powersharing deal that names one of them as the country's new chief executive. The commission named Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai as the winner and next president and noted that Abdullah Abdullah will be the next chief executive. But it pointedly did not release final vote totals amid sug-
Abdullah Abdullah and Ashraf Ghani
gestions that doing so could inflame tensions. The deal brings to a close an election season that began in April, when millions of Afghans first went to the polls despite threats from Taliban militants, and ended when the two lead-
ing candidates signed a national unity government agreement and embraced in a hug. US officials lauded the deal and said they believed Ghani Ahmadzai would sign a security agreement soon after taking his oath of office that
would allow some 10,000 American forces to remain in Afghanistan next year. After 13 years of war following the September 11, 2001 attacks, all combat troops are to withdraw by the end of 2014.It took weeks of negotiations to form a power sharing arrangement after accusations of fraud in the June run-off vote. The deal is a victory for US secretary of state John Kerry, who first got the candidates to agree in principle to share power during a July visit to Afghanistan.
24
XI’S GUJARAT VISIT
Modi plays perfect host
Modi receving Chinese President Xi and his wife
Prime Minister Narendra Modi proved it right that guests are like gods for Indians (Atithi devo bhava). Breaking from protocol, Modi unrolled a grand welcome for Chinese President Xi Jinping on his home turf. He waited patiently for the president, his wife Peng Liyuan and other delegates to arrive at Hyatt Hotel in Vastrapur. He met them outside the foyer and greeted them with flowers, giving them a glimpse of India's hospitality. Modi took Xi around a pictorial gallery featuring the prime minister's hometown Vadnagar, and explained its Buddhist links to the visiting leader. Lending a personal touch, Modi later accompanied Xi and his wife on
their tour of city's landmarks. He arrived at the ashram 10 minutes before Xi, and played the role of a spirited guide as he took the Chinese president around the historic place. He continued acting as the perfect host at the Riverfront where he strolled with Xi and Peng around the Riverfront, which was illuminated with attractive lights and fountains. Modi kept up a constant conversation with the couple, inviting Xi to sit with him on a Sankheda swing, and pointing out things of significance to the Chinese first couple. Modi rounded off the day by hosting a private dinner for the couple at the Riverfront. This feast was supervised by his cook Badri.
The Chinese President and delegates had a taste of Gujarati hospitality as they tucked into the lavish spread of vegetarian and nonvegetarian cuisine laid out at a city hotel and at the Riverfront. While the President and visiting guests were served shuddh desi Gujarati dishes at Sabarmati Riverfront, they were served some exotic nonvegetarian food at the Hyatt. The Chinese guests who had their dinner at the hotel also enjoyed the gala feast at the Riverfront later in the evening. The Buffet Menu at the hotel included Chicken Soup and Black rice porridge, Hot and sour agaric, spiced peanut. The Hot Dish included steamed fish, stir fried pork with scrambled eggs and fungus, small fried pork, lamb ribs boiled in clear soup, hot pepper with sliced potato, plain fried baby pok choi, Mapo tofu, Scrambled eggs with tomato, Fried rice, Fried noodle and cut fruits. From dhokla to undhiyu and khichdi, some 20 Gujarati delicacies were on platter at the dinner organised at the riverfront. PM Narendra Modi
and CM Anan diben Patel were seated across the table at the dinner at Sabarmati Riverfront. Twenty two people, 11 from each side, had food together, government spokesperson and senior Gujarat minister Nitin Patel said. The Taj Group lavish menu included Nylon Khaman, Sandwich Dhokla, Tilwali Khandvi, Sev Khamni and Khasta Kachori in Farsan. The main course had Thali with items like Ringna Methi Nu Shak , Gujarati Khatti Mithi Dal, Half Undhiyu, Bhindi Sambhariya, Aloo Rasila, Steamed Rice, Badsahi Khichdi, Gujarati Kadhi, Chapati, Methi Na Thepla, Bhakri and Kachumber Salad. It also had Rajwadi Chaas as beverage. According to the Gateway hotel staff, the feast ended with desserts including Thanda Dudhpak, Mango Shrikhand, Garam Beetroot Halwa, Fresh Cut Fruits and Sugar Free Gehu Ke Laddu.
Chinese get a taste of Gujarati hospitality
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3 MoUs signed between Gujarat & China
There is a feminine touch to the old slogan of `Hindi-Chini Bhai-Bhai'. While Guangdong now becomes Gujarat 's `siste rstate, ' Guangzhou and Ahmedabad will share a bond as `sister cities'. An MoU was signed to forge `sister state' relations between Guangdong and Gujarat, covering cooperation in economy and trade, environmental protection, public policy, education, health, science and technology, and tourism and culture. Both coastal provinces, which are economic powerhouses for their respective countries, have shared a long maritime relationship. Now, they will also extend mutual cooperation in the fields of sports, youth affairs, urban planning, waste water management, infrastructure, environment, public
health and the exchange of economic and trade delegations. On the same lines, an MoU was signed between the cities of Guangzhou and Ahmedabad for closer cooperation between the local authorities of the two cities. This will facilitate engagements in the fields of economy and trade, environment protection, public policy, edu-
cation, health, science and technology, and tourism and culture. Knowledge sharing will be done through delegation visits, institutional meetings and sharing of experiences in areas of mutual interest. Another MoU was signed between the Industrial Extension Bureau (iNDEXTb), the nodal agency of the Government
of Gujarat for investment promotion, and the China Development Bank (CDB). Under this agreement, iNDEXTb will assist Chinese investors in obtaining required clearances and creating infrastructure facilities in industrial parks. Chinese investors will set up manufacturing units in the electrical, electronics, plastics and other sectors.
Gujarati folk artistes rendered various numbers, she tried to comprehend the music and tapped her fingers on her clutch. “It was perfect synchrony. Music has no borders. The First Lady immensely enjoyed herself. “She is a folk artiste, so we set up the show,” a Gujarat government functionary said. The first lady also enjoyed tribal dance performance. Munjal Mehta of Tabla Talim Sanstha, who performed at the Riverfront with 16 children welcomed the First Lady.
They renderd “Hy uan ying” (welcome in Chinese) on the tabla. The first lady spent 10 minutes listening to the troupe and appreciated their performance. Mehta said Peng was very curious about the tabla and asked her interpreter details of how the instrument is played. Hemang Vyas of Saptdhwani Kalavrund, a Surat-based group, which performed prachin (traditional) Garba, “Jaadu bha rya maara manda heryaa,” said that the First Lady
was impressed with their performance. Happy birthday Sources said that she wished Modi a happy birthday as he welcomed her. Staffers at the Hyatt where she stayed for a while and officials present at the Riverfront applauded her modesty and said she made it a point to thank and appreciate everyone at all time. Gujarat government officials confirmed that she brought along over 10 kg of special Chinese tea as gifts to Indians. She also consulted and suggested her husband that they make Modi's birthday special. They ordered a special 8-kg cake for Modi and took it along with them to the Riverfront where a formal dinner had been hosted for them. The first lady was gifted a three-layered silver necklace and a Kutchi red chaniya choli by Chief Minister Anandiben Patel. Modi gifted a khadi jacket to Xi.
First Lady springs Awara surprise
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was pleasantly surprised when China's First Lady Peng Liyuan hummed a Hindi song of the 1951 Bollywood classic Awara at the Sabarmati riverfront on Wednesday evening. Peng was accompanying husband Xi Jinping on his state visit to India which began from Gujarat. “The first lady, who is an art aficionado and one of China’s most popular singers, surprised the Prime Minister by revealing that she was fond of the song. “She hummed a few lines of the song,” a state minister said. The title song of the film Awara written by Shailendra and sung by Mukesh is one of Bollywood's most favourite international songs which has been translated and sung in over a dozen languages, including Chinese and Russian. This song was also reportedly China's founding father, Chairman Mao's favourite song. Art show for First Lady The first lady was informed in advance that a special art and cultural show had been put up for her at the Riverfront. She was so interested in it that she reached the venue 13 minutes before President Xi and Prime Minister Modi. She reportedly skipped a visit to Gandhi Ashram to reach the Riverfront where she enjoyed various cultural events.“She came in early with her entourage and listened in rapt attention to musical performance and watched garba, Adivasi troupe dance and a taali garba called Moraliyo interested her, a minister who was accompanying her said. Peng is a qualified singer and has performed internationally, including in New York, Paris and Vienna. As
www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 27th September 2014
R
ajasthan – the land of Kings is famous the world over. To visit the majestic heartland is to pay homage to the real India. Sparkling lakes and arid deserts intertwine with blazes of color. From the blue city of Jodhpur – where the blue buildings look like a meandering wave, to the starting pink city of Jaipur, the desert land comes alive at every turn. Discover the history and heritage of Delhi first , followed by a visit to one of the Seven Wonders of the World – the awe inspiring Taj Mahal – built by a King for his beloved Mumtaz. This magnificent mausoleum is the crowning glory of all the neighboring Palaces and Forts in Rajasthan. The Raja’s, whilst feuding with each other, also out did each other in building ever more extravagant palaces. Many of these can
now be visited and still retain the allure of times gone by. There’s the incredible Hawa Mahal, with a total of no less than 953 windows, believed to depict the crown of Lord Krishna. The story goes that Sawai Pratap Singh built this beehive structure so that Royal Rajput women could view processions and day to day events whilst being hidden from strangers (who were not allowed to see their faces). Wander around the bustling open bazaars that sell everything from glittering trinkets to brilliant handicrafts; enticing you at every step with vivid moods and shades.
Udaipur, the ‘City of Lakes’ is the perfect romantic escape for those fascinated by the imperial Rajput heritage or the mesmerizing Lake Pichola. Visit the City Palace, one of the largest palace complex in Rajasthan; the grand white marble Jagdish Temple and SaheliyonKi-Bari, garden of the maids of honour.Jodhpur’s Mehrangarh Fort and the Umaid Bhavan Palace are quite a delight to see en route. Visit the holy
city of Pushkar or the ‘land of fairs’, laid back with its whitewashed buildings, serene lake, rooftop restaurants and impressive temples .Enjoy an optional evening sunset camel safari with a cultural performance followed by dinner. So come…discover…and uncover the traditional richness, simplicity and bravery of the mighty Rajputs with a glorious tour of Rajasthan. Brightsun Travel uncovers a fantastic package that includes a tour of Rajasthan starting from just £995pp.To book your dream holiday, visit www.brightsun.co.uk or call Brightsun Travel on 0208 819 0531.
TRAVEL - INDIA
Xi pays tribute to Gandhiji
Chinese President Xi Jinping will take back some good memories from his visit to Gandi Ashram. Xi Jinping wore an offwhite Khadi jacket presented to him by Prime Minister Narendra Modi soon after his arrival at the ashram. Xi was received by Modi and Chief Minister Anandi Patel at the gates of the ashram. They offered cotton garlands to Xi and accompanied him to different rooms in the ashram which was home of the Mahatma Gandhi for about 12 years and his wife Kasturba Gandhi. Later, Xi paid homage to Gandhi there even as the Prime Minister explained Gandhi's writings in Hindi and English to the president. Sources said that Xi took off his shoes and sat bare feet on
the floor to spin charkha at Hriday Kunj where Mahatma Gandhi lived. Modi too joined him. Modi gifted two books - Gandhiji in Ahmedabad and Gita translated in Mandarin language, an oil painiting of Dandi March and replica of a certificate that Chinese community in South Africa gave to Gandhiji when he was there apart from the Yerwada Charkha. Young girls sang Gandhiji's favourite bhajan Vaishnav Jan for the President. Kartikeya Sarabhai, trustee of Sabarmati Ashram Prevention and Memorial Trust said that after the exhibition, Jinping garlanded Gandhiji's statue at the Ashram. “As a token of love, we gifted him an oil painting of Dandi Kuch, a framed replica of a certifi-
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cate that the Chinese community in South Africa gave to Gandhiji to thank for his leadership for Asian community (before 1915). We also gifted him a copy of the Gita and a book on Gandhiji in Chinese language and a Yerwada Charkha,“ he said. Jinping and Modi were very relaxed and as a host, Modi guided the Chinese President's visit to the ashram. Kasturba's saree was brought out from the archive and displayed for the visiting dignitary. Pointing to the river, Modi explained the significance of river in Indian culture. Jinping's convoy reached the ashram around 5 pm and stayed little longer than scheduled time of 22 minutes visit. They left after around 35 minutes.
Chinese prez receives guard of honour
Chinese President Xi Jinping was welcomed with a guard of honour by women police at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad on Wednesday last. Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan along with other delegates were received at the airport by Governor Om Prakash Kohli, Chief Minister Anandiben Patel, Mayor Meenaxiben Patel and ministers like Nitin Patel, Vasuben Trivedi and B h u p e n d r a s i n h Chudasma as Xi's Air China plane landed around 2.40 pm. Some of them had reached the air port half an hour before Xi's planed touched down. Senior IPS officers like Munindersinh Puwar of ATS and Himanshu Shukla of Crime branch supervised the security arrangements at the airport. Various cultural per-
formances from across Gujarat and bagpiper band from Maninagar Swaminarayan Gaadi Temple were also seen welcoming Xi Jinping at the airport. Bearded man questioned A man standing just opposite the VVIP gate at the airport with a small cloth bag was questioned by the cops on duty. He identified himself as Mohammad Harun H and said that he worked as helper with SM Electric Works. He was asked by
the cops why he was standing there. He showed the cops his equipment and explained his work following which he was allowed to stand there. Roads blocked, people suffer As soon as Xi and his delegates left for the hotel in Vastrapur from the airport, all roads he was passing by were blocked by the cops. People had to wait at the crossroads until the delegates' convoy had gone at least 1 km past them.
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INDIA
Modi's historic US visit begins on Sept 26
Continued from page 1 change in perceptions about how the business looks at India under Modi, who has a business-friendly image given his record as Gujarat chief minister, and there is a beeline of businessmen and lawmakers for attending his meetings. Reflective of his desire to build smart cities, Modi kicks off his US tour with meetings with current New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and his predecessor Michael Bloomberg. He also meets Nobel Prize-winning scientist Harold Eliot Varmus, director of the National Cancer Institute showing his concern for health issues. An address to the annual festival of Global Citizen Initiative, a movement for eradication of extreme poverty, at Central Park is demonstrative of Modi's antipoverty focus. A visit to the site of the September 11, 2001
terrorist attack on World Trade Centre and 9/11 memorial in New York, shows India's concern with and determination to fight terrorism. Modi will take to the world stage with his address to the UN General Assembly on September 27 and several bilateral meetings with gathered world leaders. But a meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif does not appear to be on the cards. Modi also meets Nimrata Nikki Randhawa Haley, Indian-American governor of South Carolina besides several other eminent IndianAmericans and addresses a huge Indian-American community reception at Madison Square Garden in midtown Manhattan. Modi will also meet former President Bill Clinton, under whom India-US relations started looking up again with the start of negotiations to end India's nuclear isola-
tion, and his spouse Hillary Clinton. The power couple are counted among friends of India. The Prime Minister meets business CEOs and addresses the Council on Foreign Relations, a leading thinktank, to discuss India's strategic priorities before flying off to Washington for his summit meetings with Obama on September 29 and 30. Reflective of Obama administration's desire to build bridges with Modi who was shunned by the US for nearly a decade for his alleged failure to control the 2002 Gujarat riots, he will be housed in the 190-year-old historic Blair House, presidential state guest house across the street from the White House. Modi will pay visits to Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr memorials and Gandhi statue in front of the Indian embassy in Washington before heading for his formal summit meeting with
Obama at the White House He will also have lunch with Vice-President Joe Biden and secretary of state John Kerry at the State Department, meet Republican House Speaker John Boehner and other Congressional leaders on the Capitol Hill and give a policy address to the US-India Business Council (USIBC) Sept 30 before leaving for India. While nothing "transformative" like the landmark India-US nuclear deal is expected to come out from the Modi-Obama summit, it would definitely help reboot India-US relations with greater cooperation in a range of areas from health, to education to technology and defence. Meanwhile, with Modi expected to be fasting during the US sojourn, what dish would those cooking up his agenda serve at his private dinner with Obama remains a mystery.
Ladakh this year. Foreign minister Sushma Swaraj also raised the issue with her counterpart Wang Yi. The Chinese President told Modi that he had “noted“ India's concerns and that the incidents in Ladakh may be a fallout of the non-demarcated border. Sources said Modi took up the border issue strongly because the understanding in the government was that the incidents at Chumar could not have taken place without the concurrence of the top Chinese leadership. In fact, even as vigorous diplomacy continued, the Army had ensured enough presence in the region to outnumber the Chinese troops. Sources said more Indian troops were ready to move into the region where civilians formed a human wall to prevent the Chinese from moving into what India claims to be its territory. While Modi said he also discussed India’s concerns regarding China’s visa policy and trans-border rivers, and expressed confidence that an early resolution would take mutual trust to a new level, Xi said, “China and India are important neighbours to each other. There are certain other
outstanding issues between the two countries. The two sides should work actively and seriously to address and handle them in the sincerity of seeking amicable relations with each other.” Apart from these outstanding issues, China also made a commitment to invest about $20 billion in India over the next five years. While this is much lower than the Japanese commitment of $35 billion in five years, Modi said, “This opens a new chapter in our economic relations. I welcome our five-year economic and trade development plan as an important new step to pursue higher ambitions in our economic relations.” On the civil nuclear cooperation, Modi said, “We will begin the process of discussions on civil nuclear energy cooperation that will bolster our broader cooperation on energy security.” India finally seemed to be warming up to the proposed Bangladesh, China, India and Myanmar (BCIM) economic corridor mooted by Beijing some years ago. Modi said they discussed “regional connectivity” and the BCIM proposal. “Located at the crossroads of Asia, India believes that reconnecting Asia is important for its collective prosperity. I also believe that our efforts to rebuild physical connectivity in the region would also require a peaceful, stable and cooperative environment.”
Border row spoils Modi, Xi rapport
Continued from page 1 resume the stalled process of clarifying the LAC.” Responding to Modi’s “serious concerns” on the incidents along the LAC, Xi said the two sides are “fully capable” of acting promptly and effectively so that such incidents “do not have a large impact on the bilateral relationship.” Modi is learnt to have raised the issue during their dinner meeting in Ahmedabad earlier, and reiterated New Delhi’s concerns at the bilateral meeting later. “I raised our serious concern over repeated incidents along the border. We agreed that peace and tranquility in the border region constitute an essential foundation for mutual trust and confidence, and for realising the full potential of our relationship. This is an important understanding which should be strictly observed… We should also seek an early settlement to the boundary question,” said Modi. “The boundary question is an issue left from history. Over many years, the two sides have made steady and positive progress in boundary negotiations through friendly consultations. China and India have maintained peace and tranquility in the border areas. China has the determination to work with India through friendly consultation to settle the boundary question at an early date. We also have the sincerity to work with India to maintain peace and tranquility in border areas before we are finally able to settle the boundary question,” said Xi. He added that the two
sides agreed to be “respectful and sensitive” to each other’s concerns and “appropriately” handle the outstanding issues with a “positive attitude”. “Yet, since the border is yet to demarcated, sometimes there may be certain incidents. But the two sides are fully capable of acting promptly, to effectively manage the situation through various levels of border-related mechanisms so that such incidents do not have a large impact on the bilateral relationship,” he said. Agreeing that leaders of the two countries should provide “strategic direction” and maintain high-level visits and contacts, Xi invited Modi to visit China early next year. Restore pre-Sept 10 status quo on Ladakh border, Modi Modi also protested against China's bid to escalate tensions in Ladakh. Modi told Xi that peace and tranquility along the borders was imperative for mutual trust and for realizing the full potential of SinoIndian relations. Pitching for a quick clarification of the LAC, Modi told Xi that China had to restore the status quo that existed before September 10 in
www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 27th September 2014
In Brief
Sex disease tests for school-going teenagers
London: A number of secondary schools in Brighton are offering teenage pupils tests for sexually transmitted diseases. But parents have criticised the scheme with some claiming they were unaware that tests are being offered to their children. One parent said that her daughter felt uncomfortable when offered the test. Brighton and Hove Council said the scheme was "entirely consistent with government guidelines".
Indian charged with leaking exam papers in UAE
Dubai: An Indian technician has been charged with leaking examination papers to a university student in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a media report said. During proceedings at the Dubai Criminal Court, the accused Indian, identified only as R.K., 29, denied taking cash for divulging the questions to the Oman national, identified as A.A., 32, while the latter denied a charge of criminal complicity, The National reported. The court charged R.K., who worked as an information technology technician in the university, that was not named in the report, with leaking the questions of 15 tests in different subjects to A.A. in return for 7,500 dirhams ($2,042). The Indian man was approached by A.A., who is a media and journalism student, in June. A.A. offered him 500 dirhams for every question paper he leaked.
Liberal Islamic professor gunned down in Karachi
Karachi: A professor of Islam known for his liberal religious views was shot dead in Pakistan's port city of Karachi, officials said. Mohammad Shakil Auj, the 54year-old dean of Islamic Studies at the prestigious University of Karachi was gunned down in his car while on his way to an Iranian cultural centre where he was invited as a guest of honour. His car was being driven down a ramp from a flyover, when "bullets were fired, one hit the professor in the head and he died", a senior police officer said. Auj, a recipient of a presidential medal of distinction, was known for his unorthodox views. The professor was known for issuing controversial fatwas - for example that a Muslim woman could marry a non-Muslim man, and that women need not remove lipstick or nail polish before saying their prayers.
Pakistan appoints Rizwan Akhtar as new ISI chief
Islamabad: Lieutenant General Rizwan Akhtar was appointed as the new chief of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). The announcement was made on Twitter by Major General Asim Bajwa, director-general of Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR). In other promotions, Major General Hilal Hussain has been promoted Corps Commander Mangla, Ghayur Mahmood Corps Commander Gujranwala, Navid Mukhtar Corps Commander Karachi, Hidayat Ur Rehman Corps Commander Peshawar, and Nazir Butt in charge of Communications and Information Technology (C&IT), General Bajwa announced. The announcement comes as current ISI chief Lt. Gen. Zaheerul Islam and five other lieutenant generals are scheduled to retire from service in the first week of October.
Storm leaves 200,000 displaced in Philippines
Manila: Storm Fung-Wong churned towards Taiwan on Saturday after killing at least five people in the Philippines, and forcing some 200,000 people into temporary shelter, including in the capital Manila, to escape massive flooding. Most schools on the main island of Luzon remained closed for a second day as a huge mopping-up operation began. Some public offices have reopened. "Some of our things are buried in mud, it will take awhile to clean up," a resident in Marikina City said while clearing up layers of mud and debris inside their residence. Fung-Wong, with winds of 95 kph (59 mph) and gusts of 120 kph, slammed in the northern tip of the Philippines on Friday, cutting power in many areas and soaking rice and corn farms and bringing the capital to a near standstill.
New Qaida wing claims hijacking Pak navy ship
Islamabad: Al-Qaida's South Asia wing has claimed responsibility for hijacking a Pakistani naval ship and trying to use it to fire rockets at US vessels in the Arabian Sea, in the first major assault by the newly created group. The SITE monitoring service quoted its spokesman, Usama Mahmoud, as saying a group of militants had succeeded in seizing control of the Pakistani frigate PNS Zulfiqar and tried to use it to attack nearby US vessels.
www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 27th September 2014
HEALTH WATCH
S
ACNE A natural solution?
Hibiscus may help diabetics
cientists from Assam's Tezpur University and West Bengal's Visva Bharati University have unlocked the potential of natural chemicals derived from a particular species of hibiscus that can help generate a better therapeutic agent for diabetes. The World Health Organization claims that it will be the seventh leading cause of death by 2030. Dubbed as a silent killer by experts worldwide, diabetes mellitus (Type 2 diabetes), or simply diabetes, is one of the four major non-communicable diseases in India, the other three being cardiovascular disease, cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Diabetes exists in two forms. Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body destroys the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas. Insulin is a hormone responsible for breaking down glucose in the body for its utilization. In case of Type 2 diabetes, the body stops responding to insulin or produces less of it. Researchers found that a phytochemical (plantderived compound) from the leaves of Sthalpadma or land-lotus (scientifically
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Ravi’s Health & Beauty Blog
known as hibiscus mutabilis and commonly called Confederate rose) restored insulin sensitivity of cells and thereby helped in lowering blood sugar levels in diabetic rats. "We found that ferulic acid (FRL), belonging to the polyphenols, extracted from leaves of the plant, has the potential to be a better therapeutic agent for diabetes," said Samir Bhattacharya, Emeritus Professor, School of Life Sciences (Zoology Department) at Visva Bharati in Shanti Niketan. The scientists say that ferulic acid (FRL) helped in the improvement of glucose (sugar) levels in diabetic rats within 15 days when administered orally. Hibiscus is a flowering plant found across India and is known for its cot-
tony colour-changing blossoms and medicinal properties. In Ayurveda, the leaves and flowers of the shrubby Hibiscus mutabilis are used to treat swellings, skin infections, hair loss and hair greying. According to beauty expert, Suparna Trikha, "The hibiscus flower is known as the prayer flower in Bengal and offered to Durga. It is great for hair loss and its leaves and flowers have therapeutic properties. It has been used in ayurvedic preparations for years. We use it in our Basil Hair tonic that helps promote hair growth and prevents scalp infections and alopecia." For the study, samples of hibiscus leaves were collected from the scenic northeast region. Alak Kumar
Buragohain, a Professor at Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology in Tezpur University, explains that a type of polyphenol found in the plant removes blockages and enables insulin to perform its normal function of clearing glucose (blood sugar) from the bloodstream. "In diabetes, insulin sensitivity is retarded. The isolated compound can restore sensitivity and, therefore, cells can sense the presence of insulin," says Buragohain, Vice Chancellor at Dibrugarh University in Assam. A previous study led by Samir Bhattacharya showed that a protein secreted by the liver into the bloodstream (FetuinA) hampers insulin activity. "Probably, there isn't any known inhibitor of Fetuin-A, the protein associated with insulin insensitivity. By blocking FetuinA, ferulic acid restores sensitivity of cells towards insulin and lowers blood sugar level," said Bhattacharya. According to Buragohain, the next step would be to purify the chemicals and assess their toxicity in the body.
ing properties, which leave hair smoother. Wash your hair with amla twice a week and your hair won't miss shampoo. L e m o n : Lemon is a good alternative for a hair cleanser. It has anti-bacterial properties that help in keeping the scalp clean and nongreasy. Dilute the lemon juice with water. Apply the lemon rinse on your scalp
and massage well. Leave on for a few moments and rinse. Beer: You may curse it for your beer belly, but beer is a miracle worker in the shower. Not only does it act as a cleanser, but also adds volume to the hair. The carbohydrates in beer are believed to hydrate hair, while the wheat proteins strengthen it. So next time, pour the beer bottle over your hair instead of chugging it down.
Go natural for shiny, silky hair
he 'No Poo' movement has taken the West by storm, with everyone ditching the shampoo. Believing that chemicals like sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate in shampoos adversely affect the scalp and hair, more and more people are choosing to wash their hair with plain water or baking soda. As the phenomenon seeps into India, women here too can find their own substitutes for shampoos - the magic potion for beautiful tresses may just be in your kitchen. Chamomile tea: We've all heard how chamomile
To Our Readers
We are publishing these items in good faith, kindly consult your Doctor before you try to implement it. We do not hold any responsibility for its efficacy...
tea is good for our health. Turns out, it's just as good for hair too. Chamomile is known to prevent the scalp from drying and also softens hair, making it a good hair cleanser. Pour strained chamomile tea over wet hair, massage the scalp and rinse it off with water. And yes, it smells wonderful too! Amla (Indian gooseberry): Remember how your granny sneered at the fancy shampoos in the bathroom closet and trusted her homemade amla paste instead? Well, she was right. Amla contains vitamin C that prevents scalp infections and even boasts of deep condition-
Neeta’s Herbal Clinic for Hair & Skin Care
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A traumatic experience when one is balding or suffering from hair loss If you have been one to watch in despair as your luscious locks disappeard down the plug-hole everyday, then there is hope to save your crowing glory! While lustrous, healthy hair is a source of pride for men and women alike, many are forced to battle with hair problems. There are many reasons why a person can start losing their hair. Research has shown that stress plays a vital factor in determining hair condition. Poor hair care, environment, lifestyle and diet too has its effect on hair growth. It is very important to ascertain what kind of hair you have and then look after it accordingly. Hair loss falls into two categories, where it is distributed over the whole scalp and where hair loss is limited to localised areas. Hair loss is often more than a beauty problem. In some cases of alopecia, the condition is caused by bacteria or other infection or may even indicate a severe systemic disease. In the case of Hair loss, the hair follicles loose the capacity to initiate new growth. Neeta’s Herbal offers a safe and natural solution to combat hair and skin problems.
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Acne can be a cause of embarrassment, loss of confidence and lack of self esteem especially in young people. What can you do about it?
Acne is a condition of the skin that shows up as blackheads, whiteheads, pimples, or cysts. Teens get acne because of the hormonal Ravi Bhanot changes that comes with JP MRPharmS Dip(Nutr) Dip(Hom) Dip(Ayurv) Dip(Stress puberty. If your parents had Manag) Dip (Massage) acne as teens, it's more likely Pharmacist, Ayurvedic, Complementary Health and that you will, too. Most acne Nutrition Consultant, Lecturer, disappears by adulthood. The Researcher and Author. He is a type of acne that a lot of teens celebrity columnist for many magazines and is Director of get is called acne vulgaris (the meaning of "vulgaris" means "of The Ayurveda Institute of Europe and Coolherbals Ltd. the common type"). It usually shows up on the face, neck, shoulders, upper back, and chest. The hair follicles, or pores, in your skin contain sebaceous glands (also called oil glands). These glands make sebum, which is an oil that lubricates your hair and skin. Most of the time, the sebaceous glands make the right amount of sebum. As a teen's body begins to mature and develop, though, hormones stimulate the sebaceous glands to make more sebum, and the glands may become overactive. Pores become clogged if there is too much sebum and too many dead skin cells. Bacteria can then get trapped inside the pores and multiply, causing swelling and redness — the start of acne. If a pore gets clogged up and closes but bulges out from the skin, you're left with a whitehead. If a pore gets clogged up but stays open, the top surface can darken and you're left with a blackhead. Sometimes the wall of the pore opens, allowing sebum, bacteria, and dead skin cells to make their way under the skin — and you're left with a small, red bump called a pimple. (Sometimes pimples have a pus-filled top from the body's reaction to the bacterial infection). In older people the cause of acne can be hormonal imbalances, amongst other triggers such as cosmetic products, shaving, some medical conditions such as Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome which I will be dealing with in another article. Step 1: Change your Diet The health of your skin is directly related to your diet. To help improve your digestion, follow these general dietary guidelines: Eat warm, soft, cooked foods. Avoid raw vegetables and salads. Drink beverages at room temperature or warm. Avoid cold drinks and frozen desserts (such as ice cream, frozen yogurt, etc.) . Reduce light, dry, crunchy food, spicy, sour, fried, and fermented foods. Since it is the Pitta or heat creating energy that is imbalanced in the body eat Pitta Pacifying foods. For a list please email us. Use natural face and body products. One such is natural antibacterial Neem products. Neem capsules are available at Health Food Stores or on line from www.coolherbals.com. Use non harsh chemical washes such as Neem and Brahmi wash in place of soap as it is less likely to irritate than normal acne washes. As a moisturizer apply Neem non oily based moisturizers such as Coolherbals Skin Clearer Cream.
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www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 27th September 2014
Want to do a movie by Shankar: Arnold Schwarzenegger
elebrated Hollywood action film icon Arnold Schwarzenegger expressed his desire to act in a movie of ace film director Shankar and also invited him for the making of "Conan the King", a proposed sequential in the Conan series. "What about me? I have come all the way for a job interview with you," he told director Shankar at an audio launch function of Vikram starrer Tamil movie "I" which is slated for release soon. Praising a group of professional body builders who walked the ramp as part of promo events for the audio launch of the film, he said he too wanted to perform in a Shankar directorial. Arnold's first ever visit in Chennai has a symbolic significance for the movie as Vikram is portrayed as
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a body builder in "I." Eleven macho men who walked the ramp gave Arnold a special salute which he acknowledged with warmth. He shook hands with the men and lauded Shankar for using their services in the movie. He described Chennai as a beautiful city. Interestingly, the hero in the film is depicted like a young Arnold, a body building champion then with features like a curly hair style. Amy Jackson is the actress in t h e
movie. The Hollywood actor also invited Shankar in making “Conan the King.” "How about that..How about [making] King Conan,? he asked Shankar. Smiling, Shankar nodded his head and gave him a thumbs-up amid thunderous applause. Profusely thanking the fans, Aascar Films Ravichandran, the producer, and Shankar for inviting him for the function, Arnold ended his brief speech with his famous punch line of "I will be back." Arnold got a rousing reception from the thousands of fans in the huge Nehru Indoor Stadium here. Superstar Rajinikanth and Kannada superstar Puneet Rajkumar were among the host of celebrities who participated in the event.
Anushka & Rajini share their expertise
rior to making big in silverscreen, Anushka was a trained yoga master and she still practices it even now. Nagarjuna, who was a student for Anushka, offered her to take the acting career and the rest is history. The ‘Singam’ girl is currently working with Superstar in ‘Lingaa’ and taught him some important lessons in yoga. In turn, Superstar passed his knowledge and planted the seeds of meditation to the ‘Bahubali’ girl. Now, Anushka has realized that meditation is much better than yoga and asking all her friends to indulge in meditation too. And, she does not forget to convey that she learnt the art from the man who mastered it for years. Well, that is Rajnijkanth! Even at the age of 60+ he learns from everyone and passes his skill to others without any ego.
'3 A.M.'
tarah, sung by Rajat created great buzz amongst the youth.
'Desi Kattey'
3
A.M. is a paranormal thriller directed by Vishal Mahadkar. The film stars Rannvijay Singh, Anindita Nayar, Salil Acharya and Kavin Dave in lead roles. The trailer of the film was unveiled at an event in Mumbai on August 8. The music is composed by Mannan, Raeth Band, Bruno & Pranay Rijia. The first song Raeth ki
“Desi Kattey” is an action-drama film directed and produced by Anand Kumar under the banner of Anand Kumar Productions. The story and screenplay is written by Aaryaan Saxena. It features veteran actor Sunil Shetty in the lead role. Music of the film has been composed by Kailash Kher. Others in the cast include Jay Bhanushali, Akhil Kapur, Sasha Agha, Tia Bajpai, Ashutosh Rana, Murli Sharma, Claudia Ciesla (Special Appearance), Nishikant Dixit and Santosh Shukla.
Samantha Turns Producer
Lacqueline to play lead in Hollywood movie
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he form e r beauty queen Jacqueline Fernandez has bagged a lead role in a Hollywood suspense thriller titled “Definition Of Fear.” The film is being directed by documentary filmmaker J a m e s Simpson, who has earlier worked with great actors like Al Pacino and Penelope Cruz. Jacqueline is currently shooting for Roy in Malaysia, post which she will be heading to Canada for a month-long shoot of her Hollywood film. We have no doubt that Jacqueline, being the stunner that she is, will also make for a stunning Hollywood actress.
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ollowing the trend of mastering cinematic nuances, Samantha is to join the league of young actors who turns producers. If sources are to be believed then her money is on a flick, the story of which was narrated to her by a débutante director recently. The actress is reported to have been impressed with the story and is currently awaiting information on how much the project would cost on the whole and how long it will take for completion. Interestingly, she wishes not to act in this venture of hers. Once the field survey is done with, it will be confirmed whether she is launching herself as a producer or not. However, now we do know that the pretty heroine is interested in backstage as well. Samantha was betting her hopes on Linguswamy's latest action thriller 'Anjaan', which was disappointing. Now, she is expectantly looking forward to 'Kaththi' alongside Vijay and Vikram's next project 'Pathu Endrathukulla'.
Neha Dhupia refuses ‘Julie 2′
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o r m e r Miss India Neha Dhupia, who created a stir in Bollywood with the bold film “Julie” in 2004, has refused to star in its sequel. She has played a prostitue in the film. “Yes, I was offered ‘Julie 2′. But I refused it because that’s not something I want to do right now,” the 34-year-old said in an interview. “I’m very interested in doing different kind of cinema. When I did ‘Julie’, I wanted to do it, but right now I am not interested (in it),” she said. Neha also tried her hand at Punjabi films in 2013, making her debut with Jimmy Shergill-starrer “Rangeelay.” She is now awaiting the release of Karan Johar’s production “Ungli.”
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www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 27th September 2014
Shah Rukh & company to perform in London
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et ready for the Bollywood event of the century, 'SLAM The Tour', coming to The O2 London on Sunday, 5th October 2014, where Shah Rukh Khan will take to the London stage for the first time in over a decade. Brought by Bollywood show organiser Farhath Hussain in association with event promoter Think Events, 'SLAM+ The Tour' will be the biggest concert extravaganza of its kind in Europe, bringing a total of 135 cast and crew from India. Tickets were on sale from 5th September 2014, for this one-night experience, with a sellout audience of 15,000 expected to attend. SLAM+ The Tour promises to be a night of wonder with a feast of big star names, riveting music and alluring dance sequences all interspersed with breathtaking visuals and impressive staging. Not since the frenzy that was stirred with the Temptations concert a decade ago in 2004, head-
lined by Shah Rukh, has a live event again inspired such excitement and hype. Joining Shah Rukh will be a bevy of Bollywood actors, actresses, directors and choreographers, including Deepika Padukone along with Abhishek
Bachchan, Sonu Sood, Boman Irani, director Farah Khan, and newcomer Vivaan Shah. As a special treat for the audience, Farhath Hussain and Think Events will bring the legendary actress Madhuri Dixit, who will join the stellar line-up to SLAM her way
Chitrangada Singh seeks Salman's advice
too happy about her glamorous avatar in “Desi Boyz” (2011). Their equation bit the dust in May when Chitrangada told Mishra that his interference was making her claustrophobic. Having lost her mentor, Chitrangada has now turned to Salman. A source close to Chitrangada said: "She wants to do many films now. She is reading quite a few scripts. But she needs advice from wellwishers. And Salman has a good equation with her since she is the ambassador of his brother Sohail Khan's CCL (Celebrity Cricket League) team." A friend of Salman added, "Naturally, they discussed work. Which actress doesn't want to work with Salman?"
B
ollywood actress Chitrangada Singh, whose Bollywood career has hit a low, sought advice from Salman Khan recently. Salman, who is back from a visit to the US, welcomed the actress into his home. She spent two hours with him. Salman doled out career advice and his little sister Arpita joined them for a tetea-tete in between. Chitrangada's long-term partnership with Sudhir Mishra (July 3). After launching her in “Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi” in 2003, Sudhir Mishra and the actress worked together, almost exclusively over the next decade. Friction set in when Chitrangada signed up for a song-and-dance number in Shirish Kunder's “Joker” (2012), which did not go down well with her mentor, who was also not
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into the hearts of her fans. Bollywood’s dance diva Malaika Arora along with singing sensation Kanika Kapoor will perform to set pulses racing. The show will be choreographed by Geeta Kapoor (Dance India Dance). Speaking about the tour and his return to the UK stage, Shah Rukh said: “I am blessed to get a lot of love and support from people around the world. This is our way of giving this love back and thanking you all. I am super excited and looking forward to being in your city along with my colleagues Farah, Deepika, Madhuri, Malaika, Abhishek, Boman, Sonu, Vivaan and Kanika. We promise you an evening of love, laughter and entertainment. So mark your calendar and be there at SLAM+ The Tour.”
Anushka getting married after ‘Mahaabali’
R
ecently a director met Anushka Sharma at the shooting spot of a film and narrated to her a script. The script was a heroine-centric one, and Anushka loved it. And yet, she did not accept the offer. The reason she gave to the director was not the usual one actors dish out of not having dates. In this case, the actress reportedly refused the offer as she's getting married after the shoot of “Mahaabali” and has no plans to work on any film after marriage. A source said, "It was only because of her marriage plans that she politely declined to work in this film, though she liked the director's script very much. Anushka will be settling down after her shoot for Rajamouli's film is over." Anushka's husband-to-be, apparently, is not from the film industry, but a businessman. The actress is currently working on “Lingaa” with Rajinikanth, “Mahaabali” and “Rudhramadevi.”
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UK
Vaz and Khan in top 100 influential left wingers
Sadiq Khan MP
A list of 100 most influential left wingers was compiled by The Times which included Rt Hon Keith Vaz, MP at number 30 and Sadiq Khan at number 22. The list is compiled by an anonymous panel of seven people — including
MPs, pundits and journalists — led by Iain Dale, the LBC broadcaster and blogger. The rise of the “star lefties” has been the dominant trend of the past 12 months. The analysis suggested that there are fewer than 26 new entries this year, far higher than the expected top 100 on the right. There are 34 women, compared with 20 in next week's list. And only 10 in the Lib Dem top 50, to be published in fortnight. Gordon Brown re-enters the list at 19, Tony Blair at 20.
Coming Events Navratri Festival
l South East Gujarati Association – 25th Sept till 4 Oct and Poonam on 5th October 8:30 till 12:00, and week end upto 1. Venue: Shaheed Udham Singh Asian Community Centre, White Hart Road, SE18 1DG, Contact: 0208317 0244 l Navratri Day time Garba by Jasper Centre 1:30-4pm, 25 Sept- 3 Oct. Rosslyn Crescent, Harrow, HA1 2SU. l Kalani Sewa Navratri, 25 Sept- 4 Oct, Venue: Dhamecha Lohana Centre, HA2 8AX. Contact: Vinod Thakrar: 07960541216 l Navnat Vanik Association, Navnat Centre, Printing House Lane, Hayes, UB3 1AR, 25 Sept- 4th Oct, Sharad Poonam 11th Oct, Contact: Bharat Mehta 07850166556 l Shree Jalaram Jyot Mandir, Repton Avenue, Sudbury, HA0 3DW, 25th Sept- 3 Oct, Contact CJ Rabheru07958275222 l SKLPC UK, India gardens, UB5 6RE, 25th Sept- 7th Oct, Contact: Mavji 07831430812 l Shree Jalaram Seva Trust, Feltham Assembly Hall, TW1 4BD, 25th Sept- 4 Oct, Sharad Poonam, 8th Oct. Contact: Jeetan Gokhani, 07985700000 l Shree Jalaram Mandir-Greenford, 39- 45 Oldfield Lane South, UB6 9LB, 25 Sept- 3 Oct, Sharad Poonam, 8th Oct. Contact: Dr Mansukhbhai Morjaria 0208 578 8088 l Karamsad samaj UK, Barnhill Community High School, UB4 9LE, 25 Sept- 3 Oct, Sharad Poonam, 7 Oct, Contact: Mahendra Patel 07956458872 l Shree Swaminarayan Temple, Dharma Bhakti Manor Woodlane, Stanmore, HA7 4LF, 25 Sep- 3rd October, Contact: Vikesh Waghjiani 07960995308 l HYG, Sanathan Mandir, Apple tree Centre, RH1 25 Sept- 3 Oct, Contact: Chandubhai Nayee, 07440744098 l Nagrecha Brothers organises Nagrecha Hall, E15 1DT, 25 Sept- 3rd Oct, Contact: Hasubhai Nagrecha, 0208 555 0318 Editor: CB Patel Associate Editor: Rupanjana Dutta Tel: 020 7749 4098 - Email: rupanjana.dutta@abplgroup.com Senior News Editor: Dhiren Katwa Freelance Correspondent: Rudy Otter Chief Operating Officer: Liji George Tel: 020 7749 4013 Email: george@abplgroup.com Chief Financial Officer: Surendra Patel Tel: 020 7749 4093 Mobile: 078712 229 220 Email: surendra.patel@abplgroup.com Chief Accountant: Akshay Desai Tel: 020 7749 4087 Email:accounts@abplgroup.com Business Manager: Alka Shah Tel: 020 7749 4002 - Mobile: 07944 1121 893 Email: alka.shah@abplgroup.com Advertising Manager: Kishor Parmar Tel: 020 7749 40912 - Mobile: 078712 229 088 Email: kishor.parmar@abplgroup.com Business Development Managers: Rovin J George - Email: rovin.george@abplgroup.com Tel: 020 7749 4097 - Mobile: 078712 229 219 Urja Patel - Email: urja.patel@abplgroup.com Graphic Designers: Harish Dahya & Ajay Kumar Tel: 020 7749 4086 Email: graphics@abplgroup.com Customer Service: Ragini Nayak Tel: 020 7749 4080 - Email: support@abplgroup.com (BPO) AB Publication (India) Pvt. Ltd. 207 Shalibhadra Complex, Opp. Jain Derasar, Nr. Nehru Nagar Circle, Ambawadi, Ahmedabad. Tel. +91 79 2646 5960 Bureau Chief: Nilesh Parmar (M) +91 94266 36912
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Arun Jaitley cancels trip to London
Arun Jaitley
Sushma Swaraj
Indian Finance and Defence Minister Arun Jaitley who was scheduled to visit London on 13 and 14 October next for an inter-face with financial institutions to persuade them to invest in India, has cancelled his trip due to ill health. While in London, Jaitley, who recently missed the G20 Finance Ministers meeting in Australia, reportedly, because of a procedure to treat his diabetes, was due to meet his counterparts George Osborne, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Michael Fallon, Secretary of State for Defence, the details of which are being worked out between the respective Whitehall depart-
ments and the Indian High Commission in London. Jaitley was also supposed to open London branch of an Indian bank. The International media agency Ray reported that Indian Minister for External Affairs, Ms Sushma Swaraj, who will be attending the Regional Prabasi Bharatiya Divas on 17 October, will meet her counterpart, Philip Hammond, the Foreign Secretary, when she is in London. Her visit will take place only a few weeks after she was startled to hear about Scotland's independence referendum and her slightly indelicate but honest response "God forbid!" at a press conference.
l SSVA & Maa Krupa: 25th Sept- 3rd Oct. Venue: Canons School, Shaldon Road, Edgeware HA8 6AN. Contact: 07956815101 l Hari Aum Arts and Cultural Association: 25th Sept- 4th Oct. Poonam- 10th Oct. From 8.00 pm till late. Venue: Hindu Cultural Society, 3 Lyndhurst Avenue (Entrance) London N12 0NE. Contact: 02084465057
ARIES Mar 21 - Apr 20 It’s all about communications, as they take centre stage this week. You’ll have to openly speak up about your wants and needs without fear. Regarding love there will be a struggle between devotion and freedom. You need to feel completely consumed by the passion of your lover, and yet you need personal space to explore your own thing.
TAURUS Apr 21 - May 21 This is a good time to appreciate what you have already created in your life. There are still challenging issues on both a personal and practical level. It's a time of slow and steady progress that can set the stage for a long time to come. To get here you may have overcome obstacles by making important decision and choices. Brilliant ideas come easily as you trust your higher self and allow thoughts to flow freely. You are able to embrace new opportunities and make positive changes in your life. Your efforts bring a greater stability to your work than ever before. This is an important development, considering all the changes occurring around you.
GEMINI May 22 - June 22
CANCER Jun 22 - Jul 22 Your urge towards greater freedom and independence is very strongly accentuated. In intimate affairs, the prospect appears entirely favourable. In work matters you can expect a progressive phase. Efforts to bring about desirable changes in your working life are more likely to be positive. It seems that the winds of change begin to gather momentum and put a strong focus on domestic matters. The outlook remains optimistic and the way forward will bring you a sense of real achievement. However, this is not likely to be an easy-going week because demands on time and energy are going to be heavy.
LEO Jul 23 - Aug 23
You might feel that life is in the doldrums, but appearances could prove deceptive. The underlying trend indicates that deep creative energies are stirring within you and that seemingly insignificant events and meetings will play a vital role in the future enrichment of life. This is a time to flow with the tide.
VIRGO Aug 24 - Sep 23
If you are your own boss, then you can look forward to a fairly good week. Leos who face a strict schedule may find the next seven days a little frustrating, because this is a week where you will need a certain amount of personal space. You may be absorbing new ideas about how to create financial independence. Others may not understand, so you may have to keep your ideas to yourself.
LIBRA Sep 24 - Oct 23
SCORPIO Oct 24- Nov 22
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You should enjoy a very popular phase in your life where everyone wants to invite you to parties. This is a good time for romantic liaisons. Jupiter, the planet of excesses is associated with splashing out on luxury items which we do not want - take care or you will have things that you have no use for. Now is the time to cultivate an easier relationship with life, get out and about, explore fresh possibilities and make new friends. Any effort to enrich your life by making changes is almost certain to work in your favour and you will be surprised how circumstances help you once you make the initial move.
SAGITTARIUS Nov 23 - Dec 21
CAPRICORN Dec 22 - Jan 20 Unexpected developments could have a favourable long-term effect on your prosperity and you may place your expectations at a higher level. You may feel at times that the results of your efforts are not coming up to expectation. However, this seems like a temporary blip in what is otherwise a highly constructive state of affairs. AQUARIUS Jan 21 - Feb 19 This is not a time to take undue risks with money yet it is certainly favourable for those who are working towards improving their earning potential. It is not only career and employment that come under this fortunate trend because your creative energies will be very much to the fore, too. Tread carefully where legal matters are concerned.
PISCES Feb 20 - Mar 20 It is certainly going to be a fortunate time for those already married or in an established relationship. The keynote is emotional enrichment through close interaction with a loved one. Facets of your life that have been a source of restriction and dissatisfaction will begin to loosen their hold.
www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 27th September 2014
Turban row: Fiba puts the ball in BFI's court
Almost two months after two Sikh players were forced to play without their turbans, Basketball’s governing body (Fiba) announced that players will be allowed to wear religious headgears and decided to put a testing phase into place for the next two years. The statement was issued by the body’s director of communication Patrick Koller. The decision to relax the rules on religious head coverings comes after sustained pressure brought upon Fiba by the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) and the sports ministry on the racial injustice meted out to Amritpal and Amjyot Singh in China and also to Amnol Singh in the U-18 Doha meet. Fiba’s central board under the leadership of newly-elected President Horacio Muratore met on Sept 13 and held “discussions regarding rules about uniforms” and decided to allow a two-year testing phase that would let play-
ers wear head coverings. Citing basketball rules, the organizers at the Asia Cup Basketball Championship in China, asked the two players to remove the turbans before their first match on July 12. Turban row resurfaced again at Doha during the Asia U-18 meet. Amritpal, Amjyot and Anmol then used rubber bands to hold their hair back. The Fiba in its last central board meeting of the 2010-14 term on Aug 27 failed to review its ban on religious headgear and decided to do further analysis of a rule that
effectively discriminates against Sikh hoopsters. Three days after the Fiba central board convened its first meeting of the 2014-2019 term and after repeated enquiries with its officials the body’s director of communication issued a detailed statement. “Relaxing the current rules regarding headgear in order to enable national federations to request, as of now, exceptions to be applied at the national level within their territory without incurring any sanctions for violation of Fiba's official basketball rules. National federations
wishing to apply for such an exception to the uniform regulations shall submit a detailed request to Fiba. Once approved, they shall submit follow-up reports twice a year to monitor the use of such exceptions.” Sikh players cut hair before Asiad As the International basketball body took almost two months to allow players with religious headgear to play in Fiba endorsed competitions, both the ‘humiliated’ Sikh Indian players, Amritpal and Amjyot Singh, chose to go for a hair cut before boarding the flight to Incheon for the Asiad. However, it is reliably learnt that both players will not remove their turbans. However, they will play without their patkas to avoid any further trouble. Both players however avoided questions on why they opted to go for a hair cut, but were relieved with Fiba’s decision to allow religious head gear.
The controversial recommendation of boxer Jai Bhagwan for the Arjuna Awards had led to Manoj approaching the sports ministry officials, who, he said, had assured him that his name would be added to a list of 15 athletes in a
review meeting. But after b e i n g snubbed for a second time in the review meeting, Manoj took the legal route and filed a case in the Delhi high court. "It is not pleasant at all that I had to approach the court but there was no option left for me. I am glad that I have been proved right and it has lifted my morale ahead for the Asian Games," said the light wel-
terweight category boxer, who was a quarter finalist at the recent Glasgow CWG. "I am thankful to my elder brother Rajesh, who fought alone for me against a system which was bent on proving us wrong. It is sad that I had to fight like this for something that was rightfully mine," he added. The ministry, represented by Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Sanjay Jain, had admitted in the court that Manoj was initially not considered for the award by the committee as they mistakenly believed that he was involved in a doping case.
Boxer Manoj Kumar to finally get Arjuna Award
Forced to take the legal route after being denied the honour initially, Indian boxer Manoj Kumar will be bestowed the Arjuna Award as the sports ministry has finally accepted his nomination. Manoj, a 2010 Commonwealth Games gold-medallist, told that he was informed of the ministry's decision. "Mr Onkar Kedia, joint secretary (sports), informed my brother Rajesh of the development last evening. But the information reached me only this morning," Manoj, who would be competing in the upcoming Asian Games in Incheon, said.
Dhoni leads team out of hotel over home-cooked biryani
Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni led his entire team out of a Hyderabad five-star hotel last week, after the hotel authorites prevented them from consuming some home-cooked biryani, which was sent by Dhoni’s Indian teammate Ambati Rayudu, according to media reports. Dhoni, furious at the staff of Hotel Grand Kakatiya for refusing to allow the team from enjoying some delicious Hyderabadi biryani, immediately made the team management cancel the booking and made the team move to rival Taj Krishna. In what is a sign of Dhoni’s clout over the management and staff, N Srinivasan and some
BCCI officials also followed Dhoni & co. to Taj Krishna. Although Rayudu, who had sent the biryani, was himself away in Raipur playing for the Mumbai Indians that evening, it is believed that Rayudu had requested for the biryani cooked at his home to be sent to the hotel. The Grand Kakatiya staff later confirmed that the Chennai Super Kings
moved out, but they refused to reveal the reasons for the team doing so. "You should ask the Chennai team management what happened and why they vacated," said Suhasini, a member of the hotel's public relations team. "We're a five-star deluxe facility and there are five other such hotels in the city. One is free to pick one's place of stay,"
George Verghese, the general manager of the hotel, was quoted as saying. "I am bound by confidentiality agreement with our guests and cannot vouch for your information, although I cannot stop you from writing it." A top BCCI official, who did not wish to disclose his identity, also confirmed that CSK did change their place of stay, but he refused to divulge further on the matter. "We don't know if biryani was the cause of the shift. I'm told Dhoni was not happy with the hotel," he said. CSK spokesman Russel Radhakrishnana said, “If you have information about such incidents you may write so. All I can say is we were not happy with the hotel and we moved out.”
SPORT WORLD
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Seamer Chris Rushworth makes history with 15 wickets in 18 overs
Durham’s Chris Rushworth swore he would not touch a drop of alcohol after storming into the record books by taking 15 wickets in 18 overs last week. The 28-yearold seam bowler from Sunderland gave up drink for 2014 to raise money for the Professional Cricketers’ Association and Save The Children. “It’s the best thing I’ve ever done,” he said. “The benefits fitnesswise have been a real eye-opener. I’ll obviously be tempted to toast this success and I hope to be tempted again after our Royal London Cup final at Lord’s. But I’ll stick to a few soft drinks.”
Jonathan Trott ready to play for England
England batsman Jonathan Trott has said he was ready to make a return to the England team after battling a stress-related illness. Trott said the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) was now satisfied he was fine following a series of assessments. He stated: "The ECB and I have had our final get-together. I've been signed off by the ECB. "Whatever comes along with regards to selection, maybe. I'm not putting too much pressure on myself." The Warwickshire batsman flew home from the Ashes tour last winter after admitting the issue, before attempting to make a comeback with Warwickshire. He was criticised after appearing to suggest his problems were merely down to burnout and having to deal with pressure, with critics including England captain Michael Vaughan saying they felt he had trivialised the issue. However, it turned out the matter was more serious than perhaps Trott himself had made it appear when he suffered a relapse and had to take a break from county action. Since June, however, the batsman has managed to get back in the groove and has made four centuries. Of these, two have come in the one-day cup. "There's been some challenging times," Trott noted. "Some tough times. But I've been available a while, for the last month or two, I suppose, in terms of selection and I'm enjoying my cricket.
China's Li Na announces retirement from tennis
China's Li Na, Asia's only grand slam singles champion, announced her retirement from tennis, succumbing to the effect of long-term knee injuries. A former French Open winner and the reigning Australian Open champion, Li said her troublesome knees, that have plagued her throughout her career, prevented her from ever regaining full fitness and forced her hand. "The task of finally making a decision to hang up my racquet felt a lot more difficult than winning seven matches in a row in the Australian heat," she said in a letter posted on her Facebook page. "It took me several agonizing months to finally come to the decision that my chronic injuries will never again let me be the tennis player that I can be. Walking away from the sport, effective immediately, is the right decision for me and my family." The 32-year-old, known affectionately as "Big Sister Na" and "Golden Flower" in China, won the 2011 French Open and this year's Australian Open. She climbed to number two in the world rankings but her knees were steadily getting worse and she skipped this year's US. Open, triggering speculation her dazzling career was drawing to a close.
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www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 27th September 2014
Asian games: India’s medal tally 11 on day 4
Star Indian shooter Abhinav Bindra clinched individual and team bronze medals in his last Asian Games while squash player Saurav Ghosal had to be content with a historic silver as India added five more medals to boost their tally to nine on the fourth day of competitions in Incheon, South Korea on Tuesday. While Bindra was the star performer as he picked up the individual as well as team bronze in the men's 10m air rifle event, Ghosal narrowly missed out on a coveted yellow metal on what turned out to be a mixed day for the Indian contingent. Meanwhile, Wushu players delivered two bronze through Yumnam Sanathoi Devi and Narender Grewal after they lost their respective semi-final contests to cap off India's campaign in the sport on an impressive note. With the addition of five more medals, India maintained their 13th position in the medals table with a tally of one gold, one silver and nine bronze.
Powerhouse China continued to top the table, followed by hosts South Korea and Japan. Bindra, who had announced that he will quit competitive shooting after the multisporting event, broke his Asian Games jinx by clinching his first individual medal after bagging a medal of the same hue in team event along with Sanjeev Rajput and Ravi Kumar at the Gyeonggido Shooting Range. The Glasgow Commonwealth Games gold medallist had a fine sequence of scores barring 9.9 and 9.6 on his 6th and 12th shots, and had to be content with the bronze medal after shooting 10.6 and 10.7 in his last two shots.
Itt was heartbreak for Ghosal, Asian number one and tournament top seed, as he snatched defeat from the jaws of victory after squandering a commanding 2-0 lead against Abdullah Al Muzayen in the men's singles squash final. The Indian world no. 16 led his 5-8 seeded Kuwaiti rival 12-10, 11-2 when Abdullah came up a stunning turnaround to turn the tables on Ghosal for the gold. Abdullah, ranked 46th in the world, produced top drawer stuff when he was down and out for the count to manage a 10-12, 2-11, 14-12, 11-8, 11-9 win that stunned the Indian camp, and the player especially, into deep despair, notwithstanding
that it was country's first ever silver from the squash courts in Games history. Apart from Bindra and his team's bronze-winning effort, there was disappointment for the other Indian shooters who were in action on Tuesday. The Indian men's hockey team continued their winning run as they thrashed minnows Oman 7-0 but were far from impressive in their performance. Rupinderpal (18th, 19th min) successfully converted two penalty corners before limping off the field after scoring the second goal. The unbelievably off-colour Raghunath (39th, 60th min+) managed two goals via penalty stroke and penalty corner. Akshdeep Singh (33rd), Ramandeep Singh (54th) and Danish Mujtaba (60th) were the other scorers. The worrying factor for India will be ace drag-flicker Rupinderpal's injury before the crucial game against arch-rivals Pakistan. In cycling, Indians continued to struggle as Deborah and K Vargheese finished 9th and 10th
respectively in women's sprint qualifying. Deborah and Vargheese clocked 12.118 and 12.897 with an average speed of 59.415 and 55.826, respectively to occupy the last two spots. Ashish's accumulated score of 81.750 was way behind the total top score of Japan's Kamoto 87.950. Meanwhile, Railways gymnast Rana (77.150) suffered due to a string of ordinary landings amongst the 23 gymnasts in the fray. Indian swimmers continued to struggle at the Asian Games with Sajan Prakash and Saurabh Sangvekar finishing fourth and seventh respectively in their men's 400 metre freestyle heats and Anshul Kothari ending at the sixth spot in 50m freestyle. Weightlifters also expectedly failed to make a mark Ravi Kumar and Punam Yadav coming up with listless performances. Silver medallist at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, Ravi Kumar lifted a total of 313kg after an effort of 141kg in snatch and 172kg in clean and jerk
to finish second in Group B. Satish Sivalingam, whose name was there in the initial start list, did not take part due to illness. In women's 63kg division, Punam, who had bagged a bronze medal at CWG, finished a lowly seventh in the field of nine lifters. Jitu Rai gives India first gold World No.5 Jitu Rai emerged champion in the men's 50 metre pistol event to give India its first gold medal from the 17th Asian Games at the Ongnyeon International Shooting Range. It was India's second medal of the day from the shooting ranges. Shweta Chaudhry had won the bronze, the first medal for India from Incheon, in the 10m air pistol event earlier in the day. Rai, who won the World Championship silver medal earlier this month to book the Olympic berth, shot a total of 186.2 in what was a rollercoaster final round. He had fired 559 in the qualification round to finish seventh and make the cut for the finals.